Geological Careers: Renewable Energy & Unconventional Oil and Gas Dr Catherine Isherwood Senior Hydrogeologist RSKW, Stirling
Quick Introduction Catherine Isherwood Senior Hydrogeologist with RSKW in Stirling Hydrogeological risk assessment in relation to unconventional petroleum developments and geothermal energy Hydrogeological impact assessments for planning & regulatory purposes Career history: Dalgleish Associates Geological Consultant Geotechnical assessment, quarry design, planning issues & regulatory compliance Mouchel Environmental Consultant Environmental impact assessments, peat stability & peat management Aigas Field Centre Field Studies Ranger Environmental education Department of Earth Sciences, Cambridge Postgraduate student Field skills, lab skills & tutorials
Qualifications BA (Hons) Natural Sciences MSci Geological Sciences PhD Metamorphic Petrology MSc Applied Hydrogeology Chartered Geologist Quick Introduction Why become a geologist? Initially interested by minerals from old mine workings Developed a wider interest in earth processes Hydrogeology is complicated and fascinating I love fieldwork! Coniston Coppermines Valley Chalcopyrite (copper ore)
Renewable Energy: projects Windfarms from Shetland & the Western Isles to Ayrshire & Northern England Wave energy the Oyster project at Billia Croo, Orkney Tidal energy MeyGen tidal array, Inner Pentland Firth Hydro-electric micro- and meso-scale runof-river schemes in Scotland
Feasibility & planning stage Renewable Energy Baseline study including: Ground conditions Previous landuse mining, quarrying, industrial Walkover survey Constraints mapping steep slopes, boggy ground, springs, sink holes/peat pipes Boggy ground Springs Sink holes & peat pipes
Feasibility & planning stage Renewable Energy Site surveys: Ground-truthing of points of interest/concern Peat/soil depth surveys Water resources private water supplies, location & source type Watercourse crossing locations Peat depth surveys Peat depth probe Private water supply surveys Watercourse crossings location, design & practicality
Renewable Energy: Planning A key constraint: ground conditions & slope stability Natural & cut rock slopes Cross-slopes Slope failure mechanisms Peat slides
Aggregate sources & suitability Borrow pits Quarry design Renewable Energy: Planning
Renewable Energy: Construction Access tracks on good foundations Access tracks on peat Directional drilling and cable installation Turbine base excavation
Renewable Energy: Skills Required skills as a Geologist in the renewables industry: Field skills whatever the weather Good observational & recording skills Report writing Presentation to clients Presentation to the public stakeholder meetings & workshops Enthusiasm Ability to learn & develop Remember: nothing stands in isolation geology links in with engineering, hydrology, ecology and other disciplines. Can you communicate geological information to a structural engineer? Or an ecologist? What do they need to know?
Unconventional Hydrocarbons The SHEER Project: SHale gas Exploration and Exploitation induced Risks EU Horizon 2020 funded project www.sheerproject.eu Consortium of project partners Italy, UK, Poland, Germany, the Netherlands, the USA Academic and private sector involvement Project aim: To develop a probabilistic procedure for assessing the short- and long-term risks associated with groundwater contamination, air pollution and induced seismicity from the exploration and exploitation of shale gas and oil.
The SHEER Project GW1 GW3 WYSIN GW4 GW2
Unconventional Hydrocarbons Main rig drilling for shale gas Small rig drilling monitoring boreholes seismic & groundwater Logging core
Unconventional Hydrocarbons Core boxes: poor recovery of sands & gravels plus an unexpected boulder Pumping tests Poland-style Cleaning the borehole
Unconventional Hydrocarbons Groundwater monitoring in practice Divers: continuous data Dip meter: GW level check Water samples Multi-parameter probe: physicochemical parameters Fieldwork in summer checking the multiparameter probe and in winter purging GW1
Unconventional Hydrocarbons Required skills as a Hydrogeologist: In addition to the Geologist skills Field chemistry Good numerical & analytical skills Confidence using spreadsheets & analytical software Computer modelling
Summary Geology is everywhere Always useful to have an understanding of the ground Communicating with others specialist & non-specialist Enjoy the fieldwork!