• Numerical simulation (coupled processes)
• CO₂ storage in geological formations
• UCG-CCS (Underground Coal Gasification with combined CO₂ Capture and Storage)
• Engineering and Environmental Geology
• Environmental Engineering
• Hydrogeology

Current projects:

• brine (BMBF GEOTECHNOLOGIEN)
  • Project coordination
  • WP 3 (Assessment of salinisation)
  • Numerical simulations
• CO2CARE (EU-FP7)
  • Numerical simulations
• CO2MAN (BMBF GEOTECHNOLOGIEN)
  • Coordination of Work Package 4 (WP4 Modeling & simulation)
  • Numerical simulations
    
    • TP 4.2 (Reservoir simulation & visualization)
    • TP 4.4 (Geomechanical modeling & simulation)
• CO2RINA (BMBF GEOTECHNOLOGIEN)
  
  • Numerical simulations
• SiteChar (EU-FP7)
  • Numerical simulations (Geomechanics)
• UCG&CO2STORAGE (EU-RFCS)
  • Project management GFZ Potsdam
  • Dual-use of wells
  • Economical analysis
  • Numerical simulations

• CO2SINUS (BMBF GEOTECHNOLOGIEN)
  • Scientific coordination
  • Project management GFZ Potsdam
  • Economical and environmental evaluation
  • Numerical simulations
• CO2SINK (EU-FP6)
  • Numerical simulations
• CO2TRAP (BMBF GEOTECHNOLOGIEN)
  • Design of CO₂ storage in coal mines
  • Experimental studies
  • Numerical simulations

since 2009

Principal Research Scientist, German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) Potsdam

2005 - 2009
Research Associate, RWTH Aachen University, Department of Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology

Teaching:

2010
Reservoir Geomechanics within the scope of the MSc Power Engineering course Technologies for geothermal heat recovery and CO₂ storage from underground reservoirs, BTU Cottbus

2007 - 2009
Engineering and Environmental Geology for students of Waste Management, Mining and Industrial Engineering, RWTH Aachen University


Supervised theses:

E. Schöne (2011) Scenario analysis of pressure migration and brine displacement based on CO₂ storage in the Northeast German Basin (Potsdam University)

F. Wagner (2011) Detection of groundwater salinzation by geoelectric measurements (ETH Zürich)

N. Nakaten (2010, in German) Energy supply scenarios considering bridging technologies to renewables  in Germany and Europe - an international comparative analysis (RWTH Aachen University)

M. Voss (2010, in German) CO₂ abatement costs of alternative energy production units in comparison to fossil-fired power plants (RWTH Aachen University)

P. Kötting (2010, in German) Influencing factors on costs of electricity generation considering large-scale power plants in comparison to alternative technologies for electricity generation (RWTH Aachen University)

M.-L. Plötz (2010, in German) Economical application of underground coal gasification for fertilizer production using the example of the Jamalganj coal field in Bangladesh (RWTH Aachen University)

F. Wagner (2009, in German) Approaches for evaluation of hydrogeological boundary conditions considering selection of underground coal gasification sites (RWTH Aachen University)

C. Werth (2009, in German) Development of a criteria catalogue for evaluation of in situ coal conversion sites (RWTH Aachen University)

N. Nakaten (2008, in German) Evaluation of economomics of underground coal gasification with CO₂ capture (RWTH Aachen University)

2008 Doctorate
Department of Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology, RWTH Aachen University
Title: Evaluation of Geological CO₂ Storage involving Adsorption on Mining Wastes from Coal Processing

2005 Diploma (Waste Management Engineering)
Faculty of Georesources and Materials Engineering, RWTH Aachen University
Title: Disposal of Sewage Sludges from Mono Combustion

2010
Borchers Badge of Honour bestowed by the Vice-Chancellor of the RWTH Aachen University

2009
Karl-Heinrich Heitfeld Award for outstanding dissertation bestowed by the Professor Dr. Karl-Heinrich Heitfeld Foundation

2009
Friedrich-Wilhelm Award for outstanding scientific achievements bestowed by the Friedrich-Wilhelm Foundation

2007
1st awardee of the Forum für Junge Ingenieurgeologen (outstanding oral presentation), 16. Tagung Ingenieurgeologie der Fachsektion Ingenieurgeologie der DGGT & DGG

Invited presentations

IGMC-Kolloquium „Neue Ideen und Konzepte in der Geoinformatik und Fernerkundung“  WS 2010/2011, Clausthal-Zellerfeld, 3 February 2011, Potentials and challenges of Underground  Coal Gasification (in German)

International UCG Benchmarking Workshop, Calgary/Canada, 29-30 October 2010, Modeling of UCG economics, pollutant generation and CO₂ storage in gasification cavities

1st Brazilian Symposium on Non-Conventional Energy Generation from Coal and Gas Hydrates, Porto Alegre/Brazil, 28-30 July 2010, One-day UCG course

1st Humboldt-Kolleg International Conference, Dhaka/Bangladesh, 19-21 November 2009, Sustainable and economical application of UCG-CCS for energy and feedstock production from conventionally not developable coal deposits

Global UCG Summit, London/UK, 5-7 October 2009, The evaluation of the economical features and environmental impacts of UCG-CCS

Tian H, Kempka T, Xu NX, Ziegler M (2012 online first) Physical Properties of Sandstones After High Temperature Treatment, Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering, Online

Kempka T, Fernandez-Steeger T, Li DY, Schulten M, Schlüter R, Krooss BM (2011 online first) Carbon dioxide sorption capacities of coal gasification residues. Environmental Science & Technology. Online

Kempka T, Kühn M, Class H, Frykman P, Kopp A, Nielsen CM, Probst P (2010) Modelling of CO₂ arrival time at Ketzin - Part I. International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, Special Issue Geological CO₂ Storage 4(6):1007-1015. Online

Kempka T, Nakaten N, Schlüter R, Azzam R (2009) Economic viability of in-situ coal gasification with downstream CO₂ storage. Glückauf Mining Reporter, 1:43-50. Online

Kempka T, Waschbüsch M, Azzam R, Fernandez-Steeger TM  (2008) Reducing ground subsidence involving geological CO₂ storage during longwall mining operations. Quarterly Journal of Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology, 41:439-448. Online