Large amounts of oil and gas were produced in Central Europe from thousands of deep wells, but after decades of production, many of the hydrocarbon exploration and production wells are abandoned. Instead of abandoning unused wells, they may be used for geothermal energy production and heat storage to support local communities and industries in the energy transition. Today this potential is largely underutilised due to economic uncertainties and technical and non-technical barriers. In TRANSGEO we, therefore, aim to enable a structural change from a fossil-fuel-producing hydrocarbon industry towards sustainable green energy provision from geothermal energy sources by demonstrating technological re-use options for abandoned wells and removing existing barriers.

As a doctoral researcher, you will support this goal by developing and validating well-reuse methodologies based on site-specific feasibility studies in Berlin/Brandenburg with the help of field data and reservoir models. As a team, we will support you in starting a fulfilling career in the field of deep geothermal energy development in science or industry.

Your responsibilities:

• Use, validate and possibly improve existing numerical codes and develop tailor-made modelling workflows to study the repurposing of hydrocarbon wells for geothermal energy production with a focus on Enhanced Geothermal Systems and Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage
• Develop, describe and compare different well-repurposing procedures
• Validate well-repurposing procedures on specific case studies
• Perform systematic generic modelling studies based on the validated procedures as input for a selection criteria catalogue
• Publish in international peer-reviewed journals and present results at scientific meetings, internal project meetings and to the general public
• Co-supervise BSc and MSc students
• The possibility of assistance in teaching can be offered.

Your qualifications:

• MSc degree (or equivalent) in reservoir/petroleum engineering, drilling/completion engineering, applied geosciences, geology, environmental sciences, geophysics, physics, mathematics or equivalent
• Experience in reservoir simulation
• Background knowledge in the topics of geothermal energy, hydrocarbon production, or drilling and completion engineering is useful, but no strict requirement
• Proficiency in spoken and written English; German language skills are useful, but no strict requirement
• High motivation and creativity as well as a result-oriented, structured and reliable working attitude
• Willingness and ability to work in diverse, interdisciplinary and international teams
• Excellent communication skills