Energeia ISSUE 2

ENERGEIA
AT WORK FOR THE ENERGY SECTOR
From space
to subsea
Generating
knowledge to fuel
a greener world
Shining a light
on offshore
environments
Brazil beckons
for University
of Aberdeen
Balancing
conflicting demand
for land and sea
ISSUE 2
ENERGEIA
CONTENTS
elcome to Energeia the

University of Aberdeens magazine for
the Energy Industry.
3 Exploring offshore
structures and
marine life
4/5 From space to
subsea
6/7 Generating
knowledge to fuel a
greener world
8/9 Field station
research shines light
on environmental
impact of offshore
development
10/11 Brazil beckons
for universityindustry teams
12/13 Balancing
conflicting demand
for land and sea
14/15 Greenhouse
gas goes clean and
green
16/17 Masters course
propels careers in the
renewables sector
Energeia
is published by
University of Aberdeen
Kings College, Aberdeen
AB24 3FX
Scotland, UK
Tel +44 (0)1224 272014
communications@abdn.ac.uk
2012 University of
Aberdeen
www.abdn.ac.uk
Principal & Vicechancellor
Professor Ian Diamond
FBA FRSE AcSS
18/19 Taking the

Aberdeen experience
to Mexico
Vice-Principal,
External Affairs
PROFESSOR ALBERT
RODGER FREng
19 Aberdeen
geologist scoops
prestigious US award
Editor
Joanne MILNE
Communications
20 Challenge creates
opportunity for
engineering postgrad
21 World class
executive education
comes to Aberdeen
22 Energy students
to benefit from
Universitys
revamped learning
spaces
22 Engineering
students race across
the world for charity
As an internationally-renowned
research and teaching institution at
the heart of Europes Oil Capital and
with academic links all over the world,
the University of Aberdeen is ideally
placed to work with the energy industry
on the challenges it faces. From major
research on the environment of the
deepest oceans to the latest teaching on global economics, we thrive
on developing solutions which will boost the sustainability and
competitiveness of the energy sector. This was emphasised recently
when Professor Alex Kemp, a foremost expert on the economics of
the North Sea oil and gas industry, was presented with a lifetime
achievement accolade at the SPE Offshore Achievement Awards.
Being international is at the core of everything we do. The University
was ranked sixth in a recent survey of international scientific
collaboration of 500 major universities across the world and we
are also ranked as one of the top forty universities in the world for
international outlook.
This is consistent with our aim is to be a partner of choice for the
industry at a global level, by giving it the world-leading research,
talented graduates, andhighly-skilled professional colleagues to
unlock and exploit the opportunities that lie ahead. We look forward to
exploring with you how we can bring our international reputation to
help your organisation.
Professor Ian Diamond FBA FRSE AcSS
Principal and Vice-Chancellor
ADDITIONAL CONTENT
SHAUNAGH KIRBY
KELLY POTTS
JENNIFER PHILLIPS
Photography
Adam Morrice
Media Services
Designed & Produced by
Hampton Associates
Aberdeen, Tel: 01224 620562
www.hamptonassociates.com
Printed by
NB Group
Paper sourced from
sustainable forests
23 Energy giants
back British Science
Festival
www.abdn.ac.uk/energy
ISSUE 2
Exploring offshore
structures and
marine life
S
ince the first installation

went into the seabed, it has
been apparent that varieties of
commercially important fish are
often attracted in large numbers
to oil and gas platforms. Now
research is underway to find out
how and why fish are using these
installations, as well as the impact
these and offshore renewable
structures could have on future
fish population dynamics.
Oceanlab the University of Aberdeen

research centre leading the world with its
deep sea discoveries, subsea capabilities and
expertise is conducting the study which
suggests offshore man-made structures may
provide refuge for a variety of commercially
exploited fishes such as cod, haddock and
saithe in the North Sea.
BP has just renewed its funding of the work
being led by Dr Toyonobu Fujii who spends
around a week every three months on the
BP Miller platform in the North Sea in order
to conduct seasonal fish sampling at varying
depths, which he examines together with
historical and current large-scale bottom trawl
survey data.
It could be because marine organisms

colonising the surface of these platforms
create reef habitats which offer the fish better
feeding opportunities, or possibly the complex
structure of platforms provides places for them
to shelter or hide from larger predators such as
seals and sharks.
Whatever the reasons the knowledge we
are building will provide valuable information
about the patterns of seafloor habitat
utilisation by marine fish populations and
their movement, as well as the potential role
of offshore artificial structures in explaining
the dynamics of fish stocks for sustainable
fisheries management purposes.
Oceanlab - internationally recognised for its
pioneering subsea systems which can operate
down to 11,000 metres or 36,000 feet has a
long-standing relationship with BP as well as
collaborations with many other companies in
the offshore sector.
We developed and delivered the worlds first
multi-sensor system to monitor the deep-sea
environment for BP, says Professor Monty
Priede, Director of Oceanlab.
We still dont know exactly why fish are

drawn to these structures, yet there are
currently no less than 500 offshore installations
across the North Sea, which altogether would
have substantial influence on the movement of
fishes as a whole, says Dr Fujii.
These two eight metre platforms with

cameras, sonars and samplers designed at
Oceanlab sit on the ocean floor at 1,400m
depth, off Angola, in BPs block 18. One is
within 50 metres of a subsea wellhead and the
second is five miles from any offshore activity.
Pictured: Dr Toyonobu Fujii
These platforms known as DELOS Deepocean Environmental Long-term Observatory

System are acting as environmental
sentinels, giving advance warning of any
effects on marine animals in unknown remote
areas where science is unable to predict
effects as the hydrocarbon industry moves
into deeper and deeper waters.
The construction of DELOS which is part of
a multi-decade international collaboration is
just one example of a successful partnership
Oceanlab enjoys with industry.
Oceanlab has one of the most comprehensive
subsea proving and test suites in Europe,
says Commercial Manager David Sproule.
We have large hangar space, a high pressure
testing vessel for testing equipment and
certificate testing to 7,000m depths, a
vibration table, environment chamber and
immersion and sea water tanks.
But Oceanlabs offshore sector partnerships
are not just commercial.
We also host the North Sea Bird Club a
University of Aberdeen and offshore industry
collaboration which dates back to 1979 and is
collating long-term data from offshore on birds
and other wildlife, adds Professor Priede.
For more information:

www.oceanlab.abdn.ac.uk
ENERGEIA
From space to subsea

C
ould tiny, super cold atoms

hold the key to finding the Earths
remaining oil sources?
Physicists at the University of
Aberdeen are applying groundbreaking technology being used in
space exploration, to the subsea
industry.
Dr Charles Wang, an astrophysicist
who is leading the project that
will result in the development
of an innovative new subsea
sensor, describes the potentially
significant impact this work could
have on the future of the oil and
gas sector.
When we think of gravity, an image of Isaac
Newton and an apple may be what most
immediately springs to mind.
But to think of it only in this context would
be wrong the measurement of gravity has
actually been used as a vital tool for decades
in the search for prospective oil, gas and
natural minerals.
Dr Wang explains: The usual gravity we
experience and understand is Earths gravity,
but in reality every object is a source of
gravity.
If you have a sensor with high enough
sensitivity, it will pick up small gravitational
changes which indicate the presence of an
object. It is this technology which has been
used for decades in the oil and gas industry to
detect the existence of prospective oil fields.
4
But so far this technology has been limited

to work above the sea level with companies
using gravity measurements as part of their
airborne survey work.
What we are doing here at Aberdeen is
developing a new sensor which will allow
gravity measurements to be used, for the first
time, in a subsea environment.
The development of the technology is being
carried out in collaboration between the
University, subsea specialist Fugro Subsea
Services Ltd and Trident Underwater
Engineering (Systems).
The project is part funded by the subsea
strand of the Scottish Sensor Systems Centre
(S3C), a Scottish Funding Council initiative
supporting a collaboration between eight of
Scotlands leading universities and industry to
undertake joint industrial / academic projects
into sensor systems.
S3C aims to deliver value across the whole
sensor information stack in subsea and
terrestrial markets, with the subsea strand
bringing together research expertise from
Aberdeen, Dundee and Robert Gordon
Universities.
If you have a sensor with

high enough sensitivity, it will
pick up small gravitational
changes which indicate the
presence of an object. It is this
technology which has been
used for decades in the oil
and gas industry to detect the
existence of prospective oil
fields.
Dr Wang continues: Current gravitational

sensor technology is too large and too power
consuming to take underwater, and the
equipment is not sensitive enough to operate
in subsea conditions.
It makes perfect sense that the closer you are
to the source of the prospective oil and gas, the
more accurate you can be in detecting it.
Pictured: Dr Charles Wang
ISSUE 2
What we are developing is a new type of

compact sensor that requires low power,
and can be used in deep waters, to detect
new sources in a way that is more sensitive,
accurate and therefore cost effective.
The key behind our research is the use of
atoms like Rubidium.
When we cool these atoms to a super cold
temperature and trap them in an atom cloud,
it acts like a highly precise laser that can
measure gravity in a way that is much more
accurate than a normal optical laser could
achieve.
No mechanical parts are involved in the
process so it is much simpler and more reliable.
We actually developed this technology, known
as a cold atom trap, for an entirely different
purpose to measure gravity in space.
The cold atom trap was created through
a research project we are undertaking with
the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory Science
and the Science and Technology Facilities
Council. The project had a similar emphasis
to improve on technology currently available
but in this case to better the gravitational
technology being employed in space.
Sensing gravity in space allows us to
probe the subsurface formation structure
in the Earths crust and this can help us in
our understanding of climate change and
in analysing geological problems such as
earthquakes by tracking continental plate
movement and detecting fault lines.
It is this exact same science

that we are taking from
space and applying subsea
having seen the potential
for the cold atom technology
to be used subsea, and the
massive consequences this
could have in helping the
industry find previously
undetected hydrocarbons.
The European Space Agency launched a
satellite called GOCE in 2009 which obtained
the highest precision of gravity measurement
yet to be achieved. The technology we are
developing is expected to surpass this.
It is this exact same science that we are
taking from space and applying subsea
having seen the potential for the cold
atom technology to be used subsea, and
the massive consequences this could have
in helping the industry find previously
undetected hydrocarbons.
The sensor will also have the potential to be
used in subsea pipeline inspection work an
area of critical importance given the sectors
ageing pipelines.
by other subsea activities that generate noise,

making readings less accurate.
Our sensor would make it possible to use
gravity measurements to detect faults for the
first time at subsea levels.
Gravitational signals would better reflect
where the changes in the condition of the
pipeline occur, and it is also a non-intrusive
method whereby 3D imaging of the interior of
the pipe can be performed without having to
do invasive work. The benefits to the industry
are clear a higher level of accuracy is
achieved in a more cost effective way.
To date Dr Wang and his team have modelled
and simulated a gravity survey which
could be applied subsea to understand the
characteristics their sensor will need to have.
They are now working on developing the cold
atom trap into a functioning prototype of the
sensor which they believe will be ready to trial
next year.
Dr Wang says: Our aim is to have a sensor
which is being deployed subsea by companies
for oil detection and pipe fault inspection
within the next few years. I think thats an aim
that we are entirely on track to achieve.
Dr Wang continues: Currently magnetism is

used when inspecting subsea pipelines for
faults.
But the technology means that most
inspections are not as thorough as they could
be because magnetic inspection is affected
For more information contact:

Dr Charles Wang, c.wang@abdn.ac.uk
ENERGEIA
Generating
knowledge to
fuel a greener
world
F
rontier science in a chemistry lab on the Aberdeen

campus, a multimillion Euro testbed offshore wind
development, the impact of new technology on the
mammalian communities of the North Sea and
the commuters on the bus between Peterhead and
Aberdeen The glue which binds them and more
together is research underway across the University
of Aberdeen. Energeia asked Professor Paul Mitchell
to tell us more:
Whats the role of a university as we move to a more

sustainable energy future?
The expertise, experience, and networks of a university are absolutely
vital in addressing this major challenge. Most obviously, universities
inject new science and new research which tests and improves
engineering and technology. Another role is to examine the economic,
legal and social impact of these developments on our environment and
society including their acceptability by our communities, which is
vital in achieving changes in policy and behaviour.
In terms of the breadth of our research activity, no other university has a
wider portfolio of topics related to renewable energy than the University
of Aberdeen.
Particular strengths are in biomass and bioenergy, from sustainable land
use to catalytic processes for the production of transportation fuels. We
are at the forefront of research in fuel cells and hydrogen technologies
for a range of applications, in marine energy including the development
of a wave energy generator, and how water movement and sediment
6
transport is affected by offshore windfarms. Our engineers are also

looking at development of high-voltage DC technological solutions
to reduce the costs and increase efficiency of the transmission of
electricity generated in offshore wind farms to shore.
We have a strong focus on environmental science, much of which is
centred on the environmental impact of the energy industries, the
impact of global climate change on soils and ecosystems and options for
mitigation. And we also have health scientists looking at the effects of
atmospheric pollution on health.
How will University of Aberdeen researchers engage with the
European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre?
Our activities in offshore wind focus on the engineering and
environmental aspects. Our civil, electrical and mechanical engineers
are engaged in the development of technologies including the integrity
of offshore structures and foundations, cable laying techniques,
and sediment transport systems including the impacts of scour on
offshore structures. Our environmental scientists have a world leading
reputation in marine science and monitoring the impact of marine
energy developments and hence are able to advise developers on the
most environmentally benign deployment strategies.
The European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre off Aberdeen will
provide a world class demonstration and test facility enabling the
research community to better understand the processes and speed the
development of innovative solutions for the next generation of marine
energy technologies. What excites us as academics is that this will be
a giant laboratory, offering opportunities to work with the developers
Pictured: Professor Paul Mitchell
ISSUE 2
We can bring the brightest minds in the

business together around your challenge, and
help give you the competitive edge of highly
trained staff for today and tomorrow. In all
ways, we are your partner of choice.
and supply chain companies to test new engineering and technologies
in a real-time offshore environment, with our research findings available
to the wider European industry.
What about the human and societal aspects of renewables?
This is of huge interest to us. After all, there is little point in developing
cars run on electricity if the public are not going to buy them! As part
of its work in looking at alternative means of transport, our Centre for
Transport Research is researching the public acceptability of electric
cars and what the market would be.
We have economists looking at economic issues concerning the
transition to sustainable energies, and experts in law who are providing
specialist advice and training on emerging issues concerning renewable
energy developments.
And of course its not all about humans. Offshore wind developments
are taking place off the Scottish coast in areas which are home to
important communities of marine mammals. Our strength in marine
biology including our Oceanlab and Cromarty Lighthouse facilities
makes us ideally positioned to look closely at the impact on our marine
ecosystems.
How is all this expertise and knowledge feeding into industry
and government decisions as we go forward?
In academia, partnerships such as the Northern Research Partnership
for engineering and related disciplines (the universities of Aberdeen,
Dundee, and Robert Gordon University), and the twelve Scottish
universities who are members of the Energy Technology Partnership
(ETP) ensure that we all pull together, with funding from the Scottish
Government through the Scottish Funding Council, to further Scotlands
aims to be a world leader in renewable energy. The ETP is the largest
power and energy research partnership in Europe, and promotes
greater levels of collaboration between universities and industry to
deliver unparalleled energy research, development and demonstration
capability across a spectrum of energy technologies.
Working closely with the ETP, Scottish Enterprise and the Highland and
Islands Enterprise among others is RenewNet, a partnership between
five Scottish universities including Aberdeen, which provides SMEs with
expertise in the area of power engineering, helping them build capacity
to deliver to the renewable sector and also to clients requiring subsea
power connections. Academic personnel work free of charge in the SME
alongside company staff for up to three months, transferring skills and
guidance on levering further funding for R&D. RenewNet is funded by
the Scottish Funding Council and the European Regional Development
Fund (ERDF).
Much energy-related research activity is funded through industry. The
University is a founder member of the Aberdeen Renewable Energy
Group (AREG), established to promote the development of renewable
energy skills and technology in north-east Scotland, and for which our
R&D has led to a number of significant spinout companies servicing the
energy and low carbon industries.
Were also heavily involved in Energetica, the ambitious plan to create a
new-generation energy corridor stretching from Aberdeen to Peterhead.
We aim to create a world-class showcase that will attract innovative

energy businesses and highly skilled people. One particularly exciting
plan is to use the power of the wind generated by the European
Offshore Wind Deployment Centre to split water and produce hydrogen
which can be used to power buses to run through the Energetica green
energy corridor.
The Scottish European Green Energy Centre (SEGEC), which is hosted
on our campus, engages with institutions, networks and technology
platforms, influencing the future policy agenda and identifying niche
opportunities for collaboration across different industry sectors.
SEGECs principal remit is to facilitate innovative, collaborative, lowcarbon, infrastructure projects which deliver real benefits for Scotland,
the UK and Europe.
These partnerships are also a route to wider collaborations across the
globe, both with industry and with academic partners. We are now
linked on this topic with leading US centres of excellence such as
MIT, and with major universities in China and India including a new
agreement for teaching and research with Indias specialist energy
university UPES.
Are we on course to produce the next generation to lead and
run this industry?
The University was founded 500 years ago specifically to produce the
professionals that were needed in this area at that time specifically the
doctors, lawyers and clerics. Today, with all our experience in teaching
and professional development coupled with our research activity,
calibre of academics, connections and intimate knowledge of industry
needs we are ideally placed for this challenge.
Our engineering undergraduate programmes are addressing the skills
required in the renewables sector through the introduction of new
programmes such as MEng in Mechanical and Electrical Engineering
with Energy Studies, and for postgraduate study we have a strong
portfolio of taught MSc programmes addressing the needs of the energy
industries.
With our close links with industry, many students find placements
which frequently lead to future employment. For example, graduates of
our increasingly successful Renewable Energy MSc are very successful
in finding key positions in the emerging sector very often in the
renewables divisions of the large multinational oil and gas companies.
Key to this success is the understanding of the ways in which the oil
and gas sector can contribute to the deployment of offshore renewables.
And of course our opportunities go much wider than engineering,
including our portfolio of business courses and the new HenleyAberdeen Partnership for executive development.
What is your message to others in the industry?
My message is a simple one get in touch. Whether you have a
technical problem that needs researching, or if you are looking to
develop your own career or the professionals skills of your workforce,
or are interested in discussing scholarships, academic Chairs or any
kind of partnership or involvement with the University, we are always
delighted to hear from you.
We can bring the brightest minds in the business together around your
challenge, and help give you the competitive edge of highly trained staff
for today and tomorrow. In all ways, we are your partner of choice.
i
For more information contact: Professor Paul Mitchell,

c.p.mitchell@abdn.ac.uk
ENERGEIA
Field station research

shines light on
environmental impact
of offshore development
S
ituated on the tip of the Black

Isle, the University of Aberdeens
Cromarty Lighthouse Field Station
is uniquely positioned to offer an
insight into how environmental
changes influence the behaviour
and population dynamics of marine
mammals.
Research on the Moray Firths bottlenose

dolphin and harbour seal populations has been
conducted from the Cromarty Lighthouse
Field Station for more than 20 years. Recently,
knowledge developed through this research
programme has been increasingly used to
support decision making for offshore energy
developments.
Dr Kate Brookes explains how the

centre is at the forefront of work
to assess and mitigate the impact
of offshore development on our
wildlife.
Dr Brookes initial work in the area involved

studies of seabirds as part of the Beatrice
Demonstrator project, a 41 million scheme
which saw two 5MW wind turbines installed
adjacent to the Beatrice oil field, 25 km off the
east coast of Scotland.
The Moray Firth is one of the most important

areas of the UK coastline for both marine
mammals and seabirds. It contains Special
Areas of Conservation for both bottlenose
dolphins and harbour seals as well as Special
Protection Areas for seabirds and wintering
wildfowl, she says.
As such it provides a unique opportunity to
study how human activity impacts on wildlife.
This enables us to build up an understanding
that can be used when considering
developments not only here but elsewhere in
UK waters and further afield.
8
Pictured: Dr Kate Brookes
She says: This pioneering engineering project

involved the construction of the worlds first
deep water offshore wind turbines in the
Outer Moray Firth. My work assessed whether
radar could be used to study impacts on birds,
while other members of our team developed
acoustic techniques for assessing potential
impacts on marine mammals.
Dr Brookes current work has involved further
application of these acoustic techniques,
and now focuses on the potential impacts of
underwater noise on marine mammals.
The Moray Firth is one of

the most important areas
of the UK coastline for
both marine mammals and
seabirds. It contains Special
Areas of Conservation for
both bottlenose dolphins and
harbour seals as well as Special
Protection Areas for seabirds
and wintering wildfowl.
These studies have involved aerial surveys
for estimating how many cetaceans, such as
whales, dolphins and porpoises, occur in the
Moray Firth and the long-term deployment of
acoustic loggers, which record echolocation
clicks made by dolphins and porpoises,
to study changes in their use of different
areas through the seasons or in response to
disturbance.
This work has been funded by the
Department of Energy and Climate Change
(DECC) and other industry partners to assess
whether protected populations of porpoises
and dolphins are displaced during oil
ISSUE 2
About Cromarty
Lighthouse Field
Station
The University established the Lighthouse
Field Station in Cromarty in 1990 to support
its research programme on marine mammals
in the Moray Firth and provide a base for
undergraduate and postgraduate teaching in
marine ecology and resource management.
and gas seismic surveys. Initial phases of

the project gathered data to characterise
the populations using offshore areas, and
intensive monitoring of these animals
was then carried out during a commercial
seismic survey in 2011.
Analysis of the findings from last years
impact studies is still underway. But,
in the meantime, results of the offshore
surveys have provided key data for the
environmental assessments required by
offshore windfarm companies working in the
Moray Firth.
Marine mammals use sound to

communicate, to find food and to navigate
their habitats, so disturbance from pile
driving during wind farm construction has
been a key issue of concern. With over 20
years of existing data from the region, we are
in an ideal position to assess whether any
observed changes in abundance, distribution
or behaviour are caused by a particular event,
such as pile driving for wind turbines, or are
part of natural fluctuations or trends.
Several of the team that we worked with on

the Beatrice Demonstrator Project are now
leading major developments in the Moray
Firth. Dr Brookes adds.
Dr Brookes says that the position of the

Field Station now provides researchers with
unique opportunities to monitor how these
marine mammal populations respond to any
large scale developments that do go ahead in
the Moray Firth.
This has helped us further develop our links

with industry and the regulators to make
sure that environmental impact assessments
are based upon the best available
knowledge. Working together in the early
stages of these projects has also allowed
us to explore how design and installation
techniques can be modified to minimise any
potential impacts.
Being up here puts us right on the doorstep

of the species we are studying. It means that
we are able to do field work relatively easily
that would be difficult to coordinate from
elsewhere. To do this kind of work, often needs
specialised fieldwork skills, so you need a team
of people around you who are experienced and
know what they are doing; thats what weve
managed to develop up here.
The Field Station is located in the Lighthouse

Keepers Cottage and Old Buoy Store,
overlooking Cromarty harbour on the tip of the
Black Isle.
The Cromarty Lighthouse was built by
Alan Stevenson to guide ships in from the
Moray Firth to the Cromarty Firth. It became
operational in 1846, was automated in
1985 and finally decommissioned in 2005.
The University of Aberdeen purchased the
Lighthouse in 2009.
Research is conducted from the Lighthouse
Field Station with the aim of understanding
how natural and man-made environmental
changes influence the behaviour and
population dynamics of marine mammals and
seabirds.
This work directly supports regional
conservation and management programmes,
and has developed best practice case studies
that provide insights into marine resource
management issues elsewhere in the world.
i
Further information on the Lighthouse

Field Station can be found at
www.abdn.ac.uk/lighthouse
ENERGEIA
s the 2014 World Cup qualifiers begin, the words Brazil and teams are likely to be increasingly linked
together and not solely in the context of the beautiful game. Because the largest country in South America
famed for its prowess on the football pitch and its huge untapped natural resources is today the worlds
sixth largest economy, and on an upwards trajectory as a major hydrocarbon province. Maximising its
potential however will need another kind of team.
Wearing the captains armband

is Brazilian premier Dilma
Rousseff, whose government must
strategically steer play towards
the goal of a highly skilled
home workforce for its energy
industry. A creative midfield
is available, in the form of the
Brazilian universities and the new
partnerships they are making with
experienced peer institutions in
the worlds established energy
hubs. Critical to scoring the
goal, however, will be the large
multinational energy players who
will fund the scholarships and
learning opportunities that the
universities are well placed to
provide.
10
This team is indeed the thinking

behind recent moves by the
Brazilian government to grow
the capacity and skills of its
home workforce through
bringing together the worlds
best education providers with
experienced global businesses
keen to share in its rich potential
in many forms of energy.
Its an opportunity the University
of Aberdeen has been quick to
seize. Today it is spearheading
the UKs involvement in a new
partnership programme which
will see the first cohort of Brazilian
postgraduate students arrive in
Aberdeen this September.
Were fortunate to have been able

to take a lead in working with the
Brazilian government, universities
and industry partners, to provide
professional development for a
new generation of Brazils energy
professionals, says Ben Kneller,
the professor of petroleum geology
who is leading the Universitys
involvement. Being at the
heart of the North Sea industry
puts Aberdeen in a unique
position. Were looking forward
to welcoming the first group of
twenty Brazilian students who will
complete their PhDs with us.
Were fortunate
to have been able
to take a lead in
working with the
Brazilian government,
universities and
industry partners, to
provide professional
development for
a new generation
of Brazils energy
professionals.
There is a chronic skills shortage

in science and technology
Pictured: Carolina Danielski, a masters student at Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos (UNISINOS) looking at outcrops of 300 million
year old glacial deposits in Santa Catarina state.
ISSUE 2
There is a chronic skills shortage in science

and technology at postgraduate level in Brazil.
In response, President Rousseff announced
last March her governments intention to
send upwards of 75,000 Brazilian graduates
overseas to undertake higher degrees, with the
Brazilian government paying their stipends,
and industry contributing tuition fees.
at postgraduate level in Brazil.
In response, President Rousseff
announced last March her
governments intention to send
upwards of 75,000 Brazilian
undergraduates and graduates
to study overseas, with the
Brazilian government paying
their stipends. For some students
industry will pay tuition fees and
additional costs.
BG Group, a long-term player
in Brazil, was quick to commit
to funding up to 450 new
scholarships for Brazilian PhD
students to study outside of Brazil
over the next five years, and this
number is likely to be increased
in the longer term. The first
tranche is the 20 students coming
to Aberdeen to work towards
doctorates in petroleum geology,
in partnership with the Federal
University of Rio Grande do Sul
(UFRGS), Brazils top petroleum
geoscience institution.
The arrangement will be part of
Brazils Science without Borders
campaign, whereby students
living costs are funded by the
Brazilian Government agencies
in higher education. Tuition fees
and research costs are being
provided by BG through Brazils
Special Participation initiative a
partnership between the Brazilian
government, the industry partner,
and a Brazilian university
which can be linked to another
university elsewhere in the world.
1% of their production revenue

from large oil and gas fields
on R&D, and there is a similar
requirement on power generation,
transmission and distribution
companies, water utilities and
telecommunications firms. At
least half this sum must be
spent with Brazilian academic
institutions though some can go
to external partners and foreign
academic visitors and the other
half can be spent within the
companys own research facilities
or with external contractors
which can include a foreign
university.
For Professor Kneller

this is familiar
territory. He has
spent many months
in Brazil over recent
years, developing
relationships with its
universities, talking
with the energy
companies active in
its sector, looking
for opportunities for
the relatively young
Brazilian industry
to benefit from the
strength of his own
university.
For the industry partner this is an

opportunity born of obligation.
All energy companies operating
in Brazil are required to re-invest
For Professor Kneller this is

familiar territory. He has spent
many months in Brazil over recent
years, developing relationships
with its universities, talking with
the energy companies active in its
sector, looking for opportunities
for the relatively young Brazilian
Pictured: Professor Ben Kneller
industry to benefit from the

strength of his own university.
For him it is an obvious win-win
relationship.
We have so much to offer, he
says. If we look just at my own
area, for example, Aberdeen has
long been a centre of excellence
for teaching and research in
geosciences. We are simply very
good at petroleum geology.
The University is well equipped
with industry-standard hardware
and software, and facilities
including our unique exploration
training centre and programme
exploHUB, the seisLAB for
subsurface research, the
Halliburton Visualisation Suite,
state-of-the-art petrophysics and
chemistry labs and of course
our outstanding new library and
sports facilities.
And in addition to the quality
of our courses, our students
benefit from the experience of
being surrounded by a mature,
innovating energy industry,
and immersed in the real-life
challenges it faces today.
Science without Borders also
provides the opportunity for
Brazilian undergraduate or
postgraduate students to spend a
year at an overseas university as
part of their course.
And the partnerships dont
end at graduation. Aberdeen is
involved in research partnerships
with UFRGS and another leading
geoscience university UNISINOS
(the University of the Sinos Valley).
Two Aberdeen researchers are
about to leave for UFRGS to work

on seismic and hydrocarbon
science projects, and a Brazilian
colleague from UNISINOS will
arrive in Aberdeen shortly.
For Ben Kneller the success
of any team is all about
relationships. To make this
succeed requires investing in
peer to peer contacts at the level
of individual academics and
research teams, says Ben. Yes,
MoUs are important and give
a helpful framework, but this is
also about relationships on the
ground, getting to know each
other not only as organisations
but as scientists and engineers
and colleagues. Were making
good progress certainly, but the
potential is huge.
At the heart of this effort are the
young people coming into the
industry wherever they live and
wherever they choose to develop
their careers; they are the future
of what must surely be the most
internationalised industry in the
world. We must work as a team
with other universities, in Brazil,
UK and elsewhere and most
importantly with industry to
give this new generation the very
best global education, experience,
outlook and opportunities for a
successful career.

Professor Ben Kneller,
b.kneller@abdn.ac.uk
11
ENERGEIA
Balancing conflicting
demand for land and sea
O
ur land has many different and often conflicting uses and a set of
legal practices exist to regulate it. In recent years the same divergence
has occurred in the way we use our seas with increased focus on
offshore renewable energy projects.
At the University of Aberdeen the Rural Law Research Group has
been established to examine how we balance policy demands and the
legal system. Two of its founders, Anne-Michelle Slater and Aylwin
Pillai, detail how the work of the centre is contributing to a better
understanding of these issues both onshore and offshore.
Although a regulatory framework for dealing

with how we use both our land and seas
already exists, the picture is changing fast
in terms of the policy that law draws upon,
says Ms Slater, an expert on Marine Spatial
Planning.
In recent years there has been a real shift
towards the use of renewable energy as
governments look for alternatives to oil
and gas.
Initially much of the focus was on land and
that has raised a host of different issues and
controversies so offshore development has
become increasingly favourable. However, that
brings with it a new set of challenges.
The new marine spatial planning system
goes out to 200 nautical miles and within
that there are many competing uses for the
sea from traditional industries like fishing to
tourism or the energy industry.
There have always been individual laws
covering fishing, navigation, oil spills and
other specific areas but it has never really
been looked at as a whole, so the idea behind
marine planning is to bring together the
consideration of the different uses of the sea.
Dr Aylwin Pillai, a specialist environmental
lawyer, is leading work at the Centre in
environmental law and land law.
The new marine spatial

planning system goes out
to 200 nautical miles and
within that there are many
competing uses for the sea
from traditional industries
like fishing to tourism or
the energy industry.
12
She says: In Scotland, the Climate Change

(Scotland) Act 2009 the Scottish statutory
framework for tackling climate change has
brought about the introduction of a strategy
for sustainable land use which is supposed
to draw together the existing policies on land
use with the common aim of contributing to
tackling climate change.
One of the key ways that the Scottish
government wants to deliver that aim is
through the development of renewable energy,
with increasing development onshore being
required in the short to medium term to
deliver the Scottish Governments ambitious
policy goal to deliver on 100% renewable
electricity by 2020.
The extent to which onshore renewable
energy projects contribute to this aim has
to be balanced against the local impact on
landscape, habitats and protected species.
The longer term future of renewable
energy will depend on new types of offshore
development such as wave and tidal, which
have implications onshore as well as offshore.
Establishing a dedicated Rural Law Research
Group at Aberdeen has enabled many of these
diverse issues to be considered collectively
within an academic forum for the first time.
The Rural Law Research Group is leading
the way in the provision of legal training,
providing unique courses on renewable
energy law and maritime spatial planning
to both undergraduate and postgraduate
students. This is also now being developed for
industry professionals.
The group has expanded to take on new
staff members with their own specialist
knowledge and as a result we are able to offer
a master's programme in Climate Change Law
Pictured: (left to right) Anne-Michelle Slater and Aylwin Pillai
and Sustainable Development which attracts

students from around the world, adds Dr Pillai.
Weve found there is a clear demand for
these courses from industry and those
wanting to undertake Continuous Professional
Development, including practicing solicitors.
These people do not need to take a whole
masters programme but can come in typically
one morning per week during term time and
do a module at either honours or masters
level over a semester."
The Rural Law Research Group also hold a
biannual conference series.
We felt that there wasnt an appropriate
forum to facilitate discussion of the policy
and legal frameworks for issues such as
sustainable agriculture, the role of renewable
energy and the future of access to the
countryside, says Dr Pillai.
That view was supported by the strong
attendance we attracted with almost 100
people at our first event and for 2011 we had
more than 150 participants.
Academics attended from as far afield as the
USA, France, and Denmark and agencies such
as SEPA and SNH were well represented.
The conference was also attended by
representatives of the Scottish Government
and many of the Scottish law practitioners
with an interest in aspects of rural law.
It was extremely beneficial to bring together
delegates from such a broad spectrum and
the debate has helped to move forward ideas
relating to the role of embedded carbon
in Scotland and the balance between tree
planting and agriculture, including lively
discussion on offshore and onshore renewable
energy law and policy.
We are now looking to hold a workshop in
Autumn 2012 to develop the theme of energy
security for the 2013 event. The workshop will
provide an opportunity for potential delegates
and speakers to shape the programme for the
two day event in September 2013.
i
For more information:

www.abdn.ac.uk/rural-law
or rurallaw@abdn.ac.uk
ISSUE 2
The Rural Law Research Group is leading

the way in the provision of legal training,
providing unique courses on renewable
energy law and maritime spatial planning
to both undergraduate and postgraduate
students. This is also now being developed
for industry professionals.
13
ENERGEIA
Greenhouse
gas goes clean
and green
14
ISSUE 2
cientists Franz Fischer

and Hans Tropsch,
working away in their
1920s laboratory at the
Kaiser Wilhelm Institute
in Berlin on novel
catalytic reactions with
synthesis gas, (a mixture
of carbon monoxide and
hydrogen) were well
aware of the potential of
their gas-to-liquid (GTL)
process to generate fuel
for a growing industrial
powerhouse.
What would intrigue
them today would be
the significance of their
groundbreaking science
for a 21st century planet,
hungry for energy but
increasingly mindful
of its finite resources
and the longer term
consequences of climate
change.
Yet clever chemistry, innovative

thinking, and long experience
in process engineering for the
hydrocarbon industry have made
the German chemists discovery
one of the most exciting
opportunities now facing the
energy sector synthetic fuels
from natural gas and biomass.
the gas-to-liquid spinout, and

established its operation in
Aberdeen, at the heart of the
North Sea sector and increasingly
serving the global industry.
The methane in natural gas is a
potent greenhouse agent, more
deadly than carbon dioxide in
trapping heat in the atmosphere.
It has ample natural and humancaused sources from coal mining
and oil and gas production to
wetlands, wildfires, permafrost,
landfills, farming and wastewater
treatment.
However, being high in hydrogen
and low in carbon, methane is
potentially a good source for
producing transportation fuels.
Converting the hydrocarbon gas
into a liquid fuel results in the
capturing of the hydrocarbon to
be further used as a liquid energy
source. Flaring, on the contrary,
Having seen the market potential,

IngenGTL knew that it needed
to develop a highly efficient and
active catalyst which enabled
process intensification in high
through-put, low volume reactors,
combined with proven offthe-shelf plant and processing
enabling the deployment of smallscale units able to be moved
around as fields become depleted.
The company is now working
on projects for the commercial
deployment of a modular, portable
unit to efficiently mobilise
stranded methane by using it as
a feedstock for conversion into
transportable liquid hydrocarbon
for use as clean, synthetic fuel.
The R&D has been supported
by the Scottish Government
through the Scottish Funding
Councils Innovation Voucher
Scheme, which is designed to
The methane in natural gas is a potent

greenhouse agent, more deadly than carbon
dioxide in trapping heat in the atmosphere.
It has ample natural and human-caused
sources from coal mining and oil and gas
production to wetlands, wildfires, permafrost,
landfills, farming and wastewater treatment.
is a wasteful process, effectively
squandering a valuable natural
resource, and resulting in carbon
dioxide being emitted into the
atmosphere without any direct
energy benefit being realised from
its combustion.
build relationships between SMEs

and Higher Education Institutes
in Scotland and lead to new
products, services and processes
that will benefit the business,
the institution and the Scottish
economy.
The company identified the

potential to apply a similar
scaled-down process plant in
the oil and gas industry, created
For the energy industry the

problem is not one of availability
but access and transportation.
Almost half of the worlds proven
reserve of methane is stranded
blocked by terrain, lack of suitable
infrastructure, and the economics
of conversion and transport. It
occurs in these stranded locations
all over the planet, especially
in eastern Europe, northern
China, Australia, and in the
huge reserves of shale gas in the
United States. A compact kit and
high-gain gas-to-liquid process
is therefore needed, sufficiently
portable to be used in challenging
locations.
An expert in surface chemistry

and catalysis with many years
experience researching how to
influence selectivity of chemical
reactions over solid catalyst
surfaces, Jim Anderson is very
clear about the benefits of this
partnership for the University:
This is a very interesting
project for us, he says. The
opportunity to do basic science
that it is contributing to the
development of a technology
which will be implemented
within a few years is unique.
Our initial discussions with Ingen
had been about alternatives to
CO sequestration, and how we
Pictured: Professor Jim Anderson
A year ago, catalysis expert

Professor Jim Anderson at the
University of Aberdeen was
approached with an exciting
proposition. It came from Richard
Hyman, technical director of
IngenGTL Ltd, an SME spun
out from Ingen-Ideas Ltd,
an independent oil and gas
engineering consultancy with
experience and expertise gained
in the offshore North Sea oil and
gas industry. An opportunity was
seen to apply the technology
of large scale plants operated
by energy group Sasol in South
Africa to produce petrol and
diesel profitably from coal and
natural gas usingFischer-Tropsch
chemistry.
could reduce the need for that

by using CO as a feedstock in
place of CO, converting it via
catalytic hydrogenation into a
liquid hydrocarbon syncrude
that could be readily transported
and later upgraded to produce a
fuel. However, this CO reaction
is more hydrogen-demanding
than CO hydrogenation, and as
our main source of hydrogen
for this reaction is methane (via
steam reforming), this led us to
discussions involving combining
both processes. A further
advantage of combining the two
steps is to make use of the heat
liberated in the CO hydrogenation
step to drive the steam reforming
reaction.
For IngenGTL, the Universitys
state-of-the-art catalysis lab is
an obvious piece of the jigsaw.
Richard Hyman explains:
The University is a perfect fit.
We have all the components:
Ingens experience in process
engineering, the benefits of our
base in Aberdeen, the pump
priming from the Scottish
Government and of course Jims
work at the forefront of catalysis
chemistry.
While our initial focus is the
oil and gas sector, our vision for
the future is that this conversion
technology will also be applicable
in the renewable energy sector
for the production of second
generation synthetic biofuels.
This is highly technical science,
and we have a world-leading
facility and expertise at the
University of Aberdeen. For us,
this is a long-term collaboration
in R&D.

Professor Jim Anderson,
j.anderson@abdn.ac.uk
15
ENERGEIA
Masters course propels careers

in the renewables sector
T
he potential of renewable
energy has come to the fore in
the last decade but for more than
40 years a masters course at
the University of Aberdeen has
been a must for those wanting
to progress in environmental
management.
Graduate Cara Gelati describes
how the MSc in Sustainable Rural
Development acted as a launch
pad for her own career in the
renewable energy sector.
Cara (27) is a rural surveyor working for Peter

Graham and Associates, where she manages
a large estate in Moray one day per week and
works as a renewable energy consultant the
rest of the week under Coneloch Renewables,
a new sister company of Peter Graham and
Associates.
Describing herself as a rural girl and a bit of
a tree hugger, Cara says she always wanted
a career in environmental work but after
completing a degree in Zoology found it
difficult to break into the field.
I really enjoyed my undergraduate degree
and I took it initially with a plan to switch into
veterinary medicine but I found I was drawn
more towards conservation work.
and as a result our graduates have an

excellent record in securing employment
in a wide range of public and private sector
organisations in both the UK and overseas.
When Cara graduated from the MSc in
Sustainable Rural Development in September
2007 she secured a position with the RSPB
and for three years she facilitated the
management and acquisition of nature
reserves from Shetland to Fife.
In June 2010 she joined Peter Graham and
Associates and has focused her environmental
expertise on facilitating the development
of renewable energy generation projects
for clients. She is also involved in estate
management which requires her to provide
strategic land management advice on areas
including policy, legislation, economics
and accounting as well as proactively
investigating and delivering suitable
development opportunities for her clients.
She says that in recent years demand for
energy generation projects has increased,
particularly with the introduction of the Feed
in Tariff, a Government backed financial
incentive to renewable energy generation, and
Cara is now part of a team offering specialist
advice on renewable projects.
We have just launched Coneloch Renewables

which will deal specifically with all renewable
projects for our clients. Hydro power is our
main focus but we also advise on wind
turbines, biomass, heat pumps and solar
installations.
At Coneloch Renewables we undertake
everything from concept to commissioning,
including feasibility studies, planning
applications, design, installation project
management and co-ordination of on-going
monitoring and maintenance.
We have just commissioned the first hydro
scheme in Moray. It was the first time
planners, Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and
the Scottish Environment Protection Agency
(SEPA) in Moray have dealt with a hydro
power application and so it required us to
thoroughly engage and take them with us on
the journey. As a result, we very successfully
obtained all necessary consents within the
minimal possible time.
Cara credits the MSc in Sustainable Rural
Development for securing her a career which
allows her to combine her many different
interests and enables her to stay in northern
Scotland.
After completing the course I spent a

year working as a science technician in a
secondary school but was determined to make
it in an area I was passionate about.
Cara says she was sold on the MSc in
Sustainable Rural Development because of its
vocational nature.
Course leader and human geography lecturer
Antonio Ioris explains: 'The MSc aims to
develop a critical appreciation of the theory
and practice of environmental management
and rural policymaking connecting the UK
and Europe with the wider world.
The ultimate aim of the programme is to
train people to be mediators between different
areas of environmental management.
It can be very difficult to find a professional
who is able to link good science with good
policymaking and also deal with the public.
The MSc brings together all of these issues
16
Pictured: Cara Gelati
ISSUE 2
Saving energy on campus
It definitely is a very multi-disciplinary degree, which well equips

graduates for the minefield which is the real world! she adds.
My masters degree has allowed me to combine being
environmentally minded with an understanding of economics and
the legislative and policy framework within which we all have to
operate, which I think has made me quite employable.
I absolutely love my job. It provides a great mix of indoor and
outdoor work, computer modelling and wellie stomping combined
with problem solving, which I really enjoy.
It also brings me into contact with a wide range of different people
and organisations from home owners, farmers and Estate owners, to
planners, statutory consultees like Scottish Natural Heritage, SEPA,
Forestry Commission Scotland and Historic Scotland to mention but
a few, and other professionals from accountants to ecologists.
I work across Highlands, Moray and Aberdeenshire areas
which are leaders in renewable technology. While the Highlands
may be the hub for hydro, Aberdeenshire has captured a huge
wind resource and Moray is now leading the growth in biofuel
opportunities.
In energy, be it renewable or oil and gas, Scotland is definitely the
place to be.
Dr Ioris says Caras experience underlines why the programme has
stood the test of time and continues to deliver graduates with the
skills needed to work in environmental management.
We may be one of the UKs oldest MSc programmes in Sustainable
Rural development but that does not mean we have stood still, he
adds.
The course reflects the changing international context of
environmental governance, for example looking at the negotiations
following the UN climate change conference in Copenhagen, and
issues related to the increasingly international mobility of labour.
The programme also exploits the expertise in other disciplines
and research groups at the University. These include the Aberdeen
Centre for Environmental Sustainability, the Centre for Sustainable
International Development, the Centre for Transport Research and
the rural digital economy research hub, dot.rural.
The one-year programme at Aberdeen consists of courses on
environmental policymaking, the theories and practices of
international development, land and environmental economics, and
contemporary environmental issues.
The MSc also allows students to undertake elective modules
in a wide range of fields such as ecology and society, climate
change, biological conservation in the tropics, current issues
and applications of the geospatial technologies and comparative
international planning.
i
For further information contact: Dr Antonio Ioris, a.ioris@abdn.ac.uk
The University of Aberdeen is committed to reducing its own

energy consumption and in the last year achieved a 0.6% reduction in
overall carbon emissions.
The new 57million library utilises energy-saving technology including
a facade with optimised thermal properties, a rainwater harvesting
system, and a Free Form twisting open atrium and roof lights to
maximise daylight.
The roof of the striking new building is home to a photovoltaic system
with an array of monocrystalline solar collectors which have a predicted
electrical output of 15,000 kWh/year and should save 8500 kg per year.
The electrical power generated by the PV will be utilised within the
library.
The building also makes use of a campus-wide heating system,
incorporating a gas-fired Combined Heat and Power (CHP) unit
providing both heating and cooling to the library.
This represents an energy saving compared with conventional
electricity production since no heat energy is wasted.
In the last year the University has made other commitments to
improving its environmental performance including:
The introduction of a remote metering display system that shows
where energy consumption is decreasing, and increasing at the
University
An increase in the number of people cycling to the University a
50% increase in staff and a 250% increase in students choosing to
cycle
Some 514 tonnes of waste being diverted from going to landfill over
the course of the year by either recycling it, or re-using it
A shuttle bus service provided for staff and students between
Hillhead halls of residence, Old Aberdeen and Foresterhill campuses
Volunteering events, workshops and exhibitions including the Hard
Rain photography exhibition to raise awareness of sustainability
and social responsibility across the University community
Steve Cannon, Secretary to the University said: The University of
Aberdeen is committed to constant improvement in its environmental
performance as part of its wider commitment to sustainability and social
responsibility.
17
ENERGEIA
Taking the Aberdeen

experience to Mexico
C
hoosing to study oil and

gas opened up the door to the
world for me says Liliana VargasMeleza.
The 30 year-old, who was born
and raised in Mexico City, is in her
first year of a postgraduate degree
in Geology at the University of
Aberdeen.
It was her decision to further
her career as a geophysicist that
inspired her to travel thousands
of miles across the globe from her
hometown to the hydrocarbon
capital of Europe.
For me Aberdeen really appealed when I
decided I wanted to continue my education
to enhance my career prospects in the oil and
gas industry, explains Liliana.
Mexicos economy is highly dependent at
present on the hydrocarbon industry, and
there is an urgent need for new expertise in
the profession to help tackle challenges the
sector is facing.
18
It was for this reason I chose to broaden

my expertise by studying geology at higher
education level. I felt this field would offer
the greatest opportunity for professional
development and opportunities, and this has
certainly transpired to be the case.
fund my postgraduate education, through

support from the National Council for Science
and Technology (CONACYT), I had no doubt
I should pursue the opportunity, and no
doubt that the University of Aberdeen was an
exceptional place to undertake my studies.
After completing an undergraduate degree

in Geophysical Engineering at the National
Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM),
Liliana went on to undertake a Masters in
Applied Geophysics as a joint degree, which
allowed her to study across three institutions
in the Netherlands, Germany and Switzerland.
Aberdeen is renowned as the hydrocarbon

capital of Europe and the University itself is
strategically placed within the heart of the oil
and gas industry.
A few years spent working for the Mexican

Petroleum Institute (IMP), a large public
research centre in Mexico City, opened the
door of opportunity which took Liliana to the
Granite City.
The focus of IMP is scientific research
activity to develop the countrys expertise and
knowledge in oil and gas.
I thrived on the research aspect of my work
there. So when my employers offered to fully
I knew coming to Aberdeen would offer the

chance to be taught by some of the most
experienced scientists working in this field
of academia, and the potential to forge key
contacts from within industry due to the
strong relationship the institution has with
companies from across the sector.
a key factor in my decision

to come here was the fact that
the majority of the research
undertaken at the University
is directly focused on the
actual needs of the industry,
ISSUE 2
Aberdeen geologist
scoops prestigious
US award
Exposure to the kind of international research group which exists in
Aberdeen is incredibly valuable in terms of the opportunity it offers to
enhance your own skills and expertise.
Scotlands rich culture also drew me here - for me studying
overseas is not just about my professional development but also my
development as a person.
Aberdeen has lived up to my expectations in this sense. Ive fallen
in love with the character of the campus, its historical buildings and
old high street, the librarys captivating special collections, the lovely
gardens, walks and the beach.
Also a key factor in my decision to come here was the fact that the
majority of the research undertaken at the University is directly focused
on the actual needs of the industry, and this is exactly the purpose of
my own postgraduate studies.
Lilianas postgraduate research aims to solve a problem key to
hydrocarbon exploration activity in her homeland.
She explains: Large salt beds cover potentially important hydrocarbon
resources in the deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico. The presence of
salt makes it impossible to obtain accurate seismic images of the
subsurface, hampering the precise analysis of where hydrocarbon
reserves may be found.
The issue is a major one for the industry, blocking the potential of
finding new reservoirs to add to reserves.
The very same issues exist in the central North Sea, where several
hydrocarbon reservoirs are located near salt bodies , and a vast amount
of research activity has already taken place to overcome this problem.
Here in Aberdeen I have had the unique opportunity to work with
Professor Ian Alsop, a leading expert in salt tectonics, and glean from
his experience in the phenomenon.
I have spent the first year of my postgraduate degree designing the
various stages of my research project and will embark on field work in
the summer of 2012, when I will travel with colleagues to Nova Scotia
to one of the worlds well-exposed salt bodies.
We will take rock samples and measure the geometry of this salt body
which is located on a clifftop and approximately 1km wide and the
adjacent rocks, to understand how we can improve the resolution of
seismic images of such complex geological environments.
My hope is that the work I am undertaking in Aberdeen and the
expertise I am being exposed to, will go some way towards helping the
Mexican oil and gas industry overcome the challenge salt poses, and
add to the development of this sector which is so economically crucial
for my homeland.
i
For more information about studying Geology at the

University of Aberdeen visit www.abdn.ac.uk/geology
Pictured left: Liliana Vargas-Meleza
The American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) has

awarded Andrew Hurst, Professor of Production Geoscience at the
University of Aberdeen, the 2012 Grover E Murray Distinguished
Educator Award, in recognition of his distinguished and
outstanding contributions to geological education.
The award honours those who have achieved distinction in teaching
students, managing educational programmes and contributing to
the education of the public in the field of geology.
Announcing the award, Paul Weimer, AAPG President said: There
are a number of aspects of Professor Hursts file that makes this
award unique. Most importantly, the fact that a primarily Americanbased association recognises the significant contributions of a
UK educator speaks volumes for the long term contributions of
Professor Hurst and the University of Aberdeen.
Andrew Hursts career in geology spans more than 30 years, during
which time he has co-authored more than 130 papers and co-edited
five major special publications for the industry. He is the founding
editor of the journal,Petroleum Geosciencesand served on the
AAPG Publication Committee from 2005 to 2008.
Professor Hurst is currently leading a project publication called
Outcrops that have changed the way we practise petroleum
geology to celebrate the AAPGs 100thAnniversary.
He is an adviser to exploHUB the Universitys unique training
programme for the next generation of hydrocarbon explorers,
and the founder and chairman of Fabric of the Land, the annual
exhibition that aims to bridge the gap between science and art, and
is now attracting interest across the world.
Professor Hurst said: This is a huge and surprising honour for one
who has a substantial debt to many ever-supportive and patient
academic colleagues. To receive any award is flattering, and to
receive this award for doing a job that I love is great.
If one cannot inspire students about a science as wonderful as
geology, what a failure that would be.
Pictured above: Professor Andrew Hurst
19
ENERGEIA
Challenge creates
opportunity for
engineering postgrad
T
he decision to pursue his

education in engineering at the
University of Aberdeen was one
Mahesa Bhawanin has never
regretted for an instant. A summer
spent working on one of the
great hopes in mitigating global
climate change has brought him
together with the worlds best and
brightest young minds.
Reducing levels of carbon dioxide in the

atmosphere is a key factor influencing global
warming and climate change. And Mahesa
Bhawanin, who hails from Malaysia and is
now studying for his doctorate in engineering
at the University of Aberdeen, can count
himself already something of an expert.
Mahesa (25) studied Civil Engineering at the
University of Technology of Malaysia and
graduated with a Diploma in Civil Engineering
(1st Class). Moving to Aberdeen, he gained a
BEng in Engineering (Civil & Environmental)
before beginning his postgrad studies.
Last summer, opportunity knocked when
Mahesa was chosen to be among a group of
19 young researchers and engineers brought
to the University of Southampton for nine
weeks from countries as far afield as China,
Australia, Korea and the US. The aim was to
collaborate on finding potential solutions to
the technical and socio-political challenges
currently slowing the global expansion of
carbon capture and storage (CCS) activities.
The collegium, funded by The Lloyds Register
Educational Trust (The LRET), was designed
to facilitate international collaboration
amongst the engineers of the future, and
encourage closer co-operation between
centres of research excellence worldwide in
tackling engineering challenges of huge global
significance.
20
Pictured: Mahesa Bhawanin
The University of Aberdeens involvement is

part of a partnership with LRET which has
created a 1.2 million Safety and Reliability
Engineering Centre at the University, with
new teaching and research staff and student
scholarships.
Mahesa describes the experience as unique
and unforgettable: I thoroughly enjoyed it,
he says. It allowed me to meet some of the
worlds best young engineers. I am sure the
bonds that we made last summer will remain
and grow, and hopefully we will be able to
collaborate internationally and strengthen
the academic ties between our various
institutions.
The aim was to collaborate

on finding potential solutions
to the technical and sociopolitical challenges currently
slowing the global expansion
of carbon capture and storage
(CCS) activities.
The fledgling engineers were tasked with
addressing some of the biggest challenges
currently facing the CCS industry, and
presenting their findings to a panel of leading
academics and industrialists. Their subjects
included examinations of the potential to
inject liquid CO into the deepest ocean
pockets off Chinas coast, design options
for floating thermal power (gas to wire)
infrastructure with a CCS injection systems, a
Green Town pilot city to showcase existing
air extraction techniques to remove CO
and transport to offshore injection sites, and
injecting CO into ageing or depleted oil and
gas reservoirs using offshore wind energy to
power electric CO injection machinery.
Back in Aberdeen, Mahesa is continuing

to enjoy life as he works towards his PhD
in Coastal Engineering, investigating
experimentally sediment transport rates under
irregular oscillatory flows. The results from his
project will be useful to predict sand transport
under waves with specific application to the
near-shore zone.
I feel that Aberdeen has provided me with
the perfect environment to study, with a
vibrant community of academics and students
alike, he says. We have a large international
community here, and the student-centred
developments such as the new library and the
Aberdeen Sports Village are very welcoming
and a definite attraction.
The feeling of heritage of a university much
older than most countries is practically
wedged in every block of granite and stone
the product of a long tradition of success
which I am personally proud to be a part of.
I enjoy the learning experience and I have
always enjoyed teaching which was what
brought me into academia in the first place,
coupled with my deep interest in all things
fluid.
The staff at Aberdeen are very dynamic
and engaging, especially at the School of
Engineering which provides a very nurturing
environment for creative new ideas and
concepts. I will forever be indebted to my
supervisor, Professor Tom ODonoghue,
for allowing me the chance to pursue my
ambitions.
My hope is that I will be able to continue on
this path indefinitely, learning and teaching
about what I love most water.
i
For more information on The LRET Collegium

Email: lret@lr.org
ISSUE 2
World class executive

education comes to Aberdeen
T
he University of Aberdeen
has joined forces with one of the
worlds leading business schools
to create a unique network
which will deliver leadership
development to those at the top of
their organisations in Scotland.
The Henley Partnership model is a unique

and exclusive learning development network
of organisations keen to be inspired and to
develop their leadership. It offers a range of
master classes, offered throughout the year,
with the topics chosen by the partnership.
The partnership concept began in Henley
in 1995 and now includes a network of
organisations ranging from FTSE 100
companies to SMEs to those in the voluntary
sector. The creation of the Henley-Aberdeen
Partnership will see the same successful
model implemented north of the border.
Professor Norman Hutchison, who is leading

the partnership for Aberdeen, says leadership
development has never been more important
in the corporate world but that many
organisations are forced to look south for
delivery.
We believe that we are the only programme
in Scotland offering executive education of
this kind, he added.
It combines the delivery of high quality
executive education from a recognised global
leader with world leading academics and
researchers in areas such as economics,
accountancy, finance, real estate and human
resources.
This will all take place in Aberdeen and
weve had a very enthusiastic response
from companies keen to take advantage of
this opportunity in Scotland, particularly as
organisations are becoming more aware of

the need to cut their carbon footprint. We are
able to provide HR Directors with a tailored
training programme for their senior managers
and decision makers. For firms in the energy
sector this provides an opportunity to develop
their next generation of leaders.
The first season of events got underway in
March and included sessions with leading
behavioural economist Roger Martin-Fagg,
speechwriting expert Simon Lancaster, Nick
Holley, an authority on human resources,
business strategist Jeff Callander and Bernd
Vogel an expert on organizational energy.
Professor Hutchison added: The HenleyAberdeen Partnership is a great opportunity
for organisations in Scotland to develop their
pool of talented staff. Leadership development
is essential in all organisations at all times,
We believe that we are

the only programme in
Scotland offering executive
education of this kind,
but is even more important in tough economic
conditions where drift is not an option.
This is on-going development for senior
managers and decision makers who will come
together to create a community of learning,
sharing experience and best practice with
peers and accessing the latest thinking on
strategic issues.
We have put together a well-balanced
programme of initial sessions and look forward
to developing the programme with our
partners over the next 18 months.
Paul Bennett, Director of the Henley
Partnership said, We are delighted to be part
of the Henley-Aberdeen Partnership. We are
very much looking forward to working with
new partnership members to create a vibrant
learning community in Scotland centred
around strategic leadership challenges.
Full details of the Henley-Aberdeen

Partnership can be found at
www.abdn.ac.uk/henley-aberdeen
Pictured: Professor Norman Hutchison
21
ENERGEIA
Energy students
Engineering students
to benefit from
race across the world
Universitys revamped for charity
learning spaces
odern, flexible, high-quality spaces for an

enhanced learning and research environment is the
thinking behind the 13 million refurbishment of the
University of Aberdeens Fraser Noble Building.
Completion in February 2012 of the 4 million revamp of the west wing

marked the second phase of investment in the learning and research
environment for engineering, physics and mathematics students and
staff. A 9 million first phase, carried out in 2005-2007, refurbished
laboratories on the lower first floor, and built a new wing for the
Institute of Mathematics.
efore embarking on careers in the oil and gas

industry, four final year engineering students will
team up as the Friengineers to travel 10,000 miles
overland to Mongolia for cancer charity CLAN.
Putting their mechanical skills to the test, Lewis Houston (23), Fraser
Galbraith (22), Jonathan Findlay (25), and Craig Morrison (22) will
journey across deserts and mountains in a small 1.2 litre car in the
Mongol Rally.
They are taking an arduous route where they will cross Europe to
Azerbaijan, take a ferry across the Caspian Sea, then travel the old silk
road through Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and
Russia to cross the finish line in Ulaan Batar.
The latest renovation has created fully-modernised teaching and

research facilities for staff and students, including electronic research
laboratory facilities, a dedicated optics laboratory, high and low
density IT facilities, and a large open plan Engineering Postgraduate
Centre with study facilities for up to 70 postgraduate students and
postdoctoral researchers. The laser labs on the lower ground floor have
also enjoyed a complete makeover.
Lewis says: It is 10,000 miles without support. Its not easy but its a
challenge we wanted to take on. There is a 1,000 mile stretch of desert
without any settlements along the way and we will be travelling across
one of the highest roads without tarmac in the world.
Flexibility has been at the forefront of the thinking behind the

design of the teaching and research spaces, says Professor Tom
ODonoghue, Head of the School of Engineering. The teaching spaces
have been designed to be inspiring, multi-functional rooms with the
flexibility to suit different disciplines and different teaching methods,
including collaborative groupwork. Were especially excited about
the Engineering Postgraduate Centre, a spacious, open plan area with
modern study booths for students and researchers, and with meeting
rooms and a social space too.
We are raising money for a charity close to all our hearts and
particularly to Craig as CLAN supported his grandfather when he was
diagnosed with cancer. We know they do great work and are glad we
are able to do something like this to raise funds.
The Fraser Noble building was opened as the Natural Philosophy

Department in 1963 by Sir G P Thomson, former Professor of Natural
Philosophy who won the Nobel Prize in Physics for his work at
Aberdeen in the late 1920s. The building was named in recognition
of the valuable services to the University of Sir Fraser Noble MBE,
Principal and Vice Chancellor 1976-1981, who formally re-opened it
after extensive refurbishment in November 1988.
22
Fraser adds: Im a bit nervous about some things and I know that
travelling these roads comes with risks but I feel mostly excitement.
We just have to be sensible while were doing it.
In addition to raising money for CLAN, their efforts will support the
Lotus Childrens Centre Charitable Trust in Mongolia and when the
race is finished they will donate the car to a local good cause.
The Friengineers will return from their journey to take jobs around the
world in the oil and gas industry.
We will need to make good time in the rally Jon has to be back in
exactly six weeks to start his new job! Lewis adds.
i
The engineers will share their journey at friengineers.blogspot.com

and on Facebook.
ISSUE 2
Energy giants back

British Science Festival
M
ajor energy sector

multinationals have thrown their
weight behind Europes largest
celebration of science when it
comes to Aberdeen in September
2012.
Organised by the British Science Association,

the University of Aberdeen and TechfestSetpoint, the British Science Festival brings
more than 350 of the UKs top scientists,
engineers and commentators together to
discuss the latest developments in science
and technology with the public.
Already signed up to take part in this
showcase of UK science, which is being
jointly supported by BP and Shell U.K.
Limited, is author Bill Bryson, renowned
for his bestselling science book A Short
History of Nearly Everything and for winning
the 2005 EU Descartes Prize for science
communication.
Super-sceptic Richard Wiseman will also
be joining the fray, debunking paranormal
phenomena and taking a humorous sideswipe
at the unexplained.
Tens of thousands of visitors are expected to
attend a wide variety of events from handson family days, to debates on current hot
topics and unique opportunities to question
the UKs top scientists.
During the Festival week, families, school
groups, and people of all ages come
together to take part in workshops, explore
exciting hands-on exhibitions, marvel at
miraculous science shows, discuss the latest
breakthroughs and issues with renowned
experts, enjoy fun quizzes, science comedy
and drama and interact with science buskers
on the streets.
Sir Roland Jackson, Chief Executive of the
British Science Association, said: We are
thrilled to be returning, on our fifth visit since
our formation in1831, to Aberdeen; a diverse
city with thriving cultural and educational
institutions. This major national event
couldnt take place without the support of
organisations like BP and Shell, as well as the
local delivery partners.
Glen Cayley, Vice President Technical, Shell

U.K. Limited, said: Shell are very excited
that the British Science Festival is coming to
Aberdeen and proud to have been able to play
a part in bringing it here. We are sure that it
will give a huge boost to science, technology,
engineering and maths - subjects that are
vital, not just to our industry, but to the whole
country. Aberdeen is a centre of science
excellence, so it is wonderful that the Festival
will be here.
Tim Smith, Vice President, Communications
& External Affairs, BP North Sea, said: The
British Science Festival offers an unrivalled
opportunity to showcase some of the scientific
talent and ingenuity that we have both in
Aberdeen and throughout Scotland. I am
delighted that BP are supporting the return
of this major festival to Aberdeen, after an
absence of nearly 50 years, putting Scotland
once again at the heart of scientific activity
and debate.
and which will inspire the next generation of

scientists, engineers and technologists.
Almost every year since 1831, when the
British Science Association was founded as
the British Association for the Advancement of
Science, the Festival (previously known as the
Annual Meeting) has taken place at a different
location around the country. During that time,
Aberdeen has hosted the Festival four times
in 1859, 1885, 1934 and 1963.
The Festival has been the stage for many
iconic moments in history such as the first
use of the word scientist (in 1834) and the
famous debate about Darwins controversial
theory of evolution between Thomas Huxley
and the Bishop of Oxford (in 1860).
Professor Ian Diamond, Principal and ViceChancellor of the University of Aberdeen,

said: Aberdeen is an acknowledged leader
in science, innovation and technology and
the University of Aberdeen is at the forefront
of this scientific community alongside the
energy industry.
We are proud to be at the heart of the British
Science Festival and are delighted that two
industry leaders, BP and Shell, are backing
what will be a fantastic event for Aberdeen
Details of the British Science Festival, which

runs from September 4-9 2012, are available at:
www.abdn.ac.uk/2012
Pictured: Front - Evan Walker (3); Esme Humphries (8); Back - Tim Smith, Vice President, Communications &
External Affairs, BP North Sea (left) and Glen Cayley, Vice President Technical, Shell U.K. Limited (right)
23
COME HERE.
GO ANYWHERE.
THATS THE DIFFERENCE
OUR ENERGY COURSES

The University of Aberdeen offers a wide range of Undergraduate, Postgraduate
and CPD programmes designed to meet the industrial needs of the energy sector.
Courses on offer include:

Undergraduate
Postgraduate Taught Programmes
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Integrated Petroleum

Geoscience
> Oil & Gas Chemistry
> Oil & Gas Engineering
> Oil & Gas Enterprise
Management
> Oil & Gas Law
> Oil & Gas Structural Engineering
Biological Sciences
Business & Law
Chemical Engineering
Chemistry
Geography
Geology
Petroleum Engineering
Petroleum Geology
Physics
FOR MORE INFORMATION

visit: www.abdn.ac.uk/prospectus
email: sras@abdn.ac.uk
call: +44 (0)1224 272090/91
> Petroleum, Energy Economics

and Finance
> Project Management
> Renewable Energy
> Safety & Reliability
Engineering
> Subsea Engineering
Undergraduate Open Day

The University will host its Undergraduate
Open Day on Tuesday 28th August 2012.
For details visit
www.abdn.ac.uk/openday

Energeia ISSUE 2

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ENERGEIA

AT WORK FOR THE ENERGY SECTOR

elcome to Energeia the

18/19 Taking the

ince the first installation

Oceanlab the University of Aberdeen

It could be because marine organisms

We still dont know exactly why fish are

These two eight metre platforms with

Pictured: Dr Toyonobu Fujii

These platforms known as DELOS Deepocean Environmental Long-term Observatory

For more information:

From space to subsea

ould tiny, super cold atoms

But so far this technology has been limited

If you have a sensor with

Dr Wang continues: Current gravitational

What we are developing is a new type of

It is this exact same science

by other subsea activities that generate noise,

Dr Wang continues: Currently magnetism is

For more information contact:

rontier science in a chemistry lab on the Aberdeen

Whats the role of a university as we move to a more

transport is affected by offshore windfarms. Our engineers are also

We can bring the brightest minds in the

We aim to create a world-class showcase that will attract innovative

For more information contact: Professor Paul Mitchell,

Field station research

ituated on the tip of the Black

Research on the Moray Firths bottlenose

Dr Kate Brookes explains how the

Dr Brookes initial work in the area involved

The Moray Firth is one of the most important

Pictured: Dr Kate Brookes

She says: This pioneering engineering project

The Moray Firth is one of

and gas seismic surveys. Initial phases of

Marine mammals use sound to

Several of the team that we worked with on

Dr Brookes says that the position of the

This has helped us further develop our links

Being up here puts us right on the doorstep

The Field Station is located in the Lighthouse

Further information on the Lighthouse

Wearing the captains armband

This team is indeed the thinking

Were fortunate to have been able

There is a chronic skills shortage

There is a chronic skills shortage in science

1% of their production revenue

For Professor Kneller

For the industry partner this is an

For Professor Kneller this is

Pictured: Professor Ben Kneller

industry to benefit from the

about to leave for UFRGS to work

For more information contact:

Although a regulatory framework for dealing

The new marine spatial

She says: In Scotland, the Climate Change

Pictured: (left to right) Anne-Michelle Slater and Aylwin Pillai

and Sustainable Development which attracts

For more information: