Details of Award
NERC Reference : NE/M00578X/1
UK Oil and Gas Collaborative Doctoral Training Centre
Training Grant Award
- Lead Supervisor:
- Professor JR Underhill, Heriot-Watt University, Sch of Energy, Geosci, Infrast & Society
- Grant held at:
- Heriot-Watt University, Sch of Energy, Geosci, Infrast & Society
- Science Area:
- Terrestrial
- Overall Classification:
- Earth
- ENRIs:
- Environmental Risks and Hazards
- Natural Resource Management
- Science Topics:
- Energy - Conventional
- Abstract:
- We propose to create an inclusive Collaborative Centre for Doctoral Training in Oil and Gas that marries world-class research and training with proven industry relevance. The highest levels of discipline-specific scholarship will be delivered within the broader framework of the oil and gas industry. In this way the Centre will attract the highest calibre students into a stimulating, highlevel multidisciplinary research and training environment, preparing them for the technical and research challenges facing the industry. Our programme will address all of the main geoscientific and environmental disciplines allied to oil and gas from conventional upstream exploration, appraisal and production of hydrocarbons, unconventional resources to environmental impact, monitoring and regulation. The Collaborative Centre consists of 7 lead (core) institutions (Heriot-Watt, Aberdeen, BGS, Durham, Imperial College, Manchester & Oxford) together with 12 associates (the Universities of Birmingham, Cardiff, Dundee, Exeter (Camborne), Glasgow, Keele, Newcastle, Nottingham, Royal Holloway (RHUL), Southampton & Strathclyde plus the National Oceanographic Centre (NOC)) to form an integrated partnership. Through this team, we have direct access to 10 relevant MSc courses, extensive industry-focused (CPD) training, a large proportion of oil industry-funded research in the UK and significant Research Council support. The core partners maintain excellent research and training environments that already host large, vibrant and multidisciplinary groups of PhD students. Students will receive a 5-month integrated multidisciplinary training covering generic and technical research skills, business, legal, environmental and engineering disciplines, based on 5-day residential courses. This, with an annual conference (with industry, government and NERC participation), fieldtrip and inter-university experiential projects will provide an academy with esprit de corps for our PhD cohort. Research training will focus on the 4 key themes in the call. However, we expect this to evolve, guided by industry. Our training builds on our unparalleled, combined experience of delivering vocational training at graduate and professional level to the oil and gas industry, using industry experts, standard software allied to world-class research facilities. The aim of our CDT is to build capability and deliver high calibre, specialised oil and gas recruits equipped with skill sets to cover the diverse roles for the spectrum of operators, specialist service companies and environmental agencies. The consortium has guaranteed to invest #5.2M in addition to the NERC's #2.7M meaning that our CDT has a commitment of c.#7.9M (a gearing ratio approaching 3 times NERC's seed-corn investment). The total investment will fund 29 PhDs per annum & 87 new PhD starts in the first 3 years. We expect this commitment to be enhanced by industry once the Collaborative Centre is approved. Current and future funds will be dispersed against investment scientific merit and training excellence of host institutions and the research projects. The level of funding means that our programme is ready to run immediately before any industry support is sought or pledged. The Lead, (Underhill, Heriot-Watt), will be supported by a Secretariat, Management Board of core partners & Steering Group (core & associates, industry, government, NERC, international stakeholders). An awards committee (50:50 industry/academia) will assess projects, provide quality assurance, ensure scientific excellence, balance across themes, manage overlap and disperse further scholarships. A training committee will oversee knowledge transfer, relevance, innovation, quality and delivery. The whole programme will undergo external triennial review. HWU will simply be an administrative centre & all financial accounting for individual project management will be devolved to the host institution in the usual way NERC-funded PhDs are governed.
- NERC Reference:
- NE/M00578X/1
- Grant Stage:
- Completed
- Scheme:
- Doctoral Training
- Grant Status:
- Closed
- Programme:
- CDT
This training grant award has a total value of £4,406,673
FDAB - Financial Details (Award breakdown by headings)
| Total - DSA | Total - Other Costs | Total - Fees | Total - Student Stipend | Total - RTSG |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| £2,244 | £456,519 | £699,712 | £2,448,199 | £800,000 |
If you need further help, please read the user guide.