Join Now
BVEG

DGMK-Event Geo-Energy Systems and Subsurface Technologies

DGMK/GSSPE WebSeminar: Evolving Geosciences in the Context of the Energy Transition

Date
14.01.2021
Time
16.00
Venue
Online Event

About the WebSeminar

Current energy forecasts state that by 2050, renewables will have become the most important energy source, but without significantly decreasing the proportions of petroleum and natural gas as a primary source on the total energy mix (EIA, 2019). This implies that future geoscientists need to face the challenge to further provide a constant supply of hydrocarbons despite decreasing discoveries while developing the renewable energy sector through meeting the UN sustainable development goals.

This lecture discusses some aspects of the Geoscientist's role in this apparent transitional environment. It is mainly designed for Geoscience students and young professionals who may benefit from insights on current/future job situation and skillsets required in the resource industries. Colleagues from the renewables energy sector will gain some detailed views on the evolution of geoscience skillsets from the early days until today. A couple of tools from the hydrocarbon business will be discussed and how these need to be considered for some of the renewable resource types.

A simplistic simulation game will be run through the life cycle of a gas field from exploration to development, and from production to abandonment with the aim to outline the methodology and the mode of thinking of geoscientists, working subsurface reservoirs. Some of the standard hydrocarbon exploration and production toolkits will be highlighted in parallel with the geoscientist's role in an integrated project team. In the same case study, we will exemplarily demonstrate that geologic workflows, which evolved over decades in the hydrocarbon industry, can be applied to the development of renewables. Future areas of operation for Resource Geoscientists will still need to focus on a detailed understanding of the subsurface for sustainable supply of hydrocarbons and at the same time on the innovative development of e.g., deep geothermal energy. This will lead into a discussion on how to leverage risk assessment principles from the hydrocarbon industry for some of the renewables resource types. We will end this lecture with some thoughts on the skillset of the future Geoscientist.

About the Lecturer

Johannes is a hydrocarbon geologist with ExxonMobil Production Deutschland GmbH and the geology chairman for the DGMK division "Exploration and Production".
He holds a Diploma in geology from TU Darmstadt and a PhD from RWTH Aachen University on carbonate reservoir quality and sealing capacity of rock salt in Oman. In the past 12 years, Johannes was working several assignments as production, exploration and research geologist mainly focusing on applied aspects of carbonate geology in Canada, Gulf of Mexico, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Germany (Zechstein).

This WebSeminar is supported by:

Event Coordinator

Dr. Susanne Kuchling

Head of the Geo-Energy-Systems and Subsurface Technologies Department

Ines Musekamp

Coordination of the Department Geo-Energy-Systems and Subsurface Technologies