PhD Studentship: Hydrogen Transport Processes in Underground Geological Storage and the Surrounding Environment

Award summary

100% fees covered for four years and a minimum tax-free annual living allowance of £19,237 (2024/25 UKRI rate) with £17,000 Research Training Support Grant.

Overview

ReNU⁺ is a unique and ambitious programme that will train the next-generation of doctoral carbon champions who are renowned for research excellence and interdisciplinary systemic thinking for Net Zero. The ReNU⁺ vision is that they will become living examples of a highly skilled workforce delivering an equitable energy transition so that Net Zero is inclusive for all.

Long-duration energy storage (LDES) is critical for mitigating renewable energy variability and enhancing system flexibility. Underground hydrogen storage (UHS) shows could be important for LDES, but research on hydrogen transport in geological materials, particularly soils, remains limited.

This project will employ computational modeling to investigate hydrogen transport and flow at multiple scales. It will use numerical simulations to study porous formations, unconsolidated sediments, and soils, incorporating meso- and macro-scale heterogeneities for large-scale models. At the pore scale, the Navier-Stokes equations will model flow through material geometries.

The project examines the interplay between large-scale averaged models and pore-scale simulations, focusing on how geological heterogeneities influence flow behavior. Results will inform hydrogen storage infrastructure development and aid environmental regulators in understanding hydrogen transport processes in the subsurface.

Number of awards: 1

Start date: 1^st October 2025

Award duration: 4 years

Sponsor: EPSRC

Name of supervisor/s

Dr Mark Ireland (Newcastle University)

Dr Franceso Zota (Newcastle University)

Eligibility criteria

You must have, or expect to gain, a minimum 2:1 Honours degree or international equivalent in a subject relevant to the proposed PhD project (inc. chemistry, physics, engineering).

If you do not hold the entry requirements above but have evidence of equivalent skills and expertise, please get in touch with both the supervisor and institution director (Prof Elizabeth Gibson) to discuss further.

Home and international applicants (inc. EU) are welcome to apply and if successful will receive a full studentship. Applicants whose first language is not English require an IELTS score of 6.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in all sub-skills.

International applicants may require an ATAS (Academic Technology Approval Scheme) clearance certificate prior to obtaining their visa and to study on this programme. 

How to apply

You must apply through the University’s Apply to Newcastle Portal

Once registered select ‘Create a Postgraduate Application’.

Use ‘Course Search’ to identify your programme of study:

• Search for the ‘Course Title’ using the programme code: 8208F
• Leave the ‘Research Area' field blank
• Select ‘PhD Energy Materials' as the programme of study

You will then need to provide the following information in the ‘Further Details’ section: 

• A ‘Personal Statement’ (this is a mandatory field) - upload a document or write a statement directly in to the application form.
• The studentship code ReNU25_3 in the ‘Studentship/Partnership Reference’ field   
• When asked for a research proposal, please upload a competency assessment form instead. You do not need to upload a research proposal.

 In the ‘Supporting Documentation’ section please upload:

• An up to date CV

You must submit one application per studentship, you cannot apply for multiple studentships on one application.

Contact details

Dr Mark Ireland Mark.Ireland@newcastle.ac.uk

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