Studentships: With £2.5m of studentship funding from NEO Energy (NEO), an independent upstream UK Continental Shelf (UKCS)-focused energy company, matched by an equal amount from the academic partners, the CDT will recruit at least 16 students in each of three entry year cohorts, 2020 – 2022 inclusive, for a 4 year PhD study period.

The NEO studentships support projects focussed on understanding the geology of the UK continental shelf (UKCS) and finding solutions to our energy challenges whereas the match-funded studentships encompass all aspects of decarbonisation globally.

We are proud to invest £2.5 million in the CDT, which has been a tremendous success to date. At NEO, we are committed to training and nurturing new talent so that a stream of highly-capable professionals continue to enter our industry. It is important that we take advantage of the opportunities that the low-carbon energy transition presents as we continue to meet the challenges of this rapidly changing environment. Supporting initiatives like this is vital in securing the long-term future of mature basins, such as the UKCS, and the CDT is a unique, vital organisation that benefits academia, the energy industry and environmental science across the UK and beyond.

– Glenn Corrie, CEO, NEO Energy

Training: The CDT’s training program is funded exclusively by 9 industry sponsors; BP, Cairn Energy, Chrysaor, CNOOC, Equinor, ExxonMobil, NEO Energy, Shell and Total.

Other Partners: The Natural Environment Research Council provide funding for activities to facilitate promotion of the CDT’s work and activities and its affiliate, the British Geological Survey, hosts student research visits and staff are members of PhD project supervisory teams. There are also a number of companies (GeoLogica, GeoTeric, Halliburton/Neftex, Nautilus (RPS Training), PGS, Schlumberger, Spectrum and TRACS International) which provide ‘in kind’ support e.g. provision of data sets, access to proprietary software, staff time to contribute to CDT training courses.