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The Seren Multipurpose Gas Laboratory is a world class experimental facility, designed and constructed to support commercial and research needs related to various engineering aspects of Geo-Energy applications. The Laboratory has been developed as part of the Geoenvironmental Research Centre’s (GRC’s) Seren project. Industrial collaboration is a cornerstone of the project and will ensure that the commercial value of the research is maximised.

A fundamental objective of the Laboratory is to gain a better understanding of how various rock types will react when gases are injected or abstracted. The Laboratory can provide information on the gas storage, production rates and capacities, as well as any structural changes that occur. This information will be of value in determining the operating limits for field scale plants and, in general, to facilitate new geo-energy applications such as geological sequestration of carbon dioxide and unconventional hydrocarbon exploitations. The data will also be used in the compilation of feasibility studies for specific sites. It is envisaged that commercial advantage will be achieved by companies that apply this new knowledge.

The apparatus is a bespoke, multi-purpose experimental facility that has been primarily designed to study gas transport and reaction properties of rocks under a wide range of pressures and temperatures.

The apparatus consists of two main analysing units:

  • An adsorption/desorption measurement unit
  • A gas transport and permeability measurement unit

The Laboratory is able to replicate the conditions of a deep geological environment more accurately than can be covered in standard adsorption/desorption and permeability measurements.

In conjunction with an extensive programme of numerical modelling, these experimental facilities are currently being used to investigate the processes involved in carbon sequestration in coal seams in Wales.

The research will enable the Seren team to deliver world class products and knowledge to Welsh industry and will assist with the creation of a “centre of expertise” in the emerging area of geo-energy.