Heriot-Watt researchers unveil ambitious plan to seal 100,000 methane-leaking wells by 2034
Rockit, a cleantech initiative from Heriot-Watt University, has announced plans to help seal 100,000 methane-leaking wells within the next decade using innovative chemical injection technology.
The project's unique solution can infiltrate even the smallest pores and cracks where existing methods fall short, offering a more comprehensive and effective sealing method for both shallow onshore and deeper offshore wells. It is predicted that Rockit's technique will lock in toxic and greenhouse gases deep underground for thousands of years.
Using existing methods, research suggests it would take over 300 years to plug millions of at-risk wells on the planet. Our technology offers a radical new solution by transforming porous rocks into impermeable barriers, locking harmful gases underground for thousands of years.
The International Energy Agency has reported that methane has more than 80 times the warming power of carbon dioxide over a 20-year period. Cutting methane emissions by 45% by 2030 could help meet the Paris Agreement's goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
Rockit has been accepted into Scottish Enterprise's prestigious High Growth Spinout programme, securing £75,000 in funding to advance its research. The project has also won the 2023 Converge Net Zero Challenge and exhibited at the COP28 CleanTech Hub in Dubai, where the founder discussed the technology with King Charles III.
Rockit exemplifies the innovative, high-impact research we champion at Heriot-Watt University. This technology has the potential to make a significant contribution to global net-zero goals.
“As a university with campuses around the world, we're uniquely positioned to help translate groundbreaking ideas like these into commercially viable solutions. Our long-standing support for Rockit, including championing its founder in the Converge Net Zero Challenge and showcasing the pathbreaking research at international events like COP28, demonstrates our commitment to fostering transformative technologies.
“Through our suite of entrepreneurial programmes, we're strengthening Scotland's innovation ecosystem and empowering the creation of high-growth businesses with world-changing potential. Rockit's progress, backed by Scottish Enterprise funding and our ongoing business advisory support, illustrates how university-industry partnerships can accelerate cutting-edge research toward commercial success on the global stage.”
As the project moves forward with external funding support, it's set to make significant strides in addressing one of the most critical challenges in the fight against climate change.
Mark Zwinderman, CEO of clean tech company SAS Environmental Services, and Laurence Ormerod, an experienced ex-VP of Weatherford International, will join Professor Eric Mackay and Dr Oleg Ishkov from Heriot-Watt University to push the initiative forward.
Rockit is an example of the globally significant research being delivered by Heriot-Watt’s global research institute which is focused on achieving net-zero and beyond. Called iNetZ+, the team brings together a range of scientific expertise including chemical engineering, physics, geology, mathematics, computer science and economics.
For more information on this cleantech innovation, contact Dr Oleg Ishkov at O.Ishkov@hw.ac.uk