2025 Edition UKIERI-SPARC International Workshop

Digital
analysis of
flow in porous
materials.

Two days where the world's leading researchers in digital rock physics, machine learning for porous media, and pore-scale modelling come together to chart the digital backbone of net-zero, underground hydrogen, CO₂ storage, and beyond.

Dates
March 13 – 14, 2025
Venue
Heriot-Watt University
City
Edinburgh, United Kingdom
View programme

Registration is closed now.

X-ray μ-CT
Pore-scale physics
Machine Learning
Digital Rock
CO₂ Storage
Underground H₂
Reactive Transport
Net-Zero
Multiphase Flow
Net-Negative
X-ray μ-CT
Pore-scale physics
Machine Learning
Digital Rock
CO₂ Storage
Underground H₂
Reactive Transport
Net-Zero
Multiphase Flow
Net-Negative
A message from the organisers

It gives us great pleasure to welcome you to the international workshop on Digital Analysis of Flow Processes in Porous Materials for Geo-Energy Applications — Digi-GeoEnergy.

Digital analysis has gained substantial attention for its potential to provide unique data that traditional experimental and modelling techniques cannot achieve. This workshop focuses on the digital analysis of subsurface processes for geo-energy applications — underground hydrogen and carbon dioxide storage chief among them — that have gained scientific, industrial, and political limelight for their role in net-zero.

The digital techniques discussed here are not only relevant to geo-energy. They translate to contaminant transport in soils, electrolysers, and fuel cells — underscoring the broad applicability of the concepts presented.

Kamaljit Singh
Workshop Chair
Alexis Cartwright-Taylor
Co-organiser
Hannah Menke
Co-organiser
Julien Maes
Co-organiser
Jacqueline Mifsud
Volunteer Researcher
Reza Najafi Silab
Volunteer Researcher
11+
Keynote talks
Across 6 thematic sessions
20+
Countries
Researchers from across the globe
2
Days
Of focused discussion and exchange
50+
Posters
From early-career researchers
Why attend

The room where digital meets deep.

01 / 03

Frontier digital techniques

Hear how 4D X-ray imaging, machine learning, and physics-informed neural networks are reshaping the analysis of subsurface flow.

02 / 03

From pore to reservoir

Bridge the gap between nano-scale grain physics and field-scale CO₂ storage performance with leaders working across every length scale.

03 / 03

Net-zero in practice

Connect with the researchers building the digital backbone for carbon sequestration, underground hydrogen storage, and the energy transition.

Programme

Two days,
six sessions.

Thursday, 12 March 2025
09:00 – 09:30
Arrival, Registration & Tea/Coffee
Break
09:30 – 09:35
Welcome note
Kamaljit Singh
Note
09:35 – 10:30
Session I: iNetZ+ and Experimental Techniques
Chaired by Kamaljit Singh & Jacqueline Mifsud
09:35 – 09:45
Introduction to iNetZ+
Prof. Peter T. Cummings — Heriot-Watt University, UK
Talk
09:45 – 10:30
4D imaging and velocimetry of fluid flow in rocks
Dr Tom Bultreys — Ghent University, Belgium
Talk
10:30 – 11:00
Tea/Coffee Break
Break
11:00 – 12:30
Session II: ML/AI and Multiphase Flow
Chaired by Hannah Menke & Josh Bo
11:00 – 11:45
Machine learning for Digital Rock Physics
Dr Benzhong (Robin) Zhao — McMaster University, Canada
Talk
11:45 – 12:30
AI for efficient CO₂ storage: ECO-AI
Prof. Ahmed H. Elsheikh — Heriot-Watt University, UK
Talk
12:30 – 14:30
Lunch & Poster Session I
↳ Courtyard by Marriott Hotel, HWU campus
Social
14:30 – 15:15
Session III: Modelling of Multiphase Flow
Chaired by Julien Maes & Sarah Perez
14:30 – 15:15
Sub-resolution porosity in permeability calculation
Dr Cyprien Soulaine — CNRS, Orléans, France
Talk
15:15 – 15:30
Tea/Coffee Break
Break
15:30 – 16:15
Multiscale pore network modelling
Dr Sajjad Foroughi — Imperial College London, UK
Talk
16:15 – 17:00
Pore scale modeling in unresolved rock images
Dr Yingfang Zhou — University of Aberdeen, UK
Talk
17:00 – 17:15
Wrap-up Day 1
Note
19:00
Reception Drinks & Dinner
↳ Scottish Café and Restaurant, Scottish National Gallery, Edinburgh
Social
Confirmed Speakers

Eleven voices, one subsurface.

Researchers from across Europe, North America, and South America converging on the digital techniques that will make underground storage scalable, safe, and verifiable.

PC

Prof. Peter T. Cummings

Heriot-Watt University, UK
Introduction to the Global Research Institute for Net Zero and Beyond (iNetZ+)
KeynoteiNetZ+
TB

Dr Tom Bultreys

Ghent University, Belgium
4D imaging and velocimetry of fluid flow and transport in rocks
4D imagingX-ray μ-CT
BZ

Dr Benzhong (Robin) Zhao

McMaster University, Canada
Machine learning for Digital Rock Physics
Machine LearningDigital Rock
AE

Prof. Ahmed H. Elsheikh

Heriot-Watt University, UK
Harnessing AI for efficient CO₂ storage: Insights from ECO-AI
AICCS
CS

Dr Cyprien Soulaine

CNRS, Orléans, France
Impact of sub-resolution porosity in permeability calculation
ModellingOpenFOAM
SF

Dr Sajjad Foroughi

Imperial College London, UK
Multiscale pore network modelling of multiphase flow
Pore networkMultiphase
YZ

Dr Yingfang Zhou

University of Aberdeen, UK
Pore scale modeling in unresolved rock images
ImagingModelling
MB

Dr Maartje Boon

University of Stuttgart, Germany
Experimental characterization of gas/brine multiphase flow
ExperimentalH₂ storage
DJ

Prof. Dr Joaquin Jimenez-Martinez

ETH Zurich & Eawag, Switzerland
Unravelling mixing and reactions in multiphase systems: 2D to 4D
MixingReactive transport
MR

Dr Maja Rücker

Eindhoven University of Technology, Netherlands
Zooming into the pore – pore-scale physics along grain surfaces
AFMSurface physics
RS

Dr Rodrigo Surmas

Petrobras, Brazil
Digital Rock Physics in relative permeability curve challenges
IndustryDRP
Organising Committee

The team behind it.

Kamaljit Singh
Workshop Chair

Kamaljit Singh

Institute of GeoEnergy Engineering, Heriot-Watt University, UK
Alexis Cartwright-Taylor
Co-organiser

Alexis Cartwright-Taylor

The Lyell Centre, Heriot-Watt University, UK
Hannah Menke
Co-organiser

Hannah Menke

Institute of GeoEnergy Engineering, Heriot-Watt University, UK
Julien Maes
Co-organiser

Julien Maes

Institute of GeoEnergy Engineering, Heriot-Watt University, UK
JM
Volunteer Researcher

Jacqueline Mifsud

Institute of GeoEnergy Engineering, Heriot-Watt University, UK
RS
Volunteer Researcher

Reza Najafi Silab

Institute of GeoEnergy Engineering, Heriot-Watt University, UK
Venue & Location

Edinburgh, on the edge of net-zero.

Workshop venue
Scott Suite, Edinburgh Business School, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh EH14 4AS, UK
Lunch & Poster sessions
Courtyard by Marriott Hotel
Heriot-Watt University Campus
Conference dinner
Scottish Café & Restaurant
Scottish National Gallery, Edinburgh
Getting here
25 min by Lothian Buses 25/34/44 from city centre. Edinburgh Airport (EDI) is 20 min by tram + bus.
Open in Maps
Organised, sponsored & supported by

Backed by the institutions moving net-zero forward.

Get in touch

Got a question?

Reach out to the organising committee about programme, sponsorship, accessibility, or anything else.

Email
https://daf-workshop.com/
Workshop chair
Dr. Kamaljit Singh · k.singh@hw.ac.uk
Location
Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, United Kingdom