Cleantech innovation aims to seal 100,000 methane-leaking wells by 2034

Rockit, a cleantech initiative from Heriot-Watt University, has unveiled ambitious plans to help seal 100,000 methane-leaking wells within the next decade using new chemical injection technology.

Potentially preventing millions of tonnes of harmful greenhouse gas emissions being released into the atmosphere every year, the project's innovative technology uses a fast and efficient chemical injection method that transforms permeable rocks into a solid, permanent seal of insoluble minerals.

The 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.

Based in Edinburgh, Rockit has been accepted into Scottish Enterprise's prestigious High Growth Spinout programme, securing £75,000 in funding to elevate its solution.

The International Energy Agency has reported that methane has more than 80 times the warming power of carbon dioxide over a 20-year period. It is calculated that cutting methane emissions by 45% by 2030 could help meet the Paris Agreement's goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

The technology has potentially broader applications, including enabling safe carbon and large-scale hydrogen storage. The project's progress has been recognised internationally, exhibiting at the CleanTech Hub during COP28 in Dubai, where the founder discussed its technology with King Charles III. The company's US patent application has also just been approved as of August 2024.

Rockit also won the 2023 Converge Net Zero Challenge and its fully functional prototype has been validated under lab conditions and granted an accelerated patent via the UK Government's Green Channel.

The initiative is an example of the globally significant research being delivered by Heriot-Watt University'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.

Dr Oleg Ishkov is a lead researcher at Heriot-Watt University's School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society. He said: "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 millennia.

"With Scottish Enterprise's funding, we're now poised to advance our research. It has also allowed us to add two commercial champions to the team in the form of expert advisors."

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.

Leah Pape, Head of High Growth Services at Scottish Enterprise, said: "We're delighted to welcome Rockit into our High Growth Spinout Programme. The project is at the earliest stage of its scaling journey, but we're confident that it can fully commercialise its cutting-edge research with our support and encouragement."

Professor Gill Murray is deputy principal for enterprise and business at Heriot-Watt University. She said: "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, showcasing how our research can deliver tangible environmental benefits on a global scale.

"As a global university, we're uniquely positioned to help translate groundbreaking ideas 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 support from Scottish Enterprise, it's set to make significant strides in addressing one of the most critical challenges in the fight against climate change.

More information on iNetz+ can be found https://www.hw.ac.uk/uk/research/inetzplus.htm