Lithium is a key element in modern energy technologies, particularly in rechargeable batteries, and its demand is rising rapidly worldwide. Current forecasts indicate sustained annual growth of around 7% to 11%, driven largely by the expansion of electric mobility and the increasing need for energy storage solutions to support the energy transition. Among the potential sources of lithium, the exploitation of lithium-rich geothermal brines represents an innovative opportunity to reconcile mineral extraction and renewable energy production. In France, the brines circulating in the deep reservoirs of the Upper Rhine Graben (URG) appear particularly promising. With its high geothermal potential and complex fractured reservoirs, this setting offers a unique opportunity to study the transport dynamics and distribution of lithium in deep brines.
Understanding the interactions between reservoir fracture pattern and circulation of lithium-rich fluids is essential to optimize its extraction and ensure sustainable production.
In this context, IFP Energies Nouvelles (IFPEN) is seeking a post-doctoral researcher to develop faulted and fractured reservoir models representative of various structural settings of the Upper Rhine Graben and to numerically simulate the production of these geothermal brines, for both heat and lithium. 

The objective of the work is to estimate the long-term evolution of lithium concentration in geothermal brines co-produced for both heat and lithium extraction, by developing faulted and fractured reservoir models and performing dynamic simulations. The final goal is to improve understanding of the processes controlling lithium distribution and to support the development of innovative, sustainable extraction and production strategies.

The research project will consist in three main steps. In the first one, static reservoir models including Discrete Fracture Networks (DFNs), representative of various structural contexts of the Upper Rhine Graben, will be built. The second part will involve dynamic simulations to evaluate the long-term impact of co-production on reservoir temperature and lithium concentration. Finally, the third part of the work will consist in performing a sensitivity analysis on key parameters such as pumping rate, initial lithium distribution, well placement and other relevant parameters, to assess their influence on production performance.

Occasional travels in France as part of the ANR project.

Hard Skills:

• Strong background in reservoir modeling and/or numerical simulation of fluid and heat flow in a fractured media.
• Experience with Discrete Fracture Networks (DFN) modeling and/or geothermal reservoir simulation tools is highly appreciated.

Soft Skills:

• Rigour and precision.
• Good communication and presentation skills.
• Ability to work in a team and independently.
• Proficiency in English is required. A good mastery of French would also be appreciated.
• Ability to publish in peer-reviewed journals.

PhD in geosciences, reservoir engineering, hydrogeology, with strong appetency for numerical modelling.

For further information and to apply, please contact: sylvie.schueller@ifpen.fr or luca.mattioni@ifpen.fr