Colin Snape

Prof. Colin Snape (FRSE) has been involved in fuel science and related disciplines for over 30 years having started working at the Coal Research Establishment (CRE) of British Coal (formally the National Coal Board) in 1974 and, as part of the liquefaction programme. In the early 1980s, my interests expanded to include the investigation of hydropyrolysis (hypy) as a route for direct coal liquefaction. After moving to the University of Strathclyde in 1987, an extensive research programme in fuel science encompassing my long-standing interests in coal characterisation, organic geochemistry and conversion, together with newer interests in cracking and hydroprocessing catalysis, petroleum residues, oil shale and biomass pyrolysis, sulfur speciation and polymer degradation was established.

On moving in 2000, I was instrumental in establishing Nottingham as an internationally recognized centre for fossil energy, the multi-disciplinary research portfolio encompasses carbon technology, applied geochemistry and pollutant source apportionment as major themes. My current research programme encompasses novel adsorbents for CO2 capture both in combustion and gasification and developing high capacity Hg adsorbents while continuing the research on hypy linked to compound specific stable isotope measurements and source apportionment relevant to this proposal, together with investigating high pressure retardation effects on oil and gas generation. Patents have been filed on both Hg and CO2 adsorbents.