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Will Meredith

Assistant Professor in Fuel Science and Technology, University of Nottingham
I am a petroleum geochemist and environmental scientist with a range of research interests across the energy portfolio. I have a PhD in Petroleum Geochemistry (2001), and an MSc in Environmental Biogeochemistry (1996) both from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne. My BSc was in Geological Sciences (1994) from the University of Leeds, and have been with the University of Nottingham since 2001.

I am a member of the Low Carbon Energy and Resources Technologies Research Group.

My research specialises in developing innovative pyrolysis techniques to tackle applications in petroleum geochemistry where traditional techniques fail. Over the past 18 years I have lead the development and commercialisation of hydropyrolysis (HyPy) as a novel pyrolysis technique for the characterisation of organic macromolecules. The use of high hydrogen pressure and suitable catalysts gives HyPy the unique ability to liberate high yields of hydrocarbon biomarkers covalently bound within source rock kerogens and petroleum asphaltenes, whilst minimising their structural or stereochemical alteration. This enables the technique to be used for petroleum geochemical applications where conventional approaches using the "free" solvent extractable biomarkers cannot be employed including the characterisation and correlation of heavily biodegraded oils, samples contaminated by oil-based drilling mud, oil field solids (tar mats/pyrobitumens), and for deciphering basin filling history of migrated petroleum fluids.

How we discovered UK shale gas reserves are at least 80% smaller than thought

Aug 26, 2019 04:24 am UTC| Insights & Views

Over the past decade, the UK has tentatively begun to exploit its reserves of shale gas through a process best known as fracking. But according to our new research, UK shale gas reserves are substantially lower than...

Economy

U.S. Dollar Slips Near Two-Month Low as Markets Await Key Jobs Data and Central Bank Decisions

The U.S. dollar weakened to near a two-month low during early Asian trading on Tuesday, as investors adopted a cautious stance ahead of several high-impact economic releases, most notably the delayed U.S. employment...

Asian Stocks Slide as AI Valuation Fears and BOJ Uncertainty Weigh on Markets

Most Asian stock markets declined on Tuesday, extending recent losses as the technology sector continued to struggle under concerns about stretched artificial intelligence valuations. Investor sentiment remained fragile...

Oil Prices Slip in Asia as 2026 Supply Glut Fears and Russia-Ukraine Talks Weigh on Markets

Oil prices edged lower during Asian trading on Tuesday as investors remained focused on expectations of a global oil supply glut in 2026, while closely monitoring developments in Russia-Ukraine ceasefire negotiations. The...

Korea Zinc to Build $7.4 Billion Critical Minerals Refinery in Tennessee With U.S. Government Backing

Korea Zinc announced plans to invest $7.4 billion to build a large-scale critical minerals refinery in Tennessee, marking the first new U.S.-based zinc refinery since the 1970s. The project, heavily backed by the U.S....

Asian Technology and Chipmaking Stocks Slide as AI Spending Concerns Shake Markets

Asian technology and chipmaking stocks fell sharply on Monday as investor caution intensified over growing uncertainties surrounding artificial intelligence (AI) spending and its impact on future earnings. The sell-off...

Politics

Trump Weighs Reclassifying Marijuana as Schedule III, Potentially Transforming U.S. Cannabis Industry

U.S. President Donald Trump said he is considering an executive order to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug, a move that could significantly reshape federal cannabis policy and the broader marijuana industry. If...

Sydney Bondi Beach Shooting Sparks Calls for Stronger Protection of Jewish Community in Australia

Israels ambassador to Australia has urged the federal government to strengthen protections for Jewish communities following a deadly mass shooting at a Hanukkah festival near Sydneys Bondi Beach. The attack, which occurred...

European Leaders Launch International Claims Commission to Compensate Ukraine for War Damage

European leaders, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, are gathering in The Hague to launch a new International Claims Commission aimed at compensating Ukraine for hundreds of billions of dollars in damage...

U.S. and Mexico Reach New Agreement to Tackle Tijuana River Sewage Crisis

The United States and Mexico have signed a new bilateral agreement aimed at addressing the long-standing Tijuana River sewage crisis, according to a statement released Monday by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency...

Ukraine Claims First-Ever Underwater Drone Strike on Russian Missile Submarine

Ukraine said on Monday that it successfully struck and disabled a Russian missile-carrying submarine at a Black Sea naval base using underwater sea drones, marking what Kyiv described as a historic first in naval warfare....

Science

Senate Sets December 8 Vote on Trump’s NASA Nominee Jared Isaacman

The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee announced it will vote on December 8 on President Donald Trumps renewed nomination of private astronaut and tech entrepreneur Jared Isaacman to lead NASA. Isaacman, known for his...

NASA Cuts Boeing Starliner Missions as SpaceX Pulls Ahead

NASA has significantly scaled back Boeings Starliner program after years of technical issues and delays, announcing that the next Starliner mission to the International Space Station (ISS) will fly without astronauts. The...

Blue Origin’s New Glenn Achieves Breakthrough Success With First NASA Mission

Blue Origins massive New Glenn rocket marked a major milestone as it completed its first mission for paying customers, sending two NASA satellites toward Mars and successfully landing its reusable booster at sea. The...

Cogent Biosciences Soars 120% on Breakthrough Phase 3 Results for Bezuclastinib in GIST Treatment

Cogent Biosciences (NASDAQ: COGT) shares skyrocketed over 120% after the biotech company announced groundbreaking results from its Phase 3 PEAK trial evaluating bezuclastinib in combination with sunitinib for patients with...

Trump and Merck KGaA Partner to Slash IVF Drug Costs and Expand Fertility Coverage

U.S. President Donald Trump and German pharmaceutical company Merck KGaA have announced a groundbreaking deal aimed at lowering the cost of in-vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments while boosting access to fertility care in...

Technology

iRobot Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Amid Rising Competition and Tariff Pressures

iRobot, the company behind the popular Roomba robotic vacuum cleaner, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the United States as it prepares to go private through an acquisition by Picea Robotics, its primary...

Nvidia Weighs Expanding H200 AI Chip Production as China Demand Surges

Nvidia is evaluating whether to expand production capacity for its powerful H200 artificial intelligence chips after demand from Chinese customers significantly exceeded current supply, according to multiple sources...

SpaceX Begins IPO Preparations as Wall Street Banks Line Up for Advisory Roles

SpaceX has reportedly begun the early stages of preparing for a potential initial public offering (IPO), marking a significant milestone for the private aerospace company founded by Elon Musk. According to a report from...

SpaceX Insider Share Sale Values Company Near $800 Billion Amid IPO Speculation

SpaceX, the aerospace company founded by Elon Musk, has reportedly authorized an insider share sale that places its valuation at approximately $800 billion, according to a Bloomberg News report published Friday. The move...

Mizuho Raises Broadcom Price Target to $450 on Surging AI Chip Demand

Mizuho Securities has raised its price target on Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ: AVGO), highlighting accelerating momentum in the companys artificial intelligence business and a rapidly expanding long-term backlog. The brokerage...