Earth Sciences

Doctorate

Result of the accreditation process by the Agency for Assessment and Accreditation of Higher Education (A3ES) Decision: Accredited Number of years of accreditation: 6 • Validity period of accreditation: 31/07/2028 A3ES Resolution • Self-assessment report

Maximum number of admissions: 15

ABOUT THE COURSE

The PhD program in Earth Sciences at Fernando Pessoa University was designed to meet the need for advanced training, in Portugal, of specialists in the fields of Petroleum Systems and technologies for the capture, use and storage of carbon dioxide and related topics. In this sense, this 3rd Cycle of Studies is organized into two specializations:
• Petroleum Systems and Energy Innovation;
• Energy Transition and Geology: Geological Sequestration of CO2 and Underground Energy Storage.

The course is organized into 6 academic semesters, entirely dedicated to the guided preparation of the Doctoral Thesis, with equipment provided by the I3ID laboratories of the Fernando Pessoa Foundation, as well as the teaching and technical staff of MARE – Marine and Environmental Science Centre/URI Coimbra.

Curriculum Plan

3rd Cycle (Doctorate) 3 years (thesis preparation)
As per Order Decree No. 2340/2024, of March 4, Official Gazette No. 45, Series II of 2024-03-04
Predominant scientific area: Earth Sciences

Specializing in Petroleum Systems and Energy Innovation
Specializing in Energy Transition and Geology: Geological Sequestration of CO₂ and Underground Energy Storage

1st YEAR • ANNUAL
COURSE UNIT ECTS
Doctoral thesis 60
COURSE UNIT ECTS
Doctoral thesis 60
COURSE UNIT ECTS
Doctoral thesis 60
Total credits: 180 ECTS
(170 mandatory + 10 optional)
Each year includes:
• 1500 total working hours
• 30 hours of contact:
    – 3 PM Seminar
    – 15 hours of Tutorial Guidance

Research Lines

Master's degree obtained from Engineering, Science, or Science and Technology institutions. Preferably, with a bachelor's degree in the same fields.

Coordination & contacts

Coordination:
Professor Doctor Lemos de Sousa
Professor Doctor Alzira Dinis
coordenacao_3c_ct@ufp.edu.pt 

Request information about the course:

Faculty

Professor Doctor
Manuel Lemos de Sousa 

Professor Doctor
Maria Alzira Dinis

Professor Doctor
Nelson Barros 

Professor Doctor
Cristina Rodrigues 

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

ACCESS QUALIFICATIONS

These are specific entry requirements:
1. To hold an academic qualification as defined in point a) of paragraph 1 of article 30 of Decree-Law no. 74/2006, of March 24, as amended, in an area of education and training within the fundamental scientific areas of this study cycle (CE), or in a related area;
2. To hold academic qualifications as defined in point b) of paragraph 1 of article 30 of the aforementioned Decree-Law, in the area of health sciences, life sciences, or related fields, and simultaneously possess a relevant academic and/or scientific curriculum in these areas, recognized by the legally and statutorily competent bodies of both institutions as demonstrating the capacity to undertake the CE;
3. Exceptionally, possessing a relevant academic, scientific and/or professional curriculum in the fundamental scientific areas of the CE or related fields, recognized as demonstrating the capacity to carry it out under the terms of the previous paragraph.

For candidates with foreign degrees, proof of recognition of the academic degree in Portugal is required, with the respective grade conversion to the Portuguese scale, in accordance with Decree-Law No. 66/2018.

a) Authenticated master's degree diploma or certificate;
b) Authenticated diploma or certificate of the bachelor's degree;
c) Statement of intent for the thesis/thesis project, with associate supervisor – maximum of 1500 words (optional);
d) CV in the CIENCIAVITAE format

In the case of foreign qualifications:

i. Candidates must submit an official statement, issued by the Higher Education Institution that awards the academic degree, indicating the final grade (if not included in any of the documents mentioned above) and the respective quantitative grading scale used (e.g., 0 to 100; 0 to 10, etc.). If this statement is not submitted, the minimum passing grade on the Portuguese scale (10 out of 20) will be considered. The same applies to any other qualification certificates or diplomas submitted with the application;
ii. Diplomas/certificates not written in Portuguese, English, French, or Spanish must be accompanied by a translation into Portuguese, which must be legalized by the Portuguese consular agent in the country of origin of the diploma/certificate or legalized by... Hague Apostille.
iii. Certificates from educational establishments in non-EU countries:
For application purposes, simple copies of the certificates are accepted. For enrollment, it will be necessary to submit the certificates with which you applied for the competition, whether copies or originals, authenticated with the [certificate/document name]. Hague Apostille in the country where the documents were issued. If the country has not acceded to the Convention, the documents must be legalized by the official education services of that country and by the respective Portuguese diplomatic authority.

Notice: Candidates may submit their application conditionally even if they are missing any required proof of qualifications or other documents, and must submit them by the application deadline. If they fail to do so, they may express their intention to move their application to the next phase, or it will be deemed inadmissible in the final ranking, and it will no longer be possible to add documents to the process. A new application must be submitted in a subsequent phase, if one exists.

For more information about the application process, please consult the General Requirements for Doctoral Applications

The application is made through Inforestudante. here

Theses defended

José Ricardo Lemes de Almeida
Supervisor: Professor Manuel João Lemos de Sousa
Date and Location of defense: November 6, 2019 • Main Hall of the Fernando Pessoa University
Jury members: President: Professor Dr. Salvato Vila Verde Pires Trigo (Rector of Fernando Pessoa University); Examiners: Professor Dr. Colombo Celso Gaeta Tassinari (University of São Paulo, Institute of Geosciences, Center for Geo-Chronological Research, Brazil), Professor Dr. António João Couto Mouraz Miranda (Instituto Superior Técnico); Members: Professor Dr. Edmilson Moutinho dos Santos (University of São Paulo, Institute of Energy and Environment, Brazil), Professor Dr. Manuel João Lemos de Sousa (Fernando Pessoa University), Professor Dr. Cristina Fernanda Alves Rodrigues (Fernando Pessoa University), Professor Dr. Maria Manuela Coelho Marques (Faculty of Sciences of the University of Porto).

Gisela Marta Teixeira de Sousa Oliveira
Supervisor: Professor Manuel João Lemos de Sousa
Co-supervisor: Professor Cristina Fernanda Alves Rodrigues, PhD
Co-supervisor: Professor Maria Alzira Pimenta Dinis, PhD
Date and Location of defense: October 30, 2016 • Main Hall of the Fernando Pessoa University
Jury members: President: Professor Dr. Salvato Vila Verde Pires Trigo (Rector of Fernando Pessoa University); Examiner: Professor Dr. Adélio Miguel Magalhães Mendes (Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto), Professor Dr. António Manuela Antunes Fiíza (Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto); Members: Professor Dr. José Viriato Soromenho Marques (Faculty of Letters, University of Lisbon), Professor Dr. Manuel João Lemos de Sousa (Fernando Pessoa University), Professor Dr. Cristina Fernanda Alves Rodrigues (Fernando Pessoa University), Professor Dr. Maria Alzira Pimenta Dinis (Fernando Pessoa University), Professor Dr. Maria Teresa Lajinha Ribeiro (Fernando Pessoa University).

Juan Josué Enciso Cárdenas
Study of Gas Adsorption-Desorption Properties in Conventional Petroleum Systems in Mexico and its Application to the Kinetic Model of Hydrocarbon Generation (link)
Supervision: Professor Manuel João Lemos de Sousa, Professor Luis Martinez, Professor Luís Fernando Camacho
Date and Location of defense: September 24, 2015 • University of Lorraine / Nancy, France
Jury Members: Thesis Supervisors: Professor Luis Martinez (Université de Lorraine, France), Professor Manuel João Lemos de Sousa (Universidade Fernando Pessoa), Professor Luís Fernando Camacho (Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila, Mexico); Examiners: Professor Jacques Pironon (Directeur de Recherche, CNRS), Professor Cristina Rodrigues (Universidade Fernando Pessoa); Rapporteurs: Professor German Montes (Université J. Fourier, France), Professor Eduardo Gonzalez (UNAM, Mexico); Guests: Professor Laura Hernandez (Directora de Investigación, CICY, Mexico), Professor Bertha Oceguera (PEMEX, Mexico).

Maria Alzira Pimenta Dinis
Study of the gas diffusion process in coals based on Langmuir isotherms (link)
Supervisor: Professor Manuel Lemos de Sousa
Co-supervisor: Professor Cristina Fernanda Alves Rodrigues, PhD
Co-supervisor: Professor Nuno Jorge Gonçalves de Magalhães Ribeiro
Date and Location of defense: July 13, 2010 • Main Hall of the Fernando Pessoa University
Jury members: President: Professor Salvato Vila Verde Pires Trigo (Rector of Fernando Pessoa University); Members: Professor Luis Martinez (University of Nancy, France), Professor Deolinda Maria dos Santos Flores Marcelo da Fonseca (University of Porto), Professor Ausenda da Assunção Cascalheira de Cáceres Balbino (University of Évora), Professor António João Couto Mouraz Miranda (Instituto Superior Técnico), Professor António José da Costa Silva (Instituto Superior Técnico); Professor Manuel João Lemos de Sousa (Fernando Pessoa University), Professor Nuno Jorge Gonçalves de Magalhães Ribeiro (Fernando Pessoa University), Professor Cristina Fernanda Alves Rodrigues (Fernando Pessoa University)

Moses Samuel John Boots Cacama
Assessment of the Potential of the Cunga Formation (Kwnza Basin, Angola) as an Unconventional Reservoir: Implications for Carbon Dioxide Storage
Supervisor: Professor Cristina Rodrigues, PhD (Fernando Pessoa University), Co-supervisor: Professor Maria Alzira Pimenta Dinis, PhD
Date and Location of defense: January 11, 2022 • Main Hall of the Fernando Pessoa University
Jury members: President: Professor Doctor Salvato Vila Verde Pires Trigo (Rector of the Fernando Pessoa University)
Vowels: Professor Dr. Marco Vinícios Berao Ade (State University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
Prof. Duarte Luís Vítor de Fonseca Pinto Duarte (University of Coimbra)
Professor Dr. Lídia Maria Amaral Raposo de Quental (LNEG - National Laboratory of Energy and Geology)
Professor Zélia Maria da Silva Pereira Moutinho, PhD (LNEG - National Laboratory of Energy and Geology)
Professor Cristina Fernanda Alves Rodrigues, PhD (Fernando Pessoa University)
Professor Manuel Lemos de Sousa, PhD (Fernando Pessoa University)