Sample records for abiotic deep petroleum

  1. Community dynamics of anaerobic bacteria in deep petroleum reservoirs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hallmann, Christian; Schwark, Lorenz; Grice, Kliti

    2008-09-01

    The nature, activity and metabolism of microbes that inhabit the deep subsurface environment are a matter of ongoing debate. Primarily limited by temperature, little is known about secondary factors that restrict or enhance microbial activity or about the extent of a habitable environment deep below the surface. In particular, the degraders of chemically inert organic substrates remain elusive. Petroleum reservoirs can be regarded as natural bioreactors and are ideally suited for the study of microbial metabolism in the deep subsurface. Here we analyse series of oil samples that were biodegraded to different degrees. We find fatty acids after hydrolysis of purified crude oil fractions, indicating the presence of intact phospholipids and suggesting that indigenous bacteria inhabit petroleum reservoirs in sediment depths of up to 2,000m. A major change in bacterial community structure occurs after the removal of n-alkanes, indicating that more than one consortium is responsible for petroleum degradation. Our results suggest that further study of petroleum fluids will help understand bacterial metabolism and diversity in this habitat of the deep subsurface.

  2. Methane clumped isotopes in the Songliao Basin (China): New insights into abiotic vs. biotic hydrocarbon formation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shuai, Yanhua; Etiope, Giuseppe; Zhang, Shuichang; Douglas, Peter M. J.; Huang, Ling; Eiler, John M.

    2018-01-01

    Abiotic hydrocarbon gas, typically generated in serpentinized ultramafic rocks and crystalline shields, has important implications for the deep biosphere, petroleum systems, the carbon cycle and astrobiology. Distinguishing abiotic gas (produced by chemical reactions like Sabatier synthesis) from biotic gas (produced from degradation of organic matter or microbial activity) is sometimes challenging because their isotopic and molecular composition may overlap. Abiotic gas has been recognized in numerous locations on the Earth, although there are no confirmed instances where it is the dominant source of commercially valuable quantities in reservoir rocks. The deep hydrocarbon reservoirs of the Xujiaweizi Depression in the Songliao Basin (China) have been considered to host significant amounts of abiotic methane. Here we report methane clumped-isotope values (Δ18) and the isotopic composition of C1-C3 alkanes, CO2 and helium of five gas samples collected from those Xujiaweizi deep reservoirs. Some geochemical features of these samples resemble previously suggested identifiers of abiotic gas (13C-enriched CH4; decrease in 13C/12C ratio with increasing carbon number for the C1-C4 alkanes; abundant, apparently non-biogenic CO2; and mantle-derived helium). However, combining these constraints with new measurements of the clumped-isotope composition of methane and careful consideration of the geological context, suggests that the Xujiaweizi depression gas is dominantly, if not exclusively, thermogenic and derived from over-mature source rocks, i.e., from catagenesis of buried organic matter at high temperatures. Methane formation temperatures suggested by clumped-isotopes (167-213 °C) are lower than magmatic gas generation processes and consistent with the maturity of local source rocks. Also, there are no geological conditions (e.g., serpentinized ultramafic rocks) that may lead to high production of H2 and thus abiotic production of CH4 via CO2 reduction. We propose

  3. Initialization of metabolism in prebiotic petroleum

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mekki-Berrada, Ali

    The theoretical and bibliographical work on the geochemical origin of life, which I present here, it works on the assumption that: "The class of more complex molecules of life that can have a geochemical and abiotic origin is the class of fatty acid with long aliphatic chain". This idea comes from the controversy over the abiotic oil industry, and the first measurements of abiotic oil at mid-ocean ridges (Charlou J.L. et al. 2002, Proskurowski G. et al. 2008). To go further and propose a comprehensive experimentation on the origin of life, I propose in this article the idea that the prebiotic soup or prebiotic petroleum would stem from the diagenesis of the gas clathrates/sediments mixture. Gas, H2S H2 N2 CH4 CO2, are produced at mid-ocean ridges, and at large-scale at the seafloor, by serpentinization. Sediments contain hydrogenophosphates as a source of phosphate and minerals to the surface catalysis. Extreme conditions experienced by some prokaryotes and pressures and temperatures of submarine oilfields of fossil petroleum are close. The hydrostatic pressure is around 1.5 kbar and the temperature is below 150 °C. This experiment I propose is quite feasible today since these conditions are used: In research and exploration of fossil petroleum; In the field of organic chemistry called "green chemistry" and where temperatures remain low and the pressure can reach 10 kbar; to study the biology of prokaryotes living in the fossil petroleum of industrial interest, these studies are quite comparable to experiment with prebiotic oil; Finally, this experiment can be based on research on abiotic CH4 on Mars and abiotic hydrocarbons on Titan. The next step in the theoretical research of the origin of life is the abiotic synthesis of liposomes. Abiotic synthesis liposomes just requires synthesis of glycerol and ethanolamine (or serine) esterifying the phosphate and fatty acid. The state of research on the abiotic synthesis of these molecules shows that synthesis of

  4. Hot, deep origin of petroleum: deep basin evidence and application

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Price, Leigh C.

    1978-01-01

    Use of the model of a hot deep origin of oil places rigid constraints on the migration and entrapment of crude oil. Specifically, oil originating from depth migrates vertically up faults and is emplaced in traps at shallower depths. Review of petroleum-producing basins worldwide shows oil occurrence in these basins conforms to the restraints of and therefore supports the hypothesis. Most of the world's oil is found in the very deepest sedimentary basins, and production over or adjacent to the deep basin is cut by or directly updip from faults dipping into the basin deep. Generally the greater the fault throw the greater the reserves. Fault-block highs next to deep sedimentary troughs are the best target areas by the present concept. Traps along major basin-forming faults are quite prospective. The structural style of a basin governs the distribution, types, and amounts of hydrocarbons expected and hence the exploration strategy. Production in delta depocenters (Niger) is in structures cut by or updip from major growth faults, and structures not associated with such faults are barren. Production in block fault basins is on horsts next to deep sedimentary troughs (Sirte, North Sea). In basins whose sediment thickness, structure and geologic history are known to a moderate degree, the main oil occurrences can be specifically predicted by analysis of fault systems and possible hydrocarbon migration routes. Use of the concept permits the identification of significant targets which have either been downgraded or ignored in the past, such as production in or just updip from thrust belts, stratigraphic traps over the deep basin associated with major faulting, production over the basin deep, and regional stratigraphic trapping updip from established production along major fault zones.

  5. Feeding in deep-sea demosponges: Influence of abiotic and biotic factors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Robertson, Leah M.; Hamel, Jean-François; Mercier, Annie

    2017-09-01

    In shallow benthic communities, sponges are widely recognized for their ability to contribute to food webs by cycling nutrients and mediating carbon fluxes through filter feeding. In comparison, little is known about filter feeding in deep-sea species and how it may be modulated by environmental conditions. Here, a rare opportunity to maintain live healthy deep-sea sponges for an extended period led to a preliminary experimental study of their feeding metrics. This work focused on demosponges collected from the continental slope of eastern Canada at 1000 m depth. Filtration rates (as clearance of phytoplankton cells) at holding temperature (6 °C) were positively correlated with food particle concentration, ranging on average from 18.8 to 160.6 cells ml-1 h-1 at nominal concentrations of 10,000-40,000 cells ml-1. Cell clearance was not significantly affected by decreasing seawater temperature, from 6 °C to 3 °C or 0 °C, although two of the sponges showed decreased filtration rates. Low pH ( 7.5) and the presence of a predatory sea star markedly depressed or inhibited feeding activity in all sponges tested. While performed under laboratory conditions on a limited number of specimens, this work highlights the possible sensitivity of deep-sea demosponges to various types and levels of biotic and abiotic factors, inferring a consequent vulnerability to natural and anthropogenic disturbances.

  6. Life in the slow lane; biogeochemistry of biodegraded petroleum containing reservoirs and implications for energy recovery and carbon management

    PubMed Central

    Head, Ian M.; Gray, Neil D.; Larter, Stephen R.

    2014-01-01

    Our understanding of the processes underlying the formation of heavy oil has been transformed in the last decade. The process was once thought to be driven by oxygen delivered to deep petroleum reservoirs by meteoric water. This paradigm has been replaced by a view that the process is anaerobic and frequently associated with methanogenic hydrocarbon degradation. The thermal history of a reservoir exerts a fundamental control on the occurrence of biodegraded petroleum, and microbial activity is focused at the base of the oil column in the oil water transition zone, that represents a hotspot in the petroleum reservoir biome. Here we present a synthesis of new and existing microbiological, geochemical, and biogeochemical data that expands our view of the processes that regulate deep life in petroleum reservoir ecosystems and highlights interactions of a range of biotic and abiotic factors that determine whether petroleum is likely to be biodegraded in situ, with important consequences for oil exploration and production. Specifically we propose that the salinity of reservoir formation waters exerts a key control on the occurrence of biodegraded heavy oil reservoirs and introduce the concept of palaeopickling. We also evaluate the interaction between temperature and salinity to explain the occurrence of non-degraded oil in reservoirs where the temperature has not reached the 80–90°C required for palaeopasteurization. In addition we evaluate several hypotheses that might explain the occurrence of organisms conventionally considered to be aerobic, in nominally anoxic petroleum reservoir habitats. Finally we discuss the role of microbial processes for energy recovery as we make the transition from fossil fuel reliance, and how these fit within the broader socioeconomic landscape of energy futures. PMID:25426105

  7. Simulating Gas-Liquid-Water Partitioning and Fluid Properties of Petroleum under Pressure: Implications for Deep-Sea Blowouts.

    PubMed

    Gros, Jonas; Reddy, Christopher M; Nelson, Robert K; Socolofsky, Scott A; Arey, J Samuel

    2016-07-19

    With the expansion of offshore petroleum extraction, validated models are needed to simulate the behaviors of petroleum compounds released in deep (>100 m) waters. We present a thermodynamic model of the densities, viscosities, and gas-liquid-water partitioning of petroleum mixtures with varying pressure, temperature, and composition based on the Peng-Robinson equation-of-state and the modified Henry's law (Krychevsky-Kasarnovsky equation). The model is applied to Macondo reservoir fluid released during the Deepwater Horizon disaster, represented with 279-280 pseudocomponents, including 131-132 individual compounds. We define >n-C8 pseudocomponents based on comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC × GC) measurements, which enable the modeling of aqueous partitioning for n-C8 to n-C26 fractions not quantified individually. Thermodynamic model predictions are tested against available laboratory data on petroleum liquid densities, gas/liquid volume fractions, and liquid viscosities. We find that the emitted petroleum mixture was ∼29-44% gas and ∼56-71% liquid, after cooling to local conditions near the broken Macondo riser stub (∼153 atm and 4.3 °C). High pressure conditions dramatically favor the aqueous dissolution of C1-C4 hydrocarbons and also influence the buoyancies of bubbles and droplets. Additionally, the simulated densities of emitted petroleum fluids affect previous estimates of the volumetric flow rate of dead oil from the emission source.

  8. Pathways for abiotic organic synthesis at submarine hydrothermal fields.

    PubMed

    McDermott, Jill M; Seewald, Jeffrey S; German, Christopher R; Sylva, Sean P

    2015-06-23

    Arguments for an abiotic origin of low-molecular weight organic compounds in deep-sea hot springs are compelling owing to implications for the sustenance of deep biosphere microbial communities and their potential role in the origin of life. Theory predicts that warm H2-rich fluids, like those emanating from serpentinizing hydrothermal systems, create a favorable thermodynamic drive for the abiotic generation of organic compounds from inorganic precursors. Here, we constrain two distinct reaction pathways for abiotic organic synthesis in the natural environment at the Von Damm hydrothermal field and delineate spatially where inorganic carbon is converted into bioavailable reduced carbon. We reveal that carbon transformation reactions in a single system can progress over hours, days, and up to thousands of years. Previous studies have suggested that CH4 and higher hydrocarbons in ultramafic hydrothermal systems were dependent on H2 generation during active serpentinization. Rather, our results indicate that CH4 found in vent fluids is formed in H2-rich fluid inclusions, and higher n-alkanes may likely be derived from the same source. This finding implies that, in contrast with current paradigms, these compounds may form independently of actively circulating serpentinizing fluids in ultramafic-influenced systems. Conversely, widespread production of formate by ΣCO2 reduction at Von Damm occurs rapidly during shallow subsurface mixing of the same fluids, which may support anaerobic methanogenesis. Our finding of abiogenic formate in deep-sea hot springs has significant implications for microbial life strategies in the present-day deep biosphere as well as early life on Earth and beyond.

  9. Pathways for abiotic organic synthesis at submarine hydrothermal fields

    PubMed Central

    McDermott, Jill M.; Seewald, Jeffrey S.; German, Christopher R.; Sylva, Sean P.

    2015-01-01

    Arguments for an abiotic origin of low-molecular weight organic compounds in deep-sea hot springs are compelling owing to implications for the sustenance of deep biosphere microbial communities and their potential role in the origin of life. Theory predicts that warm H2-rich fluids, like those emanating from serpentinizing hydrothermal systems, create a favorable thermodynamic drive for the abiotic generation of organic compounds from inorganic precursors. Here, we constrain two distinct reaction pathways for abiotic organic synthesis in the natural environment at the Von Damm hydrothermal field and delineate spatially where inorganic carbon is converted into bioavailable reduced carbon. We reveal that carbon transformation reactions in a single system can progress over hours, days, and up to thousands of years. Previous studies have suggested that CH4 and higher hydrocarbons in ultramafic hydrothermal systems were dependent on H2 generation during active serpentinization. Rather, our results indicate that CH4 found in vent fluids is formed in H2-rich fluid inclusions, and higher n-alkanes may likely be derived from the same source. This finding implies that, in contrast with current paradigms, these compounds may form independently of actively circulating serpentinizing fluids in ultramafic-influenced systems. Conversely, widespread production of formate by ΣCO2 reduction at Von Damm occurs rapidly during shallow subsurface mixing of the same fluids, which may support anaerobic methanogenesis. Our finding of abiogenic formate in deep-sea hot springs has significant implications for microbial life strategies in the present-day deep biosphere as well as early life on Earth and beyond. PMID:26056279

  10. A High-Resolution Multitechniques Approach to Characterize Bio-Organo-Mineral Associations Within Rock Samples: Tracking Biological vs Abiotic Processes? Towards a Better Understanding of the Deep Carbon Cycle.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pisapia, C.

    2015-12-01

    Among all elements, carbon plays one of the major roles for the sustainability of life on Earth. Past considerations of the carbon cycle have mainly focused on surface processes occurring at the atmosphere, oceans and shallow crustal environments. By contrast, little is known about the Deep Carbon cycle whereas both geochemical and biological processes may induce organic carbon production and/or consumption at depth. Indeed, the nowadays-recognized capability of geochemical processes such as serpentinization to generate abiotic organic compounds as well as the existence of a potentially important intraterrestrial life raises questions about the limit of biotic/abiotic carbon on Earth's deep interior and how it impacts global biogeochemical cycles. It is then mandatory to increase our knowledge on the nature and extent of carbon reservoirs along with their sources, sinks and fluxes in the subsurface. This implies to be able to finely characterize organomineral associations within crustal rocks although it might be hampered by the scarceness and heterogeneous micrometric spatial distribution of organic molecules in natural rocks. We then developed an in situ analytical strategy based on the combination of high-resolution techniques to track organic molecules at the pore level in natural rocks and to determine their biological or abiotic origin. We associated classical high-resolution techniques and synchrotron-based imaging techniques in order to characterize their nature and localization (SEM/TEM, coupled CLSM/Raman spectroscopy, Tof-SIMS) along with their 3D-distribution relatively to mineral phases (S-FTIR, S-DeepUV, XANES, Biphoton microscopy). The effectiveness of this approach to shed light on the speciation and nature of carbon in subsurface environments will be illustrated through the study of (i) subsurface ecosystems and abiotic organic carbon within ultramafic rocks of the oceanic lithosphere as putative analogs for the nature and functioning of primitive

  11. MicroRNAs play critical roles during plant development and in response to abiotic stresses.

    PubMed

    de Lima, Júlio César; Loss-Morais, Guilherme; Margis, Rogerio

    2012-12-01

    MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been identified as key molecules in regulatory networks. The fine-tuning role of miRNAs in addition to the regulatory role of transcription factors has shown that molecular events during development are tightly regulated. In addition, several miRNAs play crucial roles in the response to abiotic stress induced by drought, salinity, low temperatures, and metals such as aluminium. Interestingly, several miRNAs have overlapping roles with regard to development, stress responses, and nutrient homeostasis. Moreover, in response to the same abiotic stresses, different expression patterns for some conserved miRNA families among different plant species revealed different metabolic adjustments. The use of deep sequencing technologies for the characterisation of miRNA frequency and the identification of new miRNAs adds complexity to regulatory networks in plants. In this review, we consider the regulatory role of miRNAs in plant development and abiotic stresses, as well as the impact of deep sequencing technologies on the generation of miRNA data.

  12. Bioremediation of petroleum-contaminated soil using aged refuse from landfills.

    PubMed

    Liu, Qingmei; Li, Qibin; Wang, Ning; Liu, Dan; Zan, Li; Chang, Le; Gou, Xuemei; Wang, Peijin

    2018-05-10

    This study explored the effects and mechanisms of petroleum-contaminated soil bioremediation using aged refuse (AR) from landfills. Three treatments of petroleum-contaminated soil (47.28 mg·g -1 ) amended with AR, sterilized aged refuse (SAR) and petroleum-contaminated soil only (as a control) were tested. During 98 days of incubation, changes in soil physicochemical properties, residual total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH), biodegradation kinetics, enzyme activities and the microbial community were investigated. The results demonstrated that AR was an effective soil conditioner and biostimulation agent that could comprehensively improve the quality of petroleum-contaminated soil and promote microbial growth, with an 74.64% TPH removal rate, 22.36 day half-life for SAR treatment, compared with the control (half-life: 138.63 days; TPH removal rate: 22.40%). In addition, the petroleum-degrading bacteria isolation results demonstrated that AR was also a petroleum-degrading microbial agent containing abundant microorganisms. AR addition significantly improved both the biotic and abiotic conditions of petroleum-contaminated soil without other additives. The cooperation of conditioner addition, biostimulation and bioaugmentation in AR treatment led to better bioremediation effects (half-life: 13.86 days; TPH removal rate: 89.83%). In conclusion, AR amendment is a cost-effective, easy-to-use method facilitating in situ large-scale application while simultaneously recycling huge amounts of AR from landfills. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Living microbial ecosystems within the active zone of catagenesis: Implications for feeding the deep biosphere

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Horsfield, B.; Schenk, H. J.; Zink, K.; Ondrak, R.; Dieckmann, V.; Kallmeyer, J.; Mangelsdorf, K.; di Primio, R.; Wilkes, H.; Parkes, R. J.; Fry, J.; Cragg, B.

    2006-06-01

    Earth's largest reactive carbon pool, marine sedimentary organic matter, becomes increasingly recalcitrant during burial, making it almost inaccessible as a substrate for microorganisms, and thereby limiting metabolic activity in the deep biosphere. Because elevated temperature acting over geological time leads to the massive thermal breakdown of the organic matter into volatiles, including petroleum, the question arises whether microorganisms can directly utilize these maturation products as a substrate. While migrated thermogenic fluids are known to sustain microbial consortia in shallow sediments, an in situ coupling of abiotic generation and microbial utilization has not been demonstrated. Here we show, using a combination of basin modelling, kinetic modelling, geomicrobiology and biogeochemistry, that microorganisms inhabit the active generation zone in the Nankai Trough, offshore Japan. Three sites from ODP Leg 190 have been evaluated, namely 1173, 1174 and 1177, drilled in nearly undeformed Quaternary and Tertiary sedimentary sequences seaward of the Nankai Trough itself. Paleotemperatures were reconstructed based on subsidence profiles, compaction modelling, present-day heat flow, downhole temperature measurements and organic maturity parameters. Today's heat flow distribution can be considered mainly conductive, and is extremely high in places, reaching 180 mW/m 2. The kinetic parameters describing total hydrocarbon generation, determined by laboratory pyrolysis experiments, were utilized by the model in order to predict the timing of generation in time and space. The model predicts that the onset of present day generation lies between 300 and 500 m below sea floor (5100-5300 m below mean sea level), depending on well location. In the case of Site 1174, 5-10% conversion has taken place by a present day temperature of ca. 85 °C. Predictions were largely validated by on-site hydrocarbon gas measurements. Viable organisms in the same depth range have been

  14. Overview of Petroleum Settings in Deep Waters of the Brazilian South Atlantic Margin

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Anjos, Sylvia; Penteado, Henrique; Oliveira, Carlos M. M.

    2015-04-01

    The objective of this work is to present an overall view of the tectonic and stratigraphic evolution of the western South Atlantic with focus on the Brazilian marginal basins. It includes the structural evolution, stratigraphic sequences, depositional environments and petroleum systems model along the Brazilian marginal basins. In addition, a description of the main petroleum provinces and selected plays including the pre-salt carbonates and post-salt turbidite reservoirs is presented. Source-rock ages and types, trap styles, main reservoir characteristics, petroleum compositions, and recent exploration results are discussed. Finally, an outlook and general assessment of the impact of the large pre-salt discoveries on the present-day and future production curves are given.

  15. Abiotic Organic Chemistry in Hydrothermal Systems.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Simoneit, B. R.; Rushdi, A. I.

    2004-12-01

    Abiotic organic chemistry in hydrothermal systems is of interest to biologists, geochemists and oceanographers. This chemistry consists of thermal alteration of organic matter and minor prebiotic synthesis of organic compounds. Thermal alteration has been extensively documented to yield petroleum and heavy bitumen products from contemporary organic detritus. Carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, ammonia and sulfur species have been used as precursors in prebiotic synthesis experiments to organic compounds. These inorganic species are common components of hot spring gases and marine hydrothermal systems. It is of interest to further test their reactivities in reductive aqueous thermolysis. We have synthesized organic compounds (lipids) in aqueous solutions of oxalic acid, and with carbon disulfide or ammonium bicarbonate at temperatures from 175-400° C. The synthetic lipids from oxalic acid solutions consisted of n-alkanols, n-alkanoic acids, n-alkyl formates, n-alkanones, n-alkenes and n-alkanes, typically to C30 with no carbon number preferences. The products from CS2 in acidic aqueous solutions yielded cyclic thioalkanes, alkyl polysulfides, and thioesters with other numerous minor compounds. The synthesis products from oxalic acid and ammonium bicarbonate solutions were homologous series of n-alkyl amides, n-alkyl amines, n-alkanes and n-alkanoic acids, also to C30 with no carbon number predominance. Condensation (dehydration) reactions also occur under elevated temperatures in aqueous medium as tested by model reactions to form amide, ester and nitrile bonds. It is concluded that the abiotic formation of aliphatic lipids, condensation products (amides, esters, nitriles, and CS2 derivatives (alkyl polysulfides, cyclic polysulfides) is possible under hydrothermal conditions and warrants further studies.

  16. Noble gas as tracers for CO2 deep input in petroleum reservoirs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pujol, Magali; Stuart, Finlay; Gilfillan, Stuart; Montel, François; Masini, Emmanuel

    2016-04-01

    The sub-salt hydrocarbon reservoirs in the deep offshore part of the Atlantic Ocean passive margins are a new key target for frontier oil and gas exploration. Type I source rocks locally rich in TOC (Total Organic Carbon) combined with an important secondary connected porosity of carbonate reservoirs overlain by an impermeable salt layer gives rise to reservoirs with high petroleum potential. However, some target structures have been found to be mainly filled with CO2 rich fluids. δ13C of the CO2 is generally between -9 and -4 permil, compatible with a deep source (metamorphic or mantle). Understanding the origin of the CO2 and the relative timing of its input into reservoir layers in regard to the geodynamic context appears to be a key issue for CO2 risk evaluation. The inertness and ubiquity of noble gases in crustal fluids make them powerful tools to trace the origin and migration of mixed fluids (Ballentine and Burnard 2002). The isotopic signature of He, Ne and Ar and the elemental pattern (He to Xe) of reservoir fluid from pressurized bottom hole samples provide an insight into fluid source influences at each reservoir depth. Three main end-members can be mixed into reservoir fluids (e.g. Gilfillan et al., 2008): atmospheric signature due to aquifer recharge, radiogenic component from organic fluid ± metamorphic influence, and mantle input. Their relative fractionation provides insights into the nature of fluid transport (Burnard et al., 2012)and its relative migration timing. In the studied offshore passive margin reservoirs, from both sides of South Atlantic margin, a strong MORB-like magmatic CO2 influence is clear. Hence, CO2 charge must have occurred during or after lithospheric break-up. CO2 charge(s) history appears to be complex, and in some cases requires several inputs to generate the observed noble gas pattern. Combining the knowledge obtained from noble gas (origin, relative timing, number of charges) with organic geochemical and thermodynamic

  17. Massive production of abiotic methane during subduction evidenced in metamorphosed ophicarbonates from the Italian Alps

    PubMed Central

    Vitale Brovarone, Alberto; Martinez, Isabelle; Elmaleh, Agnès; Compagnoni, Roberto; Chaduteau, Carine; Ferraris, Cristiano; Esteve, Imène

    2017-01-01

    Alteration of ultramafic rocks plays a major role in the production of hydrocarbons and organic compounds via abiotic processes on Earth and beyond and contributes to the redistribution of C between solid and fluid reservoirs over geological cycles. Abiotic methanogenesis in ultramafic rocks is well documented at shallow conditions, whereas natural evidence at greater depths is scarce. Here we provide evidence for intense high-pressure abiotic methanogenesis by reduction of subducted ophicarbonates. Protracted (≥0.5–1 Ma), probably episodic infiltration of reduced fluids in the ophicarbonates and methanogenesis occurred from at least ∼40 km depth to ∼15–20 km depth. Textural, petrological and isotopic data indicate that methane reached saturation triggering the precipitation of graphitic C accompanied by dissolution of the precursor antigorite. Continuous infiltration of external reducing fluids caused additional methane production by interaction with the newly formed graphite. Alteration of high-pressure carbonate-bearing ultramafic rocks may represent an important source of abiotic methane, with strong implications for the mobility of deep C reservoirs. PMID:28223715

  18. Effect of Piriformospora indica inoculation on root development and distribution of maize (Zea mays L.) in the presence of petroleum contaminated soil

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zamani, Javad; Hajabbasi, Mohammad Ali; Alaie, Ebrahim

    2014-05-01

    The root systems of most terrestrial plants are confronted to various abiotic and biotic stresses. One of these abiotic stresses is contamination of soil with petroleum hydrocarbon, which the efficiency of phytoremediation of petroleum hydrocarbons in soils is dependent on the ability of plant roots to development into the contaminated soils. Piriformospora indica represents a recently discovered fungus that transfers considerable beneficial impact to its host plants. A rhizotron experiment was conducted to study the effects of P. Indica inoculation on root distribution and root and shoot development of maize (Zea mays L.) in the presence of three patterns of petroleum contamination in the soil (subsurface contamination, continuous contamination and without contamination (control)). Root distribution and root and shoot development were monitored over time. The final root and shoot biomass and the final TPH concentration in the rhizosphere were determined. Analysis of digitized images which were prepared of the tracing of the appeared roots along the front rhizotrons showed the depth and total length of root network in the contamination treatments were significantly decreased. Although the degradation of TPH in the rhizosphere of maize was significant, but there were no significant differences between degradation of TPH in the rhizosphere of +P. indica plants in comparison to -P. indica plants.

  19. Performance of deep-rooted phreatophytic trees at a site containing total petroleum hydrocarbons.

    PubMed

    Ferro, Ari M; Adham, Tareq; Berra, Brett; Tsao, David

    2013-01-01

    Poplar and willow tree stands were installed in 2003 at a site in Raleigh, North Carolina containing total petroleum hydrocarbon - contaminated groundwater. The objective was groundwater uptake and plume control. The water table was 5 to 6 m below ground surface (bgs) and therefore methods were used to encourage deep root development. Growth rates, rooting depth and sap flow were measured for trees in Plot A located in the center of the plume and in Plot B peripheral to the plume. The trees were initially sub-irrigated with vertically installed drip-lines and by 2005 had roots 4 to 5 m bgs. Water balance calculations suggested groundwater uptake. In 2007, the average sap flow was higher for Plot B (approximately 59 L per day per tree) than for Plot A (approximately 23 L per day per tree), probably as a result of TPH-induced stress in Plot A. Nevertheless, the estimated rate of groundwater uptake for Plot A was sufficient, relative to the calculated rate of groundwater flux beneath the stand, that a high level of plume control was achieved based on MODFLOW modeling results. Down-gradient groundwater monitoring wells installed in late 2011 should provide quantitative data for plume control.

  20. 31 CFR 576.308 - Iraqi petroleum and petroleum products.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Iraqi petroleum and petroleum products... SANCTIONS REGULATIONS General Definitions § 576.308 Iraqi petroleum and petroleum products. The term Iraqi petroleum and petroleum products means any petroleum, petroleum products, or natural gas originating in Iraq...

  1. Petroleum dynamics in the sea and influence of subsea dispersant injection during Deepwater Horizon.

    PubMed

    Gros, Jonas; Socolofsky, Scott A; Dissanayake, Anusha L; Jun, Inok; Zhao, Lin; Boufadel, Michel C; Reddy, Christopher M; Arey, J Samuel

    2017-09-19

    During the Deepwater Horizon disaster, a substantial fraction of the 600,000-900,000 tons of released petroleum liquid and natural gas became entrapped below the sea surface, but the quantity entrapped and the sequestration mechanisms have remained unclear. We modeled the buoyant jet of petroleum liquid droplets, gas bubbles, and entrained seawater, using 279 simulated chemical components, for a representative day (June 8, 2010) of the period after the sunken platform's riser pipe was pared at the wellhead (June 4-July 15). The model predicts that 27% of the released mass of petroleum fluids dissolved into the sea during ascent from the pared wellhead (1,505 m depth) to the sea surface, thereby matching observed volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions to the atmosphere. Based on combined results from model simulation and water column measurements, 24% of released petroleum fluid mass became channeled into a stable deep-water intrusion at 900- to 1,300-m depth, as aqueously dissolved compounds (∼23%) and suspended petroleum liquid microdroplets (∼0.8%). Dispersant injection at the wellhead decreased the median initial diameters of simulated petroleum liquid droplets and gas bubbles by 3.2-fold and 3.4-fold, respectively, which increased dissolution of ascending petroleum fluids by 25%. Faster dissolution increased the simulated flows of water-soluble compounds into biologically sparse deep water by 55%, while decreasing the flows of several harmful compounds into biologically rich surface water. Dispersant injection also decreased the simulated emissions of VOCs to the atmosphere by 28%, including a 2,000-fold decrease in emissions of benzene, which lowered health risks for response workers.

  2. Petroleum dynamics in the sea and influence of subsea dispersant injection during Deepwater Horizon

    PubMed Central

    Gros, Jonas; Socolofsky, Scott A.; Dissanayake, Anusha L.; Jun, Inok; Zhao, Lin; Boufadel, Michel C.; Reddy, Christopher M.; Arey, J. Samuel

    2017-01-01

    During the Deepwater Horizon disaster, a substantial fraction of the 600,000–900,000 tons of released petroleum liquid and natural gas became entrapped below the sea surface, but the quantity entrapped and the sequestration mechanisms have remained unclear. We modeled the buoyant jet of petroleum liquid droplets, gas bubbles, and entrained seawater, using 279 simulated chemical components, for a representative day (June 8, 2010) of the period after the sunken platform’s riser pipe was pared at the wellhead (June 4–July 15). The model predicts that 27% of the released mass of petroleum fluids dissolved into the sea during ascent from the pared wellhead (1,505 m depth) to the sea surface, thereby matching observed volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions to the atmosphere. Based on combined results from model simulation and water column measurements, 24% of released petroleum fluid mass became channeled into a stable deep-water intrusion at 900- to 1,300-m depth, as aqueously dissolved compounds (∼23%) and suspended petroleum liquid microdroplets (∼0.8%). Dispersant injection at the wellhead decreased the median initial diameters of simulated petroleum liquid droplets and gas bubbles by 3.2-fold and 3.4-fold, respectively, which increased dissolution of ascending petroleum fluids by 25%. Faster dissolution increased the simulated flows of water-soluble compounds into biologically sparse deep water by 55%, while decreasing the flows of several harmful compounds into biologically rich surface water. Dispersant injection also decreased the simulated emissions of VOCs to the atmosphere by 28%, including a 2,000-fold decrease in emissions of benzene, which lowered health risks for response workers. PMID:28847967

  3. Differentiating biotic from abiotic methane genesis in hydrothermally active planetary surfaces

    PubMed Central

    Oze, Christopher; Jones, L. Camille; Goldsmith, Jonas I.; Rosenbauer, Robert J.

    2012-01-01

    Molecular hydrogen (H2) is derived from the hydrothermal alteration of olivine-rich planetary crust. Abiotic and biotic processes consume H2 to produce methane (CH4); however, the extent of either process is unknown. Here, we assess the temporal dependence and limit of abiotic CH4 related to the presence and formation of mineral catalysts during olivine hydrolysis (i.e., serpentinization) at 200 °C and 0.03 gigapascal. Results indicate that the rate of CH4 production increases to a maximum value related to magnetite catalyzation. By identifying the dynamics of CH4 production, we kinetically model how the H2 to CH4 ratio may be used to assess the origin of CH4 in deep subsurface serpentinization systems on Earth and Mars. Based on our model and available field data, low H2/CH4 ratios (less than approximately 40) indicate that life is likely present and active. PMID:22679287

  4. Differentiating biotic from abiotic methane genesis in hydrothermally active planetary surfaces.

    PubMed

    Oze, Christopher; Jones, L Camille; Goldsmith, Jonas I; Rosenbauer, Robert J

    2012-06-19

    Molecular hydrogen (H(2)) is derived from the hydrothermal alteration of olivine-rich planetary crust. Abiotic and biotic processes consume H(2) to produce methane (CH(4)); however, the extent of either process is unknown. Here, we assess the temporal dependence and limit of abiotic CH(4) related to the presence and formation of mineral catalysts during olivine hydrolysis (i.e., serpentinization) at 200 °C and 0.03 gigapascal. Results indicate that the rate of CH(4) production increases to a maximum value related to magnetite catalyzation. By identifying the dynamics of CH(4) production, we kinetically model how the H(2) to CH(4) ratio may be used to assess the origin of CH(4) in deep subsurface serpentinization systems on Earth and Mars. Based on our model and available field data, low H(2)/CH(4) ratios (less than approximately 40) indicate that life is likely present and active.

  5. Succession in the petroleum reservoir microbiome through an oil field production lifecycle.

    PubMed

    Vigneron, Adrien; Alsop, Eric B; Lomans, Bartholomeus P; Kyrpides, Nikos C; Head, Ian M; Tsesmetzis, Nicolas

    2017-09-01

    Subsurface petroleum reservoirs are an important component of the deep biosphere where indigenous microorganisms live under extreme conditions and in isolation from the Earth's surface for millions of years. However, unlike the bulk of the deep biosphere, the petroleum reservoir deep biosphere is subject to extreme anthropogenic perturbation, with the introduction of new electron acceptors, donors and exogenous microbes during oil exploration and production. Despite the fundamental and practical significance of this perturbation, there has never been a systematic evaluation of the ecological changes that occur over the production lifetime of an active offshore petroleum production system. Analysis of the entire Halfdan oil field in the North Sea (32 producing wells in production for 1-15 years) using quantitative PCR, multigenic sequencing, comparative metagenomic and genomic bins reconstruction revealed systematic shifts in microbial community composition and metabolic potential, as well as changing ecological strategies in response to anthropogenic perturbation of the oil field ecosystem, related to length of time in production. The microbial communities were initially dominated by slow growing anaerobes such as members of the Thermotogales and Clostridiales adapted to living on hydrocarbons and complex refractory organic matter. However, as seawater and nitrate injection (used for secondary oil production) delivered oxidants, the microbial community composition progressively changed to fast growing opportunists such as members of the Deferribacteres, Delta-, Epsilon- and Gammaproteobacteria, with energetically more favorable metabolism (for example, nitrate reduction, H 2 S, sulfide and sulfur oxidation). This perturbation has profound consequences for understanding the microbial ecology of the system and is of considerable practical importance as it promotes detrimental processes such as reservoir souring and metal corrosion. These findings provide a new

  6. Succession in the petroleum reservoir microbiome through an oil field production lifecycle

    DOE PAGES

    Vigneron, Adrien; Alsop, Eric B.; Lomans, Bartholomeus P.; ...

    2017-05-19

    Subsurface petroleum reservoirs are an important component of the deep biosphere where indigenous microorganisms live under extreme conditions and in isolation from the Earth's surface for millions of years. However, unlike the bulk of the deep biosphere, the petroleum reservoir deep biosphere is subject to extreme anthropogenic perturbation, with the introduction of new electron acceptors, donors and exogenous microbes during oil exploration and production. Despite the fundamental and practical significance of this perturbation, there has never been a systematic evaluation of the ecological changes that occur over the production lifetime of an active offshore petroleum production system. Analysis of themore » entire Halfdan oil field in the North Sea (32 producing wells in production for 1-15 years) using quantitative PCR, multigenic sequencing, comparative metagenomic and genomic bins reconstruction revealed systematic shifts in microbial community composition and metabolic potential, as well as changing ecological strategies in response to anthropogenic perturbation of the oil field ecosystem, related to length of time in production. The microbial communities were initially dominated by slow growing anaerobes such as members of the Thermotogales and Clostridiales adapted to living on hydrocarbons and complex refractory organic matter. However, as seawater and nitrate injection (used for secondary oil production) delivered oxidants, the microbial community composition progressively changed to fast growing opportunists such as members of the Deferribacteres, Delta-, Epsilon- and Gammaproteobacteria, with energetically more favorable metabolism (for example, nitrate reduction, H2S, sulfide and sulfur oxidation). This perturbation has profound consequences for understanding the microbial ecology of the system and is of considerable practical importance as it promotes detrimental processes such as reservoir souring and metal corrosion. These findings provide a new

  7. Succession in the petroleum reservoir microbiome through an oil field production lifecycle

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Vigneron, Adrien; Alsop, Eric B.; Lomans, Bartholomeus P.

    Subsurface petroleum reservoirs are an important component of the deep biosphere where indigenous microorganisms live under extreme conditions and in isolation from the Earth's surface for millions of years. However, unlike the bulk of the deep biosphere, the petroleum reservoir deep biosphere is subject to extreme anthropogenic perturbation, with the introduction of new electron acceptors, donors and exogenous microbes during oil exploration and production. Despite the fundamental and practical significance of this perturbation, there has never been a systematic evaluation of the ecological changes that occur over the production lifetime of an active offshore petroleum production system. Analysis of themore » entire Halfdan oil field in the North Sea (32 producing wells in production for 1-15 years) using quantitative PCR, multigenic sequencing, comparative metagenomic and genomic bins reconstruction revealed systematic shifts in microbial community composition and metabolic potential, as well as changing ecological strategies in response to anthropogenic perturbation of the oil field ecosystem, related to length of time in production. The microbial communities were initially dominated by slow growing anaerobes such as members of the Thermotogales and Clostridiales adapted to living on hydrocarbons and complex refractory organic matter. However, as seawater and nitrate injection (used for secondary oil production) delivered oxidants, the microbial community composition progressively changed to fast growing opportunists such as members of the Deferribacteres, Delta-, Epsilon- and Gammaproteobacteria, with energetically more favorable metabolism (for example, nitrate reduction, H2S, sulfide and sulfur oxidation). This perturbation has profound consequences for understanding the microbial ecology of the system and is of considerable practical importance as it promotes detrimental processes such as reservoir souring and metal corrosion. These findings provide a new

  8. 31 CFR 576.308 - Iraqi petroleum and petroleum products.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... (Continued) OFFICE OF FOREIGN ASSETS CONTROL, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY IRAQ STABILIZATION AND INSURGENCY... petroleum and petroleum products means any petroleum, petroleum products, or natural gas originating in Iraq, including any Iraqi-origin oil inventories, wherever located. ...

  9. 31 CFR 576.308 - Iraqi petroleum and petroleum products.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... (Continued) OFFICE OF FOREIGN ASSETS CONTROL, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY IRAQ STABILIZATION AND INSURGENCY... petroleum and petroleum products means any petroleum, petroleum products, or natural gas originating in Iraq, including any Iraqi-origin oil inventories, wherever located. ...

  10. 31 CFR 576.308 - Iraqi petroleum and petroleum products.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... (Continued) OFFICE OF FOREIGN ASSETS CONTROL, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY IRAQ STABILIZATION AND INSURGENCY... petroleum and petroleum products means any petroleum, petroleum products, or natural gas originating in Iraq, including any Iraqi-origin oil inventories, wherever located. ...

  11. The effect of Piriformospora indica on the root development of maize (Zea mays L.) and remediation of petroleum contaminated soil.

    PubMed

    Zamani, Javad; Hajabbasi, Mohammad Ali; Alaie, Ebrahim; Sepehri, Mozhgan; Leuchtmann, Adrian; Schulin, Rainer

    2016-01-01

    As the depth of soil petroleum contamination can vary substantially under field conditions, a rhizotron experiment was performed to investigate the influence of endophyte, P. indica, on maize growth and degradation of petroleum components in a shallow and a deep-reaching subsurface layer of a soil. For control, a treatment without soil contamination was also included. The degree in contamination and the depth to which it extended had a strong effect on the growth of the plant roots. Contaminated soil layers severely inhibited root growth thus many roots preferred to bypass the shallow contaminated layer and grow in the uncontaminated soil. While the length and branching pattern of these roots were similar to those of uncontaminated treatment. Inoculation of maize with P. indica could improve root distribution and root and shoot growth in all three contamination treatments. This inoculation also enhanced petroleum degradation in soil, especially in the treatment with deep-reaching contamination, consequently the accumulation of petroleum hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the plant tissues were increased.

  12. Petroleum and mineral resources of Antarctica

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Kovar, Karel; Behrendt, John Charles

    1983-01-01

    No known petroleum or mineral resources occur in Antarctica. The data on these subjects have been collected, mainly since the IGY (International Geophysical Year), 1957-58, as a part of other research carried out by geologists and geophysicists from a number of countries. Specific resource-related studies have not been made. Wright and Williams (1974) summarized what was known of Antarctic mineral resources a decade ago.The U.S. Geological Survey has been actively pursuing various investigations in Antarctica since 194 7. In the course of this work and that of our colleagues elsewhere in the United States and in other countries, much information relevant to petroleum and mineral resources has been obtained. Since 1976, modern state-of-the-art multichannel seismic reflection and aeromagnetic surveys by several countries over the continental margin of Antarctica have indicated thick sedimentary basins. However, no offshore drilling beneath the continental shelf has taken place since the DSDP (Deep Sea Drilling Project) holes in the Ross Sea in 1973. Geologic field investigations begun at the turn of the twentieth century have been intensified in the past two decades; most rock outcrops have been visited and samples collected. Technology to exploit resources, particularly in the Arctic, has been developing at a rapid rate, and much of it could be applied to Antarctica. As a result of the petroleum price increases of the past decade, the attention of a number of countries has turned to Antarctica, but under the policy of "voluntary restraint" adopted by the Antarctic Treaty nations, no active petroleum or mineral exploration is taking place. The Antarctic treaty countries are in the process of negotiating an Antarctic mineral resources regime that is anticipated to be completed within the next several years. Therefore it seemed timely to us to readdress the question of petroleum and mineral resources. These reports review and summarize the available information. The

  13. Meta-transcriptomics indicates biotic cross-tolerance in willow trees cultivated on petroleum hydrocarbon contaminated soil.

    PubMed

    Gonzalez, Emmanuel; Brereton, Nicholas J B; Marleau, Julie; Guidi Nissim, Werther; Labrecque, Michel; Pitre, Frederic E; Joly, Simon

    2015-10-12

    High concentrations of petroleum hydrocarbon (PHC) pollution can be hazardous to human health and leave soils incapable of supporting agricultural crops. A cheap solution, which can help restore biodiversity and bring land back to productivity, is cultivation of high biomass yielding willow trees. However, the genetic mechanisms which allow these fast-growing trees to tolerate PHCs are as yet unclear. Salix purpurea 'Fish Creek' trees were pot-grown in soil from a former petroleum refinery, either lacking or enriched with C10-C50 PHCs. De novo assembled transcriptomes were compared between tree organs and impartially annotated without a priori constraint to any organism. Over 45% of differentially expressed genes originated from foreign organisms, the majority from the two-spotted spidermite, Tetranychus urticae. Over 99% of T. urticae transcripts were differentially expressed with greater abundance in non-contaminated trees. Plant transcripts involved in the polypropanoid pathway, including phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), had greater expression in contaminated trees whereas most resistance genes showed higher expression in non-contaminated trees. The impartial approach to annotation of the de novo transcriptomes, allowing for the possibility for multiple species identification, was essential for interpretation of the crop's response treatment. The meta-transcriptomic pattern of expression suggests a cross-tolerance mechanism whereby abiotic stress resistance systems provide improved biotic resistance. These findings highlight a valuable but complex biotic and abiotic stress response to real-world, multidimensional contamination which could, in part, help explain why crops such as willow can produce uniquely high biomass yields on challenging marginal land.

  14. Chapter 48: Geology and petroleum potential of the Eurasia Basin

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Moore, Thomas E.; Pitman, Janet K.

    2011-01-01

    The Eurasia Basin petroleum province comprises the younger, eastern half of the Arctic Ocean, including the Cenozoic Eurasia Basin and the outboard part of the continental margin of northern Europe. For the USGS petroleum assessment (CARA), it was divided into four assessment units (AUs): the Lena Prodelta AU, consisting of the deep-marine part of the Lena Delta; the Nansen Basin Margin AU, comprising the passive margin sequence of the Eurasian plate; and the Amundsen Basin and Nansen Basin AUs which encompass the abyssal plains north and south of the Gakkel Ridge spreading centre, respectively. The primary petroleum system thought to be present is sourced in c. 50–44 Ma (Early to Middle Eocene) condensed pelagic deposits that could be widespread in the province. Mean estimates of undiscovered, technically recoverable petroleum resources include <1 billion barrels of oil (BBO) and about 1.4 trillion cubic feet (TCF) of nonassociated gas in Lena Prodelta AU, and <0.4 BBO and 3.4 TCF nonassociated gas in the Nansen Basin Margin AU. The Nansen Basin and Amundsen Basin AUs were not quantitatively assessed because they have less than 10% probability of containing at least one accumulation of 50 MMBOE (million barrels of oil equivalent).

  15. Poaceae vs. Abiotic Stress: Focus on Drought and Salt Stress, Recent Insights and Perspectives

    PubMed Central

    Landi, Simone; Hausman, Jean-Francois; Guerriero, Gea; Esposito, Sergio

    2017-01-01

    Poaceae represent the most important group of crops susceptible to abiotic stress. This large family of monocotyledonous plants, commonly known as grasses, counts several important cultivated species, namely wheat (Triticum aestivum), rice (Oryza sativa), maize (Zea mays), and barley (Hordeum vulgare). These crops, notably, show different behaviors under abiotic stress conditions: wheat and rice are considered sensitive, showing serious yield reduction upon water scarcity and soil salinity, while barley presents a natural drought and salt tolerance. During the green revolution (1940–1960), cereal breeding was very successful in developing high-yield crops varieties; however, these cultivars were maximized for highest yield under optimal conditions, and did not present suitable traits for tolerance under unfavorable conditions. The improvement of crop abiotic stress tolerance requires a deep knowledge of the phenomena underlying tolerance, to devise novel approaches and decipher the key components of agricultural production systems. Approaches to improve food production combining both enhanced water use efficiency (WUE) and acceptable yields are critical to create a sustainable agriculture in the future. This paper analyzes the latest results on abiotic stress tolerance in Poaceae. In particular, the focus will be directed toward various aspects of water deprivation and salinity response efficiency in Poaceae. Aspects related to cell wall metabolism will be covered, given the importance of the plant cell wall in sensing environmental constraints and in mediating a response; the role of silicon (Si), an important element for monocots' normal growth and development, will also be discussed, since it activates a broad-spectrum response to different exogenous stresses. Perspectives valorizing studies on landraces conclude the survey, as they help identify key traits for breeding purposes. PMID:28744298

  16. Deep roots delay flowering and relax the impact of floral traits and associated pollinators in steppe plants

    PubMed Central

    Berrached, Rachda; Kadik, Leila; Ait Mouheb, Hocine; Prinzing, Andreas

    2017-01-01

    Strong seasonality in abiotic harshness and pollinator availability shape the reproductive success of plants. Plant species can avoid or can tolerate harsh abiotic conditions and can attract different pollinators, but it remains unknown (i) which of these capacities is most important for flowering phenology, (ii) whether tolerance/avoidance of abiotic harshness reinforces or relaxes the phenological differentiation of species attracting different pollinators. We assembled possibly the first functional trait database for a North African steppe covering 104 species. We inferred avoidance of harshness (drought) from dormancy, i.e. annual life-span and seed size. We inferred tolerance or resistance to harshness from small specific leaf area, small stature, deep roots and high dry matter content. We inferred the type of pollinators attracted from floral colour, shape and depth. We found that avoidance traits did not affect flowering phenology, and among tolerance traits only deep roots had an effect by delaying flowering. Flower colour (red or purple), and occasionally flower depth, delayed flowering. Dish, gullet and flag shape accelerated flowering. Interactive effects however were at least as important, inversing the mentioned relationship between floral characters and flowering phenology. Specifically, among drought-tolerant deep-rooted species, flowering phenologies converged among floral types attracting different pollinators, without becoming less variable overall. Direct and interactive effects of root depth and floral traits explained at least 45% of the variance in flowering phenology. Also, conclusions on interactive effects were highly consistent with and without including information on family identity or outliers. Overall, roots and floral syndromes strongly control flowering phenology, while many other traits do not. Surprisingly, floral syndromes and the related pollinators appear to constrain phenology mainly in shallow-rooted, abiotically little

  17. 19 CFR 151.47 - Optional entry of net quantity of petroleum or petroleum products.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 19 Customs Duties 2 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Optional entry of net quantity of petroleum or petroleum products. 151.47 Section 151.47 Customs Duties U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION, DEPARTMENT OF... Petroleum and Petroleum Products § 151.47 Optional entry of net quantity of petroleum or petroleum products...

  18. 19 CFR 151.47 - Optional entry of net quantity of petroleum or petroleum products.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 19 Customs Duties 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Optional entry of net quantity of petroleum or petroleum products. 151.47 Section 151.47 Customs Duties U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION, DEPARTMENT OF... Petroleum and Petroleum Products § 151.47 Optional entry of net quantity of petroleum or petroleum products...

  19. South Atlantic sag basins: new petroleum system components

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Henry, S.G.; Mello, M.R.

    Newly discovered pre-salt source rocks, reservoirs and seals need to be included as components to the petroleum systems of both sides of the South Atlantic. These new components lie between the pre-salt rift strata and the Aptian salt layers, forming large, post-rift, thermal subsidence sag basins. These are differentiated from the older rift basins by the lack of syn-rift faulting and a reflector geometry that is parallel to the base salt regional unconformity rather than to the Precambrian basement. These basins are observed in deep water regions overlying areas where both the mantle and the crust have been involved inmore » the extension. This mantle involvement creates post-rift subsiding depocenters in which deposition is continuous while proximal rift-phase troughs with little or no mantle involvement are bypassed and failed to accumulate potential source rocks during anoxic times. These features have been recognized in both West African Kwanza Basin and in the East Brasil Rift systems. The pre-salt source rocks that are in the West African sag basins were deposited in lacustrine brackish to saline water environment and are geochemically distinct from the older, syn-rift fresh to brackish water lakes, as well as from younger, post-salt marine anoxic environments of the drift phase. Geochemical analyses of the source rocks and their oils have shown a developing source rock system evolving from isolated deep rift lakes to shallow saline lakes, and culminating with the infill of the sag basin by large saline lakes to a marginally marine restricted gulf. Sag basin source rocks may be important in the South Atlantic petroleum system by charging deep-water prospects where syn-rift source rocks are overmature and the post-salt sequences are immature.« less

  20. The Real Difference between Biotic and Abiotic Methane

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cao, X.; Bao, H.; Peng, Y.

    2017-12-01

    Methane has both biotic and abiotic origins, and the identification of these two origins has important implications not only in understanding terrestrial processes but also in searching for extraterrestrial life. Carbon and hydrogen isotopes in methane have been used to identify certain biosignatures, but such efforts often suffer from ambiguity. Recent advancement in our capability in measuring multiply substituted isotopologues of methane (i.e. 13CDH3 and 12CD2H2) has found large 12CD2H2 depletion in abiotic methane. Quantum tunneling has been proposed to account for the apparent abiotic signature. However, quantum tunneling is neither unique to abiotic processes nor consistent with the observed not-so-depleted hydrogen isotope composition. Here we constructed a general kinetic model for methane formation from CO2, and validated it by fitting its parameters to observed 13CDH3, 12CD2H2, and 12CDH3. Our model revealed that the fundamental difference between biotic and abiotic methane isotopic signatures is in the source of hydrogens during methane formation. Hydrogens in biotic methane originate from the stronger carbon-hydrogen and sulfur-hydrogen bonds, while hydrogens in abiotic methane originate from the much weaker metal-hydrogen adsorption bond. This hydrogen source difference results in abiotic methane being more depleted in 12CD2H2 than the biotic one. Our model also shows that the primary kinetic hydrogen isotope effect is at approximately 0.6 for both abiotic and biotic pathways, a normal value further nullifying the role of quantum tunneling. The active and exclusive shuttling of reduced hydrogen via strong chemical bonds like carbon-hydrogen and sulfur-hydrogen in coenzymes is proposed here to be a unique signature of life. In an ironic sense, it is the equilibrated hydrogen isotope composition in the hydrogen donors that distinguishes the living from the non-living.

  1. Widespread abiotic methane in chromitites.

    PubMed

    Etiope, G; Ifandi, E; Nazzari, M; Procesi, M; Tsikouras, B; Ventura, G; Steele, A; Tardini, R; Szatmari, P

    2018-06-07

    Recurring discoveries of abiotic methane in gas seeps and springs in ophiolites and peridotite massifs worldwide raised the question of where, in which rocks, methane was generated. Answers will impact the theories on life origin related to serpentinization of ultramafic rocks, and the origin of methane on rocky planets. Here we document, through molecular and isotopic analyses of gas liberated by rock crushing, that among the several mafic and ultramafic rocks composing classic ophiolites in Greece, i.e., serpentinite, peridotite, chromitite, gabbro, rodingite and basalt, only chromitites, characterized by high concentrations of chromium and ruthenium, host considerable amounts of 13 C-enriched methane, hydrogen and heavier hydrocarbons with inverse isotopic trend, which is typical of abiotic gas origin. Raman analyses are consistent with methane being occluded in widespread microfractures and porous serpentine- or chlorite-filled veins. Chromium and ruthenium may be key metal catalysts for methane production via Sabatier reaction. Chromitites may represent source rocks of abiotic methane on Earth and, potentially, on Mars.

  2. Diagnosing Abiotic Degradation

    EPA Science Inventory

    The abiotic degradation of chlorinated solvents in ground water can be difficult to diagnose. Under current practice, most of the “evidence” is negative; specifically the apparent disappearance of chlorinated solvents with an accumulation of vinyl chloride, ethane, ethylene, or ...

  3. Could petroleum biodegradation be a joint achievement of aerobic and anaerobic microrganisms in deep sea reservoirs?

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Several studies suggest that petroleum biodegradation can be achieved by either aerobic or anaerobic microorganisms, depending on oxygen input or other electron acceptors and appropriate nutrients. Evidence from in vitro experiments with samples of petroleum formation water and oils from Pampo Field indicate that petroleum biodegradation is more likely to be a joint achievement of both aerobic and anaerobic bacterial consortium, refining our previous observations of aerobic degradation. The aerobic consortium depleted, in decreasing order, hydrocarbons > hopanes > steranes > tricyclic terpanes while the anaerobic consortium depleted hydrocarbons > steranes > hopanes > tricyclic terpanes. The oxygen content of the mixed consortia was measured from time to time revealing alternating periods of microaerobicity (O2 ~0.8 mg.L-1) and of aerobicity (O2~6.0 mg.L-1). In this experiment, the petroleum biodegradation changed from time to time, alternating periods of biodegradation similar to the aerobic process and periods of biodegradation similar to the anaerobic process. The consortia showed preferences for metabolizing hydrocarbons > hopanes > steranes > tricyclic terpanes during a 90-day period, after which this trend changed and steranes were more biodegraded than hopanes. The analysis of aerobic oil degrading microbiota by the 16S rRNA gene clone library detected the presence of Bacillus, Brevibacterium, Mesorhizobium and Achromobacter, and the analysis of the anaerobic oil degrading microbiota using the same technique detected the presence of Bacillus and Acinetobacter (facultative strains). In the mixed consortia Stenotrophomonas, Brevibacterium, Bacillus, Rhizobium, Achromobacter and 5% uncultured bacteria were detected. This is certainly a new contribution to the study of reservoir biodegradation processes, combining two of the more important accepted hypotheses. PMID:22196374

  4. [The relationship between abiotic factors and microbial activities of microbial eco-system in contaminated soil with petroleum hydrocarbons].

    PubMed

    Jia, Jian-li; Li, Guang-he; Zhong, Yi

    2004-05-01

    By means of the biostimulation and bioaugmentation in the micro-ecological environment of contaminated soil with petrochemical hydrocarbons, the biodegradation rates and mode of the contaminants were significantly improved. Based on the investigations carried out in some oilfields and petrochemical industrial area of Northern China, the relationship between the abiotic factors such as nutrient, pH, contaminants, water content, alkalinity, etc., and microbial activities was interpreted and identified in this paper. The results from the investigations and indoor and in-situ experiments conducted recent years indicated that the soils in the areas, to the extent, have been polluted by the different kinds of organic compounds composed of monoaromatic benzene, PAHs, chlorinated solvent, and alkanes, and the concentrations of the compounds mostly were elevated as compared to the background, with the highest 34,000 mg/kg dry soil. The column chromatography analysis results showed that the alkyl and aromatic compounds were accounted for more than 50% of the total hydrocarbon contents, which was readily degraded by degrading bacteria and improved the degrading microbe activities. The effective nitrogen and phosphorus encountered in the soil was less than 30 mg/kg dry soil and 10 mg/kg dry soil, only about 5% of total contents of them respectively. Based on the stoichiometric calculation and reasonable ratio of carbon to nutrient content regarding the biodegradation of organic compounds, the nutrient levels mainly composed of nitrogen and phosphorus in polluted soil as importantly limiting factors to degrading bacterial growth and activity were insufficient to the biodegradation of petrochemicals, and it is needed to add the nutrient for the bioremediation of contaminated soil. It is undoubted that the optimization of abiotic factors play significant role in increasing the microbial activity and improving the biodegradation rates.

  5. Abiotic and Biotic Formation of Amino Acids in the Enceladus Ocean.

    PubMed

    Steel, Elliot L; Davila, Alfonso; McKay, Christopher P

    2017-09-01

    The active plume at Enceladus' south pole makes the indirect sampling of its global ocean possible. The partially resolved chemistry of the plume, which points to conditions that are seemingly compatible with life, has made orbital sampling missions a priority. We present a conceptual model of energy flux, hydrothermal H 2 production, and both abiotic and biotic production of amino acids. Based on the energy flux observed at the south pole and the inferred internal hydrothermal activity, we estimate an H 2 production of 0.6-34 mol/s from serpentinization, sufficient to sustain abiotic and biotic amino acid synthesis of 1.6-87 and 1-44 g/s, respectively. Two-dimensional (2D) numerical simulations of the hydrothermal vent suggest that the vent fluids could reach the ice-water boundary in less than 11-55 days for a 50 km deep ocean diluted by ambient ocean water 10 to 1. Concentrations of glycine, alanine, α-amino isobutyric acid, and glutamic acid in the plume and in the ambient ocean could all be above 0.01 μM just due to abiotic production. Biological synthesis, if occurring, could produce a maximum of 90 μM concentrations of amino acids based on a methanogenic ecosystem consuming H 2 and CO 2 . Racemization timescales in the ocean are short compared with production timescales. Thus, no enantiomeric excess is expected in the ambient ocean, and if biology is present, enantiomeric excess at the vent fluids is expected to be less than 10% in the plume. From vent H 2 concentrations of 7.8 mM (e.g., Lost City) and assuming complete H 2 use and conversion to chemical energy by methanogens, cell production is estimated. Annual biomass production in the methanogenic-based biology model is 4 × 10 4 -2 × 10 6 kg/year. This corresponds to cell concentrations ∼10 9 cells/cm 3 in the vents and ∼10 8 cells/cm 3 in the plume, and when diluted into the ambient ocean, we predict cell concentrations of 80-4250 cells/cm 3 . Key Words: Abiotic organic

  6. Abiotic Bromination of Soil Organic Matter

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Leri, Alessandra C.; Ravel, Bruce

    Biogeochemical transformations of plant-derived soil organic matter (SOM) involve complex abiotic and microbially mediated reactions. One such reaction is halogenation, which occurs naturally in the soil environment and has been associated with enzymatic activity of decomposer organisms. Building on a recent finding that naturally produced organobromine is ubiquitous in SOM, we hypothesized that inorganic bromide could be subject to abiotic oxidations resulting in bromination of SOM. Through lab-based degradation treatments of plant material and soil humus, we have shown that abiotic bromination of particulate organic matter occurs in the presence of a range of inorganic oxidants, including hydrogen peroxide andmore » assorted forms of ferric iron, producing both aliphatic and aromatic forms of organobromine. Bromination of oak and pine litter is limited primarily by bromide concentration. Fresh plant material is more susceptible to bromination than decayed litter and soil humus, due to a labile pool of mainly aliphatic compounds that break down during early stages of SOM formation. As the first evidence of abiotic bromination of particulate SOM, this study identifies a mechanistic source of the natural organobromine in humic substances and the soil organic horizon. Formation of organobromine through oxidative treatments of plant material also provides insights into the relative stability of aromatic and aliphatic components of SOM.« less

  7. Abiotic Bromination of Soil Organic Matter.

    PubMed

    Leri, Alessandra C; Ravel, Bruce

    2015-11-17

    Biogeochemical transformations of plant-derived soil organic matter (SOM) involve complex abiotic and microbially mediated reactions. One such reaction is halogenation, which occurs naturally in the soil environment and has been associated with enzymatic activity of decomposer organisms. Building on a recent finding that naturally produced organobromine is ubiquitous in SOM, we hypothesized that inorganic bromide could be subject to abiotic oxidations resulting in bromination of SOM. Through lab-based degradation treatments of plant material and soil humus, we have shown that abiotic bromination of particulate organic matter occurs in the presence of a range of inorganic oxidants, including hydrogen peroxide and assorted forms of ferric iron, producing both aliphatic and aromatic forms of organobromine. Bromination of oak and pine litter is limited primarily by bromide concentration. Fresh plant material is more susceptible to bromination than decayed litter and soil humus, due to a labile pool of mainly aliphatic compounds that break down during early stages of SOM formation. As the first evidence of abiotic bromination of particulate SOM, this study identifies a mechanistic source of the natural organobromine in humic substances and the soil organic horizon. Formation of organobromine through oxidative treatments of plant material also provides insights into the relative stability of aromatic and aliphatic components of SOM.

  8. A compositional multiphase model for groundwater contamination by petroleum products: 1. Theoretical considerations

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Corapcioglu, M. Yavuz; Baehr, Arthur L.

    1987-01-01

    A mathematical model is developed to describe the fate of hydrocarbon constituents of petroleum products introduced to soils as an immiscible liquid from sources such as leaking underground storage tanks and ruptured pipelines. The problem is one of multiphase transport (oil (immiscible), air, and water phases) of a reactive contaminant with constituents such as benzene, toluene, and xylene found in refined petroleum products like gasoline. In the unsaturated zone, transport of each constituent can occur as a solute in the water phase, vapor in the air phase, and as an unaltered constituent in the oil phase. Additionally, the model allows for adsorption. Molecular transformations, microbially mediated or abiotic, are incorporated as sink terms in the conservation of mass equations. An equilibrium approximation, applicable to any immiscible organic contaminant is applied to partition constituent mass between the air, oil, water, and adsorbed phases for points in the region where the oil phase exists. Outside the oil plume the equilibrium approximation takes on a simpler form to partition constituent mass between the air, water, and adsorbed phases only. Microbial degradation of petroleum products is first discussed in a general model, then the conservation of mass equation for oxygen is incorporated into the analysis which takes advantage of the key role played by oxygen in the metabolism of hydrocarbon utilizing microbes in soil environments. Approximations to two subproblems, oil plume establishment in the unsaturated zone, and solute and vapor transport subsequent to immiscible plume establishment are then developed from the general model.

  9. World petroleum supplies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bell, Peter M.

    A number of conclusions by political conservatives about the fate of world petroleum supplies have been emerging lately. Among the most recent of them arose from discussions, held at the 1983 spring meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), which focused on the environment and resource study entitled “The Global 2000 Report” (New Scientist, June 9, 1983). Fred Singer, representing the Heritage Foundation of Washington, D.C., criticized the report, which predicted shortages in the near future, saying that the current world-wide oil glut will continue beyond the year 2000. Alternatives to the use of petroleum are a part of the cause. Singer argued that conservation, nuclear energy, and other petroleum substitutes will continue to suppress the demand for petroleum. In addition, according to other evaluations, exploration for petroleum and natural gas has not really begun.

  10. Petroleum supply monthly, October 1993

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Not Available

    1993-10-26

    The Petroleum Supply Monthly (PSM) is one of a family of four publications produced by the Petroleum Supply Division within the Energy Information Administration (EIA) reflecting different levels of data timeliness and completeness. The other publications are the Weekly Petroleum Status Report (WPSR), the Winter Fuels Report, and the Petroleum Supply Annual (PSA). Data presented in the PSM describe the supply and disposition of petroleum products in the United States and major US geographic regions. The data series describe production, imports and exports, inter-Petroleum Administration for Defense (PAD) District movements, and inventories by the primary suppliers of petroleum products inmore » the United States (50 States and the District of Columbia). The reporting universe includes those petroleum sectors in primary supply. Included are: petroleum refiners, motor gasoline blenders, operators of natural gas processing plants and fractionators, inter-PAD transporters, importers, and major inventory holders of petroleum products and crude oil. When aggregated, the data reported by these sectors approximately represent the consumption of petroleum products in the United States. Data presented in the PSM are divided into two sections: Summary Statistics and Detailed Statistics.« less

  11. Petroleum supply monthly, January 1996

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    NONE

    The Petroleum Supply Monthly (PSM) is one of a family of four publications produced by the Petroleum Supply Division within the Energy Information Administration (EIA) reflecting different levels of data timeliness and completeness. The other publications are the Weekly Petroleum Status Report (WPSR), the Winter Fuels Report, and the Petroleum Supply Annual (PSA). Data presented in the PSM describe the supply and disposition of petroleum products in the United States and major US geographic regions. The data series describe production, imports and exports, inter-Petroleum Administration for Defense (PAD) District movements, and inventories by the primary suppliers of petroleum products inmore » the United States (50 States and the District of Columbia). The reporting universe includes those petroleum sectors in primary supply. Included are: petroleum refiners, motor gasoline blenders, operators of natural gas processing plants and fractionators, inter-PAD transporters, importers, and major inventory holders of petroleum products and crude oil. When aggregated, the data reported by these sectors approximately represent the consumption of petroleum products in the United States. Data presented in the PSM are divided into two sections: Summary Statistics and Detailed Statistics.« less

  12. Ecosystem effects and the management of petroleum-contaminated soils on subantarctic islands.

    PubMed

    Errington, Ingrid; King, Catherine K; Wilkins, Daniel; Spedding, Tim; Hose, Grant C

    2018-03-01

    Human activity in the Polar Regions has resulted in petroleum contamination of soils. In this context, subantarctic islands are a unique management challenge for climatic, biological and logistical reasons. In this review we identify the main abiotic factors affecting petroleum-contaminated soils in the subantarctic environment, the primary effects of such contamination on biota, and lessons learned with regards to remediation techniques in this region. The sensitivity of biota to contamination depends on organism life stage, on soil properties, and on the degree of contaminant weathering. Initial studies using species endemic to subantarctic islands suggest that for fresh diesel fuel, sensitivities may range between 103 and 20 000 mg total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) kg -1 soil. Diesel that has undergone a short period of weathering is generally more toxic, with sensitivities ranging between 52 and 13 000 mg TPH kg -1 soil for an earthworm and a grass respectively (based on EC 20 and IC 50 values). A sufficient body of data from which to develop remediation targets for existing spills in the region does not yet exist for the region, but there has been a recent increase in research attention to address this data gap. A range of remediation methods have also now been trialled, and techniques such as in-ground aeration and nutrient addition have achieved some success. Passive management techniques such as permeable reactive barriers and phytoremediation are in preliminary stages of investigation for the region and show promise, not least because they cause less collateral disturbance than other methods. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. 46 CFR 148.04-15 - Petroleum coke, uncalcined; petroleum coke, uncalcined and calcined (mixture).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 46 Shipping 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Petroleum coke, uncalcined; petroleum coke, uncalcined and calcined (mixture). 148.04-15 Section 148.04-15 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND... Requirements for Certain Material § 148.04-15 Petroleum coke, uncalcined; petroleum coke, uncalcined and...

  14. Petroleum marketing monthly, June 1994

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Not Available

    1994-06-01

    The Petroleum Marketing Monthly (PMM) provides information and statistical data on a variety of crude oils and refined petroleum products. The publication presents statistics on crude oil costs and refined petroleum products sales for use by industry, government, private sector analysts, educational institutions, and consumers. Data on crude oil include the domestic first purchase price, the f.o.b. and landed cost of imported crude oil, and the refiners` acquisition cost of crude oil. Refined petroleum product sales data include motor gasoline, distillates, residuals, aviation fuels, kerosene, and propane. Monthly statistics on purchases of crude oil and sales of petroleum products aremore » presented in five sections: Summary Statistics; Crude Oil Prices; Prices of Petroleum Products; Volumes of Petroleum Products; and Prime Supplier Sales Volumes of Petroleum Products for Local Consumption. The feature article is entitled ``The Second Oxygenated Gasoline Season.`` 7 figs., 50 tabs.« less

  15. Role of sugars under abiotic stress.

    PubMed

    Sami, Fareen; Yusuf, Mohammad; Faizan, Mohammad; Faraz, Ahmad; Hayat, Shamsul

    2016-12-01

    Sugars are the most important regulators that facilitate many physiological processes, such as photosynthesis, seed germination, flowering, senescence, and many more under various abiotic stresses. Exogenous application of sugars in low concentration promote seed germination, up regulates photosynthesis, promotes flowering, delayed senescence under various unfavorable environmental conditions. However, high concentration of sugars reverses all these physiological process in a concentration dependent manner. Thus, this review focuses the correlation between sugars and their protective functions in several physiological processes against various abiotic stresses. Keeping in mind the multifaceted role of sugars, an attempt has been made to cover the role of sugar-regulated genes associated with photosynthesis, seed germination and senescence. The concentration of sugars determines the expression of these sugar-regulated genes. This review also enlightens the interaction of sugars with several phytohormones, such as abscisic acid, ethylene, cytokinins and gibberellins and its effect on their biosynthesis under abiotic stress conditions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  16. Chapter 5: Geologic Assessment of Undiscovered Petroleum Resources in the Waltman Shale Total Petroleum System,Wind River Basin Province, Wyoming

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Roberts, Steve B.; Roberts, Laura N.R.; Cook, Troy

    2007-01-01

    total organic carbon values ranging from 0.93 to 6.21 weight percent, averaging about 2.71 weight percent. The hydrocarbon generative potential of the source rocks typically exceeds 2.5 milligrams of hydrocarbon per gram of rock and numerous samples had generative potentials exceeding 6.0 milligrams of hydrocarbon per gram of rock. Waltman source rocks are oil prone, and contain a mix of Type-II and Type-III kerogen, indicating organic input from a mix of algal and terrestrial plant matter, or a mix of algal and reworked or recycled material. Thermal maturity at the base of the Waltman Shale Member ranges from a vitrinite reflectance value of less than 0.60 percent along the south basin margin to projected values exceeding 1.10 percent in the deep basin west of Madden anticline. Burial history reconstructions for three wells in the northern part of the Wind River Basin indicate that the Waltman Shale Member was well within the oil window (Ro equal to or greater than 0.65 percent) by the time of maximum burial about 15 million years ago; maximum burial depths exceeded 10,000 feet. Onset of oil generation calculated for the base of the Waltman Shale member took place from about 49 million years ago to about 20 million years ago. Peak oil generation occurred from about 31 million years ago to 26 million years ago in the deep basin west of Madden anticline. Two assessment units were defined in the Waltman Shale Total Petroleum System: the Upper Fort Union Sandstones Conventional Oil and Gas Assessment Unit (50350301) and the Waltman Fractured Shale Continuous Oil Assessment Unit (50350361). The conventional assessment unit primarily relates to the potential for undiscovered petroleum accumulations that are derived from source rocks in the Waltman Shale Member and trapped within sandstone reservoirs in the Shotgun Member (Fort Union Formation) and in the lower part of the overlying Wind River Formation. The potential for Waltman-sourced oil accumulations in fan-delta depos

  17. [Response of Calliphora vicina larval hemocytes to abiotic and biotic foreign particles injection].

    PubMed

    Kind, T V

    2012-01-01

    Human erythrocytes injection into the body cavity of Calliphora vicina postfeeding larvae results to their fast binding by thrombocytoidal fragments with agglutinates formation. There were almost none sites of lysis and degradation of erythrocytes in agglutinates even after shape modification and strands generation. Exceptions are zones of agglutinates with juvenile hemocytes, where destruction of erythrocytes is seen. The sequential injection of erythrocytes and charcoal particles leads to charcoal adhesion at first to agglutinates periphery and later to more deep stratum of cytoplasm between the erythrocytes. Under such conditions agglutinate formation period is accompanied with morphology variations which do not influence the intensity of agglutinating reaction. Juvenile plasmatocytes phagocytized the charcoal particles regardless of their concentration and duration of previous contact with erythrocytes. When mixture of abiotic and biotic particles was injected into post feeding larvae, crythrocytes and charcoal generate independent aggregations in the range of separate agglutinates. At the same time plasmatocytes form nodules consisting of temporary cell aggregations covered with cores of non phagocytized charcoal particles. These data testified that presumably lectin receptors responsible for foreign biotic and abiotic particles recognition are very near but not identical for different types of hemocytes. They may be specifical (for plasmatocytes) or integrated to different parts of cellular membrane (in thrombocytoids).

  18. Petroleum and Health Care: Evaluating and Managing Health Care's Vulnerability to Petroleum Supply Shifts

    PubMed Central

    Bednarz, Daniel; Bae, Jaeyong; Pierce, Jessica

    2011-01-01

    Petroleum is used widely in health care—primarily as a transport fuel and feedstock for pharmaceuticals, plastics, and medical supplies—and few substitutes for it are available. This dependence theoretically makes health care vulnerable to petroleum supply shifts, but this vulnerability has not been empirically assessed. We quantify key aspects of petroleum use in health care and explore historical associations between petroleum supply shocks and health care prices. These analyses confirm that petroleum products are intrinsic to modern health care and that petroleum supply shifts can affect health care prices. In anticipation of future supply contractions lasting longer than previous shifts and potentially disrupting health care delivery, we propose an adaptive management approach and outline its application to the example of emergency medical services. PMID:21778473

  19. Future petroleum geologist: discussion

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Davis, G.D.

    1987-07-01

    Robert R. Berg's (1986) article, ''The Future Petroleum Geologist,'' summarizes the findings of the 13-member AAPG Select Committee on The Future Petroleum Geologist appointed by President William L. Fisher in July 1985. While this undertaking is laudable, particularly considering present circumstance in the petroleum industry, the committee has apparently overlooked a vital aspect concerning the future knowledge requirements of the petroleum geologist. Specifically, the Select Committee makes no mention of the need for computer literacy in its list of educational training categories. Obviously, AAPG is well aware of both the interest in computers by its membership and the increasing needmore » for training and familiarity in this discipline. The Select Committee on The Future Petroleum Geologist, while undertaking a difficult and potentially controversial task, has omitted an important aspect of the background requirements for generations of future petroleum geologists; the committee should consider an amendment to their recommendations to reflect this increasingly important field study.« less

  20. Beyond the petroleum system

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Magoon, L.B.; Sanchez, R.M.O.

    1995-12-01

    The first joint AAPG/AMGP (Association of Mexican Petroleum Geologists) Hedberg Conference on {open_quotes}Geologic Aspects of Petroleum Systems{close_quotes} was held October 2-6, 1994, in Mexico City, Mexico. This research conference attracted nearly 150 geoscientists from 15 countries; 41 papers and 27 posters were presented. The opposite response occurred when the petroleum-system concept was presented more than 20 yr ago; it was largely overlooked. In the past decade, however, interest in this concept as an exploration tool has been growing rapidly. The research conference addressed the concept itself, its elements and processes, the tools and methods used to identify a petroleum system,more » and many case studies. We summarize responses by the participants to the following three questions: First, what is gained from using the petroleum-system concept? Second, in what new directions will the petroleum-system concept take us in the future? Third, has anything new come out of this research conference?« less

  1. Abiotic methane formation during experimental serpentinization of olivine

    PubMed Central

    2016-01-01

    Fluids circulating through actively serpentinizing systems are often highly enriched in methane (CH4). In many cases, the CH4 in these fluids is thought to derive from abiotic reduction of inorganic carbon, but the conditions under which this process can occur in natural systems remain unclear. In recent years, several studies have reported abiotic formation of CH4 during experimental serpentinization of olivine at temperatures at or below 200 °C. However, these results seem to contradict studies conducted at higher temperatures (300 °C to 400 °C), where substantial kinetic barriers to CH4 synthesis have been observed. Here, the potential for abiotic formation of CH4 from dissolved inorganic carbon during olivine serpentinization is reevaluated in a series of laboratory experiments conducted at 200 °C to 320 °C. A 13C-labeled inorganic carbon source was used to unambiguously determine the origin of CH4 generated in the experiments. Consistent with previous high-temperature studies, the results indicate that abiotic formation of CH4 from reduction of dissolved inorganic carbon during the experiments is extremely limited, with nearly all of the observed CH4 derived from background sources. The results indicate that the potential for abiotic synthesis of CH4 in low-temperature serpentinizing environments may be much more limited than some recent studies have suggested. However, more extensive production of CH4 was observed in one experiment performed under conditions that allowed an H2-rich vapor phase to form, suggesting that shallow serpentinization environments where a separate gas phase is present may be more favorable for abiotic synthesis of CH4. PMID:27821742

  2. Abiotic methane formation during experimental serpentinization of olivine.

    PubMed

    McCollom, Thomas M

    2016-12-06

    Fluids circulating through actively serpentinizing systems are often highly enriched in methane (CH 4 ). In many cases, the CH 4 in these fluids is thought to derive from abiotic reduction of inorganic carbon, but the conditions under which this process can occur in natural systems remain unclear. In recent years, several studies have reported abiotic formation of CH 4 during experimental serpentinization of olivine at temperatures at or below 200 °C. However, these results seem to contradict studies conducted at higher temperatures (300 °C to 400 °C), where substantial kinetic barriers to CH 4 synthesis have been observed. Here, the potential for abiotic formation of CH 4 from dissolved inorganic carbon during olivine serpentinization is reevaluated in a series of laboratory experiments conducted at 200 °C to 320 °C. A 13 C-labeled inorganic carbon source was used to unambiguously determine the origin of CH 4 generated in the experiments. Consistent with previous high-temperature studies, the results indicate that abiotic formation of CH 4 from reduction of dissolved inorganic carbon during the experiments is extremely limited, with nearly all of the observed CH 4 derived from background sources. The results indicate that the potential for abiotic synthesis of CH 4 in low-temperature serpentinizing environments may be much more limited than some recent studies have suggested. However, more extensive production of CH 4 was observed in one experiment performed under conditions that allowed an H 2 -rich vapor phase to form, suggesting that shallow serpentinization environments where a separate gas phase is present may be more favorable for abiotic synthesis of CH 4 .

  3. [Transgenic rice breeding for abiotic stress tolerance--present and future].

    PubMed

    Zhao, Feng-Yun; Zhang, Hui

    2007-01-01

    Environmental stresses and the continuing deterioration of arable land, along with an explosive increase in world population, pose serious threats to global agricultural production and food security. Improving the tolerance of the major crop plants to abiotic stresses has been a main goal in agriculture for a long time. As rice is considered one of the major crops, the development of new cultivars with enhanced abiotic stress-tolerance will undoubtedly have an important effect on global food production. The transgenic approach offers an attractive alternative to conventional techniques for the genetic improvement of rice cultivars. In recent years, an array of stress-related genes has already been transferred to rice to improve its resistance against abiotic stresses. Many transgenic rice plants with enhanced abiotic stress-tolerance have been obtained. This article focuses on the progress in the study of abiotic stress tolerance in transgenic rice breeding.

  4. Petroleum marketing monthly, May 1994

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Not Available

    1994-05-26

    The Petroleum Marketing Monthly (PMM) provides information and statistical data on a variety of crude oils and refined petroleum products. The publication presents statistics on crude oil costs and refined petroleum products sales for use by industry, government, private sector analysts, educational institutions, and consumers. Data on crude oil include the domestic first purchase price, the f.o.b. and landed cost of imported crude oil, petroleum product sales data include motor gasoline, distillates, residuals, aviation fuels, kerosene, and propane. The Petroleum Marketing Division, Office of Oil and Gas, Energy Information Administration ensures the accuracy, quality, and confidentiality of the published datamore » in the Petroleum Marketing Monthly.« less

  5. 31 CFR 576.206 - Protection granted to the Development Fund for Iraq, Iraqi Petroleum and Petroleum Products, and...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... Fund for Iraq, Iraqi Petroleum and Petroleum Products, and the Central Bank of Iraq. 576.206 Section... Prohibitions § 576.206 Protection granted to the Development Fund for Iraq, Iraqi Petroleum and Petroleum... petroleum and petroleum products, and interests therein, but only until title passes to the initial...

  6. Petroleum marketing monthly, September 1994

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Not Available

    The Petroleum Marketing Monthly (PMM) provides information and statistical data on a variety of crude oils and refined petroleum products. The publication presents statistics on crude oil costs and refined petroleum product sales for use by industry, government, private sector analysts, educational institutions, and consumers. Data on crude oil include the domestic first purchase price, the f.o.b. and landed cost of imported crude oil, and the refiners` acquisition cost of crude oil. Refined petroleum product sales data include motor gasoline, distillates, residuals, aviation fuels, kerosene, and propane. The Petroleum Marketing Division, Office of Oil and Gas, Energy Information Administration ensuresmore » the accuracy, quality, and confidentiality of the published data in the Petroleum Marketing Monthly.« less

  7. Abiotic and Biotic Mechanisms Controlling In Situ Remediation of NDMA

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-05-01

    FINAL REPORT Abiotic and Biotic Mechanisms Controlling In Situ Remediation of NDMA SERDP Project ER-1421 MAY 2009 James E. Szecsody...00-2009 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Abiotic and Biotic Mechanisms Controlling In Situ Remediation of NDMA 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c...investigate whether in situ coupled abiotic/biotic degradation of N-nitrosodimethylamine ( NDMA , an emerging contaminant) could be used as a permeable

  8. Petroleum Processing Wastes.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Baker, D. A.

    1978-01-01

    Presents a literature review of the petroleum processing wastes, covering publications of 1977. This review covers studies such as the use of activated carbon in petroleum and petrochemical waste treatment. A list of 15 references is also presented. (HM)

  9. Soil Physical Constraints on Intrinsic Biodegradation of Petroleum Vapors in a Layered Subsurface

    PubMed Central

    Kristensen, Andreas H.; Henriksen, Kaj; Mortensen, Lars; Scow, Kate M.; Moldrup, Per

    2011-01-01

    Naturally occurring biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons in the vadose zone depends on the physical soil environment influencing field-scale gas exchange and pore-scale microbial metabolism. In this study, we evaluated the effect of soil physical heterogeneity on biodegradation of petroleum vapors in a 16-m-deep, layered vadose zone. Soil slurry experiments (soil/water ratio 10:30 w/w, 25°C) on benzene biodegradation under aerobic and well-mixed conditions indicated that the biodegradation potential in different textured soil samples was related to soil type rather than depth, in the order: sandy loam > fine sand > limestone. Similarly, O2 consumption rates during in situ respiration tests performed at the site were higher in the sandy loam than in the fine sand, although the difference was less significant than in the slurries. Laboratory and field data generally agreed well and suggested a significant potential for aerobic biodegradation, even with nutrient-poor and deep subsurface conditions. In slurries of the sandy loam, the biodegradation potential declined with increasing in situ water saturation (i.e., decreasing air-filled porosity in the field). This showed a relation between antecedent undisturbed field conditions and the slurry biodegradation potential, and suggested airfilled porosity to be a key factor for the intrinsic biodegradation potential in the field. PMID:21617737

  10. Petroleum: An Energy Profile 1999

    EIA Publications

    1999-01-01

    Explains in layman's terms the major components and operations of the U.S. petroleum industry that include: petroleum products, resources and reserves, drilling and exploration, refining, storage and transportation, imports, exports, and petroleum marketing.

  11. Microbial dynamics in petroleum oilfields and their relationship with physiological properties of petroleum oil reservoirs.

    PubMed

    Varjani, Sunita J; Gnansounou, Edgard

    2017-12-01

    Petroleum is produced by thermal decay of buried organic material over millions of years. Petroleum oilfield ecosystems represent resource of reduced carbon which favours microbial growth. Therefore, it is obvious that many microorganisms have adapted to harsh environmental conditions of these ecosystems specifically temperature, oxygen availability and pressure. Knowledge of microorganisms present in ecosystems of petroleum oil reservoirs; their physiological and biological properties help in successful exploration of petroleum. Understanding microbiology of petroleum oilfield(s) can be used to enhance oil recovery, as microorganisms in oil reservoirs produce various metabolites viz. gases, acids, solvents, biopolymers and biosurfactants. The aim of this review is to discuss characteristics of petroleum oil reservoirs. This review also provides an updated literature on microbial ecology of these extreme ecosystems including microbial origin as well as various types of microorganisms such as methanogens; iron, nitrate and sulphate reducing bacteria, and fermentative microbes present in petroleum oilfield ecosystems. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Tectonics of East Siberian Sea Basin and its influence on petroleum systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Karpov, Yury; Antonina, Stoupakova; Anna, Suslova; Mariia, Agasheva

    2016-04-01

    The East Siberian Sea basin (ESSB) is the largest part of the Siberian Arctic shelf, extending for over 1000 km from New Siberian Islands archipelago to Wrangel Island. Nowadays East Siberian Sea margin is considered as a region with probable high petroleum potential. This part of Russian Arctic shelf is the least studied. The major problems in geological investigation of East Siberian Sea shelf are absence of deep wells in area and low seismic exploration maturity. Only general conclusions on its geology and hydrocarbon systems can be drawn based on limited seismic, gravity and magnetic data, supported by projection of onshore geological data to offshore. So, that's why now only complex geological and seismic stratigraphy interpretations are provided. Today we have several concepts and can summarize the tectonic history of the basin. The basin is filled with siliclastic sediments. In the deepest depocentres sediments thickness exceed 8 km in average. Seismic data was interpreted using methods of seismic stratigraphy. Stratigraphic interpretation was possible to achieve because seismic reflections follow chronostratigraphic correlations. Finally, main seismic horizons were indicated. Each indicated horizon follows regional stratigraphic unconformity. In case of absence of deep wells in ESSB, we can only prove possible source rocks by projection of data about New Siberian Islands archipelago source rocks on offshore. The petroleum potential of these rocks was investigated by several authors [1, 2, 3]. Perspective structures, investigated in ESSB were founded out by comparing seismogeological cross-sections with explored analogs in other Russian and foreign onshore and offshore basins. The majority of structures could be connected with stratigraphic and fault traps. New data on possible petroleum plays was analyzed, large massif of data on geology and tectonic history of the region was collected, so now we can use method of basin modelling to evaluate hydrocarbon

  13. Roles of melatonin in abiotic stress resistance in plants.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Na; Sun, Qianqian; Zhang, Haijun; Cao, Yunyun; Weeda, Sarah; Ren, Shuxin; Guo, Yang-Dong

    2015-02-01

    In recent years melatonin has emerged as a research highlight in plant studies. Melatonin has different functions in many aspects of plant growth and development. The most frequently mentioned functions of melatonin are related to abiotic stresses such as drought, radiation, extreme temperature, and chemical stresses. This review mainly focuses on the regulatory effects of melatonin when plants face harsh environmental conditions. Evidence indicates that environmental stress can increase the level of endogenous melatonin in plants. Overexpression of the melatonin biosynthetic genes elevates melatonin levels in transgenic plants. The transgenic plants show enhanced tolerance to abiotic stresses. Exogenously applied melatonin can also improve the ability of plants to tolerate abiotic stresses. The mechanisms by which melatonin alleviates abiotic stresses are discussed. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  14. Abiotic Supramolecular Systems

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-05-02

    REPORT Abiotic Supramolecular Systems 14. ABSTRACT 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: The goal of this research project was to develop new concepts for the...decision, unless so designated by other documentation. 12. DISTRIBUTION AVAILIBILITY STATEMENT Approved for Public Release; Distribution Unlimited UU...9. SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 6. AUTHORS 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAMES AND ADDRESSES U.S. Army Research Office P.O

  15. Stressed out symbiotes: hypotheses for the influence of abiotic stress on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi.

    PubMed

    Millar, Niall S; Bennett, Alison E

    2016-11-01

    Abiotic stress is a widespread threat to both plant and soil communities. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi can alleviate effects of abiotic stress by improving host plant stress tolerance, but the direct effects of abiotic stress on AM fungi are less well understood. We propose two hypotheses predicting how AM fungi will respond to abiotic stress. The stress exclusion hypothesis predicts that AM fungal abundance and diversity will decrease with persistent abiotic stress. The mycorrhizal stress adaptation hypothesis predicts that AM fungi will evolve in response to abiotic stress to maintain their fitness. We conclude that abiotic stress can have effects on AM fungi independent of the effects on the host plant. AM fungal communities will change in composition in response to abiotic stress, which may mean the loss of important individual species. This could alter feedbacks to the plant community and beyond. AM fungi will adapt to abiotic stress independent of their host plant. The adaptation of AM fungi to abiotic stress should allow the maintenance of the plant-AM fungal mutualism in the face of changing climates.

  16. Petroleum and individual polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Albers, Peter H.; Hoffman, David J.; Rattner, Barnett A.; Burton, G. Allen; Cairns, John

    1995-01-01

    Crude petroleum, refined-petroleum products, and individual polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) contained within petroleum are found throughout the world. their presence has been detected in living and nonliving components of ecosystems. Petroleum can be an environmental hazard for wild animals and plants. Individual PAHs are also hazardous to wildlife, but they are most commonly associated with human illnesses. Because petroleum is a major environmental source of these PAHs, petroleum and PAHs are jointly presented in this chapter. Composition, sources, environmental fate, and toxic effects on all living components of aquatic and terrestrial environments are addessed.

  17. Petroleum 1996: Issues and Trends

    EIA Publications

    1997-01-01

    Examines historical trends and focuses on major petroleum issues and the events they represent. It analyzes different dimensions of the petroleum industry and related markets in terms of how they relate to the volatility in petroleum markets.

  18. ABIOTIC IN SITU TECHNOLOGIES FOR GROUNDWATER REMEDIATION CONFERENCE: PROCEEDINGS

    EPA Science Inventory

    The USEPA conference on Abiotic In Situ Technologies for Groundwater Remediation was held in Dallas, TX, 8/31-9/2/99. The goal of the meeting was to disseminate current information on abiotic in situ groundwater treatment echnologies. Although much information is being provided a...

  19. A membraneless single compartment abiotic glucose fuel cell

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Slaughter, Gymama; Sunday, Joshua

    2014-09-01

    A simple energy harvesting strategy has been developed to selectively catalyze glucose in the presence of oxygen in a glucose/O2 fuel cell. The anode consists of an abiotic catalyst Al/Au/ZnO, in which ZnO seed layer was deposited on the surface of Al/Au substrate using hydrothermal method. The cathode is constructed from a single rod of platinum with an outer diameter of 500 μm. The abiotic glucose fuel cell was studied in phosphate buffer solution (pH 7.4) containing 5 mM glucose at a temperature of 22 °C. The cell is characterized according to its open-circuit voltage, polarization profile, and power density plot. Under these conditions, the abiotic glucose fuel cell possesses an open-circuit voltage of 840 mV and delivered a maximum power density of 16.2 μW cm-2 at a cell voltage of 495 mV. These characteristics are comparable to biofuel cell utilizing a much more complex system design. Such low-cost lightweight abiotic catalyzed glucose fuel cells have a great promise to be optimized, miniaturized to power bio-implantable devices.

  20. Abiotic gene transfer: rare or rampant?

    PubMed Central

    Kotnik, Tadej; Weaver, James C.

    2016-01-01

    Phylogenetic studies reveal that horizontal gene transfer (HGT) plays a prominent role in evolution and genetic variability of life. Five biotic mechanisms of HGT among prokaryotic organisms have been extensively characterized: conjugation, competence, transduction, gene-transfer-agent (GTA) particles, and transitory fusion with recombination, but it is not known whether they can account for all natural HGT. It is even less clear how HGT could have occurred before any of these mechanisms had developed. Here, we consider contemporary conditions and experiments on microorganisms to estimate possible roles of abiotic HGT – currently and throughout evolution. Candidate mechanisms include freeze-and-thaw, microbeads-agitation, and electroporation-based transformation, and we posit that these laboratory techniques have analogues in nature acting as mechanisms of abiotic HGT: freeze-and-thaw cycles in polar waters, sand-agitation at foreshores and riverbeds, and lightning-triggered electroporation in near-surface aqueous habitats. We derive conservative order-of-magnitude estimates for rates of microorganisms subjected to freeze-and-thaw cycles, sand-agitation, and lightning-triggered electroporation, at 1024, 1019, and 1017 per year, respectively. Considering the yield of viable transformants, which is by far the highest in electroporation, we argue this may still favor lightning-triggered transformation over the other two mechanisms. Electroporation-based gene transfer also appears to be the most general of these abiotic candidates, and perhaps even of all known HGT mechanisms. Future studies should provide improved estimates of gene transfer rates and cell viability, currently and in the past, but to assess the importance of abiotic HGT in nature, will likely require substantial progress – also in knowledge of biotic HGT. PMID:27067073

  1. Designing cooperatively folded abiotic uni- and multimolecular helix bundles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    de, Soumen; Chi, Bo; Granier, Thierry; Qi, Ting; Maurizot, Victor; Huc, Ivan

    2018-01-01

    Abiotic foldamers, that is foldamers that have backbones chemically remote from peptidic and nucleotidic skeletons, may give access to shapes and functions different to those of peptides and nucleotides. However, design methodologies towards abiotic tertiary and quaternary structures are yet to be developed. Here we report rationally designed interactional patterns to guide the folding and assembly of abiotic helix bundles. Computational design facilitated the introduction of hydrogen-bonding functionalities at defined locations on the aromatic amide backbones that promote cooperative folding into helix-turn-helix motifs in organic solvents. The hydrogen-bond-directed aggregation of helices not linked by a turn unit produced several thermodynamically and kinetically stable homochiral dimeric and trimeric bundles with structures that are distinct from the designed helix-turn-helix. Relative helix orientation within the bundles may be changed from parallel to tilted on subtle solvent variations. Altogether, these results prefigure the richness and uniqueness of abiotic tertiary structure behaviour.

  2. Systems biology approach in plant abiotic stresses.

    PubMed

    Mohanta, Tapan Kumar; Bashir, Tufail; Hashem, Abeer; Abd Allah, Elsayed Fathi

    2017-12-01

    Plant abiotic stresses are the major constraint on plant growth and development, causing enormous crop losses across the world. Plants have unique features to defend themselves against these challenging adverse stress conditions. They modulate their phenotypes upon changes in physiological, biochemical, molecular and genetic information, thus making them tolerant against abiotic stresses. It is of paramount importance to determine the stress-tolerant traits of a diverse range of genotypes of plant species and integrate those traits for crop improvement. Stress-tolerant traits can be identified by conducting genome-wide analysis of stress-tolerant genotypes through the highly advanced structural and functional genomics approach. Specifically, whole-genome sequencing, development of molecular markers, genome-wide association studies and comparative analysis of interaction networks between tolerant and susceptible crop varieties grown under stress conditions can greatly facilitate discovery of novel agronomic traits that protect plants against abiotic stresses. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  3. Microbial degradation of petroleum hydrocarbons.

    PubMed

    Varjani, Sunita J

    2017-01-01

    Petroleum hydrocarbon pollutants are recalcitrant compounds and are classified as priority pollutants. Cleaning up of these pollutants from environment is a real world problem. Bioremediation has become a major method employed in restoration of petroleum hydrocarbon polluted environments that makes use of natural microbial biodegradation activity. Petroleum hydrocarbons utilizing microorganisms are ubiquitously distributed in environment. They naturally biodegrade pollutants and thereby remove them from the environment. Removal of petroleum hydrocarbon pollutants from environment by applying oleophilic microorganisms (individual isolate/consortium of microorganisms) is ecofriendly and economic. Microbial biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbon pollutants employs the enzyme catalytic activities of microorganisms to enhance the rate of pollutants degradation. This article provides an overview about bioremediation for petroleum hydrocarbon pollutants. It also includes explanation about hydrocarbon metabolism in microorganisms with a special focus on new insights obtained during past couple of years. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Fundamentals of Petroleum.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bureau of Naval Personnel, Washington, DC.

    Basic information on petroleum is presented in this book prepared for naval logistics officers. Petroleum in national defense is discussed in connection with consumption statistics, productive capacity, world's resources, and steps in logistics. Chemical and geological analyses are made in efforts to familiarize methods of refining, measuring,…

  5. Salicylic acid-induced abiotic stress tolerance and underlying mechanisms in plants

    PubMed Central

    Khan, M. Iqbal R.; Fatma, Mehar; Per, Tasir S.; Anjum, Naser A.; Khan, Nafees A.

    2015-01-01

    Abiotic stresses (such as metals/metalloids, salinity, ozone, UV-B radiation, extreme temperatures, and drought) are among the most challenging threats to agricultural system and economic yield of crop plants. These stresses (in isolation and/or combination) induce numerous adverse effects in plants, impair biochemical/physiological and molecular processes, and eventually cause severe reductions in plant growth, development and overall productivity. Phytohormones have been recognized as a strong tool for sustainably alleviating adverse effects of abiotic stresses in crop plants. In particular, the significance of salicylic acid (SA) has been increasingly recognized in improved plant abiotic stress-tolerance via SA-mediated control of major plant-metabolic processes. However, the basic biochemical/physiological and molecular mechanisms that potentially underpin SA-induced plant-tolerance to major abiotic stresses remain least discussed. Based on recent reports, this paper: (a) overviews historical background and biosynthesis of SA under both optimal and stressful environments in plants; (b) critically appraises the role of SA in plants exposed to major abiotic stresses; (c) cross-talks potential mechanisms potentially governing SA-induced plant abiotic stress-tolerance; and finally (d) briefly highlights major aspects so far unexplored in the current context. PMID:26175738

  6. Chemical Principles Revisited: Petroleum Chemistry.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kolb, Doris; Kolb, Kenneth E.

    1979-01-01

    Presents an historical review of the role of petroleum in world history and information on the chemistry of petroleum. It is suggested that petroleum chemistry be discussed since within the next two decades oil and gas will provide the major portion of U.S. energy. (Author/SA)

  7. Ghaba salt basin province and Fahud salt basin province, Oman; geological overview and total petroleum systems

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Pollastro, R.M.

    1999-01-01

    Natih limestones account for most of the production in the Fahud Salt Basin with about 50 percent of the basin's production from porous, fractured Shu'aiba limestones in Yibal field, thus the name North Oman Huqf ? Shu'aiba(!) TPS. Deep gas is produced mainly from Middle Cambrian to Lower Ordovician clastic reservoirs of the Haima Supergroup. Traps in nearly all hydrocarbon accumulations of these petroleum systems are mainly structural and were formed by one or more mechanisms. These trap-forming mechanisms were mainly periodic halokinesis of the thick Cambrian Ara Salt and consequent folding and faulting from basin loading, rifting, or other major tectonic events, particularly those events forming the Oman Mountains and associated foreland-basin system during the Late Cretaceous and Late Tertiary. Many of the future new-field targets will likely be low-relief, subtle structures, as many of the large structures have been drilled. Oman's recent interest and commitments to liquid natural gas export make deep gas a primary objective in the two North Oman Huqf petroleum systems. New-field exploration of deep gas and exploring deeper targets for gas in existing fields will likely identify a significant gas resource in the next thirty years. Moreover, salt-diapir flank traps in these two North Oman Huqf petroleum systems and salt basin provinces have gone essentially untested and will likely be targeted in the near-future. The Middle Cretaceous Natih(!) TPS is a small efficient system of the Fahud Salt Basin. Natih source rocks are only mature in the Late Cretaceous/Tertiary foredeep and production is primarily from Natih reservoirs; minor production from the Shu'aiba limestone is documented along fault-dip structures. Most traps are structural and are related to development of the foreland basin and formation of the Oman Mountains. Future targets of the Natih TPS will be less obvious than those of Fahud and Natih fields and likely includ

  8. Ghaba salt basin province and Fahud salt basin province, Oman; geological overview and total petroleum systems

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Pollastro, Richard M.

    1999-01-01

    Natih limestones account for most of the production in the Fahud Salt Basin with about 50 percent of the basin?s production from porous, fractured Shu?aiba limestones in Yibal field, thus the name North Oman Huqf? Shu?aiba(!) TPS. Deep gas is produced mainly from Middle Cambrian to Lower Ordovician clastic reservoirs of the Haima Supergroup. Traps in nearly all hydrocarbon accumulations of these petroleum systems are mainly structural and were formed by one or more 3 mechanisms. These trap-forming mechanisms were mainly periodic halokinesis of the thick Cambrian Ara Salt and consequent folding and faulting from basin loading, rifting, or other major tectonic events, particularly those events forming the Oman Mountains and associated foreland-basin system during the Late Cretaceous and late Tertiary. Many of the future new-field targets will likely be low-relief, subtle structures, as many of the large structures have been drilled. Oman?s recent interest and commitments to liquid natural gas export make deep gas a primary objective in the two North Oman Huqf petroleum systems. New-field exploration of deep gas and exploring deeper targets for gas in existing fields will likely identify a significant gas resource in the next 30 years. Moreover, salt-diapir flank traps in these two North Oman Huqf petroleum systems and salt basin provinces have gone essentially untested and will likely be targeted in the near future. The middle Cretaceous Natih(!) TPS is a small efficient system of the Fahud Salt Basin. Natih source rocks are only mature in the Late Cretaceous/Tertiary foredeep and production is primarily from Natih reservoirs; minor production from the Shu?aiba limestone is documented along fault-dip structures. Most traps are structural and are related to development of the foreland basin and formation of the Oman Mountains. Future targets of the Natih TPS will be less obvious

  9. Tectonics and petroleum prospects in Bangladesh

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Chowdhury, A.N.

    1995-07-10

    Bangladesh is a part of the Bengal basin, bordered to the west and northwest by Jurassic-early Cretaceous volcanic trap rocks of the Rajmahal Hills, underlain by Precambrian shield and Gondwana sediments. The Bengal basin is the largest delta basin (approximately 23,000 sq miles) in the world, at the confluence of the Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers. The deep sea fan complex that is being built outward into the Bay of Bengal has in excess of 12 km of sediments. Rate of sediment transportation within the basin, from the Himalayas and the mountains and hills to the north, east, and west, exceedsmore » 1 billion tons/year. The tectonic and sedimentary history of Bangladesh is favorable for hydrocarbon accumulation. The basin is an underexplored region of 207,000 sq km where only 52 exploratory wells have been drilled with a success rate of more than 30%. In addition to the folded belt in the east, where gas and some oil have been found, the Garo-Rajmahal gap to the north and the deep sea fan to the south merit detailed exploration using state of the art technology. The paper describes the tectonics, sedimentation, petroleum prospects, and seismic surveys.« less

  10. U. S. EPA’S APPROACH FOR CHLORINATED SOLVENTS

    EPA Science Inventory

    The approach for chlorinated solvents is similar to the approach for petroleum hydrocarbons. However, there are more mechanisms of removal, including reductive dechlorination (biotic or abiotic), dehydrochloroelimination (abiotic), and hydrolysis (biotic or abiotic). As a resul...

  11. Polyamines and abiotic stress in plants: a complex relationship1

    PubMed Central

    Minocha, Rakesh; Majumdar, Rajtilak; Minocha, Subhash C.

    2014-01-01

    The physiological relationship between abiotic stress in plants and polyamines was reported more than 40 years ago. Ever since there has been a debate as to whether increased polyamines protect plants against abiotic stress (e.g., due to their ability to deal with oxidative radicals) or cause damage to them (perhaps due to hydrogen peroxide produced by their catabolism). The observation that cellular polyamines are typically elevated in plants under both short-term as well as long-term abiotic stress conditions is consistent with the possibility of their dual effects, i.e., being protectors from as well as perpetrators of stress damage to the cells. The observed increase in tolerance of plants to abiotic stress when their cellular contents are elevated by either exogenous treatment with polyamines or through genetic engineering with genes encoding polyamine biosynthetic enzymes is indicative of a protective role for them. However, through their catabolic production of hydrogen peroxide and acrolein, both strong oxidizers, they can potentially be the cause of cellular harm during stress. In fact, somewhat enigmatic but strong positive relationship between abiotic stress and foliar polyamines has been proposed as a potential biochemical marker of persistent environmental stress in forest trees in which phenotypic symptoms of stress are not yet visible. Such markers may help forewarn forest managers to undertake amelioration strategies before the appearance of visual symptoms of stress and damage at which stage it is often too late for implementing strategies for stress remediation and reversal of damage. This review provides a comprehensive and critical evaluation of the published literature on interactions between abiotic stress and polyamines in plants, and examines the experimental strategies used to understand the functional significance of this relationship with the aim of improving plant productivity, especially under conditions of abiotic stress. PMID:24847338

  12. Abiotic regulation: a common way for proteins to modulate their functions.

    PubMed

    Zou, Zhi; Fu, Xinmiao

    2015-01-01

    Modulation of protein intrinsic activity in cells is generally carried out via a combination of four common ways, i.e., allosteric regulation, covalent modification, proteolytic cleavage and association of other regulatory proteins. Accumulated evidence indicate that changes of certain abiotic factors (e.g., temperature, pH, light and mechanical force) within or outside the cells directly influence protein structure and thus profoundly modulate the functions of a wide range of proteins, termed as abiotic regulatory proteins (e.g., heat shock factor, small heat shock protein, hemoglobin, zymogen, integrin, rhodopsin). Such abiotic regulation apparently differs from the four classic ways in perceiving and response to the signals. Importantly, it enables cells to directly and also immediately response to extracellular stimuli, thus facilitating the ability of organisms to resist against and adapt to the abiotic stress and thereby playing crucial roles in life evolution. Altogether, abiotic regulation may be considered as a common way for proteins to modulate their functions.

  13. [Рroblems of ensuring the safety of deep-fried fast food products].

    PubMed

    Simakova, I V; Perkel, R L; Kutkina, M N; Volovey, A G

    There are no doubts that fast-food restaurants, where deep-frying is actively used, are now very popular in Russia. This article focuses on the problems of deep-fried food safety. During deep-frying a considerable amount of fat penetrates the food. That is why the safety of deep-fried food depends on the fat safety and quality, on the level of fat absorption, and on the intensity of oxidative changes of fat during storage. This article contains the results of the research, which demonstrate that in order to insure the safety of fast-food products it is necessary to introduce into normative and technical documents the following standards: peroxide value, acid value, content of oxidation products insoluble in petroleum ether, and content of epoxides in fat phase and to food mass. According to the current norms on content of oxidation products in deep-frying fat and allowed level of fat absorption by a food product equal to 20%, the recommended level of oxidation products insoluble in petroleum ether for French fries is not higher than 0.2% to the food mass. As a temporary measure we can recommend the level of epoxides not higher than 5 mmol/kg to the food mass. It is important to control the content of trans-isomers in deepfrying fat, it must be not higher than 2% of fatty acid mass. In order to lower fat absorption during French fries production it is recommended to use halffinished products of high readiness, and to air fry.

  14. Abiotic controls on N2O emissions from soils and wetlands

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Horwath, W. R.

    2016-12-01

    The increase in atmospheric nitrous oxide (N2O) is a critical climate change issue contributing to global warming. Most studies on N2O production attribute microbial processes and their associated enzymatic reactions to be the main driver affecting emissions. The role of redox capable iron, manganese and organic compounds that can react with intermediates in the nitrogen cycle has also been shown to produce N2O abiotically. The importance of the abiotic pathways, however, is highly debated. The abiotic production of N2O is related to biophysiochemical controls and unique isotopic signatures of nitrogen cycle intermediates (hydroxylamine, nitric oxide, and nitrite), redox-active metals (iron and manganese) and organic matter (humic and fulvic acids). In a range of soils, we find that the iron directly associated with organic compounds is the strongest variable relating to N2O emissions. In addition to these factors, management is also assumed to affect abiotic N2O production through its impact on nitrogen cycle intermediates, but the environmental and physiochemical conditions that are changed by management are rarely considered in the abiotic production of N2O. We find that the amount and quality of organic compounds in soils directly determines the fate of soil N2O production (i.e. be emitted or consumed). Water depth in rice paddies and wetlands also plays a significant role in partitioning production and consumption of N2O. What is evident from studies on N2O emission is that abiotic reactions are coupled to biotic processes and they cannot be easily separated. The biotic/abiotic interactions have important ecological outcomes that influence abiotic production mechanisms and should be recognized as important controllers of N2O production and consumption processes in soils and sediments.

  15. Recent Molecular Advances on Downstream Plant Responses to Abiotic Stress

    PubMed Central

    dos Reis, Sávio Pinho; Lima, Aline Medeiros; de Souza, Cláudia Regina Batista

    2012-01-01

    Abiotic stresses such as extremes of temperature and pH, high salinity and drought, comprise some of the major factors causing extensive losses to crop production worldwide. Understanding how plants respond and adapt at cellular and molecular levels to continuous environmental changes is a pre-requisite for the generation of resistant or tolerant plants to abiotic stresses. In this review we aimed to present the recent advances on mechanisms of downstream plant responses to abiotic stresses and the use of stress-related genes in the development of genetically engineered crops. PMID:22942725

  16. Petroleum Sector (NAICS 324)

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Find relevant environmental regulations for the petroleum industry (NAICS 324), including National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP)s for petroleum refineries and gasoline dispensing & effluent guidelines for oil and gas extraction

  17. Challenging Oil Bioremediation at Deep-Sea Hydrostatic Pressure

    PubMed Central

    Scoma, Alberto; Yakimov, Michail M.; Boon, Nico

    2016-01-01

    The Deepwater Horizon accident has brought oil contamination of deep-sea environments to worldwide attention. The risk for new deep-sea spills is not expected to decrease in the future, as political pressure mounts to access deep-water fossil reserves, and poorly tested technologies are used to access oil. This also applies to the response to oil-contamination events, with bioremediation the only (bio)technology presently available to combat deep-sea spills. Many questions about the fate of petroleum-hydrocarbons within deep-sea environments remain unanswered, as well as the main constraints limiting bioremediation under increased hydrostatic pressures and low temperatures. The microbial pathways fueling oil bioassimilation are unclear, and the mild upregulation observed for beta-oxidation-related genes in both water and sediments contrasts with the high amount of alkanes present in the spilled oil. The fate of solid alkanes (tar), hydrocarbon degradation rates and the reason why the most predominant hydrocarbonoclastic genera were not enriched at deep-sea despite being present at hydrocarbon seeps at the Gulf of Mexico have been largely overlooked. This mini-review aims at highlighting the missing information in the field, proposing a holistic approach where in situ and ex situ studies are integrated to reveal the principal mechanisms accounting for deep-sea oil bioremediation. PMID:27536290

  18. The shifting influence of abiotic drivers during landslide succession in Puerto Rico

    Treesearch

    L. R. Walker; A. B. Shiels; P. J. Bellingham; A. D. Sparrow; N. Fetcher; F. H. Landau; D. J. Lodge

    2013-01-01

    Summary 1. Abiotic variables are critical drivers of succession in most primary seres, but how their influence on biota changes over time is rarely examined. Landslides provide good model systems for examining abiotic influences because they are spatially and temporally heterogeneous habitats with distinct abiotic and biotic gradients and post-landslide erosion. 2. In...

  19. The Potential for Low-Temperature Abiotic Hydrogen Generation and a Hydrogen-Driven Deep Biosphere

    PubMed Central

    Huang, Shanshan; Thorseth, Ingunn H.

    2011-01-01

    Abstract The release and oxidation of ferrous iron during aqueous alteration of the mineral olivine is known to reduce aqueous solutions to such extent that molecular hydrogen, H2, forms. H2 is an efficient energy carrier and is considered basal to the deep subsurface biosphere. Knowledge of the potential for H2 generation is therefore vital to understanding the deep biosphere on Earth and on extraterrestrial bodies. Here, we provide a review of factors that may reduce the potential for H2 generation with a focus on systems in the core temperature region for thermophilic to hyperthermophilic microbial life. We show that aqueous sulfate may inhibit the formation of H2, whereas redox-sensitive compounds of carbon and nitrogen are unlikely to have significant effect at low temperatures. In addition, we suggest that the rate of H2 generation is proportional to the dissolution rate of olivine and, hence, limited by factors such as reactive surface areas and the access of water to fresh surfaces. We furthermore suggest that the availability of water and pore/fracture space are the most important factors that limit the generation of H2. Our study implies that, because of large heat flows, abundant olivine-bearing rocks, large thermodynamic gradients, and reduced atmospheres, young Earth and Mars probably offered abundant systems where microbial life could possibly have emerged. Key Words: Serpentinization—Olivine—Hydrogen—Deep biosphere—Water—Mars. Astrobiology 11, 711–724. PMID:21923409

  20. Petroleum geology and total petroleum systems of the Widyan Basin and Interior Platform of Saudi Arabia and Iraq

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Fox, James E.; Ahlbrandt, Thomas S.

    2002-01-01

    The Widyan Basin-Interior Platform Province (2023) ranks 17th in the world, exclusive of the United States, with 62.5 billion barrels of oil equivalent of total petroleum endowment (cumulative production plus remaining petroleum plus estimated mean undiscovered volumes). Mean estimates of undiscovered petroleum for the province, which includes both Paleozoic and Jurassic petroleum systems as well as portions of three additional total petroleum systems from adjacent provinces, are 21.22 billion barrels of oil, 94.75 trillion cubic feet of gas (15.8 billion barrels of oil equivalent), and 6.85 billion barrels of natural gas liquids. The Paleozoic total petroleum system is dominantly gas prone, whereas the volumetrically larger Jurassic total petroleum system is oil prone - resulting in the characterization of the province as an oil province. The discovery maturity for the province is a relatively low 31 percent, meaning that much of the province petroleum potential lies in the future.

  1. A major QTL controlling deep rooting on rice chromosome 4.

    PubMed

    Uga, Yusaku; Yamamoto, Eiji; Kanno, Noriko; Kawai, Sawako; Mizubayashi, Tatsumi; Fukuoka, Shuichi

    2013-10-24

    Drought is the most serious abiotic stress that hinders rice production under rainfed conditions. Breeding for deep rooting is a promising strategy to improve the root system architecture in shallow-rooting rice cultivars to avoid drought stress. We analysed the quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for the ratio of deep rooting (RDR) in three F₂ mapping populations derived from crosses between each of three shallow-rooting varieties ('ARC5955', 'Pinulupot1', and 'Tupa729') and a deep-rooting variety, 'Kinandang Patong'. In total, we detected five RDR QTLs on chromosomes 2, 4, and 6. In all three populations, QTLs on chromosome 4 were found to be located at similar positions; they explained from 32.0% to 56.6% of the total RDR phenotypic variance. This suggests that one or more key genetic factors controlling the root growth angle in rice is located in this region of chromosome 4.

  2. A review of selection-based tests of abiotic surrogates for species representation.

    PubMed

    Beier, Paul; Sutcliffe, Patricia; Hjort, Jan; Faith, Daniel P; Pressey, Robert L; Albuquerque, Fabio

    2015-06-01

    Because conservation planners typically lack data on where species occur, environmental surrogates--including geophysical settings and climate types--have been used to prioritize sites within a planning area. We reviewed 622 evaluations of the effectiveness of abiotic surrogates in representing species in 19 study areas. Sites selected using abiotic surrogates represented more species than an equal number of randomly selected sites in 43% of tests (55% for plants) and on average improved on random selection of sites by about 8% (21% for plants). Environmental diversity (ED) (42% median improvement on random selection) and biotically informed clusters showed promising results and merit additional testing. We suggest 4 ways to improve performance of abiotic surrogates. First, analysts should consider a broad spectrum of candidate variables to define surrogates, including rarely used variables related to geographic separation, distance from coast, hydrology, and within-site abiotic diversity. Second, abiotic surrogates should be defined at fine thematic resolution. Third, sites (the landscape units prioritized within a planning area) should be small enough to ensure that surrogates reflect species' environments and to produce prioritizations that match the spatial resolution of conservation decisions. Fourth, if species inventories are available for some planning units, planners should define surrogates based on the abiotic variables that most influence species turnover in the planning area. Although species inventories increase the cost of using abiotic surrogates, a modest number of inventories could provide the data needed to select variables and evaluate surrogates. Additional tests of nonclimate abiotic surrogates are needed to evaluate the utility of conserving nature's stage as a strategy for conservation planning in the face of climate change. © 2015 Society for Conservation Biology.

  3. Revisiting the Role of Plant Transcription Factors in the Battle against Abiotic Stress.

    PubMed

    Khan, Sardar-Ali; Li, Meng-Zhan; Wang, Suo-Min; Yin, Hong-Ju

    2018-05-31

    Owing to diverse abiotic stresses and global climate deterioration, the agricultural production worldwide is suffering serious losses. Breeding stress-resilient crops with higher quality and yield against multiple environmental stresses via application of transgenic technologies is currently the most promising approach. Deciphering molecular principles and mining stress-associate genes that govern plant responses against abiotic stresses is one of the prerequisites to develop stress-resistant crop varieties. As molecular switches in controlling stress-responsive genes expression, transcription factors (TFs) play crucial roles in regulating various abiotic stress responses. Hence, functional analysis of TFs and their interaction partners during abiotic stresses is crucial to perceive their role in diverse signaling cascades that many researchers have continued to undertake. Here, we review current developments in understanding TFs, with particular emphasis on their functions in orchestrating plant abiotic stress responses. Further, we discuss novel molecular mechanisms of their action under abiotic stress conditions. This will provide valuable information for understanding regulatory mechanisms to engineer stress-tolerant crops.

  4. 77 FR 42297 - National Petroleum Council

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-07-18

    ... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY National Petroleum Council AGENCY: Department of Energy, Office of Fossil... National Petroleum Council. The Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463, 86 Stat. 770) requires that... Matters Discussion of Any Other Business Properly Brought Before the National Petroleum Council...

  5. 76 FR 53889 - National Petroleum Council

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-08-30

    ... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY National Petroleum Council AGENCY: Department of Energy, Office of Fossil... Petroleum Council. The Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463, 86 Stat. 770) requires that public... Properly Brought Before the National, Petroleum Council, Adjournment. Public Participation: The meeting is...

  6. Petroleum supply monthly, with data for September 1995

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    NONE

    1995-11-01

    The Petroleum Supply Monthly (PSM) is one of a family of four publications produced by the Petroleum Supply Division within the Energy Information Administration (EIA) reflecting different levels of data timeliness and completeness. The other publications are the Weekly Petroleum Status Report (WPSR), the Winter Fuels Report, and the Petroleum Supply Annual (PSA). Data presented in the PSM describe the supply and disposition of petroleum products in the United States and major U.S. geographic regions. The data series describe production, imports and exports, inter-Petroleum Administration for Defense (PAD) District movements, and inventories by the primary suppliers of petroleum products inmore » the United States (50 States and the District of Columbia). The reporting universe includes those petroleum sectors in primary supply. Included are: petroleum refiners, motor gasoline blenders, operators of natural gas processing plants and fractionators, inter-PAD transporters, importers, and major inventory holders of petroleum products and crude oil. When aggregated, the data reported by these sectors approximately represent the consumption of petroleum products in the United States.« less

  7. The abiotically driven biological pump in the ocean and short-term fluctuations in atmospheric CO 2 contents

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ittekkot, Venugopalan

    1993-07-01

    Current debates on the significance of the oceanic "biological pump" in the removal of atmospheric CO 2 pay more attention to the act of biological carbon-dioxide fixation (primary productivity) in the sea, but pay less or no attention to the equally relevant aspect of the transfer of the fixed carbon to a sink before its oxidation back to CO 2. The upper ocean obviously disqualifies as a sink for biologically fixed CO 2 because of gas-exchange with the atmosphere. The deep ocean, on the other hand, can be a sink at least at time scales of the ocean turnover. Transfer of newly-fixed CO 2 to the deep sea can be accelerated by abiogenic matter introduced to the sea surface from terrestrial sources. This matter acts as ballast and increases the density and settling rates of aggregates of freshly synthesized organic matter thereby facilitating their rapid removal from the upper ocean. Higher supply of abiogenic matter enhances the sequestering of fresh organic matter and in effect shifts the zone of organic matter remineralization from the upper ocean to the deep sea. Consistent with this abiogenic forcing, the rate of organic matter remineralization and the subsequent storage of the remineralized carbon in the deep sea are linked to bulk fluxes (mass accumulation rates) in the deep sea. This mechanism acts as an "abiotic boost" in the workings of the oceanic "biological pump" and results in an increase in deep sea carbon storage; the magnitude of carbon thus stored could have caused the observed short term fluctuations in atmospheric CO 2-contents during the glacial-interglacial cycles.

  8. Petroleum supply monthly, April 1991. [Glossary included

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Not Available

    1991-04-29

    Data presented in the PSM (Petroleum Supply Monthly) describe the supply and disposition of petroleum products in the United States and major US geographic regions. The data series describe production, imports and exports, inter-Petroleum Administration for Defense (PAD) District movements, and inventories by the primary suppliers of petroleum products in the United States (50 States and the District of Columbia). The reporting universe includes those petroleum sectors in Primary Supply. Included are: petroleum refiners, motor gasoline blenders, operators of natural gas processing plants and fractionators, inter-PAD transporters, importers, and major inventory holders of petroleum products and crude oil. When aggregated,more » the data reported by these sectors approximately represent the consumption of petroleum products in the United States. The tables and figures in the Summary Statistics section of the PSM present a time series of selected petroleum data on a US level. Most time series include preliminary estimates for one month. The Detailed Statistics tables of the PSM present statistics for the most current month available as well as year-to-date. Industry terminology and product definitions are listed alphabetically in the Glossary. 14 figs., 65 tabs.« less

  9. Pannonian Basin Province, Central Europe (Province 4808) -Petroleum Geology, Total Petroleum Systems, and Petroleum Resource Assessment

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Dolton, Gordon L.

    2006-01-01

    This report deals with the Pannonian Basin Province of Central Europe and summarizes the petroleum geology, which was the basis for assessment, and presents results of that assessment. The Pannonian Basin Province consists of a large compound extensional basin of Neogene age overlying Paleogene basins and interior elements of the greater Alpine foldbelt. Within it, six total petroleum systems (TPS) are defined and six assessment units established for estimation of undiscovered oil and gas resources. Other speculative TPSs were identified but not included for quantitative assessment within this study.

  10. 21 CFR 178.3720 - Petroleum wax, synthetic.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Petroleum wax, synthetic. 178.3720 Section 178... SANITIZERS Certain Adjuvants and Production Aids § 178.3720 Petroleum wax, synthetic. Synthetic petroleum wax may be safely used in applications and under the same conditions where naturally derived petroleum wax...

  11. 21 CFR 178.3720 - Petroleum wax, synthetic.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2010-04-01 2009-04-01 true Petroleum wax, synthetic. 178.3720 Section 178.3720... Certain Adjuvants and Production Aids § 178.3720 Petroleum wax, synthetic. Synthetic petroleum wax may be safely used in applications and under the same conditions where naturally derived petroleum wax is...

  12. Total Petroleum Systems of the North Carpathian Province of Poland, Ukraine, Czech Republic, and Austria

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Pawlewicz, Mark

    2006-01-01

    Three total petroleum systems were identified in the North Carpathian Province (4047) that includes parts of Poland, Ukraine, Austria, and the Czech Republic. They are the Isotopically Light Gas Total Petroleum System, the Mesozoic-Paleogene Composite Total Petroleum System, and the Paleozoic Composite Total Petroleum System. The Foreland Basin Assessment Unit of the Isotopically Light Gas Total Petroleum System is wholly contained within the shallow sedimentary rocks of Neogene molasse in the Carpathian foredeep. The biogenic gas is generated locally as the result of bacterial activity on dispersed organic matter. Migration is also believed to be local, and gas is believed to be trapped in shallow stratigraphic traps. The Mesozoic-Paleogene Composite Total Petroleum System, which includes the Deformed Belt Assessment Unit, is structurally complex, and source rocks, reservoirs, and seals are juxtaposed in such a way that a single stratigraphic section is insufficient to describe the geology. The Menilite Shale, an organic-rich rock widespread throughout the Carpathian region, is the main hydrocarbon source rock. Other Jurassic to Cretaceous formations also contribute to oil and gas in the overthrust zone in Poland and Ukraine but in smaller amounts, because those formations are more localized than the Menilite Shale. The Paleozoic Composite Total Petroleum System is defined on the basis of the suspected source rock for two oil or gas fields in western Poland. The Paleozoic Reservoirs Assessment Unit encompasses Devonian organic-rich shale believed to be a source of deep gas within the total petroleum system. East of this field is a Paleozoic oil accumulation whose source is uncertain; however, it possesses geochemical similarities to oil generated by Upper Carboniferous coals. The undiscovered resources in the North Carpathian Province are, at the mean, 4.61 trillion cubic feet of gas and 359 million barrels of oil. Many favorable parts of the province have been

  13. 78 FR 40131 - National Petroleum Council

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-07-03

    ... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY National Petroleum Council AGENCY: Office of Fossil Energy, Department of... Petroleum Council. The Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463, 86 Stat. 770) requires that public... Administrative Matters Discussion of Any Other Business Properly Brought Before the National Petroleum Council...

  14. Geology and total petroleum systems of the West-Central Coastal province (7203), West Africa

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Brownfield, Michael E.; Charpentier, Ronald R.

    2006-01-01

    The West-Central Coastal Province of the Sub-Saharan Africa Region consists of the coastal and offshore areas of Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Angola (including the disputed Cabinda Province), and Namibia. The area stretches from the east edge of the Niger Delta south to the Walvis Ridge. The West-Central Coastal Province includes the Douala, Kribi-Campo, Rio Muni, Gabon, Congo, Kwanza, Benguela, and Namibe Basins, which together form the Aptian salt basin of equatorial west Africa. The area has had significant exploration for petroleum; more than 295 oil fields have been discovered since 1954. Since 1995, several giant oil fields have been discovered, especially in the deep-water area of the Congo Basin. Although many total petroleum systems may exist in the West-Central Coastal Province, only four major total petroleum systems have been defined. The area of the province north of the Congo Basin contains two total petroleum systems: the Melania-Gamba Total Petroleum System, consisting of Lower Cretaceous source and reservoir rocks, and the Azile-Senonian Total Petroleum System, consisting of Albian to Turonian source rocks and Cretaceous reservoir rocks. Two assessment units are defined in the West-Central Coastal Province north of the Congo Basin: the Gabon Subsalt and the Gabon Suprasalt Assessment Units. The Congo Basin contains the Congo Delta Composite Total Petroleum System, consisting of Lower Cretaceous to Tertiary source and reservoir rocks. The Central Congo Delta and Carbonate Platform and the Central Congo Turbidites Assessment Units are defined in the Congo Delta Composite Total Petroleum System. The area south of the Congo Basin contains the Cuanza Composite Total Petroleum System, consisting of Lower Cretaceous to Tertiary source and reservoir rocks. The Cuanza-Namibe Assessment Unit is defined in the Cuanza Composite Total Petroleum System. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) assessed the

  15. Research advances in major cereal crops for adaptation to abiotic stresses

    PubMed Central

    Maiti, RK; Satya, Pratik

    2014-01-01

    With devastating increase in population there is a great necessity to increase crop productivity of staple crops but the productivity is greatly affected by various abiotic stress factors such as drought, salinity. An attempt has been made a brief account on abiotic stress resistance of major cereal crops viz. In spite of good successes obtained on physiological and use molecular biology, the benefits of this high cost technology are beyond the reach of developing countries. This review discusses several morphological, anatomical, physiological, biochemical and molecular mechanisms of major cereal crops related to the adaptation of these crop to abiotic stress factors. It discusses the effect of abiotic stresses on physiological processes such as flowering, grain filling and maturation and plant metabolisms viz. photosynthesis, enzyme activity, mineral nutrition, and respiration. Though significant progress has been attained on the physiological, biochemical basis of resistance to abiotic stress factors, very little progress has been achieved to increase productivity under sustainable agriculture. Therefore, there is a great necessity of inter-disciplinary research to address this issue and to evolve efficient technology and its transfer to the farmers’ fields. PMID:25523172

  16. Research advances in major cereal crops for adaptation to abiotic stresses.

    PubMed

    Maiti, R K; Satya, Pratik

    2014-01-01

    With devastating increase in population there is a great necessity to increase crop productivity of staple crops but the productivity is greatly affected by various abiotic stress factors such as drought, salinity. An attempt has been made a brief account on abiotic stress resistance of major cereal crops viz. In spite of good successes obtained on physiological and use molecular biology, the benefits of this high cost technology are beyond the reach of developing countries. This review discusses several morphological, anatomical, physiological, biochemical and molecular mechanisms of major cereal crops related to the adaptation of these crop to abiotic stress factors. It discusses the effect of abiotic stresses on physiological processes such as flowering, grain filling and maturation and plant metabolisms viz. photosynthesis, enzyme activity, mineral nutrition, and respiration. Though significant progress has been attained on the physiological, biochemical basis of resistance to abiotic stress factors, very little progress has been achieved to increase productivity under sustainable agriculture. Therefore, there is a great necessity of inter-disciplinary research to address this issue and to evolve efficient technology and its transfer to the farmers' fields.

  17. 21 CFR 172.888 - Synthetic petroleum wax.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Synthetic petroleum wax. 172.888 Section 172.888... CONSUMPTION Multipurpose Additives § 172.888 Synthetic petroleum wax. Synthetic petroleum wax may be safely used in or on foods in accordance with the following conditions: (a) Synthetic petroleum wax is a...

  18. 21 CFR 172.888 - Synthetic petroleum wax.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2010-04-01 2009-04-01 true Synthetic petroleum wax. 172.888 Section 172.888... CONSUMPTION Multipurpose Additives § 172.888 Synthetic petroleum wax. Synthetic petroleum wax may be safely used in or on foods in accordance with the following conditions: (a) Synthetic petroleum wax is a...

  19. Deep-sea oil plume enriches psychrophilic oil-degrading bacteria

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hazen, T.C.; Dubinsky, E.A.; DeSantis, T.Z.

    The biological effects and expected fate of the vast amount of oil in the Gulf of Mexico from the Deepwater Horizon blowout are unknown owing to the depth and magnitude of this event. Here, we report that the dispersed hydrocarbon plume stimulated deep-sea indigenous {gamma}-Proteobacteria that are closely related to known petroleum degraders. Hydrocarbon-degrading genes coincided with the concentration of various oil contaminants. Changes in hydrocarbon composition with distance from the source and incubation experiments with environmental isolates demonstrated faster-than-expected hydrocarbon biodegradation rates at 5 C. Based on these results, the potential exists for intrinsic bioremediation of the oil plumemore » in the deep-water column without substantial oxygen drawdown.« less

  20. A major QTL controlling deep rooting on rice chromosome 4

    PubMed Central

    Uga, Yusaku; Yamamoto, Eiji; Kanno, Noriko; Kawai, Sawako; Mizubayashi, Tatsumi; Fukuoka, Shuichi

    2013-01-01

    Drought is the most serious abiotic stress that hinders rice production under rainfed conditions. Breeding for deep rooting is a promising strategy to improve the root system architecture in shallow-rooting rice cultivars to avoid drought stress. We analysed the quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for the ratio of deep rooting (RDR) in three F2 mapping populations derived from crosses between each of three shallow-rooting varieties (‘ARC5955', ‘Pinulupot1', and ‘Tupa729') and a deep-rooting variety, ‘Kinandang Patong'. In total, we detected five RDR QTLs on chromosomes 2, 4, and 6. In all three populations, QTLs on chromosome 4 were found to be located at similar positions; they explained from 32.0% to 56.6% of the total RDR phenotypic variance. This suggests that one or more key genetic factors controlling the root growth angle in rice is located in this region of chromosome 4. PMID:24154623

  1. Petroleum geology and resources of the North Ustyurt Basin, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Ulmishek, Gregory F.

    2001-01-01

    system area; therefore, the oil could have migrated from the adjacent North Caspian basin. The North Ustyurt Jurassic Total Petroleum System encompasses the rest of the basin area and includes Jurassic and younger rocks. Several oil and gas fields have been discovered in this total petroleum system. Oil accumulations are in Jurassic clastic reservoirs, in structural traps at depths of 2.5?3 km. Source rocks for the oil are lacustrine beds and coals in the continental Jurassic sequence. Gas fields are in shallow Eocene sandstones in the northern part of the total petroleum system. The origin of the gas is unknown. The North Ustyurt Paleozoic Total Petroleum System stratigraphically underlies the North Ustyurt Jurassic system and occupies the same geographic area. The total petroleum system is almost unexplored. Two commercial flows of gas and several oil and gas shows have been tested in Carboniferous shelf carbonates in the eastern part of the total petroleum system. Source rocks probably are adjacent Carboniferous deep-water facies interpreted from seismic data. The western extent of the total petroleum system is conjectural. Almost all exploration drilling in the North Ustyurt basin has been limited to Jurassic and younger targets. The underlying Paleozoic-Triassic sequence is poorly known and completely unexplored. No wells have been drilled in offshore parts of the basin. Each of three total petroleum systems was assessed as a single assessment unit. Undiscovered resources of the basin are small to moderate. Most of the undiscovered oil probably will be discovered in Jurassic and Neocomian stratigraphic and structural traps on the Buzachi arch, especially on its undrilled off-shore extension. Most of the gas discoveries are expected to be in Paleozoic carbonate reservoirs in the eastern part of the basin.

  2. Petroleum.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McManus, T. R.; And Others

    1989-01-01

    This review of petroleum covers: crude oil; fuels, gaseous and liquid; lubricants, oils, and greases; asphalts, bitumens, tars, and pitches; hydrocarbons; physical properties; metals in oil; nonmetallic elements and heterocompounds; and analytical methods and apparatus. (MVL)

  3. Abiotic stresses affect Trichoderma harzianum T39-induced resistance to downy mildew in grapevine.

    PubMed

    Roatti, Benedetta; Perazzolli, Michele; Gessler, Cesare; Pertot, Ilaria

    2013-12-01

    Enhancement of plant defense through the application of resistance inducers seems a promising alternative to chemical fungicides for controlling crop diseases but the efficacy can be affected by abiotic factors in the field. Plants respond to abiotic stresses with hormonal signals that may interfere with the mechanisms of induced systemic resistance (ISR) to pathogens. In this study, we exposed grapevines to heat, drought, or both to investigate the effects of abiotic stresses on grapevine resistance induced by Trichoderma harzianum T39 (T39) to downy mildew. Whereas the efficacy of T39-induced resistance was not affected by exposure to heat or drought, it was significantly reduced by combined abiotic stresses. Decrease of leaf water potential and upregulation of heat-stress markers confirmed that plants reacted to abiotic stresses. Basal expression of defense-related genes and their upregulation during T39-induced resistance were attenuated by abiotic stresses, in agreement with the reduced efficacy of T39. The evidence reported here suggests that exposure of crops to abiotic stress should be carefully considered to optimize the use of resistance inducers, especially in view of future global climate changes. Expression analysis of ISR marker genes could be helpful to identify when plants are responding to abiotic stresses, in order to optimize treatments with resistance inducers in field.

  4. Environmental hazard and risk characterisation of petroleum substances: a guided "walking tour" of petroleum hydrocarbons.

    PubMed

    Bierkens, Johan; Geerts, Lieve

    2014-05-01

    Petroleum substances are used in large quantities, primarily as fuels. They are complex mixtures whose major constituents are hydrocarbons derived from crude oil by distillation and fractionation. Determining the complete molecular composition of petroleum and its refined products is not feasible with current analytical techniques because of the huge number of molecular components. This complex nature of petroleum products, with their varied number of constituents, all of them exhibiting different fate and effect characteristics, merits a dedicated hazard and risk assessment approach. From a regulatory perspective they pose a great challenge in a number of REACH processes, in particular in the context of dossier and substance evaluation but also for priority setting activities. In order to facilitate the performance of hazard and risk assessment for petroleum substances the European oil company association, CONCAWE, has developed the PETROTOX and PETRORISK spreadsheet models. Since the exact composition of many petroleum products is not known, an underlying assumption of the PETROTOX and PETRORISK tools is that the behaviour and fate of a total petroleum substance can be simulated based on the physical-chemical properties of representative structures mapped to hydrocarbon blocks (HBs) and on the relative share of each HB in the total mass of the product. To assess how differing chemical compositions affect the simulated chemical fate and toxicity of hydrocarbon mixtures, a series of model simulations were run using an artificial petroleum substance, containing 386 (PETROTOX) or 160 (PETRORISK) HBs belonging to different chemical classes and molecular weight ranges, but with equal mass assigned to each of them. To this artificial petroleum substance a guided series of subsequent modifications in mass allocation to a delineated number of HBs belonging to different chemical classes and carbon ranges was performed, in what we perceived as a guided "walking tour

  5. Petroleum supply monthly, February 1991. [Glossary included

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Not Available

    1991-02-01

    Data presented in the Petroleum Supply Monthly (PSM) describe the supply and disposition of petroleum products in the United States and major US geographic regions. The data series describe production, imports and exports, inter-Petroleum Administration for Defense (PAD) District movements, and inventories by the primary suppliers of petroleum products in the United States (50 States and the District of Columbia). The reporting universe includes those petroleum sectors in Primary Supply. Included are: petroleum refiners, motor gasoline blenders, operators of natural gas processing plants and fractionators, inter-PAD transporters, importers, and major inventory holders of petroleum products and crude oil. When aggregated,more » the data reported by these sectors approximately represent the consumption of petroleum products in the United States. Data presented in the PSM are divided into two sections (1) the Summary Statistics and (2) the Detailed Statistics. Explanatory Notes, located at the end of this publication, present information describing data collection, sources, estimation methodology, data quality control procedures, modifications to reporting requirements and interpretation of tables. Industry terminology and product definitions are listed alphabetically in the Glossary. 12 figs., 54 tabs.« less

  6. Transportation Energy Futures: Combining Strategies for Deep Reductions in Energy Consumption and GHG Emissions (Brochure)

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Not Available

    2013-03-01

    This fact sheet summarizes actions in the areas of light-duty vehicle, non-light-duty vehicle, fuel, and transportation demand that show promise for deep reductions in energy use. Energy efficient transportation strategies have the potential to simultaneously reduce oil consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The Transportation Energy Futures (TEF) project examined how the combination of multiple strategies could achieve deep reductions in GHG emissions and petroleum use on the order of 80%. Led by NREL, in collaboration with Argonne National Laboratory, the project's primary goal was to help inform domestic decisions about transportation energy strategies, priorities, and investments, with an emphasismore » on underexplored opportunities. TEF findings reveal three strategies with the potential to displace most transportation-related petroleum use and GHG emissions: 1) Stabilizing energy use in the transportation sector through efficiency and demand-side approaches. 2) Using additional advanced biofuels. 3) Expanding electric drivetrain technologies.« less

  7. Regulation of MIR Genes in Response to Abiotic Stress in Hevea brasiliensis

    PubMed Central

    Gébelin, Virginie; Leclercq, Julie; Hu, Songnian; Tang, Chaorong; Montoro, Pascal

    2013-01-01

    Increasing demand for natural rubber (NR) calls for an increase in latex yield and also an extension of rubber plantations in marginal zones. Both harvesting and abiotic stresses lead to tapping panel dryness through the production of reactive oxygen species. Many microRNAs regulated during abiotic stress modulate growth and development. The objective of this paper was to study the regulation of microRNAs in response to different types of abiotic stress and hormone treatments in Hevea. Regulation of MIR genes differs depending on the tissue and abiotic stress applied. A negative co-regulation between HbMIR398b with its chloroplastic HbCuZnSOD target messenger is observed in response to salinity. The involvement of MIR gene regulation during latex harvesting and tapping panel dryness (TPD) occurrence is further discussed. PMID:24084713

  8. Chapter 32: Geology and petroleum potential of the Arctic Alaska petroleum province

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Bird, K.J.; Houseknecht, D.W.

    2011-01-01

    The Arctic Alaska petroleum province encompasses all lands and adjacent continental shelf areas north of the Brooks Range-Herald Arch orogenic belt and south of the northern (outboard) margin of the Beaufort Rift shoulder. Even though only a small part is thoroughly explored, it is one of the most prolific petroleum provinces in North America with total known resources (cumulative production plus proved reserves) of c. 28 BBOE. The province constitutes a significant part of a displaced continental fragment, the Arctic Alaska microplate, that was probably rifted from the Canadian Arctic margin during formation of the Canada Basin. Petroleum prospective rocks in the province, mostly Mississippian and younger, record a sequential geological evolution through passive margin, rift and foreland basin tectonic stages. Significant petroleum source and reservoir rocks were formed during each tectonic stage but it was the foreland basin stage that provided the necessary burial heating to generate petroleum from the source rocks. The lion's share of known petroleum resources in the province occur in combination structural-stratigraphic traps formed as a consequence of rifting and located along the rift shoulder. Since the discovery of the super-giant Prudhoe Bay accumulation in one of these traps in the late 1960s, exploration activity preferentially focused on these types of traps. More recent activity, however, has emphasized the potential for stratigraphic traps and the prospect of a natural gas pipeline in this region has spurred renewed interest in structural traps. For assessment purposes, the province is divided into a Platform assessment unit (AU), comprising the Beaufort Rift shoulder and its relatively undeformed flanks, and a Fold-and-Thrust Belt AU, comprising the deformed area north of the Brooks Range and Herald Arch tectonic belt. Mean estimates of undiscovered, technically recoverable resources include nearly 28 billion barrels of oil (BBO) and 122 trillion

  9. 21 CFR 178.3530 - Isoparaffinic petroleum hydrocarbons, synthetic.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2010-04-01 2009-04-01 true Isoparaffinic petroleum hydrocarbons, synthetic... hydrocarbons, synthetic. Isoparaffinic petroleum hydrocarbons, synthetic, may be safely used in the production... isoparaffinic petroleum hydrocarbons, produced by synthesis from petroleum gases consist of a mixture of liquid...

  10. 21 CFR 178.3530 - Isoparaffinic petroleum hydrocarbons, synthetic.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Isoparaffinic petroleum hydrocarbons, synthetic... hydrocarbons, synthetic. Isoparaffinic petroleum hydrocarbons, synthetic, may be safely used in the production... isoparaffinic petroleum hydrocarbons, produced by synthesis from petroleum gases consist of a mixture of liquid...

  11. Advances in crop proteomics: PTMs of proteins under abiotic stress.

    PubMed

    Wu, Xiaolin; Gong, Fangping; Cao, Di; Hu, Xiuli; Wang, Wei

    2016-03-01

    Under natural conditions, crop plants are frequently subjected to various abiotic environmental stresses such as drought and heat wave, which may become more prevalent in the coming decades. Plant acclimation and tolerance to an abiotic stress are always associated with significant changes in PTMs of specific proteins. PTMs are important for regulating protein function, subcellular localization and protein activity and stability. Studies of plant responses to abiotic stress at the PTMs level are essential to the process of plant phenotyping for crop improvement. The ability to identify and quantify PTMs on a large-scale will contribute to a detailed protein functional characterization that will improve our understanding of the processes of crop plant stress acclimation and stress tolerance acquisition. Hundreds of PTMs have been reported, but it is impossible to review all of the possible protein modifications. In this review, we briefly summarize several main types of PTMs regarding their characteristics and detection methods, review the advances in PTMs research of crop proteomics, and highlight the importance of specific PTMs in crop response to abiotic stress. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  12. Salt lakes of Western Australia - Natural abiotic formation of volatile organic compounds

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Krause, T.; Studenroth, S.; Mulder, I.; Tubbesing, C.; Kotte, K.; Ofner, J.; Junkermann, W.; Schöler, H. F.

    2012-04-01

    Western Australia is a semi-/arid region that is heavily influenced by global climate change and agricultural land use. The area is known for its many ephemeral saline and hypersaline lakes with a wide range of hydrogeochemical parameters that have gradually changed over the last fifty years. Historically, the region was covered by eucalyptus trees and shrubs, but was cleared mainly within 10 years after WWII to make room for wheat and live stock. After the clearance of the deep rooted native plants the groundwater started to rise, bringing increased amounts of dissolved salts and minerals to the surface and discharging them into streams and lakes. Thus most of Western Australia is influenced by secondary salinisation (soil salting) [1]. Another problem is that the discharged minerals affect the pH of ground and surface water, which ranges from acidic to slightly basic. During the 2011 campaign surface water was measured with a pH between 2.5 and 7.1. Another phenomenon in Western Australia is the decrease of rainfall over the last decades assumed to be linked to the secondary salinisation. The rising saline and mineral rich groundwater increases the biotical and abiotical activity of the salt lakes. Halogenated and non-halogenated volatile organic compounds emitted from those lakes undergo fast oxidation and chemical reactions to form small particles modifying cloud microphysics and thus suppressing rain events [2]. Our objective is to gain a better understanding of this extreme environment with its hypersaline acidic lakes with regard to the potential abiotic formation of volatile organic compounds and its impact on the local climate. In spring 2011 fifty-three sediment samples from ten salt lakes in the Lake King region where taken, freeze-dried and ground. In order to simulate the abiotic formation of volatile organic compounds the soil samples were resuspended with water in gas-tight headspace vials. The headspace was measured using a purge and trap GC

  13. Temperature and petroleum generation history of the Wilcox Formation, Louisiana

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Pitman, Janet K.; Rowan, Elisabeth Rowan

    2012-01-01

    A one-dimensional petroleum system modeling study of Paleogene source rocks in Louisiana was undertaken in order to characterize their thermal history and to establish the timing and extent of petroleum generation. The focus of the modeling study was the Paleocene and Eocene Wilcox Formation, which contains the youngest source rock interval in the Gulf Coast Province. Stratigraphic input to the models included thicknesses and ages of deposition, lithologies, amounts and ages of erosion, and ages for periods of nondeposition. Oil-generation potential of the Wilcox Formation was modeled using an initial total organic carbon of 2 weight percent and an initial hydrogen index of 261 milligrams of hydrocarbon per grams of total organic carbon. Isothermal, hydrous-pyrolysis kinetics determined experimentally was used to simulate oil generation from coal, which is the primary source of oil in Eocene rocks. Model simulations indicate that generation of oil commenced in the Wilcox Formation during a fairly wide age range, from 37 million years ago to the present day. Differences in maturity with respect to oil generation occur across the Lower Cretaceous shelf edge. Source rocks that are thermally immature and have not generated oil (depths less than about 5,000 feet) lie updip and north of the shelf edge; source rocks that have generated all of their oil and are overmature (depths greater than about 13,000 feet) are present downdip and south of the shelf edge. High rates of sediment deposition coupled with increased accommodation space at the Cretaceous shelf margin led to deep burial of Cretaceous and Tertiary source rocks and, in turn, rapid generation of petroleum and, ultimately, cracking of oil to gas.

  14. Microbial diversity in degraded and non-degraded petroleum samples and comparison across oil reservoirs at local and global scales.

    PubMed

    Sierra-Garcia, Isabel Natalia; Dellagnezze, Bruna M; Santos, Viviane P; Chaves B, Michel R; Capilla, Ramsés; Santos Neto, Eugenio V; Gray, Neil; Oliveira, Valeria M

    2017-01-01

    Microorganisms have shown their ability to colonize extreme environments including deep subsurface petroleum reservoirs. Physicochemical parameters may vary greatly among petroleum reservoirs worldwide and so do the microbial communities inhabiting these different environments. The present work aimed at the characterization of the microbiota in biodegraded and non-degraded petroleum samples from three Brazilian reservoirs and the comparison of microbial community diversity across oil reservoirs at local and global scales using 16S rRNA clone libraries. The analysis of 620 16S rRNA bacterial and archaeal sequences obtained from Brazilian oil samples revealed 42 bacterial OTUs and 21 archaeal OTUs. The bacterial community from the degraded oil was more diverse than the non-degraded samples. Non-degraded oil samples were overwhelmingly dominated by gammaproteobacterial sequences with a predominance of the genera Marinobacter and Marinobacterium. Comparisons of microbial diversity among oil reservoirs worldwide suggested an apparent correlation of prokaryotic communities with reservoir temperature and depth and no influence of geographic distance among reservoirs. The detailed analysis of the phylogenetic diversity across reservoirs allowed us to define a core microbiome encompassing three bacterial classes (Gammaproteobacteria, Clostridia, and Bacteroidia) and one archaeal class (Methanomicrobia) ubiquitous in petroleum reservoirs and presumably owning the abilities to sustain life in these environments.

  15. Can plant-natural enemy communication withstand disruption by biotic and abiotic factors?

    PubMed

    Clavijo McCormick, Andrea

    2016-12-01

    The attraction of natural enemies towards herbivore-induced plant volatiles is a well-documented phenomenon. However, the majority of published studies are carried under optimal water and nutrient regimes and with just one herbivore. But what happens when additional levels of ecological complexity are added? Does the presence of a second herbivore, microorganisms, and abiotic stress interfere with plant-natural enemy communication? or is communication stable enough to withstand disruption by additional biotic and abiotic factors?Investigating the effects of these additional levels of ecological complexity is key to understanding the stability of tritrophic interactions in natural ecosystems and may aid to forecast the impact of environmental disturbances on these, especially in climate change scenarios, which are often associated with modifications in plant and arthropod species distribution and increased levels of abiotic stress.This review explores the literature on natural enemy attraction to herbivore-induced volatiles when, besides herbivory, plants are challenged by additional biotic and abiotic factors.The aim of this review was to establish the impact of different biotic and abiotic factors on plant-natural enemy communication and to highlight critical aspects to guide future research efforts.

  16. Geostatistics and petroleum geology

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hohn, M.E.

    1988-01-01

    The book reviewed is designed as a practical guide to geostatistics or kriging for the petroleum geologists. The author's aim in the book is to explain geostatistics as a working tool for petroleum geologists through extensive use of case-study material mostly drawn from his own research in gas potential evaluation in West Virginia. Theory and mathematics are pared down to immediate needs.

  17. Petroleum - politics and power

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Brossard, E.B.

    1983-01-01

    Governments all over the world are politically maneuvering themselves into positions where they can use this precious resource as a tool to gain power. Notes the author, ''Even the largest oil company can be powerless against the smallest government.'' This thesis is the foundation of Brossard's investigation of the international oil industry and the power and politics that are involved in the struggle for dominance. Contents: The petroleum age; The Russian nobles and the Soviet Union; The Majors - big oil; The complex operations of the oil industry; U.S. government controls; Natural gas - the most efficient fuel; The Organizationmore » of Petroleum Exporting Countries; OPEC and the international market; Canadian petroleum; Alaska - the hope of the Lower 48.« less

  18. Bioremediation of petroleum-contaminated soil: A Review

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yuniati, M. D.

    2018-02-01

    Petroleum is the major source of energy for various industries and daily life. Releasing petroleum into the environment whether accidentally or due to human activities is a main cause of soil pollution. Soil contaminated with petroleum has a serious hazard to human health and causes environmental problems as well. Petroleum pollutants, mainly hydrocarbon, are classified as priority pollutants. The application of microorganisms or microbial processes to remove or degrade contaminants from soil is called bioremediation. This microbiological decontamination is claimed to be an efficient, economic and versatile alternative to physicochemical treatment. This article presents an overview about bioremediation of petroleum-contaminated soil. It also includes an explanation about the types of bioremediation technologies as well as the processes.

  19. Petroleum and the Environment: Teaching about Petroleum and the Future of Energy Resources

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hudson, Travis; Camphire, Geoffrey

    2005-01-01

    Students live in a world that is powered by petroleum and other energy resources to an unsurpassed degree. The United States today consumes more than 24% of all the energy used in the world--and about 60% of this energy is provided by petroleum (oil and natural gas). The availability of abundant, inexpensive energy is the main reason that the…

  20. Biotic and abiotic degradation of CL-20 and RDX in soils.

    PubMed

    Crocker, Fiona H; Thompson, Karen T; Szecsody, James E; Fredrickson, Herbert L

    2005-01-01

    The caged cyclic nitramine 2,4,6,8,10,12-hexanitro-2,4,6,8,10,12-hexaazaisowurtzitane (CL-20) is a new explosive that has the potential to replace existing military explosives, but little is known about its environmental toxicity, transport, and fate. We quantified and compared the aerobic environmental fate of CL-20 to the widely used cyclic nitramine explosive hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) in surface and subsurface soil microcosms. Soil-free controls and biologically attenuated soil controls were used to separate abiotic processes from biologically mediated processes. Both abiotic and biological processes significantly degraded CL-20 in all soils examined. Apparent abiotic, first-order degradation rates (k) for CL-20 were not significantly different between soil-free controls (0.018 < k < 0.030 d(-1)) and biologically attenuated soil controls (0.003 < k < 0.277 d(-1)). The addition of glucose to biologically active soil microcosms significantly increased CL-20 degradation rates (0.068 < k < 1.22 d(-1)). Extents of mineralization of (14)C-CL-20 to (14)CO(2) in biologically active soil microcosms were 41.1 to 55.7%, indicating that the CL-20 cage was broken, since all carbons are part of the heterocyclic cage. Under aerobic conditions, abiotic degradation rates of RDX were generally slower (0 < k < 0.032 d(-1)) than abiotic CL-20 degradation rates. In biologically active soil microcosms amended with glucose aerobic RDX degradation rates varied between 0.010 and 0.474 d(-1). Biodegradation was a key factor in determining the environmental fate of RDX, while a combination of biotic and abiotic processes was important with CL-20. Our data suggest that CL-20 should be less recalcitrant than RDX in aerobic soils.

  1. A comparative study of the rheological and sensory properties of a petroleum-free and a petroleum-based cosmetic cream.

    PubMed

    Wang, Fan C; Marangoni, Alejandro G

    A petroleum-free skin cream was developed using food-grade ingredients. The rheological and sensorial properties of this petroleum-free skin cream were compared to a commercially available petroleum-based skin cream. Specifically, large-amplitude oscillatory shear (LAOS) characterization of the two skin creams was performed. The petroleum-free skin cream showed similar linear and nonlinear viscoelastic rheological properties, comparable skin hydration functions, and consumer acceptance as the commercially available skin cream. A schematic diagram aiming to correlate the physical and sensorial properties of skin cream was also proposed at the end of the work. Results of this work could provide the cosmetic industry necessary information for the development of alternatives for petroleum-based skin creams.

  2. Abiotic Stress Signaling in Wheat – An Inclusive Overview of Hormonal Interactions During Abiotic Stress Responses in Wheat

    PubMed Central

    Abhinandan, Kumar; Skori, Logan; Stanic, Matija; Hickerson, Neil M. N.; Jamshed, Muhammad; Samuel, Marcus A.

    2018-01-01

    Rapid global warming directly impacts agricultural productivity and poses a major challenge to the present-day agriculture. Recent climate change models predict severe losses in crop production worldwide due to the changing environment, and in wheat, this can be as large as 42 Mt/°C rise in temperature. Although wheat occupies the largest total harvested area (38.8%) among the cereals including rice and maize, its total productivity remains the lowest. The major production losses in wheat are caused more by abiotic stresses such as drought, salinity, and high temperature than by biotic insults. Thus, understanding the effects of these stresses becomes indispensable for wheat improvement programs which have depended mainly on the genetic variations present in the wheat genome through conventional breeding. Notably, recent biotechnological breakthroughs in the understanding of gene functions and access to whole genome sequences have opened new avenues for crop improvement. Despite the availability of such resources in wheat, progress is still limited to the understanding of the stress signaling mechanisms using model plants such as Arabidopsis, rice and Brachypodium and not directly using wheat as the model organism. This review presents an inclusive overview of the phenotypic and physiological changes in wheat due to various abiotic stresses followed by the current state of knowledge on the identified mechanisms of perception and signal transduction in wheat. Specifically, this review provides an in-depth analysis of different hormonal interactions and signaling observed during abiotic stress signaling in wheat. PMID:29942321

  3. Discrimination of petroleum fluorescence spectra.

    PubMed

    Stelmaszewski, Adam

    2007-01-01

    This paper presents studies of the total spectra (fluorescence-excitation matrix) of petroleum with regard to the utilization of fluorescence for determining petroleum pollutants. Thorough testing of one group, comprising almost forty lubricating oils in the form of their hexane solutions, points out their discrimination.

  4. Coupled Abiotic-Biotic Degradation of Bisphenol A

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Im, J.; Prevatte, C.; Campagna, S. R.; Loeffler, F.

    2014-12-01

    Bisphenol A (BPA) is a ubiquitous environmental contaminant with weak estrogenic activity. BPA is readily biodegradable with oxygen available, but is recalcitrant to microbial degradation under anoxic conditions. However, BPA is susceptible to abiotic transformation under anoxic conditions. To better understand the fate of BPA in anoxic environments, the kinetics of BPA transformation by manganese oxide (d-MnO2) were investigated. BPA was rapidly transformed by MnO2 with a pseudo-first-order rate constant of 0.413 min-1. NMR and LC-MS analyses identified 4-hydroxycumyl alcohol (HCA) as a major intermediate. Up to 64% of the initial amount of BPA was recovered as HCA within 5 min, but the conversion efficiency decreased with time, suggesting that HCA was further degraded by MnO2. Further experiments confirmed that HCA was also susceptible to transformation by MnO2, albeit at 5-fold lower rates than BPA transformation. Mass balance approaches suggested that HCA was the major BPA transformation intermediate, but other compounds may also be formed. The abiotic transformation of BPA by MnO2 was affected by pH, and 10-fold higher transformation rates were observed at pH 4.5 than at pH 10. Compared to BPA, HCA has a lower octanol-water partitioning coefficient (Log Kow) of 0.76 vs 2.76 for BPA and a higher aqueous solubility of 2.65 g L-1 vs 0.31 g L-1 for BPA, suggesting higher mobility of HCA in the environment. Microcosms established with freshwater sediment materials collected from four geographically distinct locations and amended with HCA demonstrated rapid HCA biodegradation under oxic, but not under anoxic conditions. These findings suggest that BPA is not inert under anoxic conditions and abiotic reactions with MnO2 generate HCA, which has increased mobility and is susceptible to aerobic degradation. Therefore, coupled abiotic-biotic processes can affect the fate and longevity of BPA in terrestrial environments.

  5. Abiotic Nitrous Oxide Production in Natural and Artificial Seawater

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ochoa, H.; Stanton, C. L.; Cavazos, A. R.; Ostrom, N. E.; Glass, J. B.

    2014-12-01

    The ocean contributes approximately one third of global sources of nitrous oxide (N2O) to the atmosphere. While nitrification is thought to be the dominant pathway for marine N2O production, mechanisms remain unresolved. Previous studies have carried the implicit assumption that marine N2O originates directly from enzymatic sources. However, abiotic production of N2O is possible via chemical reactions between nitrogenous intermediates and redox active trace metals in seawater. In this study, we investigated N2O production and isotopic composition in treatments with and without added hydroxylamine (NH2OH) and nitric oxide (NO), intermediates in microbial oxidation of ammonia to nitrite, and Fe(III). Addition of substrates to sterile artificial seawater was compared with filtered and unfiltered seawater from Sapelo Island, coastal Georgia, USA. N2O production was observed immediately after addition of Fe(III) in the presence of NH2OH at pH 8 in sterile artificial seawater. Highest N2O production was observed in the presence of Fe(III), NO, and NH2OH. The isotopomer site preference of abiotically produced N2O was consistent with previous studies (31 ± 2 ‰). Higher abiotic N2O production was observed in sterile artificial seawater (salinity: 35 ppt) than filtered Sapelo Island seawater (salinity: 25 ppt) whereas diluted sterile artificial seawater (18 ppt) showed lowest N2O production, suggesting that higher salinity promotes enhanced abiotic N2O production. Addition of Fe(III) to unfiltered Sapelo Island seawater stimulated N2O production. The presence of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA), which lack known N2O producing enzymes, in Sapelo Island seawater was confirmed by successful amplification of the archaeal amoA gene, whereas ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB), which contain N2O-producing enzymes were undetected. Given the few Fe-containing proteins present in AOA, it is likely that Fe(III) addition promoted N2O production via an abiotic vs. enzymatic N2O mechanism

  6. Petroleum marketing annual 1993

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Not Available

    1995-01-01

    The Petroleum Marketing Annual (PMA) contains statistical data on a variety of crude oils and refined petroleum products. The publication provides statistics on crude oil costs and refined petroleum products sales for use by industry, government, private sector analysts, educational institutions, and consumers. Data on crude oil include the domestic first purchase price, the free-on-board (f.o.b.) and landed cost of imported crude oil, and the refiners acquisition cost of crude oil. Sales data for motor gasoline, distillates, residuals, aviation fuels, kerosene, and propane are presented. For this publication, all estimates have been recalculated since their earlier publication in the Petroleummore » Marketing Monthly (PMM). These calculations made use of additional data and corrections that were received after the PMM publication dates.« less

  7. Madbi Amran/Qishn total petroleum system of the Ma'Rib-Al Jawf/Shabwah, and Masila-Jeza basins, Yemen

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Ahlbrandt, Thomas S.

    2002-01-01

    Since the first discovery of petroleum in Yemen in 1984, several recent advances have been made in the understanding of that countrys geologic history and petroleum systems. The total petroleum resource endowment for the combined petroleum provinces within Yemen, as estimated in the recent U.S. Geological Survey world assessment, ranks 51st in the world, exclusive of the United States, at 9.8 BBOE, which includes cumulative production and remaining reserves, as well as a mean estimate of undiscovered resources. Such undiscovered petroleum resources are about 2.7 billion barrels of oil, 17 trillion cubic feet (2.8 billion barrels of oil equivalent) of natural gas and 1 billion barrels of natural gas liquids. A single total petroleum system, the Jurassic Madbi Amran/Qishn, dominates petroleum generation and production; it was formed in response to a Late Jurassic rifting event related to the separation of the Arabian Peninsula from the Gondwana supercontinent. This rifting resulted in the development of two petroleum-bearing sedimentary basins: (1) the western MaRibAl Jawf / Shabwah basin, and (2) the eastern Masila-Jeza basin. In both basins, petroleum source rocks of the Jurassic (Kimmeridgian) Madbi Formation generated hydrocarbons during Late Cretaceous time that migrated, mostly vertically, into Jurassic and Cretaceous reservoirs. In the western MaRibAl Jawf / Shabwah basin, the petroleum system is largely confined to syn-rift deposits, with reservoirs ranging from deep-water turbidites to continental clastics buried beneath a thick Upper Jurassic (Tithonian) salt. The salt initially deformed in Early Cretaceous time, and continued halokinesis resulted in salt diapirism and associated salt withdrawal during extension. The eastern Masila-Jeza basin contained similar early syn-rift deposits but received less clastic sediment during the Jurassic; however, no salt formed because the basin remained open to ocean circulation in the Late Jurassic. Thus, Madbi Formation

  8. Petroleum: An energy profile. [CONTAINS GLOSSARY

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Not Available

    1991-08-01

    This publication is intended as a general reference about petroleum: its origins, production, refining, marketing, and use. This report presents an overview of refined petroleum products and their use, crude oil reserves and production, refining technology and US refining capacity, the development and operation of petroleum markets, and foreign trade. A statistical supplement, an appendix describing refining operations, a glossary, and bibliographic references for additional sources of information are also included. 36 figs., 4 tabs.

  9. Identification of tissue-specific, abiotic stress-responsive gene expression patterns in wine grape (Vitis vinifera L.) based on curation and mining of large-scale EST data sets

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background Abiotic stresses, such as water deficit and soil salinity, result in changes in physiology, nutrient use, and vegetative growth in vines, and ultimately, yield and flavor in berries of wine grape, Vitis vinifera L. Large-scale expressed sequence tags (ESTs) were generated, curated, and analyzed to identify major genetic determinants responsible for stress-adaptive responses. Although roots serve as the first site of perception and/or injury for many types of abiotic stress, EST sequencing in root tissues of wine grape exposed to abiotic stresses has been extremely limited to date. To overcome this limitation, large-scale EST sequencing was conducted from root tissues exposed to multiple abiotic stresses. Results A total of 62,236 expressed sequence tags (ESTs) were generated from leaf, berry, and root tissues from vines subjected to abiotic stresses and compared with 32,286 ESTs sequenced from 20 public cDNA libraries. Curation to correct annotation errors, clustering and assembly of the berry and leaf ESTs with currently available V. vinifera full-length transcripts and ESTs yielded a total of 13,278 unique sequences, with 2302 singletons and 10,976 mapped to V. vinifera gene models. Of these, 739 transcripts were found to have significant differential expression in stressed leaves and berries including 250 genes not described previously as being abiotic stress responsive. In a second analysis of 16,452 ESTs from a normalized root cDNA library derived from roots exposed to multiple, short-term, abiotic stresses, 135 genes with root-enriched expression patterns were identified on the basis of their relative EST abundance in roots relative to other tissues. Conclusions The large-scale analysis of relative EST frequency counts among a diverse collection of 23 different cDNA libraries from leaf, berry, and root tissues of wine grape exposed to a variety of abiotic stress conditions revealed distinct, tissue-specific expression patterns, previously

  10. 49 CFR 192.11 - Petroleum gas systems.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Petroleum gas systems. 192.11 Section 192.11... BY PIPELINE: MINIMUM FEDERAL SAFETY STANDARDS General § 192.11 Petroleum gas systems. (a) Each plant that supplies petroleum gas by pipeline to a natural gas distribution system must meet the requirements...

  11. 49 CFR 192.11 - Petroleum gas systems.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 3 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Petroleum gas systems. 192.11 Section 192.11... BY PIPELINE: MINIMUM FEDERAL SAFETY STANDARDS General § 192.11 Petroleum gas systems. (a) Each plant that supplies petroleum gas by pipeline to a natural gas distribution system must meet the requirements...

  12. MicroRNAs As Potential Targets for Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Plants

    PubMed Central

    Shriram, Varsha; Kumar, Vinay; Devarumath, Rachayya M.; Khare, Tushar S.; Wani, Shabir H.

    2016-01-01

    The microRNAs (miRNAs) are small (20–24 nt) sized, non-coding, single stranded riboregulator RNAs abundant in higher organisms. Recent findings have established that plants assign miRNAs as critical post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression in sequence-specific manner to respond to numerous abiotic stresses they face during their growth cycle. These small RNAs regulate gene expression via translational inhibition. Usually, stress induced miRNAs downregulate their target mRNAs, whereas, their downregulation leads to accumulation and function of positive regulators. In the past decade, investigations were mainly aimed to identify plant miRNAs, responsive to individual or multiple environmental factors, profiling their expression patterns and recognizing their roles in stress responses and tolerance. Altered expressions of miRNAs implicated in plant growth and development have been reported in several plant species subjected to abiotic stress conditions such as drought, salinity, extreme temperatures, nutrient deprivation, and heavy metals. These findings indicate that miRNAs may hold the key as potential targets for genetic manipulations to engineer abiotic stress tolerance in crop plants. This review is aimed to provide recent updates on plant miRNAs, their biogenesis and functions, target prediction and identification, computational tools and databases available for plant miRNAs, and their roles in abiotic stress-responses and adaptive mechanisms in major crop plants. Besides, the recent case studies for overexpressing the selected miRNAs for miRNA-mediated enhanced abiotic stress tolerance of transgenic plants have been discussed. PMID:27379117

  13. Petroleum marketing monthly with data for May 1997

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    NONE

    1997-08-01

    The Petroleum Marketing Monthly (PMM) provides information and statistical data on a variety of crude oils and refined petroleum products. The publication presents statistics on crude oil costs and refined petroleum products sales for use by industry, government, private sector analysts, educational institutions, and consumers. Data on crude oil include the domestic first purchase price, the f.o.b. and landed cost of crude oil, and the refiners` acquisition cost of crude oil. Refined petroleum product sales data include motor gasoline, distillates, residuals, aviation fuels, kerosene, and propane. The Petroleum Marketing Division, Office of Oil and Gas, Energy Information Administration ensures themore » accuracy, quality, and confidentiality of the published data in the Petroleum Marketing Monthly.« less

  14. Petroleum resource potential GIS of northern Afghanistan

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Steinshouer, Douglas W.; Klett, Timothy R.; Ulmishek, Gregory F.; Wandrey, Craig J.; Wahl, Ronald R.; Hill, Ronald J.; Pribil, Michael J.; Pawlewicz, Mark J.; King, J. David; Agena, Warren F.; Taylor, David J.; Amirzada, Abdulla; Selab, Amir Mohammad; Mutteh, Abdul-Salam; Haidari, Ghulam Naqshband; Wardak, Moeengul Gullabudeen

    2006-01-01

    The CD-ROM contains an ESRI ArcReader format GIS project presenting the results of a petroleum resource assessment of Northern Afghanistan, and other data used in the petroleum assessment. Geologic, structural, field, well, political, and other GIS layers covering Afghanistan, Northern Afghanistan and adjacent areas, along with associated geochemical and other data tables pertinent to a petroleum assessment are included. The purpose of this GIS is to provide the basic data layers and tables required to support the petroleum assessment, data for further exploration and development, and an index of known data.

  15. Unit: Petroleum, Inspection Pack, National Trial Print.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Australian Science Education Project, Toorak, Victoria.

    This is a National Trial Print of a unit on petroleum developed for the Australian Science Education Project. The package contains the teacher's edition of the written material and a script for a film entitled "The Extraordinary Experience of Nicholas Nodwell" emphasizing the uses of petroleum and petroleum products in daily life and…

  16. Job Prospects for Petroleum Engineers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Basta, Nicholas

    1988-01-01

    Describes petroleum engineering as one area in industry where job opportunities are few but where the worst of the declines has been seen. Discusses the causes of the decline. Lists several areas where petroleum engineers have found alternatives including environmental projects, water supply projects, and computer applications. (CW)

  17. Review of recent transgenic studies on abiotic stress tolerance and future molecular breeding in potato.

    PubMed

    Kikuchi, Akira; Huynh, Huu Duc; Endo, Tsukasa; Watanabe, Kazuo

    2015-03-01

    Global warming has become a major issue within the last decade. Traditional breeding programs for potato have focused on increasing productivity and quality and disease resistance, thus, modern cultivars have limited tolerance of abiotic stresses. The introgression of abiotic stress tolerance into modern cultivars is essential work for the future. Recently, many studies have investigated abiotic stress using transgenic techniques. This manuscript focuses on the study of abiotic stress, in particular drought, salinity and low temperature, during this century. Dividing studies into these three stress categories for this review was difficult. Thus, based on the study title and the transgene property, transgenic studies were classified into five categories in this review; oxidative scavengers, transcriptional factors, and above three abiotic categories. The review focuses on studies that investigate confer of stress tolerance and the identification of responsible factors, including wild relatives. From a practical application perspective, further evaluation of transgenic potato with abiotic stress tolerance is required. Although potato plants, including wild species, have a large potential for abiotic stress tolerance, exploration of the factors responsible for conferring this tolerance is still developing. Molecular breeding, including genetic engineering and conventional breeding using DNA markers, is expected to develop in the future.

  18. What drives petroleum product prices

    EIA Publications

    2017-01-01

    This new section discusses the various factors that influence the prices of gasoline and distillate fuel oil—the two most-consumed petroleum products in the United States. Charts detailing prices, consumption, production, inventories, and trade for both petroleum products will be updated each month in the Short-Term Energy Outlook.

  19. Abscisic Acid and Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Crop Plants

    PubMed Central

    Sah, Saroj K.; Reddy, Kambham R.; Li, Jiaxu

    2016-01-01

    Abiotic stress is a primary threat to fulfill the demand of agricultural production to feed the world in coming decades. Plants reduce growth and development process during stress conditions, which ultimately affect the yield. In stress conditions, plants develop various stress mechanism to face the magnitude of stress challenges, although that is not enough to protect them. Therefore, many strategies have been used to produce abiotic stress tolerance crop plants, among them, abscisic acid (ABA) phytohormone engineering could be one of the methods of choice. ABA is an isoprenoid phytohormone, which regulates various physiological processes ranging from stomatal opening to protein storage and provides adaptation to many stresses like drought, salt, and cold stresses. ABA is also called an important messenger that acts as the signaling mediator for regulating the adaptive response of plants to different environmental stress conditions. In this review, we will discuss the role of ABA in response to abiotic stress at the molecular level and ABA signaling. The review also deals with the effect of ABA in respect to gene expression. PMID:27200044

  20. Energy and public health: the challenge of peak petroleum.

    PubMed

    Frumkin, Howard; Hess, Jeremy; Vindigni, Stephen

    2009-01-01

    Petroleum is a unique and essential energy source, used as the principal fuel for transportation, in producing many chemicals, and for numerous other purposes. Global petroleum production is expected to reach a maximum in the near future and to decline thereafter, a phenomenon known as "peak petroleum." This article reviews petroleum geology and uses, describes the phenomenon of peak petroleum, and reviews the scientific literature on the timing of this transition. It then discusses how peak petroleum may affect public health and health care, by reference to four areas: medical supplies and equipment, transportation, energy generation, and food production. Finally, it suggests strategies for anticipating and preparing for peak petroleum, both general public health preparedness strategies and actions specific to the four expected health system impacts.

  1. 29 CFR 794.132 - “Petroleum products”.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 29 Labor 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false âPetroleum productsâ. 794.132 Section 794.132 Labor... WHOLESALE OR BULK PETROLEUM DISTRIBUTORS UNDER SECTION 7(b)(3) OF THE FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT Exemption... § 794.132 “Petroleum products”. A sale by an enterprise engaged in the wholesale or bulk distribution of...

  2. 29 CFR 794.132 - “Petroleum products”.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... § 794.132 “Petroleum products”. A sale by an enterprise engaged in the wholesale or bulk distribution of petroleum products will be included in the 25 percent limitation under the exemption only if it is made to a customer who engages in the distribution, in bulk and for resale, of “petroleum products”. The term...

  3. Abiotic ozone and oxygen in atmospheres similar to prebiotic Earth

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Domagal-Goldman, Shawn D.; Segura, Antígona; Claire, Mark W.

    The search for life on planets outside our solar system will use spectroscopic identification of atmospheric biosignatures. The most robust remotely detectable potential biosignature is considered to be the detection of oxygen (O{sub 2}) or ozone (O{sub 3}) simultaneous to methane (CH{sub 4}) at levels indicating fluxes from the planetary surface in excess of those that could be produced abiotically. Here we use an altitude-dependent photochemical model with the enhanced lower boundary conditions necessary to carefully explore abiotic O{sub 2} and O{sub 3} production on lifeless planets with a wide variety of volcanic gas fluxes and stellar energy distributions. Onmore » some of these worlds, we predict limited O{sub 2} and O{sub 3} buildup, caused by fast chemical production of these gases. This results in detectable abiotic O{sub 3} and CH{sub 4} features in the UV-visible, but no detectable abiotic O{sub 2} features. Thus, simultaneous detection of O{sub 3} and CH{sub 4} by a UV-visible mission is not a strong biosignature without proper contextual information. Discrimination between biological and abiotic sources of O{sub 2} and O{sub 3} is possible through analysis of the stellar and atmospheric context—particularly redox state and O atom inventory—of the planet in question. Specifically, understanding the spectral characteristics of the star and obtaining a broad wavelength range for planetary spectra should allow more robust identification of false positives for life. This highlights the importance of wide spectral coverage for future exoplanet characterization missions. Specifically, discrimination between true and false positives may require spectral observations that extend into infrared wavelengths and provide contextual information on the planet's atmospheric chemistry.« less

  4. Abiotic dechlorination in rock matrices impacted by long-term exposure to TCE.

    PubMed

    Schaefer, Charles E; Towne, Rachael M; Lippincott, David R; Lacombe, Pierre J; Bishop, Michael E; Dong, Hailiang

    2015-01-01

    Field and laboratory tests were performed to evaluate the abiotic reaction of trichloroethene (TCE) in sedimentary rock matrices. Hydraulically conductive fractures, and the rock directly adjacent to the hydraulically conductive fractures, within a historically contaminated TCE bedrock aquifer were used as the basis for this study. These results were compared to previous work using rock that had not been exposed to TCE (Schaefer et al., 2013) to assess the impact of long-term TCE exposure on the abiotic dechlorination reaction, as the longevity of these reactions after long-term exposure to TCE was hitherto unknown. Results showed that potential abiotic TCE degradation products, including ethane, ethene, and acetylene, were present in the conductive fractures. Using minimally disturbed slices of rock core at and near the fracture faces, laboratory testing on the rocks confirmed that abiotic dechlorination reactions between the rock matrix and TCE were occurring. Abiotic daughter products measured in the laboratory under controlled conditions were consistent with those measured in the conductive fractures, except that propane also was observed as a daughter product. TCE degradation measured in the laboratory was well described by a first order rate constant through the 118-d study. Observed bulk first-order TCE degradation rate constants within the rock matrix were 1.3×10(-8) s(-1). These results clearly show that abiotic dechlorination of TCE is occurring within the rock matrix, despite decades of exposure to TCE. Furthermore, these observed rates of TCE dechlorination are expected to have a substantial impact on TCE migration and uptake/release from rock matrices. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. 10 CFR 474.3 - Petroleum-equivalent fuel economy calculation.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... 10 Energy 3 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Petroleum-equivalent fuel economy calculation. 474.3..., DEVELOPMENT, AND DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM; PETROLEUM-EQUIVALENT FUEL ECONOMY CALCULATION § 474.3 Petroleum-equivalent fuel economy calculation. (a) The petroleum-equivalent fuel economy for an electric vehicle is...

  6. 10 CFR 474.3 - Petroleum-equivalent fuel economy calculation.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 10 Energy 3 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Petroleum-equivalent fuel economy calculation. 474.3..., DEVELOPMENT, AND DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM; PETROLEUM-EQUIVALENT FUEL ECONOMY CALCULATION § 474.3 Petroleum-equivalent fuel economy calculation. (a) The petroleum-equivalent fuel economy for an electric vehicle is...

  7. 10 CFR 474.3 - Petroleum-equivalent fuel economy calculation.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... 10 Energy 3 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Petroleum-equivalent fuel economy calculation. 474.3..., DEVELOPMENT, AND DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM; PETROLEUM-EQUIVALENT FUEL ECONOMY CALCULATION § 474.3 Petroleum-equivalent fuel economy calculation. (a) The petroleum-equivalent fuel economy for an electric vehicle is...

  8. 10 CFR 474.3 - Petroleum-equivalent fuel economy calculation.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... 10 Energy 3 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Petroleum-equivalent fuel economy calculation. 474.3..., DEVELOPMENT, AND DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM; PETROLEUM-EQUIVALENT FUEL ECONOMY CALCULATION § 474.3 Petroleum-equivalent fuel economy calculation. (a) The petroleum-equivalent fuel economy for an electric vehicle is...

  9. WRKY Proteins: Signaling and Regulation of Expression during Abiotic Stress Responses

    PubMed Central

    Banerjee, Aditya

    2015-01-01

    WRKY proteins are emerging players in plant signaling and have been thoroughly reported to play important roles in plants under biotic stress like pathogen attack. However, recent advances in this field do reveal the enormous significance of these proteins in eliciting responses induced by abiotic stresses. WRKY proteins act as major transcription factors, either as positive or negative regulators. Specific WRKY factors which help in the expression of a cluster of stress-responsive genes are being targeted and genetically modified to induce improved abiotic stress tolerance in plants. The knowledge regarding the signaling cascade leading to the activation of the WRKY proteins, their interaction with other proteins of the signaling pathway, and the downstream genes activated by them are altogether vital for justified targeting of the WRKY genes. WRKY proteins have also been considered to generate tolerance against multiple abiotic stresses with possible roles in mediating a cross talk between abiotic and biotic stress responses. In this review, we have reckoned the diverse signaling pattern and biological functions of WRKY proteins throughout the plant kingdom along with the growing prospects in this field of research. PMID:25879071

  10. Unraveling the role of fungal symbionts in plant abiotic stress tolerance

    PubMed Central

    Singh, Lamabam Peter

    2011-01-01

    Fungal symbionts have been found to be associated with every plant studied in the natural ecosystem, where they colonize and reside entirely or partially in the internal tissues of their host plant. Fungal endophytes can express/form a range of different lifestyle/relationships with different host including symbiotic, mutualistic, commensalistic and parasitic in response to host genotype and environmental factors. In mutualistic association fungal endophyte can enhance growth, increase reproductive success and confer biotic and abiotic stress tolerance to its host plant. Since abiotic stress such as, drought, high soil salinity, heat, cold, oxidative stress and heavy metal toxicity is the common adverse environmental conditions that affect and limit crop productivity worldwide. It may be a promising alternative strategy to exploit fungal endophytes to overcome the limitations to crop production brought by abiotic stress. There is an increasing interest in developing the potential biotechnological applications of fungal endophytes for improving plant stress tolerance and sustainable production of food crops. Here we have described the fungal symbioses, fungal symbionts and their role in abiotic stress tolerance. A putative mechanism of stress tolerance by symbionts has also been covered. PMID:21512319

  11. Nitrogen fertility and abiotic stresses management in cotton crop: a review.

    PubMed

    Khan, Aziz; Tan, Daniel Kean Yuen; Afridi, Muhammad Zahir; Luo, Honghai; Tung, Shahbaz Atta; Ajab, Mir; Fahad, Shah

    2017-06-01

    This review outlines nitrogen (N) responses in crop production and potential management decisions to ameliorate abiotic stresses for better crop production. N is a primary constituent of the nucleotides and proteins that are essential for life. Production and application of N fertilizers consume huge amounts of energy, and excess is detrimental to the environment. Therefore, increasing plant N use efficiency (NUE) is important for the development of sustainable agriculture. NUE has a key role in crop yield and can be enhanced by controlling loss of fertilizers by application of humic acid and natural polymers (hydrogels), having high water-holding capacity which can improve plant performance under field conditions. Abiotic stresses such as waterlogging, drought, heat, and salinity are the major limitations for successful crop production. Therefore, integrated management approaches such as addition of aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG), the film antitranspirant (di-1-p-menthene and pinolene) nutrients, hydrogels, and phytohormones may provide novel approaches to improve plant tolerance against abiotic stress-induced damage. Moreover, for plant breeders and molecular biologists, it is a challenge to develop cotton cultivars that can tolerate plant abiotic stresses while having high potential NUE for the future.

  12. WRKY proteins: signaling and regulation of expression during abiotic stress responses.

    PubMed

    Banerjee, Aditya; Roychoudhury, Aryadeep

    2015-01-01

    WRKY proteins are emerging players in plant signaling and have been thoroughly reported to play important roles in plants under biotic stress like pathogen attack. However, recent advances in this field do reveal the enormous significance of these proteins in eliciting responses induced by abiotic stresses. WRKY proteins act as major transcription factors, either as positive or negative regulators. Specific WRKY factors which help in the expression of a cluster of stress-responsive genes are being targeted and genetically modified to induce improved abiotic stress tolerance in plants. The knowledge regarding the signaling cascade leading to the activation of the WRKY proteins, their interaction with other proteins of the signaling pathway, and the downstream genes activated by them are altogether vital for justified targeting of the WRKY genes. WRKY proteins have also been considered to generate tolerance against multiple abiotic stresses with possible roles in mediating a cross talk between abiotic and biotic stress responses. In this review, we have reckoned the diverse signaling pattern and biological functions of WRKY proteins throughout the plant kingdom along with the growing prospects in this field of research.

  13. Energy harvesting by implantable abiotically catalyzed glucose fuel cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kerzenmacher, S.; Ducrée, J.; Zengerle, R.; von Stetten, F.

    Implantable glucose fuel cells are a promising approach to realize an autonomous energy supply for medical implants that solely relies on the electrochemical reaction of oxygen and glucose. Key advantage over conventional batteries is the abundant availability of both reactants in body fluids, rendering the need for regular replacement or external recharging mechanisms obsolete. Implantable glucose fuel cells, based on abiotic catalysts such as noble metals and activated carbon, have already been developed as power supply for cardiac pacemakers in the late-1960s. Whereas, in vitro and preliminary in vivo studies demonstrated their long-term stability, the performance of these fuel cells is limited to the μW-range. Consequently, no further developments have been reported since high-capacity lithium iodine batteries for cardiac pacemakers became available in the mid-1970s. In recent years research has been focused on enzymatically catalyzed glucose fuel cells. They offer higher power densities than their abiotically catalyzed counterparts, but the limited enzyme stability impedes long-term application. In this context, the trend towards increasingly energy-efficient low power MEMS (micro-electro-mechanical systems) implants has revived the interest in abiotic catalysts as a long-term stable alternative. This review covers the state-of-the-art in implantable abiotically catalyzed glucose fuel cells and their development since the 1960s. Different embodiment concepts are presented and the historical achievements of academic and industrial research groups are critically reviewed. Special regard is given to the applicability of the concept as sustainable micro-power generator for implantable devices.

  14. Phytoplankton responses to temperature increases are constrained by abiotic conditions and community composition.

    PubMed

    Striebel, Maren; Schabhüttl, Stefanie; Hodapp, Dorothee; Hingsamer, Peter; Hillebrand, Helmut

    2016-11-01

    Effects of temperature changes on phytoplankton communities seem to be highly context-specific, but few studies have analyzed whether this context specificity depends on differences in the abiotic conditions or in species composition between studies. We present an experiment that allows disentangling the contribution of abiotic and biotic differences in shaping the response to two aspects of temperature change: permanent increase of mean temperature versus pulse disturbance in form of a heat wave. We used natural communities from six different sites of a floodplain system as well as artificially mixed communities from laboratory cultures and grew both, artificial and natural communities, in water from the six different floodplain lakes (sites). All 12 contexts (2 communities × 6 sites) were first exposed to three different temperature levels (12, 18, 24 °C, respectively) and afterward to temperature pulses (4 °C increase for 7 h day(-1)). Temperature-dependent changes in biomass and community composition depended on the initial composition of phytoplankton communities. Abiotic conditions had a major effect on biomass of phytoplankton communities exposed to different temperature conditions, however, the effect of biotic and abiotic conditions together was even more pronounced. Additionally, phytoplankton community responses to pulse temperature effects depended on the warming history. By disentangling abiotic and biotic effects, our study shows that temperature-dependent effects on phytoplankton communities depend on both, biotic and abiotic constraints.

  15. Regional structural framework and petroleum assessment of the Brooks Range foothills and southern coastal plain, National Petroleum Reserve, Alaska

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Potter, Christopher J.; Moore, Thomas E.; O'Sullivan, Paul B.; Miller, John J.

    2002-01-01

    The transects, along with other seismic-reflection examples, illustrate four play concepts being used in the deformed area for the 2002 U.S. Geological Survey oil and gas assessment of the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPRA). The Brookian topset structural play includes broad west-northwest-trending anticlines in the Cretaceous Nanushuk Group, developed above structurally thickened Torok mudstones in the incipiently-deformed, most northerly part of the thrust system. The Torok structural play includes prominent anticlines affecting deep-basin sandstones, many of which are detached from folds exposed at the surface. The Ellesmerian structural play includes closures developed in the clastic part of the Ellesmerian sequence, mainly above a detachment in the Shublik Formation. The thrust belt play includes antiformal stacks of allochthonous Endicott Group clastic rocks and Lisburne Group carbonates; these stacks were assembled at about 120 Ma, and were transported to their present positions in the foothills at about 60 Ma.

  16. Magnetic susceptibility of petroleum fluids

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ivakhnenko, O. P.; Potter, D. K.

    2003-04-01

    Technological progress in petroleum exploration, production and processing requires a profound knowledge of the magnetic properties of the petroleum fluids. However, as far as we know there are not widely available constants of magnetic susceptibility for the majority of petroleum fluids. We have therefore measured the mass magnetic susceptibility (χ_m) of several petroleum fluids (such as crude oils, refined oil fractions, and formation waters) from local and worldwide sites. The magnetic features of natural reservoir petroleum fluids, together with fluids connected with the petroleum industry (such as drilling fluids etc.), fall into the following categories: diamagnetic solutions, paramagnetic suspensions and ferromagnetic "ferrofluid" suspensions. In the current investigations we have concentrated on the natural reservoir fluids, which are generally diamagnetic. There were distinct differences between the χ_m of the crude oils and the formation waters, with the oils having generally a more negative value of χ_m. The magnetic susceptibility of the oils appears to be related to their main physical and chemical properties, such as density, composition of group hydrocarbons, sulphur content and concentration of organometallic compounds. Low acidity and low sulphur oils have more negative values of χ_m. Light fractions of crude oil consisting mainly of paraffinic and naphtenic hydrocarbons are the most diamagnetic. The content of the less diamagnetic aromatics increases in the kerosene and gas oil fractions, and results in an increase in the magnetic susceptibility. Also, the magnetic susceptibility of the heavy oil fraction has a significantly higher χ_m than the light fractions, which appears to be connected with a higher concentration of paramagnetic components in the heavy fraction. The χ_m of the oil from various oil provinces were compared and found to be different. It seems that values of χ_m reflect specific features of the geological conditions for

  17. The Strategic Petroleum Reserve: United States energy security, oil politics, and petroleum reserves policies in the twentieth century

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Beaubouef, Bruce Andre

    The history of U.S. petroleum reserves policies in the twentieth century, including the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) program, provides a case study of the economic and political aspects of national security, and shows the ways in which the American political economy influences national security. One key problem plagued federal petroleum reserve programs and proposals throughout the twentieth century. In a political economy which traditionally placed strong emphasis upon the sanctity of private property and free markets, could the government develop an emergency petroleum reserve policy despite opposition from the private sector? Previous literature on the SPR and oil-stockpiling programs has largely disregarded the historical perspective, focusing instead upon econometric models, suggesting future oil-stockpiling policy options. This study will also make conclusions about the future of governmental oil-stockpiling policies, particularly with regard to the SPR program, but it will do so informed by a systematic history of the emergency petroleum reserve impulse in the twentieth century. Through a study of the emergency petroleum reserve impulse, one can see how the American political economy of oil and energy changed over the twentieth century. As petroleum became crucial to the military and then economic security of the United States, the federal government sought to develop emergency petroleum reserves first for the military, then for the civilian economy. But while the American petroleum industry could deliver the energy "goods" to American energy consumers at a reasonable price, the companies reigned supreme in the political equation. While that was true, federal petroleum reserve programs and proposals conflicted with and were overwhelmed by the historic American tradition of individual economic and private property rights. The depletion of American petroleum reserves changed that political equation, and the ensuing energy crises of the 1970s not only

  18. The interaction between abiotic photodegradation and microbial decomposition under ultraviolet radiation.

    PubMed

    Wang, Jing; Liu, Lingli; Wang, Xin; Chen, Yiwei

    2015-05-01

    Elevated ultraviolet (UV) radiation has been demonstrated to stimulate litter decomposition. Despite years of research, it is still not fully understood whether the acceleration in litter degradation is primarily attributed to abiotic photodegradation or the combined effects of abiotic photodegradation and microbial decomposition. In this study, we used meta-analysis to synthesize photodegradation studies and compared the effects of UV radiation on litter decomposition between abiotic and biotic conditions. We also conducted a microcosm experiment to assess the effects of UV radiation on litter biodegradability and microbial activity. Overall, our meta-analysis found that under abiotic photodegradation, UV radiation reduced the remaining litter mass by 1.44% (95% CI: 0.85% to 2.08%), did not affect the remaining lignin and increased the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration by 14.01% (1.49-23.67%). Under combined abiotic photodegradation and microbial decomposition, UV radiation reduced the remaining litter mass and lignin by 1.60% (0.04-3.58%) and 16.07% (9.27-24.23%), respectively, but did not alter DOC concentration. UV radiation had no significant impact on soil microbial biomass carbon (MBC), but it reduced microbial respiration by 44.91% (2.26-78.62%) and altered the composition of the microbial community. In addition, UV radiation reduced nitrogen (N) immobilization by 19.44% (4.77-37.92%). Our microcosm experiment further indicated that DOC concentration and the amount of respired C in UV-treated litter increased with UV exposure time, suggesting that longer UV exposure resulted in greater biodegradability. Overall, our study suggested that UV exposure could increase litter biodegradability by increasing the microbial accessibility of lignin, as well as the labile carbon supply to microbes. However, the remaining litter mass was not different between the abiotic and biotic conditions, most likely because the positive effect of UV radiation on litter

  19. Evaluating reaction pathways of hydrothermal abiotic organic synthesis at elevated temperatures and pressures using carbon isotopes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fu, Qi; Socki, Richard A.; Niles, Paul B.

    2015-04-01

    Experiments were performed to better understand the role of environmental factors on reaction pathways and corresponding carbon isotope fractionations during abiotic hydrothermal synthesis of organic compounds using piston cylinder apparatus at 750 °C and 5.5 kbars. Chemical compositions of experimental products and corresponding carbon isotopic values were obtained by a Pyrolysis-GC-MS-IRMS system. Alkanes (methane and ethane), straight-chain saturated alcohols (ethanol and n-butanol) and monocarboxylic acids (formic and acetic acids) were generated with ethanol being the only organic compound with higher δ13C than CO2. CO was not detected in experimental products owing to the favorable water-gas shift reaction under high water pressure conditions. The pattern of δ13C values of CO2, carboxylic acids and alkanes are consistent with their equilibrium isotope relationships: CO2 > carboxylic acids > alkanes, but the magnitude of the fractionation among them is higher than predicted isotope equilibrium values. In particular, the isotopic fractionation between CO2 and CH4 remained constant at ∼31‰, indicating a kinetic effect during CO2 reduction processes. No "isotope reversal" of δ13C values for alkanes or carboxylic acids was observed, which indicates a different reaction pathway than what is typically observed during Fischer-Tropsch synthesis under gas phase conditions. Under constraints imposed in experiments, the anomalous 13C isotope enrichment in ethanol suggests that hydroxymethylene is the organic intermediate, and that the generation of other organic compounds enriched in 12C were facilitated by subsequent Rayleigh fractionation of hydroxymethylene reacting with H2 and/or H2O. Carbon isotope fractionation data obtained in this study are instrumental in assessing the controlling factors on abiotic formation of organic compounds in hydrothermal systems. Knowledge on how environmental conditions affect reaction pathways of abiotic synthesis of organic

  20. Recent advances in petroleum microbiology.

    PubMed

    Van Hamme, Jonathan D; Singh, Ajay; Ward, Owen P

    2003-12-01

    Recent advances in molecular biology have extended our understanding of the metabolic processes related to microbial transformation of petroleum hydrocarbons. The physiological responses of microorganisms to the presence of hydrocarbons, including cell surface alterations and adaptive mechanisms for uptake and efflux of these substrates, have been characterized. New molecular techniques have enhanced our ability to investigate the dynamics of microbial communities in petroleum-impacted ecosystems. By establishing conditions which maximize rates and extents of microbial growth, hydrocarbon access, and transformation, highly accelerated and bioreactor-based petroleum waste degradation processes have been implemented. Biofilters capable of removing and biodegrading volatile petroleum contaminants in air streams with short substrate-microbe contact times (<60 s) are being used effectively. Microbes are being injected into partially spent petroleum reservoirs to enhance oil recovery. However, these microbial processes have not exhibited consistent and effective performance, primarily because of our inability to control conditions in the subsurface environment. Microbes may be exploited to break stable oilfield emulsions to produce pipeline quality oil. There is interest in replacing physical oil desulfurization processes with biodesulfurization methods through promotion of selective sulfur removal without degradation of associated carbon moieties. However, since microbes require an environment containing some water, a two-phase oil-water system must be established to optimize contact between the microbes and the hydrocarbon, and such an emulsion is not easily created with viscous crude oil. This challenge may be circumvented by application of the technology to more refined gasoline and diesel substrates, where aqueous-hydrocarbon emulsions are more easily generated. Molecular approaches are being used to broaden the substrate specificity and increase the rates and

  1. Recent Advances in Petroleum Microbiology

    PubMed Central

    Van Hamme, Jonathan D.; Singh, Ajay; Ward, Owen P.

    2003-01-01

    Recent advances in molecular biology have extended our understanding of the metabolic processes related to microbial transformation of petroleum hydrocarbons. The physiological responses of microorganisms to the presence of hydrocarbons, including cell surface alterations and adaptive mechanisms for uptake and efflux of these substrates, have been characterized. New molecular techniques have enhanced our ability to investigate the dynamics of microbial communities in petroleum-impacted ecosystems. By establishing conditions which maximize rates and extents of microbial growth, hydrocarbon access, and transformation, highly accelerated and bioreactor-based petroleum waste degradation processes have been implemented. Biofilters capable of removing and biodegrading volatile petroleum contaminants in air streams with short substrate-microbe contact times (<60 s) are being used effectively. Microbes are being injected into partially spent petroleum reservoirs to enhance oil recovery. However, these microbial processes have not exhibited consistent and effective performance, primarily because of our inability to control conditions in the subsurface environment. Microbes may be exploited to break stable oilfield emulsions to produce pipeline quality oil. There is interest in replacing physical oil desulfurization processes with biodesulfurization methods through promotion of selective sulfur removal without degradation of associated carbon moieties. However, since microbes require an environment containing some water, a two-phase oil-water system must be established to optimize contact between the microbes and the hydrocarbon, and such an emulsion is not easily created with viscous crude oil. This challenge may be circumvented by application of the technology to more refined gasoline and diesel substrates, where aqueous-hydrocarbon emulsions are more easily generated. Molecular approaches are being used to broaden the substrate specificity and increase the rates and

  2. Application of Advanced Materials in Petroleum Engineering

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhao, Gufan; Di, Weina; Wang, Minsheng

    With the background of increasing requirements on the petroleum engineering technology from more high demanding exploration targets, global oil companies and oil service companies are making more efforts on both R&D and application of new petroleum engineering technology. Advanced materials always have a decisive role in the functionality of a new product. Technology transplantation has become the important means of innovation in oil and gas industry. Here, we mainly discuss the properties and scope of application of several advanced materials. Based on the material requirements in petroleum engineering, we provide several candidates for downhole electronics protection, drilling fluid additives, downhole tools, etc. Based on the analysis of petroleum engineering technology characteristics, this paper made analysis and research on such advanced materials as new insulation materials, functional gradient materials, self-healing polymers, and introduced their application prospect in petroleum engineering in terms of specific characteristics.

  3. JEDI Petroleum Model | Jobs and Economic Development Impact Models | NREL

    Science.gov Websites

    Petroleum Model JEDI Petroleum Model The Jobs and Economic Development Impacts (JEDI) Petroleum Model allows users to estimate economic development impacts from petroleum projects and includes default

  4. Petroleum marketing monthly, February 1999 with data for November 1998

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    NONE

    1999-02-01

    The Petroleum Marketing Monthly (PMM) provides information and statistical data on a variety of crude oils and refined petroleum products. The publication presents statistics on crude oil costs and refined petroleum products sales for use by industry, government, private sector analysts, educational institutions, and consumers. Data on crude oil include the domestic first purchase price, the f.o.b. and landed cost of imported crude oil, and the refiners` acquisition cost of crude oil. Refined petroleum product sales data include motor gasoline, distillates, residuals, aviation fuels, kerosene, and propane. Monthly statistics on purchases of crude oil and sales of petroleum products aremore » presented in the Petroleum Marketing Monthly in six sections: Initial Estimates; Summary Statistics; Crude Oil Prices; Prices of Petroleum Products; Volumes of Petroleum Products; and Prime Supplier Sales Volumes of Petroleum Products for Local Consumption. 7 figs., 50 tabs.« less

  5. Petroleum marketing monthly, March 1999 with data for December 1998

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    NONE

    1999-03-01

    The Petroleum Marketing Monthly (PMM) provides information and statistical data on a variety of crude oils and refined petroleum products. The publication presents statistics on crude oil costs and refined petroleum products sales for use by industry, government, private sector analysts, educational institutions, and consumers. Data on crude oil include the domestic first purchase price, the f.o.b. and landed cost of imported crude oil, and the refiners` acquisition cost of crude oil. Refined petroleum product sales data include motor gasoline, distillates, residuals, aviation fuels, kerosene, and propane. Monthly statistics on purchases of crude oil and sales of petroleum products aremore » presented in the Petroleum Marketing Monthly in five sections: summary statistics; crude oil prices; prices of petroleum products; volumes of petroleum products; and prime supplier sales volumes of petroleum products for local consumption. 7 figs., 50 tabs.« less

  6. [Analysis of fluorescence spectrum of petroleum-polluted water].

    PubMed

    Huang, Miao-Fen; Song, Qing-Jun; Xing, Xu-Feng; Jian, Wei-Jun; Liu, Yuan; Zhao, Zu-Long

    2014-09-01

    In four ratio experiments, natural waters, sampled from the mountain reservoir and the sea water around Dalian city, were mixed with the sewage from petroleum refinery and petroleum exploitation plants. The fluorescence spectra of water samples containing only chromophoric dissolved organic matters(CDOM), samples containing only petroleum, and samples containing a mixture of petroleum and CDOM were analyzed, respectively. The purpose of this analysis is to provide a basis for determining the contribution of petroleum substances and CDOM to the total absorption coefficient of the petroleum-contaminated water by using fluorescence technique. The results showed that firstly, CDOM in seawater had three main fluorescence peaks at Ex: 225-230 nm/Em: 320-330 nm, Ex: 280 nm/Em: 340 nm and Ex: 225-240 nm/Em: 430-470 nm, respectively, and these may arise from the oceanic chlorophyll. CDOM in natural reservoir water had two main fluorescence peaks at EX: 240- 260 nm/Em: 420-450 nm and Ex: 310~350 nm/Em: 420--440 nm, respectively, and these may arise from the terrestrial sources; secondly, the water samples containing only petroleum extracted with n-hexane had one to three fluorescence spectral peaksat Ex: 220-240 nm/Em: 320-340 nm, Ex: 270-290 nm/Em: 310-340 nm and Ex: 220-235 nm/Em: 280-310 nm, respectively, caused by their hydrocarbon component; finally, the water samples containing both petroleum and CDOM showed a very strong fluorescence peak at Ex: 230-250 nm/Em: 320-370 nm, caused by the combined effect of CDOM and petroleum hydrocarbons.

  7. Short-Term Energy Outlook Model Documentation: Petroleum Products Supply Module

    EIA Publications

    2013-01-01

    The Petroleum Products Supply Module of the Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO) model provides forecasts of petroleum refinery inputs (crude oil, unfinished oils, pentanes plus, liquefied petroleum gas, motor gasoline blending components, and aviation gasoline blending components) and refinery outputs (motor gasoline, jet fuel, distillate fuel, residual fuel, liquefied petroleum gas, and other petroleum products).

  8. Reservoirs and petroleum systems of the Gulf Coast

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Pitman, Janet K.

    2010-01-01

    This GIS product was designed to provide a quick look at the ages and products (oil or gas) of major reservoir intervals with respect to the different petroleum systems that have been identified in the Gulf Coast Region. The three major petroleum source-rock systems are the Tertiary (Paleocene-Eocene) Wilcox Formation, Cretaceous (Turonian) Eagle Ford Formation, and Jurassic (Oxfordian) Smackover Formation. The ages of the reservoir units extend from Jurassic to Pleistocene. By combining various GIS layers, the user can gain insights into the maximum extent of each petroleum system and the pathways for petroleum migration from the source rocks to traps. Interpretations based on these data should improve development of exploration models for this petroleum-rich province.

  9. Updated estimation of energy efficiencies of U.S. petroleum refineries.

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Palou-Rivera, I.; Wang, M. Q.

    2010-12-08

    Evaluation of life-cycle (or well-to-wheels, WTW) energy and emission impacts of vehicle/fuel systems requires energy use (or energy efficiencies) of energy processing or conversion activities. In most such studies, petroleum fuels are included. Thus, determination of energy efficiencies of petroleum refineries becomes a necessary step for life-cycle analyses of vehicle/fuel systems. Petroleum refinery energy efficiencies can then be used to determine the total amount of process energy use for refinery operation. Furthermore, since refineries produce multiple products, allocation of energy use and emissions associated with petroleum refineries to various petroleum products is needed for WTW analysis of individual fuels suchmore » as gasoline and diesel. In particular, GREET, the life-cycle model developed at Argonne National Laboratory with DOE sponsorship, compares energy use and emissions of various transportation fuels including gasoline and diesel. Energy use in petroleum refineries is key components of well-to-pump (WTP) energy use and emissions of gasoline and diesel. In GREET, petroleum refinery overall energy efficiencies are used to determine petroleum product specific energy efficiencies. Argonne has developed petroleum refining efficiencies from LP simulations of petroleum refineries and EIA survey data of petroleum refineries up to 2006 (see Wang, 2008). This memo documents Argonne's most recent update of petroleum refining efficiencies.« less

  10. Multiple sulfur isotopes fractionations associated with abiotic sulfur transformations in Yellowstone National Park geothermal springs

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background The paper presents a quantification of main (hydrogen sulfide and sulfate), as well as of intermediate sulfur species (zero-valent sulfur (ZVS), thiosulfate, sulfite, thiocyanate) in the Yellowstone National Park (YNP) hydrothermal springs and pools. We combined these measurements with the measurements of quadruple sulfur isotope composition of sulfate, hydrogen sulfide and zero-valent sulfur. The main goal of this research is to understand multiple sulfur isotope fractionation in the system, which is dominated by complex, mostly abiotic, sulfur cycling. Results Water samples from six springs and pools in the Yellowstone National Park were characterized by pH, chloride to sulfate ratios, sulfide and intermediate sulfur species concentrations. Concentrations of sulfate in pools indicate either oxidation of sulfide by mixing of deep parent water with shallow oxic water, or surface oxidation of sulfide with atmospheric oxygen. Thiosulfate concentrations are low (<6 μmol L-1) in the pools with low pH due to fast disproportionation of thiosulfate. In the pools with higher pH, the concentration of thiosulfate varies, depending on different geochemical pathways of thiosulfate formation. The δ34S values of sulfate in four systems were close to those calculated using a mixing line of the model based on dilution and boiling of a deep hot parent water body. In two pools δ34S values of sulfate varied significantly from the values calculated from this model. Sulfur isotope fractionation between ZVS and hydrogen sulfide was close to zero at pH < 4. At higher pH zero-valent sulfur is slightly heavier than hydrogen sulfide due to equilibration in the rhombic sulfur–polysulfide – hydrogen sulfide system. Triple sulfur isotope (32S, 33S, 34S) fractionation patterns in waters of hydrothermal pools are more consistent with redox processes involving intermediate sulfur species than with bacterial sulfate reduction. Small but resolved differences in ∆33S among

  11. Abiotic Versus Biotic Weathering Of Olivine As Possible Biosignatures

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Longazo, Teresa G.; Wentworth, Susan J.; Clemett, Simon J.; Southam, Gordon; McKay, David S.

    2001-01-01

    We are investigating the weathering of silicate minerals by both purely inorganic, and biologically mediated processes using field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS). By resolving surface textures and chemical compositions of weathered surfaces at the sub-micron scale we hope to be able to distinguish abiotic from biotic weathering processes and so establish a new biosignature applicable to the study of astromaterials including but not limited to the Martian meteorites. Sterilized olivine grains (San Carlos, Arizona) no more than 1-2 mm in their longest dimension were optically assayed to be uniform in color and free of inclusions were selected as weathering subjects. Prior to all experiments surface morphologies and Fe/Mg ratios were determined for each grain using FE-SEM and EDS. Experiments were divided into two categories abiotic and biotic and were compared with "naturally" weathered samples. For the preliminary experiments, two trials (open and closed to the ambient laboratory environment) were performed under abiotic conditions, and three trials under biotic conditions (control, day 1 and day 2). The open system abiotic trials used sterile grains heated at 98 C and 200 C for both 24 and 48 hours in 1L double distilled de-ionized water. The closed system abiotic trials were conducted under the same conditions but in a sealed two layer steel/Teflon "bomb" apparatus. The biotic trials used sterile grains mounted in a flow-through device attached to a wellhead on the Columbia River aquifer. Several discolored, altered, grains were selected to document "natural" weathering surface textures for comparison with the experimental samples. Preliminary results indicate there are qualitative differences in weathered surface textures among all the designed experiments. The olivine grains in abiotic trials displayed etching, pitting, denticulate margins, dissolution and clay formation. The scale of the features

  12. Area and percent of forest affected by abiotic agents beyond reference conditions

    Treesearch

    2012-01-01

    Criterion 3, Indicator 16, of the Montréal Process Criteria and Indicators for the Conservation and Sustainable Management of Temperate and Boreal Forests was designed to assess the impact of abiotic agents upon forests (Montréal Process Working Group 2007). Various abiotic agents, both natural and human-induced, can change forest structure and species composition....

  13. Titania may produce abiotic oxygen atmospheres on habitable exoplanets

    PubMed Central

    Narita, Norio; Enomoto, Takafumi; Masaoka, Shigeyuki; Kusakabe, Nobuhiko

    2015-01-01

    The search for habitable exoplanets in the Universe is actively ongoing in the field of astronomy. The biggest future milestone is to determine whether life exists on such habitable exoplanets. In that context, oxygen in the atmosphere has been considered strong evidence for the presence of photosynthetic organisms. In this paper, we show that a previously unconsidered photochemical mechanism by titanium (IV) oxide (titania) can produce abiotic oxygen from liquid water under near ultraviolet (NUV) lights on the surface of exoplanets. Titania works as a photocatalyst to dissociate liquid water in this process. This mechanism offers a different source of a possibility of abiotic oxygen in atmospheres of exoplanets from previously considered photodissociation of water vapor in upper atmospheres by extreme ultraviolet (XUV) light. Our order-of-magnitude estimation shows that possible amounts of oxygen produced by this abiotic mechanism can be comparable with or even more than that in the atmosphere of the current Earth, depending on the amount of active surface area for this mechanism. We conclude that titania may act as a potential source of false signs of life on habitable exoplanets. PMID:26354078

  14. Titania may produce abiotic oxygen atmospheres on habitable exoplanets.

    PubMed

    Narita, Norio; Enomoto, Takafumi; Masaoka, Shigeyuki; Kusakabe, Nobuhiko

    2015-09-10

    The search for habitable exoplanets in the Universe is actively ongoing in the field of astronomy. The biggest future milestone is to determine whether life exists on such habitable exoplanets. In that context, oxygen in the atmosphere has been considered strong evidence for the presence of photosynthetic organisms. In this paper, we show that a previously unconsidered photochemical mechanism by titanium (IV) oxide (titania) can produce abiotic oxygen from liquid water under near ultraviolet (NUV) lights on the surface of exoplanets. Titania works as a photocatalyst to dissociate liquid water in this process. This mechanism offers a different source of a possibility of abiotic oxygen in atmospheres of exoplanets from previously considered photodissociation of water vapor in upper atmospheres by extreme ultraviolet (XUV) light. Our order-of-magnitude estimation shows that possible amounts of oxygen produced by this abiotic mechanism can be comparable with or even more than that in the atmosphere of the current Earth, depending on the amount of active surface area for this mechanism. We conclude that titania may act as a potential source of false signs of life on habitable exoplanets.

  15. Cell Wall Metabolism in Response to Abiotic Stress

    PubMed Central

    Gall, Hyacinthe Le; Philippe, Florian; Domon, Jean-Marc; Gillet, Françoise; Pelloux, Jérôme; Rayon, Catherine

    2015-01-01

    This review focuses on the responses of the plant cell wall to several abiotic stresses including drought, flooding, heat, cold, salt, heavy metals, light, and air pollutants. The effects of stress on cell wall metabolism are discussed at the physiological (morphogenic), transcriptomic, proteomic and biochemical levels. The analysis of a large set of data shows that the plant response is highly complex. The overall effects of most abiotic stress are often dependent on the plant species, the genotype, the age of the plant, the timing of the stress application, and the intensity of this stress. This shows the difficulty of identifying a common pattern of stress response in cell wall architecture that could enable adaptation and/or resistance to abiotic stress. However, in most cases, two main mechanisms can be highlighted: (i) an increased level in xyloglucan endotransglucosylase/hydrolase (XTH) and expansin proteins, associated with an increase in the degree of rhamnogalacturonan I branching that maintains cell wall plasticity and (ii) an increased cell wall thickening by reinforcement of the secondary wall with hemicellulose and lignin deposition. Taken together, these results show the need to undertake large-scale analyses, using multidisciplinary approaches, to unravel the consequences of stress on the cell wall. This will help identify the key components that could be targeted to improve biomass production under stress conditions. PMID:27135320

  16. Petroleum supply annual, 1990. [Contains Glossary

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Not Available

    1991-05-30

    The Petroleum Supply Annual (PSA) contains information on the supply and disposition of crude oil and petroleum products. The publication reflects data that were collected from the petroleum industry during 1990 through annual and monthly surveys. The PSA is divided into two volumes. This first volume contains three sections, Summary Statistics, Detailed Statistics, and Refinery Capacity, each with final annual data. The second volume contains final statistics for each month of 1990, and replaces data previously published in the Petroleum Supply Monthly (PSM). The tables in Volumes 1 and 2 are similarly numbered to facilitate comparison between them. Explanatory Notes,more » located at the end of this publication, present information describing data collection, sources, estimation methodology, data quality control procedures, modifications to reporting requirements and interpretation of tables. Industry terminology and product definitions are listed alphabetically in the Glossary. 35 tabs.« less

  17. Petroleum supply annual 1992. [Contains glossary

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Not Available

    1993-05-27

    The Petroleum Supply Annual (PSA) contains information on the supply and disposition of crude oil and petroleum products. The publication reflects data that were collected from the petroleum industry during 1992 through annual and monthly surveys. The PSA is divided into two volumes. The first volume contains four sections: Summary Statistics, Detailed Statistics, Refinery Capacity, and Oxygenate Capacity each with final annual data. This second volume contains final statistics for each month of 1992, and replaces data previously published in the Petroleum Supply Monthly (PSM). The tables in Volumes 1 and 2 are similarly numbered to facilitate comparison between them.more » Explanatory Notes, located at the end of this publication, present information describing data collection, sources, estimation methodology, data quality control procedures, modifications to reporting requirements and interpretation of tables. Industry terminology and product definitions are listed alphabetically in the Glossary.« less

  18. Warm Eocene climate enhanced petroleum generation from Cretaceous source rocks - a potential climate feedback mechanism?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kroeger, K. F.; Funnell, R. H.

    2012-04-01

    Surface and deep sea temperatures from late Paleocene to early Eocene until the Early Eocene climatic Optimum increased by 5 - 10° C. This change was associated with a negative δ13C trend which implies major changes in global carbon cycling and enrichment of surface systems in isotopically light carbon. The degree of change in sedimentary δ13C requires emission of >10,000 gigatonnes of isotopically light carbon into the ocean. We reveal a relationship between global warming and increased petroleum generation in sedimentary basins operating on 100 kyr to Myr time scales that may explain the observed isotope shift. We use TEX86-based surface temperature data1 to predict how change in surface temperature influences the temperature evolution and resultant petroleum generation in four southwest Pacific sedimentary basins. Models predict an up to 50% increase in oil and gas expulsion rates in response to the increase in temperatures from late Paleocene to early Eocene in the region. Such an increase in petroleum generation would have significantly increased leakage of light hydrocarbons and oil degeneration products into surface systems. We propose that our modelling results are representative of a large number of sedimentary basins world-wide and that early Eocene warming has led to a synchronization of periods of maximum petroleum generation and enhanced generation in otherwise unproductive basins through extension of the volume of source rock within the oil and gas window. Extrapolating our modelling results to hundreds of sedimentary basins worldwide suggests that globally increased leakage could have led to the release of an amount of CH4, CO2 and light petroleum components into surface systems compatible with the observed changes in δ13C. We further suggest that this is a significant feedback effect, enhancing early Eocene climate warming. 1Bijl, P. K., S. Schouten, A. Sluijs, G.-J. Reichart, J. C. Zachos, and H. Brinkhuis (2009), Early Palaeogene temperature

  19. 21 CFR 573.740 - Odorless light petroleum hydrocarbons.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... (CONTINUED) ANIMAL DRUGS, FEEDS, AND RELATED PRODUCTS FOOD ADDITIVES PERMITTED IN FEED AND DRINKING WATER OF ANIMALS Food Additive Listing § 573.740 Odorless light petroleum hydrocarbons. Odorless light petroleum... 21 Food and Drugs 6 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Odorless light petroleum hydrocarbons. 573.740...

  20. 21 CFR 573.740 - Odorless light petroleum hydrocarbons.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... (CONTINUED) ANIMAL DRUGS, FEEDS, AND RELATED PRODUCTS FOOD ADDITIVES PERMITTED IN FEED AND DRINKING WATER OF ANIMALS Food Additive Listing § 573.740 Odorless light petroleum hydrocarbons. Odorless light petroleum... 21 Food and Drugs 6 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Odorless light petroleum hydrocarbons. 573.740...

  1. 21 CFR 573.740 - Odorless light petroleum hydrocarbons.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... (CONTINUED) ANIMAL DRUGS, FEEDS, AND RELATED PRODUCTS FOOD ADDITIVES PERMITTED IN FEED AND DRINKING WATER OF ANIMALS Food Additive Listing § 573.740 Odorless light petroleum hydrocarbons. Odorless light petroleum... 21 Food and Drugs 6 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Odorless light petroleum hydrocarbons. 573.740...

  2. 21 CFR 573.740 - Odorless light petroleum hydrocarbons.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... (CONTINUED) ANIMAL DRUGS, FEEDS, AND RELATED PRODUCTS FOOD ADDITIVES PERMITTED IN FEED AND DRINKING WATER OF ANIMALS Food Additive Listing § 573.740 Odorless light petroleum hydrocarbons. Odorless light petroleum... 21 Food and Drugs 6 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Odorless light petroleum hydrocarbons. 573.740...

  3. 21 CFR 573.740 - Odorless light petroleum hydrocarbons.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... (CONTINUED) ANIMAL DRUGS, FEEDS, AND RELATED PRODUCTS FOOD ADDITIVES PERMITTED IN FEED AND DRINKING WATER OF ANIMALS Food Additive Listing § 573.740 Odorless light petroleum hydrocarbons. Odorless light petroleum... 21 Food and Drugs 6 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Odorless light petroleum hydrocarbons. 573.740...

  4. 21 CFR 178.3650 - Odorless light petroleum hydrocarbons.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2010-04-01 2009-04-01 true Odorless light petroleum hydrocarbons. 178.3650... SANITIZERS Certain Adjuvants and Production Aids § 178.3650 Odorless light petroleum hydrocarbons. Odorless light petroleum hydrocarbons may be safely used, as a component of nonfood articles intended for use in...

  5. 21 CFR 178.3650 - Odorless light petroleum hydrocarbons.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Odorless light petroleum hydrocarbons. 178.3650... SANITIZERS Certain Adjuvants and Production Aids § 178.3650 Odorless light petroleum hydrocarbons. Odorless light petroleum hydrocarbons may be safely used, as a component of nonfood articles intended for use in...

  6. 21 CFR 178.3650 - Odorless light petroleum hydrocarbons.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Odorless light petroleum hydrocarbons. 178.3650... SANITIZERS Certain Adjuvants and Production Aids § 178.3650 Odorless light petroleum hydrocarbons. Odorless light petroleum hydrocarbons may be safely used, as a component of nonfood articles intended for use in...

  7. 21 CFR 178.3650 - Odorless light petroleum hydrocarbons.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Odorless light petroleum hydrocarbons. 178.3650... SANITIZERS Certain Adjuvants and Production Aids § 178.3650 Odorless light petroleum hydrocarbons. Odorless light petroleum hydrocarbons may be safely used, as a component of nonfood articles intended for use in...

  8. 75 FR 48320 - National Petroleum Council

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-08-10

    ... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY National Petroleum Council AGENCY: Department of Energy, Office of Fossil Energy. ACTION: Notice of open meeting. SUMMARY: This notice announces a meeting of the National Petroleum Council. The Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463, 86 Stat. 770) requires that public...

  9. Commercial assessment of petroleum systems

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Stickland, P.J.

    1996-12-31

    One of the more difficult tasks facing an exploration team conducting a large regional prospectivity study is integrating the diverse data so that business decisions can be made. When is one Petroleum System more commercially attractive than another? They may have different geological risks and field sizes, but also different development and fiscal conditions. BHP Petroleum has developed a technique which incorporates all of the above factors into a decision making criteria called the Value Index. To achieve this each Petroleum System requires subdivision into smaller, more commercially focused units. These are termed Play Fairways. Play Fairways are temporally andmore » spatially distinct reservoir/seal packages. A number of these Play Fairways may exist within one Petroleum System. The Expected Value (EV) concept is widely established as a decision making tool for prospects but is inappropriate for evaluating a Play Fairway. The Value Index method applies the spirit of EV to the Play Fairway without the rigorous detail. The key factors in the Value Index calculation are: the probability that there will be at least one further discovery in the fairway, the estimated number of future discoveries, the discovery size distribution and the NPV versus reserves function. These are combined in a monte-carlo package to allow uncertainty in each parameter. The advantage of the Value Index over other criteria is it allows a comparison of fairways balancing both geological and commercial issues. BHP Petroleum has found this technique, used in conjunction with other criteria, extremely useful for ranking exploration focus areas in Australia.« less

  10. Commercial assessment of petroleum systems

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Stickland, P.J.

    1996-01-01

    One of the more difficult tasks facing an exploration team conducting a large regional prospectivity study is integrating the diverse data so that business decisions can be made. When is one Petroleum System more commercially attractive than another They may have different geological risks and field sizes, but also different development and fiscal conditions. BHP Petroleum has developed a technique which incorporates all of the above factors into a decision making criteria called the Value Index. To achieve this each Petroleum System requires subdivision into smaller, more commercially focused units. These are termed Play Fairways. Play Fairways are temporally andmore » spatially distinct reservoir/seal packages. A number of these Play Fairways may exist within one Petroleum System. The Expected Value (EV) concept is widely established as a decision making tool for prospects but is inappropriate for evaluating a Play Fairway. The Value Index method applies the spirit of EV to the Play Fairway without the rigorous detail. The key factors in the Value Index calculation are: the probability that there will be at least one further discovery in the fairway, the estimated number of future discoveries, the discovery size distribution and the NPV versus reserves function. These are combined in a monte-carlo package to allow uncertainty in each parameter. The advantage of the Value Index over other criteria is it allows a comparison of fairways balancing both geological and commercial issues. BHP Petroleum has found this technique, used in conjunction with other criteria, extremely useful for ranking exploration focus areas in Australia.« less

  11. Human Resource Local Content in Ghana's Upstream Petroleum Industry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Benin, Papa

    Enactment of Ghana's Petroleum (Local Content and Local Participation) Regulations, 2013 (L.I. 2204) was intended to regulate the percentage of local products, personnel, financing, and goods and services rendered within Ghana's upstream petroleum industry value chain. Five years after the inception of Ghana's upstream oil and gas industry, a gap is evident between the requirements of L.I. 2204 and professional practice. Drawing on Lewin's change theory, a cross-sectional study was conducted to examine the extent of differences between the prevailing human resource local content and the requirements of L.I. 2204 in Ghana's upstream petroleum industry. The extent to which training acquired by indigenous Ghanaians seeking jobs in Ghana's oil fields affects the prevalent local content in its upstream petroleum industry was also examined. Survey data were collected from 97 management, technical, and other staff in 2 multinational petroleum companies whose oil and gas development plans have been approved by the Petroleum Commission of Ghana. To answer the research questions and test their hypotheses, one-way ANOVA was performed with staff category (management, technical, and other) as the independent variable and prevalent local content as the dependent variable. Results indicated that prevailing local content in Ghana's upstream petroleum industry meets the requirements of L.I. 2204. Further, training acquired by indigenous Ghanaians seeking jobs in Ghana's oil fields affects the prevalent local content in its offshore petroleum industry. Findings may encourage leaders within multinational oil companies and the Petroleum Commission of Ghana to organize educational seminars that equip indigenous Ghanaians with specialized skills for working in Ghana's upstream petroleum industry.

  12. Experiments on the abiotic amplification of optical activity

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bonner, W. A.; Blair, N. E.; Dirbas, F. M.

    1981-01-01

    Experiments concerning the physical mechanisms for the abiotic generation and chemical mechanisms for the amplification of optical activity in biological compounds are reviewed. Attention is given to experiments involving the determination of the differential adsorption of racemic amino acids on d- and l-quartz, the asymmetric photolysis of racemic amino acids by circularly polarized light, and the asymmetric radiolysis of solid amino acids by longitudinally polarized electrons, and the enantiomeric enrichments thus obtained are noted. Further experiments on the amplification of the chirality in the polymerization of D, L-amino acid mixtures and the hydrolysis of D-, L-, and D, L-polypeptides are discussed. It is suggested that a repetitive cycle of partial polymerization-hydrolyses may account for the abiotic genesis of optically enriched polypeptides on the primitive earth.

  13. 49 CFR 393.69 - Liquefied petroleum gas systems.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 5 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Liquefied petroleum gas systems. 393.69 Section... ACCESSORIES NECESSARY FOR SAFE OPERATION Fuel Systems § 393.69 Liquefied petroleum gas systems. (a) A fuel system that uses liquefied petroleum gas as a fuel for the operation of a motor vehicle or for the...

  14. Origins, characteristics, controls, and economic viabilities of deep- basin gas resources

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Price, L.C.

    1995-01-01

    Dry-gas deposits (methane ???95% of the hydrocarbon (HC) gases) are thought to originate from in-reservoir thermal cracking of oil and C2+ HC gases to methane. However, because methanes from Anadarko Basin dry-gas deposits do not carry the isotopic signature characteristics of C15+ HC destruction, an origin of these methanes from this process is considered improbable. Instead, the isotopic signature of these methanes suggests that they were cogenerated with C15+ HC's. Only a limited resource of deep-basin gas deposits may be expected by the accepted model for the origin of dry-gas deposits because of a limited number of deep-basin oil deposits originally available to be thermally converted to dry gas. However, by the models of this paper (inefficient source-rock oil and gas expulsion, closed fluid systems in petroleum-basin depocenters, and most dry-gas methane cogenerated with C15+ HC's), very large, previously unrecognized, unconventional, deep-basin gas resources are expected. -from Author

  15. Hydrogen peroxide priming modulates abiotic oxidative stress tolerance: insights from ROS detoxification and scavenging

    PubMed Central

    Hossain, Mohammad A.; Bhattacharjee, Soumen; Armin, Saed-Moucheshi; Qian, Pingping; Xin, Wang; Li, Hong-Yu; Burritt, David J.; Fujita, Masayuki; Tran, Lam-Son P.

    2015-01-01

    Plants are constantly challenged by various abiotic stresses that negatively affect growth and productivity worldwide. During the course of their evolution, plants have developed sophisticated mechanisms to recognize external signals allowing them to respond appropriately to environmental conditions, although the degree of adjustability or tolerance to specific stresses differs from species to species. Overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS; hydrogen peroxide, H2O2; superoxide, O2⋅-; hydroxyl radical, OH⋅ and singlet oxygen, 1O2) is enhanced under abiotic and/or biotic stresses, which can cause oxidative damage to plant macromolecules and cell structures, leading to inhibition of plant growth and development, or to death. Among the various ROS, freely diffusible and relatively long-lived H2O2 acts as a central player in stress signal transduction pathways. These pathways can then activate multiple acclamatory responses that reinforce resistance to various abiotic and biotic stressors. To utilize H2O2 as a signaling molecule, non-toxic levels must be maintained in a delicate balancing act between H2O2 production and scavenging. Several recent studies have demonstrated that the H2O2-priming can enhance abiotic stress tolerance by modulating ROS detoxification and by regulating multiple stress-responsive pathways and gene expression. Despite the importance of the H2O2-priming, little is known about how this process improves the tolerance of plants to stress. Understanding the mechanisms of H2O2-priming-induced abiotic stress tolerance will be valuable for identifying biotechnological strategies to improve abiotic stress tolerance in crop plants. This review is an overview of our current knowledge of the possible mechanisms associated with H2O2-induced abiotic oxidative stress tolerance in plants, with special reference to antioxidant metabolism. PMID:26136756

  16. Biological Remediation of Petroleum Contaminants

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kuhad, Ramesh Chander; Gupta, Rishi

    Large volumes of hazardous wastes are generated in the form of oily sludges and contaminated soils during crude oil transportation and processing. Although many physical, chemical and biological treatment technologies are available for petroleum contaminants petroleum contaminants in soil, biological methods have been considered the most cost-effective. Practical biological remediation methods typically involve direct use of the microbes naturally occurring in the contaminated environment and/or cultured indigenous or modified microorganisms. Environmental and nutritional factors, including the properties of the soil, the chemical structure of the hydrocarbon(s), oxygen, water, nutrient availability, pH, temperature, and contaminant bioavailability, can significantly affect the rate and the extent of hydrocarbon biodegradation hydrocarbon biodegradation by microorganisms in contaminated soils. This chapter concisely discusses the major aspects of bioremediation of petroleum contaminants.

  17. The deep chlorophyll layer in Lake Ontario: Extent, mechanisms of formation, and abiotic predictors

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Scofield, Anne E.; Watkins, James M.; Weidel, Brian C.; Luckey, Frederick J.; Rudstam, Lars G.

    2017-01-01

    Epilimnetic production has declined in Lake Ontario, but increased production in metalimnetic deep chlorophyll layers (DCLs) may compensate for these losses. We investigated the spatial and temporal extent of DCLs, the mechanisms driving DCL formation, and the use of physical variables for predicting the depth and concentration of the deep chlorophyll maximum (DCM) during April–September 2013. A DCL with DCM concentrations 2 to 3 times greater than those in the epilimnion was present when the euphotic depth extended below the epilimnion, which occurred primarily from late June through mid-August. In situ growth was important for DCL formation in June and July, but settling and photoadaptation likely also contributed to the later-season DCL. Supporting evidence includes: phytoplankton biovolume was 2.4 × greater in the DCL than in the epilimnion during July, the DCL phytoplankton community of July was different from that of May and the July epilimnion (p = 0.004), and there were concurrences of DCM with maxima in fine particle concentration and dissolved oxygen saturation. Higher nutrient levels in the metalimnion may also be a necessary condition for DCL formation because July metalimnetic concentrations were 1.5 × (nitrate) and 3.5 × (silica) greater than in the epilimnion. Thermal structure variables including epilimnion depth, thermocline depth, and thermocline steepness were useful for predicting DCM depth; the inclusion of euphotic depth only marginally improved these predictions. However, euphotic depth was critical for predicting DCM concentrations. The DCL is a productive and predictable feature of the Lake Ontario ecosystem during the stratified period.

  18. Phytoremediation of petroleum-polluted soils: application of Polygonum aviculare and its root-associated (penetrated) fungal strains for bioremediation of petroleum-polluted soils.

    PubMed

    Mohsenzadeh, Fariba; Nasseri, Simin; Mesdaghinia, Alireza; Nabizadeh, Ramin; Zafari, Doustmorad; Khodakaramian, Gholam; Chehregani, Abdolkarim

    2010-05-01

    Petroleum-polluted soils are a common disaster in many countries. Bioremediation of oil contamination in soils is based on the stimulation of petroleum-hydrocarbon-degrading fungal and microbial communities. A field study was conducted in a petroleum-contaminated site to find petroleum-resistant plants and their root-associated fungal strains for use in bioremediation of petroleum-polluted soils. Results and observations showed that the amounts of petroleum pollution in nonvegetated soils were several times higher than in vegetated soils. Plants collected from petroleum-polluted areas were identified using morphological characters. Results indicated that seven plant species were growing on the contaminated sites: Alhaji cameleron L. (Fabaceae), Amaranthus retroflexus L. var. retroflexus (Amaranthaceae), Convolvulus arvensis L. (Convolvulaceae), Chrozophora hierosolymitana Spreg. (Euphorbiaceae), Noea mucronata L. (Boraginaceae), Poa sp. (Poaceae), and Polygonum aviculare L. (Polygonaceae). The root-associated fungi of each plant were determined and results showed the presence of 11 species that associated with and also penetrated the roots of plants growing in the polluted areas. Altenaria sp. was common to all of the plants and the others had species-specific distribution within the plants. The largest numbers of fungal species (six) were determined for P. aviculare and Poa sp. in polluted areas. However, the variation of fungal strains in the plants collected from petroleum-polluted areas was greater than for nonpolluted ones. Culture of fungi in oil-contaminated media showed that all the studied fungi were resistant to low petroleum pollution (1% v/v) and a few species, especially Fusarium species, showed resistance to higher petroleum pollution (10% v/v) and may be suitable for bioremediation in highly polluted areas. Bioremediation tests with P. aviculare, with and without fungal strains, showed that application of both the plant and its root-associated fungal

  19. The Ascorbate-glutathione-α-tocopherol Triad in Abiotic Stress Response

    PubMed Central

    Szarka, András; Tomasskovics, Bálint; Bánhegyi, Gábor

    2012-01-01

    The life of any living organism can be defined as a hurdle due to different kind of stresses. As with all living organisms, plants are exposed to various abiotic stresses, such as drought, salinity, extreme temperatures and chemical toxicity. These primary stresses are often interconnected, and lead to the overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in plants, which are highly reactive and toxic and cause damage to proteins, lipids, carbohydrates and DNA, which ultimately results in oxidative stress. Stress-induced ROS accumulation is counteracted by enzymatic antioxidant systems and non-enzymatic low molecular weight metabolites, such as ascorbate, glutathione and α-tocopherol. The above mentioned low molecular weight antioxidants are also capable of chelating metal ions, reducing thus their catalytic activity to form ROS and also scavenge them. Hence, in plant cells, this triad of low molecular weight antioxidants (ascorbate, glutathione and α-tocopherol) form an important part of abiotic stress response. In this work we are presenting a review of abiotic stress responses connected to these antioxidants. PMID:22605990

  20. Wheat EST resources for functional genomics of abiotic stress

    PubMed Central

    Houde, Mario; Belcaid, Mahdi; Ouellet, François; Danyluk, Jean; Monroy, Antonio F; Dryanova, Ani; Gulick, Patrick; Bergeron, Anne; Laroche, André; Links, Matthew G; MacCarthy, Luke; Crosby, William L; Sarhan, Fathey

    2006-01-01

    Background Wheat is an excellent species to study freezing tolerance and other abiotic stresses. However, the sequence of the wheat genome has not been completely characterized due to its complexity and large size. To circumvent this obstacle and identify genes involved in cold acclimation and associated stresses, a large scale EST sequencing approach was undertaken by the Functional Genomics of Abiotic Stress (FGAS) project. Results We generated 73,521 quality-filtered ESTs from eleven cDNA libraries constructed from wheat plants exposed to various abiotic stresses and at different developmental stages. In addition, 196,041 ESTs for which tracefiles were available from the National Science Foundation wheat EST sequencing program and DuPont were also quality-filtered and used in the analysis. Clustering of the combined ESTs with d2_cluster and TGICL yielded a few large clusters containing several thousand ESTs that were refractory to routine clustering techniques. To resolve this problem, the sequence proximity and "bridges" were identified by an e-value distance graph to manually break clusters into smaller groups. Assembly of the resolved ESTs generated a 75,488 unique sequence set (31,580 contigs and 43,908 singletons/singlets). Digital expression analyses indicated that the FGAS dataset is enriched in stress-regulated genes compared to the other public datasets. Over 43% of the unique sequence set was annotated and classified into functional categories according to Gene Ontology. Conclusion We have annotated 29,556 different sequences, an almost 5-fold increase in annotated sequences compared to the available wheat public databases. Digital expression analysis combined with gene annotation helped in the identification of several pathways associated with abiotic stress. The genomic resources and knowledge developed by this project will contribute to a better understanding of the different mechanisms that govern stress tolerance in wheat and other cereals. PMID

  1. Abiotic drivers of Chihuahuan Desert plant communities

    Treesearch

    Laura Marie Ladwig

    2014-01-01

    Within grasslands, precipitation, fire, nitrogen (N) addition, and extreme temperatures influence community composition and ecosystem function. The differential influences of these abiotic factors on Chihuahuan Desert grassland communities was examined within the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge, located in central New Mexico, U.S.A. Although fire is a natural...

  2. Petroleum and Political Change in Mexico,

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1980-01-01

    and exploitation of our petroleum resources." The argument continued that "private entrepreneurs are disposed to work in this area under the control of...membership was designed to jar the non-petroleum export sector into a more competitive posture, thereby incresing exports from that sector and diminishing

  3. Maps showing petroleum exploration intensity and production in major Cambrian to Ordovician reservoir rocks in the Anadarko Basin

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Henry, Mitch; Hester, Tim

    1996-01-01

    The Anadarko basin is a large, deep, two-stage Paleozoic basin (Feinstein, 1981) that is petroleum rich and generally well explored. The Anadarko basin province, a geogrphic area used here mostly for the convenience of mapping and data management, is defined by political boundaries that include the Anadarko basin proper. The boundaries of the province are identical to those used by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in the 1995 National Assessment of United Stated Oil and Gas Resources. The data in this report, also identical to those used in the national assessment, are from several computerized data bases including Nehring Research Group (NRG) Associates Inc., Significant Oil and Gas Fields of the United States (1992); Petroleum Information (PI), Inc., Well History Control System (1991); and Petroleum Information (PI), Inc., Petro-ROM: Production data on CD-ROM (1993). Although generated mostly in response to the national assessment, the data presented here arc grouped differently and arc displayed and described in greater detail. In addition, the stratigraphic sequences discussed may not necessarily correlate with the "plays" of the 1995 national assessment. This report uses computer-generated maps to show drilling intensity, producing wells, major fields, and other geologic information relevant to petroleum exploration and production in the lower Paleozoic part of the Anadarko basin province as defined for the U.S. Geological Survey's 1995 national petroleum assessment. Hydrocarbon accumulations must meet a minimum standard of 1 million barrels of oil (MMBO) or 6 billion cubic feet of gas (BCFG) estimated ultimate recovery to be included in this report as a major field or revoir. Mapped strata in this report include the Upper Cambrian to Lower Ordovician Arbuckle and Low Ordovician Ellenburger Groups, the Middle Ordovician Simpson Group, and the Middle to Upper Ordovician Viola Group.

  4. Origin of Abiotic Methane in Submarine Hydrothermal Systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Seewald, J. S.; German, C. R.; Grozeva, N. G.; Klein, F.; McDermott, J. M.; Ono, S.; Reeves, E. P.; Wang, D. T.

    2018-05-01

    Results of recent investigations into the chemical and isotopic composition of actively venting submarine hydrothermal fluids and volatile species trapped in fluid inclusions will be discussed in the context of processes responsible for abiotic CH4 formation.

  5. Abiotic Stress Responses and Microbe-Mediated Mitigation in Plants: The Omics Strategies

    PubMed Central

    Meena, Kamlesh K.; Sorty, Ajay M.; Bitla, Utkarsh M.; Choudhary, Khushboo; Gupta, Priyanka; Pareek, Ashwani; Singh, Dhananjaya P.; Prabha, Ratna; Sahu, Pramod K.; Gupta, Vijai K.; Singh, Harikesh B.; Krishanani, Kishor K.; Minhas, Paramjit S.

    2017-01-01

    Abiotic stresses are the foremost limiting factors for agricultural productivity. Crop plants need to cope up adverse external pressure created by environmental and edaphic conditions with their intrinsic biological mechanisms, failing which their growth, development, and productivity suffer. Microorganisms, the most natural inhabitants of diverse environments exhibit enormous metabolic capabilities to mitigate abiotic stresses. Since microbial interactions with plants are an integral part of the living ecosystem, they are believed to be the natural partners that modulate local and systemic mechanisms in plants to offer defense under adverse external conditions. Plant-microbe interactions comprise complex mechanisms within the plant cellular system. Biochemical, molecular and physiological studies are paving the way in understanding the complex but integrated cellular processes. Under the continuous pressure of increasing climatic alterations, it now becomes more imperative to define and interpret plant-microbe relationships in terms of protection against abiotic stresses. At the same time, it also becomes essential to generate deeper insights into the stress-mitigating mechanisms in crop plants for their translation in higher productivity. Multi-omics approaches comprising genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics and phenomics integrate studies on the interaction of plants with microbes and their external environment and generate multi-layered information that can answer what is happening in real-time within the cells. Integration, analysis and decipherization of the big-data can lead to a massive outcome that has significant chance for implementation in the fields. This review summarizes abiotic stresses responses in plants in-terms of biochemical and molecular mechanisms followed by the microbe-mediated stress mitigation phenomenon. We describe the role of multi-omics approaches in generating multi-pronged information to provide a better understanding

  6. Abiotic Stress Responses and Microbe-Mediated Mitigation in Plants: The Omics Strategies.

    PubMed

    Meena, Kamlesh K; Sorty, Ajay M; Bitla, Utkarsh M; Choudhary, Khushboo; Gupta, Priyanka; Pareek, Ashwani; Singh, Dhananjaya P; Prabha, Ratna; Sahu, Pramod K; Gupta, Vijai K; Singh, Harikesh B; Krishanani, Kishor K; Minhas, Paramjit S

    2017-01-01

    Abiotic stresses are the foremost limiting factors for agricultural productivity. Crop plants need to cope up adverse external pressure created by environmental and edaphic conditions with their intrinsic biological mechanisms, failing which their growth, development, and productivity suffer. Microorganisms, the most natural inhabitants of diverse environments exhibit enormous metabolic capabilities to mitigate abiotic stresses. Since microbial interactions with plants are an integral part of the living ecosystem, they are believed to be the natural partners that modulate local and systemic mechanisms in plants to offer defense under adverse external conditions. Plant-microbe interactions comprise complex mechanisms within the plant cellular system. Biochemical, molecular and physiological studies are paving the way in understanding the complex but integrated cellular processes. Under the continuous pressure of increasing climatic alterations, it now becomes more imperative to define and interpret plant-microbe relationships in terms of protection against abiotic stresses. At the same time, it also becomes essential to generate deeper insights into the stress-mitigating mechanisms in crop plants for their translation in higher productivity. Multi-omics approaches comprising genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics and phenomics integrate studies on the interaction of plants with microbes and their external environment and generate multi-layered information that can answer what is happening in real-time within the cells. Integration, analysis and decipherization of the big-data can lead to a massive outcome that has significant chance for implementation in the fields. This review summarizes abiotic stresses responses in plants in-terms of biochemical and molecular mechanisms followed by the microbe-mediated stress mitigation phenomenon. We describe the role of multi-omics approaches in generating multi-pronged information to provide a better understanding

  7. Petroleum supply monthly, June 1999, with data for April 1999

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    NONE

    Data presented in the Petroleum Supply Monthly (PSM) describe the supply and disposition of petroleum products in the US and major US geographic regions. The data series describe production, imports and exports, inter-Petroleum Administration for Defense (PAD) District movements, and inventories by the primary suppliers of petroleum products in the US (50 States and the District of Columbia). The reporting universe includes those petroleum sectors in primary supply. Included are: petroleum refiners, motor gasoline blenders, operators of natural gas processing plants and fractionators, inter-PAD transporters, importers, and major inventory holders of petroleum products and crude oil. When aggregated, the datamore » reported by these sectors approximately represent the consumption of petroleum products in the US. Data presented in the PSM are divided into two sections: Summary Statistics and Detailed Statistics. The tables and figures in the Summary Statistics section of the PSM present a time series of selected petroleum data on a US level. The Detailed Statistics tables of the PSM present statistics for the most current month available as well as year-to-date. 16 figs., 66 tabs.« less

  8. Petroleum supply monthly, February 1999, with data for December 1998

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    NONE

    Data presented in the Petroleum Supply Monthly (PSM) describes the supply and disposition of petroleum products in the United States and major US geographic regions. The data series describe production, imports and exports, inter-Petroleum Administration for Defense (PAD) District movements, and inventories by the primary suppliers of petroleum products in the United States (50 States and the District of Columbia). The reporting universe includes those petroleum sectors in primary supply. Included are: petroleum refiners, motor gasoline blenders, operators of natural gas processing plants and fractionators, inter-PAD transporters, importers, and major inventory holders of petroleum products and crude oil. When aggregated,more » the data reported by these sectors approximately represent the consumption of petroleum products in the United States. Data presented in the PSM are divided into two sections: Summary Statistics and Detailed Statistics. The tables and figures in the Summary Statistics section of the PSM present a time series of selected petroleum data on a US level. The Detailed Statistics tables of the PSM present statistics for the most current month available as well as year-to-date. 16 figs., 66 tabs.« less

  9. Petroleum produced water disposal: Mobility and transport of barium in sandstone and dolomite rocks.

    PubMed

    Ebrahimi, Pouyan; Vilcáez, Javier

    2018-09-01

    To assess the risk of underground sources of drinking water contamination by barium (Ba) present in petroleum produced water disposed into deep saline aquifers, we examined the effect of salinity (NaCl), competition of cations (Ca, Mg), temperature (22 and 60°C), and organic fracturing additives (guar gum) on the sorption and transport of Ba in dolomites and sandstones. We found that at typical concentration levels of NaCl, Ca, and Mg in petroleum produced water, Ba sorption in both dolomites and sandstones is inhibited by the formation of Ba(Cl) + complexes in solution and/or the competition of cations for binding sites of minerals. The inhibition of Ba sorption by both mechanisms is greater in dolomites than in sandstones. This is reflected by a larger decrease in the breakthrough times of Ba through dolomites than through sandstones. We found that the presence of guar gum has little influence on the sorption and thus the transport of Ba in both dolomites and sandstones. Contrary to most heavy metals, Ba sorption in both dolomites and sandstones decreases with increasing temperature, however the reducing effect of temperature on Ba sorption is relevant only at low salinity conditions. Higher inhibition of Ba sorption in dolomites than in sandstones is due to the greater reactivity of dolomite over sandstone. The results of this study which includes the formulation of a reactive transport model and estimation of partition coefficients of Ba in dolomites and sandstones have significant implications in understanding and predicting the mobility and transport of Ba in deep dolomite and sandstone saline aquifers. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. 29 CFR 779.360 - Classification of liquefied-petroleum-gas sales.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 29 Labor 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Classification of liquefied-petroleum-gas sales. 779.360... Establishments Liquefied-Petroleum-Gas and Fuel Oil Dealers § 779.360 Classification of liquefied-petroleum-gas... ultimate consumer of liquefied-petroleum-gas, whether delivered in portable cylinders or in bulk to the...

  11. Petroleum geology and resources of the North Caspian Basin, Kazakhstan and Russia

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Ulmishek, Gregory F.

    2001-01-01

    The North Caspian basin is a petroleum-rich but lightly explored basin located in Kazakhstan and Russia. It occupies the shallow northern portion of the Caspian Sea and a large plain to the north of the sea between the Volga and Ural Rivers and farther east to the Mugodzhary Highland, which is the southern continuation of the Ural foldbelt. The basin is bounded by the Paleozoic carbonate platform of the Volga-Ural province to the north and west and by the Ural, South Emba, and Karpinsky Hercynian foldbelts to the east and south. The basin was originated by pre-Late Devonian rifting and subsequent spreading that opened the oceanic crust, but the precise time of these tectonic events is not known. The sedimentary succession of the basin is more than 20 km thick in the central areas. The drilled Upper Devonian to Tertiary part of this succession includes a prominent thick Kungurian (uppermost Lower Permian) salt formation that separates strata into the subsalt and suprasalt sequences and played an important role in the formation of oil and gas fields. Shallow-shelf carbonate formations that contain various reefs and alternate with clastic wedges compose the subsalt sequence on the 1 basin margins. Basinward, these rocks grade into deep-water anoxic black shales and turbidites. The Kungurian salt formation is strongly deformed into domes and intervening depressions. The most active halokinesis occurred during Late Permian?Triassic time, but growth of salt domes continued later and some of them are exposed on the present-day surface. The suprasalt sequence is mostly composed of clastic rocks that are several kilometers thick in depressions between salt domes. A single total petroleum system is defined in the North Caspian basin. Discovered reserves are about 19.7 billion barrels of oil and natural gas liquids and 157 trillion cubic feet of gas. Much of the reserves are concentrated in the supergiant Tengiz, Karachaganak, and Astrakhan fields. A recent new oil discovery

  12. Role of the source to building lateral separation distance in petroleum vapor intrusion.

    PubMed

    Verginelli, Iason; Capobianco, Oriana; Baciocchi, Renato

    2016-06-01

    The adoption of source to building separation distances to screen sites that need further field investigation is becoming a common practice for the evaluation of the vapor intrusion pathway at sites contaminated by petroleum hydrocarbons. Namely, for the source to building vertical distance, the screening criteria for petroleum vapor intrusion have been deeply investigated in the recent literature and fully addressed in the recent guidelines issued by ITRC and U.S.EPA. Conversely, due to the lack of field and modeling studies, the source to building lateral distance received relatively low attention. To address this issue, in this work we present a steady-state vapor intrusion analytical model incorporating a piecewise first-order aerobic biodegradation limited by oxygen availability that accounts for lateral source to building separation. The developed model can be used to evaluate the role and relevance of lateral vapor attenuation as well as to provide a site-specific assessment of the lateral screening distances needed to attenuate vapor concentrations to risk-based values. The simulation outcomes showed to be consistent with field data and 3-D numerical modeling results reported in previous studies and, for shallow sources, with the screening criteria recommended by U.S.EPA for the vertical separation distance. Indeed, although petroleum vapors can cover maximum lateral distances up to 25-30m, as highlighted by the comparison of model outputs with field evidences of vapor migration in the subsurface, simulation results by this new model indicated that, regardless of the source concentration and depth, 6m and 7m lateral distances are sufficient to attenuate petroleum vapors below risk-based values for groundwater and soil sources, respectively. However, for deep sources (>5m) and for low to moderate source concentrations (benzene concentrations lower than 5mg/L in groundwater and 0.5mg/kg in soil) the above criteria were found extremely conservative as the

  13. Assessment of undiscovered petroleum resources of the Amerasia Basin Petroleum Province

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Houseknecht, David W.; Bird, Kenneth J.; Garrity, Christopher P.

    2012-01-01

    The Amerasia Basin Petroleum Province encompasses the Canada Basin and the sediment prisms along the Alaska and Canada margins, outboard from basinward margins (hingelines) of the rift shoulders that formed during extensional opening of the Canada Basin. The province includes the Mackenzie delta and slope, the outer shelves and marine slopes along the Arctic margins of Alaska and Canada, and the deep Canada Basin. The province is divided into four assessment units (AUs): (1) The Canning-Mackenzie deformed margin AU is that part of the rifted margin where the Brooks Range orogenic belt has overridden the rift shoulder and is deforming the rifted-margin prism of sediment outboard of the hingeline. This is the only part of the Amerasia Basin Province that has been explored and—even though more than 3 billion barrels of oil equivalent (BBOE) of oil, gas, and condensate have been discovered—none has been commercially produced. (2) The Alaska passive margin AU is the rifted-margin prism of sediment lying beneath the Beaufort outer shelf and slope that has not been deformed by tectonism. (3) The Canada passive margin AU is the rifted-margin prism of sediment lying beneath the Arctic outer shelf and slope (also known as the polar margin) of Canada that has not been deformed by tectonism. (4) The Canada Basin AU includes the sediment wedge that lies beneath the deep Canada Basin, north of the marine slope developed along the Alaska and Canada margins. Mean estimates of risked, undiscovered, technically recoverable resources include more than 6 billion barrels of oil (BBO), more than 19 trillion cubic feet (TCF) of associated gas, and more than 16 TCF of nonassociated gas in the Canning-Mackenzie deformed margin AU; about 1 BBO, about 3 TCF of associated gas, and about 3 TCF of nonassociated gas in the Alaska passive margin AU; and more than 2 BBO, about 7 TCF of associated gas, and about 8 TCF of nonassociated gas in the Canada passive margin AU. Quantities of natural

  14. Novel NAC Transcription Factor TaNAC67 Confers Enhanced Multi-Abiotic Stress Tolerances in Arabidopsis

    PubMed Central

    Mao, Xinguo; Chen, Shuangshuang; Li, Ang; Zhai, Chaochao; Jing, Ruilian

    2014-01-01

    Abiotic stresses are major environmental factors that affect agricultural productivity worldwide. NAC transcription factors play pivotal roles in abiotic stress signaling in plants. As a staple crop, wheat production is severely constrained by abiotic stresses whereas only a few NAC transcription factors have been characterized functionally. To promote the application of NAC genes in wheat improvement by biotechnology, a novel NAC gene designated TaNAC67 was characterized in common wheat. To determine its role, transgenic Arabidopsis overexpressing TaNAC67-GFP controlled by the CaMV-35S promoter was generated and subjected to various abiotic stresses for morphological and physiological assays. Gene expression showed that TaNAC67 was involved in response to drought, salt, cold and ABA treatments. Localization assays revealed that TaNAC67 localized in the nucleus. Morphological analysis indicated the transgenics had enhanced tolerances to drought, salt and freezing stresses, simultaneously supported by enhanced expression of multiple abiotic stress responsive genes and improved physiological traits, including strengthened cell membrane stability, retention of higher chlorophyll contents and Na+ efflux rates, improved photosynthetic potential, and enhanced water retention capability. Overexpression of TaNAC67 resulted in pronounced enhanced tolerances to drought, salt and freezing stresses, therefore it has potential for utilization in transgenic breeding to improve abiotic stress tolerance in crops. PMID:24427285

  15. High throughput sequencing reveals novel and abiotic stress-regulated microRNAs in the inflorescences of rice.

    PubMed

    Barrera-Figueroa, Blanca E; Gao, Lei; Wu, Zhigang; Zhou, Xuefeng; Zhu, Jianhua; Jin, Hailing; Liu, Renyi; Zhu, Jian-Kang

    2012-08-03

    MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small RNA molecules that play important regulatory roles in plant development and stress responses. Identification of stress-regulated miRNAs is crucial for understanding how plants respond to environmental stimuli. Abiotic stresses are one of the major factors that limit crop growth and yield. Whereas abiotic stress-regulated miRNAs have been identified in vegetative tissues in several plants, they are not well studied in reproductive tissues such as inflorescences. We used Illumina deep sequencing technology to sequence four small RNA libraries that were constructed from the inflorescences of rice plants that were grown under control condition and drought, cold, or salt stress. We identified 227 miRNAs that belong to 127 families, including 70 miRNAs that are not present in the miRBase. We validated 62 miRNAs (including 10 novel miRNAs) using published small RNA expression data in DCL1, DCL3, and RDR2 RNAi lines and confirmed 210 targets from 86 miRNAs using published degradome data. By comparing the expression levels of miRNAs, we identified 18, 15, and 10 miRNAs that were regulated by drought, cold and salt stress conditions, respectively. In addition, we identified 80 candidate miRNAs that originated from transposable elements or repeats, especially miniature inverted-repeat elements (MITEs). We discovered novel miRNAs and stress-regulated miRNAs that may play critical roles in stress response in rice inflorescences. Transposable elements or repeats, especially MITEs, are rich sources for miRNA origination.

  16. Characterization of Northern California petroleum by stable carbon isotopes

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Lillis, Paul G.; Magoon, Leslie B.; Stanley, Richard G.; McLaughlin, Robert J.; Warden, Augusta

    2001-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to characterize natural occurrences of petroleum at the surface and in the subsurface within northern California in order to define and map petroleum systems for U.S. Geological Survey energy resource assessments. Furthermore, the chemical characterization and mapping of natural petroleum occurrences could also be used to discriminate natural occurrences from accidental oil spills during the activities of extraction or transportation of petroleum. Samples include petroleum from exploratory well tests, producing fields, natural seeps, and oil-stained rocks, and condensates from gas wells. Most of the sample localities are in northern California but a few samples from central and southern California are included for comparison (table 1). Even though other analyses were performed, only stable carbon isotope (δ13C) data are presented here for brevity and because δ13C values are one of the most discriminating characteristics of California petroleum.

  17. Petroleum geology and resources of the West Siberian Basin, Russia

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Ulmishek, Gregory F.

    2003-01-01

    The West Siberian basin is the largest petroleum basin in the world covering an area of about 2.2 million km2. The basin occupies a swampy plain between the Ural Mountains and the Yenisey River. On the north, the basin extends offshore into the southern Kara Sea. On the west, north, and east, the basin is surrounded by the Ural, Yenisey Ridge, and Turukhan-Igarka foldbelts that experienced major deformations during the Hercynian tectonic event and the Novaya Zemlya foldbelt that was deformed in early Cimmerian (Triassic) time. On the south, the folded Caledonian structures of the Central Kazakhstan and Altay-Sayan regions dip northward beneath the basin?s sedimentary cover. The basin is a relatively undeformed Mesozoic sag that overlies the Hercynian accreted terrane and the Early Triassic rift system. The basement is composed of foldbelts that were deformed in Late Carboniferous?Permian time during collision of the Siberian and Kazakhstan continents with the Russian craton. The basement also includes several microcontinental blocks with a relatively undeformed Paleozoic sedimentary sequence. The sedimentary succession of the basin is composed of Middle Triassic through Tertiary clastic rocks. The lower part of this succession is present only in the northern part of the basin; southward, progressively younger strata onlap the basement, so that in the southern areas the basement is overlain by Toarcian and younger rocks. The important stage in tectono-stratigraphic development of the basin was formation of a deep-water sea in Volgian?early Berriasian time. The sea covered more than one million km2 in the central basin area. Highly organic-rich siliceous shales of the Bazhenov Formation were deposited during this time in anoxic conditions on the sea bottom. Rocks of this formation have generated more than 80 percent of West Siberian oil reserves and probably a substantial part of its gas reserves. The deep-water basin was filled by prograding clastic clinoforms

  18. Evaluation of a cleanser for petroleum-contaminated skin.

    PubMed

    Phieffer, Laura S; Banks, David M; Bosse, Michael J; Meyer, Martha H; Meyer, Ralph A; Smith, Kevin

    2003-12-01

    Extremity injuries contaminated with petroleum products pose clinical dilemmas. This project was designed to evaluate the efficacy of a dioctyl sulfosuccinate (DS) solution for cleansing petroleum-contaminated skin. One hundred Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to a contamination protocol followed by a cleansing procedure. Four petroleum contaminants and five cleansing solutions were selected. The protocol consisted of shaving, initial punch biopsy, contamination, precleansing punch biopsy, standardized scrub protocol, and postcleansing punch biopsy. Biopsy samples were analyzed for petroleum residue using fluorometry. The 10% DS solution had the highest reduction of crude oil, grease, and tar: 99.6 +/- 0.4% (mean +/- SD) contaminant reduction for crude oil, 99.8 +/- 0.2% for grease, and 99.8 +/- 0.2% for tar. The other cleansers showed less efficacy (p < 0.05). Concentrated DS appears to be significantly more effective at cleaning petroleum products from skin than the commonly chosen surgical and commercial cleansers.

  19. The origin, source, and cycling of methane in deep crystalline rock biosphere.

    PubMed

    Kietäväinen, Riikka; Purkamo, Lotta

    2015-01-01

    The emerging interest in using stable bedrock formations for industrial purposes, e.g., nuclear waste disposal, has increased the need for understanding microbiological and geochemical processes in deep crystalline rock environments, including the carbon cycle. Considering the origin and evolution of life on Earth, these environments may also serve as windows to the past. Various geological, chemical, and biological processes can influence the deep carbon cycle. Conditions of CH4 formation, available substrates and time scales can be drastically different from surface environments. This paper reviews the origin, source, and cycling of methane in deep terrestrial crystalline bedrock with an emphasis on microbiology. In addition to potential formation pathways of CH4, microbial consumption of CH4 is also discussed. Recent studies on the origin of CH4 in continental bedrock environments have shown that the traditional separation of biotic and abiotic CH4 by the isotopic composition can be misleading in substrate-limited environments, such as the deep crystalline bedrock. Despite of similarities between Precambrian continental sites in Fennoscandia, South Africa and North America, where deep methane cycling has been studied, common physicochemical properties which could explain the variation in the amount of CH4 and presence or absence of CH4 cycling microbes were not found. However, based on their preferred carbon metabolism, methanogenic microbes appeared to have similar spatial distribution among the different sites.

  20. The origin, source, and cycling of methane in deep crystalline rock biosphere

    PubMed Central

    Kietäväinen, Riikka; Purkamo, Lotta

    2015-01-01

    The emerging interest in using stable bedrock formations for industrial purposes, e.g., nuclear waste disposal, has increased the need for understanding microbiological and geochemical processes in deep crystalline rock environments, including the carbon cycle. Considering the origin and evolution of life on Earth, these environments may also serve as windows to the past. Various geological, chemical, and biological processes can influence the deep carbon cycle. Conditions of CH4 formation, available substrates and time scales can be drastically different from surface environments. This paper reviews the origin, source, and cycling of methane in deep terrestrial crystalline bedrock with an emphasis on microbiology. In addition to potential formation pathways of CH4, microbial consumption of CH4 is also discussed. Recent studies on the origin of CH4 in continental bedrock environments have shown that the traditional separation of biotic and abiotic CH4 by the isotopic composition can be misleading in substrate-limited environments, such as the deep crystalline bedrock. Despite of similarities between Precambrian continental sites in Fennoscandia, South Africa and North America, where deep methane cycling has been studied, common physicochemical properties which could explain the variation in the amount of CH4 and presence or absence of CH4 cycling microbes were not found. However, based on their preferred carbon metabolism, methanogenic microbes appeared to have similar spatial distribution among the different sites. PMID:26236303

  1. The Niger Delta petroleum system; Niger Delta Province, Nigeria, Cameroon, and equatorial Guinea, Africa

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Tuttle, Michele L.W.; Charpentier, Ronald R.; Brownfield, Michael E.

    1999-01-01

    In the Niger Delta province, we have identified one petroleum system--the Tertiary Niger Delta (Akata-Agbada) petroleum system. The delta formed at the site of a rift triple junction related to the opening of the southern Atlantic starting in the Late Jurassic and continuing into the Cretaceous. The delta proper began developing in the Eocene, accumulating sediments that now are over 10 kilometers thick. The primary source rock is the upper Akata Formation, the marine-shale facies of the delta, with possibly contribution from interbedded marine shale of the lowermost Agbada Formation. Oil is produced from sandstone facies within the Agbada Formation, however, turbidite sand in the upper Akata Formation is a potential target in deep water offshore and possibly beneath currently producing intervals onshore. Known oil and gas resources of the Niger Delta rank the province as the twelfth largest in the world. To date, 34.5 billion barrels of recoverable oil and 93.8 trillion cubic feet of recoverable gas have been discovered. In 1997, Nigeria was the fifth largest crude oil supplier to the United States, supplying 689,000 barrels/day of crude.

  2. 48 CFR 908.7109 - Fuels and packaged petroleum products.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Fuels and packaged petroleum products. 908.7109 Section 908.7109 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY....7109 Fuels and packaged petroleum products. Acquisitions of fuel and packaged petroleum products by DOE...

  3. 46 CFR 105.05-2 - Prohibitions regarding petroleum products.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 46 Shipping 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Prohibitions regarding petroleum products. 105.05-2... VESSELS COMMERCIAL FISHING VESSELS DISPENSING PETROLEUM PRODUCTS Application § 105.05-2 Prohibitions regarding petroleum products. (a) Commercial fishing vessels shall not transport Grade A flammable liquids...

  4. 46 CFR 105.05-2 - Prohibitions regarding petroleum products.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 46 Shipping 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Prohibitions regarding petroleum products. 105.05-2... VESSELS COMMERCIAL FISHING VESSELS DISPENSING PETROLEUM PRODUCTS Application § 105.05-2 Prohibitions regarding petroleum products. (a) Commercial fishing vessels shall not transport Grade A flammable liquids...

  5. Polyamines and abiotic stress in plants: a complex relationship Frontiers in Plant Science

    Treesearch

    Rakesh Minocha; Rajtilak Majumdar; Subhash C. Minocha

    2014-01-01

    The physiological relationship between abiotic stress in plants and polyamines was reported more than 40 years ago. Ever since there has been a debate as to whether increased polyamines protect plants against abiotic stress (e.g., due to their ability to deal with oxidative radicals) or cause damage to them (perhaps due to hydrogen peroxide produced by their catabolism...

  6. 46 CFR 58.16-7 - Use of liquefied petroleum gas.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 46 Shipping 2 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Use of liquefied petroleum gas. 58.16-7 Section 58.16-7... MACHINERY AND RELATED SYSTEMS Liquefied Petroleum Gases for Cooking and Heating § 58.16-7 Use of liquefied petroleum gas. (a) Cooking equipment using liquefied petroleum gas on vessels of 100 gross tons or more that...

  7. Distribution, origin and prediction of carbon dioxide in petroleum reservoirs

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Thrasher, J.; Fleet, A.J.

    1995-08-01

    High concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) in petroleum reservoirs can significantly reduce the value of the discovery, by diluting any hydrocarbons, and by increasing production costs because of the increased likelihood of corrosion and scale formation. Huge volumes of CO{sub 2} have been found, for example in the Indonesian Natuna d-Alpha structure (estimated 240 tcf gas, of which around 70% is CO{sub 2}). This study reviews the possible sources of CO{sub 2} in the petroleum system, and the geological and geochemical data from some CO{sub 2} {open_quotes}polluted{close_quotes} reservoirs, to improve future predictions of the exploration risk of finding significantmore » CO{sub 2}. A number of case studies show that the most common geological circumstances for the occurrence of high concentrations of CO{sub 2} include: carbonates associated with post-trap igneous activity (e.g. Ibleo Platform, Sicily); reservoir close to hot basement (e.g. Cooper-Eromanga Basin, Australia) and deep faults close to traps (e.g. Gulf of Thailand). Less common circumstances for high proportions of CO{sub 2} in gas include: post-trap igneous activity and coals (e.g. Taranaki, New Zealand) and reservoirs associated with pre-oil window coaly kerogen (e.g. Malay Trough), although the volumes of CO{sub 2} generated from kerogen are usually low relative to volumes of hydrocarbons generated from kerogen.« less

  8. Do plants modulate biomass allocation in response to petroleum pollution?

    PubMed Central

    Nie, Ming; Yang, Qiang; Jiang, Li-Fen; Fang, Chang-Ming; Chen, Jia-Kuan; Li, Bo

    2010-01-01

    Biomass allocation is an important plant trait that responds plastically to environmental heterogeneities. However, the effects on this trait of pollutants owing to human activities remain largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the response of biomass allocation of Phragmites australis to petroleum pollution by a 13CO2 pulse-labelling technique. Our data show that plant biomass significantly decreased under petroleum pollution, but the root–shoot ratio for both plant biomass and 13C increased with increasing petroleum concentration, suggesting that plants could increase biomass allocation to roots in petroleum-polluted soil. Furthermore, assimilated 13C was found to be significantly higher in soil, microbial biomass and soil respiration after soils were polluted by petroleum. These results suggested that the carbon released from roots is rapidly turned over by soil microbes under petroleum pollution. This study found that plants can modulate biomass allocation in response to petroleum pollution. PMID:20484231

  9. Treatment of petroleum hydrocarbon polluted environment through bioremediation: a review.

    PubMed

    Singh, Kriti; Chandra, Subhash

    2014-01-01

    Bioremediation play key role in the treatment of petroleum hydrocarbon contaminated environment. Exposure of petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment occurs either due to human activities or accidentally and cause environmental pollution. Petroleum hydrocarbon cause many toxic compounds which are potent immunotoxicants and carcinogenic to human being. Remedial methods for the treatment of petroleum contaminated environment include various physiochemical and biological methods. Due to the negative consequences caused by the physiochemical methods, the bioremediation technology is widely adapted and considered as one of the best technology for the treatment of petroleum contaminated environment. Bioremediation utilizes the natural ability of microorganism to degrade the hazardous compound into simpler and non hazardous form. This paper provides a review on the role of bioremediation in the treatment of petroleum contaminated environment, discuss various hazardous effects of petroleum hydrocarbon, various factors influencing biodegradation, role of various enzymes in biodegradation and genetic engineering in bioremediation.

  10. Petroleum Vapor Intrusion

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    One type of vapor intrusion is PVI, in which vapors from petroleum hydrocarbons such as gasoline, diesel, or jet fuel enter a building. Intrusion of contaminant vapors into indoor spaces is of concern.

  11. 30 CFR 57.4463 - Liquefied petroleum gas use underground.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Liquefied petroleum gas use underground. 57... Fire Prevention and Control Flammable and Combustible Liquids and Gases § 57.4463 Liquefied petroleum gas use underground. Use of liquefied petroleum gases underground shall be limited to maintenance work...

  12. Geologic appraisal of the petroleum potential of offshore southern California; the borderland compared to onshore coastal basins

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Taylor, James Carlton

    1976-01-01

    Offshore southern California is part of a much larger Pacific continental margin, and the two areas have a similar geologic history at least as far back as middle Tertiary time. Assessment of the petroleum potential of the offshore Southern California borderland is accomplished by examining the adjacent highly explored productive coastal basins in the tectonically unstable area west of the San Andreas fault. Known oil and gas accumulations in this region can be characterized as follows: 88 percent comes from the Los Angeles and Ventura basins; 87 percent has been found in late Miocene and younger strata and only 0.2 percent has been found in Eocene strata; 80 percent has been found in thick deposits of deep-water turbidite reservoirs; and 5 percent has been found in fractured Miocene siliceous shale reservoirs. The percentage of siliceous shale reservoirs will increase as a result of recent discoveries in this rock type in the Santa Barbara Channel. Of the 212 known fields only 5 are giants (greater than 500 million barrels), and these fields account for 52 percent of all past production from the region. Most fields are faulted anticlines, and the largest fields have the highest oil recoveries per acre. Geologic knowledge of the offshore is limited by the availability of data. Data have been obtained from geophysical surveys, analyses of bedrock samples from the sea floor, and extrapolations of data from the mainland and offshore islands. Several factors have a negative effect on the assessment of the petroleum potential of the southern California borderland. They are: 1. The Neogene section is relatively thin, and the Paleogene section is thin and has a limited distribution. 2. Over large areas, Miocene sediments apparently rest directly on basement. 3. Along much of the Santa Rosa-Cortes Ridge, sediments are uplifted and truncated, exposing Paleogene rocks. 4. Organic content in Paleogene sediments is believed too low to generate large amounts of petroleum. 5

  13. Hormone balance and abiotic stress tolerance in crop plants.

    PubMed

    Peleg, Zvi; Blumwald, Eduardo

    2011-06-01

    Plant hormones play central roles in the ability of plants to adapt to changing environments, by mediating growth, development, nutrient allocation, and source/sink transitions. Although ABA is the most studied stress-responsive hormone, the role of cytokinins, brassinosteroids, and auxins during environmental stress is emerging. Recent evidence indicated that plant hormones are involved in multiple processes. Cross-talk between the different plant hormones results in synergetic or antagonic interactions that play crucial roles in response of plants to abiotic stress. The characterization of the molecular mechanisms regulating hormone synthesis, signaling, and action are facilitating the modification of hormone biosynthetic pathways for the generation of transgenic crop plants with enhanced abiotic stress tolerance. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Uptake and trans-membrane transport of petroleum hydrocarbons by microorganisms

    PubMed Central

    Hua, Fei; Wang, Hong Qi

    2014-01-01

    Petroleum-based products are a primary energy source in the industry and daily life. During the exploration, processing, transport and storage of petroleum and petroleum products, water or soil pollution occurs regularly. Biodegradation of the hydrocarbon pollutants by indigenous microorganisms is one of the primary mechanisms of removal of petroleum compounds from the environment. However, the physical contact between microorganisms and hydrophobic hydrocarbons limits the biodegradation rate. This paper presents an updated review of the petroleum hydrocarbon uptake and transport across the outer membrane of microorganisms with the help of outer membrane proteins. PMID:26740752

  15. Do positive interactions increase with abiotic stress? A test from a semi-arid steppe.

    PubMed Central

    Maestre, Fernando T; Cortina, Jordi

    2004-01-01

    Theoretical models predict that the relative importance of facilitation and competition may vary inversely across gradients of abiotic stress. However, these predictions have not been thoroughly tested in the field, especially in semi-arid environments. In this study, we evaluated how the net effect of the tussock grass Stipa tenacissima on the shrub Pistacia lentiscus varied across a gradient of abiotic stress in semi-arid Mediterranean steppes. We fitted the relationship between accumulated rainfall and the relative neighbour index (our measures of abiotic stress and of the net effect of S. tenacissima on P. lentiscus, respectively), which varied across this gradient, to a quadratic model. Competitive interactions dominated at both extremes of the gradient. Our results do not support established theory. Instead, they suggest that a shift from facilitation to competition under high abiotic stress conditions is likely to occur when the levels of the most limiting resource are so low that the benefits provided by the facilitator cannot overcome its own resource uptake. PMID:15504009

  16. Abiotic stress responses in plants: roles of calmodulin-regulated proteins.

    PubMed

    Virdi, Amardeep S; Singh, Supreet; Singh, Prabhjeet

    2015-01-01

    Intracellular changes in calcium ions (Ca(2+)) in response to different biotic and abiotic stimuli are detected by various sensor proteins in the plant cell. Calmodulin (CaM) is one of the most extensively studied Ca(2+)-sensing proteins and has been shown to be involved in transduction of Ca(2+) signals. After interacting with Ca(2+), CaM undergoes conformational change and influences the activities of a diverse range of CaM-binding proteins. A number of CaM-binding proteins have also been implicated in stress responses in plants, highlighting the central role played by CaM in adaptation to adverse environmental conditions. Stress adaptation in plants is a highly complex and multigenic response. Identification and characterization of CaM-modulated proteins in relation to different abiotic stresses could, therefore, prove to be essential for a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in abiotic stress tolerance in plants. Various studies have revealed involvement of CaM in regulation of metal ions uptake, generation of reactive oxygen species and modulation of transcription factors such as CAMTA3, GTL1, and WRKY39. Activities of several kinases and phosphatases have also been shown to be modulated by CaM, thus providing further versatility to stress-associated signal transduction pathways. The results obtained from contemporary studies are consistent with the proposed role of CaM as an integrator of different stress signaling pathways, which allows plants to maintain homeostasis between different cellular processes. In this review, we have attempted to present the current state of understanding of the role of CaM in modulating different stress-regulated proteins and its implications in augmenting abiotic stress tolerance in plants.

  17. Stable Carbon Isotopic Signatures of Abiotic Organics from Hydrothermal Synthesis Experiments

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Stern, Jennifer C.; Summers, David P.; Kubo, Mike; Yassar, Saima

    2006-01-01

    Stable carbon isotopes can be powerful biogeochemical markers in the study of life's origins. Biogenic carbon fixation produces organics that are depleted in C-13 by about -20 to -30%0. Less attention has been paid to the isotopic signatures of abiotic processes. The possibility of abiotic processes producing organics with morphologies and isotopic signatures in the biogenic range has been at the center of recent debate over the Earth's earliest microfossils. The abiotic synthesis of organic compounds in hydrothermal environments is one possible source of endogenous organic matter to the prebiotic earth. Simulated hydrothermal settings have been shown to synthesize, among other things, single chain amphiphiles and simple lipids from a mix of CO, CO2, and H2. A key characteristic of these amphiphilic molecules is the ability to self-assemble in aqueous phases into more organized structures called vesicles, which form a selectively permeable boundary and serve the function of containing and concentrating other organic molecules. The ability to form cell like structures also makes these compounds more likely to be mistaken for biogenic. Hydrothermal simulation experiments were conducted from oxalic or formic acid in water at 175 C for 72 hr. The molecular and isotopic composition of the products of these reactions were determined and compared to biogenic fractionations . Preliminary results indicate isotopic fractionation during abiotic hydrocarbon synthesis in hydrothermal environments is on par with biological carbon fixation.

  18. 40 CFR 281.37 - Financial responsibility for UST systems containing petroleum.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... systems containing petroleum. 281.37 Section 281.37 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... for No-Less-Stringent § 281.37 Financial responsibility for UST systems containing petroleum. (a) In... UST systems containing petroleum, the state requirements for financial responsibility for petroleum...

  19. 29 CFR 779.360 - Classification of liquefied-petroleum-gas sales.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... Establishments Liquefied-Petroleum-Gas and Fuel Oil Dealers § 779.360 Classification of liquefied-petroleum-gas... an essential ingredient or principal raw material, such as sales of liquefied-petroleum-gas for the...

  20. 29 CFR 779.360 - Classification of liquefied-petroleum-gas sales.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... Establishments Liquefied-Petroleum-Gas and Fuel Oil Dealers § 779.360 Classification of liquefied-petroleum-gas... an essential ingredient or principal raw material, such as sales of liquefied-petroleum-gas for the...

  1. 29 CFR 779.360 - Classification of liquefied-petroleum-gas sales.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... Establishments Liquefied-Petroleum-Gas and Fuel Oil Dealers § 779.360 Classification of liquefied-petroleum-gas... an essential ingredient or principal raw material, such as sales of liquefied-petroleum-gas for the...

  2. U.S. Virgin Islands Transportation Petroleum Reduction Plan

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Johnson, C.

    2011-09-01

    This NREL technical report determines a way for USVI to meet its petroleum reduction goal in the transportation sector. It does so first by estimating current petroleum use and key statistics and characteristics of USVI transportation. It then breaks the goal down into subordinate goals and estimates the petroleum impacts of these goals with a wedge analysis. These goals focus on reducing vehicle miles, improving fuel economy, improving traffic flow, using electric vehicles, using biodiesel and renewable diesel, and using 10% ethanol in gasoline. The final section of the report suggests specific projects to achieve the goals, and ranks themore » projects according to cost, petroleum reduction, time frame, and popularity.« less

  3. Availability and Price of Petroleum and Petroleum Products Produced in Countries Other Than Iran, The

    EIA Publications

    2016-01-01

    This report was prepared in fulfillment of Section 1245(d)(4)(A) of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2012, which requires that, not later than 60 days from enactment and every 60 days thereafter, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) "submit to Congress a report on the availability and price of petroleum and petroleum products produced in countries other than Iran in the 60-day period preceding the submission of the report."

  4. 10 CFR 474.3 - Petroleum-equivalent fuel economy calculation.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 10 Energy 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Petroleum-equivalent fuel economy calculation. 474.3 Section 474.3 Energy DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY ENERGY CONSERVATION ELECTRIC AND HYBRID VEHICLE RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, AND DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM; PETROLEUM-EQUIVALENT FUEL ECONOMY CALCULATION § 474.3 Petroleum-equivalent fuel economy calculation. (a) The...

  5. 40 CFR 280.41 - Requirements for petroleum UST systems.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 26 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Requirements for petroleum UST systems... UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANKS (UST) Release Detection § 280.41 Requirements for petroleum UST systems. Owners and operators of petroleum UST systems must provide release detection for tanks and piping as follows: (a) Tanks...

  6. 40 CFR 280.41 - Requirements for petroleum UST systems.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 27 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Requirements for petroleum UST systems... UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANKS (UST) Release Detection § 280.41 Requirements for petroleum UST systems. Owners and operators of petroleum UST systems must provide release detection for tanks and piping as follows: (a) Tanks...

  7. The Role of Tomato WRKY Genes in Plant Responses to Combined Abiotic and Biotic Stresses

    PubMed Central

    Bai, Yuling; Sunarti, Sri; Kissoudis, Christos; Visser, Richard G. F.; van der Linden, C. G.

    2018-01-01

    In the field, plants constantly face a plethora of abiotic and biotic stresses that can impart detrimental effects on plants. In response to multiple stresses, plants can rapidly reprogram their transcriptome through a tightly regulated and highly dynamic regulatory network where WRKY transcription factors can act as activators or repressors. WRKY transcription factors have diverse biological functions in plants, but most notably are key players in plant responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. In tomato there are 83 WRKY genes identified. Here we review recent progress on functions of these tomato WRKY genes and their homologs in other plant species, such as Arabidopsis and rice, with a special focus on their involvement in responses to abiotic and biotic stresses. In particular, we highlight WRKY genes that play a role in plant responses to a combination of abiotic and biotic stresses.

  8. Understanding Plant-Microbe Interactions for Phytoremediation of Petroleum-Polluted Soil

    PubMed Central

    Nie, Ming; Wang, Yijing; Yu, Jiayi; Xiao, Ming; Jiang, Lifen; Yang, Ji; Fang, Changming; Chen, Jiakuan; Li, Bo

    2011-01-01

    Plant-microbe interactions are considered to be important processes determining the efficiency of phytoremediation of petroleum pollution, however relatively little is known about how these interactions are influenced by petroleum pollution. In this experimental study using a microcosm approach, we examined how plant ecophysiological traits, soil nutrients and microbial activities were influenced by petroleum pollution in Phragmites australis, a phytoremediating species. Generally, petroleum pollution reduced plant performance, especially at early stages of plant growth. Petroleum had negative effects on the net accumulation of inorganic nitrogen from its organic forms (net nitrogen mineralization (NNM)) most likely by decreasing the inorganic nitrogen available to the plants in petroleum-polluted soils. However, abundant dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) was found in petroleum-polluted soil. In order to overcome initial deficiency of inorganic nitrogen, plants by dint of high colonization of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi might absorb some DON for their growth in petroleum-polluted soils. In addition, through using a real-time polymerase chain reaction method, we quantified hydrocarbon-degrading bacterial traits based on their catabolic genes (i.e. alkB (alkane monooxygenase), nah (naphthalene dioxygenase) and tol (xylene monooxygenase) genes). This enumeration of target genes suggests that different hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria experienced different dynamic changes during phytoremediation and a greater abundance of alkB was detected during vegetative growth stages. Because phytoremediation of different components of petroleum is performed by different hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria, plants’ ability of phytoremediating different components might therefore vary during the plant life cycle. Phytoremediation might be most effective during the vegetative growth stages as greater abundances of hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria containing alkB and tol genes were observed

  9. The Effect of Different Oceanic Abiotic Factors on Prokaryotic Body Sizes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pidathala, S.; Bellon, M.; Heim, N.; Payne, J.

    2016-12-01

    We are studying the impact of abiotic factors in the Pacific and Atlantic on prokaryotic body sizes and genome sizes because we are interested in the manner in which abiotic factors influence genome sizes independent of their influence on body sizes. Some research has been done in the past on marine bacterial evolution, including data collection on marine ecology in relation to bacterial body sizes (Straza 2009). We are using the abiotic factors: temperature, salinity, and pH to compare the biovolumes/genome sizes of different phyla by using R. We made 9 scatter plots to model these relationships. Regardless of the phyla or the ocean, we found that there is no relation between pH, temperature, and body size, with several exceptions: Deinococcus. thermus has an indirect relationship with size in respect to temperature; size only correlates to temperature for phyla that are thermophiles. We also found that bacteria like D. thermus and Thermotogae are taxa only found in higher temperatures. Additionally, almost all phyla have genome sizes restricted by certain pH levels:, Proteobacteria only reach genomes with acidity levels greater than 6. In terms of salinity levels, certain bacteria are only found within a small range, and others, like Proteobacteria, can only reach genomes at low salinity levels. Finally, Proteobacteria have large genome sizes between 30 and 40 °, and Crenarchaeota have constant genome sizes in higher temperatures. Conclusively, we discovered that these abiotic factors generally do not affect body size, with the exception of D. thermus' indirect relationship to temperature due to its small biovolume in high temperatures. However, we determined that these abiotic factors have a great impact on genome sizes. This is due to genome size independence from body size. Also, genome size could have served as an adaptive feature for bacteria in marine environments, explaining why different phyla may have diverged to accommodate their lifestyles.

  10. The role of analytical chemistry in Niger Delta petroleum exploration: a review.

    PubMed

    Akinlua, Akinsehinwa

    2012-06-12

    Petroleum and organic matter from which the petroleum is derived are composed of organic compounds with some trace elements. These compounds give an insight into the origin, thermal maturity and paleoenvironmental history of petroleum, which are essential elements in petroleum exploration. The main tool to acquire the geochemical data is analytical techniques. Due to progress in the development of new analytical techniques, many hitherto petroleum exploration problems have been resolved. Analytical chemistry has played a significant role in the development of petroleum resources of Niger Delta. Various analytical techniques that have aided the success of petroleum exploration in the Niger Delta are discussed. The analytical techniques that have helped to understand the petroleum system of the basin are also described. Recent and emerging analytical methodologies including green analytical methods as applicable to petroleum exploration particularly Niger Delta petroleum province are discussed in this paper. Analytical chemistry is an invaluable tool in finding the Niger Delta oils. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Petroleum Technology: From Refinery To Home, Business, and Industry.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shewell, John A.

    1997-01-01

    Discusses the application of petroleum technology and presents activities designed to raise students' awareness of the importance of petroleum-based products in their lives. Includes a handout designed to help students understand the refining processes in which the crude oil from the drill site is transformed into nearly 6,000 petroleum-based…

  12. Coupled biotic-abiotic oxidation of organic matter by biogenic MnO_{2}

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gonzalez, Julia; Peña, Jasquelin

    2016-04-01

    Some reactive soil minerals are strongly implicated in stabilising organic matter. However, others can play an active role in the oxidation of organic molecules. In natural systems, layer-type manganese oxide minerals (MnO2) typically occur as biomineral assemblages consisting of mineral particles and microbial biomass. Both the mineral and biological fractions of the assemblage can be powerful oxidants of organic C. The biological compartment relies on a set of enzymes to drive oxidative transformations of reduced C-substrates, whereas MnO2 minerals are strong, less specific abiotic oxidants that are assumed to rely on interfacial interactions between C-substrates and the mineral surface. This project aims to understand the coupling between microbial C mineralization and abiotic C oxidation mediated by MnO2 in bacterial-MnO2 assemblages. Specifically, under conditions of high C turnover, microbial respiration can significantly alter local pH, dissolved oxygen and pool of available reductants, which may modify rates and mechanism of C oxidation by biotic and abiotic components. We first investigated changes in the solution chemistry of Pseudomonas putida suspensions exposed to varying concentrations of glucose, chosen to represent readily bioavailable substrates in soils. Glucose concentrations tested ranged between 0 and 5.5mM and changes in pH, dissolved oxygen and dissolved organic and inorganic carbon were tracked over 48h. We then combined literature review and wet-chemical experiments to compile the pH dependence of rates of organic substrate oxidation by MnO2, including glucose. Our results demonstrate a strong pH dependence for these abiotic reactions. In assemblages of P. putida - MnO2, kinetic limitations for abiotic C oxidation by MnO2 are overcome by changes in biogeochemical conditions that result from bacterial C metabolism. When extrapolated to a soil solution confronted to an input of fresh dissolved organic matter, bacterial C metabolism of the

  13. Transport of sludge-derived organic pollutants to deep-sea sediments at deep water dump site 106

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Takada, H.; Farrington, J.W.; Bothner, Michael H.; Johnson, C.G.; Tripp, B.W.

    1994-01-01

    Linear alkylbenzenes (LABs), coprostanol and epi-coprostanol, were detected in sediment trap and bottom sediment samples at the Deep Water Dump Site 106 located 185 km off the coast of New Jersey, in water depths from 2400 to 2900 m. These findings clearly indicate that organic pollutants derived from dumped sludge are transported through the water column and have accumulated on the deep-sea floor. No significant difference in LABs isomeric composition was observed among sludge and samples, indicating little environmental biodegradation of these compounds. LABs and coprostanol have penetrated down to a depth of 6 cm in sediment, indicating the mixing of these compounds by biological and physical processes. Also, in artificially resuspended surface sediments, high concentrations of LABs and coprostanols were detected, implying that sewage-derived organic pollutants initially deposited on the deep-sea floor can be further dispersed by resuspension and transport processes. Small but significant amounts of coprostanol were detected in the sediment from a control site at which no LABs were detected. The coprostanol is probably derived from feces of marine mammals and sea birds and/or from microbial or geochemical transformations of cholesterol. Polcyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in sediment trap samples from the dump site were largely from the sewage sludge and had a mixed petroleum and pyrogenic composition. In contrast, PAHs in sediments in the dump site were mainly pyrogenic; contributed either from sewage sludge or from atmospheric transport to the overlying waters. & 1994 American Chemical Society.

  14. Oxygen and sulfur isotope systematics of sulfate produced by bacterial and abiotic oxidation of pyrite

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Balci, N.; Shanks, Wayne C.; Mayer, B.; Mandernack, K.W.

    2007-01-01

    To better understand reaction pathways of pyrite oxidation and biogeochemical controls on ??18O and ??34S values of the generated sulfate in acid mine drainage (AMD) and other natural environments, we conducted a series of pyrite oxidation experiments in the laboratory. Our biological and abiotic experiments were conducted under aerobic conditions by using O2 as an oxidizing agent and under anaerobic conditions by using dissolved Fe(III)aq as an oxidant with varying ??18OH2O values in the presence and absence of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans. In addition, aerobic biological experiments were designed as short- and long-term experiments where the final pH was controlled at ???2.7 and 2.2, respectively. Due to the slower kinetics of abiotic sulfide oxidation, the aerobic abiotic experiments were only conducted as long term with a final pH of ???2.7. The ??34SSO4 values from both the biological and abiotic anaerobic experiments indicated a small but significant sulfur isotope fractionation (???-0.7???) in contrast to no significant fractionation observed from any of the aerobic experiments. Relative percentages of the incorporation of water-derived oxygen and dissolved oxygen (O2) to sulfate were estimated, in addition to the oxygen isotope fractionation between sulfate and water, and dissolved oxygen. As expected, during the biological and abiotic anaerobic experiments all of the sulfate oxygen was derived from water. The percentage incorporation of water-derived oxygen into sulfate during the oxidation experiments by O2 varied with longer incubation and lower pH, but not due to the presence or absence of bacteria. These percentages were estimated as 85%, 92% and 87% from the short-term biological, long-term biological and abiotic control experiments, respectively. An oxygen isotope fractionation effect between sulfate and water (??18 OSO4 s(-) H2 O) of ???3.5??? was determined for the anaerobic (biological and abiotic) experiments. This measured ??18 OSO42 - s(-) H2

  15. Site-specific 15N isotopic signatures of abiotically produced N2O

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Heil, Jannis; Wolf, Benjamin; Brüggemann, Nicolas; Emmenegger, Lukas; Tuzson, Béla; Vereecken, Harry; Mohn, Joachim

    2014-08-01

    Efficient nitrous oxide (N2O) mitigation strategies require the identification of the main source and sink processes and their contribution to total soil N2O production. Several abiotic reactions of nitrification intermediates leading to N2O production are known, but their contribution to total N2O production in soils is uncertain. As the site preference (SP) of 15N in N2O is a promising tool to give more insight into N2O production processes, we investigated the SP of N2O produced by different abiotic reactions in a laboratory study. All reactions involved the nitrification intermediate hydroxylamine (NH2OH) in combination with nitrite (NO2-), Fe3+, Fe2+ and Cu2+, reactants commonly or potentially found in soils, at different concentrations and pH values. N2O production and its four main isotopic species (14N14N16O, 15N14N16O, 14N15N16O, and 14N14N18O) were quantified simultaneously and online at high temporal resolution using quantum cascade laser absorption spectroscopy. Thereby, our study presents the first continuous analysis of δ18O in N2O. The experiments revealed the possibility of purely abiotic reactions over a wide range of acidity (pH 3-8) by different mechanisms. All studied abiotic pathways produced N2O with a characteristic SP in the range of 34-35‰, unaffected by process conditions and remaining constant over the course of the experiments. These findings reflect the benefit of continuous N2O isotopic analysis by laser spectroscopy, contribute new information to the challenging source partitioning of N2O emissions from soils, and emphasize the potentially significant role of coupled biotic-abiotic reactions in soils.

  16. The Arabidopsis PLAT domain protein1 is critically involved in abiotic stress tolerance.

    PubMed

    Hyun, Tae Kyung; van der Graaff, Eric; Albacete, Alfonso; Eom, Seung Hee; Großkinsky, Dominik K; Böhm, Hannah; Janschek, Ursula; Rim, Yeonggil; Ali, Walid Wahid; Kim, Soo Young; Roitsch, Thomas

    2014-01-01

    Despite the completion of the Arabidopsis genome sequence, for only a relatively low percentage of the encoded proteins experimental evidence concerning their function is available. Plant proteins that harbour a single PLAT (Polycystin, Lipoxygenase, Alpha-toxin and Triacylglycerol lipase) domain and belong to the PLAT-plant-stress protein family are ubiquitously present in monocot and dicots. However, the function of PLAT-plant-stress proteins is still poorly understood. Therefore, we have assessed the function of the uncharacterised Arabidopsis PLAT-plant-stress family members through a combination of functional genetic and physiological approaches. PLAT1 overexpression conferred increased abiotic stress tolerance, including cold, drought and salt stress, while loss-of-function resulted in opposite effects on abiotic stress tolerance. Strikingly, PLAT1 promoted growth under non-stressed conditions. Abiotic stress treatments induced PLAT1 expression and caused expansion of its expression domain. The ABF/ABRE transcription factors, which are positive mediators of abscisic acid signalling, activate PLAT1 promoter activity in transactivation assays and directly bind to the ABRE elements located in this promoter in electrophoretic mobility shift assays. This suggests that PLAT1 represents a novel downstream target of the abscisic acid signalling pathway. Thus, we showed that PLAT1 critically functions as positive regulator of abiotic stress tolerance, but also is involved in regulating plant growth, and thereby assigned a function to this previously uncharacterised PLAT domain protein. The functional data obtained for PLAT1 support that PLAT-plant-stress proteins in general could be promising targets for improving abiotic stress tolerance without yield penalty.

  17. The Arabidopsis PLAT Domain Protein1 Is Critically Involved in Abiotic Stress Tolerance

    PubMed Central

    Eom, Seung Hee; Großkinsky, Dominik K.; Böhm, Hannah; Janschek, Ursula; Rim, Yeonggil; Ali, Walid Wahid; Kim, Soo Young; Roitsch, Thomas

    2014-01-01

    Despite the completion of the Arabidopsis genome sequence, for only a relatively low percentage of the encoded proteins experimental evidence concerning their function is available. Plant proteins that harbour a single PLAT (Polycystin, Lipoxygenase, Alpha-toxin and Triacylglycerol lipase) domain and belong to the PLAT-plant-stress protein family are ubiquitously present in monocot and dicots. However, the function of PLAT-plant-stress proteins is still poorly understood. Therefore, we have assessed the function of the uncharacterised Arabidopsis PLAT-plant-stress family members through a combination of functional genetic and physiological approaches. PLAT1 overexpression conferred increased abiotic stress tolerance, including cold, drought and salt stress, while loss-of-function resulted in opposite effects on abiotic stress tolerance. Strikingly, PLAT1 promoted growth under non-stressed conditions. Abiotic stress treatments induced PLAT1 expression and caused expansion of its expression domain. The ABF/ABRE transcription factors, which are positive mediators of abscisic acid signalling, activate PLAT1 promoter activity in transactivation assays and directly bind to the ABRE elements located in this promoter in electrophoretic mobility shift assays. This suggests that PLAT1 represents a novel downstream target of the abscisic acid signalling pathway. Thus, we showed that PLAT1 critically functions as positive regulator of abiotic stress tolerance, but also is involved in regulating plant growth, and thereby assigned a function to this previously uncharacterised PLAT domain protein. The functional data obtained for PLAT1 support that PLAT-plant-stress proteins in general could be promising targets for improving abiotic stress tolerance without yield penalty. PMID:25396746

  18. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal responses to abiotic stresses: A review.

    PubMed

    Lenoir, Ingrid; Fontaine, Joël; Lounès-Hadj Sahraoui, Anissa

    2016-03-01

    The majority of plants live in close collaboration with a diversity of soil organisms among which arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) play an essential role. Mycorrhizal symbioses contribute to plant growth and plant protection against various environmental stresses. Whereas the resistance mechanisms induced in mycorrhizal plants after exposure to abiotic stresses, such as drought, salinity and pollution, are well documented, the knowledge about the stress tolerance mechanisms implemented by the AMF themselves is limited. This review provides an overview of the impacts of various abiotic stresses (pollution, salinity, drought, extreme temperatures, CO2, calcareous, acidity) on biodiversity, abundance and development of AMF and examines the morphological, biochemical and molecular mechanisms implemented by AMF to survive in the presence of these stresses. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Relationships between biotic and abiotic factors and regeneration of chestnut oak, white oak, and northern red oak

    Treesearch

    Songlin Fei; Kim C. Steiner; James C. Finley; Marc E. McDill

    2003-01-01

    A series of substantial field surveys of 38 mixed-oak stands in central Pennsylvania were carried out during 1996-2000. All the stands were surveyed 1 year prior to harvest, and 16 stands have been surveyed 1 year after harvest. Three abiotic factors at stand scale, four abiotic factors at plot scale, and two biotic factors and one abiotic factor at subplot scale was...

  20. Can the Army Provide Bulk Petroleum Support to Joint Force 2020?

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-03-01

    Petroleum Officer (JPO) and one or more Sub Area Petroleum Officers ( SAPO ). The JPO coordinates petroleum support to all forces in a theater on behalf...position is the SAPO , established by the Combatant Commander or a Joint Force Commander (JFC) to fulfill bulk petroleum planning and execution in a...section of the theater for which the JPO is responsible.7 A key duty of the SAPO is to advise the JFC and his/her staff on petroleum logistics

  1. Petroleum exploration and the Atlantic OCS

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Edson, G.; Adinolfi, F.; Gray, F.

    1993-08-01

    The largest Atlantic outer continental shelf (OCS) lease sale was the first one, Sale 40 in 1976. Ninety-three Baltimore Canyon Trough petroleum leases were issued, and industry's winning bids total $1.1 billion. The highest bonus bids were for leases overlying the Schlee Dome, then called Great Stone Dome, a large structure with a very large fetch area. By 1981, seven dry wells on the dome moderated this initial flush of optimism. However, subeconomic quantities of gas and light oil were discovered on the nearby Hudson Canyon Block 598-642 structure. Now after 9 lease sales, 410 lease awards, and 46 explorationmore » wells, United States Atlantic petroleum exploration activity is in a hiatus. Fifty-three leases remain active under suspensions of operation. Twenty-one lease blocks, about 50 mi offshore from Cape Hatteras, have been combined as the Manteo Exploration Unit. Mobil and partners submitted an exploration plant for the unit in 1989. The Atlantic OCS has petroleum potential, especially for gas. With only 46 exploration wells, entire basins and plays remain untested. During the present exploration inactivity, some petroleum evaluation of the Atlantic OCS continues by the Minerals Management Service and others. Similarities and differences are being documented between United States basins and the Canadian Scotian Basin, which contains oil and gas in commercial quantities. Other initiatives include geochemical, thermal history, seismic stratigraphic, and petroleum system modeling studies. The gas-prone Atlantic OCS eventually may make an energy contribution, especially to nearby East Coast markets.« less

  2. Practical Advances in Petroleum Processing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hsu, Chang S.; Robinson, Paul R.

    "This comprehensive book by Robinson and Hsu will certainly become the standard text book for the oil refining business...[A] must read for all who are associated with oil refining." - Dr. Walter Fritsch, Senior Vice President Refining, OMV "This book covers a very advanced horizon of petroleum processing technology. For all refiners facing regional and global environmental concerns, and for those who seek a more sophisticated understanding of the refining of petroleum resources, this book has been long in coming." - Mr. Naomasa Kondo, Cosmo Oil Company, Ltd.

  3. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in chronically petroleum-contaminated soils in Mexico and the effects of petroleum hydrocarbons on spore germination.

    PubMed

    Franco-Ramírez, Alicia; Ferrera-Cerrato, Ronald; Varela-Fregoso, Lucía; Pérez-Moreno, Jesús; Alarcón, Alejandro

    2007-10-01

    Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) have been hypothesized to enhance plant adaptation and growth in petroleum-contaminated soils. Nevertheless, neither AMF-biodiversity under chronically petroleum-contaminated soils nor spore germination response to petroleum hydrocarbons has been well studied. Chronically petroleum-contaminated rhizosphere soil and roots from Echinochloa polystachya, Citrus aurantifolia and C. aurantium were collected from Activo Cinco Presidentes, Tabasco, Mexico. Root colonization and spore abundance were evaluated. Additionally, rhizosphere soil samples were propagated using Sorghum vulgare L. as a plant trap under greenhouse conditions; subsequently, AMF-spores were identified. AMF-colonization ranged from 63 to 77% while spore number ranged from 715 to 912 in 100 g soil, suggesting that AMF tolerate the presence of petroleum hydrocarbons in the rhizosphere. From grass species, four AMF-morphospecies were identified: Glomus ambisporum, G. sinuosum (previously described as Sclerocystis sinuosum), Acaulospora laevis, and Ambispora gerdermanni. From citrus trees, four AMF-species were also identified: Scutellospora heterogama, G. ambisporum, Acaulospora scrobiculata, and G. citricola. In a second study, it was observed that spore germination and hyphal length of G. mosseae, G. ambisporum, and S. heterogama were significantly reduced by either volatile compounds of crude oil or increased concentrations of benzo[a ]pyrene or phenanthrene in water-agar.

  4. Abiotic stress responses in plants: roles of calmodulin-regulated proteins

    PubMed Central

    Virdi, Amardeep S.; Singh, Supreet; Singh, Prabhjeet

    2015-01-01

    Intracellular changes in calcium ions (Ca2+) in response to different biotic and abiotic stimuli are detected by various sensor proteins in the plant cell. Calmodulin (CaM) is one of the most extensively studied Ca2+-sensing proteins and has been shown to be involved in transduction of Ca2+ signals. After interacting with Ca2+, CaM undergoes conformational change and influences the activities of a diverse range of CaM-binding proteins. A number of CaM-binding proteins have also been implicated in stress responses in plants, highlighting the central role played by CaM in adaptation to adverse environmental conditions. Stress adaptation in plants is a highly complex and multigenic response. Identification and characterization of CaM-modulated proteins in relation to different abiotic stresses could, therefore, prove to be essential for a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in abiotic stress tolerance in plants. Various studies have revealed involvement of CaM in regulation of metal ions uptake, generation of reactive oxygen species and modulation of transcription factors such as CAMTA3, GTL1, and WRKY39. Activities of several kinases and phosphatases have also been shown to be modulated by CaM, thus providing further versatility to stress-associated signal transduction pathways. The results obtained from contemporary studies are consistent with the proposed role of CaM as an integrator of different stress signaling pathways, which allows plants to maintain homeostasis between different cellular processes. In this review, we have attempted to present the current state of understanding of the role of CaM in modulating different stress-regulated proteins and its implications in augmenting abiotic stress tolerance in plants. PMID:26528296

  5. Sudden deep gas eruption nearby Rome's airport of Fiumicino

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ciotoli, Giancarlo; Etiope, Giuseppe; Florindo, Fabio; Marra, Fabrizio; Ruggiero, Livio; Sauer, Peter E.

    2013-11-01

    24 August 2013 a sudden gas eruption from the ground occurred in the Tiber river delta, nearby Rome's international airport of Fiumicino. We assessed that this gas, analogous to other minor vents in the area, is dominantly composed of deep, partially mantle-derived CO2, as in the geothermal gas of the surrounding Roman Comagmatic Province. Increased amounts of thermogenic CH4 are likely sourced from Meso-Cenozoic petroleum systems, overlying the deep magmatic fluids. We hypothesize that the intersection of NE-SW and N-S fault systems, which at regional scale controls the location of the Roman volcanic edifices, favors gas uprising through the impermeable Pliocene and deltaic Holocene covers. Pressurized gas may temporarily be stored below these covers or within shallower sandy, permeable layers. The eruption, regardless the triggering cause—natural or man-made, reveals the potential hazard of gas-charged sediments in the delta, even at distances far from the volcanic edifices.

  6. Non-Petroleum Oils

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    These include synthetics such as silicone fluids and tung oils, wood-derivative oils such as resin/rosin, animal fats/oil, and seed oils. Many have similar physical properties to petroleum-based, such as water insolubility and formation of slicks.

  7. Abiotic CO2 reduction during geologic carbon sequestration facilitated by Fe(II)-bearing minerals

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nielsen, L. C.; Maher, K.; Bird, D. K.; Brown, G. E.; Thomas, B.; Johnson, N. C.; Rosenbauer, R. J.

    2012-12-01

    Redox reactions involving subsurface minerals and fluids and can lead to the abiotic generation of hydrocarbons from CO2 under certain conditions. Depleted oil reservoirs and saline aquifers targeted for geologic carbon sequestration (GCS) can contain significant quantities of minerals such as ferrous chlorite, which could facilitate the abiotic reduction of carbon dioxide to n-carboxylic acids, hydrocarbons, and amorphous carbon (C0). If such reactions occur, the injection of supercritical CO2 (scCO2) could significantly alter the oxidation state of the reservoir and cause extensive reorganization of the stable mineral assemblage via dissolution and reprecipitation reactions. Naturally occurring iron oxide minerals such as magnetite are known to catalyze CO2 reduction, resulting in the synthesis of organic compounds. Magnetite is thermodynamically stable in Fe(II) chlorite-bearing mineral assemblages typical of some reservoir formations. Thermodynamic calculations demonstrate that GCS reservoirs buffered by the chlorite-kaolinite-carbonate(siderite/magnesite)-quartz assemblage favor the reduction of CO2 to n-carboxylic acids, hydrocarbons, and C0, although the extent of abiotic CO2 reduction may be kinetically limited. To investigate the rates of abiotic CO2 reduction in the presence of magnetite, we performed batch abiotic CO2 reduction experiments using a Dickson-type rocking hydrothermal apparatus at temperatures (373 K) and pressures (100 bar) within the range of conditions relevant to GCS. Blank experiments containing CO2 and H2 were used to rule out the possibility of catalytic activity of the experimental apparatus. Reaction of brine-suspended magnetite nanoparticles with scCO2 at H2 partial pressures typical of reservoir rocks - up to 100 and 0.1 bars respectively - was used to investigate the kinetics of magnetite-catalyzed abiotic CO2 reduction. Later experiments introducing ferrous chlorite (ripidolite) were carried out to determine the potential for

  8. Abiotic dechlorination of chlorinated ethenes in natural clayey soils: Impacts of mineralogy and temperature

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schaefer, Charles E.; Ho, Paul; Gurr, Christopher; Berns, Erin; Werth, Charles

    2017-11-01

    Laboratory batch experiments were performed to assess the impacts of temperature and mineralogy on the abiotic dechlorination of tetrachloroethene (PCE) or trichloroethene (TCE) due to the presence of ferrous minerals in natural aquifer clayey soils under anaerobic conditions. A combination of x-ray diffraction (XRD), magnetic susceptibility, and ferrous mineral content were used to characterize each of the 3 natural soils tested in this study, and dechlorination at temperatures ranging from 20 to 55 °C were examined. Results showed that abiotic dechlorination occurred in all 3 soils examined, yielding reduced gas abiotic dechlorination products acetylene, butane, ethene, and/or propane. Bulk first-order dechlorination rate constants (kbulk), scaled to the soil:water ratio expected for in situ conditions, ranged from 2.0 × 10- 5 day- 1 at 20 °C, to 32 × 10- 5 day- 1 at 55 °C in the soil with the greatest ferrous mineral content. For the generation of acetylene and ethene from PCE, the reaction was well described by Arrhenius kinetics, with an activation energy of 91 kJ/mol. For the generation of coupling products butane and propane, the Arrhenius equation did not provide a satisfactory description of the data, likely owing to the complex reaction mechanisms associated with these products and/or diffusional mass transfer processes associated with the ferrous minerals likely responsible for these coupling reactions. Although the data set was too limited to determine a definitive correlation, the two soils with elevated ferrous mineral contents had elevated abiotic dechlorination rate constants, while the one soil with a low ferrous mineral content had a relatively low abiotic dechlorination rate constant. Overall, results suggest intrinsic abiotic dechlorination rates may be an important long-term natural attenuation component in site conceptual models for clays that have the appropriate iron mineralogy.

  9. Alaskan North Slope petroleum systems

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Magoon, L.B.; Lillis, P.G.; Bird, K.J.; Lampe, C.; Peters, K.E.

    2003-01-01

    Six North Slope petroleum systems are identified, described, and mapped using oil-to-oil and oil-to-source rock correlations, pods of active source rock, and overburden rock packages. To map these systems, we assumed that: a) petroleum source rocks contain 3.2 wt. % organic carbon (TOC); b) immature oil-prone source rocks have hydrogen indices (HI) >300 (mg HC/gm TOC); c) the top and bottom of the petroleum (oil plus gas) window occur at vitrinite reflectance values of 0.6 and 1.0% Ro, respectively; and d) most hydrocarbons are expelled within the petroleum window. The six petroleum systems we have identified and mapped are: a) a southern system involving the Kuna-Lisburne source rock unit that was active during the Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous; b) two western systems involving source rock in the Kingak-Blankenship, and GRZ-lower Torok source rock units that were active during the Albian; and c) three eastern systems involving the Shublik-Otuk, Hue Shale and Canning source rock units that were active during the Cenozoic. The GRZ-lower Torok in the west is correlative with the Hue Shale to the east. Four overburden rock packages controlled the time of expulsion and gross geometry of migration paths: a) a southern package of Early Cretaceous and older rocks structurally-thickened by early Brooks Range thrusting; b) a western package of Early Cretaceous rocks that filled the western part of the foreland basin; c) an eastern package of Late Cretaceous and Paleogene rocks that filled the eastern part of the foreland basin; and d) an offshore deltaic package of Neogene rocks deposited by the Colville, Canning, and Mackenzie rivers. This petroleum system poster is part of a series of Northern Alaska posters on modeling. The poster in this session by Saltus and Bird present gridded maps for the greater Northern Alaskan onshore and offshore that are used in the 3D modeling poster by Lampe and others. Posters on source rock units are by Keller and Bird as well as

  10. Regulatory overkill and the petroleum industry

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    DiBona, C.J.

    1975-12-01

    The petroleum industry is one of the most heavily regulated industries in the U.S. Federal regulations as of August 31, 1975 could dictate on exploration, locating pipelines, siting of refineries, what products to make, to whom to sell (and where), in what quantities, and at what price for the products. The author believes these regulations along with the local county and state regulations have reduced the efficiency and effectiveness of the petroleum industry. The industry feels that regulations have gone too far and that it is now in the phase of ''regulatory overkill.'' In the short run it may bemore » possible to redistribute income from producers to consumers via price controls. But the long-run effects inevitably are fewer domestic petroleum reserves and less production. (MCW)« less

  11. Petroleum Market Model of the National Energy Modeling System

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    NONE

    1997-01-01

    The purpose of this report is to define the objectives of the Petroleum Market Model (PMM), describe its basic approach, and provide detail on how it works. This report is intended as a reference document for model analysts, users, and the public. The PMM models petroleum refining activities, the marketing of petroleum products to consumption regions. The production of natural gas liquids in gas processing plants, and domestic methanol production. The PMM projects petroleum product prices and sources of supply for meeting petroleum product demand. The sources of supply include crude oil, both domestic and imported; other inputs including alcoholsmore » and ethers; natural gas plant liquids production; petroleum product imports; and refinery processing gain. In addition, the PMM estimates domestic refinery capacity expansion and fuel consumption. Product prices are estimated at the Census division level and much of the refining activity information is at the Petroleum Administration for Defense (PAD) District level. This report is organized as follows: Chapter 2, Model Purpose; Chapter 3, Model Overview and Rationale; Chapter 4, Model Structure; Appendix A, Inventory of Input Data, Parameter Estimates, and Model Outputs; Appendix B, Detailed Mathematical Description of the Model; Appendix C, Bibliography; Appendix D, Model Abstract; Appendix E, Data Quality; Appendix F, Estimation methodologies; Appendix G, Matrix Generator documentation; Appendix H, Historical Data Processing; and Appendix I, Biofuels Supply Submodule.« less

  12. Substitution for petroleum products in Brasil: Urgent issues

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    de Araujo, J.L.; Ghirardi, A.

    Brazililan energy policy during the last decade has focused on the replacement of imported petroleum with domestic energy sources, combined with efforts at conservation. The substitution results, however, have been more spectacular by far. The strategy of replacement is based on two elements. first, to increase domestic petroleum exploration and production. Second, to promote non-petroleum fuels as alternatives to the industrial and transportation sectors, for the substitution of fuel oil and gasoline, respectively. A combination of the substitution strategy, the country's petroleum refining structure, and the composition of the substitution strategy, the country's petroleum refining structure, and the composition ofmore » demand, has resulted in large surpluses of both gasoline and fuel oil, while diesel has become the most used among petroleum products. The surpluses are not easily exportable because there is ample availability of fuel oil in the world market, and because the low octane number of the gasoline produced in Brasil is not compatible with the engines of cars elsewhere in the region and in the world. Furthermore, although gasoline might be upgraded, the question remains that prospects for the world market are not encouraging, and an export-based strategy does not seem justified in view of the growing surpluses. The objective of this analysis is to review the mechanisms of themajor petroleum-substitution programs currently in existence, identifying their past impact on the energy market and the possible consequences of changes in the goals and operating conditions of these programs, in the light of the new prospects for increased domestic oil production and self-sufficiency. 23 refs., 2 figs., 1 tab.« less

  13. 15 CFR Supplement No. 1 to Part 754 - Petroleum and Petroleum Products

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... more than 125 seconds. 2711.11.0000 Natural gas, methane and mixtures thereof (including liquefied... Petroleum Reserves Production Act. 2 Natural gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG), and synthetic natural gas...

  14. 15 CFR Supplement No. 1 to Part 754 - Petroleum and Petroleum Products

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... more than 125 seconds. 2711.11.0000 Natural gas, methane and mixtures thereof (including liquefied... Petroleum Reserves Production Act. 2 Natural gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG), and synthetic natural gas...

  15. 15 CFR Supplement No. 1 to Part 754 - Petroleum and Petroleum Products

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... more than 125 seconds. 2711.11.0000 Natural gas, methane and mixtures thereof (including liquefied... Petroleum Reserves Production Act. 2 Natural gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG), and synthetic natural gas...

  16. 15 CFR Supplement No. 1 to Part 754 - Petroleum and Petroleum Products

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... more than 125 seconds. 2711.11.0000 Natural gas, methane and mixtures thereof (including liquefied... Petroleum Reserves Production Act. 2 Natural gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG), and synthetic natural gas...

  17. 15 CFR Supplement No. 1 to Part 754 - Petroleum and Petroleum Products

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... more than 125 seconds. 2711.11.0000 Natural gas, methane and mixtures thereof (including liquefied... Petroleum Reserves Production Act. 2 Natural gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG), and synthetic natural gas...

  18. Total petroleum systems of the Illizi Province, Algeria and Libya; Tanezzuft-Illizi

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Klett, T.R.

    2000-01-01

    Undiscovered conventional oil and gas resources were assessed within a total petroleum system of the Illizi Province (2056) as part of the U.S. Geological Survey World Petroleum Assessment 2000. The Illizi Province is in eastern Algeria and a small portion of western Libya. The province and its total petroleum system coincide with the Illizi Basin. Although several total petroleum systems may exist within the Illizi Province, only one “composite” total petroleum system is identified. This total petroleum system comprises a single assessment unit. The main source rocks are the Silurian Tanezzuft Formation (or lateral equivalents) and Middle to Upper Devonian mudstone. The total petroleum system was named after the oldest major source rock and the basin in which it resides. The estimated means of the undiscovered conventional petroleum volumes in the Tanezzuft-Illizi Total Petroleum System are 2,814 million barrels of oil (MMBO), 27,785 billion cubic feet of gas (BCFG), and 873 million barrels of natural gas liquids (MMBNGL).

  19. Petroleum service projects in the Gulf of Guinea

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ken-Worgu, Kenneth Chukwumeka

    2011-07-01

    The goal of this record of study is to examine the major facets involved in managing several petroleum service projects located in three different countries in the Gulf of Guinea simultaneously, while effectively engaging in business development activities for the Oil and Industrial Services Group (OIS). This work also furnishes adequate background on related subject matters to enable understanding of the projects presented. The petroleum services sector is the back bone of the oil and gas industry. Services companies are vital to the success of all petroleum and energy producers in the USA, the Gulf of Guinea and the world. There is a need and demand for these service companies because they play various roles such as logistics, drilling, construction, dredging, pipe laying, procurement, food supply, human resource supply, etc. The Gulf of Guinea comprises of countries from west and central Africa. This project was limited to Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon. This area holds the largest petroleum reserves in Africa and plays a vital role in the global supply of petroleum. The Oil and Industrial Services Group (OIS), plans to establish herself as one of the leading petroleum service companies in this gulf. To manage this expansion, I have taken the role of Gulf of Guinea manager to apply my background as a petroleum engineer as well as my business skills to build a successful division of the company. This work provides a record of study of the management of services, projects and contracts carried out by the OIS group in the gulf of Guinea. The following are the specific projects in the Gulf of Guinea that I participated in: Managing delivering, maintenance and marketing of offshore vessels, Offshore pipe laying project, Integrated pipeline maintenance project, Development a petroleum technical training facilities, Agbami pipe insulation project, Engineering lift project and Capital budgeting analysis for potential investments. The details of the specific

  20. Alternative Fuels Data Center: City of Chicago Program Encourages Petroleum

    Science.gov Websites

    Displacement and Collaboration Between Departments City of Chicago Program Encourages Petroleum : City of Chicago Program Encourages Petroleum Displacement and Collaboration Between Departments on Facebook Tweet about Alternative Fuels Data Center: City of Chicago Program Encourages Petroleum

  1. Induction of abiotic stress tolerance in plants by endophytic microbes.

    PubMed

    Lata, R; Chowdhury, S; Gond, S K; White, J F

    2018-04-01

    Endophytes are micro-organisms including bacteria and fungi that survive within healthy plant tissues and promote plant growth under stress. This review focuses on the potential of endophytic microbes that induce abiotic stress tolerance in plants. How endophytes promote plant growth under stressful conditions, like drought and heat, high salinity and poor nutrient availability will be discussed. The molecular mechanisms for increasing stress tolerance in plants by endophytes include induction of plant stress genes as well as biomolecules like reactive oxygen species scavengers. This review may help in the development of biotechnological applications of endophytic microbes in plant growth promotion and crop improvement under abiotic stress conditions. Increasing human populations demand more crop yield for food security while crop production is adversely affected by abiotic stresses like drought, salinity and high temperature. Development of stress tolerance in plants is a strategy to cope with the negative effects of adverse environmental conditions. Endophytes are well recognized for plant growth promotion and production of natural compounds. The property of endophytes to induce stress tolerance in plants can be applied to increase crop yields. With this review, we intend to promote application of endophytes in biotechnology and genetic engineering for the development of stress-tolerant plants. © 2018 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  2. Olivine Weathering: Abiotic Versus Biotic Processes as Possible Biosignatures

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Longazo, T. G.; Wentworth, S. J.; McKay, D. S.; Southam, G.; Clemett, S. J.

    2001-01-01

    A preliminary study to determine how abiotic versus biotic processes affect the weathering of olivine crystals. Perhaps the differences between these weathering processes could be used as biosignatures. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.

  3. Cortex proliferation in the root is a protective mechanism against abiotic stress.

    PubMed

    Cui, Hongchang

    2015-01-01

    Although as an organ the root plays a pivotal role in nutrient and water uptake as well anchorage, individual cell types function distinctly. Cortex is regarded as the least differentiated cell type in the root, but little is known about its role in plant growth and physiology. In recent studies, we found that cortex proliferation can be induced by oxidative stress. Since all types of abiotic stress lead to oxidative stress, this finding suggests a role for cortex in coping with abiotic stress. This hypothesis was tested in this study using the spy mutant, which has an extra layer of cortex in the root. Interestingly, the spy mutant was shown to be hypersensitive to salt and oxidizing reagent applied to the leaves, but it was as tolerant as the wild type to these compounds in the soil. This result lends support to the notion that cortex has a protective role against abiotic stress arising from the soil.

  4. Guam Transportation Petroleum-Use Reduction Plan

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Johnson, C.

    2013-04-01

    The island of Guam has set a goal to reduce petroleum use 20% by 2020. Because transportation is responsible for one-third of on-island petroleum use, the Guam Energy Task Force (GETF), a collaboration between the U.S. Department of Energy and numerous Guam-based agencies and organizations, devised a specific plan by which to meet the 20% goal within the transportation sector. This report lays out GETF's plan.

  5. Biotic and abiotic transformations of methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE).

    PubMed

    Fischer, Axel; Oehm, Claudia; Selle, Michael; Werner, Peter

    2005-11-01

    Methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) is a fuel additive which is used all over the world. In recent years it has often been found in groundwater, mainly in the USA, but also in Europe. Although MTBE seems to be a minor toxic, it affects the taste and odour of water at concentrations of < 30 microg/L. Although MTBE is often a recalcitrant compound, it is known that many ethers can be degraded by abiotic means. The aim of this study was to examine biotic and abiotic transformations of MTBE with respect to the particular conditions of a contaminated site (former refinery) in Leuna, Germany. Groundwater samples from wells of a contaminated site were used for aerobic and anaerobic degradation experiments. The abiotic degradation experiment (hydrolysis) was conducted employing an ion-exchange resin and MTBE solutions in distilled water. MTBE, tertiary butyl formate (TBF) and tertiary butyl alcohol (TBA) were measured by a gas chromatograph with flame ionisation detector (FID). Aldehydes and organic acids were respectively analysed by a gas chromatograph with electron capture detector (ECD) and high-performance ion chromatography (HPIC). Under aerobic conditions, MTBE was degraded in laboratory experiments. Only 4 of a total of 30 anaerobic experiments exhibited degradation, and the process was very slow. In no cases were metabolites detected, but a few degradation products (TBF, TBA and formic acid) were found on the site, possibly due to the lower temperatures in groundwater. The abiotic degradation of MTBE with an ion-exchange resin as a catalyst at pH 3.5 was much faster than hydrolysis in diluted hydrochloric acid (pH 1.0). Although the aerobic degradation of MTBE in the environment seems to be possible, the specific conditions responsible are widely unknown. Successful aerobic degradation only seems to take place if there is a lack of other utilisable compounds. However, MTBE is often accompanied by other fuel compounds on contaminated sites and anaerobic conditions

  6. Emerging trends in the functional genomics of the abiotic stress response in crop plants.

    PubMed

    Vij, Shubha; Tyagi, Akhilesh K

    2007-05-01

    Plants are exposed to different abiotic stresses, such as water deficit, high temperature, salinity, cold, heavy metals and mechanical wounding, under field conditions. It is estimated that such stress conditions can potentially reduce the yield of crop plants by more than 50%. Investigations of the physiological, biochemical and molecular aspects of stress tolerance have been conducted to unravel the intrinsic mechanisms developed during evolution to mitigate against stress by plants. Before the advent of the genomics era, researchers primarily used a gene-by-gene approach to decipher the function of the genes involved in the abiotic stress response. However, abiotic stress tolerance is a complex trait and, although large numbers of genes have been identified to be involved in the abiotic stress response, there remain large gaps in our understanding of the trait. The availability of the genome sequences of certain important plant species has enabled the use of strategies, such as genome-wide expression profiling, to identify the genes associated with the stress response, followed by the verification of gene function by the analysis of mutants and transgenics. Certain components of both abscisic acid-dependent and -independent cascades involved in the stress response have already been identified. Information originating from the genome-wide analysis of abiotic stress tolerance will help to provide an insight into the stress-responsive network(s), and may allow the modification of this network to reduce the loss caused by stress and to increase agricultural productivity.

  7. A NAP-Family Histone Chaperone Functions in Abiotic Stress Response and Adaptation1[OPEN

    PubMed Central

    Pareek, Ashwani; Singla-Pareek, Sneh Lata

    2016-01-01

    Modulation of gene expression is one of the most significant molecular mechanisms of abiotic stress response in plants. Via altering DNA accessibility, histone chaperones affect the transcriptional competence of genomic loci. However, in contrast to other factors affecting chromatin dynamics, the role of plant histone chaperones in abiotic stress response and adaptation remains elusive. Here, we studied the physiological function of a stress-responsive putative rice (Oryza sativa) histone chaperone of the NAP superfamily: OsNAPL6. We show that OsNAPL6 is a nuclear-localized H3/H4 histone chaperone capable of assembling a nucleosome-like structure. Utilizing overexpression and knockdown approaches, we found a positive correlation between OsNAPL6 expression levels and adaptation to multiple abiotic stresses. Results of comparative transcriptome profiling and promoter-recruitment studies indicate that OsNAPL6 functions during stress response via modulation of expression of various genes involved in diverse functions. For instance, we show that OsNAPL6 is recruited to OsRad51 promoter, activating its expression and leading to more efficient DNA repair and abrogation of programmed cell death under salinity and genotoxic stress conditions. These results suggest that the histone chaperone OsNAPL6 may serve a regulatory role in abiotic stress physiology possibly via modulating nucleosome dynamics at various stress-associated genomic loci. Taken together, our findings establish a hitherto unknown link between histone chaperones and abiotic stress response in plants. PMID:27342307

  8. Study of variation grain size in desulfurization process of calcined petroleum coke

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pintowantoro, Sungging; Setiawan, Muhammad Arif; Abdul, Fakhreza

    2018-04-01

    Indonesia is a country with abundant natural resources, such as mineral mining and petroleum. In petroleum processing, crude oil can be processed into a source of fuel energy such as gasoline, diesel, oil, petroleum coke, and others. One of crude oil potentials in Indonesia is petroleum coke. Petroleum coke is a product from oil refining process. Sulfur reducing process in calcined petroleum cokes can be done by desulfurization process. The industries which have potential to become petroleum coke processing consumers are industries of aluminum smelting (anode, graphite block, carbon mortar), iron riser, calcined coke, foundry coke, etc. Sulfur reducing process in calcined petroleum coke can be done by thermal desulfurization process with alkaline substance NaOH. Desulfurization of petroleum coke process can be done in two ways, which are thermal desulfurization and hydrodesulphurization. This study aims to determine the effect of various grain size on sulfur, carbon, and chemical bond which contained by calcined petroleum coke. The raw material use calcined petroleum coke with 0.653% sulfur content. The grain size that used in this research is 50 mesh, then varied to 20 mesh and 100 mesh for each desulfurization process. Desulfurization are tested by ICP, UV-VIS, and FTIR to determine levels of sulfur, carbon, chemical bonding and sulfur dissolved water which contained in the residual washing of calcined petroleum coke. From various grain size that mentioned before, the optimal value is on 100 mesh grain size, where the sulfur content in petroleum coke is 0.24% and carbon content reaches the highest level of 97.8%. Meanwhile for grain size 100 mesh in the desulfurization process is enough to break the chemical bonds of organic sulfur in petroleum coke.

  9. The United Nations Framework Classification for World Petroleum Resources

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Ahlbrandt, T.S.; Blystad, P.; Young, E.D.; Slavov, S.; Heiberg, S.

    2003-01-01

    The United Nations has developed an international framework classification for solid fuels and minerals (UNFC). This is now being extended to petroleum by building on the joint classification of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), the World Petroleum Congresses (WPC) and the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG). The UNFC is a 3-dimansional classification. This: Is necessary in order to migrate accounts of resource quantities that are developed on one or two of the axes to the common basis; Provides for more precise reporting and analysis. This is particularly useful in analyses of contingent resources. The characteristics of the SPE/WPC/AAPG classification has been preserved and enhanced to facilitate improved international and national petroleum resource management, corporate business process management and financial reporting. A UN intergovernmental committee responsible for extending the UNFC to extractive energy resources (coal, petroleum and uranium) will meet in Geneva on October 30th and 31st to review experiences gained and comments received during 2003. A recommended classification will then be delivered for consideration to the United Nations through the Committee on Sustainable Energy of the Economic Commission for Europe (UN ECE).

  10. Abscisic Acid and abiotic stress signaling.

    PubMed

    Tuteja, Narendra

    2007-05-01

    Abiotic stress is severe environmental stress, which impairs crop production on irrigated land worldwide. Overall, the susceptibility or tolerance to the stress in plants is a coordinated action of multiple stress responsive genes, which also cross-talk with other components of stress signal transduction pathways. Plant responses to abiotic stress can be determined by the severity of the stress and by the metabolic status of the plant. Abscisic acid (ABA) is a phytohormone critical for plant growth and development and plays an important role in integrating various stress signals and controlling downstream stress responses. Plants have to adjust ABA levels constantly in responce to changing physiological and environmental conditions. To date, the mechanisms for fine-tuning of ABA levels remain elusive. The mechanisms by which plants respond to stress include both ABA-dependent and ABA-independent processes. Various transcription factors such as DREB2A/2B, AREB1, RD22BP1 and MYC/MYB are known to regulate the ABA-responsive gene expression through interacting with their corrosponding cis-acting elements such as DRE/CRT, ABRE and MYCRS/MYBRS, respectively. Understanding these mechanisms is important to improve stress tolerance in crops plants. This article first describes the general pathway for plant stress response followed by roles of ABA and transcription factors in stress tolerance including the regulation of ABA biosynthesis.

  11. Abscisic Acid and Abiotic Stress Signaling

    PubMed Central

    2007-01-01

    Abiotic stress is severe environmental stress, which impairs crop production on irrigated land worldwide. Overall, the susceptibility or tolerance to the stress in plants is a coordinated action of multiple stress responsive genes, which also cross-talk with other components of stress signal transduction pathways. Plant responses to abiotic stress can be determined by the severity of the stress and by the metabolic status of the plant. Abscisic acid (ABA) is a phytohormone critical for plant growth and development and plays an important role in integrating various stress signals and controlling downstream stress responses. Plants have to adjust ABA levels constantly in responce to changing physiological and environmental conditions. To date, the mechanisms for fine-tuning of ABA levels remain elusive. The mechanisms by which plants respond to stress include both ABA-dependent and ABA-independent processes. Various transcription factors such as DREB2A/2B, AREB1, RD22BP1 and MYC/MYB are known to regulate the ABA-responsive gene expression through interacting with their corrosponding cis-acting elements such as DRE/CRT, ABRE and MYCRS/MYBRS, respectively. Understanding these mechanisms is important to improve stress tolerance in crops plants. This article first describes the general pathway for plant stress response followed by roles of ABA and transcription factors in stress tolerance including the regulation of ABA biosynthesis. PMID:19516981

  12. ABIOTIC DEGRADATION OF TRICHLOROETHYLENE UNDER THERMAL REMEDIATION CONDITIONS

    EPA Science Inventory

    The degradation of TCE (C2HCl3) to carbon dioxide (CO2) and chloride (Cl-) has been reported to occur during thermal remediation of subsurface environments. The overall goal of this study was to evaluate abiotic degradation of TCE at el...

  13. Analysis of Cell Wall-Related Genes in Organs of Medicago sativa L. under Different Abiotic Stresses.

    PubMed

    Behr, Marc; Legay, Sylvain; Hausman, Jean-Francois; Guerriero, Gea

    2015-07-16

    Abiotic constraints are a source of concern in agriculture, because they can have a strong impact on plant growth and development, thereby affecting crop yield. The response of plants to abiotic constraints varies depending on the type of stress, on the species and on the organs. Although many studies have addressed different aspects of the plant response to abiotic stresses, only a handful has focused on the role of the cell wall. A targeted approach has been used here to study the expression of cell wall-related genes in different organs of alfalfa plants subjected for four days to three different abiotic stress treatments, namely salt, cold and heat stress. Genes involved in different steps of cell wall formation (cellulose biosynthesis, monolignol biosynthesis and polymerization) have been analyzed in different organs of Medicago sativa L. Prior to this analysis, an in silico classification of dirigent/dirigent-like proteins and class III peroxidases has been performed in Medicago truncatula and M. sativa. The final goal of this study is to infer and compare the expression patterns of cell wall-related genes in response to different abiotic stressors in the organs of an important legume crop.

  14. Analysis of Cell Wall-Related Genes in Organs of Medicago sativa L. under Different Abiotic Stresses

    PubMed Central

    Behr, Marc; Legay, Sylvain; Hausman, Jean-Francois; Guerriero, Gea

    2015-01-01

    Abiotic constraints are a source of concern in agriculture, because they can have a strong impact on plant growth and development, thereby affecting crop yield. The response of plants to abiotic constraints varies depending on the type of stress, on the species and on the organs. Although many studies have addressed different aspects of the plant response to abiotic stresses, only a handful has focused on the role of the cell wall. A targeted approach has been used here to study the expression of cell wall-related genes in different organs of alfalfa plants subjected for four days to three different abiotic stress treatments, namely salt, cold and heat stress. Genes involved in different steps of cell wall formation (cellulose biosynthesis, monolignol biosynthesis and polymerization) have been analyzed in different organs of Medicago sativa L. Prior to this analysis, an in silico classification of dirigent/dirigent-like proteins and class III peroxidases has been performed in Medicago truncatula and M. sativa. The final goal of this study is to infer and compare the expression patterns of cell wall-related genes in response to different abiotic stressors in the organs of an important legume crop. PMID:26193255

  15. An Evaluation of Deep-Sea Benthic Megafaunal Communities in the Northern Gulf of Mexico Using Industrial ROVS and Video Imagery

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sharuga, S. M.; Benfield, M. C.

    2016-02-01

    The Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010 created a need for more thorough studies of deep-sea benthic biota, especially in soft-sediment areas of the Northern Gulf of Mexico (GoM). These benthic environments are increasingly vulnerable as demand and exploitation of resources in these areas grow. A 15°, 250 m long radial transect survey design was developed for use with industrial remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) to quantify benthic megafaunal communities in the vicinity of the MC252 well. Further, a customized database system was developed to explore natural and anthropogenic factors potentially responsible for influencing benthic megafaunal characteristics in this area. Biotic and abiotic characteristics were extracted from ROV videos collected one year after the Deepwater Horizon spill at seven study sites ranging from 2-39 km away from MC252, and located at depths from 850-1500 m. Seafloor environments differed amongst the sites, with differences found to be related to location and depth. Benthic megafauna in ten taxonomic categories were evaluated in order to compare benthic community characteristics, including density and diversity. Overall, community composition was found to be primarily related to depth and, to a lesser degree, site location. Results from this study suggest that depth, location, and the abiotic environment (ex. seafloor features, including anthropogenic disturbance) play important roles in the abundances and diversity of deep-sea benthic megafauna in the Northern GoM and should be considered when conducting environmental studies. This study demonstrates the utility of industrial-based deep-sea imaging platforms as a readily accessible option for collecting valuable information on deep-sea environments. These platforms exhibit excellent potential for use in determining baseline data and evaluating ecosystem changes and/or recovery.

  16. The Stable Isotope Fractionation of Abiotic Reactions: A Benchmark in the Detection of Life

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Summers, David P.

    2003-01-01

    One very important tool in the analysis of biogenic, and potentially biogenic, samples is the study of their stable isotope distributions. The isotope distribution of a sample depends on the process(es) that created it. One important application of the analysis of C & N stable isotope ratios has been in the determination of whether organic matter in a sample is of biological origin or was produced abiotically. For example, the delta C-13 of organic material found embedded in phosphate grains was cited as a critical part of the evidence for life in 3.8 billion year old samples. The importance of such analysis in establishing biogenicity was highlighted again by the role this issue played in the recent debate over the validity of what had been accepted as the Earth s earliest microfossils. These kinds of analysis imply a comparison with the fractionation that one would have seen if the organic material had been produced by alternative, abiotic, pathways. Could abiotic reactions account for the same level of fractionation? Additionally, since the fractionation can vary between different abiotic reactions, understanding their fractionations can be important in distinguishing what reactions may have been significant in the formation of different abiological samples (such as extraterrestrial samples). There is however, a scarcity of data on the fractionation of carbon and nitrogen by abiotic reactions. In order to interpret properly what the stable isotope ratios of samples tell us about their biotic or abiotic nature, more needs to be known about how abiotic reactions fractionate C and N. Carbon isotope fractionations have been studied for a few abiotic processes. These studies presumed the presence of a reducing atmosphere, focusing on reactions involving spark discharge, W photolysis of reducing gas mixtures, and cyanide polymerization in the presence of ammonia. They did find that the initial products showed a depletion in I3C with values in the range of a few per

  17. Petroleum Market Model of the National Energy Modeling System. Part 1

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    NONE

    The purpose of this report is to define the objectives of the Petroleum Market Model (PMM), describe its basic approach, and provide detail on how it works. This report is intended as a reference document for model analysts, users, and the public. The PMM models petroleum refining activities, the marketing of petroleum products to consumption regions, the production of natural gas liquids in gas processing plants, and domestic methanol production. The PMM projects petroleum product prices and sources of supply for meeting petroleum product demand. The sources of supply include crude oil, both domestic and imported; other inputs including alcoholsmore » and ethers; natural gas plant liquids production; petroleum product imports; and refinery processing gain. In addition, the PMM estimates domestic refinery capacity expansion and fuel consumption. Product prices are estimated at the Census division level and much of the refining activity information is at the Petroleum Administration for Defense (PAD) District level.« less

  18. Natural analogs in the petroleum industry

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Wood, J.R.

    1995-09-01

    This article describes the use of natural analogues in petroleum exploration and includes numerous geologic model descriptions which have historically been used in the prediction of geometries and location of oil and gas accumulations. These geologic models have been passed down to and used by succeeding generations of petroleum geologists. Some examples of these geologic models include the Allan fault-plane model, porosity prediction, basin modelling, prediction of basin compartmentalization, and diagenesis.

  19. 15 CFR 754.3 - Petroleum products not including crude oil.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 15 Commerce and Foreign Trade 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Petroleum products not including crude... SUPPLY CONTROLS § 754.3 Petroleum products not including crude oil. (a) License requirement. As indicated... required to all destinations, including Canada, for the export of petroleum products, excluding crude oil...

  20. 15 CFR 754.3 - Petroleum products not including crude oil.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 15 Commerce and Foreign Trade 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Petroleum products not including crude... SUPPLY CONTROLS § 754.3 Petroleum products not including crude oil. (a) License requirement. As indicated... required to all destinations, including Canada, for the export of petroleum products, excluding crude oil...

  1. 46 CFR 105.45-1 - Loading or dispensing petroleum products.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 46 Shipping 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Loading or dispensing petroleum products. 105.45-1... VESSELS COMMERCIAL FISHING VESSELS DISPENSING PETROLEUM PRODUCTS Special Operating Requirements § 105.45-1 Loading or dispensing petroleum products. (a) A commercial fishing vessel must have aboard a letter of...

  2. 46 CFR 105.45-1 - Loading or dispensing petroleum products.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 46 Shipping 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Loading or dispensing petroleum products. 105.45-1... VESSELS COMMERCIAL FISHING VESSELS DISPENSING PETROLEUM PRODUCTS Special Operating Requirements § 105.45-1 Loading or dispensing petroleum products. (a) A commercial fishing vessel must have aboard a letter of...

  3. Petroleum Scarcity and Public Health: Considerations for Local Health Departments

    PubMed Central

    Parker, Cindy L.; Caine, Virginia A.; McKee, Mary; Shirley, Lillian M.; Links, Jonathan M.

    2011-01-01

    Recognition of petroleum as a finite global resource has spurred increasing interest in the intersection between petroleum scarcity and public health. Local health departments represent a critical yet highly vulnerable component of the public health infrastructure. These frontline agencies currently face daunting resource constraints and rely heavily on petroleum for vital population-based health services. Against this backdrop, petroleum scarcity may necessitate reconfiguring local public health service approaches. We describe the anticipated impacts of petroleum scarcity on local health departments, recommend the use of the 10 Essential Public Health Services as a framework for examining attendant operational challenges and potential responses to them, and describe approaches that local health departments and their stakeholders could consider as part of timely planning efforts. PMID:21778471

  4. The Sirte Basin province of Libya; Sirte-Zelten total petroleum system

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Ahlbrandt, Thomas S.

    2001-01-01

    The Sirte (Sirt) Basin province ranks 13th among the world?s petroleum provinces, having known reserves of 43.1 bil-lion barrels of oil equivalent (36.7 billion barrels of oil, 37.7 tril-lion cubic feet of gas, 0.1 billion barrels of natural gas liquids). It includes an area about the size of the Williston Basin of the north-ern United States and southern Canada (?490,000 square kilome-ters). The province contains one dominant total petroleum system, the Sirte-Zelten, based on geochemical data. The Upper Cretaceous Sirte Shale is the primary hydrocarbon source bed. Reservoirs range in rock type and age from fractured Precam-brian basement, clastic reservoirs in the Cambrian-Ordovician Gargaf sandstones, and Lower Cretaceous Nubian (Sarir) Sand-stone to Paleocene Zelten Formation and Eocene carbonates commonly in the form of bioherms. More than 23 large oil fields (>100 million barrels of oil equivalent) and 16 giant oil fields (>500 million barrels of oil equivalent) occur in the province. Abstract 1 Production from both clastic and carbonate onshore reservoirs is associated with well-defined horst blocks related to a triple junc-tion with three arms?an eastern Sarir arm, a northern Sirte arm, and a southwestern Tibesti arm. Stratigraphic traps in combina-tion with these horsts in the Sarir arm are shown as giant fields (for example, Messla and Sarir fields in the southeastern portion of the province). Significant potential is identified in areas marginal to the horsts, in the deeper grabens and in the offshore area. Four assessment units are defined in the Sirte Basin prov-ince, two reflecting established clastic and carbonate reservoir areas and two defined as hypothetical units. Of the latter, one is offshore in water depths greater than 200 meters, and the other is onshore where clastic units, mainly of Mesozoic age, may be res-ervoirs for laterally migrating hydrocarbons that were generated in the deep-graben areas. The Sirte Basin reflects significant rifting

  5. Petroleum Release Assessment and Impacts of Weather Extremes

    EPA Science Inventory

    Contaminated ground water and vapor intrusion are two major exposure pathways of concern at petroleum release sites. EPA has recently developed a model for petroleum vapor intrusion, called PVIScreen, which incorporates variability and uncertainty in input parameters. This ap...

  6. Comparison of the Abiotic Preferences of Macroinvertebrates in Tropical River Basins

    PubMed Central

    Everaert, Gert; De Neve, Jan; Boets, Pieter; Dominguez-Granda, Luis; Mereta, Seid Tiku; Ambelu, Argaw; Hoang, Thu Huong; Goethals, Peter L. M.; Thas, Olivier

    2014-01-01

    We assessed and compared abiotic preferences of aquatic macroinvertebrates in three river basins located in Ecuador, Ethiopia and Vietnam. Upon using logistic regression models we analyzed the relationship between the probability of occurrence of five macroinvertebrate families, ranging from pollution tolerant to pollution sensitive, (Chironomidae, Baetidae, Hydroptilidae, Libellulidae and Leptophlebiidae) and physical-chemical water quality conditions. Within the investigated physical-chemical ranges, nine out of twenty-five interaction effects were significant. Our analyses suggested river basin dependent associations between the macroinvertebrate families and the corresponding physical-chemical conditions. It was found that pollution tolerant families showed no clear abiotic preference and occurred at most sampling locations, i.e. Chironomidae were present in 91%, 84% and 93% of the samples taken in Ecuador, Ethiopia and Vietnam. Pollution sensitive families were strongly associated with dissolved oxygen and stream velocity, e.g. Leptophlebiidae were only present in 48%, 2% and 18% of the samples in Ecuador, Ethiopia and Vietnam. Despite some limitations in the study design, we concluded that associations between macroinvertebrates and abiotic conditions can be river basin-specific and hence are not automatically transferable across river basins in the tropics. PMID:25279673

  7. A Central Role for Thiols in Plant Tolerance to Abiotic Stress

    PubMed Central

    Zagorchev, Lyuben; Seal, Charlotte E.; Kranner, Ilse; Odjakova, Mariela

    2013-01-01

    Abiotic stress poses major problems to agriculture and increasing efforts are being made to understand plant stress response and tolerance mechanisms and to develop new tools that underpin successful agriculture. However, the molecular mechanisms of plant stress tolerance are not fully understood, and the data available is incomplete and sometimes contradictory. Here, we review the significance of protein and non-protein thiol compounds in relation to plant tolerance of abiotic stress. First, the roles of the amino acids cysteine and methionine, are discussed, followed by an extensive discussion of the low-molecular-weight tripeptide, thiol glutathione, which plays a central part in plant stress response and oxidative signalling and of glutathione-related enzymes, including those involved in the biosynthesis of non-protein thiol compounds. Special attention is given to the glutathione redox state, to phytochelatins and to the role of glutathione in the regulation of the cell cycle. The protein thiol section focuses on glutaredoxins and thioredoxins, proteins with oxidoreductase activity, which are involved in protein glutathionylation. The review concludes with a brief overview of and future perspectives for the involvement of plant thiols in abiotic stress tolerance. PMID:23549272

  8. Comparison of the abiotic preferences of macroinvertebrates in tropical river basins.

    PubMed

    Everaert, Gert; De Neve, Jan; Boets, Pieter; Dominguez-Granda, Luis; Mereta, Seid Tiku; Ambelu, Argaw; Hoang, Thu Huong; Goethals, Peter L M; Thas, Olivier

    2014-01-01

    We assessed and compared abiotic preferences of aquatic macroinvertebrates in three river basins located in Ecuador, Ethiopia and Vietnam. Upon using logistic regression models we analyzed the relationship between the probability of occurrence of five macroinvertebrate families, ranging from pollution tolerant to pollution sensitive, (Chironomidae, Baetidae, Hydroptilidae, Libellulidae and Leptophlebiidae) and physical-chemical water quality conditions. Within the investigated physical-chemical ranges, nine out of twenty-five interaction effects were significant. Our analyses suggested river basin dependent associations between the macroinvertebrate families and the corresponding physical-chemical conditions. It was found that pollution tolerant families showed no clear abiotic preference and occurred at most sampling locations, i.e. Chironomidae were present in 91%, 84% and 93% of the samples taken in Ecuador, Ethiopia and Vietnam. Pollution sensitive families were strongly associated with dissolved oxygen and stream velocity, e.g. Leptophlebiidae were only present in 48%, 2% and 18% of the samples in Ecuador, Ethiopia and Vietnam. Despite some limitations in the study design, we concluded that associations between macroinvertebrates and abiotic conditions can be river basin-specific and hence are not automatically transferable across river basins in the tropics.

  9. 46 CFR 58.16-7 - Use of liquefied petroleum gas.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... MACHINERY AND RELATED SYSTEMS Liquefied Petroleum Gases for Cooking and Heating § 58.16-7 Use of liquefied petroleum gas. (a) Cooking equipment using liquefied petroleum gas on vessels of 100 gross tons or more that carry passengers for hire must meet the requirements of this subpart. (b) Cooking equipment using...

  10. Development of Interspecies Correlation Models for Petroleum Hydrocarbons

    EPA Science Inventory

    Estimating the consequences of petroleum products to water column organisms has commonly been hampered by limited acute toxicity data, which exists only for a relatively small number of test species. In this study, we developed petroleum-specific Interspecies Correlation Estimati...

  11. Petroleum marketing monthly, April 1997 with data for January 1997

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    NONE

    1997-04-01

    The Petroleum Marketing Monthly (PMM) provides information and statistical data on a variety of crude oils and refined petroleum products. The publication presents statistics on crude oil costs and refined petroleum products sales for use by industry, government, private sector analysts, educational institutions, and consumers. Data on crude oil include the domestic first purchase price, the f.o.b. and landed cost of imported crude oil, and the refiners` acquisition cost of crude oil. Refined petroleum product sales data include motor gasoline, distillates, residuals, aviation fuels, kerosene, and propane. 7 figs., 50 tabs.

  12. Petroleum marketing monthly, January 1998 with data for October 1997

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    NONE

    1998-01-01

    The Petroleum Marketing Monthly (PMM) provides information and statistical data on a variety of crude oils and refined petroleum products. The publication presents statistics on crude oil costs and refined petroleum products sales for use by industry, government, private sector analysts, educational institutions, and consumers. Data on crude oil include the domestic first purchase price, the f.o.b. and landed cost of imported crude oil, and the refiners` acquisition cost of crude oil. Refined petroleum product sales data include motor gasoline, distillates, residuals, aviation fuels, kerosene, and propane. 7 figs., 50 tabs.

  13. Changes in abiotic influences on seed plants and ferns during 18 years of primary succession on Puerto Rican landslides

    Treesearch

    Lawrence R. Walker; Aaron B. Shiels; Peter J. Bellingham; Ashley D. Sparrow; Ned Fetcher; Fred H. Landau; Deborah J. Lodge

    2013-01-01

    Abiotic variables are critical drivers of succession in most primary seres, but how their influence on biota changes over time is rarely examined. Landslides provide good model systems for examining abiotic influences because they are spatially and temporally heterogeneous habitats with distinct abiotic and biotic gradients and post-landslide erosion. In an 18-year...

  14. Transcriptomic Profiling of the Maize (Zea mays L.) Leaf Response to Abiotic Stresses at the Seedling Stage.

    PubMed

    Li, Pengcheng; Cao, Wei; Fang, Huimin; Xu, Shuhui; Yin, Shuangyi; Zhang, Yingying; Lin, Dezhou; Wang, Jianan; Chen, Yufei; Xu, Chenwu; Yang, Zefeng

    2017-01-01

    Abiotic stresses, including drought, salinity, heat, and cold, negatively affect maize ( Zea mays L.) development and productivity. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms of resistance to abiotic stresses in maize, RNA-seq was used for global transcriptome profiling of B73 seedling leaves exposed to drought, salinity, heat, and cold stress. A total of 5,330 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected in differential comparisons between the control and each stressed sample, with 1,661, 2,019, 2,346, and 1,841 DEGs being identified in comparisons of the control with salinity, drought, heat, and cold stress, respectively. Functional annotations of DEGs suggested that the stress response was mediated by pathways involving hormone metabolism and signaling, transcription factors (TFs), very-long-chain fatty acid biosynthesis and lipid signaling, among others. Of the obtained DEGs (5,330), 167 genes are common to these four abiotic stresses, including 10 up-regulated TFs (five ERFs, two NACs, one ARF, one MYB, and one HD-ZIP) and two down-regulated TFs (one b-ZIP and one MYB-related), which suggested that common mechanisms may be initiated in response to different abiotic stresses in maize. This study contributes to a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms of maize leaf responses to abiotic stresses and could be useful for developing maize cultivars resistant to abiotic stresses.

  15. The challenges to inferring the regulators of biodiversity in deep time.

    PubMed

    Ezard, Thomas H G; Quental, Tiago B; Benton, Michael J

    2016-04-05

    Attempts to infer the ecological drivers of macroevolution in deep time have long drawn inspiration from work on extant systems, but long-term evolutionary and geological changes complicate the simple extrapolation of such theory. Recent efforts to incorporate a more informed ecology into macroevolution have moved beyond the descriptive, seeking to isolate generating mechanisms and produce testable hypotheses of how groups of organisms usurp each other or coexist over vast timespans. This theme issue aims to exemplify this progress, providing a series of case studies of how novel modelling approaches are helping infer the regulators of biodiversity in deep time. In this Introduction, we explore the challenges of these new approaches. First, we discuss how our choices of taxonomic units have implications for the conclusions drawn. Second, we emphasize the need to embrace the interdependence of biotic and abiotic changes, because no living organism ignores its environment. Third, in the light of parts 1 and 2, we discuss the set of dynamic signatures that we might expect to observe in the fossil record. Finally, we ask whether these dynamics represent the most ecologically informative foci for research efforts aimed at inferring the regulators of biodiversity in deep time. The papers in this theme issue contribute in each of these areas. © 2016 The Author(s).

  16. Abiotic stress QTL in lettuce crop–wild hybrids: comparing greenhouse and field experiments

    PubMed Central

    Hartman, Yorike; Hooftman, Danny A P; Uwimana, Brigitte; Schranz, M Eric; van de Wiel, Clemens C M; Smulders, Marinus J M; Visser, Richard G F; Michelmore, Richard W; van Tienderen, Peter H

    2014-01-01

    The development of stress-tolerant crops is an increasingly important goal of current crop breeding. A higher abiotic stress tolerance could increase the probability of introgression of genes from crops to wild relatives. This is particularly relevant to the discussion on the risks of new GM crops that may be engineered to increase abiotic stress resistance. We investigated abiotic stress QTL in greenhouse and field experiments in which we subjected recombinant inbred lines from a cross between cultivated Lactuca sativa cv. Salinas and its wild relative L. serriola to drought, low nutrients, salt stress, and aboveground competition. Aboveground biomass at the end of the rosette stage was used as a proxy for the performance of plants under a particular stress. We detected a mosaic of abiotic stress QTL over the entire genome with little overlap between QTL from different stresses. The two QTL clusters that were identified reflected general growth rather than specific stress responses and colocated with clusters found in earlier studies for leaf shape and flowering time. Genetic correlations across treatments were often higher among different stress treatments within the same experiment (greenhouse or field), than among the same type of stress applied in different experiments. Moreover, the effects of the field stress treatments were more correlated with those of the greenhouse competition treatments than to those of the other greenhouse stress experiments, suggesting that competition rather than abiotic stress is a major factor in the field. In conclusion, the introgression risk of stress tolerance (trans-)genes under field conditions cannot easily be predicted based on genomic background selection patterns from controlled QTL experiments in greenhouses, especially field data will be needed to assess potential (negative) ecological effects of introgression of these transgenes into wild relatives. PMID:25360276

  17. Understanding the Interaction of Peptides and Proteins with Abiotic Surfaces: Towards Water-Free Biologics

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2018-02-03

    peptides immobilized on abiotic surfaces depends upon a) the chemical and physical nature of the abiotic surface; b) the physicochemical properties of... dependent model of protein aggregation, aggregation proceeds only after a lag phase in which the concentration of energetically unfavorable nuclei reaches...time dependent kinetics or dynamics at such interfaces. This paper focuses on these three most important advantages of SFG and reviews some of the

  18. Root Transcriptomic Analysis Revealing the Importance of Energy Metabolism to the Development of Deep Roots in Rice (Oryza sativa L.).

    PubMed

    Lou, Qiaojun; Chen, Liang; Mei, Hanwei; Xu, Kai; Wei, Haibin; Feng, Fangjun; Li, Tiemei; Pang, Xiaomeng; Shi, Caiping; Luo, Lijun; Zhong, Yang

    2017-01-01

    Drought is the most serious abiotic stress limiting rice production, and deep root is the key contributor to drought avoidance. However, the genetic mechanism regulating the development of deep roots is largely unknown. In this study, the transcriptomes of 74 root samples from 37 rice varieties, representing the extreme genotypes of shallow or deep rooting, were surveyed by RNA-seq. The 13,242 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between deep rooting and shallow rooting varieties (H vs. L) were enriched in the pathway of genetic information processing and metabolism, while the 1,052 DEGs between the deep roots and shallow roots from each of the plants (D vs. S) were significantly enriched in metabolic pathways especially energy metabolism. Ten quantitative trait transcripts (QTTs) were identified and some were involved in energy metabolism. Forty-nine candidate DEGs were confirmed by qRT-PCR and microarray. Through weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), we found 18 hub genes. Surprisingly, all these hub genes expressed higher in deep roots than in shallow roots, furthermore half of them functioned in energy metabolism. We also estimated that the ATP production in the deep roots was faster than shallow roots. Our results provided a lot of reliable candidate genes to improve deep rooting, and firstly highlight the importance of energy metabolism to the development of deep roots.

  19. Root Transcriptomic Analysis Revealing the Importance of Energy Metabolism to the Development of Deep Roots in Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

    PubMed Central

    Lou, Qiaojun; Chen, Liang; Mei, Hanwei; Xu, Kai; Wei, Haibin; Feng, Fangjun; Li, Tiemei; Pang, Xiaomeng; Shi, Caiping; Luo, Lijun; Zhong, Yang

    2017-01-01

    Drought is the most serious abiotic stress limiting rice production, and deep root is the key contributor to drought avoidance. However, the genetic mechanism regulating the development of deep roots is largely unknown. In this study, the transcriptomes of 74 root samples from 37 rice varieties, representing the extreme genotypes of shallow or deep rooting, were surveyed by RNA-seq. The 13,242 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between deep rooting and shallow rooting varieties (H vs. L) were enriched in the pathway of genetic information processing and metabolism, while the 1,052 DEGs between the deep roots and shallow roots from each of the plants (D vs. S) were significantly enriched in metabolic pathways especially energy metabolism. Ten quantitative trait transcripts (QTTs) were identified and some were involved in energy metabolism. Forty-nine candidate DEGs were confirmed by qRT-PCR and microarray. Through weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), we found 18 hub genes. Surprisingly, all these hub genes expressed higher in deep roots than in shallow roots, furthermore half of them functioned in energy metabolism. We also estimated that the ATP production in the deep roots was faster than shallow roots. Our results provided a lot of reliable candidate genes to improve deep rooting, and firstly highlight the importance of energy metabolism to the development of deep roots. PMID:28798764

  20. Health Risk Assessment for Exposure to Benzene in Petroleum Refinery Environments

    PubMed Central

    Edokpolo, Benjamin; Yu, Qiming Jimmy; Connell, Des

    2015-01-01

    The health risk resulting from benzene exposure in petroleum refineries was calculated using data from the scientific literature from various countries throughout the world. The exposure data was collated into four scenarios from petroleum refinery environments and plotted as cumulative probability distributions (CPD) plots. Health risk was evaluated for each scenario using the Hazard Quotient (HQ) at 50% (CEXP50) and 95% (CEXP95) exposure levels. Benzene levels were estimated to pose a significant risk with HQ50 > 1 and HQ95 > 1 for workers exposed to benzene as base estimates for petroleum refinery workers (Scenario 1), petroleum refinery workers evaluated with personal samplers in Bulgarian refineries (Scenario 2B) and evaluated using air inside petroleum refineries in Bulgarian refineries (Scenario 3B). HQ50 < 1 were calculated for petroleum refinery workers with personal samplers in Italian refineries (Scenario 2A), air inside petroleum refineries (Scenario 3A) and air outside petroleum refineries (Scenario 4) in India and Taiwan indicating little possible adverse health effects. Also, HQ95 was < 1 for Scenario 4 however potential risk was evaluated for Scenarios 2A and 3A with HQ95 > 1. The excess Cancer risk (CR) for lifetime exposure to benzene for all the scenarios was evaluated using the Slope Factor and Overall Risk Probability (ORP) methods. The result suggests a potential cancer risk for exposure to benzene in all the scenarios. However, there is a higher cancer risk at 95% (CEXP95) for petroleum refinery workers (2B) with a CR of 48,000 per 106 and exposure to benzene in air inside petroleum refineries (3B) with a CR of 28,000 per 106. PMID:25588154

  1. Preliminary petroleum resource estimates for Indonesia

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kingston, J.

    1986-05-01

    Of about 44 sedimentary basins along the 2900 mi east-west extent of Indonesia, 13 basins are believed to contain practically all of Indonesia's future petroleum resources. Western Indonesia, underlain by the Asian (Sunda) continental block, comprises the Sumatra-Java archipelago, the island of Kalimantan, and the intervening Sunda Shelf. This area contains almost all of the Indonesian petroleum reserves, and its exploration has reached early maturity. The reserves are concentrated in the five larger inner-arc basins of the archipelago and in the three rifted basins of the Kalimantan-Sunda Shelf area. Eastern Indonesia is essentially Irian Jaya (western New Guinea) and themore » adjoining shelf. The north edge of the Australian-New Guinea continental block has been successively rifted, compressed, and wrenched along its northern boundary with the Pacific plate. Exploration of the three major basins in this tectonic zone is still in an early stage. Preliminary most-likely estimates of the undiscovered recoverable petroleum resources of Indonesia are approximately 7 billion bbl of oil and 70 tcf of gas (in addition to an estimated 70 tcf of discovered gas not yet assigned to reserves). More than 90% of the undiscovered petroleum resources are in western Indonesia, but the best chances for unknown giant discoveries may be in the frontier Irian Jaya of eastern Indonesia.« less

  2. 75 FR 63200 - Petroleum Wax Candles From China

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-10-14

    ... From China AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission. ACTION: Scheduling of an expedited five-year review concerning the antidumping duty order on petroleum wax candles from China. SUMMARY... antidumping duty order on petroleum wax candles from China would be likely to lead to continuation or...

  3. Biotic and abiotic factors predicting the global distribution and population density of an invasive large mammal

    PubMed Central

    Lewis, Jesse S.; Farnsworth, Matthew L.; Burdett, Chris L.; Theobald, David M.; Gray, Miranda; Miller, Ryan S.

    2017-01-01

    Biotic and abiotic factors are increasingly acknowledged to synergistically shape broad-scale species distributions. However, the relative importance of biotic and abiotic factors in predicting species distributions is unclear. In particular, biotic factors, such as predation and vegetation, including those resulting from anthropogenic land-use change, are underrepresented in species distribution modeling, but could improve model predictions. Using generalized linear models and model selection techniques, we used 129 estimates of population density of wild pigs (Sus scrofa) from 5 continents to evaluate the relative importance, magnitude, and direction of biotic and abiotic factors in predicting population density of an invasive large mammal with a global distribution. Incorporating diverse biotic factors, including agriculture, vegetation cover, and large carnivore richness, into species distribution modeling substantially improved model fit and predictions. Abiotic factors, including precipitation and potential evapotranspiration, were also important predictors. The predictive map of population density revealed wide-ranging potential for an invasive large mammal to expand its distribution globally. This information can be used to proactively create conservation/management plans to control future invasions. Our study demonstrates that the ongoing paradigm shift, which recognizes that both biotic and abiotic factors shape species distributions across broad scales, can be advanced by incorporating diverse biotic factors. PMID:28276519

  4. Assessment of undiscovered petroleum resources of the Arctic Alaska Petroleum Province

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Houseknecht, David W.; Bird, Kenneth J.; Garrity, Christopher P.

    2012-01-01

    The Arctic Alaska Petroleum Province encompasses all lands and adjacent continental shelf areas north of the Brooks Range-Herald arch tectonic belts and south of the northern (outboard) margin of the Alaska rift shoulder. Even though only a small part is thoroughly explored, it is one of the most prolific petroleum provinces in North America, with total known resources (cumulative production plus proved reserves) of about 28 billion barrels of oil equivalent. For assessment purposes, the province is divided into a platform assessment unit, comprising the Alaska rift shoulder and its relatively undeformed flanks, and a fold-and-thrust belt assessment unit, comprising the deformed area north of the Brooks Range and Herald arch tectonic belts. Mean estimates of undiscovered, technically recoverable resources include nearly 28 billion barrels of oil and 122 trillion cubic feet of nonassociated gas in the platform assessment unit and 2 billion barrels of oil and 59 trillion cubic feet of nonassociated gas in the fold-and-thrust belt assessment unit.

  5. REDUCING POWER PRODUCTION COSTS BY UTILIZING PETROLEUM COKE

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    NONE

    1998-09-01

    A Powder River Basin subbituminous coal from the North Antelope mine and a petroleum shot coke were received from Northern States Power Company (NSP) for testing the effects of parent fuel properties on coal-coke blend grindability and evaluating the utility of petroleum coke blending as a strategy for improving electrostatic precipitator (ESP) particulate collection efficiency. Petroleum cokes are generally harder than coals, as indicated by Hardgrove grindability tests. Therefore, the weaker coal component may concentrate in the finer size fractions during the pulverizing of coal-coke blends. The possibility of a coal-coke size fractionation effect is being investigated because it maymore » adversely affect combustion performance. Although the blending of petroleum coke with coal may adversely affect combustion performance, it may enhance ESP particulate collection efficiency. Petroleum cokes contain much higher concentrations of V relative to coals. Consequently, coke blending can significantly increase the V content of fly ash resulting from coal-coke combustion. Pentavalent vanadium oxide (V{sub 2}O{sub 5}) is a known catalyst for transforming gaseous sulfur dioxide (SO{sub 2}[g]) to gaseous sulfur trioxide (SO{sub 3}[g]). The presence of SO{sub 3}(g) strongly affects fly ash resistivity and, thus, ESP performance.« less

  6. The petroleum exponential (again)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bell, Peter M.

    The U.S. production and reserves of liquid and gaseous petroleum have declined since 1960, at least in the lower 48 states. This decline stems from decreased discovery rates, as predicted by M. King Hubbert in the mid-1950's. Hubbert's once unpopular views were based on statistical analysis of the production history of the petroleum industry, and now, even with inclusion of the statistical perturbation caused by the Prudhoe Bay-North Alaskan Slope discovery (the largest oil field ever found in the United States), it seems clear again that production is following the exponential curve to depletion of the resource—to the end of the ultimate yield of petroleum from wells in the United States.In a recent report, C. Hall and C. Cleveland of Cornell University show that large atypical discoveries, such as the Prudhoe Bay find, are but minor influences on what now appears to be the crucial intersection of two exponentials [Science, 211, 576-579, 1981]: the production-per-drilled-foot curve of Hubbert, which crosses zero production no later than the year 2005; the other, a curve that plots the energy cost of drilling and extraction with time; that is, the cost-time rate of how much oil is used to drill and extract oil from the ground. The intersection, if no other discoveries the size of the Prudhoe Bay field are made, could be as early as 1990, the end of the present decade. The inclusion of each Prudhoe-Bay-size find extends the year of intersection by only about 6 years. Beyond that point, more than one barrel of petroleum would be expended for each barrel extracted from the ground. The oil exploration-extraction and refining industry is currently the second most energy-intensive industry in the U.S., and the message seems clear. Either more efficient drilling and production techniques are discovered, or domestic production will cease well before the end of this century if the Hubbert analysis modified by Hall and Cleveland is correct.

  7. Are karrikins involved in plant abiotic stress responses?

    PubMed

    Li, Weiqiang; Tran, Lam-Son Phan

    2015-09-01

    Recent reports have shown that strigolactones play a positive role in plant responses to drought and salt stress through MAX2 (More Axillary Growth 2). Increasing evidence suggests that MAX2 is also involved in karrikin signaling, raising the question whether karrikins play any role in plant adaptation to abiotic stresses. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Re-Os geochronology and Os isotope fingerprinting of petroleum sourced from a Type I lacustrine kerogen: Insights from the natural Green River petroleum system in the Uinta Basin and hydrous pyrolysis experiments

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cumming, Vivien M.; Selby, David; Lillis, Paul G.; Lewan, Michael D.

    2014-08-01

    Rhenium-osmium (Re-Os) geochronology of marine petroleum systems has allowed the determination of the depositional age of source rocks as well as the timing of petroleum generation. In addition, Os isotopes have been applied as a fingerprinting tool to correlate oil to its source unit. To date, only classic marine petroleum systems have been studied. Here we present Re-Os geochronology and Os isotope fingerprinting of different petroleum phases (oils, tar sands and gilsonite) derived from the lacustrine Green River petroleum system in the Uinta Basin, USA. In addition we use an experimental approach, hydrous pyrolysis experiments, to compare to the Re-Os data of naturally generated petroleum in order to further understand the mechanisms of Re and Os transfer to petroleum. The Re-Os geochronology of petroleum from the lacustrine Green River petroleum system (19 ± 14 Ma - all petroleum phases) broadly agrees with previous petroleum generation basin models (∼25 Ma) suggesting that Re-Os geochronology of variable petroleum phases derived from lacustrine Type I kerogen has similar systematics to Type II kerogen (e.g., Selby and Creaser, 2005a,b; Finlay et al., 2010). However, the large uncertainties (over 100% in some cases) produced for the petroleum Re-Os geochronology are a result of multiple generation events occurring through a ∼3000-m thick source unit that creates a mixture of initial Os isotope compositions in the produced petroleum phases. The 187Os/188Os values for the petroleum and source rocks at the time of oil generation vary from 1.4 to 1.9, with the mode at ∼1.6. Oil-to-source correlation using Os isotopes is consistent with previous correlation studies in the Green River petroleum system, and illustrates the potential utility of Os isotopes to characterize the spatial variations within a petroleum system. Hydrous pyrolysis experiments on the Green River Formation source rocks show that Re and Os transfer are mimicking the natural system. This

  9. Re-Os geochronology and Os isotope fingerprinting of petroleum sourced from a Type I lacustrine kerogen: insights from the natural Green River petroleum system in the Uinta Basin and hydrous pyrolysis experiments

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Cumming, Vivien M.; Selby, David; Lillis, Paul G.; Lewan, Michael D.

    2014-01-01

    Rhenium–osmium (Re–Os) geochronology of marine petroleum systems has allowed the determination of the depositional age of source rocks as well as the timing of petroleum generation. In addition, Os isotopes have been applied as a fingerprinting tool to correlate oil to its source unit. To date, only classic marine petroleum systems have been studied. Here we present Re–Os geochronology and Os isotope fingerprinting of different petroleum phases (oils, tar sands and gilsonite) derived from the lacustrine Green River petroleum system in the Uinta Basin, USA. In addition we use an experimental approach, hydrous pyrolysis experiments, to compare to the Re–Os data of naturally generated petroleum in order to further understand the mechanisms of Re and Os transfer to petroleum. The Re–Os geochronology of petroleum from the lacustrine Green River petroleum system (19 ± 14 Ma – all petroleum phases) broadly agrees with previous petroleum generation basin models (∼25 Ma) suggesting that Re–Os geochronology of variable petroleum phases derived from lacustrine Type I kerogen has similar systematics to Type II kerogen (e.g., Selby and Creaser, 2005a, Selby and Creaser, 2005b and Finlay et al., 2010). However, the large uncertainties (over 100% in some cases) produced for the petroleum Re–Os geochronology are a result of multiple generation events occurring through a ∼3000-m thick source unit that creates a mixture of initial Os isotope compositions in the produced petroleum phases. The 187Os/188Os values for the petroleum and source rocks at the time of oil generation vary from 1.4 to 1.9, with the mode at ∼1.6. Oil-to-source correlation using Os isotopes is consistent with previous correlation studies in the Green River petroleum system, and illustrates the potential utility of Os isotopes to characterize the spatial variations within a petroleum system. Hydrous pyrolysis experiments on the Green River Formation source rocks show that Re and Os transfer

  10. Material-balance assessment of the New Albany-Chesterian petroleum system of the Illinois basin

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Lewan, M.D.; Henry, M.E.; Higley, D.K.; Pitman, Janet K.

    2002-01-01

    The New Albany-Chesterian petroleum system of the Illinois basin is a well-constrained system from which petroleum charges and losses were quantified through a material-balance assessment. This petroleum system has nearly 90,000 wells penetrating the Chesterian section, a single New Albany Shale source rock accounting for more than 99% of the produced oil, well-established stratigraphic and structural frameworks, and accessible source rock samples at various maturity levels. A hydrogen index (HI) map based on Rock-Eval analyses of source rock samples of New Albany Shale defines the pod of active source rock and extent of oil generation. Based on a buoyancy-drive model, the system was divided into seven secondary-migration catchments. Each catchment contains a part of the active pod of source rock from which it derives a petroleum charge, and this charge is confined to carrier beds and reservoirs within these catchments as accountable petroleum, petroleum losses, or undiscovered petroleum. A well-constrained catchment with no apparent erosional or leakage losses is used to determine an actual petroleum charge from accountable petroleum and residual migration losses. This actual petroleum charge is used to calibrate the other catchments in which erosional petroleum losses have occurred. Petroleum charges determined by laboratory pyrolysis are exaggerated relative to the actual petroleum charge. Rock-Eval charges are exaggerated by a factor of 4-14, and hydrouspyrolysis charges are exaggerated by a factor of 1.7. The actual petroleum charge provides a more meaningful material balance and more realistic estimates of petroleum losses and remaining undiscovered petroleum. The total petroleum charge determined for the New Albany-Chesterian system is 78 billion bbl, of which 11.4 billion bbl occur as a accountable in place petroleum, 9 billion bbl occur as residual migration losses, and 57.6 billion bbl occur as erosional losses. Of the erosional losses, 40 billion bbl

  11. 75 FR 38121 - Petroleum Wax Candles From China

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-07-01

    ... From China AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission. ACTION: Institution of a five-year review concerning the antidumping duty order on petroleum wax candles from China. SUMMARY: The Commission... petroleum wax candles from China would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of material injury...

  12. 21 CFR 172.882 - Synthetic isoparaffinic petroleum hydrocarbons.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Synthetic isoparaffinic petroleum hydrocarbons... hydrocarbons. Synthetic isoparaffinic petroleum hydrocarbons may be safely used in food, in accordance with the... liquid hydrocarbons meeting the following specifications: Boiling point 93-260 °C as determined by ASTM...

  13. 21 CFR 172.884 - Odorless light petroleum hydrocarbons.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Odorless light petroleum hydrocarbons. 172.884 Section 172.884 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES... HUMAN CONSUMPTION Multipurpose Additives § 172.884 Odorless light petroleum hydrocarbons. Odorless light...

  14. 21 CFR 172.884 - Odorless light petroleum hydrocarbons.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Odorless light petroleum hydrocarbons. 172.884 Section 172.884 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES... HUMAN CONSUMPTION Multipurpose Additives § 172.884 Odorless light petroleum hydrocarbons. Odorless light...

  15. 21 CFR 172.884 - Odorless light petroleum hydrocarbons.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Odorless light petroleum hydrocarbons. 172.884 Section 172.884 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES... HUMAN CONSUMPTION Multipurpose Additives § 172.884 Odorless light petroleum hydrocarbons. Odorless light...

  16. Morphological divergence between three Arctic charr morphs - the significance of the deep-water environment.

    PubMed

    Skoglund, Sigrid; Siwertsson, Anna; Amundsen, Per-Arne; Knudsen, Rune

    2015-08-01

    Morphological divergence was evident among three sympatric morphs of Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus (L.)) that are ecologically diverged along the shallow-, deep-water resource axis in a subarctic postglacial lake (Norway). The two deep-water (profundal) spawning morphs, a benthivore (PB-morph) and a piscivore (PP-morph), have evolved under identical abiotic conditions with constant low light and temperature levels in their deep-water habitat, and were morphologically most similar. However, they differed in important head traits (e.g., eye and mouth size) related to their different diet specializations. The small-sized PB-morph had a paedomorphic appearance with a blunt head shape, large eyes, and a deep body shape adapted to their profundal lifestyle feeding on submerged benthos from soft, deep-water sediments. The PP-morph had a robust head, large mouth with numerous teeth, and an elongated body shape strongly related to their piscivorous behavior. The littoral spawning omnivore morph (LO-morph) predominantly utilizes the shallow benthic-pelagic habitat and food resources. Compared to the deep-water morphs, the LO-morph had smaller head relative to body size. The LO-morph exhibited traits typical for both shallow-water benthic feeding (e.g., large body depths and small eyes) and planktivorous feeding in the pelagic habitat (e.g., streamlined body shape and small mouth). The development of morphological differences within the same deep-water habitat for the PB- and PP-morphs highlights the potential of biotic factors and ecological interactions to promote further divergence in the evolution of polymorphism in a tentative incipient speciation process. The diversity of deep-water charr in this study represents a novelty in the Arctic charr polymorphism as a truly deep-water piscivore morph has to our knowledge not been described elsewhere.

  17. Biosurfactants: Promising Molecules for Petroleum Biotechnology Advances.

    PubMed

    De Almeida, Darne G; Soares Da Silva, Rita de Cássia F; Luna, Juliana M; Rufino, Raquel D; Santos, Valdemir A; Banat, Ibrahim M; Sarubbo, Leonie A

    2016-01-01

    The growing global demand for sustainable technologies that improves the efficiency of petrochemical processes in the oil industry has driven advances in petroleum biotechnology in recent years. Petroleum industry uses substantial amounts of petrochemical-based synthetic surfactants in its activities as mobilizing agents to increase the availability or recovery of hydrocarbons as well as many other applications related to extraction, treatment, cleaning, and transportation. However, biosurfactants have several potential applications for use across the oil processing chain and in the formulations of petrochemical products such as emulsifying/demulsifying agents, anticorrosive, biocides for sulfate-reducing bacteria, fuel formulation, extraction of bitumen from tar sands, and many other innovative applications. Due to their versatility and proven efficiency, biosurfactants are often presented as valuable versatile tools that can transform and modernize petroleum biotechnology in an attempt to provide a true picture of state of the art and directions or use in the oil industry. We believe that biosurfactants are going to have a significant role in many future applications in the oil industries and in this review therefore, we highlight recent important relevant applications, patents disclosures and potential future applications for biosurfactants in petroleum and related industries.

  18. Biosurfactants: Promising Molecules for Petroleum Biotechnology Advances

    PubMed Central

    De Almeida, Darne G.; Soares Da Silva, Rita de Cássia F.; Luna, Juliana M.; Rufino, Raquel D.; Santos, Valdemir A.; Banat, Ibrahim M.; Sarubbo, Leonie A.

    2016-01-01

    The growing global demand for sustainable technologies that improves the efficiency of petrochemical processes in the oil industry has driven advances in petroleum biotechnology in recent years. Petroleum industry uses substantial amounts of petrochemical-based synthetic surfactants in its activities as mobilizing agents to increase the availability or recovery of hydrocarbons as well as many other applications related to extraction, treatment, cleaning, and transportation. However, biosurfactants have several potential applications for use across the oil processing chain and in the formulations of petrochemical products such as emulsifying/demulsifying agents, anticorrosive, biocides for sulfate-reducing bacteria, fuel formulation, extraction of bitumen from tar sands, and many other innovative applications. Due to their versatility and proven efficiency, biosurfactants are often presented as valuable versatile tools that can transform and modernize petroleum biotechnology in an attempt to provide a true picture of state of the art and directions or use in the oil industry. We believe that biosurfactants are going to have a significant role in many future applications in the oil industries and in this review therefore, we highlight recent important relevant applications, patents disclosures and potential future applications for biosurfactants in petroleum and related industries. PMID:27843439

  19. Total petroleum systems of the Bonaparte Gulf Basin area, Australia; Jurassic, Early Cretaceous-Mesozoic; Keyling, Hyland Bay-Permian; Milligans-Carboniferous, Permian

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Bishop, M.G.

    1999-01-01

    The Bonaparte Gulf Basin Province (USGS #3910) of northern Australia contains three important hydrocarbon source-rock intervals. The oldest source-rock interval and associated reservoir rocks is the Milligans-Carboniferous, Permian petroleum system. This petroleum system is located at the southern end of Joseph Bonaparte Gulf and includes both onshore and offshore areas within a northwest to southeast trending Paleozoic rift that was initiated in the Devonian. The Milligans Formation is a Carboniferous marine shale that sources accumulations of both oil and gas in Carboniferous and Permian deltaic, marine shelf carbonate, and shallow to deep marine sandstones. The second petroleum system in the Paleozoic rift is the Keyling, Hyland Bay-Permian. Source rocks include Lower Permian Keyling Formation delta-plain coals and marginal marine shales combined with Upper Permian Hyland Bay Formation prodelta shales. These source-rock intervals provide gas and condensate for fluvial, deltaic, and shallow marine sandstone reservoirs primarily within several members of the Hyland Bay Formation. The Keyling, Hyland Bay-Permian petroleum system is located in the Joseph Bonaparte Gulf, north of the Milligans-Carboniferous, Permian petroleum system, and may extend northwest under the Vulcan graben sub-basin. The third and youngest petroleum system is the Jurassic, Early Cretaceous-Mesozoic system that is located seaward of Joseph Bonaparte Gulf on the Australian continental shelf, and trends southwest-northeast. Source-rock intervals in the Vulcan graben sub-basin include deltaic mudstones of the Middle Jurassic Plover Formation and organic-rich marine shales of the Upper Jurassic Vulcan Formation and Lower Cretaceous Echuca Shoals Formation. These intervals produce gas, oil, and condensate that accumulates in, shallow- to deep-marine sandstone reservoirs of the Challis and Vulcan Formations of Jurassic to Cretaceous age. Organic-rich, marginal marine claystones and coals of the

  20. Dermal uptake of petroleum substances.

    PubMed

    Jakasa, Ivone; Kezic, Sanja; Boogaard, Peter J

    2015-06-01

    Petroleum products are complex substances comprising varying amounts of linear and branched alkanes, alkenes, cycloalkanes, and aromatics which may penetrate the skin at different rates. For proper interpretation of toxic hazard data, understanding their percutaneous absorption is of paramount importance. The extent and significance of dermal absorption of eight petroleum substances, representing different classes of hydrocarbons, was evaluated. Literature data on the steady-state flux and permeability coefficient of these substances were evaluated and compared to those predicted by mathematical models. Reported results spanned over 5-6 orders of magnitude and were largely dependent on experimental conditions in particular on the type of the vehicle used. In general, aromatic hydrocarbons showed higher dermal absorption than more lipophilic aliphatics with similar molecular weight. The results showed high variation and were largely influenced by experimental conditions emphasizing the need of performing the experiments under "in use" scenario. The predictive models overestimated experimental absorption. The overall conclusion is that, based on the observed percutaneous penetration data, dermal exposure to petroleum hydrocarbons, even of aromatics with highest dermal absorption is limited and highly unlikely to be associated with health risks under real use scenarios. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Comparative acute toxicity of shale and petroleum derived distillates.

    PubMed

    Clark, C R; Ferguson, P W; Katchen, M A; Dennis, M W; Craig, D K

    1989-12-01

    In anticipation of the commercialization of its shale oil retorting and upgrading process, Unocal Corp. conducted a testing program aimed at better defining potential health impacts of a shale industry. Acute toxicity studies using rats and rabbits compared the effects of naphtha, Jet-A, JP-4, diesel and "residual" distillate fractions of both petroleum derived crude oils and hydrotreated shale oil. No differences in the acute oral (greater than 5 g/kg LD50) and dermal (greater than 2 g/kg LD50) toxicities were noted between the shale and petroleum derived distillates and none of the samples were more than mildly irritating to the eyes. Shale and petroleum products caused similar degrees of mild to moderate skin irritation. None of the materials produced sensitization reactions. The LC50 after acute inhalation exposure to Jet-A, shale naphtha, (greater than 5 mg/L) and JP-4 distillate fractions of petroleum and shale oils was greater than 5 mg/L. The LC50 of petroleum naphtha (greater than 4.8 mg/L) and raw shale oil (greater than 3.95 mg/L) also indicated low toxicity. Results demonstrate that shale oil products are of low acute toxicity, mild to moderately irritating and similar to their petroleum counterparts. The results further demonstrate that hydrotreatment reduces the irritancy of raw shale oil.

  2. Subduction zone forearc serpentinites as incubators for deep microbial life.

    PubMed

    Plümper, Oliver; King, Helen E; Geisler, Thorsten; Liu, Yang; Pabst, Sonja; Savov, Ivan P; Rost, Detlef; Zack, Thomas

    2017-04-25

    Serpentinization-fueled systems in the cool, hydrated forearc mantle of subduction zones may provide an environment that supports deep chemolithoautotrophic life. Here, we examine serpentinite clasts expelled from mud volcanoes above the Izu-Bonin-Mariana subduction zone forearc (Pacific Ocean) that contain complex organic matter and nanosized Ni-Fe alloys. Using time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry and Raman spectroscopy, we determined that the organic matter consists of a mixture of aliphatic and aromatic compounds and functional groups such as amides. Although an abiotic or subduction slab-derived fluid origin cannot be excluded, the similarities between the molecular signatures identified in the clasts and those of bacteria-derived biopolymers from other serpentinizing systems hint at the possibility of deep microbial life within the forearc. To test this hypothesis, we coupled the currently known temperature limit for life, 122 °C, with a heat conduction model that predicts a potential depth limit for life within the forearc at ∼10,000 m below the seafloor. This is deeper than the 122 °C isotherm in known oceanic serpentinizing regions and an order of magnitude deeper than the downhole temperature at the serpentinized Atlantis Massif oceanic core complex, Mid-Atlantic Ridge. We suggest that the organic-rich serpentinites may be indicators for microbial life deep within or below the mud volcano. Thus, the hydrated forearc mantle may represent one of Earth's largest hidden microbial ecosystems. These types of protected ecosystems may have allowed the deep biosphere to thrive, despite violent phases during Earth's history such as the late heavy bombardment and global mass extinctions.

  3. Short-Term Energy Outlook Model Documentation: Other Petroleum Products Consumption Model

    EIA Publications

    2011-01-01

    The other petroleum product consumption module of the Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO) model is designed to provide U.S. consumption forecasts for 6 petroleum product categories: asphalt and road oil, petrochemical feedstocks, petroleum coke, refinery still gas, unfinished oils, and other miscvellaneous products

  4. 46 CFR 105.05-1 - Commercial fishing vessels dispensing petroleum products.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... 46 Shipping 4 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Commercial fishing vessels dispensing petroleum products... MISCELLANEOUS VESSELS COMMERCIAL FISHING VESSELS DISPENSING PETROLEUM PRODUCTS Application § 105.05-1 Commercial fishing vessels dispensing petroleum products. (a) The provisions of this part, with the exception of...

  5. 46 CFR 105.05-1 - Commercial fishing vessels dispensing petroleum products.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... 46 Shipping 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Commercial fishing vessels dispensing petroleum products... MISCELLANEOUS VESSELS COMMERCIAL FISHING VESSELS DISPENSING PETROLEUM PRODUCTS Application § 105.05-1 Commercial fishing vessels dispensing petroleum products. (a) The provisions of this part, with the exception of...

  6. 46 CFR 105.05-1 - Commercial fishing vessels dispensing petroleum products.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... 46 Shipping 4 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Commercial fishing vessels dispensing petroleum products... MISCELLANEOUS VESSELS COMMERCIAL FISHING VESSELS DISPENSING PETROLEUM PRODUCTS Application § 105.05-1 Commercial fishing vessels dispensing petroleum products. (a) The provisions of this part, with the exception of...

  7. Applications of T-ray spectroscopy in the petroleum field

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Al-Douseri, Fatemah M.

    2005-11-01

    Because of heavy usage of petroleum products, which are the main source of energy in daily life and industry, a fast, reliable, and portable analysis system is needed to complement traditional techniques. Terahertz (THz) radiation, or T-rays, is electromagnetic radiation in the 0.1 to 10 THz frequency range. One unique attribute of T-rays is their ability to sensitively measure the induced molecular dipole moments in non-polar liquids such as aromatics, which make up the majority of the contents of many petroleum products. This information can lead to several applications in petroleum analysis. The application of T-rays to petroleum product analysis has the potential to make a significant impact in the petroleum field. In this dissertation, I show the first use of T-ray time-domain spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy techniques for petroleum product analysis. I report on the feasibility of analyzing selected petroleum products, including gasoline, diesel, lubricating oil, and selected compounds of toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX). With the use of a T-ray time-domain spectrometer. I demonstrate that gasolines with different octane numbers and diesel all show specific absorption coefficients and refractive indexes in the spectral range from 0.5 to 2.0 THz. Furthermore, I report the qualitative and quantitative analysis of selected BTEX components in gasoline and diesel using FTIR spectroscopy in the 50 to 650 cm-1 region. I distinguish gasolines with different octane numbers from diesel and lubricating oil according to their different spectral features. I also determine the concentration of (o, m, p) xylene isomers in gasoline according to their specific absorption bands. The experimental results in this thesis, imply that linking between the knowledge of petroleum products and the development of T-ray spectrometer with the cooperation of industry might translate the T-ray spectroscopic system into a real world application in

  8. 40 CFR 52.1931 - Petroleum storage tank controls.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 4 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Petroleum storage tank controls. 52... storage tank controls. (a) Notwithstanding any provisions to the contrary in the Oklahoma implementation plan, the petroleum storage tanks listed in paragraphs (b) through (e) of this section shall be subject...

  9. 40 CFR 52.1931 - Petroleum storage tank controls.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 4 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Petroleum storage tank controls. 52... storage tank controls. (a) Notwithstanding any provisions to the contrary in the Oklahoma implementation plan, the petroleum storage tanks listed in paragraphs (b) through (e) of this section shall be subject...

  10. [Humus composition of petroleum hydrocarbon-contaminated soil].

    PubMed

    Feng, Jun; Tang, Li-Na; Zhang, Jin-Jing; Dou, Sen

    2008-05-01

    An abandoned petroleum well which had been exploited for about twenty years in Songyuan city of Jilin Province, China, was selected to study the compositions and characteristics of soil humus using revised humus composition method and Simon-Kumada method. Soil samples were collected at 0.5, 1.5, 2.5, 3.5, 4.5, 5.5, 6.5, 7.5 and 10.5 m apart from the well head. Results show that the petroleum contents increase from 0.08 g/kg (10.5 m to the well head) to 153.3 g/kg (0.5 m to the well head). With the increase in petroleum content, the contents of soil organic carbon and water soluble organic carbon increase; for total soil humus, the contents of extractable humus (HE) and humic acid (HA) decrease whereas that of humin (HM) increase; the percentage of HA/HE (PQ 72.0%-8.05%) decrease and HM/HE ratio (31.4-76.7) increase; for different combined humus, the contents of loosely combined humus (HI) and stably combined humus (HII) have a decrease tendency while that of tightly combined humus (HIII) increase; the HI/HII ratio (0.19-0.39) shows an increase tendency, whereas HI/HIII ratio (0.032-0.003) and HII/HIII ratio (0.096-0.009) decrease; the PQs of HI (3.21%-1.42%) and HIII (58.1%-35.5%) also decrease, and the range of PQ change is less in HI than in HII; the color coefficient (deltalogk) of water soluble organic matter (WSOM) decreases, whereas no obvious change for HA. The above results indicate that petroleum hydrocarbon promotes the formation of HM but not HA. The decrease in HA is mainly due to the restraining effect of petroleum hydrocarbon on the formation of stably combined HA. Petroleum hydrocarbon leads molecular structure of WSOM more complex but no effect on molecular structure of HA.

  11. Petroleum geochemistry of oil and gas from Barbados: Implications for distribution of Cretaceous source rocks and regional petroleum prospectivity

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Hill, R.J.; Schenk, C.J.

    2005-01-01

    Petroleum produced from the Barbados accretionary prism (at Woodbourne Field on Barbados) is interpreted as generated from Cretaceous marine shale deposited under normal salinity and dysoxic conditions rather than from a Tertiary source rock as previously proposed. Barbados oils correlate with some oils from eastern Venezuela and Trinidad that are positively correlated to extracts from Upper Cretaceous La Luna-like source rocks. Three distinct groups of Barbados oils are recognized based on thermal maturity, suggesting petroleum generation occurred at multiple levels within the Barbados accretionary prism. Biodegradation is the most significant process affecting Barbados oils resulting in increased sulfur content and decreased API gravity. Barbados gases are interpreted as thermogenic, having been co-generated with oil, and show mixing with biogenic gas is limited. Gas biodegradation occurred in two samples collected from shallow reservoirs at the Woodbourne Field. The presence of Cretaceous source rocks within the Barbados accretionary prism suggests that greater petroleum potential exists regionally, and perhaps further southeast along the passive margin of South America. Likewise, confirmation of a Cretaceous source rock indicates petroleum potential exists within the Barbados accretionary prism in reservoirs that are deeper than those from Woodbourne Field.

  12. Abiotic synthesis of organic compounds from carbon disulfide under hydrothermal conditions.

    PubMed

    Rushdi, Ahmed I; Simoneit, Bernd R T

    2005-12-01

    Abiotic formation of organic compounds under hydrothermal conditions is of interest to bio, geo-, and cosmochemists. Oceanic sulfur-rich hydrothermal systems have been proposed as settings for the abiotic synthesis of organic compounds. Carbon disulfide is a common component of magmatic and hot spring gases, and is present in marine and terrestrial hydrothermal systems. Thus, its reactivity should be considered as another carbon source in addition to carbon dioxide in reductive aqueous thermosynthesis. We have examined the formation of organic compounds in aqueous solutions of carbon disulfide and oxalic acid at 175 degrees C for 5 and 72 h. The synthesis products from carbon disulfide in acidic aqueous solutions yielded a series of organic sulfur compounds. The major compounds after 5 h of reaction included dimethyl polysulfides (54.5%), methyl perthioacetate (27.6%), dimethyl trithiocarbonate (6.8%), trithianes (2.7%), hexathiepane (1.4%), trithiolanes (0.8%), and trithiacycloheptanes (0.3%). The main compounds after 72 h of reaction consisted of trithiacycloheptanes (39.4%), pentathiepane (11.6%), tetrathiocyclooctanes (11.5%), trithiolanes (10.6%), tetrathianes (4.4%), trithianes (1.2%), dimethyl trisulfide (1.1%), and numerous minor compounds. It is concluded that the abiotic formation of aliphatic straight-chain and cyclic polysulfides is possible under hydrothermal conditions and warrants further studies.

  13. Elucidating the Role of Carbon Sources on Abiotic and Biotic Release of Arsenic into Cambodian Aquifers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Koeneke, M.

    2017-12-01

    Arsenic (As) is a naturally occurring contaminant in Cambodia that has been contaminating well-water sources of millions of people. Commonly, studies look into the biotic factors that cause the arsenic to be released from aquifer sediments to groundwater. However, abiotic release of As from sediments, though little studied, may also play key roles in As contamination of well water. The goal of this research is to quantitatively compare organic-carbon mediated abiotic and biotic release of arsenic from sediments to groundwater. Batch anaerobic incubation experiments under abiotic (sodium azide used to immobilize microbes) and biotic conditions were conducted using Cambodian aquifer sediments, four different organic carbon sources (sodium lactate, sodium citrate, sodium oxalate, and humic acid), and six different carbon concentrations (0, 1, 2.5, 5, 10, 25mg C/L). Dissolved arsenic, iron(Fe), and manganese(Mn) concentrations in the treatments were measured 112 days . In addition, sediment and solution carbon solution was measured . Collectively, these show how different carbon sources, different carbon concentrations, and how abiotic and biotic factors impact the release of arsenic from Cambodian sediments into aquifers. Overall, an introduction of organic carbon to the soil increases the amount of As released from the sediment. The biotic + abiotic and abiotic conditions seemed to play a minimal role in the amount of As released. Dissolved species analysis showed us that 100% of the As was As(V), Our ICP-MS results vary due to the heterogeneity of samples, but when high levels are Fe are seen in solution, we also see high levels of As. We also see higher As concentrations when there is a smaller amount of Mn in solution.

  14. [Effect of environmental factors on bacterial community structure in petroleum contaminated soil of Karamay oil field].

    PubMed

    Liang, Jianfang; Yang, Jiangke; Yang, Yang; Chao, Qunfang; Yin, Yalan; Zhao, Yaguan

    2016-08-04

    This study aimed to study the phylogenetic diversity and community structure of bacteria in petroleum contaminated soils from Karamay oil field, and to analyze the relationship between the community variation and the environment parameters, to provide a reference for bioremediation of petroleum contaminated soils. We collected samples from petroleum contaminated soils in 5 cm, 20 cm and 50 cm depth layers, and measured the environment parameters subsequently. We constructed three 16S rRNA gene clone libraries of these soil samples, and then determined the operation taxonomy units (OTUs) restriction fragment length polymorphism method, and finally sequenced the representative clones of every OUT. The diversity, richness and evenness index of the bacteria communities were calculated by using Biodap software. Neighbor-Joining phylogenetic tree was constructed based on 16S rRNA gene sequences of bacteria from Karamay oil field and the references from related environments. Canonial correspondence analysis (CCA) was used to analyze the relationship between environment parameters and species by using CANOCO 4.5 software. Environment parameters showed that 50 cm deep soil contained the highest amount of total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP), whereas the 20 cm depth soil contained the lowest amount. The 5 cm depth soil contained the highest amount of total organic carbon (TOC), whereas the 50 cm depth soil contained the lowest amount. Among the 3 layers, 20 cm depth had the highest diversity and richness of bacteria, whereas the bacteria in 50 cm depth was the lowest. Phylogenic analyses suggested that the bacteria in Karamay oil field could be distributed into five groups at the level of phylum, Cluster I to V, respectively belong to Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Firmicute, Bacteroidetes, Planctomycetes. Cluster I accounts for 78.57% of all tested communities. CCA results showed that TN, TP, TOC significantly affected the bacteria community structure. Especially

  15. 30 CFR 218.101 - Royalty and rental remittance (naval petroleum reserves).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Royalty and rental remittance (naval petroleum... INCENTIVES Oil and Gas, Onshore § 218.101 Royalty and rental remittance (naval petroleum reserves). Remittance covering payments of royalty or rental on naval petroleum reserves must be accomplished by...

  16. 30 CFR 1218.101 - Royalty and rental remittance (naval petroleum reserves).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Royalty and rental remittance (naval petroleum... CREDITS AND INCENTIVES Oil and Gas, Onshore § 1218.101 Royalty and rental remittance (naval petroleum reserves). Remittance covering payments of royalty or rental on naval petroleum reserves must be...

  17. USGS World Petroleum Assessment 2000: New Conventional Provinces

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Ahlbrandt, T.S.; Klett, T.R.

    2000-01-01

    The USGS has completed a new assessment of the undiscovered oil and gas resources of the world. One hundred and five geologic provinces were analyzed for assessment. Assessment units (AU) that comprise Total Petroleum Systems (TPS) were identified and described for each of these provinces. The AU served as the basis for assessing undiscovered petroleum within these provinces, 157 TPS and 270 AU were assessed. Some of data included in the assessment include the cumulative percent of world known petroleum volume by ranked oil and gas provinces; undiscovered NGL; reserve growth of the worlds largest oil and gas fields; and world potential reserve growth for oil/gas/NGL.

  18. BIOTIC AND ABIOTIC CONTRIBUTIONS TO REDUCTIVE TRANSFORMATION OF ORGANIC POLLUTANTS

    EPA Science Inventory

    The relative contributions of biotic and abiotic reductive transformation reactions were probed in two anoxic freshwater sediments by following the transformation of nitrobenzene, and 2,4 dichlorophenol (compounds with different one electron reduction potentials). The sediments d...

  19. Petroleum taxation and efficiency: the Canadian system in question

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Wahby, M.J.

    1983-08-01

    The question considered in this article is whether it is possible to have a tax that appropriates resource rents without imposing a penalty on potential petroleum production. It is submitted that a system of income taxes exists which partially fulfills the above requirements. The Canadian government has been moving towards this system of taxation since 1962 but its historical development has been slow. Topics discussed include: the efficient taxation of resource rents, a history of Canadian petroleum taxation, and the efficiency of the present petroleum tax system.

  20. Soil heterogeneity in Mojave Desert shrublands: Biotic and abiotic processes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Caldwell, Todd G.; Young, Michael H.; McDonald, Eric V.; Zhu, Jianting

    2012-09-01

    Geological and ecological processes play critical roles in the evolution of desert piedmonts. Feedback between fast cyclic biotic and slow cumulative pedogenic processes on arid alluvial fan systems results in a heterogeneous landscape of interspace and canopy microsites. Defining the spatial extent between these processes will allow a better connection to ecosystem service and climate change. We use a soil chronosequence in the Mojave Desert and high spatial resolution infiltrometer measurements along transects radiating from canopies of perennial shrubs to assess the extent of biotic and abiotic processes and the heterogeneity of soil properties in arid shrublands. Results showed higher saturated conductivity under vegetation regardless of surface age, but it was more conspicuous on older, developed soils. At proximal locations to the shrub, bulk density, soil structure grade, silt, and clay content significantly increased radially from the canopy, while sand and organic material decreased. Soil properties at distal locations 2-5 times the canopy radius had no significant spatial correlation. The extent of the biotic influence of the shrub was 1.34 ± 0.32 times the canopy radius. Hydraulic properties were weakly correlated in space, but 75% of the variance could be attributed to sand content, soil structure grade, mean-particle diameter, and soil organic material, none of which are exclusively biotic or abiotic. The fast cyclic biotic processes occurring under vegetation are clearly overprinted on slow cumulative abiotic processes, resulting in the deterministic variability observed at the plant scale.

  1. Translating knowledge about abiotic stress tolerance to breeding programmes.

    PubMed

    Gilliham, Matthew; Able, Jason A; Roy, Stuart J

    2017-06-01

    Plant breeding and improvements in agronomic practice are making a consistent contribution to increasing global crop production year upon year. However, the rate of yield improvement currently lags behind the targets set to produce enough food to meet the demands of the predicted global population in 2050. Furthermore, crops that are exposed to harmful abiotic environmental factors (abiotic stresses, e.g. water limitation, salinity, extreme temperature) are prone to reduced yields. Here, we briefly describe the processes undertaken in conventional breeding programmes, which are usually designed to improve yields in near-optimal conditions rather than specifically breeding for improved crop yield stability under stressed conditions. While there is extensive fundamental research activity that examines mechanisms of plant stress tolerance, there are few examples that apply this research to improving commercial crop yields. There are notable exceptions, and we highlight some of these to demonstrate the magnitude of yield gains that could be made by translating agronomic, phenological and genetic solutions focused on improving or mitigating the effect of abiotic stress in the field; in particular, we focus on improvements in crop water-use efficiency and salinity tolerance. We speculate upon the reasons for the disconnect between research and research translation. We conclude that to realise untapped rapid gains towards food security targets new funding structures need to be embraced. Such funding needs to serve both the core and collaborative activities of the fundamental, pre-breeding and breeding research communities in order to expedite the translation of innovative research into the fields of primary producers. © 2016 The Authors The Plant Journal © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  2. 49 CFR 393.69 - Liquefied petroleum gas systems.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... Protection Association, Battery March Park, Quincy, MA 02269, as follows: (1) A fuel system installed before... ACCESSORIES NECESSARY FOR SAFE OPERATION Fuel Systems § 393.69 Liquefied petroleum gas systems. (a) A fuel system that uses liquefied petroleum gas as a fuel for the operation of a motor vehicle or for the...

  3. Review of oil families and their petroleum systems of the Williston Basin

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Lillis, Paul G.

    2013-01-01

    Oil bulk properties such as API gravity, sulfur content, and pour point are much underutilized in the recent geochemical literature and are found to be useful here in differentiating oil families. The Red River petroleum system has two oil families that can be differentiated based on pour point. The oils in the Madison petroleum system can be divided into two families based on API gravity-sulfur content relationships, with one family derived from Type II-S kerogen and the other family derived from Type II kerogen with medium sulfur content. The Tyler petroleum system of the Williston Basin may be distinguished from the Heath-Tyler petroleum system in central Montana based on differences in geology and petroleum geochemistry, with Tyler petroleum system oils having a higher pour point and lower sulfur content.

  4. DEMONSTRATION BULLETIN: METAL-ENHANCED ABIOTIC DEGRADATION TECHNOLOGY - ENVIROMETAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

    EPA Science Inventory

    EnviroMetal Technologies, Inc. (ETI), of Guelph, ON, Canada, has developed the metal-enhanced abiotic degradation technology to treat halogenated volatile organic compounds (VOC) in water. A reactive, zero-valent, granular iron medium causes reductive dehalogenation of VOCs yield...

  5. Biological Networks Underlying Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Temperate Crops—A Proteomic Perspective

    PubMed Central

    Kosová, Klára; Vítámvás, Pavel; Urban, Milan Oldřich; Klíma, Miroslav; Roy, Amitava; Prášil, Ilja Tom

    2015-01-01

    Abiotic stress factors, especially low temperatures, drought, and salinity, represent the major constraints limiting agricultural production in temperate climate. Under the conditions of global climate change, the risk of damaging effects of abiotic stresses on crop production increases. Plant stress response represents an active process aimed at an establishment of novel homeostasis under altered environmental conditions. Proteins play a crucial role in plant stress response since they are directly involved in shaping the final phenotype. In the review, results of proteomic studies focused on stress response of major crops grown in temperate climate including cereals: common wheat (Triticum aestivum), durum wheat (Triticum durum), barley (Hordeum vulgare), maize (Zea mays); leguminous plants: alfalfa (Medicago sativa), soybean (Glycine max), common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), pea (Pisum sativum); oilseed rape (Brassica napus); potato (Solanum tuberosum); tobacco (Nicotiana tabaccum); tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum); and others, to a wide range of abiotic stresses (cold, drought, salinity, heat, imbalances in mineral nutrition and heavy metals) are summarized. The dynamics of changes in various protein functional groups including signaling and regulatory proteins, transcription factors, proteins involved in protein metabolism, amino acid metabolism, metabolism of several stress-related compounds, proteins with chaperone and protective functions as well as structural proteins (cell wall components, cytoskeleton) are briefly overviewed. Attention is paid to the differences found between differentially tolerant genotypes. In addition, proteomic studies aimed at proteomic investigation of multiple stress factors are discussed. In conclusion, contribution of proteomic studies to understanding the complexity of crop response to abiotic stresses as well as possibilities to identify and utilize protein markers in crop breeding processes are discussed. PMID:26340626

  6. National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPRA) core images and well data

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Houseknecht, D. W.

    2002-01-01

    This report contains photographic images and data from petroleum exploration wells drilled within and near the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPRA). The volume is organized into six chapters, each of which contains images and well data (including a GIS project of public domain cores) pertinent to the geology and petroleum potential of NPRA. This product is a compilation of data not available elsewhere and contains limited interpretive material.

  7. Effects of Abiotic Factors on HIPV-Mediated Interactions between Plants and Parasitoids

    PubMed Central

    Becker, Christine; Desneux, Nicolas; Monticelli, Lucie; Fernandez, Xavier; Michel, Thomas; Lavoir, Anne-Violette

    2015-01-01

    In contrast to constitutively emitted plant volatiles (PV), herbivore-induced plant volatiles (HIPV) are specifically emitted by plants when afflicted with herbivores. HIPV can be perceived by parasitoids and predators which parasitize or prey on the respective herbivores, including parasitic hymenoptera. HIPV act as signals and facilitate host/prey detection. They comprise a blend of compounds: main constituents are terpenoids and “green leaf volatiles.” Constitutive emission of PV is well known to be influenced by abiotic factors like temperature, light intensity, water, and nutrient availability. HIPV share biosynthetic pathways with constitutively emitted PV and might therefore likewise be affected by abiotic conditions. However, the effects of abiotic factors on HIPV-mediated biotic interactions have received only limited attention to date. HIPV being influenced by the plant's growing conditions could have major implications for pest management. Quantitative and qualitative changes in HIPV blends may improve or impair biocontrol. Enhanced emission of HIPV may attract a larger number of natural enemies. Reduced emission rates or altered compositions, however, may render blends imperceptible to parasitoides and predators. Predicting the outcome of these changes is highly important for food production and for ecosystems affected by global climate change. PMID:26788501

  8. SERDP ER-1421 Abiotic and Biotic Mechanisms Controlling In Situ Remediation of NDMA: Final Report

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Szecsody, James E.; McKinley, James P.; Crocker, Fiona H.

    This laboratory-scale project was initiated to investigate in situ abiotic/biotic mineralization of NDMA. Under iron-reducing conditions, aquifer sediments showed rapid abiotic NDMA degradation to dimethylamine (DMA), nitrate, formate, and finally, CO2. These are the first reported experiments of abiotic NDMA mineralization. The NDMA reactivity of these different iron phases showed that adsorbed ferrous iron was the dominant reactive phase that promoted NDMA reduction, and other ferrous phases present (siderite, iron sulfide, magnetite, structural ferrous iron in 2:1 clays) did not promote NDMA degradation. In contrast, oxic sediments that were biostimulated with propane promoted biomineralization of NDMA by a cometabolic monooxygenasemore » enzyme process. Other monooxygenase enzyme processes were not stimulated with methane or toluene additions, and acetylene addition did not block mineralization. Although NDMA mineralization extent was the highest in oxic, biostimulated sediments (30 to 82%, compared to 10 to 26% for abiotic mineralization in reduced sediments), large 1-D column studies (high sediment/water ratio of aquifers) showed 5.6 times higher NDMA mineralization rates in reduced sediment (half-life 410 ± 147 h) than oxic biomineralization (half life 2293 ± 1866 h). Sequential reduced/oxic biostimulated sediment mineralization (half-life 3180 ± 1094 h) was also inefficient compared to reduced sediment. These promising laboratory-scale results for NDMA mineralization should be investigated at field scale. Future studies of NDMA remediation should focus on the comparison of this in situ abiotic NDMA mineralization (iron-reducing environments) to ex situ biomineralization, which has been shown successful in other studies.« less

  9. The harm of petroleum-polluted soil and its remediation research

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Shuguang; Xu, Yan; Lin, Zhaofeng; Zhang, Jishi; Norbu, Namkha; Liu, Wei

    2017-08-01

    Land resources are the foundation of human's survival and development, and it's one of the most valuable natural resources of each country. In view of the serious problems of petroleum pollution to soil caused during the exploration and development processes, this article based on a large number of literature researches, firstly discussed the compositions and properties of petroleum contaminants, secondly investigated some restoration methods for the current situation of petroleum polluted soil, compared and analyzed the advantages and disadvantages of three kinds of bioremediation technologies. Finally, according to the deficiencies of previous research and existing problems, made an outlook of the physical and chemical remediation, bioremediation, and microbe-plant remediation, to provide some enlightenments for petroleum-contaminated soil remediation.

  10. The Promoter of AtUSP Is Co-regulated by Phytohormones and Abiotic Stresses in Arabidopsis thaliana.

    PubMed

    Bhuria, Monika; Goel, Parul; Kumar, Sanjay; Singh, Anil K

    2016-01-01

    Universal stress proteins (USPs) are known to be expressed in response to various abiotic stresses in a wide variety of organisms, such as bacteria, archaebacteria, protists, algae, fungi, plants, and animals. However, in plants, biological function of most of the USPs still remains obscure. In the present study, Arabidopsis USP gene ( AtUSP ) showed induction in response to abscisic acid (ABA) and various abiotic stresses viz . heat, dehydration, salt, osmotic, and cold stresses. Additionally, in silico analysis of AtUSP promoter identified several cis -elements responsive to phytohormones and abiotic stresses such as ABRE, ERE, DRE, and HSE, etc. To functionally validate the AtUSP promoter, the 1115 bp region of promoter was characterized under phytohormone and abiotic stress treatments. Deletion analysis of promoter was carried out by cloning the full length promoter (D0) and its three 5' deletion derivatives, D1 (964 bp), D2 (660 bp), and D3 (503 bp) upstream of the β-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene, which were then stably transformed in Arabidopsis plants. The AtUSP promoter (D0) showed minimal activity under non-stress conditions which was enhanced in response to phytohormone treatments (ABA and ACC) and abiotic stresses such as dehydration, heat, cold, salt, and osmotic stresses. The seedlings harboring D1 and D2 deletion fragments showed constitutive GUS expression even under control condition with increased activity almost under all the treatments. However, D3 seedlings exhibited complete loss of activity under control condition with induction under ACC treatment, dehydration, heat, oxidative, salt, and osmotic stresses. Thus, present study clearly showed that AtUSP promoter is highly inducible by phytohormones and multiple abiotic stresses and it can be exploited as stress inducible promoter to generate multi-stress tolerant crops with minimal effects on their other important traits.

  11. Negative effects of heterospecific pollen receipt vary with abiotic conditions: ecological and evolutionary implications.

    PubMed

    Celaya, Ileana N; Arceo-Gómez, Gerardo; Alonso, Conchita; Parra-Tabla, Víctor

    2015-10-01

    Studies that have evaluated the effects of heterospecific pollen (HP) receipt on plant reproductive success have generally overlooked the variability of the natural abiotic environment in which plants grow. Variability in abiotic conditions, such as light and water availability, has the potential to affect pollen-stigma interactions (i.e. conspecific pollen germination and performance), which will probably influence the effects of HP receipt. Thus, a more complete understanding of the extent, strength and consequences of plant-plant interactions via HP transfer requires better consideration of the range of abiotic conditions in which these interactions occur. This study addresses this issue by evaluating the effects of two HP donors (Tamonea curassavica and Angelonia angustifolia) on the reproductive success of Cuphea gaumeri, an endemic species of the Yucatan Peninsula. Mixed (conspecific pollen and HP) and pure (conspecific pollen only) hand-pollinations were conducted under varying conditions of water and light availability in a full factorial design. Reproductive success was measured as the number of pollen tubes that reached the bottom of the style. Only one of the two HP donors had a significant effect on C. gaumeri reproductive success, but this effect was dependent on water and light availability. Specifically, HP receipt caused a decrease in pollen tube growth, but only when the availability of water, light or both was low, and not when the availability of both resources was high. The results show that the outcome of interspecific post-pollination interactions via HP transfer can be context-dependent and vary with abiotic conditions, thus suggesting that abiotic effects in natural populations may be under-estimated. Such context-dependency could lead to spatial and temporal mosaics in the ecological and evolutionary consequences of post-pollination interactions. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany

  12. Negative effects of heterospecific pollen receipt vary with abiotic conditions: ecological and evolutionary implications

    PubMed Central

    Celaya, Ileana N.; Arceo-Gómez, Gerardo; Alonso, Conchita; Parra-Tabla, Víctor

    2015-01-01

    Background and Aims Studies that have evaluated the effects of heterospecific pollen (HP) receipt on plant reproductive success have generally overlooked the variability of the natural abiotic environment in which plants grow. Variability in abiotic conditions, such as light and water availability, has the potential to affect pollen–stigma interactions (i.e. conspecific pollen germination and performance), which will probably influence the effects of HP receipt. Thus, a more complete understanding of the extent, strength and consequences of plant–plant interactions via HP transfer requires better consideration of the range of abiotic conditions in which these interactions occur. This study addresses this issue by evaluating the effects of two HP donors (Tamonea curassavica and Angelonia angustifolia) on the reproductive success of Cuphea gaumeri, an endemic species of the Yucatan Peninsula. Methods Mixed (conspecific pollen and HP) and pure (conspecific pollen only) hand-pollinations were conducted under varying conditions of water and light availability in a full factorial design. Reproductive success was measured as the number of pollen tubes that reached the bottom of the style. Key Results Only one of the two HP donors had a significant effect on C. gaumeri reproductive success, but this effect was dependent on water and light availability. Specifically, HP receipt caused a decrease in pollen tube growth, but only when the availability of water, light or both was low, and not when the availability of both resources was high. Conclusions The results show that the outcome of interspecific post-pollination interactions via HP transfer can be context-dependent and vary with abiotic conditions, thus suggesting that abiotic effects in natural populations may be under-estimated. Such context-dependency could lead to spatial and temporal mosaics in the ecological and evolutionary consequences of post-pollination interactions. PMID:26199385

  13. EIA model documentation: Petroleum market model of the national energy modeling system

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    NONE

    1995-12-28

    The purpose of this report is to define the objectives of the Petroleum Market Model (PMM), describe its basic approach, and provide detail on how it works. This report is intended as a reference document for model analysts, users, and the public. Documentation of the model is in accordance with EIA`s legal obligation to provide adequate documentation in support of its models. The PMM models petroleum refining activities, the marketing of petroleum products to consumption regions, the production of natural gas liquids in gas processing plants, and domestic methanol production. The PMM projects petroleum product prices and sources of supplymore » for meeting petroleum product demand. The sources of supply include crude oil, both domestic and imported; other inputs including alcohols and ethers; natural gas plant liquids production; petroleum product imports; and refinery processing gain. In addition, the PMM estimates domestic refinery capacity expansion and fuel consumption. Product prices are estimated at the Census division level and much of the refining activity information is at the Petroleum Administration for Defense (PAD) District level.« less

  14. Clean Cities: Building Partnerships to Reduce Petroleum Use in Transportation (Brochure)

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Not Available

    2012-03-01

    This fact sheet provides an overview of the U.S. Department of Energy's Clean Cities program, which builds partnerships to reduce petroleum use in transportation in communities across the country. The U.S. Department of Energy's Clean Cities initiative advances the nation's economic, environmental, and energy security by supporting local actions to reduce petroleum consumption in transportation. Clean Cities accomplishes this work through the activities of nearly 100 local coalitions. These coalitions provide resources and technical assistance in the deployment of alternative and renewable fuels, idle-reduction measures, fuel economy improvements, and new transportation technologies, as they emerge. Clean Cities overarching goal ismore » to reduce U.S. petroleum use by 2.5 billion gallons per year by 2020. To achieve this goal, Clean Cities employs three strategies: (1) Replace petroleum with alternative and renewable fuels, including natural gas, propane, electricity, ethanol, biodiesel, and hydrogen; (2) Reduce petroleum consumption through smarter driving practices and fuel economy improvements; and (3) Eliminate petroleum use through idle reduction and other fuel-saving technologies and practices.« less

  15. Genetic features of petroleum systems in rift basins of eastern China

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Qiang, J.; McCabe, P.J.

    1998-01-01

    Most oil-bearing basins in eastern China are Mesozoic-Cenozoic continental rifts which have played a habitat for oil and gas in China. Investigation of the petroleum systems may give a better understanding of the oil and gas habitats in these basins. Of the essential elements of the petroleum system, the source rock is the most important in rift basins. However, rift tectonic evolution controls all the essential elements and processes nevessary for a petroleum system. A four stage evolution model is suggested for the controls in the rift basin. A rift basin may consist of sub-basins, depressions, sub-depressions, and major, moderate, and minor uplifts. A depression or sub-depression has its own depocentre (mainly occupied by source rock) and all kinds of lacustrine sediments, and thus has all the essential elements of a petroleum system. However, only those depressions or sub-depressions which are rich in organic matter and deeply buried to generate oil and gas form petroleum systems. Immature oil, another characteristic, complicates the petroleum system in the rift basins. Three types of oil and gas habitats are described as a result of this analysis of the petroleum systems of the 26 largest oil and gas fields discovered in eastern China rift basins: uplifts between oil source centres are the most prospective areas for oil and gas accumulations, slopes connecting oil source centres and uplifts are the second, and the third type is subtle traps in the soil source centre.Most oil-bearing basins in eastern China are Mesozoic-Cenozoic continental rifts which have played a habitat for oil and gas in China. Investigation of the petroleum systems may give a better understanding of the oil and gas habitats in these basins. Of the essential elements of the petroleum system, the source rock is the most important in rift basins. However, rift tectonic evolution controls all the essential elements and processes necessary for a petroleum system. A four stage evolution model

  16. 10 CFR 490.804 - Eligible reductions in petroleum consumption.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... 10 Energy 3 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Eligible reductions in petroleum consumption. 490.804 Section 490.804 Energy DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY ENERGY CONSERVATION ALTERNATIVE FUEL TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM Alternative Compliance § 490.804 Eligible reductions in petroleum consumption. (a) Motor vehicles...

  17. 10 CFR 490.804 - Eligible reductions in petroleum consumption.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... 10 Energy 3 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Eligible reductions in petroleum consumption. 490.804 Section 490.804 Energy DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY ENERGY CONSERVATION ALTERNATIVE FUEL TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM Alternative Compliance § 490.804 Eligible reductions in petroleum consumption. (a) Motor vehicles...

  18. 10 CFR 490.804 - Eligible reductions in petroleum consumption.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 10 Energy 3 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Eligible reductions in petroleum consumption. 490.804 Section 490.804 Energy DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY ENERGY CONSERVATION ALTERNATIVE FUEL TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM Alternative Compliance § 490.804 Eligible reductions in petroleum consumption. (a) Motor vehicles...

  19. 10 CFR 490.804 - Eligible reductions in petroleum consumption.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 10 Energy 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Eligible reductions in petroleum consumption. 490.804 Section 490.804 Energy DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY ENERGY CONSERVATION ALTERNATIVE FUEL TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM Alternative Compliance § 490.804 Eligible reductions in petroleum consumption. (a) Motor vehicles...

  20. 10 CFR 490.804 - Eligible reductions in petroleum consumption.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... 10 Energy 3 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Eligible reductions in petroleum consumption. 490.804 Section 490.804 Energy DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY ENERGY CONSERVATION ALTERNATIVE FUEL TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM Alternative Compliance § 490.804 Eligible reductions in petroleum consumption. (a) Motor vehicles...

  1. Generation of RNA in abiotic conditions.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    di Mauro, Ernesto

    Generation of RNA in abiotic conditions. Ernesto Di Mauro Dipartimento di Genetica Bi-ologia Molecolare, Universit` "Sapienza" Roma, Italy. a At least four conditions must be satisfied for the spontaneous generation of (pre)-genetic poly-mers: 1) availability of precursors that are activated enough to spontaneously polymerize. Preliminary studies showed that (a) nucleic bases and acyclonucleosides can be synthesized from formamide H2NCOH by simply heating with prebiotically available mineral catalysts [last reviewed in (1)], and that b) nucleic bases can be phosphorylated in every possible posi-tion [2'; 3'; 5'; cyclic 2',3'; cyclic 3',5' (2)]. The higher stability of the cyclic forms allows their accumulation. 2) A polymerization mechanism. A reaction showing the formation of RNA polymers starting from prebiotically plausible precursors (3',5' cyclic GMP and 3', 5'cyclic AMP) was recently reported (3). Polymerization in these conditions is thermodynamically up-hill and an equilibrium is attained that limits the maximum length of the polymer produced to about 40 nucleotides for polyG and 100 nucleotides for polyA. 3) Ligation of the synthesized oligomers. If this type of reaction could occur according to a terminal-joining mechanism and could generate canonical 3',5' phosphodiester bonds, exponential growth would be obtained of the generated oligomers. This type of reaction has been reported (4) , limited to homogeneous polyA sequences and leading to the production of polyA dimers and tetramers. What is still missing are: 4) mechanisms that provide the proof of principle for the generation of sequence complexity. We will show evidence for two mechanisms providing this proof of principle for simple complementary sequences. Namely: abiotic sequence complementary-driven terminal ligation and sequence-complementary terminal growth. In conclusion: all the steps leading to the generation of RNA in abiotic conditions are satisfied. (1) R Saladino, C Crestini, F

  2. Proteins in phytohormone signaling pathways for abiotic stress in plants

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Plant hormones and their signaling network systems have an essential role in activating and regulating plant responses to both biotic and abiotic stress factors. This chapter describes proteins that are involved in hormone biosynthesis, long distance and intra-cellular transport, the signaling sensi...

  3. 31 CFR 561.318 - Petroleum.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... § 561.318 Petroleum. A mixture of hydrocarbons that exists in liquid phase in natural underground reservoirs and remains liquid at atmospheric pressure after passing through surface separating facilities...

  4. Genetic and Computational Approaches for Studying Plant Development and Abiotic Stress Responses Using Image-Based Phenotyping

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Campbell, M. T.; Walia, H.; Grondin, A.; Knecht, A.

    2017-12-01

    The development of abiotic stress tolerant crops (i.e. drought, salinity, or heat stress) requires the discovery of DNA sequence variants associated with stress tolerance-related traits. However, many traits underlying adaptation to abiotic stress involve a suite of physiological pathways that may be induced at different times throughout the duration of stress. Conventional single-point phenotyping approaches fail to fully capture these temporal responses, and thus downstream genetic analysis may only identify a subset of the genetic variants that are important for adaptation to sub-optimal environments. Although genomic resources for crops have advanced tremendously, the collection of phenotypic data for morphological and physiological traits is laborious and remains a significant bottleneck in bridging the phenotype-genotype gap. In recent years, the availability of automated, image-based phenotyping platforms has provided researchers with an opportunity to collect morphological and physiological traits non-destructively in a highly controlled environment. Moreover, these platforms allow abiotic stress responses to be recorded throughout the duration of the experiment, and have facilitated the use of function-valued traits for genetic analyses in major crops. We will present our approaches for addressing abiotic stress tolerance in cereals. This talk will focus on novel open-source software to process and extract biological meaningful data from images generated from these phenomics platforms. In addition, we will discuss the statistical approaches to model longitudinal phenotypes and dissect the genetic basis of dynamic responses to these abiotic stresses throughout development.

  5. 31 CFR 538.210 - Prohibited transactions relating to petroleum and petrochemical industries.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... petroleum and petrochemical industries. 538.210 Section 538.210 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations... SUDANESE SANCTIONS REGULATIONS Prohibitions § 538.210 Prohibited transactions relating to petroleum and... relating to the petroleum or petrochemical industries in Sudan, including, but not limited to, oilfield...

  6. 31 CFR 538.210 - Prohibited transactions relating to petroleum and petrochemical industries.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... petroleum and petrochemical industries. 538.210 Section 538.210 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations... SUDANESE SANCTIONS REGULATIONS Prohibitions § 538.210 Prohibited transactions relating to petroleum and... relating to the petroleum or petrochemical industries in Sudan, including, but not limited to, oilfield...

  7. The Chuar Petroleum System, Arizona and Utah

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Lillis, Paul G.

    2016-01-01

    The Neoproterozoic Chuar Group consists of marine mudstone, sandstone and dolomitic strata divided into the Galeros and Kwagunt Formations, and is exposed only in the eastern Grand Canyon, Arizona. Research by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in the late 1980s identified strata within the group to be possible petroleum source rocks, and in particular the Walcott Member of the Kwagunt Formation. Industry interest in a Chuar oil play led to several exploratory wells drilled in the 1990s in southern Utah and northern Arizona to test the overlying Cambrian Tapeats Sandstone reservoir, and confirm the existence of the Chuar in subcrop. USGS geochemical analyses of Tapeats oil shows in two wells have been tentatively correlated to Chuar bitumen extracts. Distribution of the Chuar in the subsurface is poorly constrained with only five well penetrations, but recently published gravity/aeromagnetic interpretations provide further insight into the Chuar subcrop distribution. The Chuar petroleum system was reexamined as part of the USGS Paradox Basin resource assessment in 2011. A map was constructed to delineate the Chuar petroleum system that encompasses the projected Chuar source rock distribution and all oil shows in the Tapeats Sandstone, assuming that the Chuar is the most likely source for such oil shows. Two hypothetical plays were recognized but not assessed: (1) a conventional play with a Chuar source and Tapeats reservoir, and (2) an unconventional play with a Chuar source and reservoir. The conventional play has been discouraging because most surface structures have been tested by drilling with minimal petroleum shows, and there is some evidence that petroleum may have been flushed by CO2 from Tertiary volcanism. The unconventional play is untested and remains promising even though the subcrop distribution of source facies within the Chuar Group is largely unknown.

  8. Probabilistic assessment methodology for continuous-type petroleum accumulations

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Crovelli, R.A.

    2003-01-01

    The analytic resource assessment method, called ACCESS (Analytic Cell-based Continuous Energy Spreadsheet System), was developed to calculate estimates of petroleum resources for the geologic assessment model, called FORSPAN, in continuous-type petroleum accumulations. The ACCESS method is based upon mathematical equations derived from probability theory in the form of a computer spreadsheet system. ?? 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. 13 CFR 121.511 - What is the size standard for buying Government-owned petroleum?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... buying Government-owned petroleum? 121.511 Section 121.511 Business Credit and Assistance SMALL BUSINESS... Government-owned petroleum? A concern is small for this purpose if it is primarily engaged in petroleum refining and meets the size standard for a petroleum refining business. ...

  10. 13 CFR 121.511 - What is the size standard for buying Government-owned petroleum?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... buying Government-owned petroleum? 121.511 Section 121.511 Business Credit and Assistance SMALL BUSINESS... Government-owned petroleum? A concern is small for this purpose if it is primarily engaged in petroleum refining and meets the size standard for a petroleum refining business. ...

  11. 10 CFR Appendix to Part 474 - Sample Petroleum-Equivalent Fuel Economy Calculations

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... 10 Energy 3 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Sample Petroleum-Equivalent Fuel Economy Calculations..., DEVELOPMENT, AND DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM; PETROLEUM-EQUIVALENT FUEL ECONOMY CALCULATION Pt. 474, App. Appendix to Part 474—Sample Petroleum-Equivalent Fuel Economy Calculations Example 1: An electric vehicle is...

  12. 10 CFR Appendix to Part 474 - Sample Petroleum-Equivalent Fuel Economy Calculations

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... 10 Energy 3 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Sample Petroleum-Equivalent Fuel Economy Calculations..., DEVELOPMENT, AND DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM; PETROLEUM-EQUIVALENT FUEL ECONOMY CALCULATION Pt. 474, App. Appendix to Part 474—Sample Petroleum-Equivalent Fuel Economy Calculations Example 1: An electric vehicle is...

  13. 10 CFR Appendix to Part 474 - Sample Petroleum-Equivalent Fuel Economy Calculations

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 10 Energy 3 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Sample Petroleum-Equivalent Fuel Economy Calculations..., DEVELOPMENT, AND DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM; PETROLEUM-EQUIVALENT FUEL ECONOMY CALCULATION Pt. 474, App. Appendix to Part 474—Sample Petroleum-Equivalent Fuel Economy Calculations Example 1: An electric vehicle is...

  14. 10 CFR Appendix to Part 474 - Sample Petroleum-Equivalent Fuel Economy Calculations

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... 10 Energy 3 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Sample Petroleum-Equivalent Fuel Economy Calculations..., DEVELOPMENT, AND DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM; PETROLEUM-EQUIVALENT FUEL ECONOMY CALCULATION Pt. 474, App. Appendix to Part 474—Sample Petroleum-Equivalent Fuel Economy Calculations Example 1: An electric vehicle is...

  15. Novel perspectives for the engineering of abiotic stress tolerance in plants.

    PubMed

    Cabello, Julieta V; Lodeyro, Anabella F; Zurbriggen, Matias D

    2014-04-01

    Adverse environmental conditions pose serious limitations to agricultural production. Classical biotechnological approaches towards increasing abiotic stress tolerance focus on boosting plant endogenous defence mechanisms. However, overexpression of regulatory elements or effectors is usually accompanied by growth handicap and yield penalties due to crosstalk between developmental and stress-response networks. Herein we offer an overview on novel strategies with the potential to overcome these limitations based on the engineering of regulatory systems involved in the fine-tuning of the plant response to environmental hardships, including post-translational modifications, small RNAs, epigenetic control of gene expression and hormonal networks. The development and application of plant synthetic biology tools and approaches will add new functionalities and perspectives to genetic engineering programs for enhancing abiotic stress tolerance. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Subduction zone forearc serpentinites as incubators for deep microbial life

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Plümper, Oliver; King, Helen E.; Geisler, Thorsten; Liu, Yang; Pabst, Sonja; Savov, Ivan P.; Rost, Detlef; Zack, Thomas

    2017-04-01

    Serpentinization-fueled systems in the cool, hydrated forearc mantle of subduction zones may provide an environment that supports deep chemolithoautotrophic life. Here, we examine serpentinite clasts expelled from mud volcanoes above the Izu-Bonin-Mariana subduction zone forearc (Pacific Ocean) that contain complex organic matter and nanosized Ni-Fe alloys. Using time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry and Raman spectroscopy, we determined that the organic matter consists of a mixture of aliphatic and aromatic compounds and functional groups such as amides. Although an abiotic or subduction slab-derived fluid origin cannot be excluded, the similarities between the molecular signatures identified in the clasts and those of bacteria-derived biopolymers from other serpentinizing systems hint at the possibility of deep microbial life within the forearc. To test this hypothesis, we coupled the currently known temperature limit for life, 122 °C, with a heat conduction model that predicts a potential depth limit for life within the forearc at ˜10,000 m below the seafloor. This is deeper than the 122 °C isotherm in known oceanic serpentinizing regions and an order of magnitude deeper than the downhole temperature at the serpentinized Atlantis Massif oceanic core complex, Mid-Atlantic Ridge. We suggest that the organic-rich serpentinites may be indicators for microbial life deep within or below the mud volcano. Thus, the hydrated forearc mantle may represent one of Earth’s largest hidden microbial ecosystems. These types of protected ecosystems may have allowed the deep biosphere to thrive, despite violent phases during Earth’s history such as the late heavy bombardment and global mass extinctions.

  17. Subduction zone forearc serpentinites as incubators for deep microbial life

    PubMed Central

    Plümper, Oliver; Geisler, Thorsten; Liu, Yang; Pabst, Sonja; Savov, Ivan P.; Rost, Detlef; Zack, Thomas

    2017-01-01

    Serpentinization-fueled systems in the cool, hydrated forearc mantle of subduction zones may provide an environment that supports deep chemolithoautotrophic life. Here, we examine serpentinite clasts expelled from mud volcanoes above the Izu–Bonin–Mariana subduction zone forearc (Pacific Ocean) that contain complex organic matter and nanosized Ni–Fe alloys. Using time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry and Raman spectroscopy, we determined that the organic matter consists of a mixture of aliphatic and aromatic compounds and functional groups such as amides. Although an abiotic or subduction slab-derived fluid origin cannot be excluded, the similarities between the molecular signatures identified in the clasts and those of bacteria-derived biopolymers from other serpentinizing systems hint at the possibility of deep microbial life within the forearc. To test this hypothesis, we coupled the currently known temperature limit for life, 122 °C, with a heat conduction model that predicts a potential depth limit for life within the forearc at ∼10,000 m below the seafloor. This is deeper than the 122 °C isotherm in known oceanic serpentinizing regions and an order of magnitude deeper than the downhole temperature at the serpentinized Atlantis Massif oceanic core complex, Mid-Atlantic Ridge. We suggest that the organic-rich serpentinites may be indicators for microbial life deep within or below the mud volcano. Thus, the hydrated forearc mantle may represent one of Earth’s largest hidden microbial ecosystems. These types of protected ecosystems may have allowed the deep biosphere to thrive, despite violent phases during Earth’s history such as the late heavy bombardment and global mass extinctions. PMID:28396389

  18. Hydrothermal Liquefaction Biocrude Compositions Compared to Petroleum Crude and Shale Oil

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Jarvis, Jacqueline M.; Billing, Justin M.; Hallen, Richard T.

    We provide a direct and detailed comparison of the chemical composition of petroleum crude oil (from the Gulf of Mexico), shale oil, and three biocrudes (i.e., clean pine, microalgae Chlorella sp., and sewage sludge feedstocks) generated by hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL). Ultrahigh resolution Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS) reveals that HTL biocrudes are compositionally more similar to shale oil than petroleum crude oil and that only a few heteroatom classes (e.g., N1, N2, N1O1, and O1) are common to organic sediment- and biomass-derived oils. All HTL biocrudes contain a diverse range of oxygen-containing compounds when compared tomore » either petroleum crude or shale oil. Overall, petroleum crude and shale oil are compositionally dissimilar to HTL oils, and >85% of the elemental compositions identified within the positive-ion electrospray (ESI) mass spectra of the HTL biocrudes were not present in either the petroleum crude or shale oil (>43% for negative-ion ESI). Direct comparison of the heteroatom classes that are common to both organic sedimentand biomass-derived oils shows that HTL biocrudes generally contain species with both smaller core structures and a lower degree of alkylation relative to either the petroleum crude or the shale oil. Three-dimensional plots of carbon number versus molecular double bond equivalents (with observed abundance as the third dimension) for abundant molecular classes reveal the specific relationship of the composition of HTL biocrudes to petroleum and shale oils to inform the possible incorporation of these oils into refinery operations as a partial amendment to conventional petroleum feeds.« less

  19. Applications of aerospace technology to petroleum extraction and reservoir engineering

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Jaffe, L. D.; Back, L. H.; Berdahl, C. M.; Collins, E. E., Jr.; Gordon, P. G.; Houseman, J.; Humphrey, M. F.; Hsu, G. C.; Ham, J. D.; Marte, J. E.; hide

    1977-01-01

    Through contacts with the petroleum industry, the petroleum service industry, universities and government agencies, important petroleum extraction problems were identified. For each problem, areas of aerospace technology that might aid in its solution were also identified, where possible. Some of the problems were selected for further consideration. Work on these problems led to the formulation of specific concepts as candidate for development. Each concept is addressed to the solution of specific extraction problems and makes use of specific areas of aerospace technology.

  20. Dynamic monitoring of water petroleum substance using HJ-1/CCD remote sensing data

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Huang, Miaofen; Xing, Xufeng; Zhao, Zulong; Li, Zhanqiang

    2014-03-01

    The experiment data used in this paper include CDOM(Chromophoric dissolved organic matter) absorption coefficient, water apparent optical properties and petroleum pollution concentration, which were obtained in May 2008, August 2009 and June 2010 respectively at Liaohe Oilfield in Panjin city, Liaoning province of China. A model between CDOM absorption coefficient and petroleum pollution concentration was developed, and then was applied to eight HJ-1CCD remote sense images obtained from 2009 to 2011, to produce multi-period temporal and spatial distribution maps of petroleum concentration in costal waters. Based on these thematic maps, the dynamic monitoring of petroleum pollution concentration distribution was done. The results showed that (1)There was a decreasing trend of petroleum concentration from costal waters to open sea, which manifest itself as an approximately zonal distribution;(2) due to low precipitation in May and June every year, the concentration of petroleum keeps in a relatively high value state; (3) in September, the concentration of petroleum decreases dramatically as pre increases, most of the area below 0.29 mg/L; (4) compared with that in the same period, the concentration of petroleum in April 2010 is apparently higher than in April 2011, and among the images in September from 2009 to 2011,the highest concentration of petroleum appears in 2010, and the lowest in 2009.

  1. Experimental pressure enhancement of the rate of homogenous methanogenesis: implications for abiotic methane yields in terrestrial and planetary environments

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lazar, C.; Cody, G. D.

    2011-12-01

    Abiotic methane may play a role in the development of a biosphere on an otherwise lifeless planet. Methane concentrations in fluids emanating from serpentinite-hosted submarine springs such as Rainbow and Logatchev are below that required for equilibrium with coexisting CO2 and H2, indicating that the compositions of such fluids may be kinetically-controlled. The presence of transition metal-bearing accessory minerals in serpentinites has led to the hypothesis that heterogeneous catalysis may influence the rate of methanogenesis. We present new experiments that show pressure can also significantly accelerate homogenous methanogenesis, i.e., methane production in the absence of mineral catalysts. A series of cold-seal experiments were performed from 1-3.5 kbar at 300C for two weeks, using dilute isotopically labeled formic acid as a carbon and hydrogen source (70mmol solution). The experiments showed a significant increase in 13CH4 yield with pressure: e.g., the yield at 3.5 kbar was ~20X the yield at 1 kbar. This pressure enhancement is consistent with our previous results on homogeneous and heterogeneous methanogenesis and suggests that mineral catalysts are not necessary for CH4 equilibration in high pressure environments such as Precambrian crystalline basements or regional blueschist-grade metamorphic systems. Furthermore, in hydrothermal systems wherein fluid residence times are too short to permit equilibration, the reaction progress of methanogenesis is expected to increase with pressure. Recently discovered methane plumes above the mid-Cayman trough have been attributed to methanogenesis in deep serpentinites-hosted springs. The current experimental results lead to the prediction that the mid-Cayman springs (>1 kbar) contain higher methane concentrations than their lower pressure analogues at Rainbow and Logatchev (<0.5kbar). Fluids escaping forearc serpentinization in cold, steeply-dipping subduction zones may yield more methane than in warm shallow

  2. CO₂ carbonation under aqueous conditions using petroleum coke combustion fly ash.

    PubMed

    González, A; Moreno, N; Navia, R

    2014-12-01

    Fly ash from petroleum coke combustion was evaluated for CO2 capture in aqueous medium. Moreover the carbonation efficiency based on different methodologies and the kinetic parameters of the process were determined. The results show that petroleum coke fly ash achieved a CO2 capture yield of 21% at the experimental conditions of 12 g L(-1), 363°K without stirring. The carbonation efficiency by petroleum coke fly ash based on reactive calcium species was within carbonation efficiencies reported by several authors. In addition, carbonation by petroleum coke fly ash follows a pseudo-second order kinetic model. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. MICROSCALE METABOLIC, REDOX AND ABIOTIC REACTIONS IN HANFORD 300 AREA SUBSURFACE SEDIMENTS

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Beyenal, Haluk; McLEan, Jeff; Majors, Paul

    2013-11-14

    The Hanford 300 Area is a unique site due to periodic hydrologic influence of river water resulting in changes in groundwater elevation and flow direction. This area is also highly subject to uranium remobilization, the source of which is currently believed to be the region at the base of the vadose zone that is subject to period saturation due to the changes in the water levels in the Columbia River. We found that microbial processes and redox and abiotic reactions which operate at the microscale were critical to understanding factors controlling the macroscopic fate and transport of contaminants in themore » subsurface. The combined laboratory and field research showed how microscale conditions control uranium mobility and how biotic, abiotic and redox reactions relate to each other. Our findings extended the current knowledge to examine U(VI) reduction and immobilization using natural 300 Area communities as well as selected model organisms on redox-sensitive and redox-insensitive minerals. Using innovative techniques developed specifically to probe biogeochemical processes at the microscale, our research expanded our current understanding of the roles played by mineral surfaces, bacterial competition, and local biotic, abiotic and redox reaction rates on the reduction and immobilization of uranium.« less

  4. Petroleum Vapor - Field Technical

    EPA Science Inventory

    The screening approach being developed by EPA OUST to evaluate petroleum vapor intrusion (PVI) requires information that has not be routinely collected in the past at vapor intrusion sites. What is the best way to collect this data? What are the relevant data quality issues and ...

  5. United States petroleum pipelines: An empirical analysis of pipeline sizing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Coburn, L. L.

    1980-12-01

    The undersizing theory hypothesizes that integrated oil companies have a strong economic incentive to size the petroleum pipelines they own and ship over in a way that means that some of the demand must utilize higher cost alternatives. The DOJ theory posits that excess or monopoly profits are earned due to the natural monopoly characteristics of petroleum pipelines and the existence of market power in some pipelines at either the upstream or downstream market. The theory holds that independent petroleum pipelines owned by companies not otherwise affiliated with the petroleum industry (independent pipelines) do not have these incentives and all the efficiencies of pipeline transportation are passed to the ultimate consumer. Integrated oil companies on the other hand, keep these cost efficiencies for themselves in the form of excess profits.

  6. Genome-Wide Analysis of the GRF Family Reveals Their Involvement in Abiotic Stress Response in Cassava.

    PubMed

    Shang, Sang; Wu, Chunlai; Huang, Chao; Tie, Weiwei; Yan, Yan; Ding, Zehong; Xia, Zhiqiang; Wang, Wenquan; Peng, Ming; Tian, Libo; Hu, Wei

    2018-02-20

    GENERAL REGULATORY FACTOR (GRF) proteins play vital roles in the regulation of plant growth, development, and response to abiotic stress. However, little information is known for this gene family in cassava ( Manihot esculenta ). In this study, 15 MeGRFs were identified from the cassava genome and were clustered into the ε and the non-ε groups according to phylogenetic, conserved motif, and gene structure analyses. Transcriptomic analyses showed eleven Me GRFs with constitutively high expression in stems, leaves, and storage roots of two cassava genotypes. Expression analyses revealed that the majority of GRFs showed transcriptional changes under cold, osmotic, salt, abscisic acid (ABA), and H₂O₂ treatments. Six Me GRFs were found to be commonly upregulated by abiotic stress, ABA, and H₂O₂ treatments, which may be the converging points of multiple signaling pathways. Interaction network analysis identified 18 possible interactors of MeGRFs. Taken together, this study elucidates the transcriptional control of Me GRFs in tissue development and the responses of abiotic stress and related signaling in cassava. Some constitutively expressed, tissue-specific, and abiotic stress-responsive candidate MeGRF genes were identified for the further genetic improvement of crops.

  7. The commensurability of environmental geology and petroleum geology

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Argen, R.J.

    1990-05-01

    Environmental geology and petroleum geology are practical applications of pure geology. These two applied sciences differ with respect to their philosophical and ethical mandates. A good petroleum geologist finds hydrocarbons, but the role of a good environmental geologist is not well defined. If the good environmental geologist's role is not simply to protect the environment from the good petroleum geologist then how do the mandates of these geologists differ, yet remain compatible If the mandate of a good environmental geologist were to protect every natural resource from all managed use, then the good environmental geologist and the good petroleum geologistmore » would forever be at war. This mandate provides no framework for agreement because it assumes the inherent worth of each natural resource is discoverable. If the mandate of a good environmental geologist is to discover how to maximize the long-term benefits of the managed use of natural resource, then both the good environmental geologist and the good petroleum geologist would agree that no natural resource has inherent worth. The value of a natural resource is not determined by what it is, but by how it enhances the quality of life for a particular class of sentient creatures. An instrumental theory of value will provide a medium for interim disagreement on how to enhance the quality of life for sentient creatures, and also will provide the means for a long-term agreement that the managed use of natural resources enhances the long-term quality of life for sentient creatures.« less

  8. Thermal Properties of West Siberian Sediments in Application to Basin and Petroleum Systems Modeling

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Romushkevich, Raisa; Popov, Evgeny; Popov, Yury; Chekhonin, Evgeny; Myasnikov, Artem; Kazak, Andrey; Belenkaya, Irina; Zagranovskaya, Dzhuliya

    2016-04-01

    Quality of heat flow and rock thermal property data is the crucial question in basin and petroleum system modeling. A number of significant deviations in thermal conductivity values were observed during our integral geothermal study of West Siberian platform reporting that the corrections should be carried out in basin models. The experimental data including thermal anisotropy and heterogeneity measurements were obtained along of more than 15 000 core samples and about 4 500 core plugs. The measurements were performed in 1993-2015 with the optical scanning technique within the Continental Super-Deep Drilling Program (Russia) for scientific super-deep well Tyumenskaya SG-6, parametric super-deep well Yen-Yakhinskaya, and deep well Yarudeyskaya-38 as well as for 13 oil and gas fields in the West Siberia. Variations of the thermal conductivity tensor components in parallel and perpendicular direction to the layer stratification (assessed for 2D anisotropy model of the rock studied), volumetric heat capacity and thermal anisotropy coefficient values and average values of the thermal properties were the subject of statistical analysis for the uppermost deposits aged by: T3-J2 (200-165 Ma); J2-J3 (165-150 Ma); J3 (150-145 Ma); K1 (145-136 Ma); K1 (136-125 Ma); K1-K2 (125-94 Ma); K2-Pg+Ng+Q (94-0 Ma). Uncertainties caused by deviations of thermal conductivity data from its average values were found to be as high as 45 % leading to unexpected errors in the basin heat flow determinations. Also, the essential spatial-temporal variations in the thermal rock properties in the study area is proposed to be taken into account in thermo-hydrodynamic modeling of hydrocarbon recovery with thermal methods. The research work was done with financial support of the Russian Ministry of Education and Science (unique identification number RFMEFI58114X0008).

  9. Progress and challenges for abiotic stress proteomics of crop plants.

    PubMed

    Barkla, Bronwyn J; Vera-Estrella, Rosario; Pantoja, Omar

    2013-06-01

    Plants are continually challenged to recognize and respond to adverse changes in their environment to avoid detrimental effects on growth and development. Understanding the mechanisms that crop plants employ to resist and tolerate abiotic stress is of considerable interest for designing agriculture breeding strategies to ensure sustainable productivity. The application of proteomics technologies to advance our knowledge in crop plant abiotic stress tolerance has increased dramatically in the past few years as evidenced by the large amount of publications in this area. This is attributed to advances in various technology platforms associated with MS-based techniques as well as the accessibility of proteomics units to a wider plant research community. This review summarizes the work which has been reported for major crop plants and evaluates the findings in context of the approaches that are widely employed with the aim to encourage broadening the strategies used to increase coverage of the proteome. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  10. Distribution of the endangered giant kangaroo rat, Dipodomys ingens, on the Naval Petroleum Reserves, Kern County, California

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    O'Farrell, T.P.; Mathews, N.E.; Kato, T.T.

    1987-07-01

    Field surveys were conducted to determine the distribution and relative abundance of burrow systems of the endangered giant kangaroo rat, Dipodomys ingens, on the US Department of Energy's Naval Petroleum Reserves (NPR-1, NPR-2) in Kern County, California. A total of 1080 burrow systems were observed on 30 sections of NPR-1, 22 sections of NPR-2, and six adjoining sections. Most burrow systems were found in clusters on deep sandy loams in Buena Vista Valley, but isolated burrows were found in similar soils on the upper slopes or crests of ridges in 30 other sections of the reserves. Burrow systems had anmore » average of 3.3 horizontal entrances measuring 2.7 in. high and 3.4 in. wide, and an average of 1.4 vertical entrances 2.0 in. in diameter. In the valleys burrows occurred in a density of 28.2 per acre; had an average slope angle of 4.3/sup 0/; were within 3.3 yd of a perennial shrub, usually a cheese-bush, Hymenoclea salsola; had a predominantly southern aspect; and were grazed by sheep, but were remote from petroleum production activities. In the uplands burrows occurred in a density of 0.1 per acre; had an average slope angle of 6.4/sup 0/; were within 5.1 yd of a perennial shrub, usually a desert saltbush, Atriplex polycarpa; had no particular aspect; and were not grazed by sheep, but were close to petroleum production activities. Since 1980, preconstruction surveys have helped conserve giant kangaroo rat burrows that may have been inadvertently threatened by construction projects on the reserves.« less

  11. Species associations overwhelm abiotic conditions to dictate the structure and function of wood-decay fungal communities.

    PubMed

    Maynard, Daniel S; Covey, Kristofer R; Crowther, Thomas W; Sokol, Noah W; Morrison, Eric W; Frey, Serita D; van Diepen, Linda T A; Bradford, Mark A

    2018-04-01

    Environmental conditions exert strong controls on the activity of saprotrophic microbes, yet abiotic factors often fail to adequately predict wood decomposition rates across broad spatial scales. Given that species interactions can have significant positive and negative effects on wood-decay fungal activity, one possibility is that biotic processes serve as the primary controls on community function, with abiotic controls emerging only after species associations are accounted for. Here we explore this hypothesis in a factorial field warming- and nitrogen-addition experiment by examining relationships among wood decomposition rates, fungal activity, and fungal community structure. We show that functional outcomes and community structure are largely unrelated to abiotic conditions, with microsite and plot-level abiotic variables explaining at most 19% of the total variability in decomposition and fungal activity, and 2% of the variability in richness and evenness. In contrast, taxonomic richness, evenness, and species associations (i.e., co-occurrence patterns) exhibited strong relationships with community function, accounting for 52% of the variation in decomposition rates and 73% in fungal activity. A greater proportion of positive vs. negative species associations in a community was linked to strong declines in decomposition rates and richness. Evenness emerged as a key mediator between richness and function, with highly even communities exhibiting a positive richness-function relationship and uneven communities exhibiting a negative or null response. These results suggest that community-assembly processes and species interactions are important controls on the function of wood-decay fungal communities, ultimately overwhelming substantial differences in abiotic conditions. © 2018 by the Ecological Society of America.

  12. Dynamics of actual aggregation of petroleum products in snow cover

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Begunova, L. A.; Kuznetsova, O. V.; Begunov, D. A.; Kuznetsova, A. N.

    2017-11-01

    The paper presents issues of snow cover pollution by petroleum products. Petroleum products content was determined using the fluorimetric method of analysis. The samples of snow were selected on the territory of Angarsk and Irkutsk cities. According to the obtained data, the content of petroleum products in the analyzed samples exceeds the background value up to 6 times. Analysis of the reference data for similar research confirms need for creation of an environmental monitoring centralized system to monitor atmospheric precipitation and, particularly, snow cover.

  13. Analysis of global gene expression in Brachypodium distachyon reveals extensive network plasticity in response to abiotic stress.

    PubMed

    Priest, Henry D; Fox, Samuel E; Rowley, Erik R; Murray, Jessica R; Michael, Todd P; Mockler, Todd C

    2014-01-01

    Brachypodium distachyon is a close relative of many important cereal crops. Abiotic stress tolerance has a significant impact on productivity of agriculturally important food and feedstock crops. Analysis of the transcriptome of Brachypodium after chilling, high-salinity, drought, and heat stresses revealed diverse differential expression of many transcripts. Weighted Gene Co-Expression Network Analysis revealed 22 distinct gene modules with specific profiles of expression under each stress. Promoter analysis implicated short DNA sequences directly upstream of module members in the regulation of 21 of 22 modules. Functional analysis of module members revealed enrichment in functional terms for 10 of 22 network modules. Analysis of condition-specific correlations between differentially expressed gene pairs revealed extensive plasticity in the expression relationships of gene pairs. Photosynthesis, cell cycle, and cell wall expression modules were down-regulated by all abiotic stresses. Modules which were up-regulated by each abiotic stress fell into diverse and unique gene ontology GO categories. This study provides genomics resources and improves our understanding of abiotic stress responses of Brachypodium.

  14. Applications of aerospace technology to petroleum exploration. Volume 1: Efforts and results

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Jaffe, L. D.

    1976-01-01

    The feasibility of applying aerospace techniques to help solve significant problems in petroleum exploration is studied. Through contacts with petroleum industry and petroleum service industry, important petroleum exploration problems were identified. For each problem, areas of aerospace technology that might aid in its solution were also identified where possible. Topics selected for investigation include: seismic reflection systems; down-hole acoustic techniques; identification of geological analogies; drilling methods; remote geological sensing; and sea floor imaging and mapping. Specific areas of aerospace technology are applied to 21 concepts formulated from the topics of concern.

  15. Pre-mRNA splicing repression triggers abiotic stress signaling in plants.

    PubMed

    Ling, Yu; Alshareef, Sahar; Butt, Haroon; Lozano-Juste, Jorge; Li, Lixin; Galal, Aya A; Moustafa, Ahmed; Momin, Afaque A; Tashkandi, Manal; Richardson, Dale N; Fujii, Hiroaki; Arold, Stefan; Rodriguez, Pedro L; Duque, Paula; Mahfouz, Magdy M

    2017-01-01

    Alternative splicing (AS) of precursor RNAs enhances transcriptome plasticity and proteome diversity in response to diverse growth and stress cues. Recent work has shown that AS is pervasive across plant species, with more than 60% of intron-containing genes producing different isoforms. Mammalian cell-based assays have discovered various inhibitors of AS. Here, we show that the macrolide pladienolide B (PB) inhibits constitutive splicing and AS in plants. Also, our RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) data revealed that PB mimics abiotic stress signals including salt, drought and abscisic acid (ABA). PB activates the abiotic stress- and ABA-responsive reporters RD29A::LUC and MAPKKK18::uidA in Arabidopsis thaliana and mimics the effects of ABA on stomatal aperture. Genome-wide analysis of AS by RNA-seq revealed that PB perturbs the splicing machinery and leads to a striking increase in intron retention and a reduction in other forms of AS. Interestingly, PB treatment activates the ABA signaling pathway by inhibiting the splicing of clade A PP2C phosphatases while still maintaining to some extent the splicing of ABA-activated SnRK2 kinases. Taken together, our data establish PB as an inhibitor and modulator of splicing and a mimic of abiotic stress signals in plants. Thus, PB reveals the molecular underpinnings of the interplay between stress responses, ABA signaling and post-transcriptional regulation in plants. © 2016 The Authors The Plant Journal © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  16. Lessons Learned Using Fractions to Assess Risk at Petroleum Release Sites

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2004-04-01

    Jet Fuel Bioavailability Hydrocarbon fractions Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons Weathered petroleum Sequestration 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17...requirements at sites that were contaminated with petroleum products such as gasoline, diesel fuel , jet fuel , heating oil, lubricants and used motor oils...December 2002. Four of the demonstration sites were contaminated with jet fuel (i.e., JP-4, JP-5 or JP-8). The Misawa Air Base site was contaminated with

  17. The influence of petroleum products on the methane fermentation process.

    PubMed

    Choromański, Paweł; Karwowska, Ewa; Łebkowska, Maria

    2016-01-15

    In this study the influence of the petroleum products: diesel fuel and spent engine oil on the sewage sludge digestion process and biogas production efficiency was investigated. Microbiological, chemical and enzymatic analyses were applied in the survey. It was revealed that the influence of the petroleum derivatives on the effectiveness of the methane fermentation of sewage sludge depends on the type of the petroleum product. Diesel fuel did not limit the biogas production and the methane concentration in the biogas, while spent engine oil significantly reduced the process efficacy. The changes in physical-chemical parameters, excluding COD, did not reflect the effect of the tested substances. The negative influence of petroleum products on individual bacterial groups was observed after 7 days of the process, while after 14 days probably some adaptive mechanisms appeared. The dehydrogenase activity assessment was the most relevant parameter to evaluate the effect of petroleum products contamination. Diesel fuel was probably used as a source of carbon and energy in the process, while the toxic influence was observed in case of spent engine oil. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Overexpression of Arabidopsis AnnAt8 Alleviates Abiotic Stress in Transgenic Arabidopsis and Tobacco

    PubMed Central

    Yadav, Deepanker; Ahmed, Israr; Shukla, Pawan; Boyidi, Prasanna; Kirti, Pulugurtha Bharadwaja

    2016-01-01

    Abiotic stress results in massive loss of crop productivity throughout the world. Because of our limited knowledge of the plant defense mechanisms, it is very difficult to exploit the plant genetic resources for manipulation of traits that could benefit multiple stress tolerance in plants. To achieve this, we need a deeper understanding of the plant gene regulatory mechanisms involved in stress responses. Understanding the roles of different members of plant gene families involved in different stress responses, would be a step in this direction. Arabidopsis, which served as a model system for the plant research, is also the most suitable system for the functional characterization of plant gene families. Annexin family in Arabidopsis also is one gene family which has not been fully explored. Eight annexin genes have been reported in the genome of Arabidopsis thaliana. Expression studies of different Arabidopsis annexins revealed their differential regulation under various abiotic stress conditions. AnnAt8 (At5g12380), a member of this family has been shown to exhibit ~433 and ~175 fold increase in transcript levels under NaCl and dehydration stress respectively. To characterize Annexin8 (AnnAt8) further, we have generated transgenic Arabidopsis and tobacco plants constitutively expressing AnnAt8, which were evaluated under different abiotic stress conditions. AnnAt8 overexpressing transgenic plants exhibited higher seed germination rates, better plant growth, and higher chlorophyll retention when compared to wild type plants under abiotic stress treatments. Under stress conditions transgenic plants showed comparatively higher levels of proline and lower levels of malondialdehyde compared to the wild-type plants. Real-Time PCR analyses revealed that the expression of several stress-regulated genes was altered in AnnAt8 over-expressing transgenic tobacco plants, and the enhanced tolerance exhibited by the transgenic plants can be correlated with altered expressions of

  19. Do your extractable TPH concentrations represent dissolved petroleum? An update on applied research

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Zemo, D.A.

    1997-12-31

    Elevated concentrations of {open_quotes}dissolved-phase{close_quotes} extractable total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) in groundwater samples can be a significant impediment to site closure in states that regulate groundwater using TPH criteria. These analytical results are inconsistent with petroleum chemistry because of the relatively low water solubility of petroleum products. This paper presents an update of our research into the source of medium- to high-boiling TPH detections in groundwater samples and application of the results to multiple projects. This work follows from a 1995 publication in which positive interferences to the Method 8015M (GC-FID) TPH measurement by soluble, non-petroleum hydrocarbons resulting from intrinsic bioremediationmore » or non-dissolved petroleum adhered to particulates was described. The 1995 paper was largely theoretical and focused on one case study. Since 1995, we have evaluated the source of TPH detections in groundwater at numerous petroleum sites and have demonstrated the significance of interferences to the Method 8015M measurement to the California regulatory community. Our work has shown conclusively that elevated concentrations of extractable TPH are not representative of dissolved petroleum constituents. We have shown that a sample cleanup prior to analysis using silica gel cleanup (to remove polar non-petroleum hydrocarbons) and/or laboratory filtration (to reduce petroleum-affected particulates) is required to overcome the false positives caused by interferences to the Method 8015M measurement.« less

  20. INTEGRATED PETROLEUM ENVIRONMENTAL CONSORTIUM (IPEC)

    EPA Science Inventory

    EPA GRANT NUMBER: R827015
    Title: Integrated Petroleum Environmental Consortium (IPEC)
    Investigator: Kerry L. Sublette
    Institution: University of Tulsa
    EPA Project Officer: S. Bala Krishnan
    Project Period: October 1, 19...

  1. Acquisition Strategies for Purchasing Bulk Petroleum in DoD.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1980-12-01

    Oligopoly . . . . . . . . 41 2. Pricing Policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 a. Crude Oil Price Controls . . . . . . 43 b...Petroleum Product Price Controls 4. . . c. OPEC Price Controls . . .. . 4 6l 3. Product Policy ...... ....... 45 4. Policy Toward Rivals...Market conduct in the petroleum industry will be divided into three areas: pricing policies , product quality policies , and policies toward

  2. Quantitative proteomics analysis reveals the tolerance of Mirabilis jalapa L. to petroleum contamination.

    PubMed

    Chen, Shuisen; Ma, Hui; Guo, Zhifu; Feng, Yaping; Lin, Jingwei; Zhang, Menghua; Zhong, Ming

    2017-03-01

    Petroleum is not only an important energy resource but is also a major soil pollutant. To gain better insight into the adaptability mechanism of Mirabilis jalapa to petroleum-contaminated soil, the protein profiles of M. jalapa root were investigated using label-free quantitative proteomics technique. After exposing to petroleum-contaminated soil for 24 h, 34 proteins significantly changed their protein abundance and most of the proteins increased in protein abundance (91.18%). Combined with gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses as well as data from previous studies, our results revealed that M. jalapa enhanced tolerance to petroleum by changing antioxidation and detoxification, cell wall organization, amino acid and carbohydrate metabolism, transportation and protein process, and so on. These metabolism alterations could result in the production and secretion of low molecular carbohydrate, amino acid, and functional protein, which enhanced the bioavailability of petroleum and reducing the toxicity of the petroleum. Taken together, these results provided novel information for better understanding of the tolerance of M. jalapa to petroleum stress.

  3. Novel nanoporous sorbent for solid-phase extraction in petroleum fingerprinting

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Alayande, S. Oluwagbemiga; Hlengilizwe, Nyoni; Dare, E. Olugbenga; Msagati, Titus A. M.; Akinlabi, A. Kehinde; Aiyedun, P. O.

    2016-04-01

    Sample preparation is crucial in the analysis of petroleum and its derivatives. In this study, developing affordable sorbent for petroleum fingerprinting analysis using polymer waste such expanded polystyrene was explored. The potential of electrospun expanded polystyrene (EPS) as a sorbent for the solid-phase extraction (SPE) technique was investigated, and its efficiency was compared with commercial cartridges such as alumina, silica and alumina/silica hybrid commercial for petroleum fingerprinting analysis. The chromatograms showed that the packed electrospun EPS fibre demonstrated excellent properties for SPE applications relative to the hybrid cartridges.

  4. A significant abiotic pathway for the formation of unknown nitrogen in nature

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jokic, A.; Schulten, H.-R.; Cutler, J. N.; Schnitzer, M.; Huang, P. M.

    2004-03-01

    The global nitrogen cycle is of prime importance in natural ecosystems. However, the origin and nature of up to one-half of total soil N remains obscure despite all attempts at elucidation. Our data provide, for the first time, unequivocal evidence that the promoting action of Mn (IV) oxide on the Maillard reaction (sugar-amino acid condensation) under ambient conditions results in the abiotic formation of heterocyclic N compounds, which are often referred to as unknown nitrogen, and of amides which are apparently the dominant N moieties in nature. The information presented is of fundamental significance in understanding the role of mineral colloids in abiotic transformations of organic N moieties, the incorporation of N in the organic matrix of fossil fuels, and the global N cycle.

  5. Enhancing crop resilience to combined abiotic and biotic stress through the dissection of physiological and molecular crosstalk

    PubMed Central

    Kissoudis, Christos; van de Wiel, Clemens; Visser, Richard G. F.; van der Linden, Gerard

    2014-01-01

    Plants growing in their natural habitats are often challenged simultaneously by multiple stress factors, both abiotic and biotic. Research has so far been limited to responses to individual stresses, and understanding of adaptation to combinatorial stress is limited, but indicative of non-additive interactions. Omics data analysis and functional characterization of individual genes has revealed a convergence of signaling pathways for abiotic and biotic stress adaptation. Taking into account that most data originate from imposition of individual stress factors, this review summarizes these findings in a physiological context, following the pathogenesis timeline and highlighting potential differential interactions occurring between abiotic and biotic stress signaling across the different cellular compartments and at the whole plant level. Potential effects of abiotic stress on resistance components such as extracellular receptor proteins, R-genes and systemic acquired resistance will be elaborated, as well as crosstalk at the levels of hormone, reactive oxygen species, and redox signaling. Breeding targets and strategies are proposed focusing on either manipulation and deployment of individual common regulators such as transcription factors or pyramiding of non- (negatively) interacting components such as R-genes with abiotic stress resistance genes. We propose that dissection of broad spectrum stress tolerance conferred by priming chemicals may provide an insight on stress cross regulation and additional candidate genes for improving crop performance under combined stress. Validation of the proposed strategies in lab and field experiments is a first step toward the goal of achieving tolerance to combinatorial stress in crops. PMID:24904607

  6. Petroleum potential of wilderness lands in the Western United States

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Miller, Betty M.

    1983-01-01

    In 1982-83, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) conducted an investigation of the oil and gas potential of the designated and proposed Wilderness Lands in the Western United States. The scope of this study was limited to the assessment of conventional recoverable petroleum resources occurring in the designated and proposed Wilderness Lands of the Western United States that are administered under four Federal agencies: Bureau of Land Management (BLM), U.S. Forest Service (USFS), National Park Service (NPS), and Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). The total area of the study included approximately 74 million acres of Wilderness Lands in these 11 Western States: Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. The 74 million acres represent 31 percent of the total Federal lands within these 11 Western States. Approximately 49 percent of all the lands in these States are federally owned. The objective of this study was to assemble through various means all the available pertinent information that could be brought together within the USGS and integrate these data into a computer-based digital cartographic data system that was focused upon the single issue of reviewing the known geological and geophysical data to determine the geologic characteristics favorable or unfavorable for the occurrence of petroleum resources in these Wilderness Lands. In a joint effort in the USGS between the Geologic Division (GD) and the National Mapping Division (NMD) all of the mappable information used in this study was prepared and processed by using digital cartographic techniques. These include digitizing the location and boundaries of the Wilderness Lands; acreage calculations; the boundaries of the USGS petroleum provinces; and the geologic and tectonic boundaries within each petroleum province and State. In addition, searches were conducted on well data files which provided the locations and geologic information on over 5,000 wells

  7. Future petroleum energy resources of the world

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Ahlbrandt, T.S.

    2002-01-01

    Is the world running out of oil? Where will future oil and gas supplies come from? To help answer these questions, in 2000 the U.S. Geological Survey completed a new world assessment, exclusive of the United States, of the undiscovered conventional oil and gas resources and potential additions to reserves from field growth.2 One hundred and twenty-eight provinces were assessed in a 100 man-year effort from 1995-2000. The assessed provinces included 76 priority provinces containing 95% of the world's discovered oil and gas and an additional 52 "boutique" provinces, many of which may be highly prospective. Total Petroleum Systems (TPS) were identified and described for each of these provinces along with associated Assessment Units (AU) that are the basic units for assessing undiscovered petroleum. The assessment process coupled geologic analysis with a probabilistic methodology to estimate remaining potential. Within the 128 assessed provinces were 159 TPS and 274 AU. For these provinces, the endowment of recoverable oil-which includes cumulative production, remaining reserves, reserve growth, and undiscovered resources-is estimated at about 3 trillion barrels of oil (TBO). The natural gas endowment is estimated at 2.6 trillion barrels of oil equivalent (TBOE). Oil reserves are currently 1.1 TBO; world consumption is about .028 TBO per year. Natural gas reserves are about 0.8 TBOE; world consumption is about 0.014 TBOE per year. Thus, without any additional discoveries of oil, gas or natural gas liquids, we have about 2 TBOE of proved petroleum reserves. Of the oil and gas endowment of about 5.6 TBOE, we estimate that the world has consumed about 1 TBOE, or 18%, leaving about 82% of the endowment to be utilized or found. Half of the world's undiscovered potential is offshore. Arctic basins with about 25% of undiscovered petroleum resources make up the next great frontier. An additional 279 provinces contain some oil and gas and, if considered, would increase the oil

  8. Comparative dermal carcinogenesis of shale and petroleum-derived distillates.

    PubMed

    Clark, C R; Walter, M K; Ferguson, P W; Katchen, M

    1988-03-01

    Ten test materials derived from petroleum or hydrotreated shale oils were applied 3 times/week for up to 105 weeks to the shaved skin of 25 male and 25 female C3H/HeN mice per group. Mineral oil and benzo(a) pyrene (0.15%) were control materials. Clinical observations were recorded during the study. At death, histopathologic examination was conducted on skin, internal organs and any gross lesions. Exposures to some materials were ended midway in the study due to severe irritation. Chronic toxicity of all materials was limited to inflammatory and degenerative skin changes. Significant increases over control incidence of skin tumors (squamous cell carcinoma and fibrosarcoma) occurred with both petroleum and shale-derived naphtha (21%, 50%), Jet A (26%, 28%), JP-4 (26%, 50%), and crude oils (84%, 54%). Severely hydrotreated shale oil and petroleum and shale-derived diesel distillates were not considered tumorigenic. Results indicate that toxicity of comparable petroleum and shale-derived fractions was qualitatively similar and confirm earlier findings that hydrotreating reduces or eliminates carcinogenicity of raw shale oil.

  9. Review of Abiotic Degradation of Chlorinated Solvents by Reactive Iron Minerals

    EPA Science Inventory

    Abiotic degradation of chlorinated solvents by reactive iron minerals such as iron sulfides, magnetite, green rust, and other Fe(II)-containing minerals has been observed in both laboratory and field conditions. These reactive iron minerals typically form under iron and sulfate ...

  10. Petroleum system modeling capabilities for use in oil and gas resource assessments

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Higley, Debra K.; Lewan, Michael; Roberts, Laura N.R.; Henry, Mitchell E.

    2006-01-01

    Summary: Petroleum resource assessments are among the most highly visible and frequently cited scientific products of the U.S. Geological Survey. The assessments integrate diverse and extensive information on the geologic, geochemical, and petroleum production histories of provinces and regions of the United States and the World. Petroleum systems modeling incorporates these geoscience data in ways that strengthen the assessment process and results are presented visually and numerically. The purpose of this report is to outline the requirements, advantages, and limitations of one-dimensional (1-D), two-dimensional (2-D), and three-dimensional (3-D) petroleum systems modeling that can be applied to the assessment of oil and gas resources. Primary focus is on the application of the Integrated Exploration Systems (IES) PetroMod? software because of familiarity with that program as well as the emphasis by the USGS Energy Program on standardizing to one modeling application. The Western Canada Sedimentary Basin (WCSB) is used to demonstrate the use of the PetroMod? software. Petroleum systems modeling quantitatively extends the 'total petroleum systems' (TPS) concept (Magoon and Dow, 1994; Magoon and Schmoker, 2000) that is employed in USGS resource assessments. Modeling allows integration of state-of-the-art analysis techniques, and provides the means to test and refine understanding of oil and gas generation, migration, and accumulation. Results of modeling are presented visually, numerically, and statistically, which enhances interpretation of the processes that affect TPSs through time. Modeling also provides a framework for the input and processing of many kinds of data essential in resource assessment, including (1) petroleum system elements such as reservoir, seal, and source rock intervals; (2) timing of depositional, hiatus, and erosional events and their influences on petroleum systems; (3) incorporation of vertical and lateral distribution and lithologies of

  11. UNDERSTANDING THE FATE OF PETROLEUM HYDROCARBONS IN THE SUBSURFACE ENVIRONMENT

    EPA Science Inventory

    Sinca a significant number of the two or more million underground storage tank (UST) systems used for petroleum products leak, their cleanup poses a major environmental challenge. Our understnading of the fate of petroleum hydrocarbons in the subsurface environment is critical t...

  12. Hydrologic, abiotic and biotic interactions: plant density, windspeed, leaf size and groundwater all affect oak water use efficiency

    Treesearch

    Darin J. Law; Deborah M. Finch

    2011-01-01

    Plant water use in drylands can be complex due to variation in hydrologic, abiotic and biotic factors, particularly near ephemeral or intermittent streams. Plant use of groundwater may be important but is usually uncertain. Disturbances like fire contribute to complex spatiotemporal heterogeneity. Improved understanding of how such hydrologic, abiotic, and biotic...

  13. Photochemically assisted fast abiotic oxidation of manganese and formation of δ-MnO 2 nanosheets in nitrate solution

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Jung, Haesung; Chadha, Tandeep S.; Kim, Doyoon

    This study introduces a new and previously unconsidered fast abiotic formation of Mn(IV) oxides. We report photochemically assisted fast abiotic oxidation of Mn 2+ (aq) to Mn(IV) (s) by superoxide radicals generated from nitrate photolysis. This photochemical pathway generates randomly stacked layered birnessite (δ-MnO 2) nanosheets.

  14. Supervising development in petroleum industry of the Russian Federation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sizov, A.; Tretyakov, K.; Boyarko, G.; Shenderova, I.; Shakirov, A.

    2015-11-01

    Supervising has strongly consolidated in the domestic petroleum services market of the Russian Federation. But despite the rapid growth of the supervising services market, there is a definite need for its further development. In the article, the developments of supervising in petroleum industry of the Russian Federation, as well as possible ways of its improvement are considered.

  15. Bioremediation of Petroleum Hydrocarbon Contaminated Sites

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Fallgren, Paul

    Bioremediation has been widely applied in the restoration of petroleum hydrocarbon-contaminated. Parameters that may affect the rate and efficiency of biodegradation include temperature, moisture, salinity, nutrient availability, microbial species, and type and concentration of contaminants. Other factors can also affect the success of the bioremediation treatment of contaminants, such as climatic conditions, soil type, soil permeability, contaminant distribution and concentration, and drainage. Western Research Institute in conjunction with TechLink Environmental, Inc. and the U.S. Department of Energy conducted laboratory studies to evaluate major parameters that contribute to the bioremediation of petroleum-contaminated drill cuttings using land farming and to develop amore » biotreatment cell to expedite biodegradation of hydrocarbons. Physical characteristics such as soil texture, hydraulic conductivity, and water retention were determined for the petroleum hydrocarbon contaminated soil. Soil texture was determined to be loamy sand to sand, and high hydraulic conductivity and low water retention was observed. Temperature appeared to have the greatest influence on biodegradation rates where high temperatures (>50 C) favored biodegradation. High nitrogen content in the form of ammonium enhanced biodegradation as well did the presence of water near field water holding capacity. Urea was not a good source of nitrogen and has detrimental effects for bioremediation for this site soil. Artificial sea water had little effect on biodegradation rates, but biodegradation rates decreased after increasing the concentrations of salts. Biotreatment cell (biocell) tests demonstrated hydrocarbon biodegradation can be enhanced substantially when utilizing a leachate recirculation design where a 72% reduction of hydrocarbon concentration was observed with a 72-h period at a treatment temperature of 50 C. Overall, this study demonstrates the investigation of the effects of

  16. Reductions in Northeast Refining Activity: Potential Implications for Petroleum Product Markets

    EIA Publications

    2011-01-01

    This report is the Energy Information Administration's (EIA) initial effort to provide information and analysis on the potential impacts on petroleum product markets from reductions in Northeast petroleum refining activity.

  17. Geology and total petroleum systems of the Gulf of Guinea province of West Africa

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Brownfield, Michael E.; Charpentier, Ronald R.

    2006-01-01

    The Gulf of Guinea Province as defined by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) consists of the coastal and offshore areas of Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, and Benin, and the western part of the coast of Nigeria, from the Liberian border east to the west edge of the Niger Delta. The province includes the Ivory Coast, Tano, Central, Saltpond, Keta, and Benin Basins and the Dahomey Embayment. The area has had relatively little hydrocarbon exploration since 1968, with only 33 small to moderate-sized oil and gas fields having been discovered prior to the USGS assessment. Most discoveries to 1995 have been located in water depths less than 500 m. Since 1995, only eight new offshore discoveries have been made, with four of the discoveries in the deep-water area of the province. Although as many as five total petroleum systems exist in the Gulf of Guinea Province, only one, the Cretaceous Composite Total Petroleum System, and its assessment unit, the Coastal Plain and Offshore Assessment Unit, had sufficient data to allow assessment. The province shows two important differences compared to the passive-margin basins south of the Niger Delta: (1) the influence of transform tectonics, and (2) the absence of evaporites and salt deformation. The province also lacks long-lived, large deltaic systems that typically result in rapid source rock burial and abundant high-quality hydrocarbon reservoirs. The USGS assessed the potential for undiscovered conventional oil and gas resources in the Gulf of Guinea Province as part of its World Petroleum Assessment 2000, estimating a mean of 1,004 million barrels of conventional undiscovered oil, 10,071 billion cubic feet of gas, and 282 million barrels of natural gas liquids. Most of the hydrocarbon potential is postulated to be in the offshore, deeper waters of the province. Gas resources may be large, as well as accessible, in areas where the zone of hydrocarbon generation is relatively shallow.

  18. 40 CFR 80.32 - Controls applicable to liquefied petroleum gas retailers and wholesale purchaser-consumers.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ...,660 gallons of liquefied petroleum gas per month shall equip each pump from which liquefied petroleum... liquefied petroleum gas retailer and wholesale purchaser- consumer. Any dispensing pump shown to be... petroleum gas retailers and wholesale purchaser-consumers. 80.32 Section 80.32 Protection of Environment...

  19. Abiotic formation of valine peptides under conditions of high temperature and high pressure.

    PubMed

    Furukawa, Yoshihiro; Otake, Tsubasa; Ishiguro, Takato; Nakazawa, Hiromoto; Kakegawa, Takeshi

    2012-12-01

    We investigated the oligomerization of solid valine and the stabilities of valine and valine peptides under conditions of high temperature (150-200 °C) and high pressure (50-150 MPa). Experiments were performed under non-aqueous condition in order to promote dehydration reaction. After prolonged exposure of monomeric valine to elevated temperatures and pressures, the products were analyzed by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry comparing their retention times and masses. We identified linear peptides that ranged in size from dimer to hexamer, as well as a cyclic dimer. Previous studies that attempted abiotic oligomerization of valine in the absence of a catalyst have never reported valine peptides larger than a dimer. Increased reaction temperature increased the dissociative decomposition of valine and valine peptides to products such as glycine, β-alanine, ammonia, and amines by processes such as deamination, decarboxylation, and cracking. The amount of residual valine and peptide yields was greater at higher pressures at a given temperature, pressure, and reaction time. This suggests that dissociative decomposition of valine and valine peptides is reduced by pressure. Our findings are relevant to the investigation of diagenetic processes in prebiotic marine sediments where similar pressures occur under water-poor conditions. These findings also suggest that amino acids, such as valine, could have been polymerized to peptides in deep prebiotic marine sediments within a few hundred million years.

  20. 40 CFR 80.32 - Controls applicable to liquefied petroleum gas retailers and wholesale purchaser-consumers.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... petroleum gas retailers and wholesale purchaser-consumers. 80.32 Section 80.32 Protection of Environment... Controls and Prohibitions § 80.32 Controls applicable to liquefied petroleum gas retailers and wholesale...,660 gallons of liquefied petroleum gas per month shall equip each pump from which liquefied petroleum...

  1. 31 CFR 561.319 - Petroleum products.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... petroleum gases, pentanes plus, aviation gasoline, motor gasoline, naphtha-type jet fuel, kerosene-type jet fuel, kerosene, distillate fuel oil, residual fuel oil, petrochemical feedstocks, special naphthas...

  2. 31 CFR 561.319 - Petroleum products.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... petroleum gases, pentanes plus, aviation gasoline, motor gasoline, naphtha-type jet fuel, kerosene-type jet fuel, kerosene, distillate fuel oil, residual fuel oil, petrochemical feedstocks, special naphthas...

  3. 31 CFR 561.319 - Petroleum products.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... petroleum gases, pentanes plus, aviation gasoline, motor gasoline, naphtha-type jet fuel, kerosene-type jet fuel, kerosene, distillate fuel oil, residual fuel oil, petrochemical feedstocks, special naphthas...

  4. 76 FR 22825 - Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases: Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-04-25

    ... Reporting of Greenhouse Gases: Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency... Subpart W: Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems of the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Rule. As part of the... greenhouse gas emissions for the petroleum and natural gas systems source category of the greenhouse gas...

  5. 77 FR 2308 - Approval of Altol Petroleum Product Service, as a Commercial Gauger

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-01-17

    ... DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY U.S. Customs and Border Protection Approval of Altol Petroleum... Security. ACTION: Notice of approval of Altol Petroleum Product Service, as a commercial gauger. SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that, pursuant to 19 CFR 151.13, Altol Petroleum Product Service, Calle Gregorio...

  6. Characterization of Petroleum Residue in the Entrada Sandstone, Colorado National Monument

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Lillis, Paul G.; King, J. David

    2007-01-01

    Introduction As part of the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) petroleum resource assessment of the Uinta-Piceance Province, Colorado and Utah, in 2000 (USGS Uinta-Piceance Assessment Team, 2003), some 170 oils, oil stains, and oil seeps were geochemically characterized and divided into genetic types (Lillis and others, 2003). Recognized oil types include Minturn, Phosphoria, Grassy Trail Creek, Mancos, Mesaverde, and Green River. Subsequent to that study, the existence and general locality of petroleum residue in the Middle Jurassic Entrada Sandstone in Colorado National Monument (CNM) was brought to the attention of the authors (Scott and others, 2001). Because the analysis of such non-commercial petroleum deposits commonly yields valuable regional resource-trend information, we collected and characterized the reported CNM petroleum residue and compared the results with identified oil types in the Uinta-Piceance Province. Three samples of Entrada Sandstone with petroleum residue were collected near Little Park Road along the south edge of the CNM in sec.20, T.12S., R.101W. The approximate extent of the petroleum staining was determined by field testing with solvent, and the stains appear to be restricted to the upper part of the 'board beds' unit (informal name, Scott and others, 2001) of the Entrada Sandstone between the two fault traces of the Glade Park fault.

  7. The impact of individual and combined abiotic factors on daily otolith growth in a coral reef fish

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wenger, Amelia S.; Whinney, James; Taylor, Brett; Kroon, Frederieke

    2016-06-01

    Coral reefs are increasingly subjected to both local and global stressors, however, there is limited information on how reef organisms respond to their combined effects under natural conditions. This field study examined the growth response of the damselfish Neopomacentrus bankieri to the individual and combined effects of multiple abiotic factors. Turbidity, temperature, tidal movement, and wave action were recorded every 10 minutes for four months, after which the daily otolith growth of N. bankieri was aligned with corresponding abiotic conditions. Temperature was the only significant driver of daily otolith increment width, with increasing temperatures resulting in decreasing width. Although tidal movement was not a significant driver of increment width by itself, the combined effect of tidal movement and temperature had a greater negative effect on growth than temperature alone. Our results indicate that temperature can drive changes in growth even at very fine scales, and demonstrate that the cumulative impact of abiotic factors can be substantially greater than individual effects. As abiotic factors continue to change in intensity and duration, the combined impacts of them will become increasingly important drivers of physiological and ecological change.

  8. The impact of individual and combined abiotic factors on daily otolith growth in a coral reef fish.

    PubMed

    Wenger, Amelia S; Whinney, James; Taylor, Brett; Kroon, Frederieke

    2016-06-28

    Coral reefs are increasingly subjected to both local and global stressors, however, there is limited information on how reef organisms respond to their combined effects under natural conditions. This field study examined the growth response of the damselfish Neopomacentrus bankieri to the individual and combined effects of multiple abiotic factors. Turbidity, temperature, tidal movement, and wave action were recorded every 10 minutes for four months, after which the daily otolith growth of N. bankieri was aligned with corresponding abiotic conditions. Temperature was the only significant driver of daily otolith increment width, with increasing temperatures resulting in decreasing width. Although tidal movement was not a significant driver of increment width by itself, the combined effect of tidal movement and temperature had a greater negative effect on growth than temperature alone. Our results indicate that temperature can drive changes in growth even at very fine scales, and demonstrate that the cumulative impact of abiotic factors can be substantially greater than individual effects. As abiotic factors continue to change in intensity and duration, the combined impacts of them will become increasingly important drivers of physiological and ecological change.

  9. The impact of individual and combined abiotic factors on daily otolith growth in a coral reef fish

    PubMed Central

    Wenger, Amelia S.; Whinney, James; Taylor, Brett; Kroon, Frederieke

    2016-01-01

    Coral reefs are increasingly subjected to both local and global stressors, however, there is limited information on how reef organisms respond to their combined effects under natural conditions. This field study examined the growth response of the damselfish Neopomacentrus bankieri to the individual and combined effects of multiple abiotic factors. Turbidity, temperature, tidal movement, and wave action were recorded every 10 minutes for four months, after which the daily otolith growth of N. bankieri was aligned with corresponding abiotic conditions. Temperature was the only significant driver of daily otolith increment width, with increasing temperatures resulting in decreasing width. Although tidal movement was not a significant driver of increment width by itself, the combined effect of tidal movement and temperature had a greater negative effect on growth than temperature alone. Our results indicate that temperature can drive changes in growth even at very fine scales, and demonstrate that the cumulative impact of abiotic factors can be substantially greater than individual effects. As abiotic factors continue to change in intensity and duration, the combined impacts of them will become increasingly important drivers of physiological and ecological change. PMID:27350589

  10. Environmental issues of petroleum exploration and production: Introduction

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Kharaka, Yousif K.; Dorsey, Nancy S.

    2005-01-01

    Energy is the lifeblood of our planet Earth, an essential commod- ity that powers the expanding global economy. Starting in the 1950s, oil and natural gas became the main sources of primary energy for the increasing world population, and this dominance is expected to continue for several more decades (Edwards, 1997; Energy Information Administration (EIA), 2004). In the United States, petroleum production started in 1859 when Drake's well was drilled near Titusville, Pennsylvania, and oil and natural gas currently supply approximately 63% of the energy consumption; forecasts indicate that by 2025, their use will increase by about 40% to 28.3 million bbl/day and to 31.4 tcf/yr (EIA, 2004). The clear benefits of petroleum consumption, however, can carry major environmental impacts that may be regional or global in scale, in- cluding air pollution, global climate change, and oil spills. This vol- ume of Environmental Geosciences, covering environmental impacts of petroleum exploration and production, does not address these major impacts directly because air pollution and global warming are issues related primarily to petroleum and coal uses, and major oil spills are generally attributed to marine petroleum transportation, such as the Exxon Valdez's 1989 spill of 260,000 bbl of oil into Prince William Sound, Alaska. Exploration for and production of petroleum, however, have caused local detrimental impacts to soils, surface and groundwa- ters, and ecosystems in the 36 producing states in the United States (Richter and Kreitler, 1993; Kharaka and Hanor, 2003). These im- pacts arose primarily from the improper disposal of some of the large volumes (presently estimated at 20 billion bbl/yr total pro- duced) of saline water produced with oil and gas, from accidental hydrocarbon and produced-water releases, and from abandoned oil wells that were orphaned or not correctly plugged (Kharaka et al., 1995; Veil et al., 2004). Impacts and ground-surface disturbances, in the order

  11. Coke from coal and petroleum

    DOEpatents

    Wynne, Jr., Francis E.; Lopez, Jaime; Zaborowsky, Edward J.

    1981-01-01

    A carbonaceous coke is manufactured by the delayed coking of a slurry mixture of from about 10 to about 30 weight percent of caking or non-caking coal and the remainder a petroleum resid blended at below 50.degree. C.

  12. The role of peu-miR164 and its target PeNAC genes in response to abiotic stress in Populus euphratica.

    PubMed

    Lu, Xin; Dun, Hui; Lian, Conglong; Zhang, Xiaofei; Yin, Weilun; Xia, Xinli

    2017-06-01

    Plant miR164 family is highly conserved and miR164 members regulate conserved targets belonging to NAC transcription factors. Our previous studies have revealed that peu-miR164a-e and its target gene POPTR_0007s08420 participate in abiotic stress response in Populus euphratica according to deep sequencing and degradome sequencing. In this study, miR164 family comprises six members that generate two mature products (miR164a-e and miR164f) and target seven NAC genes in P. euphratica. Co-expression in Nicotiana benthamiana and 5' RACE confirmed that peu-miR164 directs PeNAC070, PeNAC012 and PeNAC028 mRNAs cleavage. Expression profiles of primary peu-miR164 a/b/c/d/e bear similarity to those of peu-miR164a-e, whereas PeNAC070 and PeNAC081 showed inverse expression patterns with peu-miR164a-e under abiotic stresses. Existence of cis-acting elements in PeNAC070 promoter (ABRE,MBs, Box-W1, GC-motif, and W-box) and in peu-MIR164b promoter (HSE) further confirmed different responses of peu-miR164 and PeNAC070 to abiotic stresses. Histochemical β-glucuronidase (GUS) staining revealed that GUS activities increased when Pro PeNAC070 ::GUS transgenic Arabidopsis plants were exposed to NaCl, mannitol and abscisic acid (ABA), whereas GUS activity of Pro peu-MIR164b ::GUS plants decreased under ABA treatment. Subcellular localization and transactivation assays showed that PeNAC070 protein was localized to the nucleus and exhibited transactivation activity at the C-terminal. Overexpression of PeNAC070 in Arabidopsis promoted lateral root development, delayed stem elongation, and increased sensitivity of transgenic plants to drought and salt stresses. This study aids in understanding the adaptability of P. euphratica to extreme drought and salt environment by analysing tissue-specific expression patterns of miR164-regulated and specific promoter-regulated PeNAC genes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  13. Assessment of derelict soil quality: Abiotic, biotic and functional approaches.

    PubMed

    Vincent, Quentin; Auclerc, Apolline; Beguiristain, Thierry; Leyval, Corinne

    2018-02-01

    The intensification and subsequent closing down of industrial activities during the last century has left behind large surfaces of derelict lands. Derelict soils have low fertility, can be contaminated, and many of them remain unused. However, with the increasing demand of soil surfaces, they might be considered as a resource, for example for non-food biomass production. The study of their physico-chemical properties and of their biodiversity and biological activity may provide indications for their potential re-use. The objective of our study was to investigate the quality of six derelict soils, considering abiotic, biotic, and functional parameters. We studied (i) the soil bacteria, fungi, meso- and macro-fauna and plant communities of six different derelict soils (two from coking plants, one from a settling pond, two constructed ones made from different substrates and remediated soil, and an inert waste storage one), and (ii) their decomposition function based on the decomposer trophic network, enzyme activities, mineralization activity, and organic pollutant degradation. Biodiversity levels in these soils were high, but all biotic parameters, except the mycorrhizal colonization level, discriminated them. Multivariate analysis showed that biotic parameters co-varied more with fertility proxies than with soil contamination parameters. Similarly, functional parameters significantly co-varied with abiotic parameters. Among functional parameters, macro-decomposer proportion, enzyme activity, average mineralization capacity, and microbial polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon degraders were useful to discriminate the soils. We assessed their quality by combining abiotic, biotic, and functional parameters: the compost-amended constructed soil displayed the highest quality, while the settling pond soil and the contaminated constructed soil displayed the lowest. Although differences among the soils were highlighted, this study shows that derelict soils may provide a

  14. Deep, diverse and definitely different: unique attributes of the world's largest ecosystem

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ramirez-Llodra, E.; Brandt, A.; Danovaro, R.; Escobar, E.; German, C. R.; Levin, L. A.; Martinez Arbizu, P.; Menot, L.; Buhl-Mortensen, P.; Narayanaswamy, B. E.; Smith, C. R.; Tittensor, D. P.; Tyler, P. A.; Vanreusel, A.; Vecchione, M.

    2010-04-01

    productivity through specific physical processes, such as topographic modification of currents and enhanced transport of particles and detrital matter. Because of its unique abiotic attributes, the deep sea hosts a specialized fauna. Although there are no phyla unique to deep waters, at lower taxonomic levels the composition of the fauna is distinct from that found in the upper ocean. Amongst other characteristic patterns, deep-sea species may exhibit either gigantism or dwarfism, related to the decrease in food availability with depth. Food limitation on the seafloor and water column is also reflected in the trophic structure of deep-sea communities, which are adapted to low energy availability. In most of the heterotrophic deep-sea settings, the dominant megafauna is composed of detritivores, while filter feeders are abundant in habitats with hard substrata (e.g. mid-ocean ridges, seamounts, canyon walls and coral reefs) and chemoautotrophy through symbiotic relationships is dominant in reducing habitats. Deep-sea biodiversity is among of the highest on the planet, mainly composed of macro and meiofauna, with high evenness. This is true for most of the continental margins and abyssal plains with hot spots of diversity such as seamounts or cold-water corals. However, in some ecosystems with particularly "extreme" physicochemical processes (e.g. hydrothermal vents), biodiversity is low but abundance and biomass are high and the communities are dominated by a few species. Two large-scale diversity patterns have been discussed for deep-sea benthic communities. First, a unimodal relationship between diversity and depth is observed, with a peak at intermediate depths (2000-3000 m), although this is not universal and particular abiotic processes can modify the trend. Secondly, a poleward trend of decreasing diversity has been discussed, but this remains controversial and studies with larger and more robust datasets are needed. Because of the paucity in our knowledge of habitat

  15. Manipulation of arginase expression modulates abiotic stress tolerance in Arabidopsis: effect on arginine metabolism and ROS accumulation

    PubMed Central

    Chan, Zhulong

    2013-01-01

    Arginine is an important medium for the transport and storage of nitrogen, and arginase (also known as arginine amidohydrolase, ARGAH) is responsible for catalyse of arginine into ornithine and urea in plants. In this study, the impact of AtARGAHs on abiotic stress response was investigated by manipulating AtARGAHs expression. In the knockout mutants of AtARGAHs, enhanced tolerances were observed to multiple abiotic stresses including water deficit, salt, and freezing stresses, while AtARGAH1- and AtARGAH2-overexpressing lines exhibited reduced abiotic stress tolerances compared to the wild type. Consistently, the enhanced tolerances were confirmed by the changes of physiological parameters including electrolyte leakage, water loss rate, stomatal aperture, and survival rate. Interestingly, the direct downstream products of arginine catabolism including polyamines and nitric oxide (NO) concentrations significantly increased in the AtARGAHs-knockout lines, but decreased in overexpressing lines under control conditions. Additionally, the AtARGAHs-overexpressing and -knockout lines displayed significantly reduced relative arginine (% of total free amino acids) relative to the wild type. Similarly, reactive oxygen species accumulation was remarkably regulated by AtARGAHs under abiotic stress conditions, as shown from hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), superoxide radical () concentrations, and antioxidant enzyme activities. Taken together, this is the first report, as far as is known, to provide evidence that AtARGAHs negatively regulate many abiotic stress tolerances, at least partially, attribute to their roles in modulating arginine metabolism and reactive oxygen species accumulation. Biotechnological strategy based on manipulation of AtARGAHs expression will be valuable for future crop breeding. PMID:23378380

  16. Global petroleum resources: A view to the future

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Ahlbrandt, T.S.; McCabe, P.J.

    2002-01-01

    It is necessary to periodically reassess petroleum resources, not only because new data become available and better geologic models are developed; but also because many non-geologic factors determine which part of the crustal abundance of petroleum will be economic and acceptable over the foreseeable future. In 2000, the U.S. Geological Survey completed an assessment of the world's conventional petroleum resources, exclusive of the United States. This assessment is different from those before it: Overall the 2000 assessment of potential petroleum resources is higher than previous assessments, largely because it is the first USGS world assessment to include field growth estimates. Based on a thorough investigation of the petroleum geology of each province, the assessment couples geologic analysis with a probabilistic methodology to estimate remaining potential. Including the assessment numbers for the United States from USGS and the Minerals Management Service (MMS), the world's endowment of recoverable oil - which consists of cumulative production, remaining reserves, reserve growth and undiscovered resources - is estimated at about 3 trillion barrels of oil. Of this, about 24 percent has been produced and an additional 29 percent has been discovered and booked as reserves. The natural gas endowment is estimated at 15.4 quadrillion cubic feet (2.5 trillion barrels of oil equivalent), of which only about 11 percent has been produced and an additional 31 percent has been discovered and booked as reserves. The USGS assessment is not exhaustive, because it does not cover all sedimentary basins of the world. Relatively small volumes of oil or gas have been found in an additional 279 provinces, and significant accumulations may occur in these or other basins that were not assessed. The estimates are therefore conservative.

  17. Overexpression of SlGRAS40 in Tomato Enhances Tolerance to Abiotic Stresses and Influences Auxin and Gibberellin Signaling

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Yudong; Huang, Wei; Xian, Zhiqiang; Hu, Nan; Lin, Dongbo; Ren, Hua; Chen, Jingxuan; Su, Deding; Li, Zhengguo

    2017-01-01

    Abiotic stresses are major environmental factors that inhibit plant growth and development impacting crop productivity. GRAS transcription factors play critical and diverse roles in plant development and abiotic stress. In this study, SlGRAS40, a member of the tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) GRAS family, was functionally characterized. In wild-type (WT) tomato, SlGRAS40 was upregulated by abiotic stress induced by treatment with D-mannitol, NaCl, or H2O2. Transgenic tomato plants overexpressing SlGRAS40 (SlGRAS40-OE) were more tolerant of drought and salt stress than WT. SlGRAS40-OE plants displayed pleiotropic phenotypes reminiscent of those resulting from altered auxin and/or gibberellin signaling. A comparison of WT and SlGRAS40-OE transcriptomes showed that the expression of a large number of genes involved in hormone signaling and stress responses were modified. Our study of SlGRAS40 protein provides evidence of how another GRAS plays roles in resisting abiotic stress and regulating auxin and gibberellin signaling during vegetative and reproductive growth in tomato. PMID:29018467

  18. Relative Importance of Biotic and Abiotic Forces on the Composition and Dynamics of a Soft-Sediment Intertidal Community

    PubMed Central

    Barbeau, Myriam A.

    2016-01-01

    Top-down, bottom-up, middle-out and abiotic factors are usually viewed as main forces structuring biological communities, although assessment of their relative importance, in a single study, is rarely done. We quantified, using multivariate methods, associations between abiotic and biotic (top-down, bottom-up and middle-out) variables and infaunal population/community variation on intertidal mudflats in the Bay of Fundy, Canada, over two years. Our analysis indicated that spatial structural factors like site and plot accounted for most of the community and population variation. Although we observed a significant relationship between the community/populations and the biotic and abiotic variables, most were of minor importance relative to the structural factors. We suggest that community and population structure were relatively uncoupled from the structuring influences of biotic and abiotic factors in this system because of high concentrations of resources that sustain high densities of infauna and limit exploitative competition. Furthermore, we hypothesize that the infaunal community primarily reflects stochastic spatial events, namely a “first come, first served” process. PMID:26790098

  19. Reduction of petroleum hydrocarbons and toxicity in refinery wastewater by bioremediation.

    PubMed

    Płaza, Grazyna A; Jangid, Kamlesh; Lukasik, Krystyna; Nałecz-Jawecki, Grzegorz; Berry, Christopher J; Brigmon, Robin L

    2008-10-01

    The aim of the study was to investigate petroleum waste remediation and toxicity reduction by five bacterial strains: Ralstonia picketti SRS (BP-20), Alcaligenes piechaudii SRS (CZOR L-1B), Bacillus subtilis (I'-1a), Bacillus sp. (T-1), and Bacillus sp. (T'-1), previously isolated from petroleum-contaminated soils. Petroleum hydrocarbons were significantly degraded (91%) by the mixed bacterial cultures in 30 days (reaching up to 29% in the first 72 h). Similarly, the toxicity of the biodegraded petroleum waste decreased 3-fold after 30 days. This work shows the influence of bacteria on hydrocarbon degradation and associated toxicity, and its dependence on the specific microorganisms present. The ability of these mixed cultures to degrade hydrocarbons and reduce toxicity makes them candidates for environmental restoration applications at other hydrocarbon-contaminated environments.

  20. Abiotic vs. biotic influences on habitat selection of coexisting species: Climate change impacts?

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Martin, T.E.

    2001-01-01

    Species are commonly segregated along gradients of microclimate and vegetation. I explore the question of whether segregation is the result of microhabitat partitioning (biotic effects) or choice of differing microclimates (abiotic effects). I explored this question for four ground-nesting bird species that are segregated along a microclimate and vegetation gradient in Arizona. Birds shifted position of their nests on the microhabitat and microclimate gradient in response to changing precipitation over nine years. Similarly, annual bird abundance varied with precipitation across 12 yr. Those shifts in abundance and nesting microhabitat with changing precipitation demonstrate the importance of abiotic influences on bird distributions and habitat choice. However, nest-site shifts and microhabitat use also appear to be influenced by interactions among coexisting species. Moreover, shifts in habitat use by all species caused nest predation (i.e., biotic) costs that increased with increasing distance along the microclimate gradient. These results indicate that abiotic and biotic costs can strongly interact to influence microhabitat choice and abundances of coexisting species. Global climate change impacts have been considered largely in terms of simple distributional shifts, but these results indicate that shifts can also increase biotic costs when species move into habitat types for which they are poorly adapted or that create new biotic interactions.

  1. 77 FR 56421 - Standards of Performance for Petroleum Refineries; Standards of Performance for Petroleum...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-09-12

    ...On June 24, 2008, the EPA promulgated amendments to the Standards of Performance for Petroleum Refineries and new standards of performance for petroleum refinery process units constructed, reconstructed or modified after May 14, 2007. The EPA subsequently received three petitions for reconsideration of these final rules. On September 26, 2008, the EPA granted reconsideration and issued a stay for the issues raised in the petitions regarding process heaters and flares. On December 22, 2008, the EPA addressed those specific issues by proposing amendments to certain provisions for process heaters and flares and extending the stay of these provisions until further notice. The EPA also proposed technical corrections to the rules for issues that were raised in the petitions for reconsideration. In this action, the EPA is finalizing those amendments and technical corrections and is lifting the stay of all the provisions granted on September 26, 2008 and extended until further notice on December 22, 2008.

  2. Antagonistic, overlapping and distinct responses to biotic stress in rice (Oryza sativa) and interactions with abiotic stress

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background Every year, substantial crop loss occurs globally, as a result of bacterial, fungal, parasite and viral infections in rice. Here, we present an in-depth investigation of the transcriptomic response to infection with the destructive bacterial pathogen Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae(Xoo) in both resistant and susceptible varieties of Oryza sativa. A comparative analysis to fungal, parasite and viral infection in rice is also presented. Results Within 24 h of Xoo inoculation, significant reduction of cell wall components and induction of several signalling components, membrane bound receptor kinases and specific WRKY and NAC transcription factors was prominent, providing a framework for how the presence of this pathogen was signalled and response mounted. Extensive comparative analyses of various other pathogen responses, including in response to infection with another bacterium (Xoc), resistant and susceptible parasite infection, fungal, and viral infections, led to a proposed model for the rice biotic stress response. In this way, a conserved induction of calcium signalling functions, and specific WRKY and NAC transcription factors, was identified in response to all biotic stresses. Comparison of these responses to abiotic stress (cold, drought, salt, heat), enabled the identification of unique genes responsive only to bacterial infection, 240 genes responsive to both abiotic and biotic stress, and 135 genes responsive to biotic, but not abiotic stresses. Functional significance of a number of these genes, using genetic inactivation or over-expression, has revealed significant stress-associated phenotypes. While only a few antagonistic responses were observed between biotic and abiotic stresses, e.g. for a number of endochitinases and kinase encoding genes, some of these may be crucial in explaining greater pathogen infection and damage under abiotic stresses. Conclusions The analyses presented here provides a global view of the responses to multiple

  3. Abiotic stress signaling and responses in plants

    PubMed Central

    Zhu, Jian-Kang

    2016-01-01

    Summary As sessile organisms, plants must cope with abiotic stress such as soil salinity, drought, and extreme temperatures. Core stress signaling pathways involve protein kinases related to the yeast SNF1 and mammalian AMPK, suggesting that stress signaling in plants evolved from energy sensing. Stress signaling regulates proteins critical for ion and water transport and for metabolic and gene-expression reprogramming to bring about ionic and water homeostasis and cellular stability under stress conditions. Understanding stress signaling and responses will increase our ability to improve stress resistance in crops to achieve agricultural sustainability and food security for a growing world population. PMID:27716505

  4. Vanadium Geochemistry of Oil Sands Fluid Petroleum Coke.

    PubMed

    Nesbitt, Jake A; Lindsay, Matthew B J

    2017-03-07

    Vanadium has previously been linked to elevated toxicity of leachates derived from oil sands petroleum coke. However, geochemical controls on V mobility within coke deposits remain poorly constrained. Detailed examinations of porewater and solid-phase V geochemistry were therefore performed on oil sands fluid petroleum coke deposits in Alberta, Canada. Sample collection focused on both active and reclaimed deposits, which contained more than 3 × 10 7 m 3 of fluid petroleum coke. Dissolved V concentrations were highest (up to 3.0 mg L -1 ) immediately below the water table but decreased rapidly with increasing depth. This trend corresponded to a transition from mildly acidic (pH 6-7) and oxic conditions to mildly alkaline (pH 7-8.5) and anoxic conditions. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electron microprobe analysis (EMPA), and micro-X-ray fluorescence (μXRF) mapping revealed coke particles exhibited an internal structure characterized by successive concentric layers. The outer margins of these layers were characterized by elevated V, Fe, Si, and Al concentrations, indicating the presence of inorganic phases. Micro-X-ray absorption near-edge structure (μXANES) spectroscopy revealed that V speciation was dominated by V(IV) porphyrins except at outer margins of layers, where octahedrally coordinated V(III) was a major component. Minor to trace V(V) was also detected within fluid petroleum coke particles.

  5. [Effect of occupational stress on neurotransmitters in petroleum workers].

    PubMed

    Jiang, Yu; Lian, Yulong; Tao, Ning; Ge, Hua; Liu, Jiwen

    2015-09-01

    To explore the effects of occupational stress on neurotransmitters in petroleum workers. 178 petroleum workers with the length of service ≥ 1 year were recruited to the subjects by the questionnaire of OSI-R. The levels of 5-hydroxy tryptamine (5-HT), norepinephrine (NE), neuropeptide Y (NPY) and substance P (SP) in serum were measured. The subjects were classified into 3 groups according to the scores of occupational stress. The levels of 5-HT NE and SP for over 15 working years were higher than those of less than 15 years (P < 0. 05). There were differences (P < 0. 05) on 5-HT, NE, NPY and SP in different occupational stress degree groups, multiple comparison showed high. occupational stress group was higher than those of low occupational stress group. Multivariate correlation analysis showed that the occupational stress and sleep quality component scores correlated positively with the 5-HT, NE and SP (P < 0. 05) and correlated inversely with NPY in petroleum workers (P < 0. 05). Occupational stress in petroleum workers is correlated with serum monoamine and neuropeptides neurotransmitters, and it may affect serum levels of monoamine and neuropeptides neurotransmitters.

  6. Acoustic-wave sensor apparatus for analyzing a petroleum-based composition and sensing solidification of constituents therein

    DOEpatents

    Spates, J.J.; Martin, S.J.; Mansure, A.J.

    1997-08-26

    An acoustic-wave sensor apparatus and method are disclosed. The apparatus for analyzing a normally liquid petroleum-based composition includes at least one acoustic-wave device in contact with the petroleum-based composition for sensing or detecting the presence of constituents (e.g. paraffins or petroleum waxes) therein which solidify upon cooling of the petroleum-based composition below a cloud-point temperature. The acoustic-wave device can be a thickness-shear-mode device (also termed a quartz crystal microbalance), a surface-acoustic-wave device, an acoustic-plate-mode device or a flexural plate-wave device. Embodiments of the present invention can be used for measuring a cloud point, a pour point and/or a freeze point of the petroleum-based composition, and for determining a temperature characteristic of each point. Furthermore, measurements with the acoustic-wave sensor apparatus can be made off-line by using a sample having a particular petroleum-based composition; or in-situ with the petroleum-based composition contained within a pipeline or storage tank. The acoustic-wave sensor apparatus has uses in many different petroleum technology areas, including the recovery, transport, storage, refining and use of petroleum and petroleum-based products. 7 figs.

  7. Acoustic-wave sensor apparatus for analyzing a petroleum-based composition and sensing solidification of constituents therein

    DOEpatents

    Spates, James J.; Martin, Stephen J.; Mansure, Arthur J.

    1997-01-01

    An acoustic-wave sensor apparatus and method. The apparatus for analyzing a normally liquid petroleum-based composition includes at least one acoustic-wave device in contact with the petroleum-based composition for sensing or detecting the presence of constituents (e.g. paraffins or petroleum waxes) therein which solidify upon cooling of the petroleum-based composition below a cloud-point temperature. The acoustic-wave device can be a thickness-shear-mode device (also termed a quartz crystal mircrobalance), a surface-acoustic-wave device, an acoustic-plate-mode device or a flexural plate-wave device. Embodiments of the present invention can be used for measuring a cloud point, a pour point and/or a freeze point of the petroleum-based composition, and for determining a temperature characteristic of each point. Furthermore, measurements with the acoustic-wave sensor apparatus can be made off-line by using a sample having a particular petroleum-based composition; or in-situ with the petroleum-based composition contained within a pipeline or storage tank. The acoustic-wave sensor apparatus has uses in many different petroleum technology areas, including the recover transport, storage, refining and use of petroleum and petroleum-based products.

  8. Inter-annual variability of carbon fluxes in temperate forest ecosystems: effects of biotic and abiotic factors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, M.; Keenan, T. F.; Hufkens, K.; Munger, J. W.; Bohrer, G.; Brzostek, E. R.; Richardson, A. D.

    2014-12-01

    Carbon dynamics in terrestrial ecosystems are influenced by both abiotic and biotic factors. Abiotic factors, such as variation in meteorological conditions, directly drive biophysical and biogeochemical processes; biotic factors, referring to the inherent properties of the ecosystem components, reflect the internal regulating effects including temporal dynamics and memory. The magnitude of the effect of abiotic and biotic factors on forest ecosystem carbon exchange has been suggested to vary at different time scales. In this study, we design and conduct a model-data fusion experiment to investigate the role and relative importance of the biotic and abiotic factors for inter-annual variability of the net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE) of temperate deciduous forest ecosystems in the Northeastern US. A process-based model (FöBAAR) is parameterized at four eddy-covariance sites using all available flux and biometric measurements. We conducted a "transplant" modeling experiment, that is, cross- site and parameter simulations with different combinations of site meteorology and parameters. Using wavelet analysis and variance partitioning techniques, analysis of model predictions identifies both spatial variant and spatially invariant parameters. Variability of NEE was primarily modulated by gross primary productivity (GPP), with relative contributions varying from hourly to yearly time scales. The inter-annual variability of GPP and NEE is more regulated by meteorological forcing, but spatial variability in certain model parameters (biotic response) has more substantial effects on the inter-annual variability of ecosystem respiration (Reco) through the effects on carbon pools. Both the biotic and abiotic factors play significant roles in modulating the spatial and temporal variability in terrestrial carbon cycling in the region. Together, our study quantifies the relative importance of both, and calls for better understanding of them to better predict regional CO2

  9. Analysis of the Control Factors of Groundwater Petroleum Hydrocarbons Contamination in a City’s West Part

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sun, L. H.; Ma, Z. M.; Liu, Z. W.

    2018-05-01

    Based on study of the hydrogeological condition and the characteristics of petroleum hydrocarbons pollution in karst groundwater, an oil refinery located in western part of a certain city is chosen as the study site to have an analysis on the control factors of groundwater petroleum hydrocarbons contamination. The study result shows that the control factors of groundwater petroleum hydrocarbons contamination are hydrogeological condition and biodegradation. The soil layer of Quaternary is very thin, the limestone is exposed in the surface, which makes the petroleum hydrocarbons easy to permeate into the water bearing layer. Karst-fractured zone in aquifer determines the migration way of petroleum hydrocarbons to be convection, but the magmatic rock in northern part has certain blocking effect on the migration of petroleum hydrocarbons. Biodegradation makes both the contamination plume area of petroleum hydrocarbons and the content of petroleum hydrocarbons decreased.

  10. Analysis of the cement clinker produced with incorporation of petroleum sludge

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Benlamoudi, A.; Kadir, A. Abdul; Khodja, M.; Nuruddin, M. F.

    2018-04-01

    Very limited researches have been conducted on the incorporation of petroleum sludge waste into cement clinker production even though this waste may contain similar components to those of clinker raw materials. In this research, petroleum sludge was integrated into cement plant as raw material to produce the cement clinker. As results, incorporation of 5% of this waste was able to produce an acceptable quality of cement. Despite the use of petroleum sludge has decreased the properties of the produced clinker, but it still fit the requirements.

  11. Petroleum hydrocarbon concentrations in eight mollusc species along Tamilnadu coast, Bay of Bengal, India.

    PubMed

    Veerasingam, S; Venkatachalapathy, R; Sudhakar, S; Raja, P; Rajeswari, V

    2011-01-01

    Eight mollusc species and sediment samples collected from three different stations along Tamilnadu coast, Bay of Bengal, India were analysed for the levels of petroleum hydrocarbons to elucidate the status of the petroleum residues in mollusc meant for human consumption. The concentrations of petroleum hydrocarbons in sediments along Tamilnadu coast varied from 5.04-25.5 microg/g dw (dry weight). High concentration of petroleum hydrocarbons in the sediment of Uppanar estuary (25.5 +/- 1.45 microg/g dw) was perhaps land and marine based anthropogenic sources of this region. The petroleum hydrocarbon residues in eight mollusc species collected from Uppanar, Vellar and Coleroon estuaries varied between 2.44-6.04 microg/g ww (wet weight). Although the concentration of petroleum hydrocarbons in sediment of the Uppanar region was markedly higher than the background, the petroleum hydrocarbon residues in mollusc collected from Uppanar estuary did not suggest bioaccumulation. The results signified that industrial growth has affected the aquatic environments and regular monitoring will help to adopt stringent pollution control measures for better management of the aquatic region.

  12. Curricula and Programmes in Petroleum Engineering for Higher Technical Education Institutions: Comparative Analysis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tymkiv, Nadiya

    2018-01-01

    The article states the analysis of the curriculum that regulates the main purposes, essence and directions for petroleum training. The importance and necessity of positive usage of Austrian, English and Norwegian experience at the time of petroleum engineers training in the petroleum industry has been stressed on. The structure and content of…

  13. Deep, diverse and definitely different: unique attributes of the world's largest ecosystem

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ramirez-Llodra, E.; Brandt, A.; Danovaro, R.; de Mol, B.; Escobar, E.; German, C. R.; Levin, L. A.; Martinez Arbizu, P.; Menot, L.; Buhl-Mortensen, P.; Narayanaswamy, B. E.; Smith, C. R.; Tittensor, D. P.; Tyler, P. A.; Vanreusel, A.; Vecchione, M.

    2010-09-01

    productivity through specific physical processes, such as topographic modification of currents and enhanced transport of particles and detrital matter. Because of its unique abiotic attributes, the deep sea hosts a specialized fauna. Although there are no phyla unique to deep waters, at lower taxonomic levels the composition of the fauna is distinct from that found in the upper ocean. Amongst other characteristic patterns, deep-sea species may exhibit either gigantism or dwarfism, related to the decrease in food availability with depth. Food limitation on the seafloor and water column is also reflected in the trophic structure of heterotrophic deep-sea communities, which are adapted to low energy availability. In most of these heterotrophic habitats, the dominant megafauna is composed of detritivores, while filter feeders are abundant in habitats with hard substrata (e.g. mid-ocean ridges, seamounts, canyon walls and coral reefs). Chemoautotrophy through symbiotic relationships is dominant in reducing habitats. Deep-sea biodiversity is among of the highest on the planet, mainly composed of macro and meiofauna, with high evenness. This is true for most of the continental margins and abyssal plains with hot spots of diversity such as seamounts or cold-water corals. However, in some ecosystems with particularly "extreme" physicochemical processes (e.g. hydrothermal vents), biodiversity is low but abundance and biomass are high and the communities are dominated by a few species. Two large-scale diversity patterns have been discussed for deep-sea benthic communities. First, a unimodal relationship between diversity and depth is observed, with a peak at intermediate depths (2000-3000 m), although this is not universal and particular abiotic processes can modify the trend. Secondly, a poleward trend of decreasing diversity has been discussed, but this remains controversial and studies with larger and more robust data sets are needed. Because of the paucity in our knowledge of habitat

  14. Environmental Impacts of Petroleum Production: Initial Results from the Osage-Skiatook Petroleum Environmental Research Sites, Osage County, Oklahoma

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Kharaka, Yousif K.; Otton, James K.

    2003-01-01

    Exploration for and production of petroleum have caused major detrimental impacts to soils, surface and ground waters, and the local ecosystems in the United States. These impacts arise primarily from the improper disposal of large volumes of saline water produced with oil and gas, from accidental hydrocarbon and produced water releases, and from abandoned oil wells that were not correctly sealed. It is important to understand the long-term and short-term effects of produced water and hydrocarbon releases from these sites in order to develop risk-based remediation plans. Remediation is particularly needed in aging and depleted fields where land use is changing from petroleum production to residential, agricultural or recreational uses. About 20 scientists from the USGS and other governmental agencies and academia are involved in a multidisciplinary investigation to study the transport, fate, and natural attenuation of inorganic salts, trace metals, organic compounds and radionuclides present in produced water, and their impacts at the Osage-Skiatook Petroleum Environmental Research (OSPER) 'A' and 'B' sites, located on the Osage Reservation in Osage County, Oklahoma. Stakeholders in the project include the Osage Nation, which holds the mineral rights, the Bureau of Indian Affairs with trust responsibility, and the Army Corps of Engineers, which owns the surface rights at these sites and manages adjacent Skiatook Lake. The 4250-hectare Skiatook Lake provides drinking water to local Tulsa suburban communities and a rural water district, and offers recreational fishing and boating opportunities to tens of thousands of visitors each year. Approximately 1.5 and 1.0 hectare of land at the OSPER 'A' (depleted Lester lease) and 'B' (active Branstetter lease) sites, respectively, are affected by salt scarring, tree kills, soil salinization and brine and petroleum contamination due to the leakage of produced water and associated hydrocarbons from brine pits and accidental

  15. Assessment of the petroleum, coal, and geothermal resources of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) region

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Mattick, R. E.

    1982-01-01

    Approximately 85 percent of the land area of the ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) region is covered by basement rocks (igneous and highly metamorphosed rocks) or relatively thin layers of Paleozoic, Upper Precambrian, and 'Continental Intercalaire? sedimentary rocks. These areas have little or no petroleum potential. Areas of the ECOWAS region that have potential for petroleum production or potential for increased petroleum production include the narrow belt of sedimentary rocks that stretches along the continental margin from Mauritania to Nigeria and the Niger Delta and the Benue depression. The Senegal Basin, located on the continental margin of Mauritania, Senegal, Gambia, Guinea Bissau, and Guinea, has been intensely explored by the oil industry and most of the larger structures onshore and on the shelf probably have been tested by drilling with little or no resulting commercial production. Unless basic ideas pertaining to the petroleum geology of the Senegal Basin are revised, future discoveries are expected to be limited to small fields overlooked by industry at a time when petroleum prices were low. On the continental shelf of Sierra Leone and the continental shelf of northeast and central Liberia, the sedimentary rocks are relatively thin, and industry has shown little interest in the area. On the continental rise of these countries, however, the sedimentary section, deposited in a complex fault-block system, increases in thickness. A renewal of industry interest in this deep-water area will probably follow further development of deep-water production technology. A recent oil discovery on the continental slope off the Ivory Coast is expected to spur further exploration offshore of southeastern Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, and Benin. This relatively unexplored area in the Gulf of Guinea has good possibilities .for the discovery of giant oil fields. Nigeria's oil development from the Niger Delta may have peaked, as 13 of 14 giant oil

  16. Tissue specific and abiotic stress regulated transcription of histidine kinases in plants is also influenced by diurnal rhythm

    PubMed Central

    Singh, Anupama; Kushwaha, Hemant R.; Soni, Praveen; Gupta, Himanshu; Singla-Pareek, Sneh L.; Pareek, Ashwani

    2015-01-01

    Two-component system (TCS) is one of the key signal sensing machinery which enables species to sense environmental stimuli. It essentially comprises of three major components, sensory histidine kinase proteins (HKs), histidine phosphotransfer proteins (Hpts), and response regulator proteins (RRs). The members of the TCS family have already been identified in Arabidopsis and rice but the knowledge about their functional indulgence during various abiotic stress conditions remains meager. Current study is an attempt to carry out comprehensive analysis of the expression of TCS members in response to various abiotic stress conditions and in various plant tissues in Arabidopsis and rice using MPSS and publicly available microarray data. The analysis suggests that despite having almost similar number of genes, rice expresses higher number of TCS members during various abiotic stress conditions than Arabidopsis. We found that the TCS machinery is regulated by not only various abiotic stresses, but also by the tissue specificity. Analysis of expression of some representative members of TCS gene family showed their regulation by the diurnal cycle in rice seedlings, thus bringing-in another level of their transcriptional control. Thus, we report a highly complex and tight regulatory network of TCS members, as influenced by the tissue, abiotic stress signal, and diurnal rhythm. The insights on the comparative expression analysis presented in this study may provide crucial leads toward dissection of diverse role(s) of the various TCS family members in Arabidopsis and rice. PMID:26442025

  17. Abiotic ligation of DNA oligomers templated by their liquid crystal ordering

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fraccia, Tommaso P.; Smith, Gregory P.; Zanchetta, Giuliano; Paraboschi, Elvezia; Yi, Yougwooo; Walba, David M.; Dieci, Giorgio; Clark, Noel A.; Bellini, Tommaso

    2015-03-01

    It has been observed that concentrated solutions of short DNA oligomers develop liquid crystal ordering as the result of a hierarchically structured supramolecular self-assembly. In mixtures of oligomers with various degree of complementarity, liquid crystal microdomains are formed via the selective aggregation of those oligomers that have a sufficient degree of duplexing and propensity for physical polymerization. Here we show that such domains act as fluid and permeable microreactors in which the order-stabilized molecular contacts between duplex terminals serve as physical templates for their chemical ligation. In the presence of abiotic condensing agents, liquid crystal ordering markedly enhances ligation efficacy, thereby enhancing its own phase stability. The coupling between order-templated ligation and selectivity provided by supramolecular ordering enables an autocatalytic cycle favouring the growth of DNA chains, up to biologically relevant lengths, from few-base long oligomers. This finding suggests a novel scenario for the abiotic origin of nucleic acids.

  18. 77 FR 63320 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Petroleum Refineries in Foreign Trade Sub-zones

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-10-16

    ... Activities: Petroleum Refineries in Foreign Trade Sub-zones AGENCY: U.S. Customs and Border Protection... Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act: Petroleum Refineries... CBP is soliciting comments concerning the following information collection: Title: Petroleum...

  19. Biosurfactant-producing strains in enhancing solubilization and biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons in groundwater.

    PubMed

    Liu, Hong; Wang, Hang; Chen, Xuehua; Liu, Na; Bao, Suriguge

    2014-07-01

    Three biosurfactant-producing strains designated as BS-1, BS-3, and BS-4 were screened out from crude oil-contaminated soil using a combination of surface tension measurement and oil spreading method. Thin layer chromatography and infrared analysis indicated that the biosurfactants produced by the three strains were lipopeptide, glycolipid, and phospholipid. The enhancement of solubilization and biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons in groundwater employing biosurfactant-producing strains was investigated. The three strain mixtures led to more solubilization of petroleum hydrocarbons in groundwater, and the solubilization rate was 10.5 mg l−1. The combination of biosurfactant-producing strains and petroleum-degrading strains exhibited a higher biodegradation efficiency of 85.4 % than the petroleum-degrading strains (71.2 %). Biodegradation was enhanced the greatest with biosurfactant-producing strains and petroleum-degrading strains in a ratio of 1:1. Fluorescence microscopy images illustrate that the oil dispersed into smaller droplets and emulsified in the presence of biosurfactant-producing strains, which attached to the oil. Thus, the biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons in groundwater was enhanced.

  20. Numerical taxonomy and ecology of petroleum-degrading bacteria

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Austin, B.; Calomiris, J.J.; Walker, J.D.

    1977-07-01

    A total of 99 strains of petroleum-degrading bacteria isolated from Chesapeake Bay water and sediment were identified by using numerical taxonomy procedures. The isolates, together with 33 reference cultures, were examined for 48 biochemical, cultural, morphological, and physiological characters. The data were analyzed by computer, using both the simple matching and the Jaccard coefficients. Clustering was achieved by the unweighted average linkage method. From the sorted similarity matrix and dendrogram, 14 phenetic groups, comprising 85 of the petroleum-degrading bacteria, were defined at the 80 to 85% similarity level. These groups were identified as actinomycetes (mycelial forms, four clusters), coryneforms, Enterobacteriaceae,more » Klebsiella aerogenes, Micrococcus spp. (two clusters), Nocardia species (two clusters), Pseudomonas spp. (two clusters), and Sphaerotilus natans. It is concluded that the degradation of petroleum is accomplished by a diverse range of bacterial taxa, some of which were isolated only at given sampling stations and, more specifically, from sediment collected at a given station.« less