Natural fracture systems on planetary surfaces: Genetic classification and pattern randomness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rossbacher, Lisa A.

1987-01-01

One method for classifying natural fracture systems is by fracture genesis. This approach involves the physics of the formation process, and it has been used most frequently in attempts to predict subsurface fractures and petroleum reservoir productivity. This classification system can also be applied to larger fracture systems on any planetary surface. One problem in applying this classification system to planetary surfaces is that it was developed for ralatively small-scale fractures that would influence porosity, particularly as observed in a core sample. Planetary studies also require consideration of large-scale fractures. Nevertheless, this system offers some valuable perspectives on fracture systems of any size.

Corrective Action Investigation Plan for Corrective Action Unit 428: Area 3 Septic Waste Systems 1 and 5, Tonopah Test Range, Nevada, REVISION 0, march 1999

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

DOE /NV

1999-03-26

The Corrective Action Investigation Plan for Corrective Action Unit 428, Area 3 Septic Waste Systems 1 and 5, has been developed in accordance with the Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order that was agreed to by the U. S. Department of Energy, Nevada Operations Office; the State of Nevada Division of Environmental Protection; and the U. S. Department of Defense. Corrective Action Unit 428 consists of Corrective Action Sites 03- 05- 002- SW01 and 03- 05- 002- SW05, respectively known as Area 3 Septic Waste System 1 and Septic Waste System 5. This Corrective Action Investigation Plan is used inmore » combination with the Work Plan for Leachfield Corrective Action Units: Nevada Test Site and Tonopah Test Range, Nevada , Rev. 1 (DOE/ NV, 1998c). The Leachfield Work Plan was developed to streamline investigations at leachfield Corrective Action Units by incorporating management, technical, quality assurance, health and safety, public involvement, field sampling, and waste management information common to a set of Corrective Action Units with similar site histories and characteristics into a single document that can be referenced. This Corrective Action Investigation Plan provides investigative details specific to Corrective Action Unit 428. A system of leachfields and associated collection systems was used for wastewater disposal at Area 3 of the Tonopah Test Range until a consolidated sewer system was installed in 1990 to replace the discrete septic waste systems. Operations within various buildings at Area 3 generated sanitary and industrial wastewaters potentially contaminated with contaminants of potential concern and disposed of in septic tanks and leachfields. Corrective Action Unit 428 is composed of two leachfield systems in the northern portion of Area 3. Based on site history collected to support the Data Quality Objectives process, contaminants of potential concern for the site include oil/ diesel range total petroleum hydrocarbons, and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act characteristic volatile organic compounds, semivolatile organic compounds, and metals. A limited number of samples will be analyzed for gamma- emitting radionuclides and isotopic uranium from four of the septic tanks and if radiological field screening levels are exceeded. Additional samples will be analyzed for geotechnical and hydrological properties and a bioassessment may be performed. The technical approach for investigating this Corrective Action Unit consists of the following activities: (1) Perform video surveys of the discharge and outfall lines. (2) Collect samples of material in the septic tanks. (3) Conduct exploratory trenching to locate and inspect subsurface components. (4) Collect subsurface soil samples in areas of the collection system including the septic tanks and outfall end of distribution boxes. (5) Collect subsurface soil samples underlying the leachfield distribution pipes via trenching. (6) Collect surface and near- surface samples near potential locations of the Acid Sewer Outfall if Septic Waste System 5 Leachfield cannot be located. (7) Field screen samples for volatile organic compounds, total petroleum hydrocarbons, and radiological activity. (8) Drill boreholes and collect subsurface soil samples if required. (9) Analyze samples for total volatile organic compounds, total semivolatile organic compounds, total Resource Conservation and Recovery Act metals, and total petroleum hydrocarbons (oil/ diesel range organics). Limited number of samples will be analyzed for gamma- emitting radionuclides and isotopic uranium from particular septic tanks and if radiological field screening levels are exceeded. (10) Collect samples from native soils beneath the distribution system and analyze for geotechnical/ hydrologic parameters. (11) Collect and analyze bioassessment samples at the discretion of the Site Supervisor if total petroleum hydrocarbons exceed field- screening levels.« less

Petroleum Systems of the Nigerian Sector of Chad Basin: Insights from Field and Subsurface Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suleiman, A. A.; Nwaobi, G. O.; Bomai, A.; Dauda, R.; Bako, M. D.; Ali, M. S.; Moses, S. D.

2017-12-01

A.A. Suleiman, A. Bomai, R. Dauda, O.G. NwaobiNigerian National Petroleum CorporationAbstract:Formation of the West and Central African Rift systems (WCARS) reflects intra-plate deformation linked to the Early to Late Cretaceous opening of South Atlantic Ocean. From an economic point of view, the USGS (2010) estimated Chad Basin, which is part of WCARS rift system to contain, up to 2.32 BBO and 14.62 TCF. However, there has been no exploration success in the Nigerian sector of the Chad Basin principally because of a poor understanding of the basin tectono-stratigraphic evolution and petroleum system development. In this study, we use 3D seismic, geochemical and field data to construct a tectono-stratigraphic framework of the Nigerian sector of Chad Basin; within this framework we then investigate the basins petroleum system development. Our analysis suggests two key plays exist in the basin, Lower and Upper Cretaceous plays. Pre-Bima lacustrine shale and the Gongila Formation constitute the prospective source rocks for the Lower Cretaceous play, whereas the Fika Shale may provide the source, for the Upper Cretaceous play. Source rock hydrocarbon modeling indicates possible oil and gas generation and expulsion from the lacustrine shales and Fika Shale in Cretaceous and Tertiary times respectively. Bima Sandstone and weathered basement represent prospective reservoirs for the Lower Cretaceous play and intra-Fika sandstone beds for the Upper Cretaceous play. We identify a range of trapping mechanisms such as inversion-related anticlines. Shales of the Gongila Formation provide the top sealing for the Lower Cretaceous play. Our field observations have proved presence of the key elements of the petroleum system in the Nigerian Sector of the Chad Basin. It has also demonstrated presence of igneous intrusions in the stratigraphy of the basin that we found to influence the hydrocarbon potential of the basin through source rock thermal maturity and degradation. Our study indicates that Nigerian sector of the Chad Basin is affected by igneous activity and basin inversion both of which impact its petroleum system development. Therefore, a detailed study of the tectono-stratigraphic framework of a rift basin is crucial to investigate the development of its petroleum system and hydrocarbon prospectivity.

Stratigraphy and petrology of petroleum-producing Waulsortian-type carbonate mounds in Fort Payne formation (Lower Mississippian) of north-central Tennessee

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

MacQuown, W.C.; Perkins, J.H.

1982-08-01

The petroleum-producing subsurface mounds of the Fort Payne Formation (Lower Mississippian) in north-central Tennessee represent a facies that is generally absent or poorly developed in surface sections to the west, near the Cincinnati arch, and to the east, in the Appalachian fold belt. The cross section and isopach maps of the Fort Payne mound unit and submound unit, and a structural map of the underlying Chattanooga Shale provide evidence for predicting undiscovered mounds by interpolating and extrapolating along several northeast-southwest mound trends. Interpretations are based on subsurface data, and they are reinforced by a comparison with the analogous Waulsortian moundsmore » and lenses of the same age in Europe. Waulsortian-type mounds are widespread on the surface of western Europe and North America. However, differences in morphology, porosity development, and the emplacement of petroleum in Fort Payne mounds are related to local paleogeography in a shallow cratonic-shelf sea subjected to cyclic regression and transgression due to regional tectono-eustatic events. Fort Payne mounds produced more than 5.5 million bbl of oil through 1980. Although the source beds have not been identified, petroleum may have been derived from the submound or mound units of the Fort Payne Formation, or from the underlying Chattanooga Shale.« less

Small County: Development of a Virtual Environment for Instruction in Geological Characterization of Petroleum Reservoirs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Banz, B.; Bohling, G.; Doveton, J.

2008-12-01

Traditional programs of geological education continue to be focused primarily on the evaluation of surface or near-surface geology accessed at outcrops and shallow boreholes. However, most students who graduate to careers in geology work almost entirely on subsurface problems, interpreting drilling records and petrophysical logs from exploration and production wells. Thus, college graduates commonly find themselves ill-prepared when they enter the petroleum industry and require specialized training in drilling and petrophysical log interpretation. To aid in this training process, we are developing an environment for interactive instruction in the geological aspects of petroleum reservoir characterization employing a virtual subsurface closely reflecting the geology of the US mid-continent, in the fictional setting of Small County, Kansas. Stochastic simulation techniques are used to generate the subsurface characteristics, including the overall geological structure, distributions of facies, porosity, and fluid saturations, and petrophysical logs. The student then explores this subsurface by siting exploratory wells and examining drilling and petrophysical log records obtained from those wells. We are developing the application using the Eclipse Rich Client Platform, which allows for the rapid development of a platform-agnostic application while providing an immersive graphical interface. The application provides an array of views to enable relevant data display and student interaction. One such view is an interactive map of the county allowing the student to view the locations of existing well bores and select pertinent data overlays such as a contour map of the elevation of an interesting interval. Additionally, from this view a student may choose the site of a new well. Another view emulates a drilling log, complete with drilling rate plot and iconic representation of examined drill cuttings. From here, students are directed to stipulate subsurface lithology and interval tops as they progress through the drilling operation. Once the interpretation process is complete, the student is guided through an exercise emulating a drill stem test and then is prompted to decide on perforation intervals. The application provides a graphical framework by which the student is guided through well site selection, drilling data interpretation, and well completion or dry-hole abandonment, creating a tight feedback loop by which the student gains an over-arching view of drilling logistics and the subsurface data evaluation process.

Evaluating the Competitive Use of the Subsurface: The Influence of Energy Storage and Production in Groundwater

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Helmig, R.; Becker, B.; Flemisch, B.

2015-12-01

The natural subsurface is gaining in importance for a variety of engineering applications related to energy supply. At the same time it is already utilized in many ways. On the one hand, the subsurface with its groundwater system represents the most important source of drinking water; on the other hand, it contains natural resources such as petroleum, natural gas and coal. In recent years, the subsurface has been gaining importance as a resource of energy and as an energy and waste repository. It can serve as a short-, medium- or long-term storage medium for energy in various forms, e.g. in the form of methane (CH4), hydrogen (H2) or compressed air. The subsurface is also attracting increasing interest as a natural source of energy, regarding, for instance, the extraction of fossil methane by hydraulic fracturing or the utilization of geothermal energy as a renewable energy source. As a result, with increasing exploitation, resource conflicts are becoming more and more common and complex. Modeling concepts for simulating multiphase flow that can reproduce the high complexity of the underlying processes in an efficient way need to be developed. The application of these model concepts is of great importance with respect to feasibility, risk analysis, storage capacity and sensitivity issues. This talk will give an overview on possible utilization conflicts in subsurface systems and how the groundwater is affected. It will focus on presenting fundamental properties and functions of a compositional multiphase system in a porous medium and introduce basic multiscale and multiphysics concepts as well as formulate conser­vation laws for simulating energy storage in the subsurface. Large-scale simulations that show the general applicability of the modeling concepts of such complicated natural systems, especially the impact on the groundwater of simultaneously using geothermal energy and storing chemical and thermal energy, and how such real large-scale systems provide a good environment for balancing the efficiency potential and possible weaknesses of the approaches will be discussed.

Using dynamic flux chambers to estimate the natural attenuation rates in the subsurface at petroleum contaminated sites.

PubMed

Verginelli, Iason; Pecoraro, Roberto; Baciocchi, Renato

2018-04-01

In this work, we introduce a screening method for the evaluation of the natural attenuation rates in the subsurface at sites contaminated by petroleum hydrocarbons. The method is based on the combination of the data obtained from standard source characterization with dynamic flux chambers measurements. The natural attenuation rates are calculated as difference between the flux of contaminants estimated with a non-reactive diffusive model starting from the concentrations of the contaminants detected in the source (soil and/or groundwater) and the effective emission rate of the contaminants measured using dynamic flux chambers installed at ground level. The reliability of this approach was tested in a contaminated site characterized by the presence of BTEX in soil and groundwater. Namely, the BTEX emission rates from the subsurface were measured in 4 seasonal campaigns using dynamic flux chambers installed in 14 sampling points. The comparison of measured fluxes with those predicted using a non-reactive diffusive model, starting from the source concentrations, showed that, in line with other recent studies, the modelling approach can overestimate the expected outdoor concentration of petroleum hydrocarbons even up to 4 orders of magnitude. On the other hand, by coupling the measured data with the fluxes estimated with the diffusive non-reactive model, it was possible to perform a mass balance to evaluate the natural attenuation loss rates of petroleum hydrocarbons during the migration from the source to ground level. Based on this comparison, the estimated BTEX loss rates in the test site were up to almost 0.5kg/year/m 2 . These rates are in line with the values reported in the recent literature for natural source zone depletion. In short, the method presented in this work can represent an easy-to-use and cost-effective option that can provide a further line of evidence of natural attenuation rates expected at contaminated sites. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Large scale and long term application of bioslurping: the case of a Greek petroleum refinery site.

PubMed

Gidarakos, E; Aivalioti, M

2007-11-19

This paper presents the course and the remediation results of a 4-year application of bioslurping technology on the subsurface of a Greek petroleum refinery, which is still under full operation and has important and complicated subsurface contamination problems, mainly due to the presence of light non-aqueous phase liquids (LNAPL). About 55 wells are connected to the central bioslurping unit, while a mobile bioslurping unit is also used whenever and wherever is necessary. Moreover, there are about 120 additional wells for the monitoring of the subsurface of the facilities that cover a total area of 1,000,000 m(2). An integrated monitoring program has also been developed and applied on the site, including frequent LNAPL layer depth and thickness measurements, conduction of bail-down and recovery tests, sampling and chemical analysis of the free oil phase, etc., so as to evaluate the remediation technique's efficiency and ensure a prompt tracing of any new potential leak. Despite the occurrence of new leaks within the last 4 years and the observed entrapment of LNAPL in the vadoze zone, bioslurping has managed to greatly restrict the original plume within certain and relatively small parts of the refinery facilities.

Near-Surface and High Resolution Seismic Imaging of the Bennett Thrust Fault in the Indio Mountains of West Texas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vennemann, Alan

My research investigates the structure of the Indio Mountains in southwest Texas, 34 kilometers southwest of Van Horn, at the UTEP (University of Texas at El Paso) Field Station using newly acquired active-source seismic data. The area is underlain by deformed Cretaceous sedimentary rocks that represent a transgressive sequence nearly 2 km in total stratigraphic thickness. The rocks were deposited in mid Cretaceous extensional basins and later contracted into fold-thrust structures during Laramide orogenesis. The stratigraphic sequence is an analog for similar areas that are ideal for pre-salt petroleum reservoirs, such as reservoirs off the coasts of Brazil and Angola (Li, 2014; Fox, 2016; Kattah, 2017). The 1-km-long 2-D shallow seismic reflection survey that I planned and led during May 2016 was the first at the UTEP Field Station, providing critical subsurface information that was previously lacking. The data were processed with Landmark ProMAX seismic processing software to create a seismic reflection image of the Bennett Thrust Fault and additional imbricate faulting not expressed at the surface. Along the 1-km line, reflection data were recorded with 200 4.5 Hz geophones, using 100 150-gram explosive charges and 490 sledge-hammer blows for sources. A seismic reflection profile was produced using the lower frequency explosive dataset, which was used in the identification of the Bennett Thrust Fault and additional faulting and folding in the subsurface. This dataset provides three possible interpretations for the subsurface geometries of the faulting and folding present. However, producing a seismic reflection image with the higher frequency sledge-hammer sourced dataset for interpretation proved more challenging. While there are no petroleum plays in the Indio Mountains region, imaging and understanding subsurface structural and lithological geometries and how that geometry directs potential fluid flow has implications for other regions with petroleum plays.

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.

Evaluation of the BioVapor Model

EPA Science Inventory

The BioVapor model addresses transport and biodegradation of petroleum vapors in the subsurface. This presentation describes basic background on the nature and scientific basis of environmental transport models. It then describes a series of parameter uncertainty runs of the Bi...

MASS BALANCE ANALYSIS FOR MICROBIAL DECHLORINATION OF TETRACHLOROETHENE

EPA Science Inventory

Contamination of subsurface environments by chlorinated aliphatic solvents and petroleum hydrocarbons is a significant public health concern because groundwater is one of the major drinking water resources in the United States. Biotic and abiotic techniques have been widely exam...

FIELD-DRIVEN APPROACHES TO SUBSURFACE CONTAMINANT TRANSPORT MODELING.

EPA Science Inventory

Observations from field sites provide a means for prioritizing research activities. In the case of petroleum releases, observations may include spiking of concentration distributions that may be related to water table fluctuation, co-location of contaminant plumes with geochemi...

Revisions to the original extent of the Devonian Shale-Middle and Upper Paleozoic Total Petroleum System

USGS Publications Warehouse

Enomoto, Catherine B.; Rouse, William A.; Trippi, Michael H.; Higley, Debra K.

2016-04-11

Technically recoverable undiscovered hydrocarbon resources in continuous accumulations are present in Upper Devonian and Lower Mississippian strata in the Appalachian Basin Petroleum Province. The province includes parts of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama. The Upper Devonian and Lower Mississippian strata are part of the previously defined Devonian Shale-Middle and Upper Paleozoic Total Petroleum System (TPS) that extends from New York to Tennessee. This publication presents a revision to the extent of the Devonian Shale-Middle and Upper Paleozoic TPS. The most significant modification to the maximum extent of the Devonian Shale-Middle and Upper Paleozoic TPS is to the south and southwest, adding areas in Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi where Devonian strata, including potential petroleum source rocks, are present in the subsurface up to the outcrop. The Middle to Upper Devonian Chattanooga Shale extends from southeastern Kentucky to Alabama and eastern Mississippi. Production from Devonian shale has been established in the Appalachian fold and thrust belt of northeastern Alabama. Exploratory drilling has encountered Middle to Upper Devonian strata containing organic-rich shale in west-central Alabama. The areas added to the TPS are located in the Valley and Ridge, Interior Low Plateaus, and Appalachian Plateaus physiographic provinces, including the portion of the Appalachian fold and thrust belt buried beneath Cretaceous and younger sediments that were deposited on the U.S. Gulf Coastal Plain.

Geologic cross section C-C' through the Appalachian basin from Erie County, north-central Ohio, to the Valley and Ridge province, Bedford County, south-central Pennsylvania

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ryder, Robert T.; Trippi, Michael H.; Swezey, Christopher S.; Crangle, Robert D.; Hope, Rebecca S.; Rowan, Elisabeth L.; Lentz, Erika E.

2012-01-01

Geologic cross section C-C' is the third in a series of cross sections constructed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to document and improve understanding of the geologic framework and petroleum systems of the Appalachian basin. Cross section C-C' provides a regional view of the structural and stratigraphic framework of the Appalachian basin from north-central Ohio to the Valley and Ridge province in south-central Pennsylvania, a distance of approximately 260 miles (mi). This cross section is a companion to cross sections E-E' and D-D' that are located about 50 to 125 mi and 25 to 50 mi, respectively, to the southwest. Cross section C-C' contains much information that is useful for evaluating energy resources in the Appalachian basin. Although specific petroleum systems are not identified on the cross section, many of their key elements (such as source rocks, reservoir rocks, seals, and traps) can be inferred from lithologic units, unconformities, and geologic structures shown on the cross section. Other aspects of petroleum systems (such as the timing of petroleum generation and preferred migration pathways) may be evaluated by burial history, thermal history, and fluid flow models based on what is shown on the cross section. Cross section C-C' also provides a general framework (stratigraphic units and general rock types) for the coal-bearing section, although the cross section lacks the detail to illustrate key elements of coal systems (such as paleoclimate, coal quality, and coal rank). In addition, cross section C-C' may be used as a reconnaissance tool to identify plausible geologic structures and strata for the subsurface storage of liquid waste or for the sequestration of carbon dioxide.

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 conceptual framework for understanding the petroleum reservoir biosphere and have consequences for developing strategies to manage microbiological problems in the oil industry.

BioVapor Model Evaluation (St. Louis, MO)

EPA Science Inventory

The BioVapor model addresses transport and biodegradation of petroleum vapors in the subsurface. This presentation describes basic background on the nature and scientific basis of environmental transport models. It then describes a series of parameter uncertainty runs of the Bi...

APPROXIMATE MULTIPHASE FLOW MODELING BY CHARACTERISTIC METHODS

EPA Science Inventory

The flow of petroleum hydrocarbons, organic solvents and other liquids that are immiscible with water presents the nation with some of the most difficult subsurface remediation problems. One aspect of contaminant transport associated releases of such liquids is the transport as a...

A Decision-Making Framework for Cleanup of Sites Impacted with Light Non-Aqueous Phase Liquids (LNAPL)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This document has been prepared by the Remediation Technologies Development Forum (RTDF) NAPL Cleanup Alliance to provide a guide to practicable and reasonable approaches for management of LNAPL petroleum hydrocarbons in the subsurface.

TOXICITY OF AROMATIC AEROBIC BIOTRANSFORMATION PRODUCTS OF TOLUENE TO HELA CELLS

EPA Science Inventory

Petroleum contamination of groundwater is widely recognized as a serious environmental problem. Toluene (methylbenzene) occurs naturally in crude oil and is commonly found as a contaminant in the subsurface as a result of waste disposal and storage activities. Biological transf...

Assessing conceptual models for subsurface reactive transport of inorganic contaminants

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davis, James A.; Yabusaki, Steven B.; Steefel, Carl; Zachara, John M.; Curtis, Gary P.; Redden, George D.; Criscenti, Louise J.; Honeyman, Bruce D.

2004-01-01

In many subsurface situations where human health and environmental quality are at risk (e.g., contaminant hydrogeology petroleum extraction, carbon sequestration, etc.),scientists and engineers are being asked by federal agency decision-makers to predict the fate of chemical species under conditions where both reactions and transport are processes of first-order importance.In 2002, a working group (WG) was formed by representatives of the U.S. Geological Survey, Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Energy Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Department of Agriculture, and Army Engineer Research and Development Center to assess the role of reactive transport modeling (RTM) in addressing these situations. Specifically the goals of the WG are to (1) evaluate the state of the art in conceptual model development and parameterization for RTM, as applied to soil,vadose zone, and groundwater systems, and (2) prioritize research directions that would enhance the practical utility of RTM.

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

Regional maps of subsurface geopressure gradients of the onshore and offshore Gulf of Mexico basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Burke, Lauri A.; Kinney, Scott A.; Dubiel, Russell F.; Pitman, Janet K.

2013-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey created a comprehensive geopressure-gradient model of the regional pressure system spanning the onshore and offshore Gulf of Mexico basin, USA. This model was used to generate ten maps that included (1) five contour maps characterizing the depth to the surface defined by the first occurrence of isopressure gradients ranging from 0.60 psi/ft to 1.00 psi/ft, in 0.10-psi/ft increments; and (2) five supporting maps illustrating the spatial density of the data used to construct the contour maps. These contour maps of isopressure-gradients at various increments enable the identification and quantification of the occurrence, magnitude, location, and depth of the subsurface pressure system, which allows for the broad characterization of regions exhibiting overpressured, underpressured, and normally pressured strata. Identification of overpressured regions is critical for exploration and evaluation of potential undiscovered hydrocarbon accumulations based on petroleum-generation pressure signatures and pressure-retention properties of reservoir seals. Characterization of normally pressured regions is essential for field development decisions such as determining the dominant production drive mechanisms, evaluating well placement and drainage patterns, and deciding on well stimulation methods such as hydraulic fracturing. Identification of underpressured regions is essential for evaluating the feasibility of geological sequestration and long-term containment of fluids such as supercritical carbon dioxide for alternative disposal methods of greenhouse gases. This study is the first, quantitative investigation of the regional pressure systems of one of the most important petroleum provinces in the United States. Although this methodology was developed for pressure studies in the Gulf of Mexico basin, it is applicable to any basin worldwide.

BASIN ANALYSIS AND PETROLEUM SYSTEM CHARACTERIZATION AND MODELING, INTERIOR SALT BASINS, CENTRAL AND EASTERN GULF OF MEXICO

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

Ernest A. Mancini; Donald A. Goddard; Ronald K. Zimmerman

2005-05-10

The principal research effort for Year 2 of the project has been data compilation and the determination of the burial and thermal maturation histories of the North Louisiana Salt Basin and basin modeling and petroleum system identification. In the first nine (9) months of Year 2, the research focus was on the determination of the burial and thermal maturation histories, and during the remainder of the year the emphasis has basin modeling and petroleum system identification. Existing information on the North Louisiana Salt Basin has been evaluated, an electronic database has been developed, regional cross sections have been prepared, structuremore » and isopach maps have been constructed, and burial history, thermal maturation history and hydrocarbon expulsion profiles have been prepared. Seismic data, cross sections, subsurface maps and related profiles have been used in evaluating the tectonic, depositional, burial and thermal maturation histories of the basin. Oil and gas reservoirs have been found to be associated with salt-supported anticlinal and domal features (salt pillows, turtle structures and piercement domes); with normal faulting associated with the northern basin margin and listric down-to-the-basin faults (state-line fault complex) and faulted salt features; and with combination structural and stratigraphic features (Sabine and Monroe Uplifts) and monoclinal features with lithologic variations. Petroleum reservoirs are mainly Upper Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous fluvial-deltaic sandstone facies and Lower Cretaceous and Upper Cretaceous shoreline, marine bar and shallow shelf sandstone facies. Cretaceous unconformities significantly contribute to the hydrocarbon trapping mechanism capacity in the North Louisiana Salt Basin. The chief petroleum source rock in this basin is Upper Jurassic Smackover lime mudstone beds. The generation of hydrocarbons from Smackover lime mudstone was initiated during the Early Cretaceous and continued into the Tertiary. Hydrocarbon expulsion commenced during the Early Cretaceous and continued into the Tertiary with peak expulsion occurring mainly during the Late Cretaceous.« less

Effects of Faults on Petroleum Fluid Dynamics, Borderland Basins of Southern California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jung, B.; Garven, G.; Boles, J. R.

2012-12-01

Multiphase flow modeling provides a useful quantitative tool for understanding crustal processes such as petroleum migration in geological systems, and also for characterizing subsurface environmental issues such as carbon sequestration in sedimentary basins. However, accurate modeling of multi-fluid behavior is often difficult because of the various coupled and nonlinear physics affecting multiphase fluid saturation and migration, including effects of capillarity and relative permeability, anisotropy and heterogeneity of the medium, and the effects of pore pressure, composition, and temperature on fluid properties. Regional fault structures also play a strong role in controlling fluid pathlines and mobility, so considering hydrogeologic effects of these structures is critical for testing exploration concepts, and for predicting the fate of injected fluids. To address these issues on spatially large and long temporal scales, we have developed a 2-D multiphase fluid flow model, coupled to heat flow, using a hybrid finite element and finite volume method. We have had good success in applying the multiphase flow model to fundamental issues of long-distance petroleum migration and accumulation in the Los Angeles basin, which is intensely faulted and disturbed by transpressional tectonic stresses, and host to the world's richest oil accumulation. To constrain the model, known subsurface geology and fault structures were rendered using geophysical logs from industry exploration boreholes and published seismic profiles. Plausible multiphase model parameters were estimated, either from known fault permeability measurements in similar strata in the Santa Barbara basin, and from known formation properties obtained from numerous oil fields in the Los Angeles basin. Our simulations show that a combination of continuous hydrocarbon generation and primary migration from upper Miocene source rocks in the central LA basin synclinal region, coupled with a subsiding basin fluid dynamics, favored the massive accumulation and alignment of hydrocarbon pools along the Newport-Inglewood fault zone (NIFZ). According to our multiphase flow calculations, the maximum formation water velocities within fault zones likely ranged between 1 ~ 2 m/yr during the middle Miocene to Pliocene (13 to 2.6 Ma). The estimated time for long-distance (~ 25 km) petroleum migration from source beds in the central basin to oil fields along the NIFZ is approximately 150,000 ~ 250,000 years, depending on the effective permeability assigned to the faults and adjacent interbedded sandstone and siltstone "petroleum aquifers". With an average long-distance flow rate (~ 0.6 m/yr) and fault permeability of 100 millidarcys (10-13 m2), the total petroleum oil of Inglewood oil field of 450 million barrels (~ 1.6 × 105 m3) would have accumulated rather quickly, likely over 25,000 years or less. The results also suggest that besides the thermal and structural history of the basin, the fault permeability, capillary pressure, and the configuration of aquifer and aquitard layers played an important role in controlling petroleum migration rates, patterns of flow, and the overall fluid mechanics of petroleum accumulation.

INTERNET COURSE ON MODELING SUBSURFACE TRANSPORT OF PETROLEUM HYDROCARBONS

EPA Science Inventory

Assessment of leaks from underground storage tanks relies on knowledge of contaminant fate and transport, hydrology and in some cases modeling. EPA is developing an interactive, on-line training course to provide states with a low-cost training opportunity for these areas. Two ...

Hydrocarbons in sediments from the edge of the Bermuda platform

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

Sleeter, T.D.; Butler, J.N.; Barbash, J.E.

1979-01-01

Surficial and subsurface (10-13 cm) sediment samples were taken at seven stations (17 cores) on the northern margin of the Bermuda seamount, remote from ship traffic, beaches, and atmospheric fallout from aircraft. Their aliphatic (pentane-extractable) hydrocarbon content was very low, comparable with samples from the North Atlantic Abyssal plain, and two orders of magnitude lower than for typical coastal samples. About half of the aliphatic hydrocarbons are clearly biogenic, and the remainder are characteristic of petroleum residues. Petroleum hydrocarbon concentrations are lower in subsurface (e.g., 0.11 jg/g dry weight) than surface samples (0.47 jg/g), and are lower outside the reefmore » (0.25 jg/g) than inside (0.47 jg/g). These results are qualitatively consistent with a diffusion model. Extremely rapid bioturbation or totally quiescent deposition on a stable sedimentary facies can pobably be eliminated as hypotheses for the deposition and transport mechanism within the sediment. Further studies are needed to determine whether degradation is important.« less

Summary of the Issues Regarding The Martian Subsurface Explorer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eustes, A. W., III; Gertsch, L. S.; Lu, N.; Bridgford, E.; Tischler, A.; Stoner, M. S.; Wilcox, B. H.

2000-01-01

This is a summary of research work accomplished to date for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory by the Colorado School of Mines and the Michigan Technological University for the Martian Subsurface Explorer (SSX). The task involved a thorough review of the state of the art in drilling in the petroleum and mining industries in the following areas: 1) Drilling mechanics and energy requirements. 2) Sidewall friction in boreholes. 3) Rock property characteristics of basalt, permafrost, and ice. 4) Cuttings transport and recompaction of cuttings. and 5) Directional control at odd angle interfaces.

A fully-coupled discontinuous Galerkin spectral element method for two-phase flow in petroleum reservoirs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taneja, Ankur; Higdon, Jonathan

2018-01-01

A high-order spectral element discontinuous Galerkin method is presented for simulating immiscible two-phase flow in petroleum reservoirs. The governing equations involve a coupled system of strongly nonlinear partial differential equations for the pressure and fluid saturation in the reservoir. A fully implicit method is used with a high-order accurate time integration using an implicit Rosenbrock method. Numerical tests give the first demonstration of high order hp spatial convergence results for multiphase flow in petroleum reservoirs with industry standard relative permeability models. High order convergence is shown formally for spectral elements with up to 8th order polynomials for both homogeneous and heterogeneous permeability fields. Numerical results are presented for multiphase fluid flow in heterogeneous reservoirs with complex geometric or geologic features using up to 11th order polynomials. Robust, stable simulations are presented for heterogeneous geologic features, including globally heterogeneous permeability fields, anisotropic permeability tensors, broad regions of low-permeability, high-permeability channels, thin shale barriers and thin high-permeability fractures. A major result of this paper is the demonstration that the resolution of the high order spectral element method may be exploited to achieve accurate results utilizing a simple cartesian mesh for non-conforming geological features. Eliminating the need to mesh to the boundaries of geological features greatly simplifies the workflow for petroleum engineers testing multiple scenarios in the face of uncertainty in the subsurface geology.

Spreadsheet log analysis in subsurface geology

USGS Publications Warehouse

Doveton, J.H.

2000-01-01

Most of the direct knowledge of the geology of the subsurface is gained from the examination of core and drill-cuttings recovered from boreholes drilled by the petroleum and water industries. Wireline logs run in these same boreholes generally have been restricted to tasks of lithostratigraphic correlation and thee location of hydrocarbon pay zones. However, the range of petrophysical measurements has expanded markedly in recent years, so that log traces now can be transformed to estimates of rock composition. Increasingly, logs are available in a digital format that can be read easily by a desktop computer and processed by simple spreadsheet software methods. Taken together, these developments offer accessible tools for new insights into subsurface geology that complement the traditional, but limited, sources of core and cutting observations.

Biogeochemistry: Hexadecane decay by methanogenesis

USGS Publications Warehouse

Anderson, Robert T.; Lovely, Derek R.

2000-01-01

The potential for the biological conversion of long-chain saturated hydrocarbons to methane under anaerobic conditions has been demonstrated by using an enrichment culture of bacteria to degrade pure-phase hexadecane1. The formation of methane in hydrocarbon-rich subsurface zones could be explained if a similar conversion of long-chain alkanes to methane were to take place in subsurface environments. If this process could be stimulated in the subsurface, it could be used to enhance hydrocarbon recovery from petroleum reserves1, 2. Parkes2, however, questions the environmental significance of the enrichment-culture results1 on the grounds that alkane conversion to methane is very slow and because sulphate-reducing and methanogenic bacteria might both be necessary for even this slow process to occur, restricting the conversion to specialized, unusual zones in sediments. Here we show that, on the contrary, subsurface bacteria can adapt to convert hexadecane to methane rapidly and in the absence of sulphate-reducing bacteria.

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.

Indicators used to monitor subsurface oil during the Deepwater Horizon Event

EPA Science Inventory

The Gulf of Mexico Deepwater Horizon oil spill was the largest accidental marine spill in the history of the petroleum industry. The spill was also unprecedented due to the extreme depth of the wellhead leak within the ocean, posing unique challenges to the monitoring efforts, w...

LABORATORY INVESTIGATION OF RESIDUAL LIQUID ORGANICS FROM SPILLS, LEAKS, AND THE DISPOSAL OF HAZARDOUS WASTES IN GROUNDWATER

EPA Science Inventory

Organic liquids that are essentially immiscible with water migrate through the subsurface under the influence of capillary, viscous, and buoyancy forces. These liquids originate from the improper disposal of hazardous wastes, and the spills and leaks of petroleum hydrocarbons a...

Elucidating the fate of a mixed toluene, DHM, methanol, and i-propanol plume during in situ bioremediation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Verardo, E.; Atteia, O.; Prommer, H.

2017-06-01

Organic pollutants such as solvents or petroleum products are widespread contaminants in soil and groundwater systems. In-situ bioremediation is a commonly used remediation technology to clean up the subsurface to eliminate the risks of toxic substances to reach potential receptors in surface waters or drinking water wells. This study discusses the development of a subsurface model to analyse the performance of an actively operating field-scale enhanced bioremediation scheme. The study site was affected by a mixed toluene, dihydromyrcenol (DHM), methanol, and i-propanol plume. A high-resolution, time-series of data was used to constrain the model development and calibration. The analysis shows that the observed failure of the treatment system is linked to an inefficient oxygen injection pattern. Moreover, the model simulations also suggest that additional contaminant spillages have occurred in 2012. Those additional spillages and their associated additional oxygen demand resulted in a significant increase in contaminant fluxes that remained untreated. The study emphasises the important role that reactive transport modelling can play in data analyses and for enhancing remediation efficiency.

Contributions to a shallow aquifer study by reprocessed seismic sections from petroleum exploration surveys, eastern Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

USGS Publications Warehouse

Woodward, D.

1994-01-01

The US Geological Survey, in cooperation with the National Drilling Company of Abu Dhabi, is conducting a 4-year study of the fresh and slightly saline groundwater resources of the eastern Abu Dhabi Emirate. Most of this water occurs in a shallow aquifer, generally less than 150 m deep, in the Al Ain area. A critical part of the Al Ain area coincides with a former petroleum concession area where about 2780 km of vibroseis data were collected along 94 seismic lines during 1981-1983. Field methods, acquistion parameters, and section processing were originally designed to enhance reflections expected at depths ranging from 5000 to 6000 m, and subsurface features directly associated with the shallow aquifer system were deleted from the original seismic sections. The original field tapes from the vibroseis survey were reprocessed in an attempt to extract shallow subsurface information (depths less than 550 m) for investigating the shallow aquifer. A unique sequence of reproccessing parameters was established after reviewing the results from many experimental tests. Many enhancements to the resolution of shallow seismic reflections resulted from: (1) application of a 20-Hz, low-cut filter; (2) recomputation of static corrections to a datum nearer the land surface; (3) intensive velocity analyses; and (4) near-trace muting analyses. The number, resolution, and lateral continuity of shallow reflections were greatly enhanced on the reprocessed sections, as was the delineation of shallow, major faults. Reflections on a synthetic seismogram, created from a borehole drilled to a depth of 786 m on seismic line IQS-11, matcheddprecisely with shallow reflections on the reprocessed section. The 33 reprocessed sections were instrumental in preparing a map showing the major structural features that affect the shallow aquifer system. Analysis of the map provides a better understanding of the effect of these shallow features on the regional occurrence, movement, and quality of groundwater in the concession area. Results from this study demonstrate that original seismic field tapes collected for deep petroleum exploration can be reprocessed to explore for groundwater. ?? 1994.

Paleofluid-flow circulation within a Triassic rift basin: Evidence from oil inclusions and thermal histories

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tseng, H.-Y.; Burruss, R.C.; Onstott, T.C.; Omar, G.

1999-01-01

The migration of subsurface fluid flow within continental rift basins has been increasingly recognized to significantly affect the thermal history of sediments and petroleum formation. To gain insight into these paleofluid flow effects, the thermal history of the Taylorsville basin in Virginia was reconstructed from fluid-inclusion studies, apatite fission-track data, and vitrinite reflectance data. Models of thermal history indicate that the basin was buried to the thermal maximum at 200 Ma; a cooling event followed during which the eastern side of the basin cooled earlier and faster than the western side, suggesting that there was a differential uplift and topographically driven fluid flow. This hypothesis is supported by analyses of secondary oil and aqueous inclusions trapped in calcite and quartz veins during the uplift stage. Gas chromatograms of inclusion oils exhibit variable but extensive depletion of light molecular-weight hydrocarbons. The relative abundance of n-alkanes, petrographic observations, and the geological data indicate that the alteration process on these inclusion oils was probably neither phase separation nor biodegradation, but water washing. Water:oil ratios necessary to produce the observed alteration are much greater than 10000:1. These exceedingly high ratios are consistent with the migration of inclusion oils along with fluid flow during the early stages of basin evolution. The results provide significant evidence about the role of a subsurface flow system in modifying the temperature structure of the basin and the composition of petroleum generated within the basin.

Integrating spatial and temporal oxygen data to improve the quantification of in situ petroleum biodegradation rates.

PubMed

Davis, Gregory B; Laslett, Dean; Patterson, Bradley M; Johnston, Colin D

2013-03-15

Accurate estimation of biodegradation rates during remediation of petroleum impacted soil and groundwater is critical to avoid excessive costs and to ensure remedial effectiveness. Oxygen depth profiles or oxygen consumption over time are often used separately to estimate the magnitude and timeframe for biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons in soil and subsurface environments. Each method has limitations. Here we integrate spatial and temporal oxygen concentration data from a field experiment to develop better estimates and more reliably quantify biodegradation rates. During a nine-month bioremediation trial, 84 sets of respiration rate data (where aeration was halted and oxygen consumption was measured over time) were collected from in situ oxygen sensors at multiple locations and depths across a diesel non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL) contaminated subsurface. Additionally, detailed vertical soil moisture (air-filled porosity) and NAPL content profiles were determined. The spatial and temporal oxygen concentration (respiration) data were modeled assuming one-dimensional diffusion of oxygen through the soil profile which was open to the atmosphere. Point and vertically averaged biodegradation rates were determined, and compared to modeled data from a previous field trial. Point estimates of biodegradation rates assuming no diffusion ranged up to 58 mg kg(-1) day(-1) while rates accounting for diffusion ranged up to 87 mg kg(-1) day(-1). Typically, accounting for diffusion increased point biodegradation rate estimates by 15-75% and vertically averaged rates by 60-80% depending on the averaging method adopted. Importantly, ignoring diffusion led to overestimation of biodegradation rates where the location of measurement was outside the zone of NAPL contamination. Over or underestimation of biodegradation rate estimates leads to cost implications for successful remediation of petroleum impacted sites. Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Geologic Cross Section D-D' Through the Appalachian Basin from the Findlay Arch, Sandusky County, Ohio, to the Valley and Ridge Province, Hardy County, West Virginia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ryder, Robert T.; Crangle, Robert D.; Trippi, Michael H.; Swezey, Christopher S.; Lentz, Erika E.; Rowan, Elisabeth L.; Hope, Rebecca S.

2009-01-01

Geologic cross section D-D' is the second in a series of cross sections constructed by the U.S. Geological Survey to document and improve understanding of the geologic framework and petroleum systems of the Appalachian basin. Cross section D-D' provides a regional view of the structural and stratigraphic framework of the Appalachian basin from the Findlay arch in northwestern Ohio to the Valley and Ridge province in eastern West Virginia, a distance of approximately 290 miles. The information shown on the cross section is based on geological and geophysical data from 13 deep drill holes, several of which penetrate the Paleozoic sedimentary rocks of the basin and bottom in Mesoproterozoic (Grenville-age) crystalline basement rocks. This cross section is a companion to cross section E-E' (Ryder and others, 2008) that is located about 25 to 50 mi to the southwest. Although specific petroleum systems in the Appalachian basin are not identified on the cross section, many of their key elements (such as source rocks, reservoir rocks, seals, and traps) can be inferred from lithologic units, unconformities, and geologic structures shown on the cross section. Other aspects of petroleum systems (such as the timing of petroleum generation and preferred migration pathways) may be evaluated by burial history, thermal history, and fluid flow models based on information shown on the cross section. Cross section D-D' lacks the detail to illustrate key elements of coal systems (such as paleoclimate, coal quality, and coal rank), but it does provide a general geologic framework (stratigraphic units and general rock types) for the coal-bearing section. Also, cross section D-D' may be used as a reconnaissance tool to identify plausible geologic structures and strata for the subsurface storage of liquid waste or for the sequestration of carbon dioxide.

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 conceptual framework for understanding the petroleum reservoir biosphere and have consequences for developing strategies to manage microbiological problems in the oil industry.« less

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 conceptual framework for understanding the petroleum reservoir biosphere and have consequences for developing strategies to manage microbiological problems in the oil industry.« less

Exploration for fractured petroleum reservoirs using radar/Landsat merge combinations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Macdonald, H.; Waite, W.; Borengasser, M.; Tolman, D.; Elachi, C.

1981-01-01

Since fractures are commonly propagated upward and reflected at the earth's surface as subtle linears, detection of these surface features is extremely important in many phases of petroleum exploration and development. To document the usefulness of microwave analysis for petroleum exploration, the Arkansas part of the Arkoma basin is selected as a prime test site. The research plan involves comparing the aircraft microwave imagery and Landsat imagery in an area where significant subsurface borehole geophysical data are available. In the northern Arkoma basin, a positive correlation between the number of linears in a given area and production from cherty carbonate strata is found. In the southern part of the basin, little relationship is discernible between surface structure and gas production, and no correlation is found between gas productivity and linear proximity or linear density as determined from remote sensor data.

Strontium isotopic study of subsurface brines from Illinois basin

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

hetherington, E.A.; Stueber, A.M.; Pushkar, P.

1986-05-01

The abundance of the radiogenic isotope /sup 87/Sr in a subsurface brine can be used as a tracer of brine origin, evolution, and diagenetic effects. The authors have determined the /sup 87/Sr//sup 86/Sr ratios of over 60 oil-field waters from the Illinois basin, where brine origin is perplexing because of the absence of any significant evaporite strata. Initially, they analyzed brines from 15 petroleum-producing sandstone and carbonate units; waters from Ordovician, Silurian, Devonian, and Mississippian strata have /sup 87/Sr//sup 86/Sr ratios in the range 0.7079-0.7108. All but those from the Ste. Genevieve Limestone (middle Mississippian) are more radiogenic in /supmore » 87/Sr//sup 86/Sr than seawater values for this interval of geologic time. The detrital source of the more radiogenic /sup 87/Sr may be the New Albany Shale group, considered to be a major petroleum source rock in the basin. The /sup 87/Sr//sup 86/Sr ratios of Ste. Genevieve brines apparently evolved without a contribution from fluid-shale interaction.« less

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 extents of desulfurization. Bacterial processes are being commercialized for removal of H(2)S and sulfoxides from petrochemical waste streams. Microbes also have potential for use in removal of nitrogen from crude oil leading to reduced nitric oxide emissions provided that technical problems similar to those experienced in biodesulfurization can be solved. Enzymes are being exploited to produce added-value products from petroleum substrates, and bacterial biosensors are being used to analyze petroleum-contaminated environments.

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 extents of desulfurization. Bacterial processes are being commercialized for removal of H2S and sulfoxides from petrochemical waste streams. Microbes also have potential for use in removal of nitrogen from crude oil leading to reduced nitric oxide emissions provided that technical problems similar to those experienced in biodesulfurization can be solved. Enzymes are being exploited to produce added-value products from petroleum substrates, and bacterial biosensors are being used to analyze petroleum-contaminated environments. PMID:14665675

Tax incentives as the tool for stimulating hard to recover oil reserves development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharf, I. V.; Borzenkova, D. N.; Grinkevich, L. S.

2015-11-01

The share of hard-to-recover oil reserves, principally from unconventional hydrocarbon sources, has significantly increased in the world petroleum market. Russian policy of subsurface management is directed to stimulate the development, survey and involvement into production of hard-to-recover oil reserves by tax-financial and economic-organizational tools among which tax incentives is the most effective one. The article highlights different categories of hard-to-recover oil reserves as a basis for generating tax incentives. Also the aspects of tax influence on petroleum business (involved in production of had to recover reserves) in Tomsk region are revealed, both positive and negative.

Using electrical impedance tomography to map subsurface hydraulic conductivity

DOEpatents

Berryman, James G.; Daily, William D.; Ramirez, Abelardo L.; Roberts, Jeffery J.

2000-01-01

The use of Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT) to map subsurface hydraulic conductivity. EIT can be used to map hydraulic conductivity in the subsurface where measurements of both amplitude and phase are made. Hydraulic conductivity depends on at least two parameters: porosity and a length scale parameter. Electrical Resistance Tomography (ERT) measures and maps electrical conductivity (which can be related to porosity) in three dimensions. By introducing phase measurements along with amplitude, the desired additional measurement of a pertinent length scale can be achieved. Hydraulic conductivity controls the ability to flush unwanted fluid contaminants from the surface. Thus inexpensive maps of hydraulic conductivity would improve planning strategies for subsequent remediation efforts. Fluid permeability is also of importance for oil field exploitation and thus detailed knowledge of fluid permeability distribution in three-dimension (3-D) would be a great boon to petroleum reservoir analysts.

Subsurface clade of Geobacteraceae that predominates in a diversity of Fe(III)-reducing subsurface environments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Holmes, Dawn E.; O'Neil, Regina A.; Vrionis, Helen A.; N'Guessan, Lucie A.; Ortiz-Bernad, Irene; Larrahondo, Maria J.; Adams, Lorrie A.; Ward, Joy A.; Nicoll , Julie S.; Nevin, Kelly P.; Chavan, Milind A.; Johnson, Jessica P.; Long, Philip E.; Lovely, Derek R.

2007-01-01

There are distinct differences in the physiology of Geobacter species available in pure culture. Therefore, to understand the ecology of Geobacter species in subsurface environments, it is important to know which species predominate. Clone libraries were assembled with 16S rRNA genes and transcripts amplified from three subsurface environments in which Geobacter species are known to be important members of the microbial community: (1) a uranium-contaminated aquifer located in Rifle, CO, USA undergoing in situ bioremediation; (2) an acetate-impacted aquifer that serves as an analog for the long-term acetate amendments proposed for in situ uranium bioremediation and (3) a petroleum-contaminated aquifer in which Geobacter species play a role in the oxidation of aromatic hydrocarbons coupled with the reduction of Fe(III). The majority of Geobacteraceae 16S rRNA sequences found in these environments clustered in a phylogenetically coherent subsurface clade, which also contains a number of Geobacter species isolated from subsurface environments. Concatamers constructed with 43 Geobacter genes amplified from these sites also clustered within this subsurface clade. 16S rRNA transcript and gene sequences in the sediments and groundwater at the Rifle site were highly similar, suggesting that sampling groundwater via monitoring wells can recover the most active Geobacter species. These results suggest that further study of Geobacter species in the subsurface clade is necessary to accurately model the behavior of Geobacter species during subsurface bioremediation of metal and organic contaminants.

Field Evidence for Magnetite Formation by a Methanogenic Microbial Community

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rossbach, S.; Beaver, C. L.; Williams, A.; Atekwana, E. A.; Slater, L. D.; Ntarlagiannis, D.; Lund, A.

2015-12-01

The aged, subsurface petroleum spill in Bemidji, Minnesota, has been surveyed with magnetic susceptibility (MS) measurements. High MS values were found in the free-product phase around the fluctuating water table. Although we had hypothesized that high MS values are related to the occurrence of the mineral magnetite resulting from the activity of iron-reducing bacteria, our microbial analysis pointed to the presence of a methanogenic microbial community at the locations and depths of the highest MS values. Here, we report on a more detailed microbial analysis based on high-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene of sediment samples from four consecutive years. In addition, we provide geochemical data (FeII/FeIII concentrations) to refine our conceptual model of methanogenic hydrocarbon degradation at aged petroleum spills and demonstrate that the microbial induced changes of sediment properties can be monitored with MS. The methanogenic microbial community at the Bemidji site consisted mainly of the syntrophic, hydrocarbon-degrading Smithella and the hydrogenotrophic, methane-generating Methanoregula. There is growing evidence in the literature that not only Bacteria, but also some methanogenic Archaea are able to reduce iron. In fact, a recent study reported that the methanogen Methanosarcina thermophila produced magnetite during the reduction of ferrihydrite in a laboratory experiment when hydrogen was present. Therefore, our finding of high MS values and the presence of magnetite in the methanogenic zone of an aged, subsurface petroleum spill could very well be the first field evidence for magnetite formation during methanogenic hydrocarbon degradation.

Development of Enabling Scientific Tools to Characterize the Geologic Subsurface at Hanford

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

Kenna, Timothy C.; Herron, Michael M.

2014-07-08

This final report to the Department of Energy provides a summary of activities conducted under our exploratory grant, funded through U.S. DOE Subsurface Biogeochemical Research Program in the category of enabling scientific tools, which covers the period from July 15, 2010 to July 14, 2013. The main goal of this exploratory project is to determine the parameters necessary to translate existing borehole log data into reservoir properties following scientifically sound petrophysical relationships. For this study, we focused on samples and Ge-based spectral gamma logging system (SGLS) data collected from wells located in the Hanford 300 Area. The main activities consistedmore » of 1) the analysis of available core samples for a variety of mineralogical, chemical and physical; 2) evaluation of selected spectral gamma logs, environmental corrections, and calibration; 3) development of algorithms and a proposed workflow that permits translation of log responses into useful reservoir properties such as lithology, matrix density, porosity, and permeability. These techniques have been successfully employed in the petroleum industry; however, the approach is relatively new when applied to subsurface remediation. This exploratory project has been successful in meeting its stated objectives. We have demonstrated that our approach can lead to an improved interpretation of existing well log data. The algorithms we developed can utilize available log data, in particular gamma, and spectral gamma logs, and continued optimization will improve their application to ERSP goals of understanding subsurface properties.« less

Parametric study on the behavior of an innovative subsurface tension leg platform in ultra-deep water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhen, Xing-wei; Huang, Yi

2017-10-01

This study focuses on a new technology of Subsurface Tension Leg Platform (STLP), which utilizes the shallowwater rated well completion equipment and technology for the development of large oil and gas fields in ultra-deep water (UDW). Thus, the STLP concept offers attractive advantages over conventional field development concepts. STLP is basically a pre-installed Subsurface Sea-star Platform (SSP), which supports rigid risers and shallow-water rated well completion equipment. The paper details the results of the parametric study on the behavior of STLP at a water depth of 3000 m. At first, a general description of the STLP configuration and working principle is introduced. Then, the numerical models for the global analysis of the STLP in waves and current are presented. After that, extensive parametric studies are carried out with regarding to SSP/tethers system analysis, global dynamic analysis and riser interference analysis. Critical points are addressed on the mooring pattern and riser arrangement under the influence of ocean current, to ensure that the requirements on SSP stability and riser interference are well satisfied. Finally, conclusions and discussions are made. The results indicate that STLP is a competitive well and riser solution in up to 3000 m water depth for offshore petroleum production.

Discontinuities Characteristics of the Upper Jurassic Arab-D Reservoir Equivalent Tight Carbonates Outcrops, Central Saudi Arabia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdlmutalib, Ammar; Abdullatif, Osman

2017-04-01

Jurassic carbonates represent an important part of the Mesozoic petroleum system in the Arabian Peninsula in terms of source rocks, reservoirs, and seals. Jurassic Outcrop equivalents are well exposed in central Saudi Arabia and which allow examining and measuring different scales of geological heterogeneities that are difficult to collect from the subsurface due to limitations of data and techniques. Identifying carbonates Discontinuities characteristics at outcrops might help to understand and predict their properties and behavior in the subsurface. The main objective of this study is to identify the lithofacies and the discontinuities properties of the upper Jurassic carbonates of the Arab D member and the Jubaila Formation (Arab-D reservoir) based on their outcrop equivalent strata in central Saudi Arabia. The sedimentologic analysis revealed several lithofacies types that vary in their thickness, abundances, cyclicity and vertical and lateral stacking patterns. The carbonates lithofacies included mudstone, wackestone, packstone, and grainstone. These lithofacies indicate deposition within tidal flat, skeletal banks and shallow to deep lagoonal paleoenvironmental settings. Field investigations of the outcrops revealed two types of discontinuities within Arab D Member and Upper Jubaila. These are depositional discontinuities and tectonic fractures and which all vary in their orientation, intensity, spacing, aperture and displacements. It seems that both regional and local controls have affected the fracture development within these carbonate rocks. On the regional scale, the fractures seem to be structurally controlled by the Central Arabian Graben System, which affected central Saudi Arabia. While, locally, at the outcrop scale, stratigraphic, depositional and diagenetic controls appear to have influenced the fracture development and intensity. The fracture sets and orientations identified on outcrops show similarity to those fracture sets revealed in the upper Jurassic carbonates in the subsurface which suggest inter-relationships. Therefore, the integration of discontinuities characteristics revealed from the Arab-D outcrop with subsurface data might help to understand and predict discontinuity properties and patterns of the Arab-D reservoir in the subsurface.

Subsurface Tectonics and Pingos of Northern Alaska

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skirvin, S.; Casavant, R.; Burr, D.

2008-12-01

We describe preliminary results of a two-phase study that investigated links between subsurface structural and stratigraphic controls, and distribution of hydrostatic pingos on the central coastal plain of Arctic Alaska. Our 2300 km2 study area is underlain by a complete petroleum system that supports gas, oil and water production from 3 of the largest oil fields in North America. In addition, gas hydrate deposits exist in this area within and just below the permafrost interval at depths of 600 to 1800 feet below sea level. Phase 1 of the study compared locations of subsurface faults and pingos for evidence of linkages between faulting and pingo genesis and distribution. Several hundred discrete fault features were digitized from published data and georeferenced in a GIS database. Fault types were determined by geometry and sense of slip derived from well log and seismic maps. More than 200 pingos and surface sediment type associated with their locations were digitized from regional surficial geology maps within an area that included wire line and seismic data coverage. Beneath the pingos lies an assemblage of high-angle normal and transtensional faults that trend NNE and NW; subsidiary trends are EW and NNW. Quaternary fault reactivation is evidenced by faults that displaced strata at depths exceeding 3000 meters below sea level and intersect near-surface units. Unpublished seismic images and cross-section analysis support this interpretation. Kinematics and distribution of reactivated faults are linked to polyphase deformational history of the region that includes Mesozoic rift events, succeeded by crustal shortening and uplift of the Brooks Range to the south, and differential subsidence and segmentation of a related foreland basin margin beneath the study area. Upward fluid migration, a normal process in basin formation and fault reactivation, may play yet unrecognized roles in the genesis (e.g. fluid charging) of pingos and groundwater hydrology. Preliminary analysis shows that more than half the pingos occur within 150 m of the vertical projections of subsurface fault plane traces. In a previous, unpublished geostatistical study, comparison of pingo and random locations indicated a non-random NE-trending alignment of pingos. This trend in particular matches the dominant orientation of fault sets that are linked to the most recent tectonic deformation of the region. A concurrent Phase 2 of the study examines the potential role of near-surface stratigraphic units in regard to both pingos and faults. Both surface and subsurface coarse-grained deposits across the region are often controlled by fault structures; this study is the first to assess any relationship between reservoir rocks and pingo locations. Cross-sections were constructed from well log data to depths of 100 meters. Subsurface elements were compared with surface features. Although some studies have linked fine-grained surface sediments with pingo occurrence, our analysis hints that coarse-grained sediments underlie pingos and may be related to near-surface fluid transmissivity, as suggested by other researchers. We also investigated pingo occurrence in relationship to upthrown or downthrown fault blocks that vary in the degree of deformation and fluid transmission. Results will guide a proposed pingo drilling project to test linkages between pingos, subsurface geology, hydrology, and petroleum systems. Findings from this study could aid research and planning for field exploration of similar settings on Earth and Mars.

Diversity and Composition of Sulfate-Reducing Microbial Communities Based on Genomic DNA and RNA Transcription in Production Water of High Temperature and Corrosive Oil Reservoir

PubMed Central

Li, Xiao-Xiao; Liu, Jin-Feng; Zhou, Lei; Mbadinga, Serge M.; Yang, Shi-Zhong; Gu, Ji-Dong; Mu, Bo-Zhong

2017-01-01

Deep subsurface petroleum reservoir ecosystems harbor a high diversity of microorganisms, and microbial influenced corrosion is a major problem for the petroleum industry. Here, we used high-throughput sequencing to explore the microbial communities based on genomic 16S rDNA and metabolically active 16S rRNA analyses of production water samples with different extents of corrosion from a high-temperature oil reservoir. Results showed that Desulfotignum and Roseovarius were the most abundant genera in both genomic and active bacterial communities of all the samples. Both genomic and active archaeal communities were mainly composed of Archaeoglobus and Methanolobus. Within both bacteria and archaea, the active and genomic communities were compositionally distinct from one another across the different oil wells (bacteria p = 0.002; archaea p = 0.01). In addition, the sulfate-reducing microorganisms (SRMs) were specifically assessed by Sanger sequencing of functional genes aprA and dsrA encoding the enzymes adenosine-5′-phosphosulfate reductase and dissimilatory sulfite reductase, respectively. Functional gene analysis indicated that potentially active Archaeoglobus, Desulfotignum, Desulfovibrio, and Thermodesulforhabdus were frequently detected, with Archaeoglobus as the most abundant and active sulfate-reducing group. Canonical correspondence analysis revealed that the SRM communities in petroleum reservoir system were closely related to pH of the production water and sulfate concentration. This study highlights the importance of distinguishing the metabolically active microorganisms from the genomic community and extends our knowledge on the active SRM communities in corrosive petroleum reservoirs. PMID:28638372

Using comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography to explore the geochemistry of the Santa Barbara oil seeps

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

Reddy, Christopher; Nelson, Robert

The development of comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC x GC) has expanded the analytical window for studying complex mixtures like oil. Compared to traditional gas chromatography, this technology separates and resolves at least an order of magnitude more compounds, has a much larger signal to noise ratio, and sorts compounds based on their chemical class; hence, providing highly refined inventories of petroleum hydrocarbons in geochemical samples that was previously unattainable. In addition to the increased resolution afforded by GC x GC, the resulting chromatograms have been used to estimate the liquid vapor pressures, aqueous solubilities, octanol-water partition coefficients, and vaporizationmore » enthalpies of petroleum hydrocarbons. With these relationships, powerful and incisive analyses of phase-transfer processes affecting petroleum hydrocarbon mixtures in the environment are available. For example, GC x GC retention data has been used to quantitatively deconvolve the effects of phase transfer processes such as water washing and evaporation. In short, the positive attributes of GC x GC-analysis have led to a methodology that has revolutionized the analysis of petroleum hydrocarbons. Overall, this research has opened numerous fields of study on the biogeochemical "genetics" (referred to as petroleomics) of petroleum samples in both subsurface and surface environments. Furthermore, these new findings have already been applied to the behavior of oil at other seeps as well, for petroleum exploration and oil spill studies.« less

Biodegradation of crude oil in Arctic subsurface water from the Disko Bay (Greenland) is limited.

PubMed

Scheibye, Katrine; Christensen, Jan H; Johnsen, Anders R

2017-04-01

Biological degradation is the main process for oil degradation in a subsurface oil plume. There is, however, little information on the biodegradation potential of Arctic, marine subsurface environments. We therefore investigated oil biodegradation in microcosms at 2 °C containing Arctic subsurface seawater from the Disko Bay (Greenland) and crude oil at three concentrations of 2.5-10 mg/L. Within 71 days, the total petroleum hydrocarbon concentration decreased only by 18 ± 18% for an initial concentration of 5 mg/L. The saturated alkanes nC13-nC30 and the isoprenoids iC18-iC21 were biodegraded at all concentrations indicating a substantial potential for biodegradation of these compound classes. Polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) disappeared from the oil phase, but dissolution was the main process of removal. Analysis of diagnostic ratios indicated almost no PAC biodegradation except for the C1-naphthalenes. To conclude, the marine subsurface microorganisms from the Disko Bay had the potential for biodegradation of n-alkanes and isoprenoids while the metabolically complex and toxic PACs and their alkylated homologs remained almost unchanged. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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.

The role of water in unconventional in situ energy resource extraction technologies: Chapter 7 in Food, energy, and water: The chemistry connection

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gallegos, Tanya J.; Bern, Carleton R.; Birdwell, Justin E.; Haines, Seth S.; Engle, Mark A.

2015-01-01

Global trends toward developing new energy resources from lower grade, larger tonnage deposits that are not generally accessible using “conventional” extraction methods involve variations of subsurface in situ extraction techniques including in situ oil-shale retorting, hydraulic fracturing of petroleum reservoirs, and in situ recovery (ISR) of uranium. Although these methods are economically feasible and perhaps result in a smaller above-ground land-use footprint, there remain uncertainties regarding potential subsurface impacts to groundwater. This chapter provides an overview of the role of water in these technologies and the opportunities and challenges for water reuse and recycling.

Geologic Cross Section E-E' through the Appalachian Basin from the Findlay Arch, Wood County, Ohio, to the Valley and Ridge Province, Pendleton County, West Virginia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ryder, Robert T.; Swezey, Christopher S.; Crangle, Robert D.; Trippi, Michael H.

2008-01-01

Geologic cross section E-E' is the first in a series of cross sections planned by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to document and improve understanding of the geologic framework and petroleum systems of the Appalachian basin. Cross section E-E' provides a regional view of the structural and stratigraphic framework of the basin from the Findlay arch in northwestern Ohio to the Valley and Ridge province in eastern West Virginia, a distance of approximately 380 miles (mi) (fig. 1, on sheet 1). Cross section E-E' updates earlier geologic cross sections through the central Appalachian basin by Renfro and Feray (1970), Bennison (1978), and Bally and Snelson (1980) and a stratigraphic cross section by Colton (1970). Although other published cross sections through parts of the basin show more structural detail (for example, Shumaker, 1985; Kulander and Dean, 1986) and stratigraphic detail (for example, Ryder, 1992; de Witt and others, 1993; Hettinger, 2001), these other cross sections are of more limited extent geographically and stratigraphically. Although specific petroleum systems in the Appalachian basin are not identified on the cross section, many of their key elements (such as source rocks, reservoir rocks, seals, and traps) can be inferred from lithologic units, unconformities, and geologic structures shown on the cross section. Other aspects of petroleum systems (such as the timing of petroleum generation and preferred migration pathways) may be evaluated by burial history, thermal history, and fluid flow models based on information shown on the cross section. Cross section E-E' lacks the detail to illustrate key elements of coal systems (such as paleoclimate, coal quality, and coal rank), but it does provide a general framework (stratigraphic units and general rock types) for the coal-bearing section. Also, cross section E-E' may be used as a reconnaissance tool to identify plausible geologic structures and strata for the subsurface storage of liquid waste (for example, Colton, 1961; Lloyd and Reid, 1990) or for the sequestration of carbon dioxide (for example, Smith and others, 2002; Lucier and others, 2006).

Performance assessment of pilot horizontal sub-surface flow constructed wetlands for removal of diesel from wastewater by Scirpus grossus.

PubMed

Al-Baldawi, Israa Abdulwahab; Sheikh Abdullah, Siti Rozaimah; Anuar, Nurina; Suja, Fatihah; Idris, Mushrifah

2013-01-01

One of the appropriate development technology options for the treatment of wastewater contaminated with diesel is constructed wetlands (CWs). Throughout 72 days of exposure, sampling was carried out for monitoring of physical parameters, plant growth and the efficiency of total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) removal, as an indication for diesel contamination, to assess the pilot-scale performance. Four pilot CWs with a horizontal sub-surface flow system were applied using the bulrush of Scirpus grossus. The CWs were loaded with different diesel concentrations of 0, 0.1, 0.2 and 0.25% (Vdiesel/Vwater). The TPH removal efficiencies were 82, 71, and 67% at the end of 72 days for diesel concentrations of 0.1, 0.2, and 0.25% respectively. In addition, the high removal efficiency of total suspended solids and chemical oxygen demand (COD) were 100 and 75.4% respectively, for a diesel concentration of 0.1%. It was concluded that S. grossus is a potential plant that can be used in a well-operated CW for restoring 0.1% diesel-contaminated water.

An Evaluation of the Feasibility of Combining Carbon Dioxide Flooding Technologies with Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery Technologies in Order To Sequester Carbon Dioxide

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

Todd French; Lew Brown; Rafael Hernandez

2009-08-19

The need for more energy as our population grows results in an increase in the amount of CO2 introduced into the atmosphere. The effect of this introduction is currently debated intensely as to the severity of the effect of this. The bjective of this investigation was to determine if the production of more energy (i.e. petroleum) and the sequestration of CO2 could be coupled into one process. Carbon dioxide flooding is a well-established technique that introduces Compressed CO2 into a subsurface oil-bearing formation to aide in liquefying harder to extract petroleum and enhancing its mobility towards the production wells.

Biogeochemical evidence for subsurface hydrocarbon occurrence, Recluse oil field, Wyoming; preliminary results

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dalziel, Mary C.; Donovan, Terrence J.

1980-01-01

Anomalously high manganese-to-iron ratios occurring in pine needles and sage leaves over the Recluse oil field, Wyoming, suggest effects of petroleum microseepage on the plants. This conclusion is supported by iron and manganese concentrations in soils and carbon and oxygen isotope ratios in rock samples. Seeping hydrocarbons provided reducing conditions sufficient to enable divalent iron and manganese to be organically complexed or adsorbed on solids in the soils. These bound or adsorped elements in the divalent state are essential to plants, and the plants readily assimilate them. The magnitude of the plant anomalies, combined with the supportive isotopic and chemical evidence confirming petroleum leakage, makes a strong case for the use of plants as a biogeochemical prospecting tool.

In situ thermally enhanced biodegradation of petroleum fuel hydrocarbons and halogenated organic solvents

DOEpatents

Taylor, Robert T.; Jackson, Kenneth J.; Duba, Alfred G.; Chen, Ching-I

1998-01-01

An in situ thermally enhanced microbial remediation strategy and a method for the biodegradation of toxic petroleum fuel hydrocarbon and halogenated organic solvent contaminants. The method utilizes nonpathogenic, thermophilic bacteria for the thermal biodegradation of toxic and carcinogenic contaminants, such as benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes, from fuel leaks and the chlorinated ethenes, such as trichloroethylene, chlorinated ethanes, such as 1,1,1-trichloroethane, and chlorinated methanes, such as chloroform, from past solvent cleaning practices. The method relies on and takes advantage of the pre-existing heated conditions and the array of delivery/recovery wells that are created and in place following primary subsurface contaminant volatilization efforts via thermal approaches, such as dynamic underground steam-electrical heating.

In situ thermally enhanced biodegradation of petroleum fuel hydrocarbons and halogenated organic solvents

DOEpatents

Taylor, R.T.; Jackson, K.J.; Duba, A.G.; Chen, C.I.

1998-05-19

An in situ thermally enhanced microbial remediation strategy and a method for the biodegradation of toxic petroleum fuel hydrocarbon and halogenated organic solvent contaminants are described. The method utilizes nonpathogenic, thermophilic bacteria for the thermal biodegradation of toxic and carcinogenic contaminants, such as benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes, from fuel leaks and the chlorinated ethenes, such as trichloroethylene, chlorinated ethanes, such as 1,1,1-trichloroethane, and chlorinated methanes, such as chloroform, from past solvent cleaning practices. The method relies on and takes advantage of the pre-existing heated conditions and the array of delivery/recovery wells that are created and in place following primary subsurface contaminant volatilization efforts via thermal approaches, such as dynamic underground steam-electrical heating. 21 figs.

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

Short, J.W.; Harris, P.M.

Mussels (Mytilus trossulus) were deployed at 22 locations inside Prince William Sound and 16 locations outside the Sound at depths of 1, 5 and 25 m for 2 to 8 weeks to determine the biological availability and persistence of petroleum-derived hydrocarbons from the Exxon Valdez Oil (EVO) spill. Four successive deployments were made in 1989, and two each in 1990 and 1991. Mussels were analyzed for 27 alkane and 43 polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) analytes. PAH concentrations derived from EVO in mussels decreased with depth, time, and distance from heavily oiled beaches. Hydrocarbon accumulation derived from EVO by deployed musselsmore » indicates petroleum hydrocarbons were available to subsurface marine fauna the summer following the spill, which may be a route of oil ingestion exposure by fauna at high trophic levels.« less

The palaeodelta of the ``Proto'' Vatrak and ``Proto'' Mahi rivers of northeastern Gujarat, India: A remote sensing interpretation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agarwal, R. P.; Dotiwala, Sucheta; Mitra, D. S.; Bhoj, R.

1996-02-01

Detailed remote sensing studies carried out in northeastern Gujarat, India, suggest that there has been a major change in the drainage system as evidenced by the presence of a large palaeo-delta system. The area is drained by two major rivers, the Mahi and Vatrak originating from the Aravalli Hills to the east, which discharge into the Gulf of Cambay, in the Indian Ocean. Major lineaments, palaeodrainage patterns and palaeodeltas of the Vatrak and Mahi rivers were delineated. These were large rivers in the past with a high discharge and floodplains which were 5-10 km wide. Most of the palaeodrainage follows the NE-SW Precambrian lineaments/ faults indicating their structural control. Reactivation of these lineaments and differential uplift of the Aravalli Hills resulted in increased transportation of the eroded sediments and deposition of more than 5 km thick sediments into the Tarapur block of the Cambay Basin. The Gulf of Cambay extended up to the Limbasi-Sojitra-Petlad area during the Quaternary. There are implications for petroleum exploration in the sense that the results when integrated with subsurface geological and geophysical data help to delineate the reservoir facies suitable for petroleum exploration along the eastern margin of the Tarapur block.

Possible strand of the North Anatolian fault in the Thrace basin, Turkey - An interpretation

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

Perincek, D.

1991-02-01

This study focuses on the presence of a major strike-slip fault system in the Thrace basin. This new discovery is important for the geology of the Thrace basin and also brings a new perspective to petroleum exploration. The wrench fault system is named the Thrace strike-slip fault system (Perincek, 1988). Similarities with the North Anatolian fault zone prompted an investigation of the relationship between these two fault system.s The study area covers most of the Thrace region of Turkey. The purposes of this paper are (1) to outline the geometry of the Thrace fault system, (2) to demonstrate its tectonicmore » relation with other major structures of the region, (3) to define the age of its inception, and (4) to discuss possible magnitudes of the lateral displacement. The interpretation is based mainly on seismic data consisting of 180 seismic reflection profiles that have a total cumulative length of 2,800 km. Seismic data are complemented with subsurface control from 54 wells.« less

Technical and Regulatory Guidance for In Situ Chemical Oxidation of Contaminated Soil and Groundwater Second Edition

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-01-01

PA Ozone (full scale) Silty sand underlain by fractured schist and shale Petroleum hydrocarbons Former Wood Treatment Site, Sonoma County , CA...Wood Treatment Site, Sonoma County , California Contaminant: Pentachlorophenol and creosote (i.e., PAHs) Oxidant: Ozone Regulatory Agency Contact...topography is essentially flat and paved, and the facility is located on northern Sonoma County , California. The site subsurface consists of very

Hydrocarbon seeps in petroliferous basins in China: A first inventory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Guodong; Xu, Wang; Etiope, Giuseppe; Ma, Xiangxian; Liang, Shouyun; Fan, Qiaohui; Sajjad, Wasim; Li, Yang

2018-01-01

Natural hydrocarbon seepage is a widespread phenomenon in sedimentary basins, with important implications in petroleum exploration and emission of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. China has vast petroleum (oil and gas) bearing sedimentary basins, but hydrocarbon seepage has rarely been the object of systematic studies and measurements. Based on the available Chinese literature, we report a first inventory of 932 hydrocarbon seeps or seepage zones (710 onshore seeps and 222 offshore seeps), including 81 mud volcanoes, 449 oil seeps, 215 gas seeps, and 187 solid seeps (bitumen outcrops). The seeps are located within the main 20 Mesozoic-Cenozoic petroliferous sedimentary basins, especially along the marginal, regional and local faults. The type of manifestations (oil, gas or mud volcano) reflects the type and maturity of the subsurface petroleum system and the sedimentary conditions of the basin. Oil seeps are particularly abundant in the Junggar Basin. Gas seeps mostly developed in the Lunpola Basin, in smaller basins of the eastern Guizhou and Yunnan provinces, onshore Taiwan and in the offshore Yinggehai Basin. Mud volcanoes developed in basins (Junggar, Qaidam, Qiangtang, onshore and offshore Taiwan) that experienced rapid sedimentation, which induced gravitative instability of shales and diapirism. In comparison to available global onshore seep data-bases, China results to be the country with the highest number of seeps in the world. The massive gas seepage in China could represent a considerable natural source of methane to the atmosphere, and a key process that may drive future hydrocarbon exploration.

Method for identifying subsurface fluid migration and drainage pathways in and among oil and gas reservoirs using 3-D and 4-D seismic imaging

DOEpatents

Anderson, R.N.; Boulanger, A.; Bagdonas, E.P.; Xu, L.; He, W.

1996-12-17

The invention utilizes 3-D and 4-D seismic surveys as a means of deriving information useful in petroleum exploration and reservoir management. The methods use both single seismic surveys (3-D) and multiple seismic surveys separated in time (4-D) of a region of interest to determine large scale migration pathways within sedimentary basins, and fine scale drainage structure and oil-water-gas regions within individual petroleum producing reservoirs. Such structure is identified using pattern recognition tools which define the regions of interest. The 4-D seismic data sets may be used for data completion for large scale structure where time intervals between surveys do not allow for dynamic evolution. The 4-D seismic data sets also may be used to find variations over time of small scale structure within individual reservoirs which may be used to identify petroleum drainage pathways, oil-water-gas regions and, hence, attractive drilling targets. After spatial orientation, and amplitude and frequency matching of the multiple seismic data sets, High Amplitude Event (HAE) regions consistent with the presence of petroleum are identified using seismic attribute analysis. High Amplitude Regions are grown and interconnected to establish plumbing networks on the large scale and reservoir structure on the small scale. Small scale variations over time between seismic surveys within individual reservoirs are identified and used to identify drainage patterns and bypassed petroleum to be recovered. The location of such drainage patterns and bypassed petroleum may be used to site wells. 22 figs.

Method for identifying subsurface fluid migration and drainage pathways in and among oil and gas reservoirs using 3-D and 4-D seismic imaging

DOEpatents

Anderson, Roger N.; Boulanger, Albert; Bagdonas, Edward P.; Xu, Liqing; He, Wei

1996-01-01

The invention utilizes 3-D and 4-D seismic surveys as a means of deriving information useful in petroleum exploration and reservoir management. The methods use both single seismic surveys (3-D) and multiple seismic surveys separated in time (4-D) of a region of interest to determine large scale migration pathways within sedimentary basins, and fine scale drainage structure and oil-water-gas regions within individual petroleum producing reservoirs. Such structure is identified using pattern recognition tools which define the regions of interest. The 4-D seismic data sets may be used for data completion for large scale structure where time intervals between surveys do not allow for dynamic evolution. The 4-D seismic data sets also may be used to find variations over time of small scale structure within individual reservoirs which may be used to identify petroleum drainage pathways, oil-water-gas regions and, hence, attractive drilling targets. After spatial orientation, and amplitude and frequency matching of the multiple seismic data sets, High Amplitude Event (HAE) regions consistent with the presence of petroleum are identified using seismic attribute analysis. High Amplitude Regions are grown and interconnected to establish plumbing networks on the large scale and reservoir structure on the small scale. Small scale variations over time between seismic surveys within individual reservoirs are identified and used to identify drainage patterns and bypassed petroleum to be recovered. The location of such drainage patterns and bypassed petroleum may be used to site wells.

Subsurface Transport Over Multiple Phases Demonstration Software

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

2016-01-05

The STOMP simulator is a suite of numerical simulators developed by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory for addressing problems involving coupled multifluid hydrologic, thermal, geochemical, and geomechanical processes in the subsurface. The simulator has been applied to problems concerning environmental remediation, environmental stewardship, carbon sequestration, conventional petroleum production, and the production of unconventional hydrocarbon fuels. The simulator is copyrighted by Battelle Memorial Institute, and is available outside of PNNL via use agreements. To promote the open exchange of scientific ideas the simulator is provided as source code. A demonstration version of the simulator has been developed, which will provide potential newmore » users with an executable (not source code) implementation of the software royalty free. Demonstration versions will be offered via the STOMP website for all currently available operational modes of the simulator. The demonstration versions of the simulator will be configured with the direct banded linear system solver and have a limit of 1,000 active grid cells. This will provide potential new users with an opportunity to apply the code to simple problems, including many of the STOMP short course problems, without having to pay a license fee. Users will be required to register on the STOMP website prior to receiving an executable.« less

An evaluation of the suitability of ERTS data for the purposes of petroleum exploration. [Anadarko Basin of Texas and Oklahoma

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Collins, R. J.; Mccown, F. P.; Stonis, L. P.; Petzel, G.; Everett, J. R.

1974-01-01

This experiment was designed to determine the types and amounts of information valuable to petroleum exploration extractable from ERTS data and the cost of obtaining the information using traditional or conventional means. It was desired that an evaluation of this new petroleum exploration tool be made in a geologically well known area in order to assess its usefulness in an unknown area. The Anadarko Basin lies in western Oklahoma and the panhandle of Texas. It was chosen as a test site because there is a great deal of published information available on the surface and subsurface geology of the area, and there are many known structures that act as traps for hydrocarbons. This basin is similar to several other large epicontinental sedimentary basins. It was found that ERTS imagery is an excellent tool for reconnaissance exploration of large sedimentary basins or new exploration provinces. For the first time, small and medium size oil companies can rapidly and effectively analyze exploration provinces as a whole.

Tracing enhanced oil recovery signatures in casing gases from the Lost Hills oil field using noble gases

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barry, Peter H.; Kulongoski, Justin; Landon, Matthew K.; Tyne, R.L.; Gillespie, Janice; Stephens, Michael; Hillegonds, D.J.; Byrne, D.J.; Ballentine, C.J.

2018-01-01

Enhanced oil recovery (EOR) and hydraulic fracturing practices are commonly used methods to improve hydrocarbon extraction efficiency; however the environmental impacts of such practices remain poorly understood. EOR is particularly prevalent in oil fields throughout California where water resources are in high demand and disposal of high volumes of produced water may affect groundwater quality. Consequently, it is essential to better understand the fate of injected (EOR) fluids in California and other subsurface petroleum systems, as well as any potential effect on nearby aquifer systems. Noble gases can be used as tracers to understand hydrocarbon generation, migration, and storage conditions, as well as the relative proportions of oil and water present in the subsurface. In addition, a noble gas signature diagnostic of injected (EOR) fluids can be readily identified. We report noble gas isotope and concentration data in casing gases from oil production wells in the Lost Hills oil field, northwest of Bakersfield, California, and injectate gas data from the Fruitvale oil field, located within the city of Bakersfield. Casing and injectate gas data are used to: 1) establish pristine hydrocarbon noble-gas signatures and the processes controlling noble gas distributions, 2) characterize the noble gas signature of injectate fluids, 3) trace injectate fluids in the subsurface, and 4) construct a model to estimate EOR efficiency. Noble gas results range from pristine to significantly modified by EOR, and can be best explained using a solubility exchange model between oil and connate/formation fluids, followed by gas exsolution upon production. This model is sensitive to oil-water interaction during hydrocarbon expulsion, migration, and storage at reservoir conditions, as well as any subsequent modification by EOR.

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...

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).

Geologic framework of the Mississippian Barnett Shale, Barnett-Paleozoic total petroleum system, Bend arch-Fort Worth Basin, Texas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pollastro, R.M.; Jarvie, D.M.; Hill, R.J.; Adams, C.W.

2007-01-01

This article describes the primary geologic characteristics and criteria of the Barnett Shale and Barnett-Paleozoic total petroleum system (TPS) of the Fort Worth Basin used to define two geographic areas of the Barnett Shale for petroleum resource assessment. From these two areas, referred to as "assessment units," the U.S. Geological Survey estimated a mean volume of about 26 tcf of undiscovered, technically recoverable hydrocarbon gas in the Barnett Shale. The Mississippian Barnett Shale is the primary source rock for oil and gas produced from Paleozoic reservoir rocks in the Bend arch-Fort Worth Basin area and is also one of the most significant gas-producing formations in Texas. Subsurface mapping from well logs and commercial databases and petroleum geochemistry demonstrate that the Barnett Shale is organic rich and thermally mature for hydrocarbon generation over most of the Bend arch-Fort Worth Basin area. In the northeastern and structurally deepest part of the Fort Worth Basin adjacent to the Muenster arch, the formation is more than 1000 ft (305 m) thick and interbedded with thick limestone units; westward, it thins rapidly over the Mississippian Chappel shelf to only a few tens of feet. The Barnett-Paleozoic TPS is identified where thermally mature Barnett Shale has generated large volumes of hydrocarbons and is (1) contained within the Barnett Shale unconventional continuous accumulation and (2) expelled and distributed among numerous conventional clastic- and carbonate-rock reservoirs of Paleozoic age. Vitrinite reflectance (Ro) measurements show little correlation with present-day burial depth. Contours of equal Ro values measured from Barnett Shale and typing of produced hydrocarbons indicate significant uplift and erosion. Furthermore, the thermal history of the formation was enhanced by hydrothermal events along the Ouachita thrust front and Mineral Wells-Newark East fault system. Stratigraphy and thermal maturity define two gas-producing assessment units for the Barnett Shale: (1) a greater Newark East fracture-barrier continuous Barnett Shale gas assessment unit, encompassing an area of optimal gas production where dense impermeable limestones enclose thick (???300 ft; ???91 m) Barnett Shale that is within the gas-generation window (Ro ??? 1.1%); and (2) an extended continuous Barnett Shale gas assessment unit covering an area where the Barnett Shale is within the gas-generation window, but is less than 300 ft (91 m) thick, and either one or both of the overlying and underlying limestone barriers are absent. Copyright ?? 2007. The American Association of Petroleum Geologists. All rights reserved.

North Slope, Alaska: Source rock distribution, richness, thermal maturity, and petroleum charge

USGS Publications Warehouse

Peters, K.E.; Magoon, L.B.; Bird, K.J.; Valin, Z.C.; Keller, M.A.

2006-01-01

Four key marine petroleum source rock units were identified, characterized, and mapped in the subsurface to better understand the origin and distribution of petroleum on the North Slope of Alaska. These marine source rocks, from oldest to youngest, include four intervals: (1) Middle-Upper Triassic Shublik Formation, (2) basal condensed section in the Jurassic-Lower Cretaceous Kingak Shale, (3) Cretaceous pebble shale unit, and (4) Cretaceous Hue Shale. Well logs for more than 60 wells and total organic carbon (TOC) and Rock-Eval pyrolysis analyses for 1183 samples in 125 well penetrations of the source rocks were used to map the present-day thickness of each source rock and the quantity (TOC), quality (hydrogen index), and thermal maturity (Tmax) of the organic matter. Based on assumptions related to carbon mass balance and regional distributions of TOC, the present-day source rock quantity and quality maps were used to determine the extent of fractional conversion of the kerogen to petroleum and to map the original TOC (TOCo) and the original hydrogen index (HIo) prior to thermal maturation. The quantity and quality of oil-prone organic matter in Shublik Formation source rock generally exceeded that of the other units prior to thermal maturation (commonly TOCo > 4 wt.% and HIo > 600 mg hydrocarbon/g TOC), although all are likely sources for at least some petroleum on the North Slope. We used Rock-Eval and hydrous pyrolysis methods to calculate expulsion factors and petroleum charge for each of the four source rocks in the study area. Without attempting to identify the correct methods, we conclude that calculations based on Rock-Eval pyrolysis overestimate expulsion factors and petroleum charge because low pressure and rapid removal of thermally cracked products by the carrier gas retards cross-linking and pyrobitumen formation that is otherwise favored by natural burial maturation. Expulsion factors and petroleum charge based on hydrous pyrolysis may also be high compared to nature for a similar reason. Copyright ?? 2006. The American Association of Petroleum Geologists. All rights reserved.

Microbial H2 cycling does not affect δ2H values of ground water

USGS Publications Warehouse

Landmeyer, J.E.; Chapelle, F.H.; Bradley, P.M.

2000-01-01

Stable hydrogen-isotope values of ground water (δ2H) and dissolved hydrogen concentrations (H(2(aq)) were quantified in a petroleum-hydrocarbon contaminated aquifer to determine whether the production/consumption of H2 by subsurface microorganisms affects ground water &delta2H values. The range of &delta2H observed in monitoring wells sampled (-27.8 ‰c to -15.5 ‰c) was best explained, however, by seasonal differences in recharge temperature as indicated using ground water δ18O values, rather than isotopic exchange reactions involving the microbial cycling of H2 during anaerobic petroleum-hydrocarbon biodegradation. The absence of a measurable hydrogen-isotope exchange between microbially cycled H2 and ground water reflects the fact that the amount of H2 available from the anaerobic decomposition of petroleum hydrocarbons is small relative to the amount of hydrogen present in water, even though milligram per liter concentrations of readily biodegradable contaminants are present at the study site. Additionally, isotopic fractionation calculations indicate that in order for H2 cycling processes to affect δ2H values of ground water, relatively high concentrations of H2 (>0.080 M) would have to be maintained, considerably higher than the 0.2 to 26 nM present at this site and characteristic of anaerobic conditions in general. These observations suggest that the conventional approach of using δ2H and δ18O values to determine recharge history is appropriate even for those ground water systems characterized by anaerobic conditions and extensive microbial H2 cycling.

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 were lost from two catchments that have highly faulted and extensively eroded sections. Anomalies in the relationship between erosional losses and degree of erosion suggest there is potential for undiscovered petroleum in one of the catchments. These results demonstrate that a material-balance assessment of migration catchments provides a useful means to evaluate and rank areas within a petroleum system. The article provides methodologies for obtaining more realistic petroleum charges and losses that can be applied to less data-rich petroleum systems.

Isolation and Characterization of Surface and Subsurface Bacteria in Seawater of Mantanani Island, Kota Belud, Sabah by Direct and Enrichment Techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benard, L. D.; Tuah, P. M.; Suadin, E. G.; Jamian, N.

2015-04-01

The distribution of hydrocarbon-utilizing bacterial may vary between surface and subsurface of the seawater. One of the identified contributors is the Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon. The isolation and characterization of bacteria using Direct and Enrichment techniques helps in identifying dominant bacterial populations in seawater of Mantanani Island, Kota Belud, Sabah, potential of further investigation as hydrocarbon degrader. Crude oil (5% v/v) was added as the carbon source for bacteria in Enrichment technique. For surface seawater, the highest population of bacteria identified for both Direct and Enrichment technique were 2.60 × 107 CFU/mL and 3.84 × 106 CFU/mL respectively. Meanwhile, for subsurface seawater, the highest population of bacteria identified for both Direct and Enrichment technique were 5.21 × 106 CFU/mL and 8.99 × 107 CFU/mL respectively. Dominant species in surface seawater were characterized as Marinobacter hydrocarbonoclasticus-RMSF-C1 and RMSF-C2 and Alcanivorax borkumensis-RMSF-C3, RMSF-C4 and RMSF-C5. As for subsurface seawater, dominant species were characterized as Pseudomonas luteola-SSBR-W1, Burkholderia cepacia-SSBR-C1, Rhizobium radiobacter- SSBR-C3 and Leuconostoc-cremois -SSBR-C4.

Improving Vintage Seismic Data Quality through Implementation of Advance Processing Techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Latiff, A. H. Abdul; Boon Hong, P. G.; Jamaludin, S. N. F.

2017-10-01

It is essential in petroleum exploration to have high resolution subsurface images, both vertically and horizontally, in uncovering new geological and geophysical aspects of our subsurface. The lack of success may have been from the poor imaging quality which led to inaccurate analysis and interpretation. In this work, we re-processed the existing seismic dataset with an emphasis on two objectives. Firstly, to produce a better 3D seismic data quality with full retention of relative amplitudes and significantly reduce seismic and structural uncertainty. Secondly, to facilitate further prospect delineation through enhanced data resolution, fault definitions and events continuity, particularly in syn-rift section and basement cover contacts and in turn, better understand the geology of the subsurface especially in regard to the distribution of the fluvial and channel sands. By adding recent, state-of-the-art broadband processing techniques such as source and receiver de-ghosting, high density velocity analysis and shallow water de-multiple, the final results produced a better overall reflection detail and frequency in specific target zones, particularly in the deeper section.

Petroleum system elements within the Late Cretaceous and Early Paleogene sediments of Nigeria's inland basins: An integrated sequence stratigraphic approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dim, Chidozie Izuchukwu Princeton; Onuoha, K. Mosto; Okeugo, Chukwudike Gabriel; Ozumba, Bertram Maduka

2017-06-01

Sequence stratigraphic studies have been carried out using subsurface well and 2D seismic data in the Late Cretaceous and Early Paleogene sediments of Anambra and proximal onshore section of Niger Delta Basin in the Southeastern Nigeria. The aim was to establish the stratigraphic framework for better understanding of the reservoir, source and seal rock presence and distribution in the basin. Thirteen stratigraphic bounding surfaces (consisting of six maximum flooding surfaces - MFSs and seven sequence boundaries - SBs) were recognized and calibrated using a newly modified chronostratigraphic chart. Stratigraphic surfaces were matched with corresponding foraminiferal and palynological biozones, aiding correlation across wells in this study. Well log sequence stratigraphic correlation reveals that stratal packages within the basin are segmented into six depositional sequences occurring from Late Cretaceous to Early Paleogene age. Generated gross depositional environment maps at various MFSs show that sediment packages deposited within shelfal to deep marine settings, reflect continuous rise and fall of sea levels within a regressive cycle. Each of these sequences consist of three system tracts (lowstand system tract - LST, transgressive system tract - TST and highstand system tract - HST) that are associated with mainly progradational and retrogradational sediment stacking patterns. Well correlation reveals that the sand and shale units of the LSTs, HSTs and TSTs, that constitute the reservoir and source/seal packages respectively are laterally continuous and thicken basinwards, due to structural influences. Result from interpretation of seismic section reveals the presence of hanging wall, footwall, horst block and collapsed crest structures. These structural features generally aid migration and offer entrapment mechanism for hydrocarbon accumulation. The combination of these reservoirs, sources, seals and trap elements form a good petroleum system that is viable for hydrocarbon exploration and development.

Tidal Fluctuations in a Deep Fault Extending Under the Santa Barbara Channel, California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garven, G.; Stone, J.; Boles, J. R.

2013-12-01

Faults are known to strongly affect deep groundwater flow, and exert a profound control on petroleum accumulation, migration, and natural seafloor seepage from coastal reservoirs within the young sedimentary basins of southern California. In this paper we focus on major fault structure permeability and compressibility in the Santa Barbara Basin, where unique submarine and subsurface instrumentation provide the hydraulic characterization of faults in a structurally complex system. Subsurface geologic logs, geophysical logs, fluid P-T-X data, seafloor seep discharge patterns, fault mineralization petrology, isotopic data, fluid inclusions, and structural models help characterize the hydrogeological nature of faults in this seismically-active and young geologic terrain. Unique submarine gas flow data from a natural submarine seep area of the Santa Barbara Channel help constrain fault permeability k ~ 30 millidarcys for large-scale upward migration of methane-bearing formation fluids along one of the major fault zones. At another offshore site near Platform Holly, pressure-transducer time-series data from a 1.5 km deep exploration well in the South Ellwood Field demonstrate a strong ocean tidal component, due to vertical fault connectivity to the seafloor. Analytical models from classic hydrologic papers by Jacob-Ferris-Bredehoeft-van der Kamp-Wang can be used to extract large-scale fault permeability and compressibility parameters, based on tidal signal amplitude attenuation and phase shift at depth. For the South Ellwood Fault, we estimate k ~ 38 millidarcys (hydraulic conductivity K~ 3.6E-07 m/s) and specific storage coefficient Ss ~ 5.5E-08 m-1. The tidal-derived hydraulic properties also suggest a low effective porosity for the fault zone, n ~ 1 to 3%. Results of forward modeling with 2-D finite element models illustrate significant lateral propagation of the tidal signal into highly-permeable Monterey Formation. The results have important practical implications for fault characterization, petroleum migration, structural diagenesis, and carbon sequestration.

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.

Ground water contamination by crude oil near Bemidji, Minnesota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Delin, G.N.; Essaid, H.I.; Cozzarelli, I.M.; Lahvis, M.H.; Bekins, B.A.

1998-01-01

Ground-water contamination by crude oil, and other petroleum-based liquids, is a widespread problem. An average of 83 crude-oil spills occurred per year during 1994-96 in the United States, each spilling about 50,000 barrels of crude oil (U.S. Office of Pipeline Safety, electronic commun., 1997). An understanding of the fate of organic contaminants (such as oil and gasoline) in the subsurface is needed to design innovative and cost-effective remedial solutions at contaminated sites.

Biological enhancement of hydrocarbon extraction

DOEpatents

Brigmon, Robin L [North Augusta, SC; Berry, Christopher J [Aiken, SC

2009-01-06

A method of microbial enhanced oil recovery for recovering oil from an oil-bearing rock formation is provided. The methodology uses a consortium of bacteria including a mixture of surfactant producing bacteria and non-surfactant enzyme producing bacteria which may release hydrocarbons from bitumen containing sands. The described bioprocess can work with existing petroleum recovery protocols. The consortium microorganisms are also useful for treatment of above oil sands, ground waste tailings, subsurface oil recovery, and similar materials to enhance remediation and/or recovery of additional hydrocarbons from the materials.

Subsurface temperature as a passkey for exploration of mature basins: Hot anticlines - A key to discovery?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Merriam, D.F.

2004-01-01

Temperature anomalies associated with oil-producing structures in the US Midcontinent and similar cratonic areas probably can be used reliably as a passkey for petroleum exploration in mature areas, and thus the concept of hot anticlines could be a key to discovery. Analysis of accumulated data during the past several decades allows a definition of the problem of hot anticlines. A possible solution for migration and entrapment of petroleum can be explained by the Roberts temperature differential model and the Walters fluid-flow paradigm. In fact, if the Roberts model is valid, higher shallow temperatures, temperature gradients, or heat flow could indicate the entrapment of hydrocarbons at depth. The recognition and promotion of shallow "hotspots" as an exploration key is not new and was proposed years ago by Haas and Hoffmann, Kappelmeyer, and as recently as 1986 by Blackwell.

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

McAlexander, Benjamin L., E-mail: bmcalexander@trihydro.com

Petroleum-contaminated site management typically counts destruction of hydrocarbons by either natural or engineered processes as a beneficial component of remediation. While such oxidation of spilled hydrocarbons is often necessary for achieving risk reduction for nearby human and ecological receptors, site assessments tend to neglect that this also means that the pollutants are converted to greenhouse gases and emitted to the atmosphere. This article presents a suggestion that the current and long term greenhouse gas emissions from spilled hydrocarbons be incorporated to petroleum site assessments. This would provide a more complete picture of pollutant effects that could then be incorporated tomore » remedial objectives. At some sites, this additional information may affect remedy selection. Possible examples include a shift in emphasis to remedial technologies that reduce pollutant greenhouse gas effects (e.g., by conversion of methane to carbon dioxide in the subsurface), and a more holistic context for considering remedial technologies with low emission footprints.« less

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 transfer from source to bitumen to oil does not affect source rock Re-Os systematics or Os isotopic compositions. This confirms that Os isotope compositions are transferred intact from source to petroleum during petroleum generation and can be used as a powerful correlation tool. These experiments further confirm that Re-Os systematics in source rocks are not adversely affected by petroleum maturation. Overall this study illustrates that the Re-Os petroleum geochronometer and Os isotope fingerprinting tools can be used on a wide range of petroleum types sourced from variable kerogen types.

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 are mimicking the natural system. This transfer from source to bitumen to oil does not affect source rock Re–Os systematics or Os isotopic compositions. This confirms that Os isotope compositions are transferred intact from source to petroleum during petroleum generation and can be used as a powerful correlation tool. These experiments further confirm that Re–Os systematics in source rocks are not adversely affected by petroleum maturation. Overall this study illustrates that the Re–Os petroleum geochronometer and Os isotope fingerprinting tools can be used on a wide range of petroleum types sourced from variable kerogen types.

Shahejie-Shahejie/Guantao/Wumishan and Carboniferous/Permian Coal-Paleozoic Total Petroleum Systems in the Bohaiwan Basin, China (based on geologic studies for the 2000 World Energy Assessment Project of the U.S. Geological Survey)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ryder, Robert T.; Qiang, Jin; McCabe, Peter J.; Nuccio, Vito F.; Persits, Felix

2012-01-01

This report discusses the geologic framework and petroleum geology used to assess undiscovered petroleum resources in the Bohaiwan basin province for the 2000 World Energy Assessment Project of the U.S. Geological Survey. The Bohaiwan basin in northeastern China is the largest petroleum-producing region in China. Two total petroleum systems have been identified in the basin. The first, the Shahejie&ndashShahejie/Guantao/Wumishan Total Petroleum System, involves oil and gas generated from mature pods of lacustrine source rock that are associated with six major rift-controlled subbasins. Two assessment units are defined in this total petroleum system: (1) a Tertiary lacustrine assessment unit consisting of sandstone reservoirs interbedded with lacustrine shale source rocks, and (2) a pre-Tertiary buried hills assessment unit consisting of carbonate reservoirs that are overlain unconformably by Tertiary lacustrine shale source rocks. The second total petroleum system identified in the Bohaiwan basin is the Carboniferous/Permian Coal–Paleozoic Total Petroleum System, a hypothetical total petroleum system involving natural gas generated from multiple pods of thermally mature coal beds. Low-permeability Permian sandstones and possibly Carboniferous coal beds are the reservoir rocks. Most of the natural gas is inferred to be trapped in continuous accumulations near the center of the subbasins. This total petroleum system is largely unexplored and has good potential for undiscovered gas accumulations. One assessment unit, coal-sourced gas, is defined in this total petroleum system.

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...

An evaluation of the suitability of ERTS data for the purposes of petroleum exploration. [Anadarko Basin in Oklahoma and Texas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Everett, J. R.; Petzel, G.

1974-01-01

This investigation was undertaken to determine the types and amounts of information valuable to petroleum exploration that are extractable from ERTS data and to determine the cost of obtaining the information from ERTS relative to costs using traditional or conventional means. In particular, it was desirable to evaluate this new petroleum exploration tool in a geologically well-known area in order to assess its potential usefulness in an unknown area. In light of the current energy situation, it is felt that such an evaluation is important in order to best utilize technical efforts with customary exploration tools, by rapidly focusing attention on the most promising areas in order to reduce the time required to go through the exploration cycle and to maximize cost savings. The Anadarko Basin lies in western Oklahoma and the panhandle of Texas (Figure 1). It was chosen as a test site because there is a great deal of published information available on the surface and subsurface geology of the area, there are many known structures that act as traps for hydrocarbons, and it is similar to several other large epicontinental sedimentary basins.

Volatile hydrocarbons and fuel oxygenates: Chapter 12

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cozzarelli, Isabelle M.

2014-01-01

Petroleum hydrocarbons and fuel oxygenates are among the most commonly occurring and widely distributed contaminants in the environment. This chapter presents a summary of the sources, transport, fate, and remediation of volatile fuel hydrocarbons and fuel additives in the environment. Much research has focused on the transport and transformation processes of petroleum hydrocarbons and fuel oxygenates, such as benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes and methyl tert‐butyl ether, in groundwater following release from underground storage tanks. Natural attenuation from biodegradation limits the movement of these contaminants and has received considerable attention as an environmental restoration option. This chapter summarizes approaches to environmental restoration, including those that rely on natural attenuation, and also engineered or enhanced remediation. Researchers are increasingly combining several microbial and molecular-based methods to give a complete picture of biodegradation potential and occurrence at contaminated field sites. New insights into the fate of petroleum hydrocarbons and fuel additives have been gained by recent advances in analytical tools and approaches, including stable isotope fractionation, analysis of metabolic intermediates, and direct microbial evidence. However, development of long-term detailed monitoring programs is required to further develop conceptual models of natural attenuation and increase our understanding of the behavior of contaminant mixtures in the subsurface.

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

Earth Sciences Division

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1991-06-01

This Annual Report presents summaries of selected representative research activities grouped according to the principal disciplines of the Earth Sciences Division: Reservoir Engineering and Hydrogeology, Geology and Geochemistry, and Geophysics and Geomechanics. Much of the Division's research deals with the physical and chemical properties and processes in the earth's crust, from the partially saturated, low-temperature near-surface environment to the high-temperature environments characteristic of regions where magmatic-hydrothermal processes are active. Strengths in laboratory and field instrumentation, numerical modeling, and in situ measurement allow study of the transport of mass and heat through geologic media -- studies that now include the appropriate chemical reactions and the hydraulic-mechanical complexities of fractured rock systems. Of particular note are three major Division efforts addressing problems in the discovery and recovery of petroleum, the application of isotope geochemistry to the study of geodynamic processes and earth history, and the development of borehole methods for high-resolution imaging of the subsurface using seismic and electromagnetic waves. In 1989, a major DOE-wide effort was launched in the areas of Environmental Restoration and Waste Management. Many of the methods previously developed for and applied to deeper regions of the earth will, in the coming years, be turned toward process definition and characterization of the very shallow subsurface, where man-induced contaminants now intrude and where remedial action is required.

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.

Discriminant function analysis as tool for subsurface geologist

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

Chesser, K.

1987-05-01

Sedimentary structures such as cross-bedding control porosity, permeability, and other petrophysical properties in sandstone reservoirs. Understanding the distribution of such structures in the subsurface not only aids in the prediction of reservoir properties but also provides information about depositional environments. Discriminant function analysis (DFA) is a simple yet powerful method incorporating petrophysical data from wireline logs, core analyses, or other sources into groups that have been previously defined through direct observation of sedimentary structures in cores. Once data have been classified into meaningful groups, the geologist can predict the distribution of specific sedimentary structures or important reservoir properties in areasmore » where cores are unavailable. DFA is efficient. Given several variables, DFA will choose the best combination to discriminate among groups. The initial classification function can be computed from relatively few observations, and additional data may be included as necessary. Furthermore, DFA provides quantitative goodness-of-fit estimates for each observation. Such estimates can be used as mapping parameters or to assess risk in petroleum ventures. Petrophysical data from the Skinner sandstone of Strauss field in southeastern Kansas tested the ability of DFA to discriminate between cross-bedded and ripple-bedded sandstones. Petroleum production in Strauss field is largely restricted to the more permeable cross-bedded sandstones. DFA based on permeability correctly placed 80% of samples into cross-bedded or ripple-bedded groups. Addition of formation factor to the discriminant function increased correct classifications to 83% - a small but statistically significant gain.« less

Submarine groundwater discharge into the coast revealed by water chemistry of man-made undersea liquefied petroleum gas cavern

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Jin-Yong; Cho, Byung Wook

2008-10-01

SummaryThe occurrence of submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) as well as its supply of many nutrients and metals to coastal seawaters is now generally known. However, previous studies have focused on the chemical and radiological analysis of groundwater, surface seawater, shallow marine sediments and their pore waters, as well as the measurement of upward flow through the marine sediments, as end members of the discharge process. In this study, chemical and isotopic analysis results of marine subsurface waters are reported. These were obtained from deep boreholes of an undersea liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) storage cavern, located about 8 km off the western coast of Korea. The cavern is about 130-150 m below the sea bottom, which is covered by a 4.8-19.5 m silty clay stratum. An isotopic composition (δ 2H and δ 18O) of the marine subsurface waters falls on a mixing line between terrestrial groundwater and seawater. Vertical EC profiling at the cavern boreholes revealed the existence of a fresh water zone. An increase in the contents of ferrous iron and manganese and a decrease in levels of nitrate, bicarbonate and cavern seepage were recorded in August 2006, indicating a decreased submarine groundwater flux originating from land, mainly caused by an elevated cavern gas pressure. It is suggested in this study that the main source of fresh waters in the man-made undersea cavern is the submarine groundwater discharge mainly originating from the land.

Total petroleum systems of the Pelagian Province, Tunisia, Libya, Italy, and Malta; the Bou Dabbous, Tertiary and Jurassic-Cretaceous composite

USGS Publications Warehouse

Klett, T.R.

2001-01-01

Undiscovered conventional oil and gas resources were assessed within total petroleum systems of the Pelagian Province (2048) as part of the U.S. Geological Survey World Petroleum Assessment 2000. The Pelagian Province is located mainly in eastern Tunisia and northwestern Libya. Small portions of the province extend into Malta and offshore Italy. Although several petroleum systems may exist, only two ?composite? total petroleum systems were identified. Each total petroleum system comprises a single assessment unit. These total petroleum systems are called the Bou Dabbous?Tertiary and Jurassic-Cretaceous Composite, named after the source-rock intervals and reservoir-rock ages. The main source rocks include mudstone of the Eocene Bou Dabbous Formation; Cretaceous Bahloul, Lower Fahdene, and M?Cherga Formations; and Jurassic Nara Formation. Known reservoirs are in carbonate rocks and sandstone intervals throughout the Upper Jurassic, Cretaceous, and Tertiary sections. Traps for known accumulations include fault blocks, low-amplitude anticlines, high-amplitude anticlines associated with reverse faults, wrench fault structures, and stratigraphic traps. The estimated means of the undiscovered conventional petroleum volumes in total petroleum systems of the Pelagian Province are as follows: [MMBO, million barrels of oil; BCFG, billion cubic feet of gas; MMBNGL, million barrels of natural gas liquids] Total Petroleum System MMBO BCFG MMBNGL Bou Dabbous?Tertiary 667 2,746 64 Jurassic-Cretaceous Composite 403 2,280 27

Geologic Controls of Hydrocarbon Occurrence in the Southern Appalachian Basin in Eastern Tennessee, Southwestern Virginia, Eastern Kentucky, and Southern West Virginia

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

Robert D. Hatcher

2003-05-31

This report summarizes the first-year accomplishments of a three-year program to investigate the geologic controls of hydrocarbon occurrence in the southern Appalachian basin in eastern Tennessee, southwestern Virginia, eastern Kentucky, and southern West Virginia. The project: (1) employs the petroleum system approach to understand the geologic controls of hydrocarbons; (2) attempts to characterize the T-P parameters driving petroleum evolution; (3) attempts to obtain more quantitative definitions of reservoir architecture and identify new traps; (4) is working with USGS and industry partners to develop new play concepts and geophysical log standards for subsurface correlation; and (5) is geochemically characterizing the hydrocarbonsmore » (cooperatively with USGS). First-year results include: (1) meeting specific milestones (determination of thrust movement vectors, fracture analysis, and communicating results at professional meetings and through publication). All milestones were met. Movement vectors for Valley and Ridge thrusts were confirmed to be west-directed and derived from pushing by the Blue Ridge thrust sheet, and fan about the Tennessee salient. Fracture systems developed during Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic to Holocene compressional and extensional tectonic events, and are more intense near faults. Presentations of first-year results were made at the Tennessee Oil and Gas Association meeting (invited) in June, 2003, at a workshop in August 2003 on geophysical logs in Ordovician rocks, and at the Eastern Section AAPG meeting in September 2003. Papers on thrust tectonics and a major prospect discovered during the first year are in press in an AAPG Memoir and published in the July 28, 2003, issue of the Oil and Gas Journal. (2) collaboration with industry and USGS partners. Several Middle Ordovician black shale samples were sent to USGS for organic carbon analysis. Mississippian and Middle Ordovician rock samples were collected by John Repetski (USGS) and RDH for conodont alteration index determination to better define regional P-T conditions. Efforts are being made to calibrate and standardize geophysical log correlation, seismic reflection data, and Ordovician lithologic signatures to better resolve subsurface stratigraphy and structure beneath the poorly explored Plateau in Tennessee and southern Kentucky. We held a successful workshop on Ordovician rocks geophysical log correlation August 7, 2003 that was cosponsored by the Appalachian PTTC, the Kentucky and Tennessee geological surveys, the Tennessee Oil and Gas Association, and small independents. Detailed field structural and stratigraphic mapping of a transect across part of the Ordovician clastic wedge in Tennessee was begun in January 2003 to assist in 3-D reconstruction of part of the southern Appalachian basin and better assess the nature of a major potential source rock assemblage. (3) Laying the groundwork through (1) and (2) to understand reservoir architecture, the petroleum systems, ancient fluid migration, and conduct 3-D analysis of the southern Appalachian basin.« less

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

77 FR 15990 - Proposed Confidentiality Determinations for the Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems Source Category...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-19

... Proposed Confidentiality Determinations for the Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems Source Category, and... the Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems Source Category, and Amendments to Table A-7, of the Greenhouse... on the proposed rule titled ``Proposed Confidentiality Determinations for the Petroleum and Natural...

User’s guide to the collection and analysis of tree cores to assess the distribution of subsurface volatile organic compounds

USGS Publications Warehouse

Vroblesky, Don A.

2008-01-01

Analysis of the volatile organic compound content of tree cores is an inexpensive, rapid, simple approach to examining the distribution of subsurface volatile organic compound contaminants. The method has been shown to detect several volatile petroleum hydrocarbons and chlorinated aliphatic compounds associated with vapor intrusion and ground-water contamination. Tree cores, which are approximately 3 inches long, are obtained by using an increment borer. The cores are placed in vials and sealed. After a period of equilibration, the cores can be analyzed by headspace analysis gas chromatography. Because the roots are exposed to volatile organic compound contamination in the unsaturated zone or shallow ground water, the volatile organic compound concentrations in the tree cores are an indication of the presence of subsurface volatile organic compound contamination. Thus, tree coring can be used to detect and map subsurface volatile organic compound contamination. For comparison of tree-core data at a particular site, it is important to maintain consistent methods for all aspects of tree-core collection, handling, and analysis. Factors affecting the volatile organic compound concentrations in tree cores include the type of volatile organic compound, the tree species, the rooting depth, ground-water chemistry, the depth to the contaminated horizon, concentration differences around the trunk related to variations in the distribution of subsurface volatile organic compounds, concentration differences with depth of coring related to volatilization loss through the bark and possibly other unknown factors, dilution by rain, seasonal influences, sorption, vapor-exchange rates, and within-tree volatile organic compound degradation.

Total petroleum systems of the Trias/Ghadames Province, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya; the Tanezzuft-Oued Mya, Tanezzuft-Melrhir, and Tanezzuft-Ghadames

USGS Publications Warehouse

Klett, T.R.

2000-01-01

Undiscovered conventional oil and gas resources were assessed within total petroleum systems of the Trias/Ghadames Province (2054) as part of the U.S. Geological Survey World Petroleum Assessment 2000. The Trias/Ghadames Province is in eastern Algeria, southern Tunisia, and westernmost Libya. The province and its total petroleum systems generally coincide with the Triassic Basin. The province includes the Oued Mya Basin, Melrhir Basin, and Ghadames (Berkine) Basin. Although several total petroleum systems may exist within each of these basins, only three “composite” total petroleum systems were identified. Each total petroleum system occurs in a separate basin, and each comprises a single assessment unit.The main source rocks are the Silurian Tanezzuft Formation (or lateral equivalents) and Middle to Upper Devonian mudstone. Maturation history and the major migration pathways from source to reservoir are unique to each basin. The total petroleum systems were named after the oldest major source rock and the basin in which it resides.The estimated means of the undiscovered conventional petroleum volumes in total petroleum systems of the Trias/Ghadames Province are as follows [MMBO, million barrels of oil; BCFG, billion cubic feet of gas; MMBNGL, million barrels of natural gas liquids]:Tanezzuft-Oued Mya 830 MMBO 2,341 BCFG 110 MMBNGLTanezzuft-Melrhir 1,875 MMBO 4,887 BCFG 269 MMBNGLTanezzuft-Ghadames 4,461 MMBO 12,035 BCFG 908 MMBNGL

Resource conservation program in terms of Vostokgazprom environmental policy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsibulnikova, M. R.; Nadyumov, S. V.; Adam, A. M.; Korotchenko, T. V.

2016-09-01

The article examines a number of key areas of environmental policy of Vostokgazprom. The Associated Petroleum Gas program is an important step within the resource conservation and environmental protection framework. In addition, the company undertakes the extensive work on emergency response programs, and carries out continuous protection of the subsurface and control over environmental safety in all production sites. Vostokgazprom continuously modernizes the basic industrial facilities and invests money in new projects. The study analyzes the steps being taken by the company within the energy saving policy that leads to significant costs cut.

In Situ/on-Site Biodegradation of Refined Oils and Fuels (A Technology Review). Volume 1.

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-06-01

209. Atlas, R.M. and Bartha, R. 1972a. Biodegradation of petroleum in seawater at low temperatures. Can. J . Microbiol. 18:1851-1855. Atlas, R.M. and...Becking, L.G.M., Kaplan, I.R., and Moore, 0. 1960. Limits of the natu- ral environment in terms of pH and oxidation-reduction potentials. J . Geolo- gy. 68...of subsurface mi- croorganisms. Abstr. Ann. Mtg. Amer. Soc. Microbiol. p. 192. Ballester, A. and Castelvi, J . 1980. J . Invest. Pes. 44:1. 115

Increasing subterranean mobilization of organic contaminants and petroleum by aqueous thermal oxidation

DOEpatents

Leif, Roald N.; Knauss, Kevin G.; Newmark, Robin L.; Aines, Roger D.; Eaker, Craig

2002-01-01

In situ hydrous pyrolysis/partial oxidation of organics at the site of the organics constrained in an subsurface reservoir produces surfactants that can form an oil/water emulsion that is effectively removed from an underground formation. The removal of the oil/water emulsions is particularly useful in several applications, e.g., soil contaminant remediation and enhanced oil recovery operations. A portion of the constrained organics react in heated reservoir water with injected steam containing dissolved oxygen gas at ambient reservoir conditions to produce such surfactants.

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.

Basin Analysis and Petroleum System Characterization and Modeling, Interior Salt Basins, Central and Eastern Gulf of Mexico

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

Ernest A. Mancini; Paul Aharon; Donald A. Goddard

2006-05-26

The principal research effort for Phase 1 (Concept Development) of the project has been data compilation; determination of the tectonic, depositional, burial, and thermal maturation histories of the North Louisiana Salt Basin; basin modeling (geohistory, thermal maturation, hydrocarbon expulsion); petroleum system identification; comparative basin evaluation; and resource assessment. Existing information on the North Louisiana Salt Basin has been evaluated, an electronic database has been developed, and regional cross sections have been prepared. Structure, isopach and formation lithology maps have been constructed, and burial history, thermal maturation history, and hydrocarbon expulsion profiles have been prepared. Seismic data, cross sections, subsurface mapsmore » and burial history, thermal maturation history, and hydrocarbon expulsion profiles have been used in evaluating the tectonic, depositional, burial and thermal maturation histories of the basin. Oil and gas reservoirs have been found to be associated with salt-supported anticlinal and domal features (salt pillows, turtle structures and piercement domes); with normal faulting associated with the northern basin margin and listric down-to-the-basin faults (state-line fault complex) and faulted salt features; and with combination structural and stratigraphic features (Sabine and Monroe Uplifts) and monoclinal features with lithologic variations. Petroleum reservoirs include Upper Jurassic and Cretaceous fluvial-deltaic sandstone facies; shoreline, marine bar and shallow shelf sandstone facies; and carbonate shoal, shelf and reef facies. Cretaceous unconformities significantly contribute to the hydrocarbon trapping mechanism capacity in the North Louisiana Salt Basin. The chief petroleum source rock in this basin is Upper Jurassic Smackover lime mudstone beds. The generation of hydrocarbons from Smackover lime mudstone was initiated during the Early Cretaceous and continued into the Tertiary. Hydrocarbon expulsion commenced during the Early Cretaceous and continued into the Tertiary with peak expulsion occurring during the Early to Late Cretaceous. The geohistory of the North Louisiana Salt Basin is comparable to the Mississippi Interior Salt Basin with the major difference being the elevated heat flow the strata in the North Louisiana Salt Basin experienced in the Cretaceous due primarily to reactivation of upward movement, igneous activity, and erosion associated with the Monroe and Sabine Uplifts. Potential undiscovered reservoirs in the North Louisiana Salt Basin are Triassic Eagle Mills sandstone and deeply buried Upper Jurassic sandstone and limestone. Potential underdeveloped reservoirs include Lower Cretaceous sandstone and limestone and Upper Cretaceous sandstone.« less

Total petroleum systems of the Grand Erg/Ahnet Province, Algeria and Morocco; the Tanezzuft-Timimoun, Tanezzuft-Ahnet, Tanezzuft-Sbaa, Tanezzuft Mouydir, Tanezzuft-Benoud, and Tanezzuft-Bechar/Abadla

USGS Publications Warehouse

Klett, T.R.

2000-01-01

Undiscovered, conventional oil and gas resources were assessed within total petroleum systems of the Grand Erg/Ahnet Province (2058) as part of the U.S. Geological Survey World Petroleum Assessment 2000. The majority of the Grand Erg/ Ahnet Province is in western Algeria; a very small portion extends into Morocco. The province includes the Timimoun Basin, Ahnet Basin, Sbaa Basin, Mouydir Basin, Benoud Trough, Bechar/Abadla Basin(s), and part of the Oued Mya Basin. Although several petroleum systems may exist within each of these basins, only seven ?composite? total petroleum systems were identified. Each total petroleum system occurs in a separate basin, and each comprises a single assessment unit. The main source rocks are the Silurian Tanezzuft Formation (or lateral equivalents) and Middle to Upper Devonian mudstone. Maturation history and the major migration pathways from source to reservoir are unique to each basin. The total petroleum systems were named after the oldest major source rock and the basin in which it resides. The estimated means of the undiscovered conventional petroleum volumes in total petroleum systems of the Grand Erg/ Ahnet Province are as follows: [MMBO, million barrels of oil; BCFG, billion cubic feet of gas; MMBNGL, million barrels of natural gas liquids] Total Petroleum System MMBO BCFG MMBNGL Tanezzuft-Timimoun 31 1,128 56 Tanezzuft-Ahnet 34 2,973 149 Tanezzuft-Sbaa 162 645 11 Tanezzuft-Mouydir 12 292 14 Tanezzuft-Benoud 72 2,541 125 Tanezzuft-Bechar/Abadla 16 441 22

Phase 1 remediation of jet fuel contaminated soil and groundwater at JFK International Airport using dual phase extraction and bioventing

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

Roth, R.; Bianco, P. Rizzo, M.; Pressly, N.

1995-12-31

Soil and groundwater contaminated with jet fuel at Terminal One of the JFK International Airport in New York have been remediated using dual phase extraction (DPE) and bioventing. Two areas were remediated using 51 DPE wells and 20 air sparging/air injection wells. The total area remediated by the DPE wells is estimated to be 4.8 acres. Groundwater was extracted to recover nonaqueous phase and aqueous phase jet fuel from the shallow aquifer and treated above ground by the following processes; oil/water separation, iron-oxidation, flocculation, sedimentation, filtration, air stripping and liquid-phase granular activated carbon (LPGAC) adsorption. The extracted vapors were treatedmore » by vapor-phase granular activated carbon (VPGAC) adsorption in one area, and catalytic oxidation and VPGAC adsorption in another area. After 6 months of remediation, approximately 5,490 lbs. of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were removed by soil vapor extraction (SVE), 109,650 lbs. of petroleum hydrocarbons were removed from the extracted groundwater, and 60,550 lbs. of petroleum hydrocarbons were biologically oxidized by subsurface microorganisms. Of these three mechanisms, the rate of petroleum hydrocarbon removal was the highest for biological oxidation in one area and by groundwater extraction in another area.« less

Location and age of foraminifer samples examined by Chevron Petroleum Company paleontologists from more than 2,500 oil test wells in California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brabb, Earl E.

2011-01-01

Chevron Petroleum Company in 2001 donated an estimated 50,000 foraminifer slides, 5,000 well logs, geologic and surface locality maps, and paleontologic reports to the California Academy of Sciences and Stanford University for safekeeping, because they stopped or cut back exploration for petroleum deposits in California. The material was loaned to Earl Brabb temporarily so that information useful to the U.S. Geological Survey could be extracted. Among the estimated 5,000 well logs, more than 2,500 were printed on fragile Ozalid paper that had deteriorated by turning brown and hardening so that they could be easily damaged. These 2,516 well logs were scanned to provide a digital copy of the information. The 2,516 wells extend over an area from Eureka in Humboldt County south to the Imperial Valley and from the Pacific Ocean east to the eastern side of the Great Valley and the Los Angeles Basin. The wells are located in 410 7.5-minute quadrangle maps in 42 counties. The digital information herein preserves the data, makes the logs easily distributed to others interested in subsurface geology, and makes previously proprietary information widely available to the public for the first time.

The microbial community structure in petroleum-contaminated sediments corresponds to geophysical signatures

USGS Publications Warehouse

Allen, J.P.; Atekwana, E.A.; Duris, J.W.; Werkema, D.D.; Rossbach, S.

2007-01-01

The interdependence between geoelectrical signatures at underground petroleum plumes and the structures of subsurface microbial communities was investigated. For sediments contaminated with light non-aqueousphase liquids, anomalous high conductivity values have been observed. Vertical changes in the geoelectrical properties of the sediments were concomitant with significant changes in the microbial community structures as determined by the construction and evaluation of 16S rRNA gene libraries. DNA sequencing of clones from four 16S rRNA gene libraries from different depths of a contaminated field site and two libraries from an uncontaminated background site revealed spatial heterogeneity in the microbial community structures. Correspondence analysis showed that the presence of distinct microbial populations, including the various hydrocarbon-degrading, syntrophic, sulfate-reducing, and dissimilatory-iron-reducing populations, was a contributing factor to the elevated geoelectrical measurements. Thus, through their growth and metabolic activities, microbial populations that have adapted to the use of petroleum as a carbon source can strongly influence their geophysical surroundings. Since changes in the geophysical properties of contaminated sediments parallel changes in the microbial community compositions, it is suggested that geoelectrical measurements can be a cost-efficient tool to guide microbiological sampling for microbial ecology studies during the monitoring of natural or engineered bioremediation processes. Copyright ?? 2007, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

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...

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 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 oil source centre.

Earth Sciences Division annual report 1990

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

NONE

1991-06-01

This Annual Report presents summaries of selected representative research activities grouped according to the principal disciplines of the Earth Sciences Division: Reservoir Engineering and Hydrogeology, Geology and Geochemistry, and Geophysics and Geomechanics. Much of the Division`s research deals with the physical and chemical properties and processes in the earth`s crust, from the partially saturated, low-temperature near-surface environment to the high-temperature environments characteristic of regions where magmatic-hydrothermal processes are active. Strengths in laboratory and field instrumentation, numerical modeling, and in situ measurement allow study of the transport of mass and heat through geologic media -- studies that now include the appropriatemore » chemical reactions and the hydraulic-mechanical complexities of fractured rock systems. Of particular note are three major Division efforts addressing problems in the discovery and recovery of petroleum, the application of isotope geochemistry to the study of geodynamic processes and earth history, and the development of borehole methods for high-resolution imaging of the subsurface using seismic and electromagnetic waves. In 1989 a major DOE-wide effort was launched in the areas of Environmental Restoration and Waste Management. Many of the methods previously developed for and applied to deeper regions of the earth will in the coming years be turned toward process definition and characterization of the very shallow subsurface, where man-induced contaminants now intrude and where remedial action is required.« less

Superfund record of decision (EPA Region 1): Otis Air National Guard (USAF), Operable Unit 5, Falmouth, MA, September 30, 1998

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

NONE

1999-03-01

This decision document presents the Air Force Center for Environmental Excellence (AFCEE) selected remedial action decisions for contaminant source areas at the following Areas of Contamination (AOCs) at the Massachusetts Military Reservation (MMR) in Barnstable County on Cape Cod, Massachusetts: Fire Training Area No. 2 and Landfill No. 2 (FTA-2/LF-2); Petroleum Fuels Storage Area, Fuel Spill No. 10, and Fuel Spill No. 11 (PFSA/FS-10/FS-11); Storm Drainage Ditch No. 2, Fuel Spill No. 6, and Fuel Spill No. 8 (SD-2/FS-6/FS-8); Storm Drainage Ditch No. 2, Fire Training Area No. 3, and Coal Storage Yard No. 4 (SF-3/FTA-3/CY-4); Storm Drainage Ditch No.more » 4 (SD-4); and Storm Drainage Ditch No. 5 and Fuel Spill No. 5 (SD-5/FS-5). The selected remedy for AOC FTA-2/LF-2 is Biosparging with Ambient Air Monitoring. This remedial action is a source control action that addresses leaching of organic compounds to groundwater, the principal known threat at AOC FTA-2/LF-2. It consists of designing, constructing, and operating a biosparging treatment system, maintaining institutional controls, and five-year reviews of remedy protectiveness. The remedy reduces the release of contaminants from subsurface soils by treating subsurface soils to meet protective cleanup levels.« less

Petroleum systems used to determine the assessment units in the San Joaquin Basin Province, California: Chapter 8 in Petroleum systems and geologic assessment of oil and gas in the San Joaquin Basin Province, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Magoon, Leslie B.; Lillis, Paul G.; Peters, Kenneth E.

2009-01-01

The figures and tables for each petroleum system and TPS are as follows: (1) the San Joaquin(?) petroleum system or the Neogene Nonassociated Gas TPS is a natural gas system in the southeast part of the province (figs. 8.3 through 8.8; table 8.5; this volume, chapter 22); (2) the Miocene TPS (this volume, chapters 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17) includes the McLure-Tulare(!) petroleum system north of the Bakersfield Arch (figs. 8.9 through 8.13; table 8.6), and the Antelope-Stevens(!) petroleum system south of the arch (figs. 8.14 through 8.18; table 8.7), and is summarized in figure 8.19; (3) the Eocene TPS (this volume, chapters 18 and 19) combines two petroleum systems, the Tumey-Temblor(.) covering much of the province (figs. 8.20 through 8.24; table 8.8) and the underlying Kreyenhagen-Temblor(!) (figs. 8.25 through 8.29: table 8.9), and is summarized in figure 8.30; (4) the Eocene-Miocene Composite TPS, formed by combining the Miocene and Eocene TPS (this volume, chapter 20); and (5) the Moreno-Nortonville(.) is both a petroleum system and a TPS consisting mainly of natural gas in the northern part of the province (figs. 8.31 through 8.36: table 8.10; this volume, chapter 21). Oil samples with geochemistry from surface seeps and wells used to map these petroleum systems are listed in table 8.11. Finally, the volume of oil and gas expelled by each pod of active source rock was calculated and compared with the discovered hydrocarbons in each petroleum system (figs. 8.37 through 8.39; tables 8.12 and 8.13).

Petroleum effects on neural systems in marine organisms. Progress report, 1 August 1979-14 April 1980

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

Not Available

1980-01-01

Progress is reported in the following areas: (1) petroleum effects on chemosensory systems in the kelp crab, Pugettia producta, and the California spiny lobster, Panulirus interruptus; (2) chemosensory bradycardia in the spiny lobster; (3) petroleum effects on epithelial potentials in the coelenterate Tubularia; (4) petroleum effects on bioluminescence in the marine dinoflagellate, Pyrocystis fusiformis; and (5) analysis of petroleum for neurological testing on crustacea. (ACR)

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...

Petroleum prospects for offshore sedimentary basins in the eastern Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands regions

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

Bruns, T.R.; Vedder, J.G.

Intra-arc basins in the Buka-Bougainville region of Papua New Guinea and in the Solomon Islands contain thick sedimentary sequences that may be prospective for petroleum. The Queen Emma basin, between Bougainville and New Ireland, contains as much as 8 km of deformed Oligocene and younger strata. The Central Solomons Trough, which underlies New Georgia Sound, is a composite intra-arc basin that contains late Oligocene and younger strata as much as 7 km thick. Farther east, beneath Indispensable Strait, the down-faulted Indispensable basin locally contains as much as 5.4 km of Miocene( ) and younger strata, and the offshore part ofmore » Mbokokimbo basin off eastern Guadalcanal includes 6 km or more of late Miocene and younger strata. All of these basins have some of the attributes necessary to generate and trap petroleum. Structural and stratigraphic traps are common, including faulted anticlines, sedimentary wedges, and carbonate reefs and reef-derived deposits on submarine ridges and along the basin margins. The thickness of the basin deposits ensures that some strata are buried deeply enough to be within the thermal regime required for hydrocarbon generation. However, little source or reservoir rock information is available because of the lack of detailed surface and subsurface stratigraphy. Moreover, much of the basin sediment is likely to consist of volcaniclastic material, derived from uplifted volcanogenic rocks surrounding the basins, and may be poor in source and reservoir rocks. Until additional stratigraphic information is available, analysis of the petroleum potential of these basins is a matter of conjecture.« less

Intrinsic Anaerobic Bioremediation of Hydrocarbons in Contaminated Subsurface Plumes and Marine Sediments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nanny, M. A.; Nanny, M. A.; Suflita, J. M.; Suflita, J. M.; Davidova, I.; Kropp, K.; Caldwell, M.; Philp, R.; Gieg, L.; Rios-Hernandez, L. A.

2001-05-01

In recent years, several classes of petroleum hydrocarbons contaminating subsurface and marine environments have been found susceptible to anaerobic biodegradation using novel mechanisms entirely distinct from aerobic metabolic pathways. For example, the anaerobic decay of toluene can be initiated by the addition of the aryl methyl group to the double bond of fumarate, resulting in a benzylsuccinic acid metabolite. Our work has shown that an analogous mechanism also occurs with ethylbenzene and the xylene isomers, yielding 3-phenyl-1,2-butane dicarboxylic acid and methylbenzylsuccinic acid, respectively. Moreover, these metabolites have been detected in contaminated environments. Most recently, we have identified metabolites resulting from the initial attack of H26- or D26-n-dodecane during degradation by a sulfate-reducing bacterial culture. Using GC-MS, these metabolites were identified as fatty acids that result from C-H or C-D addition across the double bond of fumarate to give dodecylsuccinic acids in which all 26 protons or deuteriums of the parent alkane were retained. Further, when this enrichment culture was challenged with hexane or decane, hexylsuccinic acid or decylsuccinic acid were identified as resulting metabolites. Similarly, the study of an ethylcyclopentane-degrading sulfate-reducing enrichment produced a metabolite, which is consistent with the addition of fumarate to the parent substrate. These novel anaerobic addition products are characterized by similar, distinctive mass spectral (MS) features (ions specific to the succinic acid portion of the molecule) that can potentially be used to probe contaminated environments for evidence of intrinsic remediation of hydrocarbons. Indeed, analyses of water extracts from two gas condensate-contaminated sites resulted in the tentative detection of alkyl- and cycloalkylsuccinic acids ranging from C3 to C9, including ethylcyclopentyl-succinic acid. In water extracts collected from an area underlying a petroleum production plant, MS profiles consistent with the addition products of methylcycloalkenes were observed. This work helps attests to: 1) the extrapolatability of laboratory results to the field, 2) the unifying metabolic features for the anaerobic destruction of diverse types of hydrocarbons, and 3) how this information can be used to assess the intrinsic bioremediation processes in petroleum-contaminated environments.

Industry and Academic Consortium for Computer Based Subsurface Geology Laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, A. L.; Nunn, J. A.; Sears, S. O.

2008-12-01

Twenty two licenses for Petrel Software acquired through a grant from Schlumberger are being used to redesign the laboratory portion of Subsurface Geology at Louisiana State University. The course redesign is a cooperative effort between LSU's Geology and Geophysics and Petroleum Engineering Departments and Schlumberger's Technical Training Division. In spring 2008, two laboratory sections were taught with 22 students in each section. The class contained geology majors, petroleum engineering majors, and geology graduate students. Limited enrollments and 3 hour labs make it possible to incorporate hands-on visualization, animation, manipulation of data and images, and access to geological data available online. 24/7 access to the laboratory and step by step instructions for Petrel exercises strongly promoted peer instruction and individual learning. Goals of the course redesign include: enhancing visualization of earth materials; strengthening student's ability to acquire, manage, and interpret multifaceted geological information; fostering critical thinking, the scientific method; improving student communication skills; providing cross training between geologists and engineers and increasing the quantity, quality, and diversity of students pursuing Earth Science and Petroleum Engineering careers. IT resources available in the laboratory provide students with sophisticated visualization tools, allowing them to switch between 2-D and 3-D reconstructions more seamlessly, and enabling them to manipulate larger integrated data-sets, thus permitting more time for critical thinking and hypothesis testing. IT resources also enable faculty and students to simultaneously work with the software to visually interrogate a 3D data set and immediately test hypothesis formulated in class. Preliminary evaluation of class results indicate that students found MS-Windows based Petrel easy to learn. By the end of the semester, students were able to not only map horizons and faults using seismic and well data but also compute volumetrics. Exam results indicated that while students could complete sophisticated exercises using the software, their understanding of key concepts such as conservation of volume in a palinspastic reconstruction or association of structures with a particular stress regime was limited. Future classes will incorporate more paper and pencil exercises to illustrate basic concepts. The equipment, software, and exercises developed will be used in additional upper level undergraduate and graduate classes.

Tracking solutes and water from subsurface drip irrigation application of coalbed methane-produced waters, Powder River Basin, Wyoming

USGS Publications Warehouse

Engle, M.A.; Bern, C.R.; Healy, R.W.; Sams, J.I.; Zupancic, J.W.; Schroeder, K.T.

2011-01-01

One method to beneficially use water produced from coalbed methane (CBM) extraction is subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) of croplands. In SDI systems, treated CBMwater (injectate) is supplied to the soil at depth, with the purpose of preventing the buildup of detrimental salts near the surface. The technology is expanding within the Powder River Basin, but little research has been published on its environmental impacts. This article reports on initial results from tracking water and solutes from the injected CBM-produced waters at an SDI system in Johnson County, Wyoming. In the first year of SDI operation, soil moisture significantly increased in the SDI areas, but well water levels increased only modestly, suggesting that most of the water added was stored in the vadose zone or lost to evapotranspiration. The injectate has lower concentrations of most inorganic constituents relative to ambient groundwater at the site but exhibits a high sodium adsorption ratio. Changes in groundwater chemistry during the same period of SDI operation were small; the increase in groundwater-specific conductance relative to pre-SDI conditions was observed in a single well. Conversely, groundwater samples collected beneath another SDI field showed decreased concentrations of several constituents since the SDI operation.Groundwater-specific conductance at the 12 other wells showed no significant changes. Major controls on and compositional variability of groundwater, surface water, and soil water chemistry are discussed in detail. Findings from this research provide an understanding of water and salt dynamics associated with SDI systems using CBM-produced water. Copyright ??2011. The American Association of Petroleum Geologists/Division of Environmental Geosciences. All rights reserved.

Where the oil from surface and subsurface plumes deposited during/after Deepwater Horizon oil spill?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, B.

2016-02-01

The Deepwater Horizon (DwH) oil spill released an estimated 4.9 million barrels (about 200 million gallons) of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico between April 20, 2010 and July 15, 2010. Though Valentine et al. has linked the elevated oil components in some sediments with the subsurface plume, the sites with fallout from the ocean surface plume has not been identified. This piece of information is critical not only for a comprehensive scientific understanding of the ecosystem response and fate of spill-related pollutants, but also for litigation purposes and future spill response and restoration planning. In this study we focus on testing the hypothesis that marine snow from the surface plume were deposited on the sea floor over a broad area. To do so, we use publicly available data generated as part of the ongoing Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) process to assess the spatial distribution of petroleum hydrocarbons in the water column and deep-ocean sediments of the Gulf of Mexico. Sensitive hydrocarbon markers are used to differentiate hydrocarbons from surface plume, deep subsurface plume, and in-situ burning. Preliminary results suggest the overlapping but different falling sites of these plumes and the sedimentation process was controlled by various biological, chemical, and physical factors.

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 strata that compose the petroleum systems; and (4) calculations of pressure-volume-temperature (PVT) histories. As digital data on petroleum systems continue to expand, the models can integrate these data into USGS resource assessments by building and displaying, through time, areas of petroleum generation, migration pathways, accumulations, and relative contributions of source rocks to the hydrocarbon components. IES PetroMod? 1-D, 2-D, and 3-D models are integrated such that each uses the same variables for petroleum systems modeling. 1-D burial history models are point locations, mainly wells. Maps and cross-sections model geologic information in two dimensions and can incorporate direct input of 2-D seismic data and interpretations using various formats. Both 1-D and 2-D models use data essential for assessments and, following data compilation, they can be completed in hours and retested in minutes. Such models should be built early in the geologic assessment process, inasmuch as they incorporate the petroleum system elements of reservoir, source, and seal rock intervals with associated lithologies and depositional and erosional ages. The models can be used to delineate the petroleum systems. A number of 1-D and 2-D models can be constructed across a geologic province and used by the assessment geologists as a 3-D framework of processes that control petroleum generation, migration, and accumulation. The primary limitation of these models is that they only represent generation, migration, and accumulation in two dimensions. 3-D models are generally built at reservoir to basin scales. They provide a much more detailed and realistic representation of petroleum systems than 1-D or 2-D models because they portray more fully the temporal and physical relations among (1) burial history; (2) lithologies and associated changes through burial in porosity, permeability, and compaction; (3) hydrodynamic effects; and (4) other parameters that influence petroleum gen

76 FR 61293 - Extension of Public Comment Period: Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases: Technical Revisions...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-04

... Electronics Manufacturing and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems Categories of the Greenhouse Gas Reporting...: Technical Revisions to the Electronics Manufacturing and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems Categories of... to the Electronics Manufacturing and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems Categories of the...

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.

Structural control on the deep hydrogeological and geothermal aquifers related to the fractured Campanian-Miocene reservoirs of north-eastern Tunisia foreland constrained by subsurface data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khomsi, Sami; Echihi, Oussema; Slimani, Naji

2012-03-01

A set of different data including high resolution seismic sections, petroleum wire-logging well data, borehole piezometry, structural cross-sections and outcrop analysis allowed us to characterise the tectonic framework, and its relationships with the deep aquifers seated in Cretaceous-Miocene deep reservoirs. The structural framework, based on major structures, controls the occurrence of deep aquifers and sub-basin aquifer distributions. Five structural domains can be defined, having different morphostructural characteristics. The northernmost domain lying on the north-south axis and Zaghouan thrust system is a domain of recharge by underflow of the different subsurface reservoirs and aquifers from outcrops of highly fractured reservoirs. On the other hand, the morphostructural configuration controls the piezometry of underground flows in the Plio-Quaternary unconfined aquifer. In the subsurface the Late Cretaceous-Miocene reservoirs are widespread with high thicknesses in many places and high porosities and connectivities especially along major fault corridors and on the crestal parts of major anticlines. Among all reservoirs, the Oligo-Miocene, detritic series are widespread and present high cumulative thicknesses. Subsurface and fieldwork outline the occurrence of 10 fractured sandy reservoirs for these series with packages having high hydrodynamic and petrophysical characteristics. These series show low salinities (maximum 5 g/l) in the northern part of the study area and will constitute an important source of drinkable water for the next generations. A regional structural cross-section is presented, compiled from all the different data sets, allowing us to define the major characteristics of the hydrogeological-hydrogeothermal sub-basins. Eight hydrogeological provinces are defined from north-west to south-east. A major thermal anomaly is clearly identified in the south-eastern part of the study area in Sfax-Sidi Il Itayem. This anomaly is possibly related to major faults pertaining to the Sirt basin and controlled by a deep thermal anomaly. Many exploration targets are identified especially along the Cherichira-Kondar thrust where the Oligocene subcropping reservoirs are well developed. They are highly fractured and show good hydrodynamic characteristics.

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

AAPG - The formative years (1915-1926). [A historical perspective of the development of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists

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

Dix, F.A.

1991-03-01

In the year 1915 there were no more than a few hundred geologists in the world who might identify themselves as petroleum specialists. Operators had had good success drilling along creeks in Pennsylvania, on hills in Oklahoma, and on mounds in the Gulf Coast without much regard for the subsurface geology. Although Union Oil of California had formed a geological department in 1900, geological input was generally looked upon with skepticism. It is reported that when Bill Skelly hired the first geologist to work for his company, he went to great pains to inform his investors that he was payingmore » the man out of his own pocket rather than from corporate funds. By the fall of 1915, J. Elmer Thomas, a geologist with Minnehoma Oil Company in Tulsa and later to become the first president of AAPG, felt motivated to invite 30 fellow petroleum geologists to an October 2 dinner at the Hotel Tulsa for the purpose of, in his own words, 'fostering friendship within our ranks and of permitting the mutual benefits that would arise from the occasional exchange of data and ideas{hor ellipsis}.' Twenty-seven attended and during the discussion that took place, James H. Gardner suggested that they form a geological society. October 25th and the convention was held on January 7-8, 1916. Approximately 60 geologists attended. During the next ten year, membership grew from 94 to 1,504. The name Southwestern Association of Petroleum Geologists was adopted in 1917 and changed to American Association of Petroleum Geologists in 1918. Association business was conducted from the offices and homes of the members of the Executive Committee until August, 1926, when a permanent office was established in Tulsa under business manager J.P.D. Hull.« less

76 FR 37300 - Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases: Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems: Revisions to Best...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-27

... natural gas. 211112 Natural gas liquid extraction facilities. Table 1 of this preamble is not intended to... Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases: Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems: Revisions to Best Available... regulations for Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems of the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Rule. Specifically, EPA is...

Subsurface Hybrid Power Options for Oil & Gas Production at Deep Ocean Sites

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

Farmer, J C; Haut, R; Jahn, G

2010-02-19

An investment in deep-sea (deep-ocean) hybrid power systems may enable certain off-shore oil and gas exploration and production. Advanced deep-ocean drilling and production operations, locally powered, may provide commercial access to oil and gas reserves otherwise inaccessible. Further, subsea generation of electrical power has the potential of featuring a low carbon output resulting in improved environmental conditions. Such technology therefore, enhances the energy security of the United States in a green and environmentally friendly manner. The objective of this study is to evaluate alternatives and recommend equipment to develop into hybrid energy conversion and storage systems for deep ocean operations.more » Such power systems will be located on the ocean floor and will be used to power offshore oil and gas exploration and production operations. Such power systems will be located on the oceans floor, and will be used to supply oil and gas exploration activities, as well as drilling operations required to harvest petroleum reserves. The following conceptual hybrid systems have been identified as candidates for powering sub-surface oil and gas production operations: (1) PWR = Pressurized-Water Nuclear Reactor + Lead-Acid Battery; (2) FC1 = Line for Surface O{sub 2} + Well Head Gas + Reformer + PEMFC + Lead-Acid & Li-Ion Batteries; (3) FC2 = Stored O2 + Well Head Gas + Reformer + Fuel Cell + Lead-Acid & Li-Ion Batteries; (4) SV1 = Submersible Vehicle + Stored O{sub 2} + Fuel Cell + Lead-Acid & Li-Ion Batteries; (5) SV2 = Submersible Vehicle + Stored O{sub 2} + Engine or Turbine + Lead-Acid & Li-Ion Batteries; (6) SV3 = Submersible Vehicle + Charge at Docking Station + ZEBRA & Li-Ion Batteries; (7) PWR TEG = PWR + Thermoelectric Generator + Lead-Acid Battery; (8) WELL TEG = Thermoelectric Generator + Well Head Waste Heat + Lead-Acid Battery; (9) GRID = Ocean Floor Electrical Grid + Lead-Acid Battery; and (10) DOC = Deep Ocean Current + Lead-Acid Battery.« less

Geologic Emissions of Methane and C2 - C5 Alkanes at the La Brea Tar Pits, Los Angeles, CA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doezema, L. A.; Etiope, G.; Pacheco, C.

2017-12-01

Natural hydrocarbon (oil and gas) seeps are widespread in Los Angeles due to gas migration, along faults, from numerous subsurface petroleum fields. These seeps may represent important natural contributors of methane (CH4) and heavier alkanes (C2-C4) for the atmosphere. Methane flux measurements were made from various locations at the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles, CA. Measurements were made using a closed-chamber method and spectroscopic sensors for CH4 and CO2, at 26 oil-asphalt seeps and 188 other sites, without gas manifestations, homogeneously distributed throughout the park. The molecular C1 - C5 composition of gas released from seeps and soil was also analyzed using either FTIR spectroscopy or gas chromatography (GC-FID). Methane emissions from seeps varied from approximately 7 to 54,000 g m-2 day-1, while emissions from soil degassing were between 0 and 9,000 g m-2 day-1. Total emissions were estimated to be in the order of 103 kg day-1 for methane, and at least 10 and 5 kg day-1 for ethane and propane, respectively. The seeping gas exhibited high C1/(C2 + C3) ratios, likely due to molecular fractionation during gas migration from a subsurface petroleum reservoir. Evidence for biodegredation in certain samples was indicated by large i-butane to n-butane ratios. These molecular alterations can be important tracers of natural seepage and should be considered in the atmospheric modelling of the relative contribution of fossil fuel (anthropogenic fugitive emission and natural geologic sources) vs biogenic sources, on local and global scales.

High resolution study of petroleum source rock variation, Lower Cretaceous (Hauterivian and Barremian) of Mikkelsen Bay, North Slope, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Keller, Margaret A.; Macquaker, Joe H.S.; Lillis, Paul G.

2001-01-01

Open File Report 01-480 was designed as a large format poster for the Annual Meeting of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists and the Society for Sedimentary Geology in Denver Colorado in June 2001. It is reproduced here in digital format to make widely available some unique images of mudstones. The images include description, interpretation, and Rock-Eval data that resulted from a high-resolution study of petroleum source rock variation of the Lower Cretaceous succession of the Mobil-Phillips Mikkelsen Bay State #1 well on the North Slope of Alaska. Our mudstone samples with Rock-Eval data plus color images are significant because they come from one of the few continuously cored and complete intervals of the Lower Cretaceous succession on the North Slope. This succession, which is rarely preserved in outcrop and very rarely cored in the subsurface, is considered to include important petroleum source rocks that have not previously been described nor explained Another reason these images are unique is that the lithofacies variability within mudstone dominated successions is relatively poorly known in comparison with that observed in coarser clastic and carbonate successions. They are also among the first published scans of thin sections of mudstone, and are of excellent quality because the sections are well made, cut perpendicular to bedding, and unusually thin, 20 microns. For each of 15 samples, we show a thin section scan (cm scale) and an optical photomicrograph (mm scale) that illustrates the variability present. Several backscattered SEM images are also shown. Rock-Eval data for the samples can be compared with the textures and mineralogy present by correlating sample numbers and core depth.

Subsurface stratigraphic cross sections of cretaceous and lower tertiary rocks in the Wind River Basin, central Wyoming: Chapter 9 in Petroleum systems and geologic assessment of oil and gas resources in the Wind River Basin Province, Wyoming

USGS Publications Warehouse

Finn, Thomas M.

2007-01-01

The stratigraphic cross sections presented in this report were constructed as part of a project conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey to characterize and evaluate the undiscovered oil and gas resources of the Wind River Basin (WRB) in central Wyoming. The primary purpose of the cross sections is to show the stratigraphic framework and facies relations of Cretaceous and lower Tertiary rocks in this large, intermontane structural and sedimentary basin, which formed in the Rocky Mountain foreland during the Laramide orogeny (Late Cretaceous through early Eocene time). The WRB is nearly 200 miles (mi) long, 70 mi wide, and encompasses about 7,400 square miles (mi2) (fig. 1). The basin is structurally bounded by the Owl Creek and Bighorn Mountains on the north, the Casper arch on the east, the Granite Mountains on the south, and the Wind River Range on the west.

Boom, Doom and Rocks - The Intersection of Physics, Video Games and Geology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McBride, J. H.; Keach, R. W.

2008-12-01

Geophysics is a field that incorporates the rigor of physics with the field methods of geology. The onset and rapid development of the computer games that students play bring new hardware and software technologies that significantly improve our understanding and research capabilities. Together they provide unique insights to the subsurface of the earth in ways only imagined just a few short years ago. 3D geological visualization has become an integral part of many petroleum industry exploration efforts. This technology is now being extended to increasing numbers of universities through grants from software vendors. This talk will explore 3D visualization techniques and how they can be used for both teaching and research. Come see examples of 3D geophysical techniques used to: image the geology of ancient river systems off the coast of Brazil and in the Uinta Basin of Utah, guide archaeological excavations on the side of Mt. Vesuvius, Italy, and to study how volcanoes were formed off the coast of New Zealand.

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.

Rock-Eval pyrolysis and vitrinite reflectance results from the Sheep Creek 1 well, Susitna basin, south-central Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stanley, Richard G.; Lillis, Paul G.; Pawlewicz, Mark J.; Haeussler, Peter J.

2014-01-01

We used Rock-Eval pyrolysis and vitrinite reflectance to examine the petroleum source potential of rock samples from the Sheep Creek 1 well in the Susitna basin of south-central Alaska. The results show that Miocene nonmarine coal, carbonaceous shale, and mudstone are potential sources of hydrocarbons and are thermally immature with respect to the oil window. In the samples that we studied, coals are more organic-rich and more oil-prone than carbonaceous shales and silty mudstones, which appear to be potential sources of natural gas. Lithologically similar rocks may be present in the deeper parts of the subsurface Susitna basin located west of the Sheep Creek 1 well, where they may have been buried deeply enough to generate oil and (or) gas. The Susitna basin is sparsely drilled and mostly unexplored, and no commercial production of hydrocarbons has been obtained. However, the existence of potential source rocks of oil and gas, as shown by our Rock-Eval results, suggests that undiscovered petroleum accumulations may be present in the Susitna basin.

Digital recovery, modification, and analysis of Tetra Tech seismic horizon mapping, National Petroleum Reserve Alaska (NPRA), northern Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Saltus, R.W.; Kulander, Christopher S.; Potter, Christopher J.

2002-01-01

We have digitized, modified, and analyzed seismic interpretation maps of 12 subsurface stratigraphic horizons spanning portions of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPRA). These original maps were prepared by Tetra Tech, Inc., based on about 15,000 miles of seismic data collected from 1974 to 1981. We have also digitized interpreted faults and seismic velocities from Tetra Tech maps. The seismic surfaces were digitized as two-way travel time horizons and converted to depth using Tetra Tech seismic velocities. The depth surfaces were then modified by long-wavelength corrections based on recent USGS seismic re-interpretation along regional seismic lines. We have developed and executed an algorithm to identify and calculate statistics on the area, volume, height, and depth of closed structures based on these seismic horizons. These closure statistics are tabulated and have been used as input to oil and gas assessment calculations for the region. Directories accompanying this report contain basic digitized data, processed data, maps, tabulations of closure statistics, and software relating to this project.

The effect of oil-water-rock partitioning on the occurrence of alkylphenols in petroleum systems

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

Taylor, P.; Larter, S.; Jones, M.

1997-05-01

Low molecular weight (C{sub 0}-C{sub 3}) alkylphenols are ubiquitous constituents of crude oils and formation waters of petroleum systems, and they represent legislatively monitored pollutants in produced oils and waters from offshore petroleum facilities. Their origin and the controls on their abundance are uncertain. Analysis of forty-four oils from various petroleum provinces, together with laboratory partitioning experiments, has provided further information on these controls. Although phenols are clearly partitioned between oil and water in petroleum systems, the consistency of most nondegraded petroleum phenol distributions (despite the apparent decrease of phenol concentrations in petroleums with increasing secondary migration distance) requires phenolmore » partitioning between petroleum, water, and solid phases-chiefly kerogen in the carrier bed. The retention of significant phenol concentrations in petroleums that have migrated tens of kilometres does indicate that petroleum typically only equilibrates with minor volumes of rock and associated waters. Laboratory experiments indicate that oils which have migrated approximately 25 km in the North Sea Tampen Spur through Jurassic sandstones may have equilibrated with less than 20 vol of rock and water, and possibly much less than 1 vol, depending on the sorbing phases within the rock (i.e., mineral or organic matter) and the wetting phase (oil or water). We conclude, supporting the hypothesis of Ioppolo-Armanios et al. (1995), that although ortho-substituted isomers dominate the phenol distributions of many petroleums, this reflects catalytic alkylation/isomerisation of unknown alkylphenol precursors in source rocks, rather than selective removal of meta- and para-substituted alkylphenol isomers from petroleum by water washing. 35 refs., 7 figs., 2 tabs.« less

Petroleum system modeling of the western Canada sedimentary basin - isopach grid files

USGS Publications Warehouse

Higley, Debra K.; Henry, Mitchell E.; Roberts, Laura N.R.

2005-01-01

This publication contains zmap-format grid files of isopach intervals that represent strata associated with Devonian to Holocene petroleum systems of the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin (WCSB) of Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan, Canada. Also included is one grid file that represents elevations relative to sea level of the top of the Lower Cretaceous Mannville Group. Vertical and lateral scales are in meters. The age range represented by the stratigraphic intervals comprising the grid files is 373 million years ago (Ma) to present day. File names, age ranges, formation intervals, and primary petroleum system elements are listed in table 1. Metadata associated with this publication includes information on the study area and the zmap-format files. The digital files listed in table 1 were compiled as part of the Petroleum Processes Research Project being conducted by the Central Energy Resources Team of the U.S. Geological Survey, which focuses on modeling petroleum generation, 3 migration, and accumulation through time for petroleum systems of the WCSB. Primary purposes of the WCSB study are to Construct the 1-D/2-D/3-D petroleum system models of the WCSB. Actual boundaries of the study area are documented within the metadata; excluded are northern Alberta and eastern Saskatchewan, but fringing areas of the United States are included.Publish results of the research and the grid files generated for use in the 3-D model of the WCSB.Evaluate the use of petroleum system modeling in assessing undiscovered oil and gas resources for geologic provinces across the World.

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...

Ground-water contamination by crude oil: Section B in U.S. Geological Survey Toxic Substances Hydrology Program: Proceedings of the technical meeting, Charleston, South Carolina, March 8-12, 1999: Volume 3 (Part C)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Delin, G.N.; Herkelrath, W.N.; Morganwalp, David W.; Buxton, Herbert T.

1999-01-01

Ground water contamination by crude oil, and other petroleum-based liquids, is a widespread problem. An average of 83 crude-oil spills occurred per year during 1994-96 in the United States, each spilling an average of about 50,000 barrels of crude oil (U.S. Office of Pipeline Safety, electronic commun., 1997). An understanding of the fate of organic contaminants (such as oil and gasoline) in the subsurface is needed to design innovative and cost-effective remedial solutions at contaminated sites.

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

Froemyr, E.; Berteussen, K.A.; Jahren, L.

Small scale seismic surveys have the potential of providing low-cost high resolution subsurface images of limited targets. Crucial to the success of this method is to understand the character and level of ambient noise. Based on this understanding appropriate source strength and receiver fold can be determined in order to obtain the necessary signal to noise ratio at target depth. Saga Petroleum a.s. and Read Well Services A/S performed a test off-shore Norway using geophones on the seabed. The receivers consisted of two small geophone arrays separated by 1 km. A 3 km line was host symmetrically above the receivermore » arrays. The line was shot in a non-continuous fashion by moving from one position to the next with 5 repetitive shots fired at each shot position. A small airgun array was used. A large proportion of the noise exhibits clear spatial coherence. The most significant noise sources are the receiver vessel and the shooting boat. Spectral and spatial analysis reveals that additional sources of noise are present including subsurface sources. The target reflector was top reservoir at approximately 2.1 sec. two-way time. With 4 geophones in each array and repetitive shooting, top reservoir is visible but weak. The area is in general complex but the authors may infer that reduce vessel noise coupled with increased source strength can provide a high resolution subsurface image revealing details not seen on the standard marine seismic section.« less

Mapping the petroleum system - An investigative technique to explore the hydrocarbon fluid system

USGS Publications Warehouse

Magoon, L.B.; Dow, W.G.

2000-01-01

Creating a petroleum system map includes a series of logical steps that require specific information to explain the origin in time and space of discovered hydrocarbon occurrences. If used creatively, this map provides a basis on which to develop complementary plays and prospects. The logical steps include the characterization of a petroleum system (that is, to identify, map, and name the hydrocarbon fluid system) and the summary of these results on a folio sheet. A petroleum system map is based on the understanding that there are several levels of certainty from "guessing" to "knowing" that specific oil and gas accumulations emanated from a particular pod of active source rock. Levels of certainty start with the close geographic proximity of two or more accumulations, continues with the close stratigraphic proximity, followed by the similarities in bulk properties, and then detailed geochemical properties. The highest level of certainty includes the positive geochemical correlation of the hydrocarbon fluid in the accumulations to the extract of the active source rock. A petroleum system map is created when the following logic is implemented. Implementation starts when the oil and gas accumulations of a petroleum province are grouped stratigraphically and geographically. Bulk and geochemical properties are used to further refine the groups through the determination of genetically related oil and gas types. To this basic map, surface seeps and well shows are added. Similarly, the active source rock responsible for these hydrocarbon occurrences are mapped to further define the extent of the system. A folio sheet constructed for a hypothetical case study of the Deer-Boar(.) petroleum system illustrates this methodology.

Assessment of petroleum-hydrocarbon contamination in the surficial sediments and ground water at three former underground storage tank locations, Fort Jackson, South Carolina, 1995

USGS Publications Warehouse

Robertson, J.F.

1996-01-01

Ground-water and sediment contamination by petroleum hydrocarbons resulting from leaks and overfills was detected during tank removal activities at three former underground storage tank locations at Fort Jackson, near Columbia, South Carolina. Investigations were initiated to assess the effect of contamination to the surficial aquifer at Sites 1062, 2438, and 2444. These investigations involved the installation of permanent monitoring wells and the collection and analysis of sediment and ground-water samples at the three sites. Water-level data were collected at all sites to determine hydraulic gradients and the direction of ground-water flow. In addition, aquifer tests were made at Site 1062 to determine the hydraulic conductivity of the surficial aquifer at that site. Sediment borings were made at the three sites to collect subsurface-sediment samples for lithologic description and laboratory analyses, and for the installation of ground-water monitoring wells. Laboratory analyses of sediment samples collected from boreholes at Site 1062 indicated elevated concentrations of petroleum hydrocarbons at three locations. Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons - Diesel Range Organics were detected at one borehole at a concentration of 388,000 micrograms per kilogram. Total benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene concentrations in sediment from the site ranged from less than 350 to over 100,000 micrograms per kilogram. Total lead was detected at concentrations ranging from 2,900 to 5,900 micrograms per kilogram. Petroleum hydrocarbons were detected at Site 2438 in one borehole at a trace concentration of 112 micrograms per kilogram of para- and meta-xylenes. No concentrations exceeding the detection limits were reported for petroleum hydrocarbons in sediment samples collected from Site 2444; however, total lead was detected in sediment samples from two boreholes, each at concentrations of 600 micrograms per kilogram. Ground-water samples were collected from each site for laboratory analysis and field-property determinations. Petroleum hydrocarbons and lead were detected at concentrations exceeding regulatory limits for drinking water in ground water from Site 1062 only. Petroleum hydrocarbons were detected in ground water from three wells at Site 1062, with the highest concentrations occurring in the area of the former underground storage tanks. Benzene was detected at concentrations as much as 28 micrograms per liter; toluene as much as 558 micrograms per liter; para- and meta-xylenes as much as 993 micrograms per liter; and naphthalene as much as 236 micrograms per liter. Ethylbenzene and ortho-xylene were detected in one well at concentrations of 70 and 6 micrograms per liter, respectively. Dissolved lead was detected in ground water from four wells at concentrations from 5 to 152 micrograms per liter. Analysis of ground-water samples collected from Sites 2438 and 2444 showed little evidence of petroleum-hydrocarbon contamination. Petroleum hydrocarbons were not detected in any of the ground-water samples collected from Site 2438. With the exception of a low concentration of naphthalene (11 micrograms per liter) detected in ground water from one well, petroleum hydrocarbons and lead were not detected in ground water collected from Site 2444.

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 extensively explored for oil and gas. The lateral and vertical variability of the structure, the distribution and complex geologic nature of source rocks, and the depths of potential exploration targets, as well as the high degree of exploration, all indicate that future discoveries in this province are likely to be numerous but in small fields.

A stochastic approach for model reduction and memory function design in hydrogeophysical inversion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hou, Z.; Kellogg, A.; Terry, N.

2009-12-01

Geophysical (e.g., seismic, electromagnetic, radar) techniques and statistical methods are essential for research related to subsurface characterization, including monitoring subsurface flow and transport processes, oil/gas reservoir identification, etc. For deep subsurface characterization such as reservoir petroleum exploration, seismic methods have been widely used. Recently, electromagnetic (EM) methods have drawn great attention in the area of reservoir characterization. However, considering the enormous computational demand corresponding to seismic and EM forward modeling, it is usually a big problem to have too many unknown parameters in the modeling domain. For shallow subsurface applications, the characterization can be very complicated considering the complexity and nonlinearity of flow and transport processes in the unsaturated zone. It is warranted to reduce the dimension of parameter space to a reasonable level. Another common concern is how to make the best use of time-lapse data with spatial-temporal correlations. This is even more critical when we try to monitor subsurface processes using geophysical data collected at different times. The normal practice is to get the inverse images individually. These images are not necessarily continuous or even reasonably related, because of the non-uniqueness of hydrogeophysical inversion. We propose to use a stochastic framework by integrating minimum-relative-entropy concept, quasi Monto Carlo sampling techniques, and statistical tests. The approach allows efficient and sufficient exploration of all possibilities of model parameters and evaluation of their significances to geophysical responses. The analyses enable us to reduce the parameter space significantly. The approach can be combined with Bayesian updating, allowing us to treat the updated ‘posterior’ pdf as a memory function, which stores all the information up to date about the distributions of soil/field attributes/properties, then consider the memory function as a new prior and generate samples from it for further updating when more geophysical data is available. We applied this approach for deep oil reservoir characterization and for shallow subsurface flow monitoring. The model reduction approach reliably helps reduce the joint seismic/EM/radar inversion computational time to reasonable levels. Continuous inversion images are obtained using time-lapse data with the “memory function” applied in the Bayesian inversion.

Application of seismic-refraction techniques to hydrologic studies

USGS Publications Warehouse

Haeni, F.P.

1986-01-01

During the past 30 years, seismic-refraction methods have been used extensively in petroleum, mineral, and engineering investigations, and to some extent for hydrologic applications. Recent advances in equipment, sound sources, and computer interpretation techniques make seismic refraction a highly effective and economical means of obtaining subsurface data in hydrologic studies. Aquifers that can be defined by one or more high seismic-velocity surfaces, such as (1) alluvial or glacial deposits in consolidated rock valleys, (2) limestone or sandstone underlain by metamorphic or igneous rock, or (3) saturated unconsolidated deposits overlain by unsaturated unconsolidated deposits,are ideally suited for applying seismic-refraction methods. These methods allow the economical collection of subsurface data, provide the basis for more efficient collection of data by test drilling or aquifer tests, and result in improved hydrologic studies.This manual briefly reviews the basics of seismic-refraction theory and principles. It emphasizes the use of this technique in hydrologic investigations and describes the planning, equipment, field procedures, and intrepretation techniques needed for this type of study.Examples of the use of seismic-refraction techniques in a wide variety of hydrologic studies are presented.

Application of seismic-refraction techniques to hydrologic studies

USGS Publications Warehouse

Haeni, F.P.

1988-01-01

During the past 30 years, seismic-refraction methods have been used extensively in petroleum, mineral, and engineering investigations and to some extent for hydrologic applications. Recent advances in equipment, sound sources, and computer interpretation techniques make seismic refraction a highly effective and economical means of obtaining subsurface data in hydrologic studies. Aquifers that can be defined by one or more high-seismic-velocity surface, such as (1) alluvial or glacial deposits in consolidated rock valleys, (2) limestone or sandstone underlain by metamorphic or igneous rock, or (3) saturated unconsolidated deposits overlain by unsaturated unconsolidated deposits, are ideally suited for seismic-refraction methods. These methods allow economical collection of subsurface data, provide the basis for more efficient collection of data by test drilling or aquifer tests, and result in improved hydrologic studies. This manual briefly reviews the basics of seismic-refraction theory and principles. It emphasizes the use of these techniques in hydrologic investigations and describes the planning, equipment, field procedures, and interpretation techniques needed for this type of study. Further-more, examples of the use of seismic-refraction techniques in a wide variety of hydrologic studies are presented.

76 FR 16728 - Announcement of the American Petroleum Institute's Standards Activities

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-25

... voluntary standards for equipment, materials, operations, and processes for the petroleum and natural gas... Techniques for Designing and/or Optimizing Gas-lift Wells and Systems, 1st Ed. RP 13K, Chemical Analysis of... Q2, Quality Management Systems for Service Supply Organizations for the Petroleum and Natural Gas...

40 CFR 86.1309-90 - Exhaust gas sampling system; Otto-cycle and non-petroleum-fueled engines.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

...-cycle and non-petroleum-fueled engines. 86.1309-90 Section 86.1309-90 Protection of Environment... HIGHWAY VEHICLES AND ENGINES (CONTINUED) Emission Regulations for New Otto-Cycle and Diesel Heavy-Duty...-cycle and non-petroleum-fueled engines. (a)(1) General. The exhaust gas sampling system described in...

Fate and transport of petroleum hydrocarbons in the subsurface near Cass Lake, Minnesota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Drennan, Dina M.; Bekins, Barbara A.; Warren, Ean; Cozzarelli, Isabelle M.; Baedecker, Mary Jo; Herkelrath, William N.; Delin, Geoffrey N.; Rosenbauer, Robert J.; Campbell, Pamela L.

2010-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) investigated the natural attenuation of subsurface petroleum hydrocarbons leaked over an unknown number of years from an oil pipeline under the Enbridge Energy Limited Partnership South Cass Lake Pumping Station, in Cass Lake, Minnesota. Three weeks of field work conducted between May 2007 and July 2008 delineated a dissolved plume of aromatic hydrocarbons and characterized the biodegradation processes of the petroleum. Field activities included installing monitoring wells, collecting sediment cores, sampling water from wells, and measuring water-table elevations. Geochemical measurements included concentrations of constituents in both spilled and pipeline oil, dissolved alkylbenzenes and redox constituents, sediment bioavailable iron, and aquifer microbial populations. Groundwater in this area flows east-southeast at approximately 26 meters per year. Results from the oil analyses indicate a high degree of biodegradation, characterized by nearly complete absence of n-alkanes. Cass Lake oil samples were more degraded than two oil samples collected in 2008 from the similarly contaminated USGS Bemidji, Minnesota, research site 40 kilometers away. Based on 19 ratios developed for comparing oil sources, the conclusion is that the oils at the two sites appear to be from the same hydrocarbon source. In the Cass Lake groundwater plume, benzene concentrations decrease by three orders of magnitude within 150 meters (m) downgradient from the oil body floating on the water table (between well MW-10 and USGS-4 well nest). The depths of the highest benzene concentrations increase with distance downgradient from the oil, a condition typical of plumes in shallow, unconfined aquifers. Background groundwater, which is nearly saturated with oxygen, becomes almost entirely anaerobic in the plume. As at the Bemidji site, the most important biodegradation processes are anaerobic and dominated by iron reduction. The similarity between the Cass Lake and Bemidji benzene degradation rates, redox conditions, and aquifer material all support a hypothesis that the Cass Lake plume, like the Bemidji plume, is decades old. As concentrations of alkylbenzenes in the oil decrease over time, the benzene concentrations in the groundwater plume will also decrease and the plume is expected to shrink. The Fox Creek wetland, about 250 m south of the Cass Lake site, is the nearest receptor to the south.

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Distribution and Modification in the Sub-surface Plume Near the Deepwater Horizon Wellhead

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shiller, A. M.; Joung, D.; Wade, T.

2011-12-01

A significant concern associated with oil spills is the toxicity associated with the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) component. Ratios of various PAH's have also been used as indicators of oil sources. During a late May/early June cruise, 57 samples for PAH analysis were collected in the vicinity of the Deepwater Horizon wellhead. Most samples were from the previously reported sub-surface oil plume, centered near 1100 m depth. PAH concentrations ranged up to 117 μg/L and rapidly diminished in the subsurface with distance from the wellhead. The Macondo well oil was observed to be rich in naphthalenes. Within a few km of the wellhead, the percentage of methyl-naphthalenes in the sub-surface plume was generally higher than in the source, suggesting preferential solubilization of this low molecular weight fraction. However, the percentage rapidly decreased away from the well also suggesting rapid destruction or removal of the naphthalenes. The pyrogenic index (Wang et al.) was <0.05 for all samples, indicating a petroleum origin. For a few samples, some other PAH ratios (e.g., MP/P and P/A ratios) suggested a combustion origin. However, these ratios also tended to vary both with percent methyl-naphthalenes and distance from the wellhead, suggesting anomalous ratios originating from solubilization/degradation effects. We also obtained a more limited set of surface water samples, generally avoiding the most contaminated areas as well as areas of oil burning. For these surface water samples, similar trends were observed as at depth, probably resulting from selective volatilization and photo-degradation. Overall, the data illustrate how environmental factors lead both to reduced concentrations and fractionation of the PAH's.

In situ expression of nifD in Geobacteraceae in subsurface sediments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Holmes, Dawn E.; Nevin, Kelly P.; Lovely, Derek R.

2004-01-01

In order to determine whether the metabolic state of Geobacteraceae involved in bioremediation of subsurface sediments might be inferred from levels of mRNA for key genes, in situ expression of nifD, a highly conserved gene involved in nitrogen fixation, was investigated. When Geobacter sulfurreducens was grown without a source of fixed nitrogen in chemostats with acetate provided as the limiting electron donor and Fe(III) as the electron acceptor, levels of nifD transcripts were 4 to 5 orders of magnitude higher than in chemostat cultures provided with ammonium. In contrast, the number of transcripts of recA and the 16S rRNA gene were slightly lower in the absence of ammonium. The addition of acetate to organic- and nitrogen-poor subsurface sediments stimulated the growth of Geobacteraceae and Fe(III) reduction, as well as the expression of nifD in Geobacteraceae. Levels of nifD transcripts in Geobacteraceae decreased more than 100-fold within 2 days after the addition of 100 μM ammonium, while levels of recA and total bacterial 16S rRNA in Geobacteraceae remained relatively constant. Ammonium amendments had no effect on rates of Fe(III) reduction in acetate-amended sediments or toluene degradation in petroleum-contaminated sediments, suggesting that other factors, such as the rate that Geobacteraceae could access Fe(III) oxides, limited Fe(III) reduction. These results demonstrate that it is possible to monitor one aspect of the in situ metabolic state of Geobacteraceae species in subsurface sediments via analysis of mRNA levels, which is the first step toward a more global analysis of in situ gene expression related to nutrient status and stress response during bioremediation by Geobacteraceae.

Progression of methanogenic degradation of crude oil in the subsurface

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bekins, B.A.; Hostettler, F.D.; Herkelrath, W.N.; Delin, G.N.; Warren, E.; Essaid, H.I.

2005-01-01

Our results show that subsurface crude-oil degradation rates at a long-term research site were strongly influenced by small-scale variations in hydrologic conditions. The site is a shallow glacial outwash aquifer located near Bemidji in northern Minnesota that became contaminated when oil spilled from a broken pipeline in August 1979. In the study area, separate-phase oil forms a subsurface oil body extending from land surface to about 1 m (3.3 ft) below the 6-8-m (20-26 ft)-deep water table. Oil saturation in the sediments ranges from 10-20% in the vadose zone to 30-70% near the water table. At depths below 2 m (6.6 ft), degradation of the separate-phase crude oil occurs under methanogenic conditions. The sequence of methanogenic alkane degradation depletes the longer chain n-alkanes before the shorter chain n-alkanes, which is opposite to the better known aerobic sequence. The rates of degradation vary significantly with location in the subsurface. Oil-coated soils within 1.5 m (5 ft) of land surface have experienced little degradation where soil water saturation is less than 20%. Oil located 2-8 m (6.6-26 ft) below land surface in areas of higher recharge has been substantially degraded. The best explanation for the association between recharge and enhanced degradation seems to be increased downward transport of microbial growth nutrients to the oil body. This is supported by observations of greater microbial numbers at higher elevations in the oil body and significant decreases with depth in nutrient concentrations, especially phosphorus. Our results suggest that environmental effects may cause widely diverging degradation rates in the same spill, calling into question dating methods based on degradation state. Copyright ?? 2005. The American Association of Petroleum Geologists/Division of Environmental Geosciences. All rights reserved.

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 potential for undiscovered conventional oil and gas resources in this province as part of its World Petroleum Assessment 2000. The USGS estimated a mean of 29.7 billion barrels of undiscovered conventional oil, 88.0 trillion cubic feet of gas, and 4.2 billion barrels of natural gas liquids. Most of the hydrocarbon potential remains in the offshore waters of the province in the Central Congo Turbidites Assessment Unit. Large areas of the offshore parts of the Kwanza, Douala, Kribi-Campo, and Rio Muni Basins are underexplored, considering their size, and current exploration activity suggests that the basins have hydrocarbon potential. Since about 1995, the offshore part of the Congo Basin has become a major area for new field discoveries and for hydrocarbon exploration, and many deeper water areas in the basin have excellent hydrocarbon potential. Gas resources may be significant and accessible in areas where the zone of oil generation is relatively shallow.

A Field Study of NMR Logging to Quantify Petroleum Contamination in Subsurface Sediments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fay, E. L.; Knight, R. J.; Grunewald, E. D.

2016-12-01

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements are directly sensitive to hydrogen-bearing fluids including water and petroleum products. NMR logging tools can be used to detect and quantify petroleum hydrocarbon contamination in the sediments surrounding a well or borehole. An advantage of the NMR method is that data can be collected in both cased and uncased holes. In order to estimate the volume of in-situ hydrocarbon, there must be sufficient contrast between either the relaxation times (T2) or the diffusion coefficients (D) of water and the contaminant. In a field study conducted in Pine Ridge, South Dakota, NMR logging measurements were used to investigate an area of hydrocarbon contamination from leaking underground storage tanks. A contaminant sample recovered from a monitoring well at the site was found to be consistent with a mixture of gasoline and diesel fuel. NMR measurements were collected in two PVC-cased monitoring wells; D and T2 measurements were used together to detect and quantify contaminant in the sediments above and below the water table at both of the wells. While the contrast in D between the fluids was found to be inadequate for fluid typing, the T2 contrast between the contaminant and water in silt enabled the estimation of the water and contaminant volumes. This study shows that NMR logging can be used to detect and quantify in-situ contamination, but also highlights the importance of sediment and contaminant properties that lead to a sufficiently large contrast in T2 or D.

Long-term predictions of minewater geothermal systems heat resources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harcout-Menou, Virginie; de ridder, fjo; laenen, ben; ferket, helga

2014-05-01

Abandoned underground mines usually flood due to the natural rise of the water table. In most cases the process is relatively slow giving the mine water time to equilibrate thermally with the the surrounding rock massif. Typical mine water temperature is too low to be used for direct heating, but is well suited to be combined with heat pumps. For example, heat extracted from the mine can be used during winter for space heating, while the process could be reversed during summer to provide space cooling. Altough not yet widely spread, the use of low temperature geothermal energy from abandoned mines has already been implemented in the Netherlands, Spain, USA, Germany and the UK. Reliable reservoir modelling is crucial to predict how geothermal minewater systems will react to predefined exploitation schemes and to define the energy potential and development strategy of a large-scale geothermal - cold/heat storage mine water systems. However, most numerical reservoir modelling software are developed for typical environments, such as porous media (a.o. many codes developed for petroleum reservoirs or groundwater formations) and cannot be applied to mine systems. Indeed, mines are atypical environments that encompass different types of flow, namely porous media flow, fracture flow and open pipe flow usually described with different modelling codes. Ideally, 3D models accounting for the subsurface geometry, geology, hydrogeology, thermal aspects and flooding history of the mine as well as long-term effects of heat extraction should be used. A new modelling approach is proposed here to predict the long-term behaviour of Minewater geothermal systems in a reactive and reliable manner. The simulation method integrates concepts for heat and mass transport through various media (e.g., back-filled areas, fractured rock, fault zones). As a base, the standard software EPANET2 (Rossman 1999; 2000) was used. Additional equations for describing heat flow through the mine (both through open pipes and from the rock massif) have been implemented. Among others, parametric methods are used to bypass some shortcomings in the physical models used for the subsurface. The advantage is that the complete geometry of the mine workings can be integrated and that computing is fast enough to allow implementing and testing several scenarios (e.g. contributions from fault zones, different assumptions about the actual status of shafts, drifts and mined out areas) in an efficient way (Ferket et al., 2011). EPANET allows to incorporate the full complexity of the subsurface mine structure. As a result, the flooded mine is considered as a network of pipes, each with a custom-defined diameter, length and roughness.

Chapter 5. Assessment of undiscovered conventional oil and gas resources-Lower Cretaceous Travis Peak and Hosston formations, Jurassic Smackover interior salt basins total petroleum system, in the East Texas basin and Louisiana-Mississippi salt basins provinces.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dyman, T.S.; Condon, S.M.

2006-01-01

The petroleum assessment of the Travis Peak and Hosston Formations was conducted by using a total petroleum system model. A total petroleum system includes all of the important elements of a hydrocarbon fluid system needed to develop oil and gas accumulations, including source and reservoir rocks, hydrocarbon generation, migration, traps and seals, and undiscovered accumulations. A total petroleum system is mappable and may include one or more assessment units. For each assessment unit, reservoir rocks contain similar geology, exploration characteristics, and risk. The Jurassic Smackover Interior Salt Basins Total Petroleum System is defined for this assessment to include (1) Upper Jurassic Smackover carbonates and calcareous shales and organic-rich shales of the Upper Jurassic Bossier Shale of the Cotton Valley Group and (2) Lower Cretaceous Travis Peak and Hosston Formations. The Jurassic Smackover Interior Salt Basins Total Petroleum System includes three conventional Travis Peak-Hosston assessment units: Travis Peak-Hosston Gas and Oil (AU 50490205), Travis Peak-Hosston Updip Oil (AU 50490206), and Travis Peak-Hosston Hypothetical Updip Oil (AU 50490207). A fourth assessment unit, the Hosston Hypothetical Slope-Basin Gas Assessment Unit, was named and numbered (AU 50490208) but not geologically defined or quantitatively assessed owing to a lack of data. Together, assessment units 50490205 to 50490207 are estimated to contain a mean undiscovered conventional resource of 29 million barrels of oil, 1,136 billion cubic feet of gas, and 22 million barrels of natural gas liquids.

Conversion of crude oil to methane by a microbial consortium enriched from oil reservoir production waters

PubMed Central

Berdugo-Clavijo, Carolina; Gieg, Lisa M.

2014-01-01

The methanogenic biodegradation of crude oil is an important process occurring in petroleum reservoirs and other oil-containing environments such as contaminated aquifers. In this process, syntrophic bacteria degrade hydrocarbon substrates to products such as acetate, and/or H2 and CO2 that are then used by methanogens to produce methane in a thermodynamically dependent manner. We enriched a methanogenic crude oil-degrading consortium from production waters sampled from a low temperature heavy oil reservoir. Alkylsuccinates indicative of fumarate addition to C5 and C6 n-alkanes were identified in the culture (above levels found in controls), corresponding to the detection of an alkyl succinate synthase encoding gene (assA/masA) in the culture. In addition, the enrichment culture was tested for its ability to produce methane from residual oil in a sandstone-packed column system simulating a mature field. Methane production rates of up to 5.8 μmol CH4/g of oil/day were measured in the column system. Amounts of produced methane were in relatively good agreement with hydrocarbon loss showing depletion of more than 50% of saturate and aromatic hydrocarbons. Microbial community analysis revealed that the enrichment culture was dominated by members of the genus Smithella, Methanosaeta, and Methanoculleus. However, a shift in microbial community occurred following incubation of the enrichment in the sandstone columns. Here, Methanobacterium sp. were most abundant, as were bacterial members of the genus Pseudomonas and other known biofilm forming organisms. Our findings show that microorganisms enriched from petroleum reservoir waters can bioconvert crude oil components to methane both planktonically and in sandstone-packed columns as test systems. Further, the results suggest that different organisms may contribute to oil biodegradation within different phases (e.g., planktonic vs. sessile) within a subsurface crude oil reservoir. PMID:24829563

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...

The subsurface record for the Anthropocene based on the global analysis of deep wells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rose, K.

2016-12-01

While challenges persist in the characterization of Earth's subsurface, over two centuries of exploration resulting in more than six million deep wellbores, offer insights into these systems. Characteristics of the subsurface vary and can be analyzed on a variety of spatial scales using geospatial tools and methods. Characterization and prediction of subsurface properties, such as depth, thickness, porosity, permeability, pressure and temperature, are important for models and interpretations of the subsurface. Subsurface studies contribute to insights and understanding of natural system but also enable predictions and assessments of subsurface resources and support environmental and geohazard assessments. As the geo-data science landscape shifts, becoming more open, there are increasing opportunities to fill knowledge gaps, mine large, interrelated datasets, and develop innovative methods to improve our understanding of the subsurface and the impacts of its exploration. In this study, a global dataset of more than 6,000,000 deep subsurface wells has been assembled using ArcGIS and Access, which reflects to a first order, the cumulative representation of over two centuries of drilling. Wellbore data, in general represent the only portal for direct measurement and characterization of deep subsurface properties. As human engineering of the subsurface evolves from a focus on hydrocarbon resource development to include subsurface waste product disposal (e.g. CO2, industrial waste, etc) and production of other deep subsurface resources, such as heat and water resources, there is the increasing need to improve characterization techniques and understand local and global ramifications of anthropogenic interaction with the subsurface. Data and geospatial analyses are reviewed to constrain the extent to which human interactions, not just with Earth's surface systems, atmospheric and geologic, but subsurface systems will result in an enduring signature of human influences on the planet. Specifically, the extent and enduring signature of subsurface interactions with the planet, utilizing the four-dimensional, spatial and temporal, record for known deep wellbores is utilized.

Vertical distribution of the subsurface microorganisms in Sagara oil reservoir

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nunoura, T.; Oida, H.; Masui, N.; Ingaki, F.; Takai, K.; Nealson, K. H.; Horikoshi, K.

2002-12-01

The recent microbiological studies reported that active microbial habitat for methanogen, sulfate reducers (Archaeoglobus, d-Proteobacteria, gram positives), fermenters (Thermococcus, Thermotogales, gram positives etc.) and other heterotrophs (g-Proteobacteria etc.) are in subsurface petroleum oil reservoirs. However, microbial distribution at vertical distances in depth has not been demonstrated since the samples in previous studies are only to use oil and the formation water. Here, we show the vertical profile of microbial community structure in Japanese terrestrial oil reservoir by a combination of molecular ecological analyses and culture dependent studies. The sequential WRC (Whole Round Core) samples (200 mbsf) were recovered from a drilling project for Sagara oil reservoir, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, conducted in Jar. -Mar. 2002. The lithology of the core samples was composed of siltstone, sandstone, or partially oil containing sand. The major oil components were gasoline, kerosene and light oil, that is a unique feature observed in the Sagara oil reservoir. The direct count of DAPI-stained cells suggested that the biomass was relatively constant, 1.0x104cells/g through the core of the non-oil layers, whereas the oil-bearing layers had quite higher population density at a range of 1.0x105 ? 3.7x107cells/g. The vertical profile of microbial community structures was analyzed by the sequence similarity analysis, phylogenetic analysis and T-RFLP fingerprinting of PCR-amplified 16S rDNA. From bacterial rDNA clone libraries, most of the examined rDNA were similar with the sequence of genera Pseudomanas, Stenotrophomonas and Sphingomonas within g-Proteobacteria. Especially, Pseudomonas stutzeri was predominantly present in all oil-bearing layers. From archaeal rDNA clone libraries, all rDNA clone sequences were phylogenetically associated with uncultured soil group in Crenarchaeota. We detected none of the sequences of sulfate reducers, sulfur dependent fermenters and methanogens that have been previously detected as dominant microbial components in other oil reservoir environments. The absence of methanogen was consistent with the results from the stable isotopic analysis that major hydrocarbon components including methane in Sagara oil reservoir are thermogenic origin. In this presentation, we will also show the activity of the subsurface microbial components by the cultivation assays and discuss about the relationship between the microbial community structure and the formation process of petroleum in Sagara oil reservoir.

Assessment of BTEX-induced health risk under multiple uncertainties at a petroleum-contaminated site: An integrated fuzzy stochastic approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xiaodong; Huang, Guo H.

2011-12-01

Groundwater pollution has gathered more and more attention in the past decades. Conducting an assessment of groundwater contamination risk is desired to provide sound bases for supporting risk-based management decisions. Therefore, the objective of this study is to develop an integrated fuzzy stochastic approach to evaluate risks of BTEX-contaminated groundwater under multiple uncertainties. It consists of an integrated interval fuzzy subsurface modeling system (IIFMS) and an integrated fuzzy second-order stochastic risk assessment (IFSOSRA) model. The IIFMS is developed based on factorial design, interval analysis, and fuzzy sets approach to predict contaminant concentrations under hybrid uncertainties. Two input parameters (longitudinal dispersivity and porosity) are considered to be uncertain with known fuzzy membership functions, and intrinsic permeability is considered to be an interval number with unknown distribution information. A factorial design is conducted to evaluate interactive effects of the three uncertain factors on the modeling outputs through the developed IIFMS. The IFSOSRA model can systematically quantify variability and uncertainty, as well as their hybrids, presented as fuzzy, stochastic and second-order stochastic parameters in health risk assessment. The developed approach haw been applied to the management of a real-world petroleum-contaminated site within a western Canada context. The results indicate that multiple uncertainties, under a combination of information with various data-quality levels, can be effectively addressed to provide supports in identifying proper remedial efforts. A unique contribution of this research is the development of an integrated fuzzy stochastic approach for handling various forms of uncertainties associated with simulation and risk assessment efforts.

Control of petroleum-hydrocarbon contaminated groundwater by intrinsic and enhanced bioremediation.

PubMed

Chen, Ku-Fan; Kao, Chih-Ming; Chen, Chiu-Wen; Surampalli, Rao Y; Lee, Mu-Sheng

2010-01-01

In the first phase of this study, the effectiveness of intrinsic bioremediation on the containment of petroleum hydrocarbons was evaluated at a gasoline spill site. Evidences of the occurrence of intrinsic bioremediation within the BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes) plume included (1) decreased BTEX concentrations; (2) depletion of dissolved oxygen (DO), nitrate, and sulfate; (3) production of dissolved ferrous iron, methane, and CO2; (4) deceased pH and redox potential; and (5) increased methanogens, total heterotrophs, and total anaerobes, especially within the highly contaminated areas. In the second phase of this study, enhanced aerobic bioremediation process was applied at site to enhance the BTEX decay rates. Air was injected into the subsurface near the mid-plume area to biostimulate the naturally occurring microorganisms for BTEX biodegradation. Field results showed that enhanced bioremediation process caused the change of BTEX removal mechanisms from anaerobic biodegradation inside the plume to aerobic biodegradation. This variation could be confirmed by the following field observations inside the plume due to the enhanced aerobic bioremediation process: (1) increased in DO, CO2, redox potential, nitrate, and sulfate, (2) decreased in dissolved ferrous iron, sulfide, and methane, (3) increased total heterotrophs and decreased total anaerobes. Field results also showed that the percentage of total BTEX removal increased from 92% to 99%, and the calculated total BTEX first-order natural attenuation rates increased from 0.0092% to 0.0188% per day, respectively, after the application of enhanced bioremediation system from the spill area to the downgradient area (located approximately 300 m from the source area).

Assessment of Undiscovered Oil and Gas Resources of the Uinta-Piceance Province of Colorado and Utah, 2002

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

2002-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) recently completed an assessment of the undiscovered oil and gas potential of the UintaPiceance Province of northwestern Colorado and northeastern Utah (fig. 1). The assessment of the Uinta-Piceance Province is geology based and uses the Total Petroleum System concept. The geologic elements of Total Petroleum Systems include hydrocarbon source rocks (source rock maturation, hydrocarbon generation and migration), reservoir rocks (sequence stratigraphy, petrophysical properties), and hydrocarbon traps (trap formation and timing). Using this geologic framework, the USGS defined five Total Petroleum Systems and 20 Assessment Units within these Total Petroleum Systems, and quantitatively estimated the undiscovered oil and gas resources within each Assessment Unit (table 1).

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.

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.

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 model results indicated that for such scenarios the lateral screening distance may be set equal to zero. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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.

Undiscovered oil and gas resources of Lower Silurian Qusaiba-Paleozoic total petroleum systems, Arabian Peninsula

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ahlbrandt, T.S.; Pollastro, R.M.; Schenk, C.J.

2002-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) recently completed an assessment of the undiscovered conventional oil and gas potential of 128 of the world’s petroleum provinces (U.S. Geological Survey World Energy Assessment Team, 2000). In each province, the USGS defined Total Petroleum Systems, and Assessment Units in each Total Petroleum System, and then quantitatively estimated the undiscovered conventional oil and gas resources. Of the eight global regions studied by the USGS, the Arabian Peninsula portion of the Middle East region was estimated to contain the greatest volumes of undiscovered oil and gas. The Lower Silurian Qusaiba Member of the Qalibah Formation is the source rock for some of the most important Total Petroleum Systems of the Middle East region. For example, the sources of the gas in the supergiant North field of Qatar and Iran and recent giant light oil discoveries in central Saudi Arabia were largely organic-rich, Qusaiba marine mudstones.

Working Smarter Not Harder - Developing a Virtual Subsurface Data Framework for U.S. Energy R&D

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rose, K.; Baker, D.; Bauer, J.; Dehlin, M.; Jones, T. J.; Rowan, C.

2017-12-01

The data revolution has resulted in a proliferation of resources that span beyond commercial and social networking domains. Research, scientific, and engineering data resources, including subsurface characterization, modeling, and analytical datasets, are increasingly available through online portals, warehouses, and systems. Data for subsurface systems is still challenging to access, discontinuous, and varies in resolution. However, with the proliferation of online data there are significant opportunities to advance access and knowledge of subsurface systems. The Energy Data eXchange (EDX) is an online platform designed to address research data needs by improving access to energy R&D products through advanced search capabilities. In addition, EDX hosts private, virtualized computational workspaces in support of multi-organizational R&D. These collaborative workspaces allow teams to share working data resources and connect to a growing number of analytical tools to support research efforts. One recent application, a team digital data notebook tool, called DataBook, was introduced within EDX workspaces to allow teams to capture contextual and structured data resources. Starting with DOE's subsurface R&D community, the EDX team has been developing DataBook to support scientists and engineers working on subsurface energy research, allowing them to contribute and curate both structured and unstructured data and knowledge about subsurface systems. These resources span petrophysical, geologic, engineering, geophysical, interpretations, models, and analyses associated with carbon storage, water, oil, gas, geothermal, induced seismicity and other subsurface systems to support the development of a virtual subsurface data framework. The integration of EDX and DataBook allows for these systems to leverage each other's best features, such as the ability to interact with other systems (Earthcube, OpenEI.net, NGDS, etc.) and leverage custom machine learning algorithms and capabilities to enhance user experience, make access and connection to relevant subsurface data resources more efficient for research teams to use, analyze and draw insights. Ultimately, the public and private resources in EDX seek to make subsurface energy research more efficient, reduce redundancy, and drive innovation.

Jurassic-Cretaceous Composite Total Petroleum System and Geologic Assessment of Oil and Gas Resources of the North Cuba Basin, Cuba

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

2008-01-01

The purpose of the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) World Oil and Gas Assessment is to develop geologically based hypotheses regarding the potential for additions to oil and gas reserves in priority areas of the world. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) completed an assessment of the undiscovered oil and gas potential of the North Cuba Basin. The assessment is based on the geologic elements of the total petroleum system (TPS) defined in the province, including petroleum source rocks (source-rock maturation, generation, and migration), reservoir rocks (sequence stratigraphy and petrophysical properties), and petroleum traps (Trap formation and timing). Using this geologic framework, the USGS defined a Jurassic-Cretaceous Total Petroleum System in the North Cuba Basin Province. Within this TPS, three assessment units were defined and assessed for undiscovered oil and gas resources.

The Nördlingen-Ries Geopark and nearby museums as a natural teaching laboratory for Geoscience students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaminski, Michael; Kaka, SanLinn; Kaminski, Matthew

2017-04-01

The hypervelocity impact of an asteroid in southern Germany around 15 million years ago not only caused an environmental catastrophe, but it also created a scenario that provides us with a world-class natural laboratory for teaching the basic Principles of Geology. The combination of museum visits and observation of rock outcrops enables the student to reinforce or rediscover the basic principles of physical and historical Geology that are presented in first- or second-year Geoscience courses. At KFUPM, our visit to the Ries Geopark begins at the Ries Crater Museum in Nördlingen, where students review knowledge learned in their Physical Geology course: the Nebular Theory, origin of the solar system, and the classification of meteorites based on real examples. Students then learn the stages of impact crater formation, shock metamorphism, and the products of impact crater formation such as tectites, impact breccia and suevite. Students also become familiar with the Mesozoic stratigraphy of Southern Germany, reviewing basic principals of stratigraphy. Visits to local outcrops reinforce the knowledge gained at the Museum. A visit to the nearby Solnhofen Museum and quarries provides insight into the nature of the late Jurassic animals that lived at the edge of the Tethys Sea, reinforcing many topics learned during their second-year Paleontology course, such as taphonomy, and the idea of a death assemblage. At the Museum of the Geosciences Department of the University of Tübingen, the students become familiar with Mesozoic ammonoids as part of their second-year Paleontology course. A visit to the Urwelt Museum and quarry in Holzmaden explores animal life during the Early Jurassic, stratigraphic principles as presented on the museum's "geological staircase", and the origin of petroleum source rocks. The museum houses spectacular examples of Early Jurassic marine reptiles. All knowledge gained in the Jurassic of southern Germany enriches the students' understanding of the Jurassic subsurface petroleum system in Saudi Arabia, which is one of the world's largest petroleum reservoirs. The combination of museum visits followed by field studies centered around the Ries Geopark in southern Germany not only creates a world-class attraction for Geotourists, but also an ideal teaching laboratory for students interested in Physical and Planetary Geology, Historical Geology, and Paleontology at various levels within the respective subjects.

Challenges in Locating Microseismic Events Using Distributed Acoustic Sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williams, A.; Kendall, J. M.; Clarke, A.; Verdon, J.

2017-12-01

Microseismic monitoring is an important method of assessing the behaviour of subsurface fluid processes, and is commonly acquired using geophone arrays in boreholes or on the surface. A new alternative technology has been recently developed - fibre-optic Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) - using strain along a fibre-optic cable as a measure of seismic signals. DAS can offer high density arrays and full-well coverage from the surface to bottom, with less overall disruption to operations, so there are many exciting possible applications in monitoring both petroleum and other subsurface industries. However, there are challenges in locating microseismic events recorded using current DAS systems, which only record seismic data in one-component and consequently omit the azimuthal information provided by a three-component geophone. To test the impact of these limitations we used finite difference modelling to generate one-component synthetic DAS datasets and investigated the impact of picking solely P-wave or both P- and S-wave arrivals and the impact of different array geometries. These are then compared to equivalent 3-component synthetic geophone datasets. In simple velocity models, P-wave arrivals along linear arrays cannot be used to constrain locations using DAS, without further a priori information. We then tested the impact of straight cables vs. L-shaped arrays and found improved locations when the cable is deviated, especially when both P- and S-wave picks are included. There is a trade-off between the added coverage of DAS cables versus sparser 3C geophone arrays where particle motion helps constrains locations, which cannot be assessed without forward modelling.

Seismic sequence stratigraphy of Miocene deposits related to eustatic, tectonic and climatic events, Cap Bon Peninsula, northeastern Tunisia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gharsalli, Ramzi; Zouaghi, Taher; Soussi, Mohamed; Chebbi, Riadh; Khomsi, Sami; Bédir, Mourad

2013-09-01

The Cap Bon Peninsula, belonging to northeastern Tunisia, is located in the Maghrebian Alpine foreland and in the North of the Pelagian block. By its paleoposition, during the Cenozoic, in the edge of the southern Tethyan margin, this peninsula constitutes a geological entity that fossilized the eustatic, tectonic and climatic interactions. Surface and subsurface study carried out in the Cap Bon onshore area and surrounding offshore of Hammamet interests the Miocene deposits from the Langhian-to-Messinian interval time. Related to the basin and the platform positions, sequence and seismic stratigraphy studies have been conducted to identify seven third-order seismic sequences in subsurface (SM1-SM7), six depositional sequences on the Zinnia-1 petroleum well (SDM1-SDM6), and five depositional sequences on the El Oudiane section of the Jebel Abderrahmane (SDM1-SDM5). Each sequence shows a succession of high-frequency systems tract and parasequences. These sequences are separated by remarkable sequence boundaries and maximum flooding surfaces (SB and MFS) that have been correlated to the eustatic cycles and supercycles of the Global Sea Level Chart of Haq et al. (1987). The sequences have been also correlated with Sequence Chronostratigraphic Chart of Hardenbol et al. (1998), related to European basins, allows us to arise some major differences in number and in size. The major discontinuities, which limit the sequences resulted from the interplay between tectonic and climatic phenomena. It thus appears very judicious to bring back these chronological surfaces to eustatic and/or local tectonic activity and global eustatic and climatic controls.

Carboniferous-Rotliegend total petroleum system; description and assessment results summary

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gautier, Donald L.

2003-01-01

The Anglo-Dutch Basin and the Northwest German Basin are two of the 76 priority basins assessed by the U.S. Geological Survey World Energy Project. The basins were assessed together because most of the resources occur within a single petroleum system (the Carboniferous-Rotliegend Total Petroleum System) that transcends the combined Anglo-Dutch Basin and Northwest German Basin boundary. The juxtaposition of thermally mature coals and carbonaceous shales of the Carboniferous Coal Measures (source rock), sandstones of the Rotliegend sedimentary systems (reservoir rock), and the Zechstein evaporites (seal) define the total petroleum system (TPS). Three assessment units were defined, based upon technological and geographic (rather than geological) criteria, that subdivide the Carboniferous-Rotliegend Total Petroleum System. These assessment units are (1) the Southern Permian Basin-Offshore Europe Assessment Unit, (2) the Southern Permian Basin Onshore Europe Assessment Unit, and (3) the Southern Permian Basin Onshore United Kingdom Assessment Unit. Although the Carboniferous-Rotliegend Total Petroleum System is one of the most intensely explored volumes of rock in the world, potential remains for undiscovered resources. Undiscovered conventional resources associated with the TPS range from 22 to 184 million barrels of oil, and from 3.6 to 14.9 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. Of these amounts, approximately 62 million barrels of oil and 13 trillion cubic feet of gas are expected in offshore areas, and 26 million barrels of oil and 1.9 trillion cubic feet of gas are predicted in onshore areas.

Evaluation of nutrient removal efficiency and microbial enzyme activity in a baffled subsurface-flow constructed wetland system

Treesearch

Lihua Cui; Ying Ouyang; Wenjie Gu; Weozhi Yang; Qiaoling Xu

2013-01-01

In this study, the enzyme activities and their relationships to domestic wastewater purification are investigated in four different types of subsurface-flow constructed wetlands (CWs), namely the traditional horizontal subsurface-flow, horizontal baffled subsurface-flow, vertical baffled subsurface-flow, and composite baffled subsurface-flow CWs. Results showed that...

GHGRP Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems Sector Industrial Profile

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA's Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program periodically produces detailed profiles of the various industries that report under the program. These profiles contain detailed analyses for Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems.

P-Cable: New High-Resolution 3D Seismic Acquisition Technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Planke, Sverre; Berndt, Christian; Mienert, Jürgen; Bünz, Stefan; Eriksen, Frode N.; Eriksen, Ola K.

2010-05-01

We have developed a new cost-efficient technology for acquisition of high-resolution 3D seismic data: the P-Cable system. This technology is very well suited for deep water exploration, site surveys, and studies of shallow gas and fluid migration associated with gas hydrates or leaking reservoirs. It delivers unparalleled 3D seismic images of subsurface sediment architectures. The P-Cable system consists of a seismic cable towed perpendicular to a vessel's steaming direction. This configuration allows us to image an up to 150 m wide swath of the sub-surface for each sail line. Conventional 3D seismic technology relies on several very long streamers (up to 10 km long streamers are common), large sources, and costly operations. In contrast, the P-Cable system is light-weight and fast to deploy from small vessels. Only a small source is required as the system is made for relatively shallow imaging, typically above the first water-bottom multiple. The P-Cable system is particularly useful for acquisition of small 3D cubes, 10-50 km2, in focus areas, rather than extensive mapping of large regions. The rapid deployment and recovery of the system makes it possible to acquire several small cubes (10 to 30 km2) with high-resolution (50-250 Hz) seismic data in during one cruise. The first development of the P-Cable system was a cooperative project achieved by Volcanic Basin Petroleum Research (VBPR), University of Tromsø, National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, and industry partners. Field trials using a 12-streamer system were conducted on sites with active fluid-leakage systems on the Norwegian-Barents-Svalbard margin, the Gulf of Cadiz, and the Mediterranean. The second phase of the development introduced digital streamers. The new P-Cable2 system also includes integrated tow and cross cables for power and data transmission and improved doors to spread the larger cross cable. This digital system has been successfully used during six cruises by the University of Tromsø, VBPR, P-Cable 3D Seismic AS (P3S), and IFM-GEOMAR. Presently, a Norwegian national infrastructure consortium (Univ. of Tromsø, P3S, Univ. of Bergen, NGU) assembles a mobile P-Cable2 high-resolution 3D seismic system for fully operational use of the technology for scientific purposes.

Evaluating roadway subsurface drainage practices - phase II : [tech transfer summary].

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-04-01

The presence of subsurface drainage systems (e.g., granular bases or : outlets) is generally believed to be beneficial to the performance of : various pavement types. Well-performing subsurface drainage systems : form an important aspect of pavement ...

Niobrara Discrete Fracture Network: From Outcrop Surveys to Subsurface Reservoir Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grechishnikova, Alena

Heterogeneity of an unconventional reservoir is one of the main factors affecting production. Well performance depends on the size and efficiency of the interconnected fracture "plumbing system", as influenced by multistage hydraulic fracturing. A complex, interconnected natural fracture network can significantly increase the size of stimulated reservoir volume, provide additional surface area contact and enhance permeability. In 2013 the Reservoir Characterization Project (RCP) at the Colorado School of Mines began Phase XV to study Niobrara shale reservoir management. Anadarko Petroleum Corporation and RCP jointly acquired time-lapse multicomponent seismic data in Wattenberg Field, Denver Basin. Anadarko also provided RCP with a regional 3D seismic survey and a rich well dataset. The purpose of this study is to characterize the natural fracture patterns occurring in the unconventional Niobrara reservoir and to determine the drivers that influenced fracture trends and distributions. The findings are integrated into a reservoir model though DFN (Discrete Fracture Network) for further prediction of reservoir performance using reservoir simulations. Aiming to better understand the complexity of the natural fracture system I began my fracture analysis work at an active mine site that provides a Niobrara exposure. Access to a "fresh" outcrop surface created a perfect natural laboratory. Ground-based LIDAR and photogrammetry facilitated construction of a geological model and a DFN model for the mine site. The work was carried into subsurface where the information gained served to improve reservoir characterization at a sub-seismic scale and can be used in well planning. I then embarked on a challenging yet essential task of outcrop-to-subsurface data calibration and application to RCP's Wattenberg Field study site. In this research the surface data was proven to be valid for comparative use in the subsurface. The subsurface fracture information was derived from image logs run within the horizontal wellbores and augmented with microseismic data. Limitations of these datasets included the potential to induce biased interpretations; but the data collected during the outcrop study aided in removing the bias. All four fracture sets observed at the quarry were also interpreted in the subsurface; however there was a limitation on statistical validity for one of the four sets due to a low frequency of observed occurrence potentially caused by wellbore orientation. Microseismic data was used for identification of one of the reactivated natural fracture sets. An interesting phenomenon observed in the microseismic data trends was the low frequency of event occurrence within dense populations of open natural fracture swarms suggesting that zones of higher natural fracture intensities are capable of absorbing and transmitting energy resulting in lower levels of microseismicity. Thus currently open natural fractures could be challenging to detect using microseismic. Through this study I identified a significant variability in fracture intensity at a localized scale due to lithological composition and structural features. The complex faulting styles observed at the outcrop were utilized as an analog and verified by horizontal well log data and seismic volume interpretations creating a high resolution structural model for the subsurface. A lithofacies model was developed based on the well log, core, and seismic inversion analysis. These models combined served to accurately distribute fracture intensity information within the geological model for further use in DFN. As a product of this study, a workflow was developed to aid in fracture network model creation allowing for more intelligent decisions to be made during well planning and completion optimization aiming to improve recovery. A high resolution integrated discrete fracture network model serves to advance dynamic reservoir characterization in the subsurface at a sub-seismic scale resulting in improved reservoir characterization.

Prairie Pothole Region wetlands and subsurface drainage systems: Key factors for determining drainage setback distances

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tangen, Brian; Wiltermuth, Mark T.

2018-01-01

Use of agricultural subsurface drainage systems in the Prairie Pothole Region of North America continues to increase, prompting concerns over potential negative effects to the Region's vital wetlands. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service protects a large number of wetlands through conservation easements that often utilize standard lateral setback distances to provide buffers between wetlands and drainage systems. Because of a lack of information pertaining to the efficacy of these setback distances for protecting wetlands, information is required to support the decision making for placement of subsurface drainage systems adjacent to wetlands. We used qualitative graphical analyses and data comparisons to identify characteristics of subsurface drainage systems and wetland catchments that could be considered when assessing setback distances. We also compared setback distances with catchment slope lengths to determine if they typically exclude drainage systems from the catchment. We demonstrated that depth of a subsurface drainage system is a key factor for determining drainage setback distances. Drainage systems located closer to the surface (shallow) typically could be associated with shorter lateral setback distances compared with deeper systems. Subsurface drainage systems would be allowed within a wetland's catchment for 44–59% of catchments associated with wetland conservation easements in North Dakota. More specifically, results suggest that drainage setback distances generally would exclude drainage systems from catchments of the smaller wetlands that typically have shorter slopes in the adjacent upland contributing area. For larger wetlands, however, considerable areas of the catchment would be vulnerable to drainage that may affect wetland hydrology. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service easements are associated with > 2,000 km2 of wetlands in North Dakota, demonstrating great potential to protect these systems from drainage depending on policies for installing subsurface drainage systems on these lands. The length of slope of individual catchments and depth of subsurface drainage systems could be considered when prescribing drainage setback distances and assessing potential effects to wetland hydrology. Moreover, because of uncertainties associated with the efficacy of standard drainage setback distances, exclusion of subsurface drainage systems from wetland catchments would be ideal when the goal is to protect wetlands.

Unraveling the hydrocarbon charge potential of the Nordkapp Basin, Barents Sea: An integrated approach to reduce exploration risk in complex salt basins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schenk, Oliver; Shtukert, Olga; Bishop, Andrew; Kornpihl, Kristijan; Milne, Graham

2014-05-01

The Nordkapp Basin, Barents Sea, is an intra-continental syn-rift basin containing many complex salt structures. The salt is late-Carboniferous to Early Permian in age, with regional extension in the Triassic initiating the salt movement resulting in formation of sub- and mini-basins with significant subsidence (especially in the northeastern part of the basin). Subsequent tectonic phases allowed growth and distortion of salt diapirs that were later affected by uplift and erosion during Tertiary resulting in the formation of salt-related traps in Triassic and Lower Jurassic strata. During Plio-Pleistocene, glacial erosion removed additional Mesozoic and Cenozoic strata. This basin is regarded as a frontier salt province. A small hydrocarbon discovery (Pandora well) in the southwestern part of the basin points to the presence several functioning petroleum systems. The primary play type is related to salt traps below overhangs. Such structures are however, very difficult to image with conventional seismic techniques due to i) generation of multiples from sea floor and top of shallow salt bodies and ii) seismic shadow zones within the salt (possibly resulting from shale and carbonate stringers) which cause severe diffractions so that prospective areas adjacent to the salt remain elusive. Arctic exploration is expensive and the ability to focus on the highest potential targets is essential. A unique solution to this challenging subsurface Arctic environment was developed by integrating petroleum system modeling with full azimuth broadband seismic acquisition and processing. This integrated approach allows intelligent location of seismic surveys over structures which have the maximum chance of success of hydrocarbon charge. Petroleum system modeling was conducted for four seismic sections. Salt was reconstructed according to the diapiric evolution presented in Nilsen et al. (1995) and Koyi et al. (1995). Episodes of major erosion were assigned to Tertiary (tectonic) and Pleistocene (glacial). The models have been thermally calibrated. Consideration of Pleistocene glacial/interglacial cycles was required for thermal calibration as well as to better understand and predict the hydrocarbon phase behavior. References: Koyi, H., Talbot, C.J., Tørudbakken, B.O., 1993, Salt diapirs of the southwest Nordkapp Basin: analogue modelling, Tectonophysics, Volume 228, Issues 3-4, Pages 167-187. Nilsen, K.T., Vendeville, B.C., Johansen, J.-T., 1995, Influence of regional tectonics on halokinesis in the Nordkapp Basin, Barents Sea. In: Jackson, M.P.A., Roberts, D.G., Snelson, S. (eds), Salt tectonics, a global perspective, AAPG Memoir 65, 413-436.

Documentation for 2015 Revisions and Confidentiality Determinations for Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Regulatory text and supporting information regarding 2015 revisions and confidentiality determinations for petroleum and natural gas system reporters (Subpart W) under EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program (GHGRP).

Archive of GHGRP Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems Sector Industrial Profile

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA's Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program periodically produces detailed profiles of the various industries that report under the program. These profiles contain detailed analyses for Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems.

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

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ulmishek, Gregory F.

2001-01-01

The triangular-shaped North Ustyurt basin is located between the Caspian Sea and the Aral Lake in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan and extends offshore both on the west and east. Along all its sides, the basin is bounded by the late Paleozoic and Triassic foldbelts that are partially overlain by Jurassic and younger rocks. The basin formed on a cratonic microcontinental block that was accreted northward to the Russian craton in Visean or Early Permian time. Continental collision and deformation along the southern and eastern basin margins occurred in Early Permian time. In Late Triassic time, the basin was subjected to strong compression that resulted in intrabasinal thrusting and faulting. Jurassic-Tertiary, mostly clastic rocks several hundred meters to 5 km thick overlie an older sequence of Devonian?Middle Carboniferous carbonates, Upper Precambrian massifs and deformed Caledonian foldbelts. The Carboniferous?Lower Permian clastics, carbonates, and volca-basement is at depths from 5.5 km on the highest uplifts to 11 nics, and Upper Permian?Triassic continental clastic rocks, pri-km in the deepest depressions. marily red beds. Paleogeographic conditions of sedimentation, Three total petroleum systems are identified in the basin. the distribution of rock types, and the thicknesses of pre-Triassic Combined volumes of discovered hydrocarbons in these sysstratigraphic units are poorly known because the rocks have been tems are nearly 2.4 billion barrels of oil and 2.4 trillion cubic penetrated by only a few wells in the western and eastern basin feet of gas. Almost all of the oil reserves are in the Buzachi Arch areas. The basement probably is heterogeneous; it includes and Surrounding Areas Composite Total Petroleum System in 2 Petroleum Geology, Resources?North Ustyurt Basin, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan the western part of the basin. Oil pools are in shallow Jurassic and Neocomian sandstone reservoirs, in structural traps. Source rocks are absent in the total petroleum 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.

IMPACT OF REDOX DISEQUILIBRIA ON CONTAMINANT TRANSPORT AND REMEDIATION IN SUBSURFACE SYSTEMS

EPA Science Inventory

Partitioning to mineral surfaces exerts significant control on inorganic contaminant transport in subsurface systems. Remedial technologies for in-situ treatment of subsurface contamination are frequently designed to optimize the efficiency of contaminant partitioning to solid s...

Modeling of gas generation from the Barnett Shale, Fort Worth Basin, Texas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hill, R.J.; Zhang, E.; Katz, B.J.; Tang, Y.

2007-01-01

The generative gas potential of the Mississippian Barnett Shale in the Fort Worth Basin, Texas, was quantitatively evaluated by sealed gold-tube pyrolysis. Kinetic parameters for gas generation and vitrinite reflectance (Ro) changes were calculated from pyrolysis data and the results used to estimate the amount of gas generated from the Barnett Shale at geologic heating rates. Using derived kinetics for Ro evolution and gas generation, quantities of hydrocarbon gas generated at Ro ??? 1.1% are about 230 L/t (7.4 scf/t) and increase to more that 5800 L/t (186 scf/t) at Ro ??? 2.0% for a sample with an initial total organic carbon content of 5.5% and Ro = 0.44%. The volume of shale gas generated will depend on the organic richness, thickness, and thermal maturity of the shale and also the amount of petroleum that is retained in the shale during migration. Gas that is reservoired in shales appears to be generated from the cracking of kerogen and petroleum that is retained in shales, and that cracking of the retained petroleum starts by Ro ??? 1.1%. This result suggests that the cracking of petroleum retained in source rocks occurs at rates that are faster than what is predicted for conventional siliciclastic and carbonate reservoirs, and that contact of retained petroleum with kerogen and shale mineralogy may be a critical factor in shale-gas generation. Shale-gas systems, together with overburden, can be considered complete petroleum systems, although the processes of petroleum migration, accumulation, and trap formation are different from what is defined for conventional petroleum systems. Copyright ?? 2007. The American Association of Petroleum Geologists. All rights reserved.

Constraining the age and magnitude of uplift in the northern National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPRA)-apatite fission-track analysis of samples from three wells

USGS Publications Warehouse

Houseknecht, David W.; Bird, Kenneth J.; O'Sullivan, Paul

2011-01-01

A broad, post-mid-Cretaceous uplift is defined in the northern National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPRA) by regional truncation of Cretaceous strata, thermal maturity patterns, and amounts of exhumation estimated from sonic logs. Apatite fission-track (AFT) analysis of samples from three wells (South Meade No. 1, Topagoruk No. 1, and Ikpikpuk No. 1) across the eastern flank of the uplift indicates Tertiary cooling followed by Quaternary heating. Results from all three wells indicate that cooling, presumably caused by uplift and erosion, started about 75-65 Ma (latest Cretaceous-earliest Tertiary) and continued through the Tertiary Period. Data from South Meade indicate more rapid cooling after about 35-15 Ma (latest Eocene-middle Miocene) followed by a significant increase in subsurface temperature during the Quaternary, probably the result of increased heat flow. Data from Topagoruk and Ikpikpuk include subtle evidence of accelerated cooling starting in the latest Eocene-middle Miocene and possible evidence of increased temperature during the Quaternary. Subsurface temperature perturbations related to the insulating effect of permafrost may have been responsible for the Quaternary temperature increase at Topagoruk and Ikpikpuk and may have been a contributing factor at South Meade. Multiple lines of geologic evidence suggest that the magnitude of exhumation resulting from uplift and erosion is 5,000-6,500 ft at South Meade, 4,000-5,500 ft at Topagoruk, and 2,500-4,000 ft at Ikpikpuk. The results from these wells help to define the broad geometry of the uplift, which increases in magnitude from less than 1,000 ft at the Colville River delta to perhaps more than 7,000 ft along the northwestern coast of NPRA, between Point Barrow and Peard Bay. Neither the origin nor the offshore extent of the uplift, west and north of the NPRA coast, have been determined.

Computer power fathoms the depths: billion-bit data processors illuminate the subsurface. [3-D Seismic techniques

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

Ross, J.J.

Some of the same space-age signal technology being used to track events 200 miles above the earth is helping petroleum explorationists track down oil and natural gas two miles and more down into the earth. The breakthroughs, which have come in a technique called three-dimensional seismic work, could change the complexion of exploration for oil and natural gas. Thanks to this 3-D seismic approach, explorationists can make dynamic maps of sites miles beneath the surface. Then explorationists can throw these maps on space-age computer systems and manipulate them every which way - homing in sharply on salt domes, faults, sandsmore » and traps associated with oil and natural gas. ''The 3-D seismic scene has exploded within the last two years,'' says, Peiter Tackenberg, Marathon technical consultant who deals with both domestic and international exploration. The 3-D technique has been around for more than a decade, he notes, but recent achievements in space-age computer hardware and software have unlocked its full potential.« less

Seismic sequence stratigraphy and platform to basin reservoir structuring of Lower Cretaceous deposits in the Sidi Aïch-Majoura region (Central Tunisia)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azaïez, Hajer; Bédir, Mourad; Tanfous, Dorra; Soussi, Mohamed

2007-05-01

In central Tunisia, Lower Cretaceous deposits represent carbonate and sandstone reservoir series that correspond to proven oil fields. The main problems for hydrocarbon exploration of these levels are their basin tectonic configuration and their sequence distribution in addition to the source rock availability. The Central Atlas of Tunisia is characterized by deep seated faults directed northeast-southwest, northwest-southeast and north-south. These faults limit inherited tectonic blocks and show intruded Triassic salt domes. Lower Cretaceous series outcropping in the region along the anticline flanks present platform deposits. The seismic interpretation has followed the Exxon methodologies in the 26th A.A.P.G. Memoir. The defined Lower Cretaceous seismic units were calibrated with petroleum well data and tied to stratigraphic sequences established by outcrop studies. This allows the subsurface identification of subsiding zones and thus sequence deposit distribution. Seismic mapping of these units boundary shows a structuring from a platform to basin blocks zones and helps to understand the hydrocarbon reservoir systems-tract and horizon distribution around these domains.

78 FR 65427 - Pipeline Safety: Reminder of Requirements for Liquefied Petroleum Gas and Utility Liquefied...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-10-31

... DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration [Docket No. PHMSA-2013-0097] Pipeline Safety: Reminder of Requirements for Liquefied Petroleum Gas and Utility Liquefied Petroleum Gas Pipeline Systems AGENCY: Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration...

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-sourced hydrocarbons migrated vertically into Lower Cretaceous estuarine, fluvial, and tidal sandstones of the Qishn Formation and were trapped by overlying impermeable carbonates of the same formation. Both basins were formed by extensional forces during Jurassic rifting; how-ever, another rifting event that formed the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden during Oligocene and Miocene time had a strong effect on the eastern Masila-Jeza basin. Recurrent movement of basement blocks, particularly during the Tertiary, rather than halokinesis, was critical to the formation of traps.

Geologic framework and petroleum systems of Cook Inlet basin, south-central Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

LePain, D.L.; Stanley, Richard G.; Helmold, K.P.; Shellenbaum, D.P.; Stone, D.M.; Hite, D.M.

2013-01-01

This report provides a comprehensive overview of the stratigraphy, structure, tectonics, and petroleum systems of the Cook Inlet basin, an important oil- and gas-producing region in south-central Alaska.

Total Petroleum Systems and Geologic Assessment of Oil and Gas Resources in the Powder River Basin Province, Wyoming and Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Anna, L.O.

2009-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey completed an assessment of the undiscovered oil and gas potential of the Powder River Basin in 2006. The assessment of undiscovered oil and gas used the total petroleum system concept, which includes mapping the distribution of potential source rocks and known petroleum accumulations and determining the timing of petroleum generation and migration. Geologically based, it focuses on source and reservoir rock stratigraphy, timing of tectonic events and the configuration of resulting structures, formation of traps and seals, and burial history modeling. The total petroleum system is subdivided into assessment units based on similar geologic characteristics and accumulation and petroleum type. In chapter 1 of this report, five total petroleum systems, eight conventional assessment units, and three continuous assessment units were defined and the undiscovered oil and gas resources within each assessment unit quantitatively estimated. Chapter 2 describes data used in support of the process being applied by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Oil and Gas Assessment (NOGA) project. Digital tabular data used in this report and archival data that permit the user to perform further analyses are available elsewhere on this CD-ROM. Computers and software may import the data without transcription from the Portable Document Format files (.pdf files) of the text by the reader. Because of the number and variety of platforms and software available, graphical images are provided as .pdf files and tabular data are provided in a raw form as tab-delimited text files (.tab files).

Succession of Hydrocarbon Degradation and Microbial Diversity during a Simulated Petroleum Seepage in Caspian Sea Sediments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mishra, S.; Stagars, M.; Wefers, P.; Schmidt, M.; Knittel, K.; Krueger, M.; Leifer, I.; Treude, T.

2016-02-01

Microbial degradation of petroleum was investigated in intact sediment cores of Caspian Sea during a simulated petroleum seepage using a sediment-oil-flow-through (SOFT) system. Over the course of the SOFT experiment (190 days), distinct redox zones established and evolved in the sediment core. Methanogenesis and sulfate reduction were identified to be important processes in the anaerobic degradation of hydrocarbons. C1 to C6 n-alkanes were completely exhausted in the sulfate-reducing zone and some higher alkanes decreased during the upward migration of petroleum. A diversity of sulfate-reducing bacteria was identified by 16s rRNA phylogenetic studies, some of which are associated with marine seeps and petroleum degradation. The δ13C signal of produced methane decreased from -33.7‰ to -49.5‰ indicating crude oil degradation by methanogenesis, which was supported by enrichment culturing of methanogens with petroleum hydrocarbons and presence of methanogenic archaea. The SOFT system is, to the best of our knowledge, the first system that simulates an oil-seep like condition and enables live monitoring of biogeochemical changes within a sediment core during petroleum seepage. During our presentation we will compare the Caspian Sea data with other sediments we studied using the SOFT system from sites such as Santa Barbara (Pacific Ocean), the North Alex Mud Volcano (Mediterranean Sea) and the Eckernfoerde Bay (Baltic Sea). This research was funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (SPP 1319) and DEA Deutsche Erdoel AG. Further support came from the Helmholtz and Max Planck Gesellschaft.

Assessment of undiscovered conventional oil and gas resources of the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin, Canada, 2012

USGS Publications Warehouse

Higley, Debra K.

2013-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey recently completed a geoscience-based assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources of provinces within the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin. The Western Canada Sedimentary Basin primarily comprises the (1) Alberta Basin Province of Alberta, eastern British Columbia, and the southwestern Northwest Territories; (2) the Williston Basin Province of Saskatchewan, southeastern Alberta, and southern Manitoba; and (3) the Rocky Mountain Deformed Belt Province of western Alberta and eastern British Columbia. This report is part of the U.S. Geological Survey World Petroleum Resources Project assessment of priority geologic provinces of the world. The assessment was based on geoscience elements that define a total petroleum system (TPS) and associated assessment unit(s). These elements include petroleum source rocks (geochemical properties and petroleum generation, migration, and accumulation), reservoir description (reservoir presence, type, and quality), and petroleum traps (trap and seal types, and timing of trap and seal formation relative to petroleum migration). Using this framework, the Elk Point-Woodbend Composite TPS, Exshaw-Fernie-Mannville Composite TPS, and Middle through Upper Cretaceous Composite TPS were defined, and four conventional assessment units within the total petroleum systems were quantitatively assessed for undiscovered resources in the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin.

30 CFR 250.1628 - Design, installation, and operation of production systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Systems; (3) Electrical system information including a plan of each platform deck, outlining all hazardous... Electrical Installations at Petroleum Facilities Classified as Class I, Division 1 and Division 2, or API RP 505, Recommended Practice for Classification of Locations for Electrical Installations at Petroleum...

Water and greenhouse gas tradeoffs associated with a transition to a low carbon transportation system

EPA Science Inventory

Transportation fuels are heavily dominated by the use of petroleum, but concerns over oil depletion, energy security, and greenhouse gas emissions from petroleum combustion are driving the search for alternatives. As we look to shift away from petroleum-based transportation fuels...

Modeling Approach for Estimating Co-Produced Water Volumes and Saltwater Disposal Volumes in Oklahoma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murray, K. E.

2016-12-01

Management of produced fluids has become an important issue in Oklahoma because large volumes of saltwater are co-produced with oil and gas, and disposed into saltwater disposal wells at high rates. Petroleum production increased from 2009-2015, especially in central and north-central Oklahoma where the Mississippian and Hunton zones were redeveloped using horizontal wells and dewatering techniques that have led to a disproportional increase in produced water volumes. Improved management of co-produced water, including desalination for beneficial reuse and decreased saltwater disposal volumes, is only possible if spatial and temporal trends can be defined and related to the producing zones. It is challenging to quantify the volumes of co-produced water by region or production zone because co-produced water volumes are generally not reported. Therefore, the goal of this research is to estimate co-produced water volumes for 2008-present with an approach that can be replicated as petroleum production shifts to other regions. Oil and gas production rates from subsurface zones were multiplied by ratios of H2O:oil and H2O:gas for the respective zones. Initial H2O:oil and H2O:gas ratios were adjusted/calibrated, by zone, to maximize correlation of county-scale produced H2O estimates versus saltwater disposal volumes from 2013-2015. These calibrated ratios were then used to compute saltwater disposal volumes from 2008-2012 because of apparent data gaps in reported saltwater disposal volumes during that timeframe. This research can be used to identify regions that have the greatest need for produced water treatment systems. The next step in management of produced fluids is to explore optimal energy-efficient strategies that reduce deleterious effects.

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.

Subsurface temperatures and geothermal gradients on the North Slope, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Collett, Timothy S.; Bird, Kenneth J.; Magoon, Leslie B.

1989-01-01

Geothermal gradients as interpreted from a series of high-resolution stabilized well-bore-temperature surveys from 46 North Slope, Alaska, wells vary laterally and vertically throughout the near-surface sediment (0-2,000 m). The data from these surveys have been used in conjunction with depths of ice-bearing permafrost, as interpreted from 102 well logs, to project geothermal gradients within and below the ice-bearing permafrost sequence. The geothermal gradients calculated from the projected temperature profiles are similar to the geothermal gradients measured in the temperature surveys. Measured and projected geothermal gradients in the ice-bearing permafrost sequence range from 1.5??C/100m in the Prudhoe Bay area to 5.1??C/100m in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPRA).

Stakeholder Workshop on EPA GHG Data on Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This page describes EPA's November 2015 stakeholder workshop on greenhouse gas data on petroleum and natural gas systems from the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program and U.S. Greenhouse Gas Inventory of Emissions and Sinks.

30 CFR 250.1628 - Design, installation, and operation of production systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Systems (as incorporated by reference in § 250.198); (3) Electrical system information including a plan of... Practice for Classification of Locations for Electrical Installations at Petroleum Facilities Classified as... for Electrical Installations at Petroleum Facilities Classified as Class I, Zone 0, Zone 1, and Zone 2...

30 CFR 250.1628 - Design, installation, and operation of production systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Systems (as incorporated by reference in § 250.198); (3) Electrical system information including a plan of... Practice for Classification of Locations for Electrical Installations at Petroleum Facilities Classified as... for Electrical Installations at Petroleum Facilities Classified as Class I, Zone 0, Zone 1, and Zone 2...

30 CFR 250.1628 - Design, installation, and operation of production systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Systems (as incorporated by reference in § 250.198); (3) Electrical system information including a plan of... Practice for Classification of Locations for Electrical Installations at Petroleum Facilities Classified as... for Electrical Installations at Petroleum Facilities Classified as Class I, Zone 0, Zone 1, and Zone 2...

Large-Scale Multiphase Flow Modeling of Hydrocarbon Migration and Fluid Sequestration in Faulted Cenozoic Sedimentary Basins, Southern California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jung, B.; Garven, G.; Boles, J. R.

2011-12-01

Major fault systems play a first-order role in controlling fluid migration in the Earth's crust, and also in the genesis/preservation of hydrocarbon reservoirs in young sedimentary basins undergoing deformation, and therefore understanding the geohydrology of faults is essential for the successful exploration of energy resources. For actively deforming systems like the Santa Barbara Basin and Los Angeles Basin, we have found it useful to develop computational geohydrologic models to study the various coupled and nonlinear processes affecting multiphase fluid migration, including relative permeability, anisotropy, heterogeneity, capillarity, pore pressure, and phase saturation that affect hydrocarbon mobility within fault systems and to search the possible hydrogeologic conditions that enable the natural sequestration of prolific hydrocarbon reservoirs in these young basins. Subsurface geology, reservoir data (fluid pressure-temperature-chemistry), structural reconstructions, and seismic profiles provide important constraints for model geometry and parameter testing, and provide critical insight on how large-scale faults and aquifer networks influence the distribution and the hydrodynamics of liquid and gas-phase hydrocarbon migration. For example, pore pressure changes at a methane seepage site on the seafloor have been carefully analyzed to estimate large-scale fault permeability, which helps to constrain basin-scale natural gas migration models for the Santa Barbara Basin. We have developed our own 2-D multiphase finite element/finite IMPES numerical model, and successfully modeled hydrocarbon gas/liquid movement for intensely faulted and heterogeneous basin profiles of the Los Angeles Basin. Our simulations suggest that hydrocarbon reservoirs that are today aligned with the Newport-Inglewood Fault Zone were formed by massive hydrocarbon flows from deeply buried source beds in the central synclinal region during post-Miocene time. Fault permeability, capillarity forces between the fault and juxtaposition of aquifers/aquitards, source oil saturation, and rate of generation control the efficiency of a petroleum trap and carbon sequestration. This research is focused on natural processes in real geologic systems, but our results will also contribute to an understanding of the subsurface behavior of injected anthropogenic greenhouse gases, especially when targeted storage sites may be influenced by regional faults, which are ubiquitous in the Earth's crust.

Geological subsurface will contribute significantly to the implementation of the energy policy towards renewables in Germany

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martens, Sonja; Kühn, Michael

2015-04-01

The demands to exploit the geological subsurface are increasing. In addition to the traditional production of raw materials such as natural gas and petroleum, or potable groundwater extraction the underground will most likely also be used to implement the climate and energy policy objectives in the context of the energy transition to renewables. These include the storage of energy from renewable sources (e.g. hydrogen and methane), the use of geothermal energy and possibly the long-term storage of carbon dioxide to reduce the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. The presentation addresses the question which realistic contribution can be expected from the geo-resource subsurface for the energy revolution, the detachment of fossil and nuclear fuels as well as the reduction of CO2 emissions. The study of Henning and Palzer [1] that models the energy balance of the electricity and heat sector including all renewable energy converters, storage components and loads for a future German energy system shows that provision with 100% renewables is economically feasible by 2050. Based on their work, our estimates underline that already in 2015 more than 100% of the required methane storage capacities therein are available and more than 100% of the heat pump demands might be covered by shallow and deep geothermal energy production in the future. In addition we show that a newly developed energy storage system [2-3] could be applied to store 20-60% of the surplus energy from renewables expected for 2050 with integrated gas storage of methane and CO2. [1] Henning H-M, Palzer A (2014) A comprehensive model for the German electricity and heat sector in a future energy system with a dominant contribution from renewable energy technologies -- Part I: Methodology. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 30, 1003-1018. doi: 10.1016/j.rser.2013.09.012 [2] Kühn M, Nakaten N, Streibel M, Kempka T (2014) CO2 geological storage and utilization for a carbon neutral "power-to-gas-to-power" cycle to even out fluctuations of renewable energy provision. Energy Procedia 63, 8044-8049. doi: 10.1016/j.egypro.2014.11.841 [3] Kühn M, Streibel M, Nakaten N, Kempka T (2014) Integrated underground gas storage of CO2 and CH4 to decarbonise the "power-to-gas-to-gas-to-power" technology. Energy Procedia 59, 9-15. doi: 10.1016/j.egypro.2014.10.342

Chapter 2: 2003 Geologic Assessment of Undiscovered Conventional Oil and Gas Resources in the Upper Cretaceous Navarro and Taylor Groups, Western Gulf Province, Texas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Condon, S.M.; Dyman, T.S.

2006-01-01

The Upper Cretaceous Navarro and Taylor Groups in the western part of the Western Gulf Province were assessed for undiscovered oil and gas resources in 2003. The area is part of the Smackover-Austin-Eagle Ford Composite Total Petroleum System. The rocks consist of, from youngest to oldest, the Escondido and Olmos Formations of the Navarro Group and the San Miguel Formation and the Anacacho Limestone of the Taylor Group (as well as the undivided Navarro Group and Taylor Group). Some units of the underlying Austin Group, including the 'Dale Limestone' (a term of local usage that describes a subsurface unit), were also part of the assessment in some areas. Within the total petroleum system, the primary source rocks comprise laminated carbonate mudstones and marine shales of the Upper Jurassic Smackover Formation, mixed carbonate and bioclastic deposits of the Upper Cretaceous Eagle Ford Group, and shelf carbonates of the Upper Cretaceous Austin Group. Possible secondary source rocks comprise the Upper Jurassic Bossier Shale and overlying shales within the Upper Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous Cotton Valley Group, Lower Cretaceous marine rocks, and the Upper Cretaceous Taylor Group. Oil and gas were generated in the total petroleum system at different times because of variations in depth of burial, geothermal gradient, lithology, and organic-matter composition. A burial-history reconstruction, based on data from one well in the eastern part of the study area (Jasper County, Tex.), indicated that (1) the Smackover generated oil from about 117 to 103 million years ago (Ma) and generated gas from about 52 to 41 Ma and (2) the Austin and Eagle Ford Groups generated oil from about 42 to 28 Ma and generated gas from about 14 Ma to the present. From the source rocks, oil and gas migrated upsection and updip along a pervasive system of faults and fractures as well as along bedding planes and within sandstone units. Types of traps include stratigraphic pinchouts, folds, faulted folds, and combinations of these. Seals consist of interbedded shales and mudstones and diagenetic cementation. The area assessed is divided into five assessment units (AUs): (1) Travis Volcanic Mounds Oil (AU 50470201), (2) Uvalde Volcanic Mounds Gas and Oil (AU 50470202), (3) Navarro-Taylor Updip Oil and Gas (AU 50470203), (4) Navarro-Taylor Downdip Gas and Oil (AU 50470204), and (5) Navarro-Taylor Slope-Basin Gas (AU 50470205). Total estimated mean undiscovered conventional resources in the five assessment units combined are 33.22 million barrels of oil, 1,682.80 billion cubic feet of natural gas, and 34.26 million barrels of natural gas liquids.

[Evaluation of the efficiency of Angara River water protection measures against pollution by petroleum products].

PubMed

Zabuga, G A; Katul'skiĭ, Iu N; Gorbunova, O V; Storozheva, L N

2011-01-01

The process installations and storage reservoirs of a petroleum refinery have leaks of petroleum products (PP) that pollute soil, underground waters, and eventually nearest water objects, by worsening their hygienic state. Environmental and economic assessments of the Angara River water protection system that is in operation at the petroleum refinery OAO "Angara Petroleum Company", which comprises well clusters, a gravel-filled trench, and a drainage system, have shown the high values of preventable relative natural and economic damages and other economic indicators. At the same time, comparison of the amount of PPs accumulated at the industrial site with their annual withdrawal has demonstrated a need for further development of a river protection system. Therefore the environmental protection system efficacy evaluated by the quality of goal attainment and by means of a matrix of algorithmized statements was 60% or 5 of 20 scores, which shows the necessity of special measures to protect Angara River waters. The elaboration and implementation of these measures associated with considerable expenditures make it possible not only to increase the environmental efficiency of water protection of the Angara River, but also to do the hygienic quality of water use in its related localities.

Subsurface characterization with localized ensemble Kalman filter employing adaptive thresholding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Delijani, Ebrahim Biniaz; Pishvaie, Mahmoud Reza; Boozarjomehry, Ramin Bozorgmehry

2014-07-01

Ensemble Kalman filter, EnKF, as a Monte Carlo sequential data assimilation method has emerged promisingly for subsurface media characterization during past decade. Due to high computational cost of large ensemble size, EnKF is limited to small ensemble set in practice. This results in appearance of spurious correlation in covariance structure leading to incorrect or probable divergence of updated realizations. In this paper, a universal/adaptive thresholding method is presented to remove and/or mitigate spurious correlation problem in the forecast covariance matrix. This method is, then, extended to regularize Kalman gain directly. Four different thresholding functions have been considered to threshold forecast covariance and gain matrices. These include hard, soft, lasso and Smoothly Clipped Absolute Deviation (SCAD) functions. Three benchmarks are used to evaluate the performances of these methods. These benchmarks include a small 1D linear model and two 2D water flooding (in petroleum reservoirs) cases whose levels of heterogeneity/nonlinearity are different. It should be noted that beside the adaptive thresholding, the standard distance dependant localization and bootstrap Kalman gain are also implemented for comparison purposes. We assessed each setup with different ensemble sets to investigate the sensitivity of each method on ensemble size. The results indicate that thresholding of forecast covariance yields more reliable performance than Kalman gain. Among thresholding function, SCAD is more robust for both covariance and gain estimation. Our analyses emphasize that not all assimilation cycles do require thresholding and it should be performed wisely during the early assimilation cycles. The proposed scheme of adaptive thresholding outperforms other methods for subsurface characterization of underlying benchmarks.

Total Internal Reflection Microscopy (TIRM) as a nondestructive surface damage assessment tool

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

Liao, Z.M.; Cohen, S.J.; Taylor, J.R.

1994-10-01

An easy to use, nondestructive, method for evaluating subsurface damage in polished substrates has been established at LLNL. Subsurface damage has been related to laser damage in coated optical components used in high power, high repetition rate laser systems. Total Internal Reflection Microscopy (TIRM) has been shown to be a viable nondestructive technique in analyzing subsurface damage in optical components. A successful TIRM system has been established for evaluating subsurface damage on fused silica components. Laser light scattering from subsurface damage sites is collected through a Nomarski microscope. These images are then captured by a CCD camera for analysis onmore » a computer. A variety of optics, including components with intentional subsurface damage due to grinding and polishing, have been analyzed and their TIRM images compared to an existing destructive etching method. Methods for quantitative measurement of subsurface damage are also discussed.« less

Subsurface stratigraphy and oil fields in the Salem Limestone and associated rocks in Indiana

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

Keller, S.J.; Becker, L.E.

An area of 11 counties in southwestern Indiana was studied because (1) the subsurface geology of the Salem Limestone and associated rocks in the area contained numerous correlation discrepancies; (2) it was the locus of recent oil exploration and oil discoveries in these rocks; (3) the last subsurface study of this rock section was made in 1957; and (4) since that time, subsurface data from newly drilled petroleum-test wells have increased a hundredfold. Because of their abundance, geophysical logs were used extensively for correlation. Drill cuttings, where available, were also used in studying the rock units. The upper boundary ofmore » the Salem was based on geophysical-log correlations as supported by available drill cuttings. The lower boundary of the Salem was based on drill cuttings. Commercial oil is produced from porous calcarenite zones in the St. Louis and Salem Limestones and from coarsely crystalline limestone in the Harrodsburg Limestone. The lower part of the St. Louis Limestone yields oil from a porous carbonate rock that resembles Salem calcarenite and that we have formally named the Sission Member in the St. Louis. The Salem calcarenite facies ranges in thickness from a low of 10 percent of the total Salem in the southern part of the study area to a high of 80 percent in the northern part. Oil is produced from porous zones in the calcarenite. Oil production from the St. Louis, Salem, and Harrodsburg Limestones in Indiana amounted to 8,880,078 barrels as of December 31, 1978. Production in 1977 was 1,534,320 barrels, and production in 1978 was 1,157,450 barrels. About 80 percent of the 1977 and 1978 production came from Union-Bowman Consolidated and Sisson Fields in Gibson, Knox, and Pike counties and the Owensville North Consolidated and Mt. Carmel Consolidated Fields in Gibson County. 15 figures, 3 tables.« less

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

Geomorphology of the Alluvial Sediments and Bedrock in an Intermontane Basin: Application of Variogram Modeling to Electrical Resistivity Soundings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khan, Adnan Ahmad; Farid, Asam; Akhter, Gulraiz; Munir, Khyzer; Small, James; Ahmad, Zulfiqar

2016-05-01

The study describes a methodology used to integrate legacy resistivity data with limited geological data in order to build three-dimensional models of the near subsurface. Variogram analysis and inversion techniques more typically found in the petroleum industry are applied to a set of 1D resistivity data taken from electrical surveys conducted in the 1980s. Through careful integration with limited geological data collected from boreholes and outcrops, the resultant model can be visualized in three dimensions to depict alluvium layers as lithological and structural units within the bedrock. By tuning the variogram parameters to account for directionality, it is possible to visualize the individual lithofacies and geomorphological features in the subsurface. In this study, an electrical resistivity data set collected as part of a groundwater study in an area of the Peshawar basin in Pakistan has been re-examined. Additional lithological logs from boreholes throughout the area have been combined with local outcrop information to calibrate the data. Tectonic activity during the Himalayan orogeny has caused uplift in the area and generated significant faulting in the bedrock resulting in the formation of depressions which are identified by low resistivity values representing clays. Paleo-streams have reworked these clays which have been eroded and replaced by gravel-sand facies along paleo-channels. It is concluded that the sediments have been deposited as prograding fan-shaped bodies and lacustrine deposits with interlayered gravel-sand and clay-silt facies. The Naranji area aquifer system has thus been formed as a result of local tectonic activity with fluvial erosion and deposition and is characterized by coarse sediments with high electrical resistivities.

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.

Natural Gas and Petroleum Systems in the GHG Inventory: Memos Previously Posted in Development of the 1990-2015 Inventory

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA memo describing revisions under consideration to the estimates of greenhouse gas emissions from natural gas and petroleum systems production, as presented in the U.S. Inventory of Greenhouse Gases and Sinks.

Stakeholder Workshop Presentations: EPA Greenhouse Gas Data on Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

View the summary and presentations from the November 2015 stakeholder workshop on greenhouse gas data on petroleum and natural gas systems from the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program and U.S. Greenhouse Gas Inventory of Emissions and Sinks.

Evaluation of pulsed corona discharge plasma for the treatment of petroleum-contaminated soil.

PubMed

Li, Rui; Liu, Yanan; Mu, Ruiwen; Cheng, Wenyan; Ognier, Stéphanie

2017-01-01

Petroleum hydrocarbons released to the environment caused by leakage or illegal dumping pose a threat to human health and the natural environment. In this study, the potential of a pulsed corona discharge plasma system for treating petroleum-polluted soils was evaluated. This system removed 76.93 % of the petroleum from the soil in 60 min with an energy efficiency of 0.20 mg/kJ. Furthermore, the energy and degradation efficiencies for the remediation of soil contaminated by single polyaromatic hydrocarbons, such as phenanthrene and pyrene, were also compared, and the results showed that this technology had potential in organic-polluted soil remediation. In addition, the role of water molecules was investigated for their direct involvement in the formation and transportation of active species. The increase of soil moisture to a certain extent clearly benefitted degradation efficiency. Then, treated soils were analyzed by FTIR and GC-MS for proposing the degradation mechanism of petroleum. During the plasma discharging processes, the change of functional group and the detection of small aromatic hydrocarbons indicated that the plasma active species attached petroleum hydrocarbons and degradation occurred. This technique reported herein demonstrated significant potential for the remediation of heavily petroleum-polluted soil, as well as for the treatment of organic-polluted soils.

Robust Representation of Integrated Surface-subsurface Hydrology at Watershed Scales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Painter, S. L.; Tang, G.; Collier, N.; Jan, A.; Karra, S.

2015-12-01

A representation of integrated surface-subsurface hydrology is the central component to process-rich watershed models that are emerging as alternatives to traditional reduced complexity models. These physically based systems are important for assessing potential impacts of climate change and human activities on groundwater-dependent ecosystems and water supply and quality. Integrated surface-subsurface models typically couple three-dimensional solutions for variably saturated flow in the subsurface with the kinematic- or diffusion-wave equation for surface flows. The computational scheme for coupling the surface and subsurface systems is key to the robustness, computational performance, and ease-of-implementation of the integrated system. A new, robust approach for coupling the subsurface and surface systems is developed from the assumption that the vertical gradient in head is negligible at the surface. This tight-coupling assumption allows the surface flow system to be incorporated directly into the subsurface system; effects of surface flow and surface water accumulation are represented as modifications to the subsurface flow and accumulation terms but are not triggered until the subsurface pressure reaches a threshold value corresponding to the appearance of water on the surface. The new approach has been implemented in the highly parallel PFLOTRAN (www.pflotran.org) code. Several synthetic examples and three-dimensional examples from the Walker Branch Watershed in Oak Ridge TN demonstrate the utility and robustness of the new approach using unstructured computational meshes. Representation of solute transport in the new approach is also discussed. Notice: This manuscript has been authored by UT-Battelle, LLC, under Contract No. DE-AC0500OR22725 with the U.S. Department of Energy. The United States Government retains and the publisher, by accepting the article for publication, acknowledges that the United States Government retains a non-exclusive, paid-up, irrevocable, world-wide license to publish or reproduce the published form of this manuscript, or allow others to do so, for the United States Government purposes.

Evidence for Cambrian petroleum source rocks in the Rome trough of West Virginia and Kentucky, Appalachian basin: Chapter G.8 in Coal and petroleum resources in the Appalachian basin: distribution, geologic framework, and geochemical character

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ryder, Robert T.; Harris, David C.; Gerome, Paul; Hainsworth, Timothy J.; Burruss, Robert A.; Lillis, Paul G.; Jarvie, Daniel M.; Pawlewicz, Mark J.; Ruppert, Leslie F.; Ryder, Robert T.

2014-01-01

The bitumen extract from the Rogersville Shale compares very closely with oils or condensates from Cambrian reservoirs in the Carson Associates No. 1 Kazee well, Homer gas field, Elliott County, Ky.; the Inland No. 529 White well, Boyd County, Ky.; and the Miller No. 1 well, Wolfe County, Ky. These favorable oil-source rock correlations suggest a new petroleum system in the Appalachian basin that is characterized by a Conasauga Group source rock and Rome Formation and Conasauga Group reservoirs. This petroleum system probably extends along the Rome trough from eastern Kentucky to at least central West Virginia.

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

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

Measurements of Low-Frequency Acoustic Attenuation in Soils.

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-10-13

Engineering Research Laboratory to design an acoustic subsurface imaging system, a set of experiments was conducted in which the attenuation and the velocity...support of the U.S. Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratory’s efforts to design an acoustic subsurface imaging system which would ideally be...of acoustic waves such as those generated by a subsurface imaging system. An experiment reported in the literature characterized the acoustic

Double barrier system for an in situ conversion process

DOEpatents

McKinzie, Billy John [Houston, TX; Vinegar, Harold J [Bellaire, TX; Cowan, Kenneth Michael [Sugar land, TX; Deeg, Wolfgang Friedrich Johann [Houston, TX; Wong, Sau-Wai [Rijswijk, NL

2009-05-05

A barrier system for a subsurface treatment area is described. The barrier system includes a first barrier formed around at least a portion of the subsurface treatment area. The first barrier is configured to inhibit fluid from exiting or entering the subsurface treatment area. A second barrier is formed around at least a portion of the first barrier. A separation space exists between the first barrier and the second barrier.

46 CFR 61.15-10 - Liquefied-petroleum-gas piping for heating and cooking.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 46 Shipping 2 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Liquefied-petroleum-gas piping for heating and cooking. 61.15-10 Section 61.15-10 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) MARINE ENGINEERING PERIODIC TESTS AND INSPECTIONS Periodic Tests of Piping Systems § 61.15-10 Liquefied-petroleum-gas...

78 FR 144 - Application for a Presidential Permit To Operate and Maintain Pipeline Facilities on the Border...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-02

... integrated pipeline system which connects producers and shippers of crude oil and natural gas liquids in....enbridgepartners.com ). Enbridge Partners provides pipeline transportation of petroleum and natural gas in the mid... or importation of liquid petroleum, petroleum products, or other non-gaseous fuels to or from a...

CO2-efflux measurements for evaluating source zone natural attenuation rates in a petroleum hydrocarbon contaminated aquifer.

PubMed

Sihota, Natasha J; Singurindy, Olga; Mayer, K Ulrich

2011-01-15

In order to gain regulatory approval for source zone natural attenuation (SZNA) at hydrocarbon-contaminated sites, knowledge regarding the extent of the contamination, its tendency to spread, and its longevity is required. However, reliable quantification of biodegradation rates, an important component of SZNA, remains a challenge. If the rate of CO(2) gas generation associated with contaminant degradation can be determined, it may be used as a proxy for the overall rate of subsurface biodegradation. Here, the CO(2)-efflux at the ground surface is measured using a dynamic closed chamber (DCC) method to evaluate whether this technique can be used to assess the areal extent of the contaminant source zone and the depth-integrated rate of contaminant mineralization. To this end, a field test was conducted at the Bemidji, MN, crude oil spill site. Results indicate that at the Bemidji site the CO(2)-efflux method is able to both delineate the source zone and distinguish between the rates of natural soil respiration and contaminant mineralization. The average CO(2)-efflux associated with contaminant degradation in the source zone is estimated at 2.6 μmol m(-2) s(-1), corresponding to a total petroleum hydrocarbon mineralization rate (expressed as C(10)H(22)) of 3.3 g m(-2) day(-1).

Petroleum Systems and Geologic Assessment of Undiscovered Oil and Gas, Navarro and Taylor Groups, Western Gulf Province, Texas

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

2006-01-01

The purpose of the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) National Oil and Gas Assessment is to develop geologically based hypotheses regarding the potential for additions to oil and gas reserves in priority areas of the United States. The USGS recently completed an assessment of undiscovered oil and gas potential of the Late Cretaceous Navarro and Taylor Groups in the Western Gulf Province in Texas (USGS Province 5047). The Navarro and Taylor Groups have moderate potential for undiscovered oil resources and good potential for undiscovered gas resources. This assessment is based on geologic principles and uses the total petroleum system concept. The geologic elements of a total petroleum system include hydrocarbon source rocks (source rock maturation, hydrocarbon generation and migration), reservoir rocks (sequence stratigraphy and petrophysical properties), and hydrocarbon traps (trap formation and timing). The USGS used this geologic framework to define one total petroleum system and five assessment units. Five assessment units were quantitatively assessed for undiscovered oil and gas resources.

Method, system and computer program product for monitoring and optimizing fluid extraction from geologic strata

DOEpatents

Medizade, Masoud [San Luis Obispo, CA; Ridgely, John Robert [Los Osos, CA

2009-12-15

An arrangement which utilizes an inexpensive flap valve/flow transducer combination and a simple local supervisory control system to monitor and/or control the operation of a positive displacement pump used to extract petroleum from geologic strata. The local supervisory control system controls the operation of an electric motor which drives a reciprocating positive displacement pump so as to maximize the volume of petroleum extracted from the well per pump stroke while minimizing electricity usage and pump-off situations. By reducing the electrical demand and pump-off (i.e., "pounding" or "fluid pound") occurrences, operating and maintenance costs should be reduced sufficiently to allow petroleum recovery from marginally productive petroleum fields. The local supervisory control system includes one or more applications to at least collect flow signal data generated during operation of the positive displacement pump. No flow, low flow and flow duration are easily evaluated using the flap valve/flow transducer arrangement.

The Red Sea Basin Province: Sudr-Nubia(!) and Maqna(!) Petroleum Systems

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lindquist, Sandra J.

1999-01-01

The Sudr-Nubia(!) oil-prone total petroleum system dominates the densely explored Gulf of Suez part of the rifted Red Sea Basin Province. Upper Cretaceous to Eocene source rocks, primarily the Senonian Sudr Formation, are organic-rich, areally uniform marine carbonates that have generated known ultimate recoverable reserves exceeding 11 BBOE. The name Nubia is used for sandstone reservoirs with a wide range of poorly constrained, pre-rift geologic ages ranging from Early Paleozoic to Early Cretaceous. Syn- and post-rift Tertiary reservoirs, especially the Kareem Formation, also contain significant reserves. Partly overlapping Sudr-Nubia(!) is the areally larger and geochemically distinct, oil-and-gas-prone Maqna(!) total petroleum system within the southern Gulf of Suez basin and the sparsely explored remaining Red Sea basin. Known ultimate recoverable reserves are 50-100 MMBOE and more than 900 MMBOE, respectively, in those areas. Both the source and reservoir rocks in this petroleum system are Tertiary, dominantly Miocene, in age. Maqna(!) has the greater potential for future resource development.

National Assessment of Oil and Gas Project: petroleum systems and geologic assessment of oil and gas in the Southwestern Wyoming Province, Wyoming, Colorado and Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

2005-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) completed an assessment of the undiscovered oil and gas potential of the Southwestern Wyoming Province of southwestern Wyoming, northwestern Colorado, and northeastern Utah (fig. 1). The USGS Southwestern Wyoming Province for this assessment included the Green River Basin, Moxa arch, Hoback Basin, Sandy Bend arch, Rock Springs uplift, Great Divide Basin, Wamsutter arch, Washakie Basin, Cherokee ridge, and the Sand Wash Basin. The assessment of the Southwestern Wyoming Province is based on geologic principles and uses the total petroleum system concept. The geologic elements of a total petroleum system include hydrocarbon source rocks (source rock maturation, hydrocarbon generation, and migration), reservoir rocks (sequence stratigraphy, petrophysical properties), and hydrocarbon traps (trap types, formation, and timing). Using this geologic framework, the USGS defined 9 total petroleum systems (TPS) and 23 assessment units (AU) within these TPSs, and quantitatively estimated the undiscovered oil and gas resources within 21 of the 23 AUs.

Biogeochemistry of anaerobic crude oil biodegradation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Head, Ian; Gray, Neil; Aitken, Caroline; Sherry, Angela; Jones, Martin; Larter, Stephen

2010-05-01

Anaerobic degradation of crude oil and petroleum hydrocarbons is widely recognized as a globally significant process both in the formation of the world's vast heavy oil deposits and for the dissipation of hydrocarbon pollution in anoxic contaminated environments. Comparative analysis of crude oil biodegradation under methanogenic and sulfate-reducing conditions has revealed differences not only in the patterns of compound class removal but also in the microbial communities responsible. Under methanogenic conditions syntrophic associations dominated by bacteria from the Syntropheaceae are prevalent and these are likely key players in the initial anaerobic degradation of crude oil alkanes to intermediates such as hydrogen and acetate. Syntrophic acetate oxidation plays an important role in these systems and often results in methanogenesis dominated by CO2 reduction by members of the Methanomicrobiales. By contrast the bacterial communities from sulfate-reducing crude oil-degrading systems were more diverse and no single taxon dominated the oil-degrading sulfate-reducing systems. All five proteobacterial subdivisions were represented with Delta- and Gammaproteobacteria being detected most consistently. In sediments which were pasteurized hydrocarbon degradation continued at a relatively low rate. Nevertheless, alkylsuccinates characteristic of anaerobic hydrocarbon degradation accumulated to high concentrations. This suggested that the sediments harbour heat resistant, possibly spore-forming alkane degrading sulfate-reducers. This is particularly interesting since it has been proposed recently, that spore-forming sulfate-reducing bacteria found in cold arctic sediments may have originated from seepage of geofluids from deep subsurface hydrocarbon reservoirs.

Basic Research on Three-Dimensional (3D) Electromagnetic (EM) Methods for Imaging the Flow of Organic Fluids in the Subsurface.

DTIC Science & Technology

1997-04-30

Currently there are no systems available which allow for economical and accurate subsurface imaging of remediation sites. In some cases, high...system to address this need. This project has been very successful in showing a promising new direction for high resolution subsurface imaging . Our

Internal controls over computer-processed financial data at Boeing Petroleum Services

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

Not Available

1992-02-14

The Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) is responsible for purchasing and storing crude oil to mitigate the potential adverse impact of any future disruptions in crude oil imports. Boeing Petroleum Services, Inc. (BPS) operates the SPR under a US Department of Energy (DOE) management and operating contract. BPS receives support for various information systems and other information processing needs from a mainframe computer center. The objective of the audit was to determine if the internal controls implemented by BPS for computer systems were adequate to assure processing reliability.

Mars penetrator: Subsurface science mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lumpkin, C. K.

1974-01-01

A penetrator system to emplace subsurface science on the planet Mars is described. The need for subsurface science is discussed, and the technologies for achieving successful atmospheric entry, Mars penetration, and data retrieval are presented.

Removal of petroleum hydrocarbons from contaminated groundwater by the combined technique of adsorption onto perlite followed by the O3/H2O2 process.

PubMed

Moussavi, Gholamreza; Bagheri, Amir

2012-09-01

Groundwater contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons was treated using a combined system of adsorption onto powdered expanded perlite (PEP) followed by the O3/H2O2 process. The pretreatment investigations indicated a high capacity for PEP to remove petroleum hydrocarbons from the contaminated water. An experimental total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) adsorption capacity of 275 mg/g PEP was obtained at the natural pH of water. The experimental data fit best with the Freundlich isotherm model and pseudo-second-order adsorption model. The second phase of the experiment evaluated the performance of the O3/H2O2 process in the removal of residual TPH from pretreated water and compared the results with that of raw water. The O3/H202 process attained a maximum TPH removal rate for the pretreated water after 70 min, when 93% of the residual TPH in the effluent of the adsorption system was removed. Overall, the combination of adsorption onto PEP for 100 min and the subsequent treatment with the O3/H2O2 process for 70min eliminated over 99% of the TPH of highly petroleum-contaminated groundwater, with initial values of 162 mg/L. Therefore, we can conclude that the developed treatment system is an appropriate method of remediation for petroleum-contaminated waters.

Petroleum Systems and Assessment of Undiscovered Oil and Gas in the Raton Basin - Sierra Grande Uplift Province, Colorado and New Mexico - USGS Province 41

USGS Publications Warehouse

Higley, Debra K.

2007-01-01

Introduction The purpose of the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) National Oil and Gas Assessment is to develop geologically based hypotheses regarding the potential for additions to oil and gas reserves in priority areas of the United States. The USGS recently completed an assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources of the Raton Basin-Sierra Grande Uplift Province of southeastern Colorado and northeastern New Mexico (USGS Province 41). The Cretaceous Vermejo Formation and Cretaceous-Tertiary Raton Formation have production and undiscovered resources of coalbed methane. Other formations in the province exhibit potential for gas resources and limited production. This assessment is based on geologic principles and uses the total petroleum system concept. The geologic elements of a total petroleum system include hydrocarbon source rocks (source rock maturation, hydrocarbon generation and migration), reservoir rocks (sequence stratigraphy and petrophysical properties), and hydrocarbon traps (trap formation and timing). The USGS used this geologic framework to define two total petroleum systems and five assessment units. All five assessment units were quantitatively assessed for undiscovered gas resources. Oil resources were not assessed because of the limited potential due to levels of thermal maturity of petroleum source rocks.

National Assessment of Oil and Gas Project: Petroleum systems and assessment of undiscovered oil and gas in the Denver Basin Province, Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wyoming - USGS Province 39

USGS Publications Warehouse

Higley, Debra K.

2007-01-01

The purpose of the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) National Oil and Gas Assessment is to develop geologically based hypotheses regarding the potential for additions to oil and gas reserves in priority areas of the United States. The USGS recently completed an assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources of the Denver Basin Province (USGS Province 39), Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wyoming. Petroleum is produced in the province from sandstone, shale, and limestone reservoirs that range from Pennsylvanian to Upper Cretaceous in age. This assessment is based on geologic principles and uses the total petroleum system concept. The geologic elements of a total petroleum system include hydrocarbon source rocks (source rock maturation, hydrocarbon generation and migration), reservoir rocks (sequence stratigraphy and petrophysical properties), and hydrocarbon traps (trap formation and timing). The USGS used this geologic framework to define seven total petroleum systems and twelve assessment units. Nine of these assessment units were quantitatively assessed for undiscovered oil and gas resources. Gas was not assessed for two coal bed methane assessment units due to lack of information and limited potential; oil resources were not assessed for the Fractured Pierre Shale Assessment Unit due to its mature development status.

Molten salt as a heat transfer fluid for heating a subsurface formation

DOEpatents

Nguyen, Scott Vinh; Vinegar, Harold J.

2010-11-16

A heating system for a subsurface formation includes a conduit located in an opening in the subsurface formation. An insulated conductor is located in the conduit. A material is in the conduit between a portion of the insulated conductor and a portion of the conduit. The material may be a salt. The material is a fluid at operating temperature of the heating system. Heat transfers from the insulated conductor to the fluid, from the fluid to the conduit, and from the conduit to the subsurface formation.

Methodology for applying monitored natural attenuation to petroleum hydrocarbon-contaminated ground-water systems with examples from South Carolina

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chapelle, Frank H.; Robertson, John F.; Landmeyer, James E.; Bradley, Paul M.

2000-01-01

These two sites illustrate how the efficiency of natural attenuation processes acting on petroleum hydrocarbons can be systematically evaluated using hydrologic, geochemical, and microbiologic methods.  These methods, in turn, can be used to assess the role that the natural attenuation of petroleum hydrocarbons can play in achieving overall site remediation.

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

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

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 26 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Financial responsibility for UST... for No-Less-Stringent § 281.37 Financial responsibility for UST systems containing petroleum. (a) In order to be considered no less stringent than the federal requirements for financial responsibility for...

Summary Report of November 2015 Stakeholder Workshop on EPA GHG Data on Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

View the summary report of the stakeholder workshop held on November 19, 2015, on greenhouse gas data on petroleum and natural gas systems from the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program and U.S. Greenhouse Gas Inventory of Emissions and Sinks (GHG Inventory).

Visualizing petroleum systems with a combination of GIS and multimedia technologies: An example from the West Siberia Basin

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

Walsh, D.B.; Grace, J.D.

1996-12-31

Petroleum system studies provide an ideal application for the combination of Geographic Information System (GIS) and multimedia technologies. GIS technology is used to build and maintain the spatial and tabular data within the study region. Spatial data may comprise the zones of active source rocks and potential reservoir facies. Similarly, tabular data include the attendant source rock parameters (e.g. pyroloysis results, organic carbon content) and field-level exploration and production histories for the basin. Once the spatial and tabular data base has been constructed, GIS technology is useful in finding favorable exploration trends, such as zones of high organic content, maturemore » source rocks in positions adjacent to sealed, high porosity reservoir facies. Multimedia technology provides powerful visualization tools for petroleum system studies. The components of petroleum system development, most importantly generation, migration and trap development typically span periods of tens to hundreds of millions of years. The ability to animate spatial data over time provides an insightful alternative for studying the development of processes which are only captured in {open_quotes}snapshots{close_quotes} by static maps. New multimedia-authoring software provides this temporal dimension. The ability to record this data on CD-ROMs and allow user- interactivity further leverages the combination of spatial data bases, tabular data bases and time-based animations. The example used for this study was the Bazhenov-Neocomian petroleum system of West Siberia.« less

Visualizing petroleum systems with a combination of GIS and multimedia technologies: An example from the West Siberia Basin

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

Walsh, D.B.; Grace, J.D.

1996-01-01

Petroleum system studies provide an ideal application for the combination of Geographic Information System (GIS) and multimedia technologies. GIS technology is used to build and maintain the spatial and tabular data within the study region. Spatial data may comprise the zones of active source rocks and potential reservoir facies. Similarly, tabular data include the attendant source rock parameters (e.g. pyroloysis results, organic carbon content) and field-level exploration and production histories for the basin. Once the spatial and tabular data base has been constructed, GIS technology is useful in finding favorable exploration trends, such as zones of high organic content, maturemore » source rocks in positions adjacent to sealed, high porosity reservoir facies. Multimedia technology provides powerful visualization tools for petroleum system studies. The components of petroleum system development, most importantly generation, migration and trap development typically span periods of tens to hundreds of millions of years. The ability to animate spatial data over time provides an insightful alternative for studying the development of processes which are only captured in [open quotes]snapshots[close quotes] by static maps. New multimedia-authoring software provides this temporal dimension. The ability to record this data on CD-ROMs and allow user- interactivity further leverages the combination of spatial data bases, tabular data bases and time-based animations. The example used for this study was the Bazhenov-Neocomian petroleum system of West Siberia.« less

A multi-scale experimental and simulation approach for fractured subsurface systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Viswanathan, H. S.; Carey, J. W.; Frash, L.; Karra, S.; Hyman, J.; Kang, Q.; Rougier, E.; Srinivasan, G.

2017-12-01

Fractured systems play an important role in numerous subsurface applications including hydraulic fracturing, carbon sequestration, geothermal energy and underground nuclear test detection. Fractures that range in scale from microns to meters and their structure control the behavior of these systems which provide over 85% of our energy and 50% of US drinking water. Determining the key mechanisms in subsurface fractured systems has been impeded due to the lack of sophisticated experimental methods to measure fracture aperture and connectivity, multiphase permeability, and chemical exchange capacities at the high temperature, pressure, and stresses present in the subsurface. In this study, we developed and use microfluidic and triaxial core flood experiments required to reveal the fundamental dynamics of fracture-fluid interactions. In addition we have developed high fidelity fracture propagation and discrete fracture network flow models to simulate these fractured systems. We also have developed reduced order models of these fracture simulators in order to conduct uncertainty quantification for these systems. We demonstrate an integrated experimental/modeling approach that allows for a comprehensive characterization of fractured systems and develop models that can be used to optimize the reservoir operating conditions over a range of subsurface conditions.

3D Gravity Inversion using Tikhonov Regularization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Toushmalani, Reza; Saibi, Hakim

2015-08-01

Subsalt exploration for oil and gas is attractive in regions where 3D seismic depth-migration to recover the geometry of a salt base is difficult. Additional information to reduce the ambiguity in seismic images would be beneficial. Gravity data often serve these purposes in the petroleum industry. In this paper, the authors present an algorithm for a gravity inversion based on Tikhonov regularization and an automatically regularized solution process. They examined the 3D Euler deconvolution to extract the best anomaly source depth as a priori information to invert the gravity data and provided a synthetic example. Finally, they applied the gravity inversion to recently obtained gravity data from the Bandar Charak (Hormozgan, Iran) to identify its subsurface density structure. Their model showed the 3D shape of salt dome in this region.

Site-specific standard request for Underground Storage Tanks 1219-U, 1222-U, 2082-U, and 2068-U at the Rust Garage Facility Buildings 9754-1 and 9720-15

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

Not Available

1994-08-01

This document is a site-specific standard request for underground storage tanks located at the Rust Garage Facility. These standards are justified based on conclusion derived from the exposure assessment that indicates there is no current or forseeable future human health risk associated with petroleum contaminants on the site, that current and future ecological risks would be generally limited to subsurface species and plant life with roots extending into the area, and that most of the impacted area at the site is covered by asphalt or concrete. The vertical and horizontal extent of soil and ground water contamination are limited tomore » immediate area of the Rust Garage Facility.« less

Temporary vs. Permanent Sub-slab Ports: A Comparative ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Vapor intrusion (VI) is the migration of subsurface vapors, including radon and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), from the subsurface to indoor air. The VI exposure pathway extends from the contaminant source, which can be impacted soil, non-aqueous phase liquid, or contaminated groundwater, to indoor air-exposure points. Therefore, contaminated matrices may include groundwater, soil, soil gas, and indoor air. VOC contaminants of concern typically include halogenated solvents such as trichloroethene, tetrachloroethene, and chloroform, as well as petroleum hydrocarbons, such as the aromatic VOCs benzene, toluene, and xylenes. Radon is a colorless radioactive gas that is released by radioactive decay of radionuclides in rock and soil that migrate into homes through VI in a similar fashion to VOCs. This project focused on the performance of permanent versus temporary sub-slab sampling ports for the determination of VI of halogenated VOCs and radon into an unoccupied house. VOC and radon concentrations measured simultaneously in soil gas using collocated temporary and permanent ports appeared to be independent of the type of port. The variability between collocated temporary and permanent ports was much less than the spatial variability between different locations within a single residential duplex. The agreement of the majority of VOC and radon concentrations, 0–36% relative percent difference, and 2–19% relative standard deviation respectively, of each sub-sl

Image-based Modeling of Biofilm-induced Calcium Carbonate Precipitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Connolly, J. M.; Rothman, A.; Jackson, B.; Klapper, I.; Cunningham, A. B.; Gerlach, R.

2013-12-01

Pore scale biological processes in the subsurface environment are important to understand in relation to many engineering applications including environmental contaminant remediation, geologic carbon sequestration, and petroleum production. Specifically, biofilm induced calcium carbonate precipitation has been identified as an attractive option to reduce permeability in a lasting way in the subsurface. This technology may be able to replace typical cement-based grouting in some circumstances; however, pore-scale processes must be better understood for it to be applied in a controlled manor. The work presented will focus on efforts to observe biofilm growth and ureolysis-induced mineral precipitation in micro-fabricated flow cells combined with finite element modelling as a tool to predict local chemical gradients of interest (see figure). We have been able to observe this phenomenon over time using a novel model organism that is able to hydrolyse urea and express a fluorescent protein allowing for non-invasive observation over time with confocal microscopy. The results of this study show the likely existence of a wide range of local saturation indices even in a small (1 cm length scale) experimental system. Interestingly, the locations of high predicted index do not correspond to the locations of higher precipitation density, highlighting the need for further understanding. Figure 1 - A micro-fabricated flow cell containing biofilm-induced calcium carbonate precipitation. (A) Experimental results: Active biofilm is in green and dark circles are calcium carbonate crystals. Note the channeling behavior in the top of the image, leaving a large hydraulically inactive area in the biofilm mass. (B) Finite element model: The prediction of relative saturation of calcium carbonate (as calcite). Fluid enters the system at a low saturation state (blue) but areas of high supersaturation (red) are predicted within the hydraulically inactive area in the biofilm. If only effluent saturation was measured, precipitation may not even be predicted but we see local, pore-scale behavior dictating system behavior in this case. The flow cell is 1 cm in length and the porous media elements are 100 μm.

Crop yield summary for three wetland reservoir subirrigation systems in northwest Ohio

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Wetland Reservoir Subirrigation Systems (WRSIS) are innovative agricultural water management and recycling systems comprised of three main components; a constructed wetland, a water storage reservoir, and cropland containing subsurface drainage pipe systems. Surface runoff and subsurface drainage f...

Peeking Beneath the Caldera: Communicating Subsurface Knowledge of Newberry Volcano

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mark-Moser, M.; Rose, K.; Schultz, J.; Cameron, E.

2016-12-01

"Imaging the Subsurface: Enhanced Geothermal Systems and Exploring Beneath Newberry Volcano" is an interactive website that presents a three-dimensional subsurface model of Newberry Volcano developed at National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL). Created using the Story Maps application by ArcGIS Online, this format's dynamic capabilities provide the user the opportunity for multimedia engagement with the datasets and information used to build the subsurface model. This website allows for an interactive experience that the user dictates, including interactive maps, instructive videos and video capture of the subsurface model, and linked information throughout the text. This Story Map offers a general background on the technology of enhanced geothermal systems and the geologic and development history of Newberry Volcano before presenting NETL's modeling efforts that support the installation of enhanced geothermal systems. The model is driven by multiple geologic and geophysical datasets to compare and contrast results which allow for the targeting of potential EGS sites and the reduction of subsurface uncertainty. This Story Map aims to communicate to a broad audience, and provides a platform to effectively introduce the model to researchers and stakeholders.

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 Peters and others. Sandstone and shale compaction properties used in sedimentary basin modeling are covered in a poster by Rowan and others. The results of this modeling exercise will be used in our next Northern Alaska oil and gas resource assessment.

46 CFR 58.16-1 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... SYSTEMS Liquefied Petroleum Gases for Cooking and Heating § 58.16-1 Scope. (a) This subpart prescribes standards for the use of liquefied petroleum gas for heating and cooking on inspected vessels, except...

Subsurface temperature signature of a large Pleistocene - Holocene surface warming in the North Alberta, Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Majorowicz, J.; Šafanda, J.; Gosnold, W.; Unsworth, M.

2012-04-01

Recent results from a 2.3km deep temperature log in northern Alberta, Canada acquired as part of the University of Alberta Helmholtz-Alberta Initiative (HAI) geothermal energy project in 2010-2011shows that there is a significant increase in thermal gradient in the granites. Inversion of the measured T-z profile between 550 - 2320 m indicates a temperature increase of 9.6 ± 0.3 °C, at 13.0 ± 0.6 ka and that the glacial base surface temperature was - 4.4± 0.3 °C. This inversion computation accounted for granite heat production of 3 µW/m3. This is the largest amplitude of Pleistocene - Holocene surface warming in Canada inferred from borehole temperature logs, and is compatible with the results of similar studies in Eurasia (KTB, Outokumpu, Torun-1 etc.) reported previously. Reference: Majorowicz, J., Unsworth, M., Chacko, T., Gray, A., Heaman L., Potter, D., Schmitt, D., and Babadagli, T., 2011. Geothermal energy as a source of heat for oilsands processing in northern Alberta, Canada, in: Hein, F. J., Leckie, D., Suter , J., and Larter, S., (Eds), Heavy Oil/Bitumen Petroleum Systems in Alberta and beyond, AAPG Mem., in press.

Electrical Conductivity Imaging Using Controlled Source Electromagnetics for Subsurface Characterization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, C. R.; Routh, P. S.; Donaldson, P. R.

2004-05-01

Controlled Source Audio-Frequency Magnetotellurics (CSAMT) is a frequency domain electromagnetic (EM) sounding technique. CSAMT typically uses a grounded horizontal electric dipole approximately one to two kilometers in length as a source. Measurements of electric and magnetic field components are made at stations located ideally at least four skin depths away from the transmitter to approximate plane wave characteristics of the source. Data are acquired in a broad band frequency range that is sampled logarithmically from 0.1 Hz to 10 kHz. The usefulness of CSAMT soundings is to detect and map resistivity contrasts in the top two to three km of the Earth's surface. Some practical applications that CSAMT soundings have been used for include mapping ground water resources; mineral/precious metals exploration; geothermal reservoir mapping and monitoring; petroleum exploration; and geotechnical investigations. Higher frequency data can be used to image shallow features and lower frequency data are sensitive to deeper structures. We have a 3D CSAMT data set consisting of phase and amplitude measurements of the Ex and Hy components of the electric and magnetic fields respectively. The survey area is approximately 3 X 5 km. Receiver stations are situated 50 meters apart along a total of 13 lines with 8 lines bearing approximately N60E and the remainder of the lines oriented orthogonal to these 8 lines. We use an unconstrained Gauss-Newton method with positivity to invert the data. Inversion results will consist of conductivity versus depth profiles beneath each receiver station. These 1D profiles will be combined into a 3D subsurface conductivity image. We will include our interpretation of the subsurface conductivity structure and quantify the uncertainties associated with this interpretation.

Organic and Inorganic Carbon in the Rio Tinto (Spain) Deep Subsurface System: a Possible Model for Subsurface Carbon and Lithoautotrophs on Mars.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonaccorsi, R.; Stoker, C. R.; MARTE Science Team

2007-12-01

The subsurface is the key environment for searching for life on planets lacking surface life. Subsurface ecosystems are of great relevance to astrobiology including the search for past/present life on Mars. Conditions on the Martian surface do not support biological activity but the subsurface might preserve organics and host subsurface life [1]. A key requirement for the analysis of subsurface samples on Mars is the ability to characterize organic vs. inorganic carbon pools. This information is needed to determine if the sample contains organic material of biological origin and/ or to establish if pools of inorganic carbon can support subsurface biospheres. The Mars Analog Rio Tinto Experiment (MARTE) performed deep drilling of cores i.e., down to 165-m depth, in a volcanically-hosted-massive-sulfide deposit at Rio Tinto, Spain, which is considered an important analog of the Sinus Meridiani site on Mars. Results from MARTE suggest the existence of a relatively complex subsurface life including aerobic and anaerobic chemoautotrophs, and strict anaerobic methanogens sustained by Fe and S minerals in anoxic conditions, which is an ideal model analog for a deep subsurface Martian environment. We report here on the distribution of organic (C-org: 0.01-0.3Wt% and inorganic carbon (IC = 0.01-7.0 Wt%) in a subsurface rock system including weathered/oxidized i.e., gossan, and unaltered pyrite stockwork. Cores were analyzed from 3 boreholes (BH-4, BH-7, and BH-8) that penetrated down to a depth of ~165 m into massive sulfide. Nearsurface phyllosilicate rich-pockets contain the highest amounts of organics (0.3Wt%) [2], while the deeper rocks contain the highest amount of carbonates. Assessing the amount of C pools available throughout the RT subsurface brings key insight on the type of trophic system sustaining its microbial ecosystem (i.e., heterotrophs vs. autotrophs) and the biogeochemical relationships that characterize a new type of subsurface biosphere at RT. This potentially novel biosphere on Earth could be used as a model to test for extant and extinct life on Mars. Furthermore, having found carbonates in an hyperacidic system (pH ~2.3) brings new insights on the possible occurrence of deep carbonates deposits under low-pH condition on Mars. [1] Boston, P.J., et al., 1992. Icarus 95,300-308; Bonaccorsi, Stoker and Sutter, 2007 Accepted with review in Astrobiology.

Total Petroleum Systems of the Carpathian - Balkanian Basin Province of Romania and Bulgaria

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pawlewicz, Mark

2007-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey defined the Moesian Platform Composite Total Petroleum System and the Dysodile Schist-Tertiary Total Petroleum System, which contain three assessment units, in the Carpathian-Balkanian Basin Province of Romania and Bulgaria. The Moesian Platform Assessment Unit, contained within the Moesian Platform Composite Total Petroleum System, is composed of Mesozoic and Cenozoic rocks within the Moesian platform region of southern Romania and northern Bulgaria and also within the Birlad depression in the northeastern platform area. In Romania, hydrocarbon sources are identified as carbonate rocks and bituminous claystones within the Middle Devonian, Middle Jurassic, Lower Cretaceous, and Neogene stratigraphic sequences. In the Birlad depression, Neogene pelitic strata have the best potential for generating hydrocarbons. In Bulgaria, Middle and Upper Jurassic shales are the most probable hydrocarbon sources. The Romania Flysch Zone Assessment Unit in the Dysodile Schist-Tertiary Total Petroleum System encompasses three structural and paleogeographic subunits within the Pre-Carpathian Mountains region: (1) the Getic depression, a segment of the Carpathian foredeep; (2) the flysch zone of the eastern Carpathian Mountains (also called the Marginal Fold nappe); and (3) the Miocene zone (also called the Sub-Carpathian nappe). Source rocks are interpreted to be Oligocene dysodile schist and black claystone, along with Miocene black claystone and marls. Also part of the Dysodile Schist-Tertiary Total Petroleum System is the Romania Ploiesti Zone Assessment Unit, which includes a zone of diapir folds. This zone lies between the Rimnicu Sarat and Dinibovita valleys and between the folds of the inner Carpathian Mountains and the external flanks of the Carpathian foredeep. The Oligocene Dysodile Schist is considered the main hydrocarbon source rock and Neogene black marls and claystones are likely secondary sources; all are thought to be at their maximum thermal maturation. Undiscovered resources in the Carpathian-Balkanian Basin Province are estimated, at the mean, to be 2,076 billion cubic feet of gas, 1,013 million barrels of oil, and 116 million barrels of natural gas liquids.

Restoration of Circum-Arctic Upper Jurassic source rock paleolatitude based on crude oil geochemistry

USGS Publications Warehouse

Peters, K.E.; Ramos, L.S.; Zumberge, J.E.; Valin, Z.C.; Scotese, C.R.

2008-01-01

Tectonic geochemical paleolatitude (TGP) models were developed to predict the paleolatitude of petroleum source rock from the geochemical composition of crude oil. The results validate studies designed to reconstruct ancient source rock depositional environments using oil chemistry and tectonic reconstruction of paleogeography from coordinates of the present day collection site. TGP models can also be used to corroborate tectonic paleolatitude in cases where the predicted paleogeography conflicts with the depositional setting predicted by the oil chemistry, or to predict paleolatitude when the present day collection locality is far removed from the source rock, as might occur due to long distance subsurface migration or transport of tarballs by ocean currents. Biomarker and stable carbon isotope ratios were measured for 496 crude oil samples inferred to originate from Upper Jurassic source rock in West Siberia, the North Sea and offshore Labrador. First, a unique, multi-tiered chemometric (multivariate statistics) decision tree was used to classify these samples into seven oil families and infer the type of organic matter, lithology and depositional environment of each organofacies of source rock [Peters, K.E., Ramos, L.S., Zumberge, J.E., Valin, Z.C., Scotese, C.R., Gautier, D.L., 2007. Circum-Arctic petroleum systems identified using decision-tree chemometrics. American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin 91, 877-913]. Second, present day geographic locations for each sample were used to restore the tectonic paleolatitude of the source rock during Late Jurassic time (???150 Ma). Third, partial least squares regression (PLSR) was used to construct linear TGP models that relate tectonic and geochemical paleolatitude, where the latter is based on 19 source-related biomarker and isotope ratios for each oil family. The TGP models were calibrated using 70% of the samples in each family and the remaining 30% of samples were used for model validation. Positive relationships exist between tectonic and geochemical paleolatitude for each family. Standard error of prediction for geochemical paleolatitude ranges from 0.9?? to 2.6?? of tectonic paleolatitude, which translates to a relative standard error of prediction in the range 1.5-4.8%. The results suggest that the observed effect of source rock paleolatitude on crude oil composition is caused by (i) stable carbon isotope fractionation during photosynthetic fixation of carbon and (ii) species diversity at different latitudes during Late Jurassic time. ?? 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Application of uniaxial confining-core clamp with hydrous pyrolysis in petrophysical and geochemical studies of source rocks at various thermal maturities

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lewan, Michael D.; Birdwell, Justin E.; Baez, Luis; Beeney, Ken; Sonnenberg, Steve

2013-01-01

Understanding changes in petrophysical and geochemical parameters during source rock thermal maturation is a critical component in evaluating source-rock petroleum accumulations. Natural core data are preferred, but obtaining cores that represent the same facies of a source rock at different thermal maturities is seldom possible. An alternative approach is to induce thermal maturity changes by laboratory pyrolysis on aliquots of a source-rock sample of a given facies of interest. Hydrous pyrolysis is an effective way to induce thermal maturity on source-rock cores and provide expelled oils that are similar in composition to natural crude oils. However, net-volume increases during bitumen and oil generation result in expanded cores due to opening of bedding-plane partings. Although meaningful geochemical measurements on expanded, recovered cores are possible, the utility of the core for measuring petrophysical properties relevant to natural subsurface cores is not suitable. This problem created during hydrous pyrolysis is alleviated by using a stainless steel uniaxial confinement clamp on rock cores cut perpendicular to bedding fabric. The clamp prevents expansion just as overburden does during natural petroleum formation in the subsurface. As a result, intact cores can be recovered at various thermal maturities for the measurement of petrophysical properties as well as for geochemical analyses. This approach has been applied to 1.7-inch diameter cores taken perpendicular to the bedding fabric of a 2.3- to 2.4-inch thick slab of Mahogany oil shale from the Eocene Green River Formation. Cores were subjected to hydrous pyrolysis at 360 °C for 72 h, which represents near maximum oil generation. One core was heated unconfined and the other was heated in the uniaxial confinement clamp. The unconfined core developed open tensile fractures parallel to the bedding fabric that result in a 38 % vertical expansion of the core. These open fractures did not occur in the confined core, but short, discontinuous vertical fractures on the core periphery occurred as a result of lateral expansion.

Assessment of Appalachian basin oil and gas resources: Devonian gas shales of the Devonian Shale-Middle and Upper Paleozoic Total Petroleum System: Chapter G.9 in Coal and petroleum resources in the Appalachian basin: distribution, geologic framework, and geochemical character

USGS Publications Warehouse

Milici, Robert C.; Swezey, Christopher S.; Ruppert, Leslie F.; Ryder, Robert T.

2014-01-01

This report presents the results of a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) assessment of the technically recoverable undiscovered natural gas resources in Devonian shale in the Appalachian Basin Petroleum Province of the eastern United States. These results are part of the USGS assessment in 2002 of the technically recoverable undiscovered oil and gas resources of the province. This report does not use the results of a 2011 USGS assessment of the Devonian Marcellus Shale because the area considered in the 2011 assessment is much greater than the area of the Marcellus Shale described in this report. The USGS assessment in 2002 was based on the identification of six total petroleum systems, which include strata that range in age from Cambrian to Pennsylvanian. The Devonian gas shales described in this report are within the Devonian Shale-Middle and Upper Paleozoic Total Petroleum System, which extends generally from New York to Tennessee. This total petroleum system is divided into ten assessment units (plays), four of which are classified as conventional and six as continuous. The Devonian shales described in this report make up four of these continuous assessment units. The assessment results are reported as fully risked fractiles (F95, F50, F5, and the mean); the fractiles indicate the probability of recovery of the assessment amount. The products reported are oil, gas, and natural gas liquids. The mean estimates for technically recoverable undiscovered hydrocarbons in the four gas shale assessment units are 12,195.53 billion cubic feet (12.20 trillion cubic feet) of gas and 158.91 million barrels of natural gas liquids

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

Three Total Petroleum Systems each consisting of one assessment unit have been identified in the Ghaba and Fahud Salt Basin Provinces of north-central Oman. One Total Petroleum System and corresponding assessment unit, the North Oman Huqf/`Q'? Haushi(!) Total Petroleum System (201401) and Ghaba-Makarem Combined Structural Assessment Unit (20140101), were identified for the Ghaba Salt Basin Province (2014). In the Fahud Salt Basin Province, however, two overlapping Total Petroleum Systems (TPS) were recognized: 1) the North Oman Huqf ? Shu'aiba(!) TPS (201601); Fahud-Huqf Combined Structural Assessment Unit (20160101), and 2) the Middle Cretaceous Natih(!) TPS (201602); Natih-Fiqa Structural/Stratigraphic Assessment Unit (20160201). The boundary for each Total Petroleum System also defines the boundary of the corresponding assessment unit and includes all trap styles and hydrocarbon producing reservoirs within the petroleum system. In both the Ghaba and Fahud Salt Basin Provinces, hydrocarbons were generated from several deeply-buried source rocks within the Infracambrian Huqf Supergroup. One general `North Oman Huqf' type oil is dominant in the Fahud Salt Basin. Oils in the Ghaba Salt Basin are linked to at least two distinct Huqf source-rock units based on oil geochemistry: a general North Oman Huqf-type oil source and a more dominant `questionable unidentified-source' or `Q'-type Huqf oil source. These two Huqf-sourced oils are commonly found as admixtures in reservoirs throughout north-central Oman. Hydrocarbons generated from Huqf sources are produced from a variety of reservoir types and ages ranging from Precambrian to Cretaceous in both the Ghaba and Fahud Salt Basin Provinces. Clastic reservoirs of the Gharif and Al Khlata Formations, Haushi Group (M. Carboniferous to L. Permian), dominate oil production in the Ghaba Salt Basin Province and form the basis for the Huqf/`Q' ? Haushi(!) TPS. In contrast, the Lower Cretaceous Shu'aiba and Middle Cretaceous 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

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

Three Total Petroleum Systems each consisting of one assessment unit have been identified in the Ghaba and Fahud Salt Basin Provinces of north-central Oman. One Total Petroleum System and corresponding assessment unit, the North Oman Huqf/?Q??Haushi(!) Total Petroleum System (201401) and Ghaba- Makarem Combined Structural Assessment Unit (20140101), were identified for the Ghaba Salt Basin Province (2014). In the Fahud Salt Basin Province, however, two overlapping Total Petroleum Systems (TPS) were recognized: (1) the North Oman Huqf?Shu?aiba(!) TPS (201601); Fahud-Huqf Combined Structural Assessment Unit (20160101), and (2) the middle Cretaceous Natih(!) TPS (201602); Natih-Fiqa Structural/Stratigraphic Assessment Unit (20160201). The boundary for each Total Petroleum System also defines the boundary of the corresponding assessment unit and includes all trap styles and hydrocarbon-producing reservoirs within the petroleum system. In both the Ghaba and Fahud Salt Basin Provinces, hydrocarbons were generated from several deeply buried source rocks within the Infracambrian Huqf Supergroup. One general ?North Oman Huqf? type oil is dominant in the Fahud Salt Basin. Oils in the Ghaba Salt Basin are linked to at least two distinct Huqf source-rock units based on oil geochemistry: a general North Oman Huqf-type oil source and a more dominant ?questionable unidentified source? or ?Q?-type Huqf oil source. These two Huqf-sourced oils are commonly found as admixtures in reservoirs throughout northcentral Oman. Hydrocarbons generated from Huqf sources are produced from a variety of reservoir types and ages ranging from Precambrian to Cretaceous in both the Ghaba and Fahud Salt Basin Provinces. Clastic reservoirs of the Gharif and Al Khlata Formations, Haushi Group (middle Carboniferous to Lower Permian), dominate oil production in the Ghaba Salt Basin Province and form the basis for the Huqf/?Q??Haushi(!) TPS. In contrast, the Lower Cretaceous Shu?aiba and middle Cretaceous 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

SUBSURFACE VOLATIZATION AND VENTILATION SYSTEM (SVVS) - INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY REPORT

EPA Science Inventory

This report summarizes the findings associated with a Demonstration Test of Environmental Improvement Technologies’ (EIT) Subsurface Volatilization and Ventilation System (SVVS) process. The technology was evaluated under the EPA Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) ...

Fractal topography and subsurface water flows from fluvial bedforms to the continental shield

USGS Publications Warehouse

Worman, A.; Packman, A.I.; Marklund, L.; Harvey, J.W.; Stone, S.H.

2007-01-01

Surface-subsurface flow interactions are critical to a wide range of geochemical and ecological processes and to the fate of contaminants in freshwater environments. Fractal scaling relationships have been found in distributions of both land surface topography and solute efflux from watersheds, but the linkage between those observations has not been realized. We show that the fractal nature of the land surface in fluvial and glacial systems produces fractal distributions of recharge, discharge, and associated subsurface flow patterns. Interfacial flux tends to be dominated by small-scale features while the flux through deeper subsurface flow paths tends to be controlled by larger-scale features. This scaling behavior holds at all scales, from small fluvial bedforms (tens of centimeters) to the continental landscape (hundreds of kilometers). The fractal nature of surface-subsurface water fluxes yields a single scale-independent distribution of subsurface water residence times for both near-surface fluvial systems and deeper hydrogeological flows. Copyright 2007 by the American Geophysical Union.

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 refineries, gas stations, and automobiles.

Compositions produced using an in situ heat treatment process

DOEpatents

Roes, Augustinus Wilhelmus Maria [Houston, TX; Nair, Vijay [Katy, TX; Munsterman, Erwin Henh [Amsterdam, NL; Van Bergen, Petrus Franciscus [Amsterdam, NL; Van Den Berg, Franciscus Gondulfus Antonius

2009-10-20

Systems, methods, and heaters for treating a subsurface formation are described herein. At least one method for producing hydrocarbons from a subsurface formation includes providing heat to the subsurface formation using an in situ heat treatment process. One or more formation particles may be formed during heating of the subsurface formation. Fluid that includes hydrocarbons and the formation particles may be produced from the subsurface formation. The formation particles in the produced fluid may include cenospheres and have an average particle size of at least 0.5 micrometers.

Heating systems for heating subsurface formations

DOEpatents

Nguyen, Scott Vinh [Houston, TX; Vinegar, Harold J [Bellaire, TX

2011-04-26

Methods and systems for heating a subsurface formation are described herein. A heating system for a subsurface formation includes a sealed conduit positioned in an opening in the formation and a heat source. The sealed conduit includes a heat transfer fluid. The heat source provides heat to a portion of the sealed conduit to change phase of the heat transfer fluid from a liquid to a vapor. The vapor in the sealed conduit rises in the sealed conduit, condenses to transfer heat to the formation and returns to the conduit portion as a liquid.

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

MacAllister, D.J.; Day, R.; McCormack, M.D.

This paper gives an overview of a major integrated oil company`s experience with artificial intelligence (AI) over the last 5 years, with an emphasis on expert systems. The authors chronicle the development of an AI group, including details on development tool selection, project selection strategies, potential pitfalls, and descriptions of several completed expert systems. Small expert systems produced by teams of petroleum technology experts and experienced expert system developers that are focused in well-defined technical areas have produced substantial benefits and accelerated petroleum technology transfer.

Petroleum surface oil seeps from Palaeoproterozoic petrified giant oilfield

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melezhik, V.; Fallick, A.; Filippov, M.; Lepland, A.; Rychanchik, D.; Deines, Yu.; Medvedev, P.; Romashkin, A.; Strauss, H.

2009-04-01

Evidence of petroleum generation and migration has been previously reported from rocks dating as early as 3.25 Ga. Micron-size carbonaceous streaks and bitumen micronodules were found in abundance in Archaean rocks across the Pilbara craton in Australia suggesting pervasive petroleum generation and migration. However, none of the Archaean petroleum deposits has been reported to be preserved in quantity due to destructive effects of deformation and thermal obliteration during metamorphism. During the Palaeoproterozoic, unprecedented accumulation of Corg-rich rocks worldwide, known as the 2.0 Ga Shunga Event, occurred during the early stage of progressive oxidation of terrestrial environments, and in the aftermath of the Lomagundi-Jatuli isotopic event, which based on the magnitude and duration of positive d13C was the greatest perturbation of the global carbon cycle in Earth history. C. 2.0 Ga Zaonezhskaya Formation (ZF) rocks from the Onega Basin in Russian Fennoscandia contain evidence for substantial accumulation and preservation of organic matter (up to 75 wt.-% total organic carbon) with an estimated original petroleum potential comparable to a modern supergiant oilfield. The basin contains a uniquely preserved petrified oilfield including evidence of oil traps and oil migration pathways. Here, we report the discovery of the surface expression of a migration pathway, along which petroleum was flowing from the sub-surface. This surface oil seep, the first occurrence ever reported from the Palaeoproterozoic, appears as originally bitumen clasts redeposited in Palaeoproterozoic lacustrine turbidites of the Kondopozhskaya Formation. The d13Corg of clastic pyrobitumen ranges between -35.4 and -36.0 per mill (n = 14) which is within the range of interbed- and vein-trapped fossil oil (-46 and -24 per mill), suggesting similar source. Biogenic organic matter, whose isotopic composition was modified during thermal maturation, is the likely source for the migrated hydrocarbon. Oil seeps, being a very common attribute of almost every major petroleum-producing province in the world, highlight the scale of oil generation and migration in the Onega Basin. The large d13C variability in interbed-trapped pyrobitumen and in organic matter (OM) of the ZF can be entirely explained neither by isotopic fractionation during petroleum generation nor by metamorphic processes, thus it might reflect a primary feature. The source material could have had a wide range of compositions that could have reacted in various ways to the subsequent maturation and alteration. We tentatively suggest that small-scale pyrobitumen accumulations may reflect the initial isotope heterogeneity of the source. In contrast, the seeps d13C are homogeneous, thus perhaps reflecting a large-scale migration and accumulation of composite oil produced by mixing and homogenisation of various oil sources. However, the low H/C of OM and pyrobitumens suggests that the source rock's various components with apparent diversity of original d13C have been over-matured. Although these values are compatible with being the source of the seeps, robust source-reservoir correlation cannot be made. In the evolutionary context, it is significant that the 2.0 Ga OM-rich rocks and generation of supergiant oilfields occurred in the aftermath of the Lomagundi-Jatuli isotopic event, and during the course of the early stage of oxidation of the terrestrial atmosphere. Whether enhanced biomass or change in the preservation potential caused such unprecedented OM accumulation and large-scale oil generation remains to be investigated.

Age, distribution, and stratigraphic relationship of rock units in the San Joaquin Basin Province, California: Chapter 5 in Petroleum systems and geologic assessment of oil and gas in the San Joaquin Basin Province, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hosford Scheirer, Allegra; Magoon, Leslie B.

2008-01-01

The San Joaquin Basin is a major petroleum province that forms the southern half of California’s Great Valley, a 700-km-long, asymmetrical basin that originated between a subduction zone to the west and the Sierra Nevada to the east. Sedimentary fill and tectonic structures of the San Joaquin Basin record the Mesozoic through Cenozoic geologic history of North America’s western margin. More than 25,000 feet (>7,500 meters) of sedimentary rocks overlie the basement surface and provide a nearly continuous record of sedimentation over the past ~100 m.y. Further, depositional geometries and fault structures document the tectonic evolution of the region from forearc setting to strike-slip basin to transpressional margin. Sedimentary architecture in the San Joaquin Basin is complicated because of these tectonic regimes and because of lateral changes in depositional environment and temporal changes in relative sea level. Few formations are widespread across the basin. Consequently, a careful analysis of sedimentary facies is required to unravel the basin’s depositional history on a regional scale. At least three high-quality organic source rocks formed in the San Joaquin Basin during periods of sea level transgression and anoxia. Generated on the basin’s west side, hydrocarbons migrated into nearly every facies type in the basin, from shelf and submarine fan sands to diatomite and shale to nonmarine coarse-grained rocks to schist. In 2003, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) completed a geologic assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources and future additions to reserves in the San Joaquin Valley of California (USGS San Joaquin Basin Province Assessment Team, this volume, chapter 1). Several research aims supported this assessment: identifying and mapping the petroleum systems, modeling the generation, migration, and accumulation of hydrocarbons, and defining the volumes of rock to be analyzed for additional resources. To better understand the three dimensional relationships between hydrocarbon source and reservoir rocks, we compiled a database consisting of more than 13,000 well picks and of one-mile resolution seismic grids. Both the well picks and the seismic grids characterize the depths to the top of key stratigraphic units. This database formed the basis of subsequent numerical modeling efforts, including the construction of a three- dimensional geologic model (Hosford Scheirer, this volume, chapter 7) and simulation of the petroleum systems in space and time (Peters, Magoon, Lampe, and others, this volume, chapter 12). To accomplish this modeling, we synthesized the age, geographic distribution, lithology, and petroleum characteristics of hydrocarbon source and reservoir rocks in the basin. The results of that synthesis are presented in this paper in the form of new stratigraphic correlation columns for the northern, central, and southern San Joaquin Valley (fig. 5.1; note that all figures are at the back of this report, following the References Cited). The stratigraphic relationships and ages published here draw heavily on published and unpublished studies of the San Joaquin Basin. The stratigraphy presented in each of the columns necessarily idealizes the subsurface geology over a relatively large area, instead of representing the specific geology at an individual well, oil and gas field, or outcrop. In this paper we present the background rationale for defining the geographic divisions of the basin (inset map, fig. 5.1), the paleontological time scales used for assigning absolute ages to rock units (figs. 5.2 and 5.3), and the supporting maps illustrating the geographic distribution of each rock type included in the stratigraphic column (figs. 5.4 through 5.64).

In-situ Subsurface Soil Analyzer

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

Ulmer, Chris

The Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Terrestrial Ecosystem Science (TES) program is seeking improved sensor systems for monitoring hydro-biogeochemical processes in complex subsurface environments. The TES program is specifically interested in acquiring chemical and structural information regarding the type and nature of the hydration and redox states of subsurface chemical species. The technology should be able to perform on-site and real-time measurements to provide information not available using current sample acquisition and preservation processes. To address the needs of the DOE and the terrestrial science community, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) worked on the development of a new In-Situ Subsurface Soil Analyzermore » (ISSA) based on magnetic resonance technologies. Benchtop testing was performed to assess the feasibility of continuous wave electron pair resonance (CW-EPR) detection of chemical species in subsurface soil systems.« less

IMPLEMENTING A NOVEL CYCLIC CO2 FLOOD IN PALEOZOIC REEFS

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

James R. Wood; W. Quinlan; A. Wylie

2004-07-01

Recycled CO2 will be used in this demonstration project to produce bypassed oil from the Silurian Dover 35 pinnacle reef (Otsego County) in the Michigan Basin. We began injecting CO2 in the Dover 35 field into the Salling-Hansen 4-35A well on May 6, 2004. Subsurface characterization is being completed using well log tomography animations and 3D visualizations to map facies distributions and reservoir properties in three reefs, the Belle River Mills, Chester 18, and Dover 35 Fields. The Belle River Mills and Chester 18 fields are being used as type-fields because they have excellent log and/or core data coverage. Amplitudemore » slicing of the log porosity, normalized gamma ray, core permeability, and core porosity curves is showing trends that indicate significant heterogeneity and compartmentalization in these reservoirs associated with the original depositional fabric of the rocks. Digital and hard copy data continues to be compiled for the Niagaran reefs in the Michigan Basin. Technology transfer took place through technical presentations regarding visualization of the heterogeneity of the Niagaran reefs. Oral presentations were given at the Petroleum Technology Transfer Council workshop, Michigan Oil and Gas Association Conference, and Michigan Basin Geological Society meeting. A technical paper was submitted to the Bulletin of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists on the characterization of the Belle River Mills Field.« less

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.

Photosynthetic approaches to chemical biotechnology.

PubMed

Desai, Shuchi H; Atsumi, Shota

2013-12-01

National interest and environmental advocates encourage alternatives to petroleum-based products. Besides biofuels, many other valuable chemicals used in every-day life are petroleum derivatives or require petroleum for their production. A plausible alternative to production using petroleum for chemical production is to harvest the abundant carbon dioxide resources in the environment to produce valuable hydrocarbons. Currently, efforts are being made to utilize a natural biological system, photosynthetic microorganisms, to perform this task. Photosynthetic microorganisms are attractive to use for biochemical production because they utilize economical resources for survival: sunlight and carbon dioxide. This review examines the various compounds produced by photosynthetic microorganisms. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Influence of Plant Root Systems on Subsurface Flow: Implications for Slope Stability

EPA Science Inventory

Although research has explained how plant roots mechanically stabilize soils, in this article we explore how root systems create networks of preferential flow and thus influence water pressures in soils to trigger landslides. Root systems may alter subsurface flow: Hydrological m...

Determination of microbial carbon sources and cycling during remediation of petroleum hydrocarbon impacted soil using natural abundance (14)C analysis of PLFA.

PubMed

Cowie, Benjamin R; Greenberg, Bruce M; Slater, Gregory F

2010-04-01

In a petroleum impacted land-farm soil in Sarnia, Ontario, compound-specific natural abundance radiocarbon analysis identified biodegradation by the soil microbial community as a major pathway for hydrocarbon removal in a novel remediation system. During remediation of contaminated soils by a plant growth promoting rhizobacteria enhanced phytoremediation system (PEPS), the measured Delta(14)C of phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) biomarkers ranged from -793 per thousand to -897 per thousand, directly demonstrating microbial uptake and utilization of petroleum hydrocarbons (Delta(14)C(PHC) = -1000 per thousand). Isotopic mass balance indicated that more than 80% of microbial PLFA carbon was derived from petroleum hydrocarbons (PHC) and a maximum of 20% was obtained from metabolism of more modern carbon sources. These PLFA from the contaminated soils were the most (14)C-depleted biomarkers ever measured for an in situ environmental system, and this study demonstrated that the microbial community in this soil was subsisting primarily on petroleum hydrocarbons. In contrast, the microbial community in a nearby uncontaminated control soil maintained a more modern Delta(14)C signature than total organic carbon (Delta(14)C(PLFA) = +36 per thousand to -147 per thousand, Delta(14)C(TOC) = -148 per thousand), indicating preferential consumption of the most modern plant-derived fraction of soil organic carbon. Measurements of delta(13)C and Delta(14)C of soil CO(2) additionally demonstrated that mineralization of PHC contributed to soil CO(2) at the contaminated site. The CO(2) in the uncontaminated control soil exhibited substantially more modern Delta(14)C values, and lower soil CO(2) concentrations than the contaminated soils, suggesting increased rates of soil respiration in the contaminated soils. In combination, these results demonstrated that biodegradation in the soil microbial community was a primary pathway of petroleum hydrocarbon removal in the PEPS system. This study highlights the power of natural abundance radiocarbon for determining microbial carbon sources and identifying biodegradation pathways in complex remediation systems.

West Central Texas. Homework pays off for Originala in Haskell County

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

Mickey, V.

1983-03-01

Originala Petroleum Corp., Fort Worth, is finding Bend Conglomerate and Caddo oil in NW Haskell County, Texas. The most encouraging find to date is the company's No. 1 June L. White, which potentialed in Sept. 1981 for 493 bopd from perforations in the Caddo at 5638-60 ft. This discovery, along with promising Bend Conglomerate drill stem test and log shows in other wells in the region, support continued exploration efforts in this geologically complex province. The key to overcoming the exploration challenges in NW. Haskell County is to depend primarily upon seismic data to give structural control. Accurate seismic interpretationmore » is only a part of the preparation, and is integrated with other geologic data-collecting methods such as gravity and structural mapping based solely on subsurface control.« less

A constant flux of diverse thermophilic bacteria into the cold Arctic seabed.

PubMed

Hubert, Casey; Loy, Alexander; Nickel, Maren; Arnosti, Carol; Baranyi, Christian; Brüchert, Volker; Ferdelman, Timothy; Finster, Kai; Christensen, Flemming Mønsted; Rosa de Rezende, Júlia; Vandieken, Verona; Jørgensen, Bo Barker

2009-09-18

Microorganisms have been repeatedly discovered in environments that do not support their metabolic activity. Identifying and quantifying these misplaced organisms can reveal dispersal mechanisms that shape natural microbial diversity. Using endospore germination experiments, we estimated a stable supply of thermophilic bacteria into permanently cold Arctic marine sediment at a rate exceeding 10(8) spores per square meter per year. These metabolically and phylogenetically diverse Firmicutes show no detectable activity at cold in situ temperatures but rapidly mineralize organic matter by hydrolysis, fermentation, and sulfate reduction upon induction at 50 degrees C. The closest relatives to these bacteria come from warm subsurface petroleum reservoir and ocean crust ecosystems, suggesting that seabed fluid flow from these environments is delivering thermophiles to the cold ocean. These transport pathways may broadly influence microbial community composition in the marine environment.

Screening of polar components of petroleum products by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rostad, Colleen E.

2005-01-01

The polar components of fuels may enable differentiation between fuel types or commercial fuel sources. Screening for these components in the hydrocarbon product is difficult due to their very low concentrations in such a complex matrix. Various commercial fuels from several sources were analyzed by flow injection analysis/electrospray ionization/mass spectrometry without extensive sample preparation, separation, or chromatography. This technique enabled screening for unique polar components at very low concentrations in commercial hydrocarbon products. This analysis was then applied to hydrocarbon samples collected from the subsurface with a different extent of biodegradation or weathering. Although the alkane and isoprenoid portion had begun to biodegrade or weather, the polar components had changed little over time. Because these polar compounds are unique in different fuels, this screening technique can provide source information on hydrocarbons released into the environment.

The New Albany Shale Petroleum System, Illinois Basin - Data and Map Image Archive from the Material-Balance Assessment

USGS Publications Warehouse

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

2003-01-01

The data files and explanations presented in this report were used to generate published material-balance approach estimates of amounts of petroleum 1) expelled from a source rock, and the sum of 2) petroleum discovered in-place plus that lost due to 3) secondary migration within, or leakage or erosion from a petroleum system. This study includes assessment of cumulative production, known petroleum volume, and original oil in place for hydrocarbons that were generated from the New Albany Shale source rocks.More than 4.00 billion barrels of oil (BBO) have been produced from Pennsylvanian-, Mississippian-, Devonian-, and Silurian-age reservoirs in the New Albany Shale petroleum system. Known petroleum volume is 4.16 BBO; the average recovery factor is 103.9% of the current cumulative production. Known petroleum volume of oil is 36.22% of the total original oil in place of 11.45 BBO. More than 140.4 BBO have been generated from the Upper Devonian and Lower Mississippian New Albany Shale in the Illinois Basin. Approximately 86.29 billion barrels of oil that was trapped south of the Cottage Grove fault system were lost by erosion of reservoir intervals. The remaining 54.15 BBO are 21% of the hydrocarbons that were generated in the basin and are accounted for using production data. Included in this publication are 2D maps that show the distribution of production for different formations versus the Rock-Eval pyrolysis hydrogen-indices (HI) contours, and 3D images that show the close association between burial depth and HI values.The primary vertical migration pathway of oil and gas was through faults and fractures into overlying reservoir strata. About 66% of the produced oil is located within the generative basin, which is outlined by an HI contour of 400. The remaining production is concentrated within 30 miles (50 km) outside the 400 HI contour. The generative basin is subdivided by contours of progressively lower hydrogen indices that represent increased levels of thermal maturity and generative capacity of New Albany Shale source rocks. The generative basin was also divided into seven oil-migration catchments. The catchments were determined using a surface-flow hydrologic model with contoured HI values as input to the model.

Glossary: Chapter 29 in Petroleum systems and geologic assessment of oil and gas in the San Joaquin Basin Province, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Klett, T.R.; Schmoker, James W.; Charpentier, Ronald R.; Ahlbrandt, Thomas S.; Ulmishek, Gregory F.

2007-01-01

Selected terms of particular importance to the U.S. Geological Survey assessment of undiscovered resources in total petroleum systems are defined here. The definitions are intended to be generally explanatory rather than strictly technical. No attempt has been made to include a detailed listing of common industry definitions.

Late Jurassic – early Cretaceous inversion of rift structures, and linkage of petroleum system elements across post-rift unconformity, U.S. Chukchi Shelf, arctic Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Houseknecht, David W.; Connors, Christopher D.

2015-01-01

Oil-prone source rocks, reservoir-quality sandstone, migration pathways, and structural closure are linked intimately across the Jurassic unconformity, which reflects inversion. Thus, all these key petroleum systems elements were in place when Triassic source rocks entered the oil generation window during Cretaceous–Cenozoic stratigraphic burial.

Geologic Assessment of Undiscovered Gas Resources of the Eastern Oregon and Washington Province

USGS Publications Warehouse

U.S. Geological Survey Eastern Oregon and Washington Province Assessment Team, (compiler)

2008-01-01

The purpose of the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) National Oil and Gas Assessment is to develop geology-based hypotheses regarding the potential for additions to oil and gas reserves in priority areas of the United States, focusing on the distribution, quantity, and availability of oil and natural gas resources. The USGS has completed an assessment of the undiscovered oil and gas potential of the Eastern Oregon and Washington Province of Oregon and Washington (USGS Province 5005). The province is a priority Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA) province for the National Assessment because of its potential for oil and gas resources. The assessment of this province is based on geologic principles and uses the total petroleum system concept. The geologic elements of a total petroleum system include hydrocarbon source rocks (source rock maturation, hydrocarbon generation and migration), reservoir rocks (stratigraphy, sedimentology, petrophysical properties), and hydrocarbon traps (trap formation and timing). In the Eastern Oregon and Washington Province, the USGS used this geologic framework to define one total petroleum system and two assessment units within the total petroleum system, and quantitatively estimated the undiscovered gas resources within each assessment unit.

Petroleum system of Northwest Java basin based on gravity data analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Widianto, E.

2018-01-01

Energy management in the upstream oil and gas sector becomes very important for the country’s energy security. The renewal of energy resources and reserves becomes necessary and is a must. In the oil and gas industry, gravity data is usually used only for regional surveys, but with the development of instrumentation technology and gravity software development, this method can be used for assessing oil and gas survey stages from exploration to production. This study was conducted to evaluate aspects of petroleum system and exploration play concept in the part of Northwest Java Basin, covering source rock deposition regions (source kitchen area, migration direction), development of reservoirs, structural and stratigraphic trap, based on gravity data. This study uses data from Bouguer gravity anomaly map by filtering process to produce a residual map depicting sedimentation basin configuration. The mapping generated 20 sedimentary basins in Java Island with the total hydrocarbon resources of 113 BBOE (Billion Barrel of Oil Equivalent). The petroleum system analysis was conducted in the Northwest Basin section. The final map produced illustrates the condition of petroleum system and play concept that can be used as exploration direction, expectedly reducing the risk of drilling failure.

Petroleum systems and geologic assessment of undiscovered oil and gas, Cotton Valley group and Travis Peak-Hosston formations, East Texas basin and Louisiana-Mississippi salt basins provinces of the northern Gulf Coast region. Chapters 1-7.

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

2006-01-01

The purpose of the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) National Oil and Gas Assessment is to develop geologically based hypotheses regarding the potential for additions to oil and gas reserves in priority areas of the United States. The USGS recently completed an assessment of undiscovered oil and gas potential of the Cotton Valley Group and Travis Peak and Hosston Formations in the East Texas Basin and Louisiana-Mississippi Salt Basins Provinces in the Gulf Coast Region (USGS Provinces 5048 and 5049). The Cotton Valley Group and Travis Peak and Hosston Formations are important because of their potential for natural gas resources. This assessment is based on geologic principles and uses the total petroleum system concept. The geologic elements of a total petroleum system include hydrocarbon source rocks (source rock maturation, hydrocarbon generation and migration), reservoir rocks (sequence stratigraphy and petrophysical properties), and hydrocarbon traps (trap formation and timing). The USGS used this geologic framework to define one total petroleum system and eight assessment units. Seven assessment units were quantitatively assessed for undiscovered oil and gas resources.

Estimating thermal maturity in the Eagle Ford Shale petroleum system using gas gravity data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Birdwell, Justin E.; Kinney, Scott A.

2017-01-01

Basin-wide datasets that provide information on the geochemical properties of petroleum systems, such as source rock quality, product composition, and thermal maturity, are often difficult to come by or assemble from publically available data. When published studies are available and include these kinds of properties, they generally have few sampling locations and limited numbers and types of analyses. Therefore, production-related data and engineering parameters can provide useful proxies for geochemical properties that are often widely available across a play and in some states are reported in publically available or commercial databases. Gas-oil ratios (GOR) can be calculated from instantaneous or cumulative production data and can be related to the source rock geochemical properties like kerogen type (Lewan and Henry, 1999) and thermal maturity (Tian et al., 2013; U.S. Energy Information Administration [EIA], 2014). Oil density or specific gravity (SG), often reported in American Petroleum Institute units (°API = 141.5 /SG – 131.5), can also provide information on source rock thermal maturity, particularly when combined with GOR values in unconventional petroleum systems (Nesheim, 2017).

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

Graham, R.; Howe, S.; O`Leary, J.

The Piedemonte Llanero petroleum trend of the Cordillera Oriental in Colombia has proven to be one of the most prolific hydrocarbon provinces discovered in recent years. The Piedemonte Llanero is a fold and thrust belt of complex, multi-phase structuration and hydrocarbon generation. Following the discovery of the Cusiana and Cupiagua fields in the southern part of the trend, BP and its partners began exploration further to the northeast. Early seismic data showed the existence of two structural trends: the frontal (or basal) thrust trend, with structures similar to Cusiana; and the overthrust (or duplex) trend, with multiple imbricated structures. Improvedmore » quality seismic data defined the gross structures and allowed them to be successfully drilled, but did not give a constrained model for the kinematic evolution of the fold and thrust belt nor the petroleum play. This resulted in no clear predictive models for reservoir quality and hydrocarbon phase distribution in the undrilled parts of the trend. A wide variety of geological and geochemical analytical techniques including biostratigraphy, reservoir petrology, petroleum geochemistry, thermal maturity data, basin modelling and fluid inclusion studies were undertaken. These were iteratively integrated into the seismo-structural model to develop a constrained interpretation for the evolution of the Piedemonte Llanero petroleum system. This paper summarizes the current understanding of the structural evolution of the trend and the development of a major petroleum system. A companion paper details the reservoir petrography and petroleum geochemistry studies.« less

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

Jacobsen, A. J.

In a method of the type where petrol is recovered from a mixture of petrol vapor and air by absorption of the petrol in a cooled petroleum distillate, a petroleum distillate having a boiling point range higher than that of the petrol is used, and this petroleum distillate is in sequence cooled by heat exchange with a cold reservoir, brought into direct contact with the petrol/air mixture to absorb petrol, transferred to a buffer tank and transferred from the buffer tank to a stripping means which may be a distillation column. By combining cooling condensation and absorption of the petrolmore » vapor and controlling the amount of cooled petroleum distillate brought into contact with the petrol/air mixture so that the petrol concentration in the petroleum distillate transferred to the buffer tank is substantially constant, an unprecedented optimum control of the petrol absorbing process can be obtained both in peak load and in average load operations. A system for carrying out the method is advantageous in that only the absorption means need be dimensioned for peak load operation, while the other components, such as the distillation column or a heat exchanger with associated conduits can be dimensioned for average loads, a buffer tank being provided to temporarily receive the petroleum distillate which owing to the above-mentioned control has a substantially constant, maximum petrol concentration so that the system can cope with peak loads with a surprisingly small buffer tank.« less

Subsurface damage detection in non-ferrous systems using 3D synchronous magnetic inspection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gray, David; Berry, David

2018-04-01

Prime Photonics is developing a non-destructive inspection (NDI) technology, 3-D synchronous magnetic imaging system (3-D SMIS), that uses synchronous detection of magnetic signatures resulting from ultrasonic excitation to measure both surface and subsurface flaws in conductive structures. 3-D SMIS is showing promise in a wide range of NDI/NDE uses including characterizing surface-breaking cracks in ferrous and non-ferrous materials, locating and characterizing subsurface cracks within nonferrous conductive materials (Ti 6-4 and carbon fiber composites), and characterization of subsurface residual stresses. The technology offers a non-contact, high resolution inspection technique that does not require austere environments, and can accommodate non-planar specimen geometries.

SITE TECHNOLOGY CAPSULE: SUBSURFACE VOLATILIZATION AND VENTILATION SYSTEM (SVVS)

EPA Science Inventory

The Subsurface Volatilization and Ventilation System is an integrated technology used for attacking all phases of volatile organic compound (VOC) contamination in soil and groundwater. The SVVS technology promotes insitu remediation of soil and groundwater contaminated with or-ga...

Guidelines for the design of subsurface drainage systems for highway structural sections

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1972-06-01

Design criteria and a design method for pavement subsurface drainage systems include inflow-outflow method of analysis, open graded drainage layers, collector drains, pipe outlets and markers. Design examples are given for embankment sections, cut se...

A Mobile Acoustic Subsurface Sensing (MASS) System for Rapid Roadway Assessment

PubMed Central

Lu, Yifeng; Zhang, Yi; Cao, Yinghong; McDaniel, J. Gregory; Wang, Ming L.

2013-01-01

Surface waves are commonly used for vibration-based nondestructive testing for infrastructure. Spectral Analysis of Surface Waves (SASW) has been used to detect subsurface properties for geologic inspections. Recently, efforts were made to scale down these subsurface detection approaches to see how they perform on small-scale structures such as concrete slabs and pavements. Additional efforts have been made to replace the traditional surface-mounted transducers with non-contact acoustic transducers. Though some success has been achieved, most of these new approaches are inefficient because they require point-to-point measurements or off-line signal analysis. This article introduces a Mobile Acoustic Subsurface Sensing system as MASS, which is an improved surface wave based implementation for measuring the subsurface profile of roadways. The compact MASS system is a 3-wheeled cart outfitted with an electromagnetic impact source, distance register, non-contact acoustic sensors and data acquisition/processing equipment. The key advantage of the MASS system is the capability to collect measurements continuously at walking speed in an automatic way. The fast scan and real-time analysis advantages are based upon the non-contact acoustic sensing and fast air-coupled surface wave analysis program. This integration of hardware and software makes the MASS system an efficient mobile prototype for the field test. PMID:23698266

Biofilm formation and potential for iron cycling in serpentinization-influenced groundwater of the Zambales and Coast Range ophiolites.

PubMed

Meyer-Dombard, D'Arcy R; Casar, Caitlin P; Simon, Alexander G; Cardace, Dawn; Schrenk, Matthew O; Arcilla, Carlo A

2018-05-01

Terrestrial serpentinizing systems harbor microbial subsurface life. Passive or active microbially mediated iron transformations at alkaline conditions in deep biosphere serpentinizing ecosystems are understudied. We explore these processes in the Zambales (Philippines) and Coast Range (CA, USA) ophiolites, and associated surface ecosystems by probing the relevance of samples acquired at the surface to in situ, subsurface ecosystems, and the nature of microbe-mineral associations in the subsurface. In this pilot study, we use microcosm experiments and batch culturing directed at iron redox transformations to confirm thermodynamically based predictions that iron transformations may be important in subsurface serpentinizing ecosystems. Biofilms formed on rock cores from the Zambales ophiolite on surface and in-pit associations, confirming that organisms from serpentinizing systems can form biofilms in subsurface environments. Analysis by XPS and FTIR confirmed that enrichment culturing utilizing ferric iron growth substrates produced reduced, magnetic solids containing siderite, spinels, and FeO minerals. Microcosms and enrichment cultures supported organisms whose near relatives participate in iron redox transformations. Further, a potential 'principal' microbial community common to solid samples in serpentinizing systems was identified. These results indicate collectively that iron redox transformations should be more thoroughly and universally considered when assessing the function of terrestrial subsurface ecosystems driven by serpentinization.

Navy mobility fuels forecasting system report: World petroleum trade forecasts for the year 2000

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

Das, S.

1991-12-01

The Middle East will continue to play the dominant role of a petroleum supplier in the world oil market in the year 2000, according to business-as-usual forecasts published by the US Department of Energy. However, interesting trade patterns will emerge as a result of the democratization in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. US petroleum imports will increase from 46% in 1989 to 49% in 2000. A significantly higher level of US petroleum imports (principally products) will be coming from Japan, the Soviet Union, and Eastern Europe. Several regions, the Far East, Japan, Latin American, and Africa will import moremore » petroleum. Much uncertainty remains about of the level future Soviet crude oil production. USSR net petroleum exports will decrease; however, the United States and Canada will receive some of their imports from the Soviet Union due to changes in the world trade patterns. The Soviet Union can avoid becoming a net petroleum importer as long as it (1) maintains enough crude oil production to meet its own consumption and (2) maintains its existing refining capacities. Eastern Europe will import approximately 50% of its crude oil from the Middle East.« less

In search of a Silurian total petroleum system in the Appalachian basin of New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia: Chapter G.11 in Coal and petroleum resources in the Appalachian basin: distribution, geologic framework, and geochemical character

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ryder, Robert T.; Swezey, Christopher S.; Trippi, Michael H.; Lentz, Erika E.; Avary, K. Lee; Harper, John A.; Kappel, William M.; Rea, Ronald G.; Ruppert, Leslie F.; Ryder, Robert T.

2014-01-01

Although the TOC analyses in this study indicate that good to very good source rocks are present in the Salina Group and Wills Creek Formation of southwestern Pennsylvania and northern West Virginia, data are insufficient to propose a new Silurian total petroleum system in the Appalachian basin. However, the analytical results of this investigation are encouraging enough to undertake more systematic studies of the source rock potential of the Salina Group, Wills Creek Formation, and perhaps the Tonoloway Formation (Limestone) and McKenzie Limestone (or Member).

The Putumayo-Oriente-Maranon Province of Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru; Mesozoic-Cenozoic and Paleozoic petroleum systems

USGS Publications Warehouse

Higley, D.K.

2001-01-01

This report is an evaluation of oil and gas resources for petroleum systems of the Putumayo-Oriente-Maranon province of Columbia, Ecuador, and Peru. This assessment is a product of the World Energy Project of the U.S. Geological Survey, under the direction of Thomas Ahlbrandt. Described in this explanation of the petroleum geology of the Putumayo-Oriente-Maranon province are thermal maturation of hydrocarbon source rocks, primary reservoir formations, areas and volumes of oil and (or) gas production, and the history of exploration. Complete oil and gas resource assessment results are planned for a later publication, although some data and results are contained in this report.

Hydrocarbon composition and concentrations in the Gulf of Mexico sediments in the 3 years following the Macondo well blowout.

PubMed

Babcock-Adams, Lydia; Chanton, Jeffrey P; Joye, Samantha B; Medeiros, Patricia M

2017-10-01

In April of 2010, the Macondo well blowout in the northern Gulf of Mexico resulted in an unprecedented release of oil into the water column at a depth of approximately 1500 m. A time series of surface and subsurface sediment samples were collected to the northwest of the well from 2010 to 2013 for molecular biomarker and bulk carbon isotopic analyses. While no clear trend was observed in subsurface sediments, surface sediments (0-3 cm) showed a clear pattern with total concentrations of n-alkanes, unresolved complex mixture (UCM), and petroleum biomarkers (terpanes, hopanes, steranes) increasing from May to September 2010, peaking in late November 2010, and strongly decreasing in the subsequent years. The peak in hydrocarbon concentrations were corroborated by higher organic carbon contents, more depleted Δ 14 C values and biomarker ratios similar to those of the initial MC252 crude oil reported in the literature. These results indicate that at least part of oil discharged from the accident sedimented to the seafloor in subsequent months, resulting in an apparent accumulation of hydrocarbons on the seabed by the end of 2010. Sediment resuspension and transport or biodegradation may account for the decrease in sedimented oil quantities in the years following the Macondo well spill. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Environmental probabilistic quantitative assessment methodologies

USGS Publications Warehouse

Crovelli, R.A.

1995-01-01

In this paper, four petroleum resource assessment methodologies are presented as possible pollution assessment methodologies, even though petroleum as a resource is desirable, whereas pollution is undesirable. A methodology is defined in this paper to consist of a probability model and a probabilistic method, where the method is used to solve the model. The following four basic types of probability models are considered: 1) direct assessment, 2) accumulation size, 3) volumetric yield, and 4) reservoir engineering. Three of the four petroleum resource assessment methodologies were written as microcomputer systems, viz. TRIAGG for direct assessment, APRAS for accumulation size, and FASPU for reservoir engineering. A fourth microcomputer system termed PROBDIST supports the three assessment systems. The three assessment systems have different probability models but the same type of probabilistic method. The type of advantages of the analytic method are in computational speed and flexibility, making it ideal for a microcomputer. -from Author

Executive Summary -- assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources of the San Joaquin Basin Province of California, 2003: Chapter 1 in Petroleum systems and geologic assessment of oil and gas in the San Joaquin Basin Province, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gautier, Donald L.; Scheirer, Allegra Hosford; Tennyson, Marilyn E.; Peters, Kenneth E.; Magoon, Leslie B.; Lillis, Paul G.; Charpentier, Ronald R.; Cook, Troy A.; French, Christopher D.; Klett, Timothy R.; Pollastro, Richard M.; Schenk, Christopher J.

2007-01-01

In 2003, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) completed an assessment of the oil and gas resource potential of the San Joaquin Basin Province of California (fig. 1.1). The assessment is based on the geologic elements of each Total Petroleum System defined in the province, including hydrocarbon source rocks (source-rock type and maturation and hydrocarbon generation and migration), reservoir rocks (sequence stratigraphy and petrophysical properties), and hydrocarbon traps (trap formation and timing). Using this geologic framework, the USGS defined five total petroleum systems and ten assessment units within these systems. Undiscovered oil and gas resources were quantitatively estimated for the ten assessment units (table 1.1). In addition, the potential was estimated for further growth of reserves in existing oil fields of the San Joaquin Basin.

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.

Global Petroleum Corporation (MA0003425) | NPDES | New ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

2017-04-10

EPA and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MADEP) have developed final National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits for seven bulk petroleum storage facilities located along Chelsea River (Creek) in Chelsea and Revere, Massachusetts to meet the requirements of the Clean Water Act.

Effect of subsurface heterogeneity on free-product recovery from unconfined aquifers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaluarachchi, Jagath J.

1996-03-01

Free-product record system designs for light-hydrocarbon-contaminated sites were investigated to evaluate the effects of subsurface heterogeneity using a vertically integrated three-phase flow model. The input stochastic variable of the areal flow analysis was the log-intrinsic permeability and it was generated using the Turning Band method. The results of a series of hypothetical field-scale simulations showed that subsurface heterogeneity has a substantial effect on free-product recovery predictions. As the heterogeneity increased, the recoverable oil volume decreased and the residual trapped oil volume increased. As the subsurface anisotropy increased, these effects together with free- and total-oil contaminated areas were further enhanced. The use of multiple-stage water pumping was found to be insignificant compared to steady uniform pumping due to reduced recovery efficiency and increased residual oil volume. This observation was opposite to that produced under homogeneous scenarios. The effect of subsurface heterogeneity was enhanced at relatively low water pumping rates. The difference in results produced by homogeneous and heterogeneous simulations was substantial, indicating greater attention should be paid in modeling free-product recovery systems with appropriate subsurface heterogeneity.

GEOTHERMAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT: SUBSURFACE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR FOUR GEOTHERMAL SYSTEMS

EPA Science Inventory

This is the second in a series of reports concerning the environmental assessments of effluent extraction, energy conversion, and waste disposal in geothermal systems. This study involves the subsurface environmental impact of the Imperial Valley and The Geysers, California; Klam...

Seismic reflection and structuring characterization of deep aquifer system in the Dakhla syncline (Cap Bon, North-Eastern Tunisia)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bellali, Abir; Jarraya Horriche, Faten; Gabtni, Hakim; Bédir, Mourad

2018-04-01

The Dakhla syncline is located in the North-Eastern Tunisia. It is bounded by Abd El Rahmene anticline to the North-West, El Haouaria Graben to the North-East, Grombalia Graben to the South-West and the Mediterranean Sea to the East. The main aquifer reservoirs of Dakhla syncline are constituted by stacks of fluvial to deltaic Neogene sequences and carbonates. The interpretation of eight seismic reflection profiles, calibrated by wire line logging data of three oil wells, hydraulic wells and geologic field sections highlighted the impact of tectonics on the structuring geometry of aquifers and their distribution in elevated structures and subsurface depressions. Lithostratigraphic correlations and seismic profiles analysis through the syncline show that the principal aquifers are thickest within the central and northern part of the study area and thinnest to the southern part of the syncline. Seismic sections shows that the fracture/fault pattern in this syncline is mainly concentrated along corridors with a major direction of NW-SE and secondary directions of N-S, E-W and NE-SW with different release. This is proved by the complexity structure of Eastern Tunisia, resulted from the interaction between the African and Eurasiatic plates. Isochron maps of aquifers systems exhibited the structuring of this syncline in sub-surface characterized by important lateral and vertical geometric and thickness variations. Seismic sections L1, L2, L3, L4, L5 and petroleum wells showed an heterogeneous multilayer aquifers of Miocene formed by the arrangement of ten sandstone bodies, separated by impermeable clay packages. Oligo-Miocene deposits correspond to the most great potential aquifers, with respectively an average transmissivity estimated: Somaa aquifer 6.5 10-4 m2/s, Sandstone level aquifer 2.6 10-3 m2/s, Beglia aquifer 1.1 10-3 m2/s, Ain Ghrab aquifer 1.3 10-4 m2/s and Oligocene aquifer 2 10-3 m2/s. The interpretation of spatial variations of seismic units and the recognition of tectonic structures and their development may reveal some new insights for hydrogeological aspects.

New insight on petroleum system modeling of Ghadames basin, Libya

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bora, Deepender; Dubey, Siddharth

2015-12-01

Underdown and Redfern (2008) performed a detailed petroleum system modeling of the Ghadames basin along an E-W section. However, hydrocarbon generation, migration and accumulation changes significantly across the basin due to complex geological history. Therefore, a single section can't be considered representative for the whole basin. This study aims at bridging this gap by performing petroleum system modeling along a N-S section and provides new insights on source rock maturation, generation and migration of the hydrocarbons using 2D basin modeling. This study in conjunction with earlier work provides a 3D context of petroleum system modeling in the Ghadames basin. Hydrocarbon generation from the lower Silurian Tanezzuft formation and the Upper Devonian Aouinet Ouenine started during the late Carboniferous. However, high subsidence rate during middle to late Cretaceous and elevated heat flow in Cenozoic had maximum impact on source rock transformation and hydrocarbon generation whereas large-scale uplift and erosion during Alpine orogeny has significant impact on migration and accumulation. Visible migration observed along faults, which reactivated during Austrian unconformity. Peak hydrocarbon expulsion reached during Oligocene for both the Tanezzuft and the Aouinet Ouenine source rocks. Based on modeling results, capillary entry pressure driven downward expulsion of hydrocarbons from the lower Silurian Tanezzuft formation to the underlying Bir Tlacsin formation observed during middle Cretaceous. Kinetic modeling has helped to model hydrocarbon composition and distribution of generated hydrocarbons from both the source rocks. Application of source to reservoir tracking technology suggest some accumulations at shallow stratigraphic level has received hydrocarbons from both the Tanezzuft and Aouinet Ouenine source rocks, implying charge mixing. Five petroleum systems identified based on source to reservoir correlation technology in Petromod*. This Study builds upon the original work of Underdown and Redfern, 2008 and offers new insights and interpretation of the data.

Object detection with a multistatic array using singular value decomposition

DOEpatents

Hallquist, Aaron T.; Chambers, David H.

2014-07-01

A method and system for detecting the presence of subsurface objects within a medium is provided. In some embodiments, the detection system operates in a multistatic mode to collect radar return signals generated by an array of transceiver antenna pairs that is positioned across a surface and that travels down the surface. The detection system converts the return signals from a time domain to a frequency domain, resulting in frequency return signals. The detection system then performs a singular value decomposition for each frequency to identify singular values for each frequency. The detection system then detects the presence of a subsurface object based on a comparison of the identified singular values to expected singular values when no subsurface object is present.

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

Hydrocarbon Degradation in Caspian Sea Sediment Cores Subjected to Simulated Petroleum Seepage in a Newly Designed Sediment-Oil-Flow-Through System.

PubMed

Mishra, Sonakshi; Wefers, Peggy; Schmidt, Mark; Knittel, Katrin; Krüger, Martin; Stagars, Marion H; Treude, Tina

2017-01-01

The microbial community response to petroleum seepage was investigated in a whole round sediment core (16 cm length) collected nearby natural hydrocarbon seepage structures in the Caspian Sea, using a newly developed Sediment-Oil-Flow-Through (SOFT) system. Distinct redox zones established and migrated vertically in the core during the 190 days-long simulated petroleum seepage. Methanogenic petroleum degradation was indicated by an increase in methane concentration from 8 μM in an untreated core compared to 2300 μM in the lower sulfate-free zone of the SOFT core at the end of the experiment, accompanied by a respective decrease in the δ 13 C signal of methane from -33.7 to -49.5‰. The involvement of methanogens in petroleum degradation was further confirmed by methane production in enrichment cultures from SOFT sediment after the addition of hexadecane, methylnapthalene, toluene, and ethylbenzene. Petroleum degradation coupled to sulfate reduction was indicated by the increase of integrated sulfate reduction rates from 2.8 SO 4 2- m -2 day -1 in untreated cores to 5.7 mmol SO 4 2- m -2 day -1 in the SOFT core at the end of the experiment, accompanied by a respective accumulation of sulfide from 30 to 447 μM. Volatile hydrocarbons (C2-C6 n -alkanes) passed through the methanogenic zone mostly unchanged and were depleted within the sulfate-reducing zone. The amount of heavier n -alkanes (C10-C38) decreased step-wise toward the top of the sediment core and a preferential degradation of shorter (C30) was seen during the seepage. This study illustrates, to the best of our knowledge, for the first time the development of methanogenic petroleum degradation and the succession of benthic microbial processes during petroleum passage in a whole round sediment core.

Hydrocarbon Degradation in Caspian Sea Sediment Cores Subjected to Simulated Petroleum Seepage in a Newly Designed Sediment-Oil-Flow-Through System

PubMed Central

Mishra, Sonakshi; Wefers, Peggy; Schmidt, Mark; Knittel, Katrin; Krüger, Martin; Stagars, Marion H.; Treude, Tina

2017-01-01

The microbial community response to petroleum seepage was investigated in a whole round sediment core (16 cm length) collected nearby natural hydrocarbon seepage structures in the Caspian Sea, using a newly developed Sediment-Oil-Flow-Through (SOFT) system. Distinct redox zones established and migrated vertically in the core during the 190 days-long simulated petroleum seepage. Methanogenic petroleum degradation was indicated by an increase in methane concentration from 8 μM in an untreated core compared to 2300 μM in the lower sulfate-free zone of the SOFT core at the end of the experiment, accompanied by a respective decrease in the δ13C signal of methane from -33.7 to -49.5‰. The involvement of methanogens in petroleum degradation was further confirmed by methane production in enrichment cultures from SOFT sediment after the addition of hexadecane, methylnapthalene, toluene, and ethylbenzene. Petroleum degradation coupled to sulfate reduction was indicated by the increase of integrated sulfate reduction rates from 2.8 SO42-m-2 day-1 in untreated cores to 5.7 mmol SO42-m-2 day-1 in the SOFT core at the end of the experiment, accompanied by a respective accumulation of sulfide from 30 to 447 μM. Volatile hydrocarbons (C2–C6 n-alkanes) passed through the methanogenic zone mostly unchanged and were depleted within the sulfate-reducing zone. The amount of heavier n-alkanes (C10–C38) decreased step-wise toward the top of the sediment core and a preferential degradation of shorter (C30) was seen during the seepage. This study illustrates, to the best of our knowledge, for the first time the development of methanogenic petroleum degradation and the succession of benthic microbial processes during petroleum passage in a whole round sediment core. PMID:28503172

Use of iodine surface geochemical surveys in the Lodgepole and Minnelusa plays, U.S. northern Rockies

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

Tedesco, S.A.; Bretz, S.

1995-06-05

The use of surface geochemistry is becoming more prevalent in oil exploration, especially for focusing specific target areas for 2D and 3D seismic surveys. Presented here are two surface geochemical surveys utilizing the iodine method in delineating Upper Minnelusa sands of Permian age in the Powder River basin and Lodgepole Waulsortian-like mounds of Mississippian age in the Williston basin. Iodine is an indirect indicator of a petroleum accumulation at depth. Increases in iodine anomalies are caused by the presence of petroleum seepage in the upper part of the soil section. In the very shallow surface, less than 10 ft, amore » reaction occurs between hydrocarbons and iodine under sunlight forming inorganic compounds. The source of the iodine is either from minerals in the soil and/or from the atmosphere with ultraviolet light as the initiator of the reaction. Any iodine in the subsurface could not migrate far in the presence of hydrocarbons and due to its large molecular size. The compounds that form in the soil remain solid and are relatively difficult to remove. Any surface geochemical anomaly needs to be followed by seismic in order to provide a specific drilling target. If a surface geochemical survey is properly designed and implemented, when no anomaly is present, then to date regardless of the type of method used the results have been dry holes. If a surface geochemical anomaly is present, the intensity, areal extent, and quality of the anomaly cannot determine the economic viability of the accumulation of depth, but there is a significant increase in the success rate. The best utilization of these methods is to determine areas where there is no possibility of finding petroleum and focusing on areas that do. In the case of the Lodgepole and Minnelusa plays, surface geochemistry allows a low cost approach and helps focus and minimize 2D and 3D survey costs.« less

[Characterizing composition and transformation of dissolved organic matter in subsurface wastewater infiltration system].

PubMed

Wang, Li-Jun; Liu, Yu-Zhong; Zhang, Lie-Yu; Xi, Bei-Dou; Xia, Xun-Feng; Liu, Ya-Ru

2013-08-01

In the present study, the soil column with radius of 30 cm and height of 200 cm was used to simulate a subsurface wastewater infiltration system. Under the hydraulic loading of 4 cm x d(-1), composition and transformation of dissolved organic matter (DOM) from different depths were analyzed in a subsurface wastewater infiltration system for treatment of septic tank effluent using three-dimensional excitation emission matrix fluorescence spectroscopy (3D-EEM) with regional integration analysis (FRI). The results indicate that: (1) from different depth, the composition of DOM was also different; influent with the depth of 0.5 m was mainly composed of protein-like substances, and that at other depths was mainly composed of humic- and fulvic-like substances. (2) DOM stability gradually increased and part of the nonbiodegradable organic matter can be removed during organic pollutants degradation process. (3) Not only the organic pollutants concentration was reduced effectively, but also the stability of the DOM improved in subsurface wastewater infiltration system.

Data on subsurface storage of liquid waste near Pensacola, Florida, 1963-1980

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hull, R.W.; Martin, J.B.

1982-01-01

Since 1963, when industrial waste was first injected into the subsurface in northwest Florida, considerable data have been collected relating to the geochemistry of subsurface waste storage. This report presents hydrogeologic data on two subsurface waste storage. This report presents hydrogeologic data on two subsurface storage systems near Pensacola, Fla., which inject liquid industrial waste through deep wells into a saline aquifer. Injection sites are described giving a history of well construction, injection, and testing; geologic data from cores and grab samples; hydrographs of injection rates, volume, pressure, and water levels; and chemical and physical data from water-quality samples collected from injection and monitor wells. (USGS)

Spot restoration for GPR image post-processing

DOEpatents

Paglieroni, David W; Beer, N. Reginald

2014-05-20

A method and system for detecting the presence of subsurface objects within a medium is provided. In some embodiments, the imaging and detection system operates in a multistatic mode to collect radar return signals generated by an array of transceiver antenna pairs that is positioned across the surface and that travels down the surface. The imaging and detection system pre-processes the return signal to suppress certain undesirable effects. The imaging and detection system then generates synthetic aperture radar images from real aperture radar images generated from the pre-processed return signal. The imaging and detection system then post-processes the synthetic aperture radar images to improve detection of subsurface objects. The imaging and detection system identifies peaks in the energy levels of the post-processed image frame, which indicates the presence of a subsurface object.

Buried object detection in GPR images

DOEpatents

Paglieroni, David W; Chambers, David H; Bond, Steven W; Beer, W. Reginald

2014-04-29

A method and system for detecting the presence of subsurface objects within a medium is provided. In some embodiments, the imaging and detection system operates in a multistatic mode to collect radar return signals generated by an array of transceiver antenna pairs that is positioned across the surface and that travels down the surface. The imaging and detection system pre-processes the return signal to suppress certain undesirable effects. The imaging and detection system then generates synthetic aperture radar images from real aperture radar images generated from the pre-processed return signal. The imaging and detection system then post-processes the synthetic aperture radar images to improve detection of subsurface objects. The imaging and detection system identifies peaks in the energy levels of the post-processed image frame, which indicates the presence of a subsurface object.

Potential effects of alpha-recoil on uranium-series dating of calcrete

USGS Publications Warehouse

Neymark, L.A.

2011-01-01

Evaluation of paleosol ages in the vicinity of Yucca Mountain, Nevada, at the time the site of a proposed high-level nuclear waste repository, is important for fault-displacement hazard assessment. Uranium-series isotope data were obtained for surface and subsurface calcrete samples from trenches and boreholes in Midway Valley, Nevada, adjacent to Yucca Mountain. 230Th/U ages of 33 surface samples range from 1.3 to 423 thousand years (ka) and the back-calculated 234U/238U initial activity ratios (AR) are relatively constant with a mean value of 1.54 ± 0.15 (1σ), which is consistent with the closed-system behavior. Subsurface calcrete samples are too old to be dated by the 230Th/U method. U-Pb data for post-pedogenic botryoidal opal from a subsurface calcrete sample show that these subsurface calcrete samples are older than ~ 1.65 million years (Ma), old enough to have attained secular equilibrium had their U-Th systems remained closed. However, subsurface calcrete samples show U-series disequilibrium indicating open-system behavior of 238U daughter isotopes, in contrast with the surface calcrete, where open-system behavior is not evident. Data for 21 subsurface calcrete samples yielded calculable 234U/238U model ages ranging from 130 to 1875 ka (assuming an initial AR of 1.54 ± 0.15, the mean value calculated for the surface calcrete samples). A simple model describing continuous α-recoil loss predicts that the 234U/238U and 230Th/238U ARs reach steady-state values ~ 2 Ma after calcrete formation. Potential effects of open-system behavior on 230Th/U ages and initial 234U/238U ARs for younger surface calcrete were estimated using data for old subsurface calcrete samples with the 234U loss and assuming that the total time of water-rock interaction is the only difference between these soils. The difference between the conventional closed-system and open-system ages may exceed errors of the calculated conventional ages for samples older than ~ 250 ka, but is negligible for younger soils.

Anti-inflammatory activity of Albizia lebbeck Benth., an ethnomedicinal plant, in acute and chronic animal models of inflammation.

PubMed

Babu, N Prakash; Pandikumar, P; Ignacimuthu, S

2009-09-07

Albizia lebbeck Benth. is used both in Indian traditional system and folk medicine to treat several inflammatory pathologies such as asthma, arthritis and burns. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the scientific basis of anti-inflammatory activity of different organic solvent extracts of Albizia lebbeck. The anti-inflammatory activity of Albizia lebbeck was studied using the carrageenan, dextran, cotton pellet and Freund's complete adjuvant induced rat models. The extracts obtained using petroleum ether, chloroform and ethanol were administered at the concentrations of 100, 200 and 400mg/kg body weight. The petroleum ether and ethanol extracts at 400mg/kg, showed maximum inhibition of inflammation induced by carrageenan (petroleum ether-48.6%; ethanol-59.57%), dextran (petroleum ether-45.99%; ethanol-52.93%), cotton pellet (petroleum ether-34.46%; ethanol-53.57%) and Freund's adjuvant (petroleum ether-64.97%; ethanol-68.57%). The marked inhibitory effect on paw edema shows that Albizia lebbeck possesses remarkable anti-inflammatory activity, supporting the folkloric usage of the plant to treat various inflammatory diseases.

Geologic Assessment of Undiscovered, Technically Recoverable Coalbed-Gas Resources in Cretaceous and Tertiary Rocks, North Slope and Adjacent State Waters, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Roberts, Stephen B.

2008-01-01

The purpose of the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) National Oil and Gas Assessment is to develop geology-based hypotheses regarding the potential for additions to oil and gas reserves in priority areas of the United States, focusing on the distribution, quantity, and availability of oil and natural gas resources. The USGS has completed an assessment of the undiscovered, technically recoverable coalbed-gas resources in Cretaceous and Tertiary rocks underlying the North Slope and adjacent State waters of Alaska (USGS Northern Alaska Province 5001). The province is a priority Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA) province for the National Assessment because of its potential for oil and gas resources. The assessment of this province is based on geologic principles and uses the total petroleum system concept. The geologic elements of a total petroleum system include hydrocarbon source rocks (source rock maturation, hydrocarbon generation and migration), reservoir rocks (stratigraphy, sedimentology, petrophysical properties), and hydrocarbon traps (trap formation and timing). In the Northern Alaska Province, the USGS used this geologic framework to define one composite coalbed gas total petroleum system and three coalbed gas assessment units within the petroleum system, and quantitatively estimated the undiscovered coalbed-gas resources within each assessment unit.

Make it fun for everyone: visualization techniques in geoscience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Portnov, A.; Sojtaric, M.

2017-12-01

We live on a planet that mostly consists of oceans, but most people cannot picture what the surface and the subsurface of the ocean floor looks like. Marine geophysics has traditionally been difficult to explain to general public as most of what we do happens beyond the visual realm of an average audience. However, recent advances in 3D visualization of scientific data is one of the tools we can employ to better explain complex systems through gripping visual content. Coupled with a narrative approach, this type of visualization can open up a whole new and relatively little known world of science to general public. Up-to-date remote-sensing methods provide unique data of surface of seabed and subsurface all over the planet. Modern software can present this data in a spectacular way and with great scientific accuracy, making it attractive both for specialists and non-specialists in geoscience. As an example, we present several visualizations, which in simple way tell stories of various research in the remote parts of the World, such as Arctic regions and deep ocean in the Gulf of Mexico. Diverse datasets: multibeam echosounding; hydrographic survey; seismic and borehole data are put together to build up perfectly geo-referenced environment, showing the complexity of geological processes on our planet. Some of the data was collected 10-15 years ago, but acquired its new life with the help of new data visualization techniques. Every digital object with assigned coordinates, including 2D pictures and 3D models may become a part of this virtual geologic environment, limiting the potential of geo-visualization only by the imagination of a scientist. Presented videos have an apparent scientific focus on marine geology and geophysics, since the data was collected by several research and petroleum organizations, specialized in this field. The stories which we tell in this way may, for example, provide the public with further insight in complexities surrounding natural subsea gas storage and release.

Global energy shifts: Future possibilities in historical perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Podobnik, Bruce Michael

2000-11-01

This study adopts a macro-comparative, world-systems perspective in order to shed light on the dynamics that led to a global shift away from primary reliance on coal and towards over-reliance on petroleum. It is argued that the interaction of three global dynamics, those of geopolitical rivalry, commercial competition, and social unrest, undermined the nineteenth-century international coal system and paved the way for the consolidation of an international petroleum system in the twentieth century. Specifically, the historical analysis presented in this dissertation shows that: (1) intervention by state agents was absolutely crucial in the early development and later expansion of the international petroleum system; (2) private coal companies attempted to prevent the consolidation of an oil-based energy system, but these older companies were out-competed by newer, multinational petroleum corporations; and (3) waves of labor unrest in established coal industries played a key role in prompting a relatively rapid shift away from coal and towards petroleum. Indeed, a key conclusion of this study is that pressures exerted by such social movements as labor unions, nationalist movements, and environmental coalitions have played as important a role in influencing energy trajectories as the more commonly-recognized actions of governmental and corporate actors. By examining contemporary patterns of state and private investments in a cluster of new energy technologies, as well as the growing influence of environmental regulations it is argued that global dynamics are beginning to favor a shift towards new, more environmentally sustainable energy technologies. The fuel cell is highlighted as one new energy technology that is poised to enter into widespread diffusion in the coming decades, though potentials for expansions in wind, solar, small-scale hydro-electric, and modern biomass systems are also examined. Although significant hurdles must be overcome, this study concludes by suggesting reasons why a shift towards a more sustainable global energy system can be carried out in the twenty-first century.

48 CFR 908.7109 - Fuels and packaged petroleum products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... petroleum products. 908.7109 Section 908.7109 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY COMPETITION ACQUISITION PLANNING REQUIRED SOURCES OF SUPPLIES AND SERVICES Acquisition of Special Items 908... with 951, to acquire such products from Defense sources, they shall do so in accordance with FPMR 41...

Comparative Electrocardiographic, Autonomic, and Systemic Inflammatory Responses to Soy Biodiesel and Petroleum Diesel Emissions in Rats

EPA Science Inventory

CONTEXT: 8iodiesel fuel represents an alternative to high particulate matter (PM)-emitting petroleum-based diesel fuels, yet uncertainty remains regarding potential biodiesel combustion emission health impacts.OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare cardiovascular res...

40 CFR 86.1509 - Exhaust gas sampling system.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Otto-Cycle Heavy-Duty Engines, New Methanol-Fueled Natural Gas-Fueled, and Liquefied Petroleum Gas-Fueled Diesel-Cycle Heavy-Duty Engines, New Otto-Cycle Light-Duty Trucks, and New Methanol-Fueled Natural Gas-Fueled, and Liquefied Petroleum Gas-Fueled Diesel-Cycle Light-Duty Trucks; Idle Test Procedures...

Design Guidelines for Bus Transit Systems Using Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) as an Alternative Fuel.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1996-09-01

The use of alternative fuels to power transit buses is steadily increasing. Several fuels, including Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), and Methanol/Ethanol, are already being used in buses. At present, there do not exist co...

DEMONSTRATION BULLETIN: HNU-HANBY PCP IMMUNOASSAY TEST KIT - HNU - SYSTEMS, INC.

EPA Science Inventory

The HNU-Hanby test kit rapidly analyzes for petroleum hydrocarbons in soil and water samples. The test kit can be used to estimate pentachlorophenol (PCP) concentrations in samples when the carrier solvent is a petroleum hydrocarbon. The test kit estimates PCP concentrations in ...

Satisfaction of the Automotive Fleet Fuel Demand and Its Impact on the Oil Refining Industry

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1980-12-01

Because virtually all transportation fuels are based on petroleum, it is essential to include petroleum refining in any assessment of potential changes in the transportation system. A number of changes in the automotive fleet have been proposed to im...

Color Shaded-Relief and Surface-Classification Maps of the Fish Creek Area, Harrison Bay Quadrangle, Northern Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mars, John L.; Garrity, Christopher P.; Houseknecht, David W.; Amoroso, Lee; Meares, Donald C.

2007-01-01

Introduction The northeastern part of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPRA) has become an area of active petroleum exploration during the past five years. Recent leasing and exploration drilling in the NPRA requires the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to manage and monitor a variety of surface activities that include seismic surveying, exploration drilling, oil-field development drilling, construction of oil-production facilities, and construction of pipelines and access roads. BLM evaluates a variety of permit applications, environmental impact studies, and other documents that require rapid compilation and analysis of data pertaining to surface and subsurface geology, hydrology, and biology. In addition, BLM must monitor these activities and assess their impacts on the natural environment. Timely and accurate completion of these land-management tasks requires elevation, hydrologic, geologic, petroleum-activity, and cadastral data, all integrated in digital formats at a higher resolution than is currently available in nondigital (paper) formats. To support these land-management tasks, a series of maps was generated from remotely sensed data in an area of high petroleum-industry activity (fig. 1). The maps cover an area from approximately latitude 70?00' N. to 70?30' N. and from longitude 151?00' W. to 153?10' W. The area includes the Alpine oil field in the east, the Husky Inigok exploration well (site of a landing strip) in the west, many of the exploration wells drilled in NPRA since 2000, and the route of a proposed pipeline to carry oil from discovery wells in NPRA to the Alpine oil field. This map area is referred to as the 'Fish Creek area' after a creek that flows through the region. The map series includes (1) a color shaded-relief map based on 5-m-resolution data (sheet 1), (2) a surface-classification map based on 30-m-resolution data (sheet 2), and (3) a 5-m-resolution shaded relief-surface classification map that combines the shaded-relief and surface-classification data (sheet 3). Remote sensing datasets that were used to compile the maps include Landsat 7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper+ (ETM+), and interferometric synthetic aperture radar (IFSAR) data. In addition, a 1:250,000-scale geologic map of the Harrison Bay quadrangle, Alaska (Carter and Galloway, 1985, 2005) was used in conjunction with ETM+ and IFSAR data.

Real-time system for imaging and object detection with a multistatic GPR array

DOEpatents

Paglieroni, David W; Beer, N Reginald; Bond, Steven W; Top, Philip L; Chambers, David H; Mast, Jeffrey E; Donetti, John G; Mason, Blake C; Jones, Steven M

2014-10-07

A method and system for detecting the presence of subsurface objects within a medium is provided. In some embodiments, the imaging and detection system operates in a multistatic mode to collect radar return signals generated by an array of transceiver antenna pairs that is positioned across the surface and that travels down the surface. The imaging and detection system pre-processes the return signal to suppress certain undesirable effects. The imaging and detection system then generates synthetic aperture radar images from real aperture radar images generated from the pre-processed return signal. The imaging and detection system then post-processes the synthetic aperture radar images to improve detection of subsurface objects. The imaging and detection system identifies peaks in the energy levels of the post-processed image frame, which indicates the presence of a subsurface object.

Controlling Subsurface Fractures and Fluid Flow: A Basic Research Agenda

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

Pyrak-Nolte, Laura J; DePaolo, Donald J.; Pietraß, Tanja

2015-05-22

From beneath the surface of the earth, we currently obtain about 80-percent of the energy our nation consumes each year. In the future we have the potential to generate billions of watts of electrical power from clean, green, geothermal energy sources. Our planet’s subsurface can also serve as a reservoir for storing energy produced from intermittent sources such as wind and solar, and it could provide safe, long-term storage of excess carbon dioxide, energy waste products and other hazardous materials. However, it is impossible to underestimate the complexities of the subsurface world. These complexities challenge our ability to acquire themore » scientific knowledge needed for the efficient and safe exploitation of its resources. To more effectively harness subsurface resources while mitigating the impacts of developing and using these resources, the U.S. Department of Energy established SubTER – the Subsurface Technology and Engineering RD&D Crosscut team. This DOE multi-office team engaged scientists and engineers from the national laboratories to assess and make recommendations for improving energy-related subsurface engineering. The SubTER team produced a plan with the overall objective of “adaptive control of subsurface fractures and fluid flow.”This plan revolved around four core technological pillars—Intelligent Wellbore Systems that sustain the integrity of the wellbore environment; Subsurface Stress and Induced Seismicity programs that guide and optimize sustainable energy strategies while reducing the risks associated with subsurface injections; Permeability Manipulation studies that improve methods of enhancing, impeding and eliminating fluid flow; and New Subsurface Signals that transform our ability to see into and characterize subsurface systems. The SubTER team developed an extensive R&D plan for advancing technologies within these four core pillars and also identified several areas where new technologies would require additional basic research. In response, the Office of Science, through its Office of Basic Energy Science (BES), convened a roundtable consisting of 15 national lab, university and industry geoscience experts to brainstorm basic research areas that underpin the SubTER goals but are currently underrepresented in the BES research portfolio. Held in Germantown, Maryland on May 22, 2015, the round-table participants developed a basic research agenda that is detailed in this report. Highlights include the following: -A grand challenge calling for advanced imaging of stress and geological processes to help understand how stresses and chemical substances are distributed in the subsurface—knowledge that is critical to all aspects of subsurface engineering; -A priority research direction aimed at achieving control of fluid flow through fractured media; -A priority research direction aimed at better understanding how mechanical and geochemical perturbations to subsurface rock systems are coupled through fluid and mineral interactions; -A priority research direction aimed at studying the structure, permeability, reactivity and other properties of nanoporous rocks, like shale, which have become critical energy materials and exhibit important hallmarks of mesoscale materials; -A cross-cutting theme that would accelerate development of advanced computational methods to describe heterogeneous time-dependent geologic systems that could, among other potential benefits, provide new and vastly improved models of hydraulic fracturing and its environmental impacts; -A cross-cutting theme that would lead to the creation of “geo-architected materials” with controlled repeatable heterogeneity and structure that can be tested under a variety of thermal, hydraulic, chemical and mechanical conditions relevant to subsurface systems; -A cross-cutting theme calling for new laboratory studies on both natural and geo-architected subsurface materials that deploy advanced high-resolution 3D imaging and chemical analysis methods to determine the ;rates and mechanisms of fluid-rock processes, and to test predictive models of such phenomena. Many of the key energy challenges of the future demand a greater understanding of the subsurface world in all of its complexity. This greater under- standing will improve the ability to control and manipulate the subsurface world in ways that will benefit both the economy and the environment. This report provides specific basic research pathways to address some of the most fundamental issues of energy-related subsurface engineering.« less

EIA model documentation: Petroleum Market Model of the National Energy Modeling System

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

NONE

1994-12-30

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 (Public Law 94-385, section 57.b.2). The PMM models petroleum refining activities, the marketing of products, the production of natural gas liquids and domestic methanol, projects petroleum provides and sources of supplies for meeting demand. In addition, the PMMmore » estimates domestic refinery capacity expansion and fuel consumption.« less

Geology and assessment of the undiscovered, technically recoverable petroleum resources of Armenia, 2013

USGS Publications Warehouse

Klett, T.R.

2016-02-23

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) assessed the undiscovered, technically recoverable oil and gas resources of Armenia in 2013. A Paleozoic and a Cenozoic total petroleum system (TPS) were identified within the country of Armenia. The postulated petroleum system elements are uncertain, resulting in low geologic probabilities for significant oil an gas resources. Two assessment units (AU) were delineated in each TPS—a Paleozoic-Sourced Conventional Reservoirs AU and a Permian Shale Gas AU in the Paleozoic Composite TPS and a Paleogene-Sourced Conventional Reservoirs AU and a Cenozoic Coalbed Gas AU in the Cenozoic Composite TPS. The TPS elements are largely uncertain and risked, and so only the Paleogene-Sourced Conventional Reservoirs AU was quantitatively assessed because the geologic probability is more than the threshold of 10 percent (that is, the probability of at least one conventional oil or gas accumulation of 5 million barrels of oil equivalent or greater based on postulated petroleum-system elements). The USGS estimated fully risked mean volumes of about 1 million barrels of oil (MMBO), about 6 billion cubic feet of natural gas (BCFG), and less than 1 million barrels of natural gas liquids (MMBNGL).

Carbonate-shelf depositional environments of the Ordovician Viola formation in South-Central Kansas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Newell, K.D.

2000-01-01

The Upper Ordovician Viola Formation, an important petroleum reservoir in the Midcontinent, is a carbonate unit present over much of the subsurface in Kansas. The Viola is composed of two fining-upward sedimentary packages that are separated from each other by a minor karstic surface representing a brief period of exposure. Each package represents a third-order sedimentary cycle and consists of an echinoderm-rich packstone overlain by a thicker lime mudstone. The echinoderm-rich packstone was deposited nearshore in agitated waters, but subsequently was bioturbated. The overlying lime mudstone was deposited in deeper, quiet waters, and locally contains storm-deposited carbonate sands. Subtle growth of the Central Kansas Arch and Pratt Anticline (structures transecting the depositional shelf) is indicated by packstones and grainstones being thicker over these arches, whereas finer grained lithologies dominate in basinal areas on the arch flanks. Structureless lime mudstones, probably intensely bioturbated, grade into laminated lime mudstones farther basinward.

Analytical and variational numerical methods for unstable miscible displacement flows in porous media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scovazzi, Guglielmo; Wheeler, Mary F.; Mikelić, Andro; Lee, Sanghyun

2017-04-01

The miscible displacement of one fluid by another in a porous medium has received considerable attention in subsurface, environmental and petroleum engineering applications. When a fluid of higher mobility displaces another of lower mobility, unstable patterns - referred to as viscous fingering - may arise. Their physical and mathematical study has been the object of numerous investigations over the past century. The objective of this paper is to present a review of these contributions with particular emphasis on variational methods. These algorithms are tailored to real field applications thanks to their advanced features: handling of general complex geometries, robustness in the presence of rough tensor coefficients, low sensitivity to mesh orientation in advection dominated scenarios, and provable convergence with fully unstructured grids. This paper is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Jim Douglas Jr., for his seminal contributions to miscible displacement and variational numerical methods.

Machine learning in soil classification.

PubMed

Bhattacharya, B; Solomatine, D P

2006-03-01

In a number of engineering problems, e.g. in geotechnics, petroleum engineering, etc. intervals of measured series data (signals) are to be attributed a class maintaining the constraint of contiguity and standard classification methods could be inadequate. Classification in this case needs involvement of an expert who observes the magnitude and trends of the signals in addition to any a priori information that might be available. In this paper, an approach for automating this classification procedure is presented. Firstly, a segmentation algorithm is developed and applied to segment the measured signals. Secondly, the salient features of these segments are extracted using boundary energy method. Based on the measured data and extracted features to assign classes to the segments classifiers are built; they employ Decision Trees, ANN and Support Vector Machines. The methodology was tested in classifying sub-surface soil using measured data from Cone Penetration Testing and satisfactory results were obtained.

Induced Seismicity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keranen, Katie M.; Weingarten, Matthew

2018-05-01

The ability of fluid-generated subsurface stress changes to trigger earthquakes has long been recognized. However, the dramatic rise in the rate of human-induced earthquakes in the past decade has created abundant opportunities to study induced earthquakes and triggering processes. This review briefly summarizes early studies but focuses on results from induced earthquakes during the past 10 years related to fluid injection in petroleum fields. Study of these earthquakes has resulted in insights into physical processes and has identified knowledge gaps and future research directions. Induced earthquakes are challenging to identify using seismological methods, and faults and reefs strongly modulate spatial and temporal patterns of induced seismicity. However, the similarity of induced and natural seismicity provides an effective tool for studying earthquake processes. With continuing development of energy resources, increased interest in carbon sequestration, and construction of large dams, induced seismicity will continue to pose a hazard in coming years.

Structural adjustment for accurate conditioning in large-scale subsurface systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tahmasebi, Pejman

2017-03-01

Most of the current subsurface simulation approaches consider a priority list for honoring the well and any other auxiliary data, and eventually adopt a middle ground between the quality of the model and conditioning it to hard data. However, as the number of datasets increases, such methods often produce undesirable features in the subsurface model. Due to their high flexibility, subsurface modeling based on training images (TIs) is becoming popular. Providing comprehensive TIs remains, however, an outstanding problem. In addition, identifying a pattern similar to those in the TI that honors the well and other conditioning data is often difficult. Moreover, the current subsurface modeling approaches do not account for small perturbations that may occur in a subsurface system. Such perturbations are active in most of the depositional systems. In this paper, a new methodology is presented that is based on an irregular gridding scheme that accounts for incomplete TIs and minor offsets. Use of the methodology enables one to use a small or incomplete TI and adaptively change the patterns in the simulation grid in order to simultaneously honor the well data and take into account the effect of the local offsets. Furthermore, the proposed method was used on various complex process-based models and their structures are deformed for matching with the conditioning point data. The accuracy and robustness of the proposed algorithm are successfully demonstrated by applying it to models of several complex examples.

Baseline hydraulic performance of the Heathrow constructed wetlands subsurface flow system.

PubMed

Richter, K M; Margetts, J R; Saul, A J; Guymer, I; Worrall, P

2003-01-01

A constructed wetland treatment system has been commissioned by BAA (formerly the British Airports Authority) in order to attenuate airfield runoff contaminated with de-icant and other potentially polluting materials from Heathrow Airport. Airfield runoff containing de-icants has the potential to impose significant oxygen demands on water bodies. The site consists of a number of integrated treatment systems, including a 1 ha rafted reed bed canal system and a 2 ha sub-surface flow gravel reed bed. This research project is concerned with the performance of the subsurface flow reed beds, though attention will be paid in this paper to the operation of the whole system. Prior to the planting of the subsurface flow reed beds, flow-tracing experiments were carried out on the three different types of subsurface flow beds, so that the baseline performance of the system could be quantified. In association, data regarding the soil organic matter content was also collected prior to the planting of the beds. As expected, soil organic matter content is observed to be negligible within the bed, though a small amount of build up was observed in localised areas on the surface of the beds. This was attributed to the growth of algae in depressions where standing water persisted during the construction phase. Few studies exist which provide detailed measurements into the cause and effect of variations in hydraulic conductivity within an operational reed bed system. The data presented here form the baseline results for an ongoing study into the investigation of the change in hydraulic conductivity of an operational reed bed system.

Large-Scale Wireless Temperature Monitoring System for Liquefied Petroleum Gas Storage Tanks.

PubMed

Fan, Guangwen; Shen, Yu; Hao, Xiaowei; Yuan, Zongming; Zhou, Zhi

2015-09-18

Temperature distribution is a critical indicator of the health condition for Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) storage tanks. In this paper, we present a large-scale wireless temperature monitoring system to evaluate the safety of LPG storage tanks. The system includes wireless sensors networks, high temperature fiber-optic sensors, and monitoring software. Finally, a case study on real-world LPG storage tanks proves the feasibility of the system. The unique features of wireless transmission, automatic data acquisition and management, local and remote access make the developed system a good alternative for temperature monitoring of LPG storage tanks in practical applications.

Multi-sensor Efforts to Detect Oil slicks at the Ocean Surface — An Applied Science Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gallegos, S. C.; Pichel, W. G.; Hu, Y.; Garcia-Pineda, O. G.; Kukhtarev, N.; Lewis, D.

2012-12-01

In 2008, The Naval Research Laboratory at Stennis Space Center (NRL-SSC), NASA-Langley Space Center (LaRC) and NOAA Center for Satellite Applications and Research (STAR) with the support of the NASA Applied Science Program developed the concept for an operational oil detection system to support NOAA's mission of oil spill monitoring and response. Due to the current lack of a spaceborne sensor specifically designed for oil detection, this project relied on data and algorithms for the Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS). NOAA/Satellite Analyses Branch (NOAA/SAB) was the transition point of those algorithms. Part of the research also included the evaluation of the Cloud-Aerosol LIdar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) capabilities for detection of surface and subsurface oil. In April 2010, while conducting the research in the Gulf of Mexico, the Deep Water Horizon (DWH) oil spill, the largest accidental marine oil spill in the history of the petroleum industry impacted our area. This incident provided opportunities to expand our efforts to the field, the laboratory, and to the data of other sensors such as the Hyperspectral Imager of the Coastal Zone (HICO). We summarize the results of our initial effort and describe in detail those efforts carried out during the DWH oil spill.

Activation of CO2-reducing methanogens in oil reservoir after addition of nutrient.

PubMed

Yang, Guang-Chao; Zhou, Lei; Mbadinga, Serge Maurice; You, Jing; Yang, Hua-Zhen; Liu, Jin-Feng; Yang, Shi-Zhong; Gu, Ji-Dong; Mu, Bo-Zhong

2016-12-01

Nutrient addition as part of microbial enhanced oil recovery (MEOR) operations have important implications for more energy recovery from oil reservoirs, but very little is known about the in situ response of microorganisms after intervention. An analysis of two genes as biomarkers, mcrA encoding the key enzyme in methanogenesis and fthfs encoding the key enzyme in acetogenesis, was conducted during nutrient addition in oil reservoir. Clone library data showed that dominant mcrA sequences changed from acetoclastic (Methanosaetaceae) to CO 2 -reducing methanogens (Methanomicrobiales and Methanobacteriales), and the authentic acetogens affiliated to Firmicutes decreased after the intervention. Principal coordinates analysis (PCoA) and Jackknife environment clusters revealed evidence on the shift of the microbial community structure among the samples. Quantitative analysis of methanogens via qPCR showed that Methanobacteriales and Methanomicrobiales increased after nutrient addition, while acetoclastic methanogens (Methanosaetaceae) changed slightly. Nutrient treatment activated native CO 2 -reducing methanogens in oil reservoir. The high frequency of Methanobacteriales and Methanomicrobiales (CO 2 -reducers) after nutrient addition in this petroleum system suggested that CO 2 -reducing methanogenesis was involved in methane production. The nutrient addition could promote the methane production. The results will likely improve strategies of utilizing microorganisms in subsurface environments. Copyright © 2016 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Western Greece unconventional hydrocarbon potential from oil shale and shale gas reservoirs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karakitsios, Vasileios; Agiadi, Konstantina

2013-04-01

It is clear that we are gradually running out of new sedimentary basins to explore for conventional oil and gas and that the reserves of conventional oil, which can be produced cheaply, are limited. This is the reason why several major oil companies invest in what are often called unconventional hydrocarbons: mainly oil shales, heavy oil, tar sand and shale gas. In western Greece exist important oil and gas shale reservoirs which must be added to its hydrocarbon potential1,2. Regarding oil shales, Western Greece presents significant underground immature, or close to the early maturation stage, source rocks with black shale composition. These source rock oils may be produced by applying an in-situ conversion process (ICP). A modern technology, yet unproven at a commercial scale, is the thermally conductive in-situ conversion technology, developed by Shell3. Since most of western Greece source rocks are black shales with high organic content, those, which are immature or close to the maturity limit have sufficient thickness and are located below 1500 meters depth, may be converted artificially by in situ pyrolysis. In western Greece, there are several extensive areas with these characteristics, which may be subject of exploitation in the future2. Shale gas reservoirs in Western Greece are quite possibly present in all areas where shales occur below the ground-water level, with significant extent and organic matter content greater than 1%, and during their geological history, were found under conditions corresponding to the gas window (generally at depths over 5,000 to 6,000m). Western Greece contains argillaceous source rocks, found within the gas window, from which shale gas may be produced and consequently these rocks represent exploitable shale gas reservoirs. Considering the inevitable increase in crude oil prices, it is expected that at some point soon Western Greece shales will most probably be targeted. Exploration for conventional petroleum reservoirs, through the interpretation of seismic profiles and the surface geological data, will simultaneously provide the subsurface geometry of the unconventional reservoirs. Their exploitation should follow that of conventional hydrocarbons, in order to benefit from the anticipated technological advances, eliminating environmental repercussions. As a realistic approach, the environmental consequences of the oil shale and shale gas exploitation to the natural environment of western Greece, which holds other very significant natural resources, should be delved into as early as possible. References 1Karakitsios V. & Rigakis N. 2007. Evolution and Petroleum Potential of Western Greece. J.Petroleum Geology, v. 30, no. 3, p. 197-218. 2Karakitsios V. 2013. Western Greece and Ionian Sea petroleum systems. AAPG Bulletin, in press. 3Bartis J.T., Latourrette T., Dixon L., Peterson D.J., Cecchine G. 2005. Oil Shale Development in the United States: Prospect and Policy Issues. Prepared for the National Energy Tech. Lab. of the U.S. Dept Energy. RAND Corporation, 65 p.

Drip irrigation research update at NPRL

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Drip irrigation research has been conducted since 1998 at NPRL. Systems include deep subsurface drip irrigation (SSDI), surface drip irrigation (SDI), and shallow subsurface drip irrigation (S3DI). Results have shown that SDI and S3DI are more economical to install than SSDI. SDI systems have more r...

Evaluating Potential Exposures to Ecological Receptors Due to Transport of Hydrophobic Organic Contaminants in Subsurface Systems (Final Report)

EPA Science Inventory

EPA's Ecological Risk Assessment Support Center (ERASC) announced the release of the final report, Evaluating Potential Exposures to Ecological Receptors Due to Transport of Hydrophobic Organic Contaminants in Subsurface Systems. This technical paper recommends several ty...

Yield response and economics of shallow subsurface drip irrigation systems

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Field tests were conducted using shallow subsurface drip irrigation (S3DI) on cotton (Gossypium hirsutum, L.), corn (Zea mays, L.), and peanut (Arachis hypogeae, L.) in rotation to investigate yield potential and economic sustainability of this irrigation system technique over a six year period. Dri...

76 FR 80553 - Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases: Technical Revisions to the Petroleum and Natural Gas...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-23

... facilities 486210 Pipeline transportation of natural gas. Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems. 221210 Natural... and Budget PHMSA Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration QA/QC quality assurance/quality... distribution pipelines, but also into liquefied natural gas storage or into underground storage. We are...

40 CFR 86.1509 - Exhaust gas sampling system.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Regulations for Otto-Cycle Heavy-Duty Engines, New Methanol-Fueled Natural Gas-Fueled, and Liquefied Petroleum Gas-Fueled Diesel-Cycle Heavy-Duty Engines, New Otto-Cycle Light-Duty Trucks, and New Methanol-Fueled Natural Gas-Fueled, and Liquefied Petroleum Gas-Fueled Diesel-Cycle Light-Duty Trucks; Idle Test...

40 CFR 86.1509 - Exhaust gas sampling system.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Regulations for Otto-Cycle Heavy-Duty Engines, New Methanol-Fueled Natural Gas-Fueled, and Liquefied Petroleum Gas-Fueled Diesel-Cycle Heavy-Duty Engines, New Otto-Cycle Light-Duty Trucks, and New Methanol-Fueled Natural Gas-Fueled, and Liquefied Petroleum Gas-Fueled Diesel-Cycle Light-Duty Trucks; Idle Test...

40 CFR 86.1511 - Exhaust gas analysis system.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Regulations for Otto-Cycle Heavy-Duty Engines, New Methanol-Fueled Natural Gas-Fueled, and Liquefied Petroleum Gas-Fueled Diesel-Cycle Heavy-Duty Engines, New Otto-Cycle Light-Duty Trucks, and New Methanol-Fueled Natural Gas-Fueled, and Liquefied Petroleum Gas-Fueled Diesel-Cycle Light-Duty Trucks; Idle Test...

40 CFR 86.1509 - Exhaust gas sampling system.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Regulations for Otto-Cycle Heavy-Duty Engines, New Methanol-Fueled Natural Gas-Fueled, and Liquefied Petroleum Gas-Fueled Diesel-Cycle Heavy-Duty Engines, New Otto-Cycle Light-Duty Trucks, and New Methanol-Fueled Natural Gas-Fueled, and Liquefied Petroleum Gas-Fueled Diesel-Cycle Light-Duty Trucks; Idle Test...

78 FR 11585 - Greenhouse Gas Reporting Rule: Revision to Best Available Monitoring Method Request Submission...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-19

... facilities. 211 Extractors of crude petroleum and natural gas. 211112 Natural gas liquid extraction... Greenhouse Gas Reporting Rule: Revision to Best Available Monitoring Method Request Submission Deadline for Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems Source Category AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION...

Aerospace technology can be applied to exploration 'back on earth'. [offshore petroleum resources

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jaffe, L. D.

1977-01-01

Applications of aerospace technology to petroleum exploration are described. Attention is given to seismic reflection techniques, sea-floor mapping, remote geochemical sensing, improved drilling methods and down-hole acoustic concepts, such as down-hole seismic tomography. The seismic reflection techniques include monitoring of swept-frequency explosive or solid-propellant seismic sources, as well as aerial seismic surveys. Telemetry and processing of seismic data may also be performed through use of aerospace technology. Sea-floor sonor imaging and a computer-aided system of geologic analogies for petroleum exploration are also considered.

Geophysical characterization of the role of fault and fracture systems for recharging groundwater aquifers from surface water of Lake Nasser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mansour, Khamis; Omar, Khaled; Ali, Kamal; Abdel Zaher, Mohamed

2018-06-01

The role of the fracture system is important for enhancing the recharge or discharge of fluids in the subsurface reservoir. The Lake Nasser is consider one of the largest artificial lakes all over the world and contains huge bulk of storage water. In this study, the influence of fracture zones on subsurface fluid flow in groundwater reservoirs is investigated using geophysical techniques including seismicity, geoelectric and gravity data. These data have been utilized for exploring structural structure in south west Lake Nasser, and subsurface discontinuities (joints or faults) notwithstanding its related fracture systems. Seismicity investigation gave us the comprehension of the dynamic geological structure sets and proposing the main recharging paths for the Nubian aquifer from Lake Nasser surface water. Processing and modelling of aerogravity data show that the greater thickness of sedimentary cover (700 m) is located eastward and northward while basement outcrops occur at Umm Shaghir and Al Asr areas. Sixty-nine vertical electrical soundings (VES's) were used to delineate the subsurface geoelectric layers along eight profiles that help to realize the subsurface geological structure behind the hydrogeological conditions of the studied area.

Radar signal pre-processing to suppress surface bounce and multipath

DOEpatents

Paglieroni, David W; Mast, Jeffrey E; Beer, N. Reginald

2013-12-31

A method and system for detecting the presence of subsurface objects within a medium is provided. In some embodiments, the imaging and detection system operates in a multistatic mode to collect radar return signals generated by an array of transceiver antenna pairs that is positioned across the surface and that travels down the surface. The imaging and detection system pre-processes that return signal to suppress certain undesirable effects. The imaging and detection system then generates synthetic aperture radar images from real aperture radar images generated from the pre-processed return signal. The imaging and detection system then post-processes the synthetic aperture radar images to improve detection of subsurface objects. The imaging and detection system identifies peaks in the energy levels of the post-processed image frame, which indicates the presence of a subsurface object.

Spatially assisted down-track median filter for GPR image post-processing

DOEpatents

Paglieroni, David W; Beer, N Reginald

2014-10-07

A method and system for detecting the presence of subsurface objects within a medium is provided. In some embodiments, the imaging and detection system operates in a multistatic mode to collect radar return signals generated by an array of transceiver antenna pairs that is positioned across the surface and that travels down the surface. The imaging and detection system pre-processes the return signal to suppress certain undesirable effects. The imaging and detection system then generates synthetic aperture radar images from real aperture radar images generated from the pre-processed return signal. The imaging and detection system then post-processes the synthetic aperture radar images to improve detection of subsurface objects. The imaging and detection system identifies peaks in the energy levels of the post-processed image frame, which indicates the presence of a subsurface object.

Spatially adaptive migration tomography for multistatic GPR imaging

DOEpatents

Paglieroni, David W; Beer, N. Reginald

2013-08-13

A method and system for detecting the presence of subsurface objects within a medium is provided. In some embodiments, the imaging and detection system operates in a multistatic mode to collect radar return signals generated by an array of transceiver antenna pairs that is positioned across the surface and that travels down the surface. The imaging and detection system pre-processes the return signal to suppress certain undesirable effects. The imaging and detection system then generates synthetic aperture radar images from real aperture radar images generated from the pre-processed return signal. The imaging and detection system then post-processes the synthetic aperture radar images to improve detection of subsurface objects. The imaging and detection system identifies peaks in the energy levels of the post-processed image frame, which indicates the presence of a subsurface object.

Synthetic aperture integration (SAI) algorithm for SAR imaging

DOEpatents

Chambers, David H; Mast, Jeffrey E; Paglieroni, David W; Beer, N. Reginald

2013-07-09

A method and system for detecting the presence of subsurface objects within a medium is provided. In some embodiments, the imaging and detection system operates in a multistatic mode to collect radar return signals generated by an array of transceiver antenna pairs that is positioned across the surface and that travels down the surface. The imaging and detection system pre-processes the return signal to suppress certain undesirable effects. The imaging and detection system then generates synthetic aperture radar images from real aperture radar images generated from the pre-processed return signal. The imaging and detection system then post-processes the synthetic aperture radar images to improve detection of subsurface objects. The imaging and detection system identifies peaks in the energy levels of the post-processed image frame, which indicates the presence of a subsurface object.

Zero source insertion technique to account for undersampling in GPR imaging

DOEpatents

Chambers, David H; Mast, Jeffrey E; Paglieroni, David W

2014-02-25

A method and system for detecting the presence of subsurface objects within a medium is provided. In some embodiments, the imaging and detection system operates in a multistatic mode to collect radar return signals generated by an array of transceiver antenna pairs that is positioned across the surface and that travels down the surface. The imaging and detection system pre-processes the return signal to suppress certain undesirable effects. The imaging and detection system then generates synthetic aperture radar images from real aperture radar images generated from the pre-processed return signal. The imaging and detection system then post-processes the synthetic aperture radar images to improve detection of subsurface objects. The imaging and detection system identifies peaks in the energy levels of the post-processed image frame, which indicates the presence of a subsurface object.

75 FR 74457 - Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases: Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-30

...EPA is promulgating a regulation to require monitoring and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions from petroleum and natural gas systems. This action adds this source category to the list of source categories already required to report greenhouse gas emissions. This action applies to sources with carbon dioxide equivalent emissions above certain threshold levels as described in this regulation. This action does not require control of greenhouse gases.

Defense Energy Information System (DEIS): DEIS-80 Design System Specification. Revision A.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-07-01

and consumption of petroleum products such as aviation gasoline, jet fuels, motor gasolines, distillate, and residual oil within DoD. DEIS I software...water, fuel oil , coal, solar/thermal power, and wind power. This subsystem also reports environmental data such as degree days during a reporting period...Petroleum Oil and Lubricants Officer, the Fuels Officer, the Supply Of- ficer, or the Engineering Officer on the base or facility consolidate in

Assessment of undiscovered hydrocarbon resources of sub-Saharan Africa

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brownfield, Michael E.

2016-01-01

The assessment was geology-based and used the total petroleum system (TPS) concept. The geologic elements of a TPS are hydrocarbon source rocks (source rock maturation and hydrocarbon generation and migration), reservoir rocks (quality and distribution), and traps where hydrocarbon accumulates. Using these geologic criteria, 16 conventional total petroleum systems and 18 assessment units in the 13 provinces were defined. The undiscovered, technically recoverable oil and gas resources were assessed for all assessment units.

The North Sakhalin Neogene total petroleum system of eastern Russia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lindquist, S.J.

2000-01-01

The North Sakhalin Basin Province of eastern Russia contains one Total Petroleum System (TPS) ? North Sakhalin Neogene ? with more than 6 BBOE known, ultimately recoverable petroleum (61% gas, 36% oil, 3% condensate). Tertiary rocks in the basin were deposited by the prograding paleo-Amur River system. Marine to continental, Middle to Upper Miocene shale to coaly shale source rocks charged marine to continental Middle Miocene to Pliocene sandstone reservoir rocks in Late Miocene to Pliocene time. Fractured, self-sourced, Upper Oligocene to Lower Miocene siliceous shales also produce hydrocarbons. Geologic history is that of a Mesozoic Asian passive continental margin that was transformed into an active accretionary Tertiary margin and Cenozoic fold belt by the collision of India with Eurasia and by the subduction of Pacific Ocean crustal plates under the Asian continent. The area is characterized by extensional, compressional and wrench structural features that comprise most known traps.

A Search for Life in the Subsurface At Rio Tinto Spain, An Analog To Searching For Life On Mars.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stoker, C. R.

2003-12-01

Most familiar life forms on Earth live in the surface biosphere where liquid water, sunlight, and the essential chemical elements for life are abundant. However, such environments are not found on Mars or anywhere else in the solar system. On Mars, the surface environmental conditions of pressure and temperature prevent formation of liquid water. Furthermore, conditions at the Martian surface are unfavorable to life due to intense ultraviolet radiation and strong oxidizing compounds that destroy organic compounds. However, subsurface liquid water on Mars has been predicted on theoretical grounds. The recent discovery of near surface ground ice by the Mars Odyssey mission, and the abundant evidence for recent Gully features observed by the Mars Global Surveyor mission strengthen the case for subsurface liquid water on Mars. Thus, the strategy for searching for life on Mars points to drilling to the depth of liquid water, bringing samples to the surface and analyzing them with instrumentation to detect in situ organisms and biomarker compounds. The MARTE (Mars Astrobiology Research and Technology Experiment) project is a field experiment focused on searching for a hypothesized subsurface anaerobic chemoautotrophic biosphere in the region of the Rio Tinto, a river in southwestern Spain while also demonstrating technology relevant to searching for a subsurface biosphere on Mars. The Tinto river is located in the Iberian Pyrite belt, one of the largest deposits of sulfide minerals in the world. The surface (river) system is an acidic extreme environment produced and maintained by microbes that metabolize sulfide minerals and produce sulfuric acid as a byproduct. Evidence suggests that the river is a surface manifestation of an underground biochemical reactor. Organisms found in the river are capable of chemoautotrophic metabolism using sulfide and ferric iron mineral substrates, suggesting these organisms could thrive in groundwater which is the source of the Rio Tinto. The MARTE project will simulate the search for subsurface life on Mars using a drilling system developed for future Mars flight to accomplish subsurface access. Augmenting the drill are robotic systems for extracting the cores from the drill head and performing analysis using a suite of instruments to understand the composition, mineralogy, presence of organics, and to search for life signatures in subsurface samples. A robotic bore-hole inspection system will characterize borehole properties in situ. A Mars drilling mission simulation including remote operation of the drilling, sample handling, and instruments and interpretation of results by a remote science team will be performed. This simulated mission will be augmented by manual methods of drilling, sample handling, and sample analysis to fully document the subsurface, prevent surface microbial contamination, identify subsurface biota, and compare what can be learned with robotically-operated instruments. The first drilling campaign in the MARTE project takes place in September 2003 and is focused on characterizing the microbiology of the subsurface at Rio Tinto using conventional drilling, sample handling and laboratory analysis techniques. Lessons learned from this "ground truth" drilling campaign will guide the development of robotic systems and instruments needed for searching for life underground on Mars.

Can two-dimensional gas chromatography/mass spectrometric identification of bicyclic aromatic acids in petroleum fractions help to reveal further details of aromatic hydrocarbon biotransformation pathways?

PubMed

West, Charles E; Pureveen, Jos; Scarlett, Alan G; Lengger, Sabine K; Wilde, Michael J; Korndorffer, Frans; Tegelaar, Erik W; Rowland, Steven J

2014-05-15

The identification of key acid metabolites ('signature' metabolites) has allowed significant improvements to be made in our understanding of the biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons, in reservoir and in contaminated natural systems, such as aquifers and seawater. On this basis, anaerobic oxidation is now more widely accepted as one viable mechanism, for instance. However, identification of metabolites in the complex acid mixtures from petroleum degradation is challenging and would benefit from use of more highly resolving analytical methods. Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography/time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GCxGC/TOFMS) with both nominal mass and accurate mass measurement was used to study the complex mixtures of aromatic acids (as methyl esters) in petroleum fractions. Numerous mono- and di-aromatic acid isomers were identified in a commercial naphthenic acids fraction from petroleum and in an acids fraction from a biodegraded petroleum. In many instances, compounds were identified by comparison of mass spectral and retention time data with those of authentic compounds. The identification of a variety of alkyl naphthalene carboxylic and alkanoic and alkyl tetralin carboxylic and alkanoic acids, plus identifications of a range of alkyl indane acids, provides further evidence for 'signature' metabolites of biodegradation of aromatic petroleum hydrocarbons. Identifications such as these now offer the prospect of better differentiation of metabolites of bacterial processes (e.g. aerobic, methanogenic, sulphate-reducing) in polar petroleum fractions. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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 Plover Formation (Lower to Upper Jurassic), combined with marine claystones of the Flamingo Group and Darwin Formation (Upper Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous) comprise the source rocks for the remaining area of the system. These claystones and coals source oil, gas, and condensate accumulations in reservoirs of continental to marine sandstones of the Plover Formation and Flamingo Group. Shales of the regionally distributed Lower Cretaceous Bathurst Island Group and intraformational shales act as seals for hydrocarbons trapped in anticlines and fault blocks, which are the major traps of the province. Production in the Bonaparte Gulf Basin Province began in 1986 using floating production facilities, and had been limited to three offshore fields located in the Vulcan graben sub-basin. Cumulative production from these fields totaled more than 124 million barrels of oil before the facilities were removed after production fell substantially in 1995. Production began in 1998 from three offshore wells in the Zone of Cooperation through floating production facilities. After forty years of exploration, a new infrastructure of pipelines and facilities are planned to tap already discovered offshore reserves and to support additional development.

A Tower-based Prototype VHF/UHF Radar for Subsurface Sensing: System Description and Data Inversion Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moghaddam, Mahta; Pierce, Leland; Tabatabaeenejad, Alireza; Rodriguez, Ernesto

2005-01-01

Knowledge of subsurface characteristics such as permittivity variations and layering structure could provide a breakthrough in many terrestrial and planetary science disciplines. For Earth science, knowledge of subsurface and subcanopy soil moisture layers can enable the estimation of vertical flow in the soil column linking surface hydrologic processes with that in the subsurface. For planetary science, determining the existence of subsurface water and ice is regarded as one of the most critical information needs for the study of the origins of the solar system. The subsurface in general can be described as several near-parallel layers with rough interfaces. Each homogenous rough layer can be defined by its average thickness, permittivity, and rms interface roughness assuming a known surface spectral distribution. As the number and depth of layers increase, the number of measurements needed to invert for the layer unknowns also increases, and deeper penetration capability would be required. To nondestructively calculate the characteristics of the rough layers, a multifrequency polarimetric radar backscattering approach can be used. One such system is that we have developed for data prototyping of the Microwave Observatory of Subcanopy and Subsurface (MOSS) mission concept. A tower-mounted radar makes backscattering measurements at VHF, UHF, and L-band frequencies. The radar is a pulsed CW system, which uses the same wideband antenna to transmit and receive the signals at all three frequencies. To focus the beam at various incidence angles within the beamwidth of the antenna, the tower is moved vertically and measurements made at each position. The signals are coherently summed to achieve focusing and image formation in the subsurface. This requires an estimate of wave velocity profiles. To solve the inverse scattering problem for subsurface velocity profile simultaneously with radar focusing, we use an iterative technique based on a forward numerical solution of the layered rough surface problem. The layers are each defined in terms of a small number of unknown distributions as given above. An a priori estimate of the solution is first assumed, based on which the forward problem is solved for the backscattered measurements. This is compared with the measured data and using iterative techniques an update to the solution for the unknowns is calculated. The process continues until convergence is achieved. Numerical results will be shown using actual radar data acquired with the MOSS tower radar system in Arizona in Fall 2003, and compared with in-situ measurements.

Application of an in-situ soil sampler for assessing subsurface biogeochemical dynamics in a diesel-contaminated coastal site during soil flushing operations.

PubMed

Kwon, Man Jae; O'Loughlin, Edward J; Ham, Baknoon; Hwang, Yunho; Shim, Moojoon; Lee, Soonjae

2018-01-15

Subsurface biogeochemistry and contaminant dynamics during the remediation of diesel-contamination by in-situ soil flushing were investigated at a site located in a coastal region. An in-situ sampler containing diesel-contaminated soils separated into two size fractions (<0.063- and <2-mm) was utilized in two monitoring wells: DH1 (located close to the injection and extraction wells for in-situ soil flushing) and DH2 (located beyond sheet piles placed to block the transport of leaked diesel). Total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) concentrations and biogeochemical properties were monitored both in soil and groundwater for six months. A shift occurred in the groundwater type from Ca-HCO 3 to Na-Cl due to seawater intrusion during intense pumping, while the concentrations of Ni, Cu, Co, V, Cr, and Se increased substantially following surfactant (TWEEN 80) injection. The in-situ sampler with fine particles was more sensitive to variations in conditions during the remedial soil flushing process. In both wells, soil TPH concentrations in the <0.063-mm fraction were much higher than those in the <2-mm fraction. Increases in soil TPH in DH1 were consistent with the expected outcomes following well pumping and surfactant injection used to enhance TPH extraction. However, the number of diesel-degrading microorganisms decreased after surfactant injection. 16S-rRNA gene-based analysis also showed that the community composition and diversity depended on both particle size and diesel contamination. The multidisciplinary approach to the contaminated site assessments showed that soil flushing with surfactant enhanced diesel extraction, but negatively impacted in-situ diesel biodegradation as well as groundwater quality. The results also suggest that the in-situ sampler can be an effective monitoring tool for subsurface biogeochemistry as well as contaminant dynamics. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Stochastic porous media modeling and high-resolution schemes for numerical simulation of subsurface immiscible fluid flow transport

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brantson, Eric Thompson; Ju, Binshan; Wu, Dan; Gyan, Patricia Semwaah

2018-04-01

This paper proposes stochastic petroleum porous media modeling for immiscible fluid flow simulation using Dykstra-Parson coefficient (V DP) and autocorrelation lengths to generate 2D stochastic permeability values which were also used to generate porosity fields through a linear interpolation technique based on Carman-Kozeny equation. The proposed method of permeability field generation in this study was compared to turning bands method (TBM) and uniform sampling randomization method (USRM). On the other hand, many studies have also reported that, upstream mobility weighting schemes, commonly used in conventional numerical reservoir simulators do not accurately capture immiscible displacement shocks and discontinuities through stochastically generated porous media. This can be attributed to high level of numerical smearing in first-order schemes, oftentimes misinterpreted as subsurface geological features. Therefore, this work employs high-resolution schemes of SUPERBEE flux limiter, weighted essentially non-oscillatory scheme (WENO), and monotone upstream-centered schemes for conservation laws (MUSCL) to accurately capture immiscible fluid flow transport in stochastic porous media. The high-order schemes results match well with Buckley Leverett (BL) analytical solution without any non-oscillatory solutions. The governing fluid flow equations were solved numerically using simultaneous solution (SS) technique, sequential solution (SEQ) technique and iterative implicit pressure and explicit saturation (IMPES) technique which produce acceptable numerical stability and convergence rate. A comparative and numerical examples study of flow transport through the proposed method, TBM and USRM permeability fields revealed detailed subsurface instabilities with their corresponding ultimate recovery factors. Also, the impact of autocorrelation lengths on immiscible fluid flow transport were analyzed and quantified. A finite number of lines used in the TBM resulted into visual artifact banding phenomenon unlike the proposed method and USRM. In all, the proposed permeability and porosity fields generation coupled with the numerical simulator developed will aid in developing efficient mobility control schemes to improve on poor volumetric sweep efficiency in porous media.

Integrating Geohydrological Models In ATES-Systems Control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bloemendal, Martin

2015-04-01

1) Purpose. Accomplish optimal and sustainable use of subsurface for Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage (ATES). 2) Scope. A heat pump in combination with an ATES system can efficiently and sustainably provide heating and cooling for user comfort within buildings. ATES systems are popular in moderate climate in which ATES systems are exploited as they are able to save primary energy. While storing warm and cold groundwater, ATES systems occupy a significant amount of the subsurface space, making that the space in the aquifers below cities is becoming scarce [1]. With the rapid growth of the number of ATES systems, the use of the subsurface intensifies, which raises additional questions regarding its sustainability and the long term profitability of the individual systems. In practice considerable difficulties regarding A) the performance of these installations and B) optimal and sustainable use of the subsurface are met. 3) Approach. Recently it was confirmed [2] that ATES systems can be placed closer to each other with limited effect on their energy efficiency. By placing them closer together we introduce the risk of a tragedy of the commons [3]. Therefore it is of importance to know where the warm and cold zones are over time and enable ATES-controllers to use the subsurface optimal and sustainably. From the field of multi agent systems and complex adaptive systems we use approaches and techniques to make an operation and control system that enables to adapt their control not only based on current demand, but also on current aquifer status and expected future demand. We are developing a numerical groundwater model structure which is fed with operational data of different ATES-systems. While doing this we run into challenges and opportunities like; spatial and temporal scale issues, sustaining the storage with balancing thermal storage and extraction at area level, dynamics and relation between hydrological and thermal influence and consequences for spreading of contaminants, using thermal energy storage for "peak-shaving" of wind/solar power production etc.. I will address the following two topics; - Balancing of stored heating and cooling capacity. To sustain an ATES-system heating and cooling capacity storage must more or less balance. Buildings often do not have a similar heating and cooling demand. Placing ATES-well closer to each other offers the opportunity to exchange energy between different buildings in the subsurface to balance heating and cooling capacity. To be able to do so, thorough understanding of the interaction between thermal influence area resulting from highly dynamic and uncertain energy demand from buildings is required. - The hydrological influence area of ATES wells is much bigger than the thermal influence area. Placing wells closer to each other therefor has a significant effect on the mixing of water and spreading of contaminants (which are often present in shallow aquifers under (old) city centers). We use both analytical and numerical approaches to gain insight in patterns of thermal and contaminant spreading and to find solutions in managing these effects. 4) Results and conclusions The subsurface is of crucial importance for intended energy savings. A control system working towards a global optimum for both the subsurface and buildings, instead of a local optimum for an individual building and local ATES will increase the overall efficiency. What is needed for that is insight in the spatial temperature distribution in the subsurface, in combination with adaptive and robust operational rules. We want to prove that a groundwater model simulating active ATES-systems can provide insight in the subsurface temperature distribution to adjust their control strategy in accordance with up-to-date information. Step by step we are solving the problems on this path, I would like to share and discuss my results, solutions and challenges. References [1] Bloemendal, M., Olsthoorn, T., Boons, F., How to achieve optimal and sustainable use of the subsurface for Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage, Energy Policy 66(2014) 104-114 [2] Sommer, W., Valstar, J., Leusbrock, I., Grotenhuis, T., Rijnaarts, H., Optimization and spatial pattern of large-scale aquifer thermal energy storage, Applied Energy 137 (2015) 322-337 [3] Hardin, G., The tragedy of the commons, Science162 (168) 12-13.

A Systems Approach to Identifying Exploration and Development Opportunities in the Illinois Basin: Digital Portifolio of Plays in Underexplored Lower Paleozoic Rocks [Part 1 of 2

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

Seyler, Beverly; Harris, David; Keith, Brian

2008-06-30

This study examined petroleum occurrence in Ordovician, Silurian and Devonian reservoirs in the Illinois Basin. Results from this project show that there is excellent potential for additional discovery of petroleum reservoirs in these formations. Numerous exploration targets and exploration strategies were identified that can be used to increase production from these underexplored strata. Some of the challenges to exploration of deeper strata include the lack of subsurface data, lack of understanding of regional facies changes, lack of understanding the role of diagenetic alteration in developing reservoir porosity and permeability, the shifting of structural closures with depth, overlooking potential producing horizons,more » and under utilization of 3D seismic techniques. This study has shown many areas are prospective for additional discoveries in lower Paleozoic strata in the Illinois Basin. This project implemented a systematic basin analysis approach that is expected to encourage exploration for petroleum in lower Paleozoic rocks of the Illinois Basin. The study has compiled and presented a broad base of information and knowledge needed by independent oil companies to pursue the development of exploration prospects in overlooked, deeper play horizons in the Illinois Basin. Available geologic data relevant for the exploration and development of petroleum reservoirs in the Illinois Basin was analyzed and assimilated into a coherent, easily accessible digital play portfolio. The primary focus of this project was on case studies of existing reservoirs in Devonian, Silurian, and Ordovician strata and the application of knowledge gained to future exploration and development in these underexplored strata of the Illinois Basin. In addition, a review of published reports and exploration in the New Albany Shale Group, a Devonian black shale source rock, in Illinois was completed due to the recent increased interest in Devonian black shales across the United States. The New Albany Shale is regarded as the source rock for petroleum in Silurian and younger strata in the Illinois Basin and has potential as a petroleum reservoir. Field studies of reservoirs in Devonian strata such as the Geneva Dolomite, Dutch Creek Sandstone and Grassy knob Chert suggest that there is much additional potential for expanding these plays beyond their current limits. These studies also suggest the potential for the discovery of additional plays using stratigraphic concepts to develop a subcrop play on the subkaskaskia unconformity boundary that separates lower Devonian strata from middle Devonian strata in portions of the basin. The lateral transition from Geneva Dolomite to Dutch Creek Sandstone also offers an avenue for developing exploration strategies in middle Devonian strata. Study of lower Devonian strata in the Sesser Oil Field and the region surrounding the field shows opportunities for development of a subcrop play where lower Devonian strata unconformably overlie Silurian strata. Field studies of Silurian reservoirs along the Sangamon Arch show that opportunities exist for overlooked pays in areas where wells do not penetrate deep enough to test all reservoir intervals in Niagaran rocks. Mapping of Silurian reservoirs in the Mt. Auburn trend along the Sangamon Arch shows that porous reservoir rock grades laterally to non-reservoir facies and several reservoir intervals may be encountered in the Silurian with numerous exploration wells testing only the uppermost reservoir intervals. Mapping of the Ordovician Trenton and shallower strata at Centralia Field show that the crest of the anticline shifted through geologic time. This study illustrates that the axes of anticlines may shift with depth and shallow structure maps may not accurately predict structurally favorable reservoir locations at depth.« less

Lifetime prediction for the subsurface crack propagation using three-dimensional dynamic FEA model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yin, Yuan; Chen, Yun-Xia; Liu, Le

2017-03-01

The subsurface crack propagation is one of the major interests for gear system research. The subsurface crack propagation lifetime is the number of cycles remaining for a spall to appear, which can be obtained through either stress intensity factor or accumulated plastic strain analysis. In this paper, the heavy loads are applied to the gear system. When choosing stress intensity factor, the high compressive stress suppresses Mode I stress intensities and severely reduces Mode II stress intensities in the heavily loaded lubricated contacts. Such that, the accumulated plastic strain is selected to calculate the subsurface crack propagation lifetime from the three-dimensional FEA model through ANSYS Workbench transient analysis. The three-dimensional gear FEA dynamic model with the subsurface crack is built through dividing the gears into several small elements. The calculation of the total cycles of the elements is proposed based on the time-varying accumulated plastic strain, which then will be used to calculate the subsurface crack propagation lifetime. During this process, the demonstration from a subsurface crack to a spall can be uncovered. In addition, different sizes of the elements around the subsurface crack are compared in this paper. The influences of the frictional coefficient and external torque on the crack propagation lifetime are also discussed. The results show that the lifetime of crack propagation decreases significantly when the external load T increasing from 100 N m to 150 N m. Given from the distributions of the accumulated plastic strain, the lifetime shares no significant difference when the frictional coefficient f ranging in 0.04-0.06.

Simplified Equations to Estimate Flushline Diameter for Subsurface Drip Irrigation Systems

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A formulation of the Hazen-Williams equation is typically used to determine the diameter of the common flushline that is often used at the distal end of subsurface drip irrigation systems to aid in joint flushing of a group of driplines. Although this method is accurate, its usage is not intuitive a...

Subsurface flow pathway dynamics in the active layer of coupled permafrost-hydrogeological systems under seasonal and annual temperature variability.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frampton, Andrew

2017-04-01

There is a need for improved understanding of the mechanisms controlling subsurface solute transport in the active layer in order to better understand permafrost-hydrological-carbon feedbacks, in particular with regards to how dissolved carbon is transported in coupled surface and subsurface terrestrial arctic water systems under climate change. Studying solute transport in arctic systems is also relevant in the context of anthropogenic pollution which may increase due to increased activity in cold region environments. In this contribution subsurface solute transport subject to ground surface warming causing permafrost thaw and active layer change is studied using a physically based model of coupled cryotic and hydrogeological flow processes combined with a particle tracking method. Changes in subsurface water flows and solute transport travel times are analysed for different modelled geological configurations during a 100-year warming period. Results show that for all simulated cases, the minimum and mean travel times increase non-linearly with warming irrespective of geological configuration and heterogeneity structure. The timing of the start of increase in travel time depends on heterogeneity structure, combined with the rate of permafrost degradation that also depends on material thermal and hydrogeological properties. These travel time changes are shown to depend on combined warming effects of increase in pathway length due to deepening of the active layer, reduced transport velocities due to a shift from horizontal saturated groundwater flow near the surface to vertical water percolation deeper into the subsurface, and pathway length increase and temporary immobilization caused by cryosuction-induced seasonal freeze cycles. The impact these change mechanisms have on solute and dissolved substance transport is further analysed by integrating pathway analysis with a Lagrangian approach, incorporating considerations for both dissolved organic and inorganic carbon releases. Further model development challenges are also highlighted and discussed, including coupling between subsurface and surface runoff, soil deformations, as well as site applications and larger system scales.

Investigation of the sensitivity of a cross-polarized light visualization system to detect subclinical erythema and dryness in women with vulvovaginitis.

PubMed

Farage, Miranda A; Singh, Mukul; Ledger, William J

2009-07-01

An enhanced visualization technique using polarized light (Syris v600 enhanced visualization system; Syris Scientific LLC, Gray, ME) detects surface and subsurface ( approximately 1 mm depth) inflammation. We sought to compare the Syris v600 system with unaided visual inspection and colposcopy of the female genitalia. Erythema and dryness of the vulva, introitus, vagina, and cervix were visualized and scored by each method in patients with and without vulvitis. Subsurface visualization was more sensitive in detecting genital erythema and dryness at all sites whether or not symptoms were present. Subsurface inflammation of the introitus, vagina, and cervix only was detected uniquely in women with vulvar vestibulitis syndrome (VVS). A subset of women presenting with VVS exhibited subclinical inflammation of the vulva vestibule and vagina (designated VVS/lichen sclerosus subgroup). Enhanced visualization of the genital epithelial subsurface with cross-polarized light may assist in diagnosing subclinical inflammation in vulvar conditions heretofore characterized as sensory syndromes.

A locally conservative stabilized continuous Galerkin finite element method for two-phase flow in poroelastic subsurfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deng, Q.; Ginting, V.; McCaskill, B.; Torsu, P.

2017-10-01

We study the application of a stabilized continuous Galerkin finite element method (CGFEM) in the simulation of multiphase flow in poroelastic subsurfaces. The system involves a nonlinear coupling between the fluid pressure, subsurface's deformation, and the fluid phase saturation, and as such, we represent this coupling through an iterative procedure. Spatial discretization of the poroelastic system employs the standard linear finite element in combination with a numerical diffusion term to maintain stability of the algebraic system. Furthermore, direct calculation of the normal velocities from pressure and deformation does not entail a locally conservative field. To alleviate this drawback, we propose an element based post-processing technique through which local conservation can be established. The performance of the method is validated through several examples illustrating the convergence of the method, the effectivity of the stabilization term, and the ability to achieve locally conservative normal velocities. Finally, the efficacy of the method is demonstrated through simulations of realistic multiphase flow in poroelastic subsurfaces.

Assessment of Undiscovered Technically Recoverable Oil and Gas Resources of the Bakken Formation, Williston Basin, Montana and North Dakota, 2008

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pollastro, R.M.; Roberts, L.N.R.; Cook, T.A.; Lewan, M.D.

2008-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has completed an assessment of the undiscovered oil and associated gas resources of the Upper Devonian to Lower Mississippian Bakken Formation in the U.S. portion of the Williston Basin of Montana and North Dakota and within the Williston Basin Province. The assessment is based on geologic elements of a total petroleum system (TPS), which include (1) source-rock distribution, thickness, organic richness, maturation, petroleum generation, and migration; (2) reservoir-rock type (conventional or continuous), distribution, and quality; and (3) character of traps and time of formation with respect to petroleum generation and migration. Framework studies in stratigraphy and structural geology and modeling of petroleum geochemistry, combined with historical exploration and production analyses, were used to estimate the undiscovered, technically recoverable oil resource of the Bakken Formation. Using this framework, the USGS defined a Bakken-Lodgepole TPS and seven assessment units (AU) within the system. For the Bakken Formation, the undiscovered oil and associated gas resources were quantitatively estimated for six of these AUs.

Assessment of Appalachian basin oil and gas resources:Devonian shale - Middle and Upper Paleozoic Total Petroleum System

USGS Publications Warehouse

Milici, Robert C.; Swezey, Christopher S.

2006-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) recently completed an assessment of the technically recoverable undiscovered hydrocarbon resources of the Appalachian Basin Province. The assessment province includes parts of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama. The assessment was based on six major petroleum systems, which include strata that range in age from Cambrian to Pennsylvanian. The Devonian Shale-Middle and Upper Paleozoic Total Petroleum System (TPS) extends generally from New York to Tennessee. This petroleum system has produced a large proportion of the oil and natural gas that has been discovered in the Appalachian basin since the drilling of the Drake well in Pennsylvania in 1859. For assessment purposes, the TPS was divided into 10 assessment units (plays), 4 of which were classified as conventional and 6 as continuous. The results were reported as fully risked fractiles (F95, F50, F5 and the Mean), with the fractiles indicating the probability of recovery of the assessment amount. Products reported were oil (millions of barrels of oil, MMBO), gas (billions of cubic feet of gas, BCFG), and natural gas liquids (millions of barrels of natural gas liquids, MMBNGL). The mean estimates for technically recoverable undiscovered hydrocarbons in the TPS are: 7.53 MMBO, 31,418.88 BCFG (31.42 trillion cubic feet) of gas, and 562.07 MMBNGL.

Effect of gold subsurface layer on the surface activity and segregation in Pt/Au/Pt3M (where M = 3d transition metals) alloy catalyst from first-principles.

PubMed

Kim, Chang-Eun; Lim, Dong-Hee; Jang, Jong Hyun; Kim, Hyoung Juhn; Yoon, Sung Pil; Han, Jonghee; Nam, Suk Woo; Hong, Seong-Ahn; Soon, Aloysius; Ham, Hyung Chul

2015-01-21

The effect of a subsurface hetero layer (thin gold) on the activity and stability of Pt skin surface in Pt3M system (M = 3d transition metals) is investigated using the spin-polarized density functional theory calculation. First, we find that the heterometallic interaction between the Pt skin surface and the gold subsurface in Pt/Au/Pt3M system can significantly modify the electronic structure of the Pt skin surface. In particular, the local density of states projected onto the d states of Pt skin surface near the Fermi level is drastically decreased compared to the Pt/Pt/Pt3M case, leading to the reduction of the oxygen binding strength of the Pt skin surface. This modification is related to the increase of surface charge polarization of outmost Pt skin atoms by the electron transfer from the gold subsurface atoms. Furthermore, a subsurface gold layer is found to cast the energetic barrier to the segregation loss of metal atoms from the bulk (inside) region, which can enhance the durability of Pt3M based catalytic system in oxygen reduction condition at fuel cell devices. This study highlights that a gold subsurface hetero layer can provide an additional mean to tune the surface activity toward oxygen species and in turn the oxygen reduction reaction, where the utilization of geometric strain already reaches its practical limit.

Enhanced Remedial Amendment Delivery through Fluid Viscosity Modifications: Experiments and numerical simulations

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

Zhong, Lirong; Oostrom, Martinus; Wietsma, Thomas W.

2008-07-29

Abstract Heterogeneity is often encountered in subsurface contamination characterization and remediation. Low-permeability zones are typically bypassed when remedial fluids are injected into subsurface heterogeneous aquifer systems. Therefore, contaminants in the bypassed areas may not be contacted by the amendments in the remedial fluid, which may significantly prolong the remediation operations. Laboratory experiments and numerical studies have been conducted to develop the Mobility-Controlled Flood (MCF) technology for subsurface remediation and to demonstrate the capability of this technology in enhancing the remedial amendments delivery to the lower permeability zones in heterogeneous systems. Xanthan gum, a bio-polymer, was used to modify the viscositymore » of the amendment-containing remedial solutions. Sodium mono-phosphate and surfactant were the remedial amendment used in this work. The enhanced delivery of the amendments was demonstrated in two-dimensional (2-D) flow cell experiments, packed with heterogeneous systems. The impact of polymer concentration, fluid injection rate, and permeability contract in the heterogeneous systems has been studied. The Subsurface Transport over Multiple Phases (STOMP) simulator was modified to include polymer-induced shear thinning effects. Shear rates of polymer solutions were computed from pore-water velocities using a relationship proposed in the literature. Viscosity data were subsequently obtained from empirical viscosity-shear rate relationships derived from laboratory data. The experimental and simulation results clearly show that the MCF technology is capable of enhancing the delivery of remedial amendments to subsurface lower permeability zones. The enhanced delivery significantly improved the NAPL removal from these zones and the sweeping efficiency on a heterogeneous system was remarkably increased when a polymer fluid was applied. MCF technology is also able to stabilize the fluid displacing front when there is a density difference between the fluids. The modified STOMP simulator was able to predict the experimental observed fluid displacing behavior. The simulator may be used to predict the subsurface remediation performance when a shear thinning fluid is used to remediate a heterogeneous system.« less

Large-Scale Wireless Temperature Monitoring System for Liquefied Petroleum Gas Storage Tanks

PubMed Central

Fan, Guangwen; Shen, Yu; Hao, Xiaowei; Yuan, Zongming; Zhou, Zhi

2015-01-01

Temperature distribution is a critical indicator of the health condition for Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) storage tanks. In this paper, we present a large-scale wireless temperature monitoring system to evaluate the safety of LPG storage tanks. The system includes wireless sensors networks, high temperature fiber-optic sensors, and monitoring software. Finally, a case study on real-world LPG storage tanks proves the feasibility of the system. The unique features of wireless transmission, automatic data acquisition and management, local and remote access make the developed system a good alternative for temperature monitoring of LPG storage tanks in practical applications. PMID:26393596

Performance of Subsurface Tube Drainage System in Saline Soils: A Case Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pali, A. K.

2015-06-01

In order to improve the saline and water logged soils caused due to groundwater table rise, installation of subsurface drainage system is considered as one of the best remedies. However, the design of the drainage system has to be accurate so that the field performance results conform to the designed results. In this investigation, the field performance of subsurface tube drainage system installed at the study area was evaluated. The performance was evaluated on the basis of comparison of the designed value of water table drop as 30 cm after 2 days of drainage and predicted and field measured hydraulic heads for a consecutive drainage period of 14 days. The investigation revealed that the actual drop of water table after 2 days of drainage was 25 cm, about 17 % less than the designed value of 30 cm after 2 days of drainage. The comparison of hydraulic heads predicted by Van Schilfgaarde equation of unsteady drainage with the field-measured hydraulic heads showed that the deviation of predicted hydraulic heads varied within a range of ±8 % indicating high acceptability of Van Schlifgaarde equation for designing subsurface drainage system in saline and water logged soils resembling to that of the study area.

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 evolution of the southwest Pacific Ocean, Nature, 461, 776-779.

Petroleum market shares. Progress report on the retailing of gasoline

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

Not Available

1974-08-06

The report is comprised of three major sections: data currently available from industry; data comparisons; and descriptions and rationale for an FEA market share monitoring program. The latter part of this report is a rationale and description of FEA's development of capabilities to monitor changes of both petroleum marketing and distribution. The objective is to provide an ongoing system that reliably measures market shares. Included in the text are discussions of: Previously reported data on gasoline sales; survey of nonbranded independent marketers; company direct sales and independent marketers; gasoline and diesel fuel; and other petroleum products. (GRA)

Monitoring of Gasoline-ethanol Degradation In Undisturbed Soil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Österreicher-Cunha, P.; Nunes, C. M. F.; Vargas, E. A.; Guimarães, J. R. D.; Costa, A.

Environmental contamination problems are greatly emphasised nowadays because of the direct threat they represent for human health. Traditional remediation methods fre- quently present low efficiency and high costs; therefore, biological treatment is being considered as an accessible and efficient alternative for soil and water remediation. Bioventing, commonly used to remediate petroleum hydrocarbon spills, stimulates the degradation capacity of indigenous microorganisms by providing better subsur- face oxygenation. In Brazil, gasoline and ethanol are mixed (78:22 v/v); some authors indicate that despite gasoline high degradability, its degradation in subsurface is hin- dered by the presence of much more rapidly degrading ethanol. Contaminant distribu- tion and degradation in the subsurface can be monitored by several physical, chemical and microbiological methodologies. This study aims to evaluate and follow the degra- dation of a gasoline-ethanol mixture in a residual undisturbed tropical soil from Rio de Janeiro. Bioventing was used to enhance microbial degradation. Shifts in bacte- rial culturable populations due to contamination and treatment effects were followed by conventional microbiology methods. Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) measure- ments, which consist of the emission of electro-magnetic waves into the soil, yield a visualisation of contaminant degradation because of changes in soil conductivity due to microbial action on the pollutants. Chemical analyses will measure contaminant residue in soil. Our results disclosed contamination impact as well as bioventing stim- ulation on soil culturable heterotrophic bacterial populations. This multidisciplinary approach allows for a wider evaluation of processes occurring in soil.

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

Lord, Anna C.

The U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) is a stockpile of emergency crude oil to be tapped into if a disruption in the nation's oil supply occurs. The SPR is comprised of four salt dome sites. Subsidence surveys have been conducted either annually or biennially at all four sites over the life of the program. Monitoring of surface behavior is a first line defense to detecting possible subsurface cavern integrity issues. Over the life of the Bryan Mound site, subsidence rates over abandoned Cavern 3 have continuously been the highest at the site. In an effort to try and understand themore » subsurface dynamics, specifically over Bryan Mound Cavern 3, historic interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) data was acquired and processed by TRE Altamira. InSAR involves the processing of multiple satellite synthetic aperture radar scenes acquired across the same location of the Earth's surface at different times to map surface deformation. The analysis of the data has the ability to detect millimeters of motion spanning days, months, year and decades, across specific sites. The intent in regards to the Bryan Mound site was (1) to confirm the higher subsidence rates recorded over abandoned Cavern 3 indicated by land survey and (2) understand the regional surface behavior. This report describes the InSAR analysis results, how those results compare to the historical collection of land survey data, and what additional information the data has provided towards understanding the response recorded at the surface.« less

Evaluating roadway subsurface drainage practices - phase II.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-04-01

Well-performing subsurface drainage systems form an important aspect of pavement design by the Iowa Department of : Transportation (DOT). The recently completed Iowa Highway Research Board (IHRB) project TR-643 provided extensive : insights into Iowa...

Development of a geotechnical GIS for subsurface characterization with three dimensional modeling capabilities.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2006-06-01

The New Hampshire Department of Transportation initiated this research to develop a geographical information system (GIS) that : visualizes subsurface conditions three dimensionally by pulling together geotechnical data containing spatial references....

Effect of subsurface drainage on the structural capacity of flexible pavement.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2005-01-01

Following the recommendation of the Virginia Transportation Research Council's Pavement Research Advisory Committee, this project was initiated to determine the effectiveness of including subsurface drainage systems in pavements in Virginia. The rese...

DEVELOPMENT OF AN IN SITU THERMAL EXTRACTION DETECTION SYSTEM (TEDS) FOR RAPID, ACCURATE, QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS OF ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTANTS IN THE SUBSURFACE - PHASE I

EPA Science Inventory

Ion Signature Technology, Inc. (IST) will develop and market a collection and analysis system that will retrieve soil-bound pollutants as well as soluble and non-soluble contaminants from groundwater as the probe is pushed by cone penetrometry of Geoprobe into the subsurface. ...

Non-ferromagnetic overburden casing

DOEpatents

Vinegar, Harold J.; Harris, Christopher Kelvin; Mason, Stanley Leroy

2010-09-14

Systems, methods, and heaters for treating a subsurface formation are described herein. At least one system for electrically insulating an overburden portion of a heater wellbore is described. The system may include a heater wellbore located in a subsurface formation and an electrically insulating casing located in the overburden portion of the heater wellbore. The casing may include at least one non-ferromagnetic material such that ferromagnetic effects are inhibited in the casing.

Transportation Energy Futures Series: Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Expansion: Costs, Resources, Production Capacity, and Retail Availability for Low-Carbon Scenarios

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

Melaina, W.; Heath, Garvin; Sandor, Debra

2013-04-01

The petroleum-based transportation fuel system is complex and highly developed, in contrast to the nascent low-petroleum, low-carbon alternative fuel system. This report examines how expansion of the low-carbon transportation fuel infrastructure could contribute to deep reductions in petroleum use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across the U.S. transportation sector. Three low-carbon scenarios, each using a different combination of low-carbon fuels, were developed to explore infrastructure expansion trends consistent with a study goal of reducing transportation sector GHG emissions to 80% less than 2005 levels by 2050.These scenarios were compared to a business-as-usual (BAU) scenario and were evaluated with respect tomore » four criteria: fuel cost estimates, resource availability, fuel production capacity expansion, and retail infrastructure expansion.« less

Subsurface sounders

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

Airborne or spaceborne electromagnetic systems used to detect subsurface features are discussed. Data are given as a function of resistivity of ground material, magnetic permeability of free space, and angular frequency. It was noted that resistivities vary with the water content and temperature.

Ma_Miss Experiment: miniaturized imaging spectrometer for subsurface studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coradini, A.; Ammannito, E.; Boccaccini, A.; de Sanctis, M. C.; di Iorio, T.; Battistelli, E.; Capanni, A.

2011-10-01

The study of the Martian subsurface will provide important constraints on the nature, timing and duration of alteration and sedimentation processes on Mars, as well as on the complex interactions between the surface and the atmosphere. A Drilling system, coupled with an in situ analysis package, is installed on the Exomars-Pasteur Rover to perform in situ investigations up to 2m in the Mars soil. Ma_Miss (Mars Multispectral Imager for Subsurface Studies) is a spectrometer devoted to observe the lateral wall of the borehole generated by the Drilling system. The instrument is fully integrated with the Drill and shares its structure and electronics.

Pilot-scale bioremediation of a petroleum hydrocarbon-contaminated clayey soil from a sub-Arctic site.

PubMed

Akbari, Ali; Ghoshal, Subhasis

2014-09-15

Bioremediation is a potentially cost-effective solution for petroleum contamination in cold region sites. This study investigates the extent of biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons (C16-C34) in a pilot-scale biopile experiment conducted at 15°C for periods up to 385 days, with a clayey soil, from a crude oil-impacted site in northern Canada. Although several studies on bioremediation of petroleum hydrocarbon-contaminated soils from cold region sites have been reported for coarse-textured, sandy soils, there are limited studies of bioremediation of petroleum contamination in fine-textured, clayey soils. Our results indicate that aeration and moisture addition was sufficient for achieving 47% biodegradation and an endpoint of 530 mg/kg for non-volatile (C16-C34) petroleum hydrocarbons. Nutrient amendment with 95 mg-N/kg showed no significant effect on biodegradation compared to a control system without nutrient but similar moisture content. In contrast, in a biopile amended with 1340 mg-N/kg, no statistically significant biodegradation of non-volatile fraction was detected. Terminal Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (T-RFLP) analyses of alkB and 16S rRNA genes revealed that inhibition of hydrocarbon biodegradation was associated with a lack of change in microbial community composition. Overall, our data suggests that biopiles are feasible for attaining the bioremediation endpoint in clayey soils. Despite the significantly lower biodegradation rate of 0.009 day(-1) in biopile tank compared to 0.11 day(-1) in slurry bioreactors for C16-C34 hydrocarbons, the biodegradation extents for this fraction were comparable in these two systems. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Point-of-entry treatment of petroleum contaminated water supplies

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

Malley, J.P. Jr.; Eliason, P.A.; Wagler, J.L.

1993-03-01

Contamination of individual wells in rural area from leaking petroleum storage tanks poses unique problems for regulatory agencies utilities, and potentially responsible parties. A potential solution is the use of point-of-entry (POE) treatment techniques. Results indicate POE systems using aeration followed by granular activated carbon (GAC) are a viable, cost effective, short-term solution while ground water remediation is performed or an alternate drinking water supply is secured. Selection and design of POE systems should consider variations in water usage and contaminant concentrations. Iron and manganese did not affect POE system performance at the ten sites studied. However, iron precipitation wasmore » observed and may pose problems in some POE applications. Increased concentrations of nonpurgeable dissolved organic carbon consisting primarily of methy-t-butyl ether (MTBE) and hydrophilic petroleum hydrocarbons were found in the raw waters but did not affect volatile organic chemical (VOC) removals by aeration of GAC. Microbial activity as measured by heterotrophie plate count significantly increased through four of the ten POE systems studied. Reliability of the POE systems will best be achieved by specifying top quality system components, educating POE users, and providing routine maintenance and VOC monitoring. 20 refs., 9 figs., 4 tabs.« less

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...

Hydraulic characterization of aquifers, reservoir rocks, and soils: A history of ideas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Narasimhan, T. N.

1998-01-01

Estimation of the hydraulic properties of aquifers, petroleum reservoir rocks, and soil systems is a fundamental task in many branches of Earth sciences and engineering. The transient diffusion equation proposed by Fourier early in the 19th century for heat conduction in solids constitutes the basis for inverting hydraulic test data collected in the field to estimate the two basic parameters of interest, namely, hydraulic conductivity and hydraulic capacitance. Combining developments in fluid mechanics, heat conduction, and potential theory, the civil engineers of the 19th century, such as Darcy, Dupuit, and Forchheimer, solved many useful problems of steady state seepage of water. Interest soon shifted towards the understanding of the transient flow process. The turn of the century saw Buckingham establish the role of capillary potential in governing moisture movement in partially water-saturated soils. The 1920s saw remarkable developments in several branches of the Earth sciences; Terzaghi's analysis of deformation of watersaturated earth materials, the invention of the tensiometer by Willard Gardner, Meinzer's work on the compressibility of elastic aquifers, and the study of the mechanics of oil and gas reservoirs by Muskat and others. In the 1930s these led to a systematic analysis of pressure transients from aquifers and petroleum reservoirs through the work of Theis and Hurst. The response of a subsurface flow system to a hydraulic perturbation is governed by its geometric attributes as well as its material properties. In inverting field data to estimate hydraulic parameters, one makes the fundamental assumption that the flow geometry is known a priori. This approach has generally served us well in matters relating to resource development primarily concerned with forecasting fluid pressure declines. Over the past two decades, Earth scientists have become increasingly concerned with environmental contamination problems. The resolution of these problems requires that hydraulic characterization be carried out at a much finer spatial scale, for which adequate information on geometric detail is not forthcoming. Traditional methods of interpretation of field data have relied heavily on analytic solutions to specific, highly idealized initial-value problems. The availability of efficient numerical models and versatile spreadsheets of personal computers offer promising opportunities to relax many unavoidable assumptions of analytical solutions and interpret field data much more generally and with fewer assumptions. Currently, a lot of interest is being devoted to the characterization of permeability. However, all groundwater systems are transient on appropriate timescales. The dynamics of groundwater systems cannot be understood without paying attention to capacitance. Much valuable insights about the dynamic attributes of groundwater systems could be gained by long-term passive monitoring of responses of groundwater systems to barometric changes, Earth tides, and ocean tides.

Rye cover crop and gamagrass strip effects on NO3 concentration and load in tile drainage.

PubMed

Kaspar, T C; Jaynes, D B; Parkin, T B; Moorman, T B

2007-01-01

A significant portion of the NO3 from agricultural fields that contaminates surface waters in the Midwest Corn Belt is transported to streams or rivers by subsurface drainage systems or "tiles." Previous research has shown that N fertilizer management alone is not sufficient for reducing NO3 concentrations in subsurface drainage to acceptable levels; therefore, additional approaches need to be devised. We compared two cropping system modifications for NO3 concentration and load in subsurface drainage water for a no-till corn (Zea mays L.)-soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr.) management system. In one treatment, eastern gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides L.) was grown in permanent 3.05-m-wide strips above the tiles. For the second treatment, a rye (Secale cereale L.) winter cover crop was seeded over the entire plot area each year near harvest and chemically killed before planting the following spring. Twelve 30.5x42.7-m subsurface-drained field plots were established in 1999 with an automated system for measuring tile flow and collecting flow-weighted samples. Both treatments and a control were initiated in 2000 and replicated four times. Full establishment of both treatments did not occur until fall 2001 because of dry conditions. Treatment comparisons were conducted from 2002 through 2005. The rye cover crop treatment significantly reduced subsurface drainage water flow-weighted NO3 concentrations and NO3 loads in all 4 yr. The rye cover crop treatment did not significantly reduce cumulative annual drainage. Averaged over 4 yr, the rye cover crop reduced flow-weighted NO3 concentrations by 59% and loads by 61%. The gamagrass strips did not significantly reduce cumulative drainage, the average annual flow-weighted NO3 concentrations, or cumulative NO3 loads averaged over the 4 yr. Rye winter cover crops grown after corn and soybean have the potential to reduce the NO3 concentrations and loads delivered to surface waters by subsurface drainage systems.

Exploration of a Subsurface Biosphere in a Volcanic Massive Sulfide: Results of the Mars Analog Rio Tinto Drilling Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stoker, C. R.; Stevens, T.; Amils, R.; Fernandez, D.

2005-12-01

Biological systems on Earth require three key ingredients-- liquid water, an energy source, and a carbon source, that are found in very few extraterrestrial environments. Previous examples of independent subsurface ecosystems have been found only in basalt aquifers. Such lithotrophic microbial ecosystems (LME) have been proposed as models for steps in the early evolution of Earth's biosphere and for potential biospheres on other planets where the surface is uninhabitable, such as Mars and Europa.. The Mars Analog Rio Tinto Experiment (MARTE) has searched in a volcanic massive sulfide deposit in Rio Tinto Spain for a subsurface biosphere capable of living without sunlight or oxygen and found a subsurface ecosystem driven by the weathering of the massive sulfide deposit (VMS) in which the rock matrix provides sufficient resources to support microbial metabolism, including the vigorous production of H2 by water-rock interactions. Microbial production of methane and sulfate occurred in the sulfide orebody and microbial production of methane and hydrogen sulfide continued in an anoxic plume downgradient from the sulfide ore. Organic carbon concentrations in the parent rock were too low to support microbes. The Rio Tinto system thus represents a new type of subsurface ecosystem with strong relevance for exobiological studies. Commercial drilling was used to reach the aquifer system at 100 m depth and conventional laboratory techniques were used to identify and characterize the biosphere. Then, the life search strategy that led to successful identification of this biosphere was applied to the development of a robotic drilling, core handling, inspection, subsampling, and life detection system built on a prototype planetary lander that was deployed in Rio Tinto Spain in September 2005 to test the capability of a robotic drilling system to search for subsurface life. A remote science team directed the simulation and analyzed the data from the MARTE robotic drill. The results of this experiment have important implications for the strategy for searching for life on Mars.

Exploring the hydraulic fracturing parameter space: a novel high-pressure, high-throughput reactor system for investigating subsurface chemical transformations.

PubMed

Sumner, Andrew J; Plata, Desiree L

2018-02-21

Hydraulic fracturing coupled with horizontal drilling (HDHF) involves the deep-well injection of a fracturing fluid composed of diverse and numerous chemical additives designed to facilitate the release and collection of natural gas from shale plays. Analyses of flowback wastewaters have revealed organic contamination from both geogenic and anthropogenic sources. The additional detections of undisclosed halogenated chemicals suggest unintended in situ transformation of reactive additives, but the formation pathways for these are unclear in subsurface brines. To develop an efficient experimental framework for investigating the complex shale-well parameter space, we have reviewed and synthesized geospatial well data detailing temperature, pressure, pH, and halide ion values as well as industrial chemical disclosure and concentration data. Our findings showed subsurface conditions can reach pressures up to 4500 psi (310 bars) and temperatures up to 95 °C, while at least 588 unique chemicals have been disclosed by industry, including reactive oxidants and acids. Given the extreme conditions necessary to simulate the subsurface, we briefly highlighted existing geochemical reactor systems rated to the necessary pressures and temperatures, identifying throughput as a key limitation. In response, we designed and developed a custom reactor system capable of achieving 5000 psi (345 bars) and 90 °C at low cost with 15 individual reactors that are readily turned over. To demonstrate the system's throughput, we simultaneously tested 12 disclosed HDHF chemicals against a radical initiator compound in simulated subsurface conditions, ruling out a dozen potential transformation pathways in a single experiment. This review outlines the dynamic and diverse parameter range experienced by HDHF chemical additives and provides an optimized framework and novel reactor system for the methodical study of subsurface transformation pathways. Ultimately, enabling such studies will provide urgently needed clarity for water treatment downstream or releases to the environment.

An analytical solution for predicting the transient seepage from a subsurface drainage system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xin, Pei; Dan, Han-Cheng; Zhou, Tingzhang; Lu, Chunhui; Kong, Jun; Li, Ling

2016-05-01

Subsurface drainage systems have been widely used to deal with soil salinization and waterlogging problems around the world. In this paper, a mathematical model was introduced to quantify the transient behavior of the groundwater table and the seepage from a subsurface drainage system. Based on the assumption of a hydrostatic pressure distribution, the model considered the pore-water flow in both the phreatic and vadose soil zones. An approximate analytical solution for the model was derived to quantify the drainage of soils which were initially water-saturated. The analytical solution was validated against laboratory experiments and a 2-D Richards equation-based model, and found to predict well the transient water seepage from the subsurface drainage system. A saturated flow-based model was also tested and found to over-predict the time required for drainage and the total water seepage by nearly one order of magnitude, in comparison with the experimental results and the present analytical solution. During drainage, a vadose zone with a significant water storage capacity developed above the phreatic surface. A considerable amount of water still remained in the vadose zone at the steady state with the water table situated at the drain bottom. Sensitivity analyses demonstrated that effects of the vadose zone were intensified with an increased thickness of capillary fringe, capillary rise and/or burying depth of drains, in terms of the required drainage time and total water seepage. The analytical solution provides guidance for assessing the capillary effects on the effectiveness and efficiency of subsurface drainage systems for combating soil salinization and waterlogging problems.

National Assessment of Oil and Gas Project: Geologic Assessment of Undiscovered Oil and Gas Resources of the Eastern Great Basin Province, Nevada, Utah, Idaho, and Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

2007-01-01

Introduction The purpose of the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) National Oil and Gas Assessment is to develop geologically based hypotheses regarding the potential for additions to oil and gas reserves in priority areas of the United States. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) recently completed an assessment of the undiscovered oil and gas potential of the Eastern Great Basin Province of eastern Nevada, western Utah, southeastern Idaho, and northwestern Arizona. This assessment is based on geologic principles and uses the total petroleum system concept. The geologic elements of a total petroleum system include hydrocarbon source rocks (source rock maturation, hydrocarbon generation and migration), reservoir rocks (sequence stratigraphy and petrophysical properties), and hydrocarbon traps (trap formation and timing). The USGS used this geologic framework to define one total petroleum system and three assessment units. All three assessment units were quantitatively assessed for undiscovered oil and gas resources.

A GHS-consistent approach to health hazard classification of petroleum substances, a class of UVCB substances.

PubMed

Clark, Charles R; McKee, Richard H; Freeman, James J; Swick, Derek; Mahagaokar, Suneeta; Pigram, Glenda; Roberts, Linda G; Smulders, Chantal J; Beatty, Patrick W

2013-12-01

The process streams refined from petroleum crude oil for use in petroleum products are among those designated by USEPA as UVCB substances (unknown or variable composition, complex reaction products and biological materials). They are identified on global chemical inventories with unique Chemical Abstract Services (CAS) numbers and names. The chemical complexity of most petroleum substances presents challenges when evaluating their hazards and can result in differing evaluations due to the varying level of hazardous constituents and differences in national chemical control regulations. Global efforts to harmonize the identification of chemical hazards are aimed at promoting the use of consistent hazard evaluation criteria. This paper discusses a systematic approach for the health hazard evaluation of petroleum substances using chemical categories and the United Nations (UN) Globally Harmonized System (GHS) of classification and labeling. Also described are historical efforts to characterize the hazard of these substances and how they led to the development of categories, the identification of potentially hazardous constituents which should be considered, and a summary of the toxicology of the major petroleum product groups. The use of these categories can increase the utility of existing data, provide better informed hazard evaluations, and reduce the amount of animal testing required. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Development of a hybrid proximal sensing method for rapid identification of petroleum contaminated soils.

PubMed

Chakraborty, Somsubhra; Weindorf, David C; Li, Bin; Ali Aldabaa, Abdalsamad Abdalsatar; Ghosh, Rakesh Kumar; Paul, Sathi; Nasim Ali, Md

2015-05-01

Using 108 petroleum contaminated soil samples, this pilot study proposed a new analytical approach of combining visible near-infrared diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (VisNIR DRS) and portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (PXRF) for rapid and improved quantification of soil petroleum contamination. Results indicated that an advanced fused model where VisNIR DRS spectra-based penalized spline regression (PSR) was used to predict total petroleum hydrocarbon followed by PXRF elemental data-based random forest regression was used to model the PSR residuals, it outperformed (R(2)=0.78, residual prediction deviation (RPD)=2.19) all other models tested, even producing better generalization than using VisNIR DRS alone (RPD's of 1.64, 1.86, and 1.96 for random forest, penalized spline regression, and partial least squares regression, respectively). Additionally, unsupervised principal component analysis using the PXRF+VisNIR DRS system qualitatively separated contaminated soils from control samples. Fusion of PXRF elemental data and VisNIR derivative spectra produced an optimized model for total petroleum hydrocarbon quantification in soils. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Petroleum residues degradation in laboratory-scale by rhizosphere bacteria isolated from the mangrove ecosystem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rinanti, A.; Nainggolan, I. J.

2018-01-01

This research is about petroleum bioremediation experiment to obtain bacterial isolate from mangrove ecosystem which potentially degrade petroleum. It was conducted in an Erlenmeyer batch system filled with growth medium of Stone Mineral Salt Solution (SMSS) plus petroleum residue, placed in an incubator shaker with a rotation speed of 120 rpm, temperature 3000C, for 14 research days. Indigenous bacteria that have been isolated and identified from the roots of mangrove plants are Ochrobactrum anthropi and Bacillus sp., Ralstonia pickettii and Bacillus circulans. Those bacteriain both monoculture and consortium form (mixed culture) are incorporated into erlenmeyer as remediator agents. All bacteria can utilize hydrocarbon compounds, but Ralstonia pickettii and Bacillus circulans reached exponential phase faster with more cell count than other bacteria. Compared to single cultures, petroleum degradation by a bacterial consortium provides a higher TPH reduction efficiency, i.e. at 5%, 10%, and 15% of initial TPH of 94.4%, 72%, and 80.3%, respectively. This study proved that all bacteria could optimize hydrocarbon compounds up to 15% TPH load.

Methods and system for subsurface stabilization using jet grouting

DOEpatents

Loomis, Guy G.; Weidner, Jerry R.; Farnsworth, Richard K.; Gardner, Bradley M.; Jessmore, James J.

1999-01-01

Methods and systems are provided for stabilizing a subsurface area such as a buried waste pit for either long term storage, or interim storage and retrieval. A plurality of holes are drilled into the subsurface area with a high pressure drilling system provided with a drill stem having jet grouting nozzles. A grouting material is injected at high pressure through the jet grouting nozzles into a formed hole while the drill stem is withdrawn from the hole at a predetermined rate of rotation and translation. A grout-filled column is thereby formed with minimal grout returns, which when overlapped with other adjacent grout-filled columns encapsulates and binds the entire waste pit area to form a subsurface agglomeration or monolith of grout, soil, and waste. The formed monolith stabilizes the buried waste site against subsidence while simultaneously providing a barrier against contaminate migration. The stabilized monolith can be left permanently in place or can be retrieved if desired by using appropriate excavation equipment. The jet grouting technique can also be utilized in a pretreatment approach prior to in situ vitrification of a buried waste site. The waste encapsulation methods and systems are applicable to buried waste materials such as mixed waste, hazardous waste, or radioactive waste.

Capabilities of seismic and georadar 2D/3D imaging of shallow subsurface of transport route using the Seismobile system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pilecki, Zenon; Isakow, Zbigniew; Czarny, Rafał; Pilecka, Elżbieta; Harba, Paulina; Barnaś, Maciej

2017-08-01

In this work, the capabilities of the Seismobile system for shallow subsurface imaging of transport routes, such as roads, railways, and airport runways, in different geological conditions were presented. The Seismobile system combines the advantages of seismic profiling using landstreamer and georadar (GPR) profiling. It consists of up to four seismic measuring lines and carriage with a suspended GPR antenna. Shallow subsurface recognition may be achieved to a maximum width of 10.5 m for a distance of 3.5 m between the measurement lines. GPR measurement is performed in the axis of the construction. Seismobile allows the measurement time, labour and costs to be reduced due to easy technique of its installation, remote data transmission from geophones to accompanying measuring modules, automated location of the system based on GPS and a highly automated method of seismic wave excitation. In this paper, the results of field tests carried out in different geological conditions were presented. The methodologies of acquisition, processing and interpretation of seismic and GPR measurements were broadly described. Seismograms and its spectrum registered by Seismobile system were compared to the ones registered by Geode seismograph of Geometrix. Seismic data processing and interpretation software allows for the obtaining of 2D/3D models of P- and S-wave velocities. Combined seismic and GPR results achieved sufficient imaging of shallow subsurface to a depth of over a dozen metres. The obtained geophysical information correlated with geological information from the boreholes with good quality. The results of performed tests proved the efficiency of the Seismobile system in seismic and GPR imaging of a shallow subsurface of transport routes under compound conditions.

Petroleum systems of the Po Basin Province of northern Italy and the northern Adriatic Sea; Porto Garibaldi (biogenic), Meride/Riva di Solto (thermal), and Marnoso Arenacea (thermal)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lindquist, Sandra J.

1999-01-01

The Porto Garibaldi total petroleum system dominates the Po Basin Province of onshore northern Italy and offshore Italy and Croatia in the northern Adriatic Sea. Porto Garibaldi contains Pliocene (primarily) and Pleistocene (secondarily) biogenic gas ? approximately 16 TCF (2.66 BBOE) ultimately recoverable ? accumulated in co-eval siliciclastic reservoirs. This area was the northwestern edge of the Gondwanan (African) continental plate in pre-Hercynian time until the assembly of Pangea, a dominantly carbonate passive continental margin during the Mesozoic breakup of Pangea, and a Cenozoic collision zone with siliciclastic foredeep and foreland regions surrounded by thrust belts. At least two other petroleum systems, with Triassic (Meride / Riva di Solto) and Miocene (Marnoso Arenacea) source rocks, contribute oil and thermal gas reserves (nearly 1 BBOE) to the province. The major time of hydrocarbon expulsion of the thermal systems was Late Neogene during the Alpine and Apennine orogenies. Local Mesozoic oil expulsion from Triassic rocks also occurred, but those oils either were not trapped or were leaked from faulty traps through time.

Membrane Lipids as Indicators for Viable Bacterial Communities Inhabiting Petroleum Systems.

PubMed

Gruner, Andrea; Mangelsdorf, Kai; Vieth-Hillebrand, Andrea; Horsfield, Brian; van der Kraan, Geert M; Köhler, Thomas; Janka, Christoph; Morris, Brandon E L; Wilkes, Heinz

2017-08-01

Microbial activity in petroleum reservoirs has been implicated in a suite of detrimental effects including deterioration of petroleum quality, increases in oil sulfur content, biofouling of steel pipelines and other infrastructures, and well plugging. Here, we present a biogeochemical approach, using phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs), for detecting viable bacteria in petroleum systems. Variations within the bacterial community along water flow paths (producing well, topside facilities, and injection well) can be elucidated in the field using the same technique, as shown here within oil production plants in the Molasse Basin of Upper Austria. The abundance of PLFAs is compared to total cellular numbers, as detected by qPCR of the 16S rDNA gene, to give an overall comparison between the resolutions of both methods in a true field setting. Additionally, the influence of biocide applications on lipid- and DNA-based quantification was investigated. The first oil field, Trattnach, showed significant PLFA abundances and cell numbers within the reservoir and topside facilities. In contrast, the second field (Engenfeld) showed very low PLFA levels overall, likely due to continuous treatment of the topside facilities with a glutaraldehyde-based antimicrobial. In comparison, Trattnach is dosed once per week in a batch fashion. Changes within PLFA compositions across the flow path, throughout the petroleum production plants, point to cellular adaptation within the system and may be linked to shifts in the dominance of certain bacterial types in oil reservoirs versus topside facilities. Overall, PLFA-based monitoring provides a useful tool to assess the abundance and high-level taxonomic diversity of viable microbial populations in oil production wells, topside infrastructure, pipelines, and other related facilities.

Effects of diurnal temperature variation on microbial community and petroleum hydrocarbon biodegradation in contaminated soils from a sub-Arctic site.

PubMed

Akbari, Ali; Ghoshal, Subhasis

2015-12-01

Contaminated soils are subject to diurnal and seasonal temperature variations during on-site ex-situ bioremediation processes. We assessed how diurnal temperature variations similar to that in summer at the site from which petroleum hydrocarbon-contaminated soil was collected affect the soil microbial community and the extent of biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons compared with constant temperature regimes. Microbial community analyses for 16S rRNA and alkB genes by pyrosequencing indicated that the microbial community for soils incubated under diurnal temperature variation from 5°C to 15°C (VART5-15) evolved similarly to that for soils incubated at constant temperature of 15°C (CST15). In contrast, under a constant temperature of 5°C (CST5), the community evolved significantly different. The extent of biodegradation of C10-C16 hydrocarbons in the VART5-15 systems was 48%, comparable with the 41% biodegradation in CST15 systems, but significantly higher than CST5 systems at 11%. The enrichment of Gammaproteobacteria was observed in the alkB gene-harbouring communities in VART5-15 and CST15 but not in CST5 systems. However, the Actinobacteria was abundant at all temperature regimes. The results suggest that changes in microbial community composition as a result of diurnal temperature variations can significantly influence petroleum hydrocarbon bioremediation performance in cold regions. © 2015 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The Derivation of Fault Volumetric Properties from 3D Trace Maps Using Outcrop Constrained Discrete Fracture Network Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hodgetts, David; Seers, Thomas

2015-04-01

Fault systems are important structural elements within many petroleum reservoirs, acting as potential conduits, baffles or barriers to hydrocarbon migration. Large, seismic-scale faults often serve as reservoir bounding seals, forming structural traps which have proved to be prolific plays in many petroleum provinces. Though inconspicuous within most seismic datasets, smaller subsidiary faults, commonly within the damage zones of parent structures, may also play an important role. These smaller faults typically form narrow, tabular low permeability zones which serve to compartmentalize the reservoir, negatively impacting upon hydrocarbon recovery. Though considerable improvements have been made in the visualization field to reservoir-scale fault systems with the advent of 3D seismic surveys, the occlusion of smaller scale faults in such datasets is a source of significant uncertainty during prospect evaluation. The limited capacity of conventional subsurface datasets to probe the spatial distribution of these smaller scale faults has given rise to a large number of outcrop based studies, allowing their intensity, connectivity and size distributions to be explored in detail. Whilst these studies have yielded an improved theoretical understanding of the style and distribution of sub-seismic scale faults, the ability to transform observations from outcrop to quantities that are relatable to reservoir volumes remains elusive. These issues arise from the fact that outcrops essentially offer a pseudo-3D window into the rock volume, making the extrapolation of surficial fault properties such as areal density (fracture length per unit area: P21), to equivalent volumetric measures (i.e. fracture area per unit volume: P32) applicable to fracture modelling extremely challenging. Here, we demonstrate an approach which harnesses advances in the extraction of 3D trace maps from surface reconstructions using calibrated image sequences, in combination with a novel semi-deterministic, outcrop constrained discrete fracture network modeling code to derive volumetric fault intensity measures (fault area per unit volume / fault volume per unit volume). Producing per-vertex measures of volumetric intensity; our method captures the spatial variability in 3D fault density across a surveyed outcrop, enabling first order controls to be probed. We demonstrate our approach on pervasively faulted exposures of a Permian aged reservoir analogue from the Vale of Eden Basin, UK.

An intermediate-scale model for thermal hydrology in low-relief permafrost-affected landscapes

DOE PAGES

Jan, Ahmad; Coon, Ethan T.; Painter, Scott L.; ...

2017-07-10

Integrated surface/subsurface models for simulating the thermal hydrology of permafrost-affected regions in a warming climate have recently become available, but computational demands of those new process-rich simu- lation tools have thus far limited their applications to one-dimensional or small two-dimensional simulations. We present a mixed-dimensional model structure for efficiently simulating surface/subsurface thermal hydrology in low-relief permafrost regions at watershed scales. The approach replaces a full three-dimensional system with a two-dimensional overland thermal hydrology system and a family of one-dimensional vertical columns, where each column represents a fully coupled surface/subsurface thermal hydrology system without lateral flow. The system is then operatormore » split, sequentially updating the overland flow system without sources and the one-dimensional columns without lateral flows. We show that the app- roach is highly scalable, supports subcycling of different processes, and compares well with the corresponding fully three-dimensional representation at significantly less computational cost. Those advances enable recently developed representations of freezing soil physics to be coupled with thermal overland flow and surface energy balance at scales of 100s of meters. Furthermore developed and demonstrated for permafrost thermal hydrology, the mixed-dimensional model structure is applicable to integrated surface/subsurface thermal hydrology in general.« less

"Dry-column" chromatography of plant pigments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Woeller, F. H.; Lehwalt, M. F.; Oyama, V. I.

1973-01-01

Separation of plant pigments which can be accomplished on thin-layer silica plates with mixture of petroleum ether, halocarbon, acetone, and polar solvent can be readily translated into dry-column technique that yields reproducible chromatograms after elution in fashion of liquid chromatography with fluorimeter as detector. Best solvent system was found to be mixture of petroleum ether, dichloromethane, acetone, and ethyl acetate.

40 CFR 86.1309-90 - Exhaust gas sampling system; Otto-cycle and non-petroleum-fueled engines.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... gasoline-fueled, natural gas-fueled, liquefied petroleum gas-fueled or methanol-fueled engines. In the CVS... test period. (2) Engine exhaust to CVS duct. For methanol-fueled engines, reactions of the exhaust... samples for the bag sample, the methanol sample (Figure N90-2), and the formaldehyde sample (Figure N90-3...

Biological treatment process for removing petroleum hydrocarbons from oil field produced waters

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

Tellez, G.; Khandan, N.

1995-12-31

The feasibility of removing petroleum hydrocarbons from oil fields produced waters using biological treatment was evaluated under laboratory and field conditions. Based on previous laboratory studies, a field-scale prototype system was designed and operated over a period of four months. Two different sources of produced waters were tested in this field study under various continuous flow rates ranging from 375 1/D to 1,800 1/D. One source of produced water was an open storage pit; the other, a closed storage tank. The TDS concentrations of these sources exceeded 50,000 mg/l; total n-alkanes exceeded 100 mg/l; total petroleum hydrocarbons exceeded 125 mg/l;more » and total BTEX exceeded 3 mg/l. Removals of total n-alkanes, total petroleum hydrocarbons, and BTEX remained consistently high over 99%. During these tests, the energy costs averaged $0.20/bbl at 12 bbl/D.« less

Subsurface Biodegradation in a Fractured Basement Reservoir, Shropshire, UK

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parnell, John; Baba, Mas'ud; Bowden, Stephen; Muirhead, David

2017-04-01

Subsurface Biodegradation in a Fractured Basement Reservoir, Shropshire, UK. John Parnell, Mas'ud Baba, Stephen Bowden, David Muirhead Subsurface biodegradation in current oil reservoirs is well established, but there are few examples of fossil subsurface degradation. Biomarker compositions of viscous and solid oil residues ('bitumen') in fractured Precambrian and other basement rocks below the Carboniferous cover in Shropshire, UK, show that they are variably biodegraded. High levels of 25-norhopanes imply that degradation occurred in the subsurface. Lower levels of 25-norhopanes occur in active seepages. Liquid oil trapped in fluid inclusions in mineral veins in the fractured basement confirm that the oil was emplaced fresh before subsurface degradation. A Triassic age for the veins implies a 200 million year history of hydrocarbon migration in the basement rocks. The data record microbial colonization of a fractured basement reservoir, and add to evidence in modern basement aquifers for microbial activity in deep fracture systems. Buried basement highs may be especially favourable to colonization, through channelling fluid flow to shallow depths and relatively low temperatures

Shallow subsurface storm flow in a forested headwater catchment: Observations and modeling using a modified TOPMODEL

USGS Publications Warehouse

Scanlon, Todd M.; Raffensperger, Jeff P.; Hornberger, George M.; Clapp, Roger B.

2000-01-01

Transient, perched water tables in the shallow subsurface are observed at the South Fork Brokenback Run catchment in Shenandoah National Park, Virginia. Crest piezometers installed along a hillslope transect show that the development of saturated conditions in the upper 1.5 m of the subsurface is controlled by total precipitation and antecedent conditions, not precipitation intensity, although soil heterogeneities strongly influence local response. The macroporous subsurface storm flow zone provides a hydrological pathway for rapid runoff generation apart from the underlying groundwater zone, a conceptualization supported by the two‐storage system exhibited by hydrograph recession analysis. A modified version of TOPMODEL is used to simulate the observed catchment dynamics. In this model, generalized topographic index theory is applied to the subsurface storm flow zone to account for logarithmic storm flow recessions, indicative of linearly decreasing transmissivity with depth. Vertical drainage to the groundwater zone is required, and both subsurface reservoirs are considered to contribute to surface saturation.

Introduction of a Ground Penetrating Radar System for Subsurface Investigation in Balik Pulau, Penang Island

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teoh, YJ; Bruka, MA; Idris, NM; Ismail, NA; Muztaza, NM

2018-04-01

Ground penetrating radar (GPR) are non-invasive geophysical techniques that enhance studies of the shallow subsurface. The purposes of this work are to study the subsurface composition of Balik Pulau area in Penang Island and to identify shallow subsurface geology features. Data acquisition for GPR is by using 250 MHz antenna to cover 200m survey line at Jalan Tun Sardon, Balik Pulau. GPR survey was divided into ten sections at 20 m each. Results from GPR shows that there is low EM reflection along the first 40 m of the survey line. Intense EM reflections were recorded along the distance 40 m to 100 m. Less noticeable radar reflections recorded along 100 m to 200 m distance of the survey line. As a conclusion, clear signal of radar wave reflection indicates dry region of the subsurface. Meanwhile, low signal of radar wave reflection indicates highly weathered granitic soil or clay of the subsurface.

Is the genetic landscape of the deep subsurface biosphere affected by viruses?

PubMed

Anderson, Rika E; Brazelton, William J; Baross, John A

2011-01-01

Viruses are powerful manipulators of microbial diversity, biogeochemistry, and evolution in the marine environment. Viruses can directly influence the genetic capabilities and the fitness of their hosts through the use of fitness factors and through horizontal gene transfer. However, the impact of viruses on microbial ecology and evolution is often overlooked in studies of the deep subsurface biosphere. Subsurface habitats connected to hydrothermal vent systems are characterized by constant fluid flux, dynamic environmental variability, and high microbial diversity. In such conditions, high adaptability would be an evolutionary asset, and the potential for frequent host-virus interactions would be high, increasing the likelihood that cellular hosts could acquire novel functions. Here, we review evidence supporting this hypothesis, including data indicating that microbial communities in subsurface hydrothermal fluids are exposed to a high rate of viral infection, as well as viral metagenomic data suggesting that the vent viral assemblage is particularly enriched in genes that facilitate horizontal gene transfer and host adaptability. Therefore, viruses are likely to play a crucial role in facilitating adaptability to the extreme conditions of these regions of the deep subsurface biosphere. We also discuss how these results might apply to other regions of the deep subsurface, where the nature of virus-host interactions would be altered, but possibly no less important, compared to more energetic hydrothermal systems.

Is the Genetic Landscape of the Deep Subsurface Biosphere Affected by Viruses?

PubMed Central

Anderson, Rika E.; Brazelton, William J.; Baross, John A.

2011-01-01

Viruses are powerful manipulators of microbial diversity, biogeochemistry, and evolution in the marine environment. Viruses can directly influence the genetic capabilities and the fitness of their hosts through the use of fitness factors and through horizontal gene transfer. However, the impact of viruses on microbial ecology and evolution is often overlooked in studies of the deep subsurface biosphere. Subsurface habitats connected to hydrothermal vent systems are characterized by constant fluid flux, dynamic environmental variability, and high microbial diversity. In such conditions, high adaptability would be an evolutionary asset, and the potential for frequent host–virus interactions would be high, increasing the likelihood that cellular hosts could acquire novel functions. Here, we review evidence supporting this hypothesis, including data indicating that microbial communities in subsurface hydrothermal fluids are exposed to a high rate of viral infection, as well as viral metagenomic data suggesting that the vent viral assemblage is particularly enriched in genes that facilitate horizontal gene transfer and host adaptability. Therefore, viruses are likely to play a crucial role in facilitating adaptability to the extreme conditions of these regions of the deep subsurface biosphere. We also discuss how these results might apply to other regions of the deep subsurface, where the nature of virus–host interactions would be altered, but possibly no less important, compared to more energetic hydrothermal systems. PMID:22084639

DEVELOPMENT OF A DATA EVALUATION/DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR REMEDIATION OF SUBSURFACE CONTAMINATION

EPA Science Inventory

Subsurface contamination frequently originates from spatially distributed sources of multi-component nonaqueous phase liquids (NAPLs). Such chemicals are typically persistent sources of ground-water contamination that are difficult to characterize. This work addresses the feasi...

Field study of in situ remediation of petroleum hydrocarbon contaminated soil on site using microwave energy.

PubMed

Chien, Yi-Chi

2012-01-15

Many laboratory-scale studies strongly suggested that remediation of petroleum hydrocarbon contaminated soil by microwave heating is very effective; however, little definitive field data existed to support the laboratory-scale observations. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of a field-scale microwave heating system to remediate petroleum hydrocarbon contaminated soil. A constant microwave power of 2 kW was installed directly in the contaminated area that applied in the decontamination process for 3.5h without water input. The C10-C40 hydrocarbons were destroyed, desorbed or co-evaporated with moisture from soil by microwave heating. The moisture may play an important role in the absorption of microwave and in the distribution of heat. The success of this study paved the way for the second and much larger field test in the remediation of petroleum hydrocarbon contaminated soil by microwave heating in place. Implemented in its full configuration for the first time at a real site, the microwave heating has demonstrated its robustness and cost-effectiveness in cleaning up petroleum hydrocarbon contaminated soil in place. Economically, the concept of the microwave energy supply to the soil would be a network of independent antennas which powered by an individual low power microwave generator. A microwave heating system with low power generators shows very flexible, low cost and imposes no restrictions on the number and arrangement of the antennas. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparison of the petroleum systems of East Venezuela in their tectonostratigraphic context

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

Stronach, N.J.; Kerr, H.M.; Scotchmer, J.

1996-08-01

The Maturin and Guarico subbasins of East Venezuela record the transition from Cretaceous passive margin to Tertiary foreland basin with local post-orogenic transtensional basins. Petroleum is reservoired in several units ranging from Albian (El Cantil Formation) to Pliocene (Las Piedras Formation) age. Source rocks are principally in the Upper Cretaceous (Querecual Formation), and Miocene (Carapita Formation) in the Maturin subbasin and in the Upper Cretaceous (Tigre Formation) and Oligocene (Roblecito and La Pascua Formations) in the Guarico subbasin. An extensive well database has been used to address the distribution and provenance of hydrocarbons in the context of a tectonostratigraphic modelmore » for the evolution of the East Venezuela basin. Nine major plays have been described, comprising thirteen petroleum systems. The principal factors influencing the components of individual petroleum systems are as follows: (1) structural controls on Upper Cretaceous source rock distribution, relating to block faulting on the proto-Caribbean passive margin; (2) paleoenvironmental controls on source rock development within the Oligocene-Miocene foreland basin; and (3) timing of subsidence and maturation within the Oligocene-Upper Miocene foreland basin and the configuration of the associated fold and thrust belt, influencing long range and local migration routes (4) local development of Pliocene post-orogenic transtensional basins, influencing hydrocarbon generation, migration and remigration north of the Pirital High.« less

The Role of Subsurface Properties on Transport of Water and Trace Gases: 1D Simulations at Selected Mars Landing Sites.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karatekin, O.; Gloesener, E.; Dehant, V. M. A.

2017-12-01

In this work, water ice stability and water vapour transport through porous martian subsurface are studied using a 1D diffusive model. The role of adsorption on water transfer in martian conditions is investigated as well as the range of parameters that have the largest effect on gas transport. In addition, adsorption kinetics is considered to examine its influence on the water vapor exchange between the subsurface and the atmosphere. As methane has been detected in the martian atmosphere, the subsurface model is then used to study methane diffusion in the CH4/CO2/H2O system from variable depths under the surface. The results of subsurface gas transport at selected locations/landing sites are shown and implications for present/future observations are discussed.

Nutrient transport through a Vegetative Filter Strip with subsurface drainage.

PubMed

Bhattarai, Rabin; Kalita, Prasanta Kumar; Patel, Mita Kanu

2009-04-01

The transport of nutrients and soil sediments in runoff has been recognized as a noteworthy environmental issue. Vegetative Filter Strips (VFS) have been used as one of the best management practices (BMPs) for retaining nutrients and sediments from surface runoff, thus preventing the pollutants from reaching receiving waters. However, the effectiveness of a VFS when combined with a subsurface drainage system has not been investigated previously. This study was undertaken to monitor the retention and transport of nutrients within a VFS that had a subsurface drainage system installed at a depth of 1.2 m below the soil surface. Nutrient concentrations of NO(3)-N (Nitrate Nitrogen), PO(-)(4) (Orthophosphorus), and TP (Total Phosphorus) were measured in surface water samples (entering and leaving the VFS), and subsurface outflow. Soil samples were collected and analyzed for plant available Phosphorus (Bray P1) and NO(3)-N concentrations. Results showed that PO(-)(4), NO(3)-N, and TP concentrations decreased in surface flow through the VFS. Many surface outflow water samples from the VFS showed concentration reductions of as much as 75% for PO(-)(4) and 70% for TP. For subsurface outflow water samples through the drainage system, concentrations of PO(-)(4) and TP decreased but NO(3)-N concentrations increased in comparison to concentrations in surface inflow samples. Soil samples that were collected from various depths in the VFS showed a minimal buildup of nutrients in the top soil profile but indicated a gradual buildup of nutrients at the depth of the subsurface drain. Results demonstrate that although a VFS can be very effective in reducing runoff and nutrients from surface flow, the presence of a subsurface drain underneath the VFS may not be environmentally beneficial. Such a combination may increase NO(3)-N transport from the VFS, thus invalidating the purpose of the BMP.

Use of relational databases to evaluate regional petroleum accumulation, groundwater flow, and CO2 sequestration in Kansas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carr, T.R.; Merriam, D.F.; Bartley, J.D.

2005-01-01

Large-scale relational databases and geographic information system tools are used to integrate temperature, pressure, and water geo-chemistry data from numerous wells to better understand regional-scale geothermal and hydrogeological regimes of the lower Paleozoic aquifer systems in the mid-continent and to evaluate their potential for geologic CO2 sequestration. The lower Paleozoic (Cambrian to Mississippian) aquifer systems in Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma comprise one of the largest regional-scale saline aquifer systems in North America. Understanding hydrologic conditions and processes of these regional-scale aquifer systems provides insight to the evolution of the various sedimentary basins, migration of hydrocarbons out of the Anadarko and Arkoma basins, and the distribution of Arbuckle petroleum reservoirs across Kansas and provides a basis to evaluate CO2 sequestration potential. The Cambrian and Ordovician stratigraphic units form a saline aquifer that is in hydrologic continuity with the freshwater recharge from the Ozark plateau and along the Nemaha anticline. The hydrologic continuity with areas of freshwater recharge provides an explanation for the apparent underpressure in the Arbuckle Group. Copyright ?? 2005. The American Association of Petroleum Geologists. All rights reserved.

Evidence of regional subsidence and associated interior wetland loss induced by hydrocarbon production, Gulf Coast region, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Morton, R.A.; Bernier, J.C.; Barras, J.A.

2006-01-01

Analysis of remote images, elevation surveys, stratigraphic cross-sections, and hydrocarbon production data demonstrates that extensive areas of wetland loss in the northern Gulf Coast region of the United States were associated with large-volume fluid production from mature petroleum fields. Interior wetland losses at many sites in coastal Louisiana and Texas are attributed largely to accelerated land subsidence and fault reactivation induced by decreased reservoir pressures as a result of rapid or prolonged extraction of gas, oil, and associated brines. Evidence that moderately-deep hydrocarbon production has induced land-surface subsidence and reactivated faults that intersect the surface include: (1) close temporal and spatial correlation of fluid production with surficial changes including rapid subsidence of wetland sediments near producing fields, (2) measurable offsets of shallow strata across the zones of wetland loss, (3) large reductions in subsurface pressures where subsidence rates are high, (4) coincidence of orientation and direction of displacement between surface fault traces and faults that bound the reservoirs, and (5) accelerated subsidence rates near producing fields compared to subsidence rates in surrounding areas or compared to geological rates of subsidence. Based on historical trends, subsidence rates in the Gulf Coast region near producing fields most likely will decrease in the future because most petroleum fields are nearly depleted. Alternatively, continued extraction of conventional energy resources as well as potential production of alternative energy resources (geopressured-geothermal fluids) in the Gulf Coast region could increase subsidence and land losses and also contribute to inundation of areas of higher elevation. ?? Springer-Verlag 2006.

Preliminary source rock evaluation and hydrocarbon generation potential of the early Cretaceous subsurface shales from Shabwah sub-basin in the Sabatayn Basin, Western Yemen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Matary, Adel M.; Hakimi, Mohammed Hail; Al Sofi, Sadam; Al-Nehmi, Yousif A.; Al-haj, Mohammed Ail; Al-Hmdani, Yousif A.; Al-Sarhi, Ahmed A.

2018-06-01

A conventional organic geochemical study has been performed on the shale samples collected from the early Cretaceous Saar Formation from the Shabwah oilfields in the Sabatayn Basin, Western Yemen. The results of this study were used to preliminary evaluate the potential source-rock of the shales in the Saar Formation. Organic matter richness, type, and petroleum generation potential of the analysed shales were assessed. Total organic carbon content and Rock- Eval pyrolysis results indicate that the shale intervals within the early Cretaceous Saar Formation have a wide variation in source rock generative potential and quality. The analysed shale samples have TOC content in the range of 0.50 and 5.12 wt% and generally can be considered as fair to good source rocks. The geochemical results of this study also indicate that the analysed shales in the Saar Formation are both oil- and gas-prone source rocks, containing Type II kerogen and mixed Types II-III gradient to Type III kerogen. This is consistent with Hydrogen Index (HI) values between 66 and 552 mg HC/g TOC. The temperature-sensitive parameters such as vitrinite reflectance (%VRo), Rock-Eval pyrolysis Tmax and PI reveal that the analysed shale samples are generally immature to early-mature for oil-window. Therefore, the organic matter has not been altered by thermal maturity thus petroleum has not yet generated. Therefore, exploration strategies should focus on the known deeper location of the Saar Formation in the Shabwah-sub-basin for predicting the kitchen area.

Anaerobic degradation of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) and tert-butyl alcohol (TBA).

PubMed

Finneran, K T; Lovley, D R

2001-05-01

The potential for anaerobic degradation of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) and tert-butyl alcohol (TBA) was investigated in laboratory incubations of sediments from a petroleum-contaminated aquifer and in aquatic sediments. The addition of humic substances (HS) stimulated the anaerobic degradation of MTBE in aquifer sediments in which Fe(III) was available as an electron acceptor. This is attributed to the fact that HS and other extracellular quinones can stimulate the activity of Fe(III)-reducing microorganisms by acting as an electron shuttle between Fe(III)-reducing microorganisms and insoluble Fe(III) oxides. MTBE was not degraded in aquifer sediments without Fe(III) and HS. [14C]-MTBE added to aquatic sediments adapted for anaerobic MTBE degradation was converted to 14CO2 in the presence or absence of HS or the HS analog, anthraquione-2,6-disulfonate. Unamended aquatic sediments produced 14CH4 as well as 14CO2 from [14C]-MTBE. The aquatic sediments also rapidly consumed TBA under anaerobic conditions and converted [14C]-TBA to 14CH4 and 14CO2. An adaptation period of ca. 250-300 days was required prior to the most rapid anaerobic MTBE degradation in both sediment types, whereas TBA was metabolized in the aquatic sediments without a lag. These results demonstrate that, under the appropriate conditions, MTBE and TBA can be degraded in the absence of oxygen. This suggests that it may be possible to design strategies for the anaerobic remediation of MTBE in petroleum-contaminated subsurface environments.

Evaluation of sub-chronic toxic effects of petroleum ether, a laboratory solvent in Sprague-Dawley rats

PubMed Central

Parasuraman, Subramani; Sujithra, Jeyabalan; Syamittra, Balakrishnan; Yeng, Wong Yeng; Ping, Wu Yet; Muralidharan, Selvadurai; Raj, Palanimuthu Vasanth; Dhanaraj, Sokkalingam Arumugam

2014-01-01

Background: In general, organic solvents are inhibiting many physiological enzymes and alter the behavioural functions, but the available scientific knowledge on laboratory solvent induced organ specific toxins are very limited. Hence, the present study was planned to determine the sub-chronic toxic effects of petroleum ether (boiling point 40–60°C), a laboratory solvent in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Materials and Methods: The SD rats were divided into three different groups viz., control, low exposure petroleum ether (250 mg/kg; i.p.) and high exposure petroleum ether (500 mg/kg; i.p.) administered group. The animals were exposed with petroleum ether once daily for 2 weeks. Prior to the experiment and end of the experiment animals behaviour, locomotor and memory levels were monitored. Before initiating the study animals were trained for 2 weeks for its learning process and its memory levels were evaluated. Body weight (BW) analysis, locomotor activity, anxiogenic effect (elevated plus maze) and learning and memory (Morris water navigation task) were monitored at regular intervals. On 14th day of the experiment, few ml of blood sample was collected from all the experimental animals for estimation of biochemical parameters. At the end of the experiment, all the animals were sacrificed, and brain, liver, heart, and kidney were collected for biochemical and histopathological analysis. Results: In rats, petroleum ether significantly altered the behavioural functions; reduced the locomotor activity, grip strength, learning and memory process; inhibited the regular body weight growth and caused anxiogenic effects. Dose-dependent organ specific toxicity with petroleum ether treated group was observed in brain, heart, lung, liver, and kidney. Extrapyramidal effects that include piloerection and cannibalism were also observed with petroleum ether administered group. These results suggested that the petroleum ether showed a significant decrease in central nervous system (CNS) activity, and it has dose-dependent toxicity on all vital organs. Conclusion: The dose-dependent CNS and organ specific toxicity was observed with sub-chronic administration of petroleum ether in SD rats. PMID:25316988

Subsurface Thermal Energy Storage for Improved Heating and Air Conditioning Efficiency

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-11-21

This project involved a field demonstration of subsurface thermal energy storage for improving the geothermal heat pump air conditioning efficiency... geothermal heat pump systems, undesirable heating of the ground may occur. This demonstration was performed at the MCAS, Beaufort, SC, where several...buildings with geothermal heat pump systems were exhibiting excessively high ground loop temperatures. These buildings were retrofitted with dry fluid

Understanding the Impacts of Climate Change and Land Use Dynamics Using a Fully Coupled Hydrologic Feedback Model between Surface and Subsurface Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, C.; Lee, J.; Koo, M.

2011-12-01

Climate is the most critical driving force of the hydrologic system of the Earth. Since the industrial revolution, the impacts of anthropogenic activities to the Earth environment have been expanded and accelerated. Especially, the global emission of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere is known to have significantly increased temperature and affected the hydrologic system. Many hydrologists have contributed to the studies regarding the climate change on the hydrologic system since the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was created in 1988. Among many components in the hydrologic system groundwater and its response to the climate change and anthropogenic activities are not fully understood due to the complexity of subsurface conditions between the surface and the groundwater table. A new spatio-temporal hydrologic model has been developed to estimate the impacts of climate change and land use dynamics on the groundwater. The model consists of two sub-models: a surface model and a subsurface model. The surface model involves three surface processes: interception, runoff, and evapotranspiration, and the subsurface model does also three subsurface processes: soil moisture balance, recharge, and groundwater flow. The surface model requires various input data including land use, soil types, vegetation types, topographical elevations, and meteorological data. The surface model simulates daily hydrological processes for rainfall interception, surface runoff varied by land use change and crop growth, and evapotranspiration controlled by soil moisture balance. The daily soil moisture balance is a key element to link two sub-models as it calculates infiltration and groundwater recharge by considering a time delay routing through a vadose zone down to the groundwater table. MODFLOW is adopted to simulate groundwater flow and interaction with surface water components as well. The model is technically flexible to add new model or modify existing model as it is developed with an object-oriented language - Python. The model also can easily be localized by simple modification of soil and crop properties. The actual application of the model after calibration was successful and results showed reliable water balance and interaction between the surface and subsurface hydrologic systems.

National assessment of oil and gas project; petroleum systems and assessment of the South Florida Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pollastro, R. M.; Schenk, C.J.

2001-01-01

This CD-ROM contains coverages that define and outline the geographic boundaries of petroleum systems and assessment units and text that describes the geology and reasoning to support the assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources in the South Florida Basin for a forecast period of 30 years. This assessment was performed by using the best geological information and scientific theory available to the USGS; however, the USGS did not have access to seismic survey data for the South Florida Basin.

Hydrocarbon-soluble low-melting corrosion inhibitor TAL-3

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

Nesterenko, S.A.; Sorokin, V.I.; Naumenko, O.V.

1987-03-01

The inhibitor TAL-3 is intended for the corrosion protection of metals that come into contact with two-phase systems of the hydrocarbon-water type. It is applicable to the service conditions of equipment and pipelines of the petroleum and petroleum refining industries. The purpose of this paper was to electrochemically assess its solubility in such systems and its inhibitory properties on samples of 08kp steel toward the effects of refinery and oil field waste water and process emulsions both on the laboratory scale and in field tests.

Assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources of the Cretaceous-Tertiary Composite Total Petroleum System, Taranaki Basin Assessment Unit, New Zealand

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wandrey, Craig J.; Schenk, Christopher J.; Klett, Timothy R.; Brownfield, Michael E.; Charpentier, Ronald R.; Cook, Troy A.; Pollastro, Richard M.; Tennyson, Marilyn E.

2013-01-01

The Cretaceous-Tertiary Composite Total Petroleum System coincident Taranaki Basin Assessment Unit was recently assessed for undiscovered technically recoverable oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids resources as part of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) World Energy Resources Project, World Oil and Gas Assessment. Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the USGS estimated mean volumes of 487 million barrels of oil, 9.8 trillion cubic feet of gas, and 408 million barrels of natural gas liquids.

Nondestructive evaluation of the condition of subsurface drainage in pavements using ground penetrating radar (GPR).

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-11-11

Subsurface drainage features are routinely incorporated in the design of pavement systems as they are believed to increase pavement service life provided that they are installed correctly and maintained. Maintenance, however, is challenging in that l...

The Limited Duty/Chief Warrant Officer Professional Guidebook

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-01-01

subsurface imaging . They plan and manage the operation of imaging commands and activities, combat camera groups and aerial reconnaissance imaging...picture and video systems used in aerial, surface and subsurface imaging . They supervise the operation of imaging commands and activities, combat camera

Apparatus investigates geological aspects of gas hydrates

USGS Publications Warehouse

Booth, J.S.; Winters, W.J.; Dillon, William P.

1999-01-01

The US Geological Survey (USGS), in response to potential geohazards, energy resource potential, and climate issues associated with marine gas hydrates, has developed a laboratory research system that permits hydrate genesis and dissociation under deep-sea conditions, employing user-selected sediment types and pore fluids.The apparatus, GHASTI (gas hydrate and sediment test laboratory instrument), provides a means to link field studies and theory and serves as a tool to improve gas hydrate recognition and assessment, using remote sensing techniques.GHASTLI's use was proven in an exploration well project led by the Geological Survey of Canada and the Japanese National Oil Corp., collaborating with Japan Petroleum Exploration Co. and the USGS. The site was in the Mackenzie Delta region of the Northwest Territories (Mallik 2L-38 drillsite).From tests on natural methane hydrate-bearing sand recovered at about 1,000 m subsurface, the in situ quantity of hydrate was estimated from acoustic properties, and a substantial increase in shear strength due to the presence of the hydrate was measured.1 2GHASTI can mimic a wide range of geologic settings and processes. Initial goals involve improved recognition and mapping of gas hydrate-bearing sediments, understanding factors that control the occurrence and concentration of gas hydrates, knowledge of hydrate's significance to slope failure and foundation problems, and analysis of gas hydrate's potential use as an energy resource.

Wrench tectonics in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

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

Ibrahim, M.; Mohamed, A.S.

1995-08-01

Recent studies of the geodynamics and tectonic history of the Arabian plate throughout geologic time have revealed that Wrench forces played an important role in the structural generation and deformation of Petroleum basins and reservoirs of the United Arab Emirates. The tectonic analysis of Abu Dhabi revealed that basin facies evolution were controlled by wrench tectonics, examples are the Pre-Cambrian salt basin, the Permo-Triassic and Jurassic basins. In addition, several sedimentary patterns were strongly influenced by wrench tectonics, the Lower Cretaceous Shuaiba platform margin and associated reservoirs is a good example. Wrench faults, difficult to identify by conventional methods, weremore » examined from a regional perspective and through careful observation and assessment of many factors. Subsurface structural mapping and geoseismic cross-sections supported by outcrop studies and geomorphological features revealed a network of strike slip faults in Abu Dhabi. Structural modelling of these wench forces including the use of strain ellipses was applied both on regional and local scales. This effort has helped in reinterpreting some structural settings, some oil fields were interpreted as En Echelon buckle folds associated with NE/SW dextral wrench faults. Several flower structures were interpreted along NW/SE sinistral wrench faults which have significant hydrocarbon potential. Synthetic and Antithetic strike slip faults and associated fracture systems have played a significant role in field development and reservoir management studies. Four field examples were discussed.« less

Environmental impacts of oil production on soil, bedrock, and vegetation at the U.S. Geological Survey Osage-Skiatook Petroleum Environmental Research site A, Osage County, Oklahoma

USGS Publications Warehouse

Otton, J.K.; Zielinski, R.A.; Smith, B.D.; Abbott, M.M.; Keeland, B.D.

2005-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey is investigating the impacts of oil and gas production on soils, groundwater, surface water, and ecosystems in the United States. Two sites in northeastern Oklahoma (sites A and B) are presently being investigated under the Osage-Skiatook Petroleum Environmental Research project. Oil wells on the lease surrounding site A in Osage County, Oklahoma, produced about 100,000 bbl of oil between 1913 ard 1981. Prominent production features on the 1.5-ha (3.7-ac) site A include a tank battery, an oil-filled trench, pipelines, storage pits for both produced water and oil, and an old power unit. Site activities and historic releases have left open areas in the local oak forest adjacent to these features and a deeply eroded salt scar downslope from the pits that extends to nearby Skiatook Lake. The site is underlain by surficial sediments comprised of very fine-grained eolian sand and colluvium as much as 1.4 m (4.6 ft) thick, which, in turn, overlie flat-lying, fractured bedrock comprised of sandstone, clayey sandstone, mudstone, and shale. A geophysical survey of ground conductance and concentration measurements of aqueous extracts (1:1 by weight) of core samples taken in the salt scar and adjacent areas indicate that unusual concentrations of NaCl-rich salt are present at depths to at least 8 m (26 ft) in the bedrock; however, little salt occurs in the eolian sand. Historic aerial photographs, anecdotal reports from oil-lease operators, and tree-ring records indicate that the surrounding oak forest was largely established after 1935 and thus postdates the majority of surface damage at the site. Blackjack oaks adjacent to the salt scar have anomalously elevated chloride (>400 ppm) in their leaves and record the presence of NaCl-rich salt or salty water in the shallow subsurface. The geophysical measurements also indicate moderately elevated conductance beneath the oak forest adjoining the salt scar. Copyright ?? 2005. The American Association of Petroleum Geologists/Division of Environmental Geosciences. All rights reserved.

Volatile Fuel Hydrocarbons and MTBE in the Environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cozzarelli, I. M.; Baehr, A. L.

2003-12-01

Petroleum hydrocarbons (hydrocarbons that result from petroleum products such as oil, gasoline, or diesel fuel) are among the most commonly occurring and widely distributed contaminants in the environment. Volatile hydrocarbons are the lighter fraction of the petroleum hydrocarbons and, together with fuel oxygenates, are most often released from crude oil and liquid petroleum products produced from crude oil. The demand for crude oil stems from the world's ever-growing energy need. From 1970 to 1999, primary energy production of the world grew by 76% (Energy Information Administration, 2001), with fossil fuels (crude oil, natural gas, and coal) accounting for ˜85% of all energy produced worldwide (Figure 1). World crude oil production reached a record 68 million barrels (bbl) per day (1.08×1010 L d-1) in 2000. The world's dependence on oil as an energy source clearly is identified as contributing to global warming and worsening air and water quality. (7K)Figure 1. World primary energy production by source from 1970 to 1999 (Energy Information Administration, 2001). Petroleum products are present in Earth's subsurface as solids, liquids, or gases. This chapter presents a summary of the environmental problems and issues related to the use of liquid petroleum, or oil. The focus is on the sources of volatile hydrocarbons and fuel oxygenates and the geochemical behavior of these compounds when they are released into the environment. Although oxygenates currently in commercial use include compounds other than methyl t-butyl ether (MTBE), such as ethanol (ETOH), most of the information presented here focuses on MTBE because of its widespread occurrence. The environmental impact of higher molecular weight hydrocarbons that also originate from petroleum products is described in (Chapter 9.13, Abrajano et al.).Crude oil occurs within the Earth and is a complex mixture of natural compounds composed largely of hydrocarbons containing only hydrogen and carbon atoms. The minor elements of sulfur, nitrogen, and oxygen constitute less than 3% of most petroleum (Hunt, 1996). Releases to the environment occur during the production, transport, processing, storage, use and disposal of these hydrocarbons. The petroleum industry classifies oil naturally occurring in a liquid phase as either conventional oil or nonconventional oil. Conventional oils can be explored and produced by conventional primary and secondary recovery techniques, whereas nonconventional oils, such as heavy oils, tar sands, and synthetic oils, are more difficult to extract from the host rock ( Tissot and Welte, 1984). The history of liquid petroleum usage dates back centuries. Marco Polo described its use as a fuel for lamps in 1291 ( Testa and Winegardner, 2000). In the mid-nineteenth century, Native Americans used crude oil skimmed from creeks and rivers as a medicinal ointment ( Energy Information Administration, 1999). Commercial production in the United States began in 1859, with kerosene production for use in lamps. At the turn of the century, emphasis shifted to gasoline with the invention of the automobile, and in the 1930s and 1940s a substantial market for heating oil developed.In 2000, over 85% of the world's energy came from fossil fuels (Table 1), with oil production alone supplying 40% of that energy (Edwards, 2001). Oil, with its high British Thermal Unit (BTU) density and ease of transport, is the most valuable fuel in the world today, and the demand for world crude oil is ever increasing. Annual world crude-oil demand increased from 22 billion to 28 billion bbl of oil (BBO) ((3.5-4.5)×1012 L) from 1990 to 2000. Increasing population growth and industrialization in developing countries is expected to drive this annual oil demand up 1.5% annually to ˜38 BBO (6.0×1012 L) by 2030. As demand increases and known oil reserves are depleted, more emphasis will be placed on new discoveries and improved recovery technologies. Sources such as tar sands and oil shales are likely to become more important, bringing environmental problems inherent to the production, transport, and processing of these resources to new sectors of the environment. Table 1. United States and world energy consumption by source (January 2000) Energy SourceUnited StatesWorld BBOEPercentBBOEPercent Petroleum6.84127.140 Natural gas4.224.214.421.2 Coal3.923.216.724.7 Nuclear1.37.94.56.7 Hydroelectric0.733.71.62.4 Biomass3.45 Total7.610069.3100 Source: Edwards (2001). BBOE=billion barrels of oil equivalent. Reserves of crude oil, the raw material used to make petroleum products, are not evenly distributed around the world. The production levels of the major oil-producing nations in the world, shown in Figure 2, are based on data collected by the US Department of Energy's (DOEs) Energy Information Administration (EIA). Nations in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) produce ˜43% of the world's total of nearly 68 million bbl per day (bpd) (1.08×1010 L d-1), with Saudi Arabia as the world's largest producer at 8.3 million bpd (12% of total) (1.33×109 L d-1), followed by Russia and the former Soviet Union at 6.4 million bpd (9%) (1.02×109 L d-1). The United States produced ˜5.7 million bpd (8%) (9.06×108 L d-1). Oil and gas are being produced in virtually all geographic areas intersecting a wide range of ecological habitats, including tropical rain forests, Middle Eastern deserts, Arctic regions, and deep offshore marine environments. (6K)Figure 2. World crude-oil production from leading producers, 1960-2000, in million barrels per day (Energy Information Administration, 2001). The petroleum industry has two main components, exploration/recovery and refinement/delivery. Crude oil is delivered to refineries and refined products are delivered to consumers through a large transportation network that includes tankers, barges, pipelines, and railroads. This transportation network links suppliers and producers across the world. Above-ground tanks, below-ground tanks and caverns, and offshore facilities store petroleum at various stages in this distribution system. The largest underground storage facilities in the US are part of the US. Strategic Petroleum Reserve maintained by the US government for times of supply shortage (Energy Information Administration, 1999). The global and complex nature of this industry means that every environmental compartment (air, land, water, biota) and all nations are affected by petroleum spills and waste products.Petroleum products are released into the environment inadvertently and intentionally at all stages of petroleum use, from exploration, production, transportation, storage, use and disposal (Figure 3). The more volatile components of oil partition preferentially into the atmosphere and hydrosphere, and to a lesser extent, the geosphere (e.g., sorption onto sediments), and biosphere (i.e., bioaccumulation), whereas the higher molecular weight fraction of oil is less soluble and less volatile and impacts the biosphere and geosphere more directly as described by Abrajano et al. (see Chapter 9.13). Usage causes compounds from petroleum products to separate and enter the environment. For example, incomplete fuel combustion in an automobile engine or a home heating furnace results in the release of compounds to the atmosphere, where they can be widely dispersed. Compounds in the exhaust gas of a motor boat partition in river or lake water, allowing for mixing and transport in the water body. These examples are illustrative of chronic low-level and widespread release of compounds referred to as nonpoint sources. (10K)Figure 3. Modes of contamination by petroleum products during production, transport, use, and disposal (after Fetter, 1993). Concentrated releases of compounds to the environment generally are associated with product mishandling and accidents during storage and transportation. For example, gasoline leaking from an underground storage tank (UST) releases compounds to the air, water, and solids of the subsurface. An oil tanker spill at sea can result in the rapid dispersal of large amounts of product. These two examples of more concentrated release are referred to as point sources. However, in the case of a tanker spill, the point release can result in a serious regional problem such as the spill of the Exxon Valdez that spilled oil that spread 750 km from the original spill site and impacted 1,750 km of shoreline (Wolfe et al., 1994).Nonpoint sources can cause compounds to be dispersed throughout the hydrosphere, which can complicate efforts to evaluate the effect of spills. Current sampling and analytical techniques allow for the detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) at low concentrations (0.1 μg L-1 and less). As a result, VOCs have been detected frequently in ambient shallow groundwater in urban areas across the country in studies conducted as part of the US Geological Survey (USGS) National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) program (Squillace et al., 1996). The importance of VOCs at low concentrations in ambient water is unclear. If these low concentrations are the result of plumes emanating from point sources, then concentrations could possibly increase with time. If the source were diffuse (nonpoint), as in the case of atmospheric sources, then changes in VOC concentrations in groundwater over time would be constrained by atmospheric concentrations.Widely distributed and frequent point source spills can be considered nonpoint sources when the scale of concern is large in space or time. For example, the United States generates 1.3 billion gallons (4.9×109 L) of used motor oil each year, of which ˜13% is disposed of improperly (Motor Oil Facts, http://www.epa.gov/seahome/housewaste/src/oilfact.htm). This large quantity of improperly disposed motor oil could be a regional source of MTBE and benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX) as used motor oil contains BTEX and MTBE, ˜500-2,000 mg L-1 for BTEX and 100 mg L-1 for MTBE (Baker et al., 2002; Chen et al., 1994). In a survey of 946 domestic wells designed to assess ambient groundwater quality in Maine, MTBE was detected in 15.8% of the wells, mostly at concentrations less than 0.1 μg L-1 (State of Maine Bureau of Health, 1998). Small and widely distributed spills of fuel-related products not necessarily associated with leaking storage tanks were identified as likely sources.

Researchers Mine Information from Next-Generation Subsurface Flow Simulations

DOE PAGES

Gedenk, Eric D.

2015-12-01

A research team based at Virginia Tech University leveraged computing resources at the US Department of Energy's (DOE's) Oak Ridge National Laboratory to explore subsurface multiphase flow phenomena that can't be experimentally observed. Using the Cray XK7 Titan supercomputer at the Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility, the team took Micro-CT images of subsurface geologic systems and created two-phase flow simulations. The team's model development has implications for computational research pertaining to carbon sequestration, oil recovery, and contaminant transport.

Induction heaters used to heat subsurface formations

DOEpatents

Nguyen, Scott Vinh [Houston, TX; Bass, Ronald M [Houston, TX

2012-04-24

A heating system for a subsurface formation includes an elongated electrical conductor located in the subsurface formation. The electrical conductor extends between at least a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact. A ferromagnetic conductor at least partially surrounds and at least partially extends lengthwise around the electrical conductor. The electrical conductor, when energized with time-varying electrical current, induces sufficient electrical current flow in the ferromagnetic conductor such that the ferromagnetic conductor resistively heats to a temperature of at least about 300.degree. C.

Algae-Based Biofuel Distribution System to Service the Department of Defense in Hawaii

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-03-01

reliance on global sources of petroleum fuels by increasing use of alternative fuels. News articles were gathered that contained public statements... markets to reduce shared risks among stakeholders, discussion of scalability potential based on existing biofuels industry capabilities in Hawaii, and...biofuels objective given the growing economies of foreign entities within their operating regions and the highly volatile petroleum market . These

49 CFR 192.1015 - What must a master meter or small liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) operator do to implement this...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 49 Transportation 3 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false What must a master meter or small liquefied... a master meter or small liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) operator do to implement this subpart? (a) General. No later than August 2, 2011 the operator of a master meter system or a small LPG operator must...

49 CFR 192.1015 - What must a master meter or small liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) operator do to implement this...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 49 Transportation 3 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false What must a master meter or small liquefied... a master meter or small liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) operator do to implement this subpart? (a) General. No later than August 2, 2011 the operator of a master meter system or a small LPG operator must...

49 CFR 192.1015 - What must a master meter or small liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) operator do to implement this...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 49 Transportation 3 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false What must a master meter or small liquefied... a master meter or small liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) operator do to implement this subpart? (a) General. No later than August 2, 2011 the operator of a master meter system or a small LPG operator must...

MBBR system performance improvement for petroleum hydrocarbon removal using modified media with activated carbon.

PubMed

Sayyahzadeh, Amir Hossein; Ganjidoust, Hossein; Ayati, Bita

2016-01-01

Moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) system has a successful operation in the treatment of different types of wastewater. Since the media, i.e. the place of growth and formation of biofilm, play the main role in the treatment in this system, MBBR systems were operated in the present research with modified Bee-cell media. Activated carbon granules of almond or walnut shells were placed in media pores to improve the treatment of refinery oil wastewater and their operation with MBBR system was compared with the conventional Bee-cell media. In these experiments, the effects of organic loading rate, hydraulic retention time (HRT), media filling ratio (MFR), and activated carbon concentration (ACC) used in the media were investigated on the operation of MBBR systems. The analysis of results estimated the optimal values of HRT, MFR, and ACC used in the media between the studied levels, being equal to 22 h, 50%, and 7.5 g/L, respectively. Under these conditions, total petroleum hydrocarbons removal efficiencies for MBBR systems using Bee-cell media with carbon of almond, carbon of walnut shells, and a carbon-free system were 95 ± 1.17%, 91 ± 1.11%, and 57 ± 1.7%, respectively, which confirms the adsorption ability of systems with the media containing activated carbon in the removal of petroleum compounds from wastewater.

Reconnaissance geologic map of part of the San Isidro Quadrangle, Baja California Sur, Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

McLean, Hugh; Hausback, B.P.; Knapp, J.H.

1985-01-01

Mapping was done on aerial photographs and transferred, where possible, to 1:50,000-scale topographic base maps. Areas with roads were field checked; however, in the northeast part of the map area, lack of roads prevented field checks. Previous geologic surveys of parts of the map area were made by horseback in the early 1920's; reports were published by Darton (1921), Heim (1922), and Beal (1948). Subsurface data from petroleum exploration and a geologic map were incorporated in a regional study by Mina (1957). The first radiometric ages of rocks from the map area were published by Gastil and others (1979). Recently determined radiometric ages and chemical analysis of volcanic rocks were reported by Hausback (1984) and by Sawlan and Smith (1984). Our study incorporates geologic mapping with age control based on new radiometric ages as well as paleontology, Flows and tuffs were dated by the K-Ar method. Fossil ages are based on diatom and mollusk assemblages.

Bioelectrochemical analysis of a hyperthermophilic microbial fuel cell generating electricity at temperatures above 80 °C.

PubMed

Fu, Qian; Fukushima, Naoya; Maeda, Haruo; Sato, Kozo; Kobayashi, Hajime

2015-01-01

We examined whether a hyperthermophilic microbial fuel cell (MFC) would be technically feasible. Two-chamber MFC reactors were inoculated with subsurface microorganisms indigenous to formation water from a petroleum reservoir and were started up at operating temperature 80 °C. The MFC generated a maximum current of 1.3 mA 45 h after the inoculation. Performance of the MFC improved with an increase in the operating temperature; the best performance was achieved at 95 °C with the maximum power density of 165 mWm(-2), which was approximately fourfold higher than that at 75 °C. Thus, to our knowledge, our study is the first to demonstrate generation of electricity in a hyperthermophilic MFC (operating temperature as high as 95 °C). Scanning electron microscopy showed that filamentous microbial cells were attached on the anode surface. The anodic microbial consortium showed limited phylogenetic diversity and primarily consisted of hyperthermophilic bacteria closely related to Caldanaerobacter subterraneus and Thermodesulfobacterium commune.

TOUGHREACT Version 2.0: A simulator for subsurface reactive transport under non-isothermal multiphase flow conditions

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

Xu, T.; Spycher, N.; Sonnenthal, E.

2010-08-01

TOUGHREACT is a numerical simulation program for chemically reactive non-isothermal flows of multiphase fluids in porous and fractured media, and was developed by introducing reactive chemistry into the multiphase fluid and heat flow simulator TOUGH2 V2. The first version of TOUGHREACT was released to the public through the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Science and Technology Software Center (ESTSC) in August 2004. It is among the most frequently requested of ESTSC's codes. The code has been widely used for studies in CO{sub 2} geological sequestration, nuclear waste isolation, geothermal energy development, environmental remediation, and increasingly for petroleum applications. Over themore » past several years, many new capabilities have been developed, which were incorporated into Version 2 of TOUGHREACT. Major additions and improvements in Version 2 are discussed here, and two application examples are presented: (1) long-term fate of injected CO{sub 2} in a storage reservoir and (2) biogeochemical cycling of metals in mining-impacted lake sediments.« less

Evaluation of aircraft microwave data for locating zones for well stimulation and enhanced gas recovery. [Arkansas Arkoma Basin

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Macdonald, H.; Waite, W.; Elachi, C.; Babcock, R.; Konig, R.; Gattis, J.; Borengasser, M.; Tolman, D.

1980-01-01

Imaging radar was evaluated as an adjunct to conventional petroleum exploration techniques, especially linear mapping. Linear features were mapped from several remote sensor data sources including stereo photography, enhanced LANDSAT imagery, SLAR radar imagery, enhanced SAR radar imagery, and SAR radar/LANDSAT combinations. Linear feature maps were compared with surface joint data, subsurface and geophysical data, and gas production in the Arkansas part of the Arkoma basin. The best LANDSAT enhanced product for linear detection was found to be a winter scene, band 7, uniform distribution stretch. Of the individual SAR data products, the VH (cross polarized) SAR radar mosaic provides for detection of most linears; however, none of the SAR enhancements is significantly better than the others. Radar/LANDSAT merges may provide better linear detection than a single sensor mapping mode, but because of operator variability, the results are inconclusive. Radar/LANDSAT combinations appear promising as an optimum linear mapping technique, if the advantages and disadvantages of each remote sensor are considered.

Mitigating oil spills in the water column

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

Barry, Edward; Libera, Joseph A.; Mane, Anil U.

The scale and scope of uncontrolled oil spills can be devastating. Diverse marine environments and fragile ecologies are some of the most susceptible to the many ill effects, while the economic costs can be crippling. A notoriously difficult challenge with no known technological solution is the successful removal of oil dispersed in the water column. Here, we address this problem through cheap and reusable oil sorbents based on the chemical modification of polymer foams. Interfacial chemistry was optimized and subsequently tested in a simulated marine environment at the National Oil Spill Response Research & Renewable Energy Test Facility, Ohmsett. Wemore » find favorable performance for surface oil mitigation and, for the first time, demonstrate the advanced sorbent's efficiency and efficacy at pilot scale in extraction of crude oil and refined petroleum products dispersed in the water column. As a result, this is a potentially disruptive technology, opening a new field of environmental science focused on sub-surface pollutant sequestration.« less

Mitigating oil spills in the water column

DOE PAGES

Barry, Edward; Libera, Joseph A.; Mane, Anil U.; ...

2017-10-05

The scale and scope of uncontrolled oil spills can be devastating. Diverse marine environments and fragile ecologies are some of the most susceptible to the many ill effects, while the economic costs can be crippling. A notoriously difficult challenge with no known technological solution is the successful removal of oil dispersed in the water column. Here, we address this problem through cheap and reusable oil sorbents based on the chemical modification of polymer foams. Interfacial chemistry was optimized and subsequently tested in a simulated marine environment at the National Oil Spill Response Research & Renewable Energy Test Facility, Ohmsett. Wemore » find favorable performance for surface oil mitigation and, for the first time, demonstrate the advanced sorbent's efficiency and efficacy at pilot scale in extraction of crude oil and refined petroleum products dispersed in the water column. As a result, this is a potentially disruptive technology, opening a new field of environmental science focused on sub-surface pollutant sequestration.« less

Identification and characterization of natural pipe systems in forested tropical soils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bovi, Renata Cristina; Moreira, Cesar Augusto; Stucchi Boschi, Raquel; Cooper, Miguel

2017-04-01

Erosive processes on soil surface have been well studied and comprehended by several researchers, however little is known about subsurface erosive processes (piping). Piping is a type of subsurface erosion caused by water flowing in the subsurface and is still considered one of the most difficult erosive processes to be studied. Several processes have been considered as resposible for subsurface erosion and their interaction is complex and difficult to be studied separately. Surface investigations on their own may underestimate the erosion processes, due to the possible occurrence of subsurface processes that are not yet exposed on the surface. The network of subsurface processes should also be understood to better control erosion. Conservation practices that focus on water runoff control may be inefficient if the subsurface flow is not considered. In this study, we aimed to identify and characterize subsurface cavities in the field, as well as understand the network of these cavities, by using geophysical methods (electrical tomography). The study area is situated at the Experimental Station of Tupi, state of São Paulo, Brazil. The soil of the area was classified as Hapludults. The area presents several erosive features, ranging from laminar to permanent gullies and subsurface erosions. The geophysical equipment used was the Terrameter LS resistivity meter, manufactured by ABEM Instruments. The method of electrical tomography was efficient to detect collapsed and non-collapsed pipes. The results presented valuable information to detect areas of risk.

Evaluation of Surface and Subsurface Processes in Permeable Pavement Infiltration Trenches

EPA Science Inventory

The hydrologic performance of permeable pavement systems can be affected by clogging of the pavement surface and/or clogging at the interface where the subsurface storage layer meets the underlying soil. As infiltration and exfiltration are the primary functional mechanisms for ...

A Low-Cost, In Situ Resistivity and Temperature Monitoring System

EPA Science Inventory

We present a low-cost, reliable method for long-term in situ autonomous monitoring of subsurface resistivity and temperature in a shallow, moderately heterogeneous subsurface. Probes, to be left in situ, were constructed at relatively low cost with close electrode spacing. Once i...

Anatomy of Old Faithful From Subsurface Seismic Imaging of the Yellowstone Upper Geyser Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Sin-Mei; Ward, Kevin M.; Farrell, Jamie; Lin, Fan-Chi; Karplus, Marianne; Smith, Robert B.

2017-10-01

The Upper Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park contains one of the highest concentrations of hydrothermal features on Earth including the iconic Old Faithful geyser. Although this system has been the focus of many geological, geochemical, and geophysical studies for decades, the shallow (<200 m) subsurface structure remains poorly characterized. To investigate the detailed subsurface geologic structure including the hydrothermal plumbing of the Upper Geyser Basin, we deployed an array of densely spaced three-component nodal seismographs in November of 2015. In this study, we extract Rayleigh wave seismic signals between 1 and 10 Hz utilizing nondiffusive seismic waves excited by nearby active hydrothermal features with the following results: (1) imaging the shallow subsurface structure by utilizing stationary hydrothermal activity as a seismic source, (2) characterizing how local geologic conditions control the formation and location of the Old Faithful hydrothermal system, and (3) resolving a relatively shallow (10-60 m) and large reservoir located 100 m southwest of Old Faithful geyser.

Parallel heater system for subsurface formations

DOEpatents

Harris, Christopher Kelvin [Houston, TX; Karanikas, John Michael [Houston, TX; Nguyen, Scott Vinh [Houston, TX

2011-10-25

A heating system for a subsurface formation is disclosed. The system includes a plurality of substantially horizontally oriented or inclined heater sections located in a hydrocarbon containing layer in the formation. At least a portion of two of the heater sections are substantially parallel to each other. The ends of at least two of the heater sections in the layer are electrically coupled to a substantially horizontal, or inclined, electrical conductor oriented substantially perpendicular to the ends of the at least two heater sections.

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

Aegerter, P.A.

Phillips Petroleum Company scientists and engineers have been operating petroleum refining and separations pilot plants for five years in the Process Development Center. The 26 pilot plants in this building, with one exception, operate under complete computer-control, allowing maximum utilization of limited operating manpower. This centralization and automation of pilot plants has allowed Phillips to more than double the number of operating pilot plants in the petroleum refining area without an increase in manpower. At the same time, the quantity and quality of data has increased correspondingly. This paper discusses Phillips philosophy of operation and management of these pilot plants.more » In addition, details of day-to-day operations and a brief description of the control system are also presented.« less

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).

Combined Geothermal Potential of Subsurface Urban Heat Islands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benz, Susanne; Bayer, Peter; Menberg, Kathrin; Blum, Philipp

2016-04-01

The subsurface urban heat island (SUHI) can be seen as a geothermal potential in form of elevated groundwater temperatures caused by anthropogenic heat fluxes into the subsurface. In this study, these fluxes are quantified for an annual timeframe in two German cities, Karlsruhe and Cologne. Our two-dimensional (2D) statistical analytical model determines the renewable and sustainable geothermal potential caused by six vertical anthropogenic heat fluxes into the subsurface: from (1) elevated ground surface temperatures, (2) basements, (3) sewage systems, (4) sewage leakage, (5) subway tunnels, and (6) district heating networks. The results show that at present 2.15 ± 1.42 PJ and 0.99 ± 0.32 PJ of heat are annually transported into the shallow groundwater of Karlsruhe and Cologne, respectively, due to anthropogenic heat fluxes into the subsurface. This is sufficient to sustainably cover 32% and 9% of the annual residential space heating demand of Karlsruhe and Cologne, respectively. However, most of the discussed anthropogenic fluxes into the subsurface are conductive heat fluxes and therefore dependent on the groundwater temperature itself. Accordingly, a decrease in groundwater temperature back to its natural (rural) state, achieved through the use of geothermal heat pumps, will increase these fluxes and with them the sustainable potential. Hence, we propose the introduction of a combined geothermal potential that maximizes the sustainability of urban shallow geothermal energy use and the efficiency of shallow geothermal systems by balancing groundwater temperature with anthropogenic heat fluxes into the subsurface. This will be a key element in the development of a demand-oriented, cost-efficient geothermal management tool with an additional focus on the sustainability of the urban heat sources.

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...

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...

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...

Biological souring and mitigation in oil reservoirs.

PubMed

Gieg, Lisa M; Jack, Tom R; Foght, Julia M

2011-10-01

Souring in oil field systems is most commonly due to the action of sulfate-reducing prokaryotes, a diverse group of anaerobic microorganisms that respire sulfate and produce sulfide (the key souring agent) while oxidizing diverse electron donors. Such biological sulfide production is a detrimental, widespread phenomenon in the petroleum industry, occurring within oil reservoirs or in topside processing facilities, under low- and high-temperature conditions, and in onshore or offshore operations. Sulfate reducers can exist either indigenously in deep subsurface reservoirs or can be "inoculated" into a reservoir system during oil field development (e.g., via drilling operations) or during the oil production phase. In the latter, souring most commonly occurs during water flooding, a secondary recovery strategy wherein water is injected to re-pressurize the reservoir and sweep the oil towards production wells to extend the production life of an oil field. The water source and type of production operation can provide multiple components such as sulfate, labile carbon sources, and sulfate-reducing communities that influence whether oil field souring occurs. Souring can be controlled by biocides, which can non-specifically suppress microbial populations, and by the addition of nitrate (and/or nitrite) that directly impacts the sulfate-reducing population by numerous competitive or inhibitory mechanisms. In this review, we report on the diversity of sulfate reducers associated with oil reservoirs, approaches for determining their presence and effects, the factors that control souring, and the approaches (along with the current understanding of their underlying mechanisms) that may be used to successfully mitigate souring in low-temperature and high-temperature oil field operations.

Polyaxial stress-dependent permeability of a three-dimensional fractured rock layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lei, Qinghua; Wang, Xiaoguang; Xiang, Jiansheng; Latham, John-Paul

2017-12-01

A study about the influence of polyaxial (true-triaxial) stresses on the permeability of a three-dimensional (3D) fractured rock layer is presented. The 3D fracture system is constructed by extruding a two-dimensional (2D) outcrop pattern of a limestone bed that exhibits a ladder structure consisting of a "through-going" joint set abutted by later-stage short fractures. Geomechanical behaviour of the 3D fractured rock in response to in-situ stresses is modelled by the finite-discrete element method, which can capture the deformation of matrix blocks, variation of stress fields, reactivation of pre-existing rough fractures and propagation of new cracks. A series of numerical simulations is designed to load the fractured rock using various polyaxial in-situ stresses and the stress-dependent flow properties are further calculated. The fractured layer tends to exhibit stronger flow localisation and higher equivalent permeability as the far-field stress ratio is increased and the stress field is rotated such that fractures are preferentially oriented for shearing. The shear dilation of pre-existing fractures has dominant effects on flow localisation in the system, while the propagation of new fractures has minor impacts. The role of the overburden stress suggests that the conventional 2D analysis that neglects the effect of the out-of-plane stress (perpendicular to the bedding interface) may provide indicative approximations but not fully capture the polyaxial stress-dependent fracture network behaviour. The results of this study have important implications for understanding the heterogeneous flow of geological fluids (e.g. groundwater, petroleum) in subsurface and upscaling permeability for large-scale assessments.

Potential impact of soil microbial heterogeneity on the persistence of hydrocarbons in contaminated subsurface soils.

PubMed

Aleer, Sam; Adetutu, Eric M; Weber, John; Ball, Andrew S; Juhasz, Albert L

2014-04-01

In situ bioremediation is potentially a cost effective treatment strategy for subsurface soils contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons, however, limited information is available regarding the impact of soil spatial heterogeneity on bioremediation efficacy. In this study, we assessed issues associated with hydrocarbon biodegradation and soil spatial heterogeneity (samples designated as FTF 1, 5 and 8) from a site in which in situ bioremediation was proposed for hydrocarbon removal. Test pit activities showed similarities in FTF soil profiles with elevated hydrocarbon concentrations detected in all soils at 2 m below ground surface. However, PCR-DGGE-based cluster analysis showed that the bacterial community in FTF 5 (at 2 m) was substantially different (53% dissimilar) and 2-3 fold more diverse than communities in FTF 1 and 8 (with 80% similarity). When hydrocarbon degrading potential was assessed, differences were observed in the extent of (14)C-benzene mineralisation under aerobic conditions with FTF 5 exhibiting the highest hydrocarbon removal potential compared to FTF 1 and 8. Further analysis indicated that the FTF 5 microbial community was substantially different from other FTF samples and dominated by putative hydrocarbon degraders belonging to Pseudomonads, Xanthomonads and Enterobacteria. However, hydrocarbon removal in FTF 5 under anaerobic conditions with nitrate and sulphate electron acceptors was limited suggesting that aerobic conditions were crucial for hydrocarbon removal. This study highlights the importance of assessing available microbial capacity prior to bioremediation and shows that the site's spatial heterogeneity can adversely affect the success of in situ bioremediation unless area-specific optimizations are performed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Causes of hot-spot wetland loss in the Mississippi delta plain

USGS Publications Warehouse

Morton, R.A.; Tiling, G.; Ferina, N.F.

2003-01-01

Field surveys and sediment cores were used to estimate marsh erosion and land subsidence at Madison Bay, a well-known wetland loss hot spot in coastal Louisiana. Former marshes of Madison Bay are under about 1 m of water. Nearly two-thirds of the permanent flooding was caused by rapid subsidence in the late 1960s, whereas the other third was caused by subsequent erosion. Subsidence rates near Madison Bay since the 1960s (???20 mm/yr) are an order of magnitude greater than deltaic subsidence rates averaged for the past 400-4000 yr (???2 mm/yr). The rapid acceleration and unexpected decline in wetland losses in the Mississippi delta plain are difficult to explain on the basis of most physical and biogeochemical processes. There are, however, close temporal and spatial correlations among regional wetland loss, high subsidence rates, and large-volume fluid production from nearby hydrocarbon fields. The decreased rates of wetland loss since the 1970s may be related to decreased rates of subsidence caused by significantly decreased rates of subsurface fluid withdrawal. Annual fluid production from the Lapeyrouse, Lirette, and Bay Baptiste fields that encompass Madison Bay accelerated in the 1960s, peaked about 1970, and then declined abruptly. Large decreases in pore pressure in the Lapeyrouse field have likely altered subsurface stresses and reactivated a major fault that coincides with the wetland loss hot spot. Therefore, wetland losses at Madison Bay can be closely linked to rapid subsidence and possible fault reactivation induced by long-term, large-volume hydrocarbon production. ?? 2003. The American Association of Petroleum Geologists/Division of Environmental Geosciences. All rights reserved.

Transducer Design Experiments for Ground-Penetrating Acoustic Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

1996-03-19

subsurface imaging experiments have utilized a source (Tx) and receiver (Rx) configuration in which signals produced by a transmitter at the soil surface...development in the field of acoustic subsurface imaging are as follows. First, a transmitter designed to minimize the emission of surface waves, while

Dispersion, sorption and photodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons in dispersant-seawater-sediment systems.

PubMed

Zhao, Xiao; Liu, Wen; Fu, Jie; Cai, Zhengqing; O'Reilly, S E; Zhao, Dongye

2016-08-15

This work examined effects of model oil dispersants on dispersion, sorption and photodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons in simulated marine systems. Three dispersants (Corexit 9500A, Corexit 9527A and SPC 1000) were used to prepare dispersed water accommodated oil (DWAO). While higher doses of dispersants dispersed more n-alkanes and PAHs, Corexit 9500A preferentially dispersed C11-C20 n-alkanes, whereas Corexit 9527A was more favorable for smaller alkanes (C10-C16), and SPC 1000 for C12-C28 n-alkanes. Sorption of petroleum hydrocarbons on sediment was proportional to TPH types/fractions in the DWAOs. Addition of 18mg/L of Corexit 9500A increased sediment uptake of 2-3 ring PAHs, while higher dispersant doses reduced the uptake, due to micelle-enhanced solubilization effects. Both dispersed n-alkanes and PAHs were susceptible to photodegradation under simulated sunlight. For PAHs, both photodegradation and photo-facilitated alkylation were concurrently taking place. The information can facilitate sounder assessment of fate and distribution of dispersed oil hydrocarbons in marine systems. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.