Sample records for wellheads

  1. Wellhead with non-ferromagnetic materials

    DOEpatents

    Hinson, Richard A [Houston, TX; Vinegar, Harold J [Bellaire, TX

    2009-05-19

    Wellheads for coupling to a heater located in a wellbore in a subsurface formation are described herein. At least one wellhead may include a heater located in a wellbore in a subsurface formation; and a wellhead coupled to the heater. The wellhead may be configured to electrically couple the heater to one or more surface electrical components. The wellhead may include at least one non-ferromagnetic material such that ferromagnetic effects are inhibited in the wellhead. Systems and methods for using such wellheads for treating a subsurface formation are described herein.

  2. GROUND WATER AND WELLHEAD PROTECTION

    EPA Science Inventory

    This document is for those responsible for delineating the boundaries of a wellhead protection area, identifying and evaluating potential contaminants, and identifying wellhead management options. t is divided into two parts: (1) Wellhead Protection Area (WHPA) Delineation and (2...

  3. 77 FR 71788 - Notice of Change to the Publication of Natural Gas Wellhead Prices

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-12-04

    ... gas wellhead price using a time-series econometric model, which incorporates data from historical... (DOE). ACTION: Notice of a discontinuation of series in the publication of natural gas wellhead prices... price series. Beginning in January 2013, EIA will discontinue publishing wellhead prices, and will begin...

  4. Simulating the effect of hydrate dissociation on wellhead stability during oil and gas development in deepwater

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Qingchao; Cheng, Yuanfang; Zhang, Huaiwen; Yan, Chuanliang; Liu, Yuwen

    2018-02-01

    It is well known that methane hydrate has been identified as an alternative resource due to its massive reserves and clean property. However, hydrate dissociation during oil and gas development (OGD) process in deep water can affect the stability of subsea equipment and formation. Currently, there is a serious lack of studies over quantitative assessment on the effects of hydrate dissociation on wellhead stability. In order to solve this problem, ABAQUS finite element software was used to develop a model and to evaluate the behavior of wellhead caused by hydrate dissociation. The factors that affect the wellhead stability include dissociation range, depth of hydrate formation and mechanical properties of dissociated hydrate region. Based on these, series of simulations were carried out to determine the wellhead displacement. The results revealed that, continuous dissociation of hydrate in homogeneous and isotropic formations can causes the non-linear increment in vertical displacement of wellhead. The displacement of wellhead showed good agreement with the settlement of overlying formations under the same conditions. In addition, the shallower and thicker hydrate formation can aggravate the influence of hydrate dissociation on the wellhead stability. Further, it was observed that with the declining elastic modulus and Poisson's ratio, the wellhead displacement increases. Hence, these findings not only confirm the effect of hydrate dissociation on the wellhead stability, but also lend support to the actions, such as cooling the drilling fluid, which can reduce the hydrate dissociation range and further make deepwater operations safer and more efficient.

  5. Wellhead treatment costs for groundwater contaminated with pesticides: A preliminary analysis for pineapple in Hawaii

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Leon-Guerrero, Ephraim D.; Loague, Keith; Green, Richard E.

    1994-01-01

    In Hawaii, trace concentrations of pesticides used in the production of pineapple were found in the groundwater supplies of Mililani Town in the Pearl Harbor Basin on the island of Oahu. Groundwater serves as the major source of drinking water and residents pay for wellhead treatment of the contaminated water, via their monthly water bill. The agricultural chemical users within the Pearl Harbor Basin do not include these wellhead treatment costs in their production costs. The agricultural industry benefits from using pesticides but does not pay the entire societal cost of using these chemicals. In this study we evaluate the specific financial cost of wellhead treatment, and not the economic value of groundwater. While wellhead treatment costs could conceivably be shared by several parties, this study focuses on the financial impact of the pineapple industry alone. This study factors annual wellhead treatment costs into annual pineapple production costs to measure the effect on annual financial return from pineapple production. Wellhead treatment costs are calculated from the existing granulated activated carbon (GAC) water treatment facility for Millilani Wells I and II. Pineapple production costs are estimated from previous cost of production studies. The inclusion of wellhead treatment costs produces different production-cost results, depending on the scale of analysis. At the local scale, the Mililani wellhead treatment costs can be factored into the production costs of the pineapple fields, which were probably responsible for contamination of the Mililani Wells, without causing a deficit in economic return. At the larger regional scale, however, the return from all of the pineapple grown in the Pearl Harbor Basin can not sustain the cost of wellhead treatmentfor the entire water supply of the basin. Recommendations point to the prevention of groundwater contamination as more cost-effective measure than wellhead treatment.

  6. WELLHEAD ANALYTIC ELEMENT MODEL FOR WINDOWS

    EPA Science Inventory

    WhAEM2000 (wellhead analytic element model for Win 98/00/NT/XP) is a public domain, ground-water flow model designed to facilitate capture zone delineation and protection area mapping in support of the State's and Tribe's Wellhead Protection Programs (WHPP) and Source Water Asses...

  7. Microbial Community Composition, Functions, and Activities in the Gulf of Mexico 1 Year after the Deepwater Horizon Accident

    PubMed Central

    Yergeau, Etienne; Maynard, Christine; Sanschagrin, Sylvie; Champagne, Julie; Juck, David; Lee, Kenneth

    2015-01-01

    Several studies have assessed the effects of the released oil on microbes, either during or immediately after the Deepwater Horizon accident. However, little is known about the potential longer-term persistent effects on microbial communities and their functions. In this study, one water column station near the wellhead (3.78 km southwest of the wellhead), one water column reference station outside the affected area (37.77 km southeast of the wellhead), and deep-sea sediments near the wellhead (3.66 km southeast of the wellhead) were sampled 1 year after the capping of the well. In order to analyze microbial community composition, function, and activity, we used metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, and mineralization assays. Mineralization of hexadecane was significantly higher at the wellhead station at a depth of ∼1,200 m than at the reference station. Community composition based on taxonomical or functional data showed that the samples taken at a depth of ∼1,200 m were significantly more dissimilar between the stations than at other depths (surface, 100 m, 750 m, and >1,500 m). Both Bacteria and Archaea showed reduced activity at depths of ∼1,200 m when the wellhead station was compared to the reference station, and their activity was significantly higher in surficial sediments than in 10-cm sediments. Surficial sediments also harbored significantly different active genera than did 5- and 10-cm sediments. For the remaining microbial parameters assessed, no significant differences could be observed between the wellhead and reference stations and between surface and 5- to 10-cm-deep sediments. PMID:26092461

  8. 30 CFR 250.1626 - Tubing and wellhead equipment.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Tubing and wellhead equipment. 250.1626 Section... GAS AND SULPHUR OPERATIONS IN THE OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF Sulphur Operations § 250.1626 Tubing and wellhead equipment. (a) No tubing string shall be placed into service or continue to be used unless such...

  9. Microbial Community Composition, Functions, and Activities in the Gulf of Mexico 1 Year after the Deepwater Horizon Accident.

    PubMed

    Yergeau, Etienne; Maynard, Christine; Sanschagrin, Sylvie; Champagne, Julie; Juck, David; Lee, Kenneth; Greer, Charles W

    2015-09-01

    Several studies have assessed the effects of the released oil on microbes, either during or immediately after the Deepwater Horizon accident. However, little is known about the potential longer-term persistent effects on microbial communities and their functions. In this study, one water column station near the wellhead (3.78 km southwest of the wellhead), one water column reference station outside the affected area (37.77 km southeast of the wellhead), and deep-sea sediments near the wellhead (3.66 km southeast of the wellhead) were sampled 1 year after the capping of the well. In order to analyze microbial community composition, function, and activity, we used metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, and mineralization assays. Mineralization of hexadecane was significantly higher at the wellhead station at a depth of ∼1,200 m than at the reference station. Community composition based on taxonomical or functional data showed that the samples taken at a depth of ∼1,200 m were significantly more dissimilar between the stations than at other depths (surface, 100 m, 750 m, and >1,500 m). Both Bacteria and Archaea showed reduced activity at depths of ∼1,200 m when the wellhead station was compared to the reference station, and their activity was significantly higher in surficial sediments than in 10-cm sediments. Surficial sediments also harbored significantly different active genera than did 5- and 10-cm sediments. For the remaining microbial parameters assessed, no significant differences could be observed between the wellhead and reference stations and between surface and 5- to 10-cm-deep sediments. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  10. EPA MODELING TOOLS FOR CAPTURE ZONE DELINEATION

    EPA Science Inventory

    The EPA Office of Research and Development supports a step-wise modeling approach for design of wellhead protection areas for water supply wells. A web-based WellHEDSS (wellhead decision support system) is under development for determining when simple capture zones (e.g., centri...

  11. WHAEM: PROGRAM DOCUMENTATION FOR THE WELLHEAD ANALYTIC ELEMENT MODEL

    EPA Science Inventory

    The Wellhead Analytic Element Model (WhAEM) demonstrates a new technique for the definition of time-of-travel capture zones in relatively simple geohydrologic settings. he WhAEM package includes an analytic element model that uses superposition of (many) analytic solutions to gen...

  12. Wellhead power production with a rotary separator turbine (RP 1196)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cerini, D. J.; Record, J.

    1982-12-01

    A rotary-separator turbine was built with full flow capacity for a 500 F downhole temperature with a 850,000 lbm/hr production rate. The test system and results obtained in field tests are described. The preliminary design of a 10-megawatt wellhead power plant for the Roosevelt type resource is described. This system shows a specific power of .0013 kW hr per lbm, which is 20 percent greater than an optimized wellhead single stage flash plant. This is 26 percent greater than a central plant of 20 to 50 MW capacity when consideration is given to steam-gathering system pressure drop between the wells and central plant.

  13. 3DFEMWATER/3DLEWASTE: NUMERICAL CODES FOR DELINEATING WELLHEAD PROTECTION AREAS IN AGRICULTURAL REGIONS BASED ON THE ASSIMILATIVE CAPACITY CRITERION

    EPA Science Inventory

    Two related numerical codes, 3DFEMWATER and 3DLEWASTE, are presented sed to delineate wellhead protection areas in agricultural regions using the assimilative capacity criterion. DFEMWATER (Three-dimensional Finite Element Model of Water Flow Through Saturated-Unsaturated Media) ...

  14. 40 CFR 98.236 - Data reporting requirements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... each gas, for all absorbent desiccant dehydrators combined. (5) For well venting for liquids unloading... gas emitted from produced oil sent to atmospheric tanks: (i) For wellhead gas-liquid separator with... atmosphere, expressed in metric tons CO2e for each gas, for all wellhead gas-liquid separators or storage...

  15. 40 CFR 98.236 - Data reporting requirements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... each gas, for all absorbent desiccant dehydrators combined. (5) For well venting for liquids unloading... gas emitted from produced oil sent to atmospheric tanks: (i) For wellhead gas-liquid separator with... atmosphere, expressed in metric tons CO2e for each gas, for all wellhead gas-liquid separators or storage...

  16. 40 CFR 98.236 - Data reporting requirements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... each gas, for all absorbent desiccant dehydrators combined. (5) For well venting for liquids unloading... gas emitted from produced oil sent to atmospheric tanks: (i) For wellhead gas-liquid separator with... atmosphere, expressed in metric tons CO2e for each gas, for all wellhead gas-liquid separators or storage...

  17. 40 CFR 98.236 - Data reporting requirements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... equipment type. (8) For gas emitted from produced oil sent to atmospheric tanks: (i) For wellhead gas-liquid... collectively for Calculation Methodology 3 and 4 of § 98.233(j). (iii) For wellhead gas-liquid separators and... (CONTINUED) MANDATORY GREENHOUSE GAS REPORTING Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems § 98.236 Data reporting...

  18. 30 CFR 250.517 - Tubing and wellhead equipment.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... evaluated every 30 days and the results submitted to the District Manager. (c) When the tree is installed..., a surface tubing head, a surface tubing hanger, and a surface christmas tree. (d) Wellhead, tree... and one surface safety valve, installed above the master valve, in the vertical run of the tree. (e...

  19. 30 CFR 250.518 - Tubing and wellhead equipment.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... otherwise suitable for its intended use. (b) In the event of prolonged operations such as milling, fishing... otherwise evaluated every 30 days and the results submitted to the District Manager. (c) When the tree is... . . . you must equip . . . so you can monitor . . . (1) fixed platform wells, the wellhead, all annuli (A, B...

  20. 30 CFR 250.517 - Tubing and wellhead equipment.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... otherwise suitable for its intended use. (b) In the event of prolonged operations such as milling, fishing... otherwise evaluated every 30 days and the results submitted to the District Manager. (c) When the tree is... . . . you must equip . . . so you can monitor . . . (1) fixed platform wells, the wellhead, all annuli (A, B...

  1. 30 CFR 250.518 - Tubing and wellhead equipment.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... otherwise suitable for its intended use. (b) In the event of prolonged operations such as milling, fishing... otherwise evaluated every 30 days and the results submitted to the District Manager. (c) When the tree is... . . . you must equip . . . so you can monitor . . . (1) fixed platform wells, the wellhead, all annuli (A, B...

  2. 30 CFR 250.517 - Tubing and wellhead equipment.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... pressure integrity and is otherwise suitable for its intended use. (b) In the event of prolonged operations... Manager. (c) When the tree is installed, you must equip wells to monitor for casing pressure according to... platform wells, the wellhead, all annuli (A, B, C, D, etc., annuli). (2) subsea wells, the tubing head, the...

  3. 41 CFR 101-26.602-5 - Procurement of natural gas from the wellhead and other supply sources.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ...-26.602-5 Procurement of natural gas from the wellhead and other supply sources. (a) Natural gas... natural gas procurements at a facility exceed 20,000 mcf annually and the facility can accept... natural gas shall be forwarded to the Public Utilities Division (PPU), Office of Procurement, General...

  4. ANALYTIC ELEMENT MODELING FOR SOURCE WATER ASSESSMENTS OF PUBLIC WATER SUPPLY WELLS: CASE STUDIES IN GLACIAL OUTWASH AND BASIN-AND-RANGE

    EPA Science Inventory

    Over the last 10 years the EPA has invested in analytic elements as a computational method used in public domain software supporting capture zone delineation for source water assessments and wellhead protection. The current release is called WhAEM2000 (wellhead analytic element ...

  5. 41 CFR 101-26.602-5 - Procurement of natural gas from the wellhead and other supply sources.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ...-26.602-5 Procurement of natural gas from the wellhead and other supply sources. (a) Natural gas... natural gas procurements at a facility exceed 20,000 mcf annually and the facility can accept... natural gas shall be forwarded to the Public Utilities Division (PPU), Office of Procurement, General...

  6. Impact of exploratory offshore drilling on benthic communities in the Minerva gas field, Port Campbell, Australia.

    PubMed

    Currie, D R; Isaacs, Leanne R

    2005-04-01

    Changes to benthic infauna caused by exploratory gas drilling operations in the Minerva field were examined experimentally using a BACI (before, after, control, impact) design. Analysis of 72 x 0.1 m2 Smith-McIntyre grab samples obtained from one pre-drilling and three post-drilling periods yielded a diverse fauna consisting of 196 invertebrate species and 5035 individuals. Changes to benthic community structure were assessed using ANOVA and nonmetric multidimensional scaling (MDS). The abundances of two common species (Apseudes sp. 1 and Prionospio coorilla) decreased significantly at the well-head site immediately after drilling. The size of these reductions in abundance ranged between 71% and 88%, and persisted for less than 4 months after drilling. A third common species (Katlysia sp. 1) increased in abundance 200 m east of the well-head following drilling. Most species occurred at densities too low to be analysed individually and so were pooled at higher taxonomic levels. Changes in the abundance of species aggregated by phylum varied, but significant declines in the most abundant phyla (Crustaceans and Polychaetes) of 45-73% were observed at all sites within a 100 m radius of the well-head following drilling. In most cases these changes became undetectable four months after drilling following species recruitments. MDS ordinations confirm that drilling related changes to benthic community structure are most pronounced at stations located closest to the well-head. Additionally, the ordinations indicate that modified communities persist at the well-head for more than 11 months following exploratory drilling.

  7. Microbial enzymatic activity and secondary production in sediments affected by the sedimentation pulse following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ziervogel, Kai; Joye, Samantha B.; Arnosti, Carol

    2016-07-01

    A large fraction of the spilled oil from the Deepwater Horizon (DwH) blowout in April 2010 reached the seafloor via sinking oil aggregates (oil snow) in a massive sedimentation that continued until late summer 2010 (;Dirty blizzard;). We measured heterotrophic microbial metabolic rates as well as porewater and sedimentary geochemical parameters at sites proximate to and distant from the wellhead to investigate microbial responses to the "Dirty Blizzard". Lipase activity and rates of bacterial protein production were highest and leucine-aminopeptidase activity was lowest in 0-2 cm sediment layers at the sites proximate to the wellhead. These results suggest that the presence of the oil snow stimulated benthic microbial enzymatic hydrolysis of oil-derived organic matter that was depleted in peptide substrates at the time of our sampling. The strong gradients in porewater DOC, NH4+, and HPO43- concentrations in the upper 6 cm of the sediments near the wellhead likewise indicate elevated heterotrophic responses to recently-sedimented organic matter. In addition to enhanced microbial activities in the 0-2 cm sediment layers, we found peaks of total organic carbon and elevated microbial metabolic rates down to 10 cm at the sites closest to the wellhead. Our results indicate distinct benthic metabolic responses of heterotrophic microbial communities, even three months after the ending of the "Dirty Blizzard". Compared to other deep-sea environments, however, metabolic rates associated with the recently deposited particulate matter around the wellhead were only moderately enhanced. Oil contaminants at the seafloor may therefore have prolonged residence times, enhancing the potential for longer-term ecological consequences in deep-sea environments.

  8. 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.

  9. Temperature and Redox Effect on Mineral Colonization in Juan de Fuca Ridge Flank Subsurface Crustal Fluids

    PubMed Central

    Baquiran, Jean-Paul M.; Ramírez, Gustavo A.; Haddad, Amanda G.; Toner, Brandy M.; Hulme, Samuel; Wheat, Charles G.; Edwards, Katrina J.; Orcutt, Beth N.

    2016-01-01

    To examine microbe-mineral interactions in subsurface oceanic crust, we evaluated microbial colonization on crustal minerals that were incubated in borehole fluids for 1 year at the seafloor wellhead of a crustal borehole observatory (IODP Hole U1301A, Juan de Fuca Ridge flank) as compared to an experiment that was not exposed to subsurface crustal fluids (at nearby IODP Hole U1301B). In comparison to previous studies at these same sites, this approach allowed assessment of the effects of temperature, fluid chemistry, and/or mineralogy on colonization patterns of different mineral substrates, and an opportunity to verify the approach of deploying colonization experiments at an observatory wellhead at the seafloor instead of within the borehole. The Hole U1301B deployment did not have biofilm growth, based on microscopy and DNA extraction, thereby confirming the integrity of the colonization design against bottom seawater intrusion. In contrast, the Hole U1301A deployment supported biofilms dominated by Epsilonproteobacteria (43.5% of 370 16S rRNA gene clone sequences) and Gammaproteobacteria (29.3%). Sequence analysis revealed overlap in microbial communities between different minerals incubated at the Hole U1301A wellhead, indicating that mineralogy did not separate biofilm structure within the 1-year colonization experiment. Differences in the Hole U1301A wellhead biofilm community composition relative to previous studies from within the borehole using similar mineral substrates suggest that temperature and the diffusion of dissolved oxygen through plastic components influenced the mineral colonization experiments positioned at the wellhead. This highlights the capacity of low abundance crustal fluid taxa to rapidly establish communities on diverse mineral substrates under changing environmental conditions such as from temperature and oxygen. PMID:27064928

  10. Conclusions and Recommendations Regarding the Deep Sea Hybrid Power Systems Initial Study

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-06-01

    proton-exchange membrane fuel cells ( PEMFC ) powered with hydrogen and oxygen, similar to that used on proven subsurface vessels; (2) fuel-cells...AND STORAGE OPTIONS CONSIDERED FOR INITIAL STUDY NO. NOMENCLATURE DESCRIPTION 1 PWR Nuclear Reactor + Battery 2 FC1 PEMFC + Line for surface O2...Wellhead Gas + Reformer + Battery 3 FC2 PEMFC + Stored O2 + Wellhead Gas + Reformer + Battery 4 SV1 PEMFC + Submersible Vehicle for O2 Transport

  11. The helical screw expander evaluation project. [for geothermal wells

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mckay, R. A.

    1977-01-01

    A positive-displacement helical-screw expander of the Lysholm type has been adapted for geothermal service and successfully demonstrated in a 50 kW prototype power system. Evaluation of the expander by tests of a new model in a 1 MW power system under wellhead conditions in selected liquid-dominated geothermal fields is proposed. The objectives are to determine the performance characteristics of the expander and power system over a broad range of operating conditions and also to examine the concept of wellhead power plants. Throttling and fractionation of the fluids from the test wells is planned to simulate a wide range of wellhead pressures and steam fractions. Variation in the expander exhaust pressure is also planned. The investigation will include expander efficiency, corrosion, erosion, scale formation and control, and endurance testing. Interaction studies with the wells and an electric grid are also proposed.

  12. Natural Gas Prices Forecast Comparison--AEO vs. Natural Gas Markets

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

    Wong-Parodi, Gabrielle; Lekov, Alex; Dale, Larry

    This paper evaluates the accuracy of two methods to forecast natural gas prices: using the Energy Information Administration's ''Annual Energy Outlook'' forecasted price (AEO) and the ''Henry Hub'' compared to U.S. Wellhead futures price. A statistical analysis is performed to determine the relative accuracy of the two measures in the recent past. A statistical analysis suggests that the Henry Hub futures price provides a more accurate average forecast of natural gas prices than the AEO. For example, the Henry Hub futures price underestimated the natural gas price by 35 cents per thousand cubic feet (11.5 percent) between 1996 and 2003more » and the AEO underestimated by 71 cents per thousand cubic feet (23.4 percent). Upon closer inspection, a liner regression analysis reveals that two distinct time periods exist, the period between 1996 to 1999 and the period between 2000 to 2003. For the time period between 1996 to 1999, AEO showed a weak negative correlation (R-square = 0.19) between forecast price by actual U.S. Wellhead natural gas price versus the Henry Hub with a weak positive correlation (R-square = 0.20) between forecasted price and U.S. Wellhead natural gas price. During the time period between 2000 to 2003, AEO shows a moderate positive correlation (R-square = 0.37) between forecasted natural gas price and U.S. Wellhead natural gas price versus the Henry Hub that show a moderate positive correlation (R-square = 0.36) between forecast price and U.S. Wellhead natural gas price. These results suggest that agencies forecasting natural gas prices should consider incorporating the Henry Hub natural gas futures price into their forecasting models along with the AEO forecast. Our analysis is very preliminary and is based on a very small data set. Naturally the results of the analysis may change, as more data is made available.« less

  13. Arsenic-related water quality with depth and water quality of well-head samples from production wells, Oklahoma, 2008

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Becker, Carol J.; Smith, S. Jerrod; Greer, James R.; Smith, Kevin A.

    2010-01-01

    The U.S. Geological Survey well profiler was used to describe arsenic-related water quality with well depth and identify zones yielding water with high arsenic concentrations in two production wells in central and western Oklahoma that yield water from the Permian-aged Garber-Wellington and Rush Springs aquifers, respectively. In addition, well-head samples were collected from 12 production wells yielding water with historically large concentrations of arsenic (greater than 10 micrograms per liter) from the Garber-Wellington aquifer, Rush Springs aquifer, and two minor aquifers: the Arbuckle-Timbered Hills aquifer in southern Oklahoma and a Permian-aged undefined aquifer in north-central Oklahoma. Three depth-dependent samples from a production well in the Rush Springs aquifer had similar water-quality characteristics to the well-head sample and did not show any substantial changes with depth. However, slightly larger arsenic concentrations in the two deepest depth-dependent samples indicate the zones yielding noncompliant arsenic concentrations are below the shallowest sampled depth. Five depth-dependent samples from a production well in the Garber-Wellington aquifer showed increases in arsenic concentrations with depth. Well-bore travel-time information and water-quality data from depth-dependent and well-head samples showed that most arsenic contaminated water (about 63 percent) was entering the borehole from perforations adjacent to or below the shroud that overlaid the pump. Arsenic concentrations ranged from 10.4 to 124 micrograms per liter in 11 of the 12 production wells sampled at the well head, exceeding the maximum contaminant level of 10 micrograms per liter for drinking water. pH values of the 12 well-head samples ranged from 6.9 to 9. Seven production wells in the Garber-Wellington aquifer had the largest arsenic concentrations ranging from 18.5 to 124 micrograms per liter. Large arsenic concentrations (10.4-18.5) and near neutral to slightly alkaline pH values (6.9-7.4) were detected in samples from one well in the Garber-Wellington aquifer, three production wells in the Rush Springs aquifer, and one well in an undefined Permian-aged aquifer. All well-head samples were oxic and arsenate was the only species of arsenic in water from 10 of the 12 production wells sampled. Arsenite was measured above the laboratory reporting level in water from a production well in the Garber-Wellington aquifer and was the only arsenic species measured in water from the Arbuckle-Timbered Hills aquifer. Fluoride and uranium were the only trace elements, other than arsenic, that exceeded the maximum contaminant level for drinking water in well-head samples collected for the study. Uranium concentrations in four production wells in the Garber-Wellington aquifer ranged from 30.2 to 99 micrograms per liter exceeding the maximum contaminant level of 30 micrograms per liter for drinking water. Water from these four wells also had the largest arsenic concentrations measured in the study ranging from 30 to 124 micrograms

  14. A Lift-Off-Tolerant Magnetic Flux Leakage Testing Method for Drill Pipes at Wellhead.

    PubMed

    Wu, Jianbo; Fang, Hui; Li, Long; Wang, Jie; Huang, Xiaoming; Kang, Yihua; Sun, Yanhua; Tang, Chaoqing

    2017-01-21

    To meet the great needs for MFL (magnetic flux leakage) inspection of drill pipes at wellheads, a lift-off-tolerant MFL testing method is proposed and investigated in this paper. Firstly, a Helmholtz coil magnetization method and the whole MFL testing scheme are proposed. Then, based on the magnetic field focusing effect of ferrite cores, a lift-off-tolerant MFL sensor is developed and tested. It shows high sensitivity at a lift-off distance of 5.0 mm. Further, the follow-up high repeatability MFL probing system is designed and manufactured, which was embedded with the developed sensors. It can track the swing movement of drill pipes and allow the pipe ends to pass smoothly. Finally, the developed system is employed in a drilling field for drill pipe inspection. Test results show that the proposed method can fulfill the requirements for drill pipe inspection at wellheads, which is of great importance in drill pipe safety.

  15. High-pressure jet cutters improve capping operations

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

    Abel, L.W.; Campbell, P.J.; Bowden, J.R. Sr.

    1995-05-08

    Advances in abrasive cutting technology have improved the methods for removing damaged equipment and preparing wellheads for capping. This technology, much of which was refined during well control operations in Kuwait in 1991, can improve the safety and efficiency of capping jobs by cutting wellheads or casing quickly and cleanly. The majority of well control jobs involve one of three types of capping operations: capping to a flange, capping by installing a wellhead, or capping to a casing stub. Capping operations are often the first major step in regaining control of the well during blowout intervention. Proper planning of amore » capping operation must take into account the mass flow rate, combustible nature of the flow, well bore geometry, and operations in the post-capping phase of the project. The paper discusses capping vehicles, tree removal, jet cutters, capping to a flange, capping to a stub, swallowing the stub, spin-on technique, capping on fire, stinging, offshore blowouts, firefighting, pollution control, intervention equipment, and rig removal.« less

  16. A Lift-Off-Tolerant Magnetic Flux Leakage Testing Method for Drill Pipes at Wellhead

    PubMed Central

    Wu, Jianbo; Fang, Hui; Li, Long; Wang, Jie; Huang, Xiaoming; Kang, Yihua; Sun, Yanhua; Tang, Chaoqing

    2017-01-01

    To meet the great needs for MFL (magnetic flux leakage) inspection of drill pipes at wellheads, a lift-off-tolerant MFL testing method is proposed and investigated in this paper. Firstly, a Helmholtz coil magnetization method and the whole MFL testing scheme are proposed. Then, based on the magnetic field focusing effect of ferrite cores, a lift-off-tolerant MFL sensor is developed and tested. It shows high sensitivity at a lift-off distance of 5.0 mm. Further, the follow-up high repeatability MFL probing system is designed and manufactured, which was embedded with the developed sensors. It can track the swing movement of drill pipes and allow the pipe ends to pass smoothly. Finally, the developed system is employed in a drilling field for drill pipe inspection. Test results show that the proposed method can fulfill the requirements for drill pipe inspection at wellheads, which is of great importance in drill pipe safety. PMID:28117721

  17. Footprint of Deepwater Horizon blowout impact to deep-water coral communities

    PubMed Central

    Fisher, Charles R.; Hsing, Pen-Yuan; Kaiser, Carl L.; Yoerger, Dana R.; Roberts, Harry H.; Shedd, William W.; Cordes, Erik E.; Shank, Timothy M.; Berlet, Samantha P.; Saunders, Miles G.; Larcom, Elizabeth A.; Brooks, James M.

    2014-01-01

    On April 20, 2010, the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) blowout occurred, releasing more oil than any accidental spill in history. Oil release continued for 87 d and much of the oil and gas remained in, or returned to, the deep sea. A coral community significantly impacted by the spill was discovered in late 2010 at 1,370 m depth. Here we describe the discovery of five previously unknown coral communities near the Macondo wellhead and show that at least two additional coral communities were impacted by the spill. Although the oil-containing flocullent material that was present on corals when the first impacted community was discovered was largely gone, a characteristic patchy covering of hydrozoans on dead portions of the skeleton allowed recognition of impacted colonies at the more recently discovered sites. One of these communities was 6 km south of the Macondo wellhead and over 90% of the corals present showed the characteristic signs of recent impact. The other community, 22 km southeast of the wellhead between 1,850 and 1,950 m depth, was more lightly impacted. However, the discovery of this site considerably extends the distance from Macondo and depth range of significant impact to benthic macrofaunal communities. We also show that most known deep-water coral communities in the Gulf of Mexico do not appear to have been acutely impacted by the spill, although two of the newly discovered communities near the wellhead apparently not impacted by the spill have been impacted by deep-sea fishing operations. PMID:25071200

  18. A market survey of geothermal wellhead power generation systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Leeds, M. W.

    1978-01-01

    The market potential for a portable geothermal wellhead power conversion device is assessed. Major study objectives included identifying the most promising applications for such a system, the potential impediments confronting their industrialization, and the various government actions needed to overcome these impediments. The heart of the study was a series of structured interviews with key decision-making individual in the various disciplines of the geothermal community. In addition, some technical and economic analyses of a candidate system were performed to support the feasibility of the basic concept.

  19. Conductor shears as iceberg encroaches

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

    Not Available

    1984-10-01

    Operators in the Arctic regions must protect wellheads from encroaching icebergs and icepack sheets. Diverting ice masses and excavating large holes below scour depth is expensive. Now an alternate approach allows the conductor to shear, shuts in the well, and provides a method of re-entering the well. The new system has been successfully used by Mobil on two exploratory wells in the Hibernia field off eastern Canada. The wells used 18 3/4-in. wellheads rated at 10,000 psi with 36-in. conductor pipe. The performance of the system is discussed.

  20. An approach for delineating drinking water wellhead protection areas at the Nile Delta, Egypt.

    PubMed

    Fadlelmawla, Amr A; Dawoud, Mohamed A

    2006-04-01

    In Egypt, production has a high priority. To this end protecting the quality of the groundwater, specifically when used for drinking water, and delineating protection areas around the drinking water wellheads for strict landuse restrictions is essential. The delineation methods are numerous; nonetheless, the uniqueness of the hydrogeological, institutional as well as social conditions in the Nile Delta region dictate a customized approach. The analysis of the hydrological conditions and land ownership at the Nile Delta indicates the need for an accurate methodology. On the other hand, attempting to calculate the wellhead protected areas around each of the drinking wells (more than 1500) requires data, human resources, and time that exceed the capabilities of the groundwater management agency. Accordingly, a combination of two methods (simplified variable shapes and numerical modeling) was adopted. Sensitivity analyses carried out using hypothetical modeling conditions have identified the pumping rate, clay thickness, hydraulic gradient, vertical conductivity of the clay, and the hydraulic conductivity as the most significant parameters in determining the dimensions of the wellhead protection areas (WHPAs). Tables of sets of WHPAs dimensions were calculated using synthetic modeling conditions representing the most common ranges of the significant parameters. Specific WHPA dimensions can be calculated by interpolation, utilizing the produced tables along with the operational and hydrogeological conditions for the well under consideration. In order to simplify the interpolation of the appropriate dimensions of the WHPAs from the calculated tables, an interactive computer program was written. The program accepts the real time data of the significant parameters as its input, and gives the appropriate WHPAs dimensions as its output.

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

    Dougan, P.M.

    During the year, design, construction and installation of all project equipment was completed, and continuous steam injection began on September 18, 1979 and continued until February 29, 1980. In the five-month period of steam injection, 235,060 barrels of water as steam at an average wellhead pressure of 1199 psig and an average wellhead temperature of 456/sup 0/F were injected into the eight project injection wells. Operation of the project at design temperature and pressure (1000/sup 0/F and 1500 psig) was not possible due to continuing problems with surface equipment. Environmental monitoring at the project site continued during startup and operation.

  2. Modelling and optimization of a wellhead gas flowmeter using concentric pipes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nec, Yana; Huculak, Greg

    2017-09-01

    A novel configuration of a landfill wellhead was analysed to measure the flow rate of gas extracted from sanitary landfills. The device provides access points for pressure measurement integral to flow rate computation similarly to orifice and Venturi meters, and has the advantage of eliminating the problem of water condensation often impairing the accuracy thereof. It is proved that the proposed configuration entails comparable computational complexity and negligible sensitivity to geometric parameters. Calibration for the new device was attained using a custom optimization procedure, operating on a quadri-dimensional parameter surface evincing discontinuity and non-smoothness.

  3. Nine steps to risk-informed wellhead protection and management: Methods and application to the Burgberg Catchment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nowak, W.; Enzenhoefer, R.; Bunk, T.

    2013-12-01

    Wellhead protection zones are commonly delineated via advective travel time analysis without considering any aspects of model uncertainty. In the past decade, research efforts produced quantifiable risk-based safety margins for protection zones. They are based on well vulnerability criteria (e.g., travel times, exposure times, peak concentrations) cast into a probabilistic setting, i.e., they consider model and parameter uncertainty. Practitioners still refrain from applying these new techniques for mainly three reasons. (1) They fear the possibly cost-intensive additional areal demand of probabilistic safety margins, (2) probabilistic approaches are allegedly complex, not readily available, and consume huge computing resources, and (3) uncertainty bounds are fuzzy, whereas final decisions are binary. The primary goal of this study is to show that these reservations are unjustified. We present a straightforward and computationally affordable framework based on a novel combination of well-known tools (e.g., MODFLOW, PEST, Monte Carlo). This framework provides risk-informed decision support for robust and transparent wellhead delineation under uncertainty. Thus, probabilistic risk-informed wellhead protection is possible with methods readily available for practitioners. As vivid proof of concept, we illustrate our key points on a pumped karstic well catchment, located in Germany. In the case study, we show that reliability levels can be increased by re-allocating the existing delineated area at no increase in delineated area. This is achieved by simply swapping delineated low-risk areas against previously non-delineated high-risk areas. Also, we show that further improvements may often be available at only low additional delineation area. Depending on the context, increases or reductions of delineated area directly translate to costs and benefits, if the land is priced, or if land owners need to be compensated for land use restrictions.

  4. Differential impact of immediate total deregulation of wellhead prices of natural gas on minority and low-income homeowners: a general review and a case study in the Washington, DC area

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

    Green, R.D.; Gilbert, H.R.

    1983-01-01

    In this study, the authors evaluate the impact of total deregulation of wellhead prices of natural gas on various strata of the residential consuming population, and compare it to the baseline impact of a continuation of the Natural Gas Policy Act of 1978. They found that minority and poverty homeowners will suffer greater relative welfare losses than their white and non-poverty counterparts. They developed quantitative estimates of the extent of these differentials, and offered some policy proposals suggested by these findings. 54 refs., 8 figs., 68 tabs.

  5. GIS technology transfer for use in private sector consulting

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gibas, Dawn R.; Davis, Roger J.

    1996-03-01

    Summit Envirosolutions, Inc. (Summit) is an EOCAP '93 company working in partnership with NASA's Commercial Remote Sensing Program to integrate the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing (RS) technology into our environmental consulting business. The EOCAP program has allowed us to obtain the hardware and software necessary for this technology that would have been difficult for a small company, such as Summit, to purchase outright. We are integrating GIS/RS into our consulting business in several areas including wellhead protection and environmental assessments. The major emphasis in the EOCAP project is to develop a system, termed RealFlowSM. The goals of RealFlowSM are to reduce client costs associated with environmental compliance (in particular preparation of EPA-mandated Wellhead Protection Plans), more accurately characterize aquifer parameters, provide a scientifically sound basis for delineating Wellhead Protection Areas, and readily assess changes in well field operations and potential impacts of environmental stresses. RealFlowSM utilizes real-time telemetric data, digital imagery, GIS, Global Positioning System (GPS), and field data to characterize a study area at a lower cost. In addition, we are applying this technology in other service areas and showing a reduction in the overall costs for large projects.

  6. Probabilistic approach: back pressure turbine for geothermal vapor-dominated system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Alfandi Ahmad, Angga; Xaverius Guwowijoyo, Fransiscus; Pratama, Heru Berian

    2017-12-01

    Geothermal bussiness nowadays needs to be accelerated in a way that profit can be obtained as soon as reasonable possible. One of the many ways to do this is by using one of geothermal wellhead generating unit (GWGU), called backpressure turbine. Backpressure turbine can be used in producing electricity as soon as there is productive or rather small-scale productive well existed after finished drilling. In a vapor dominated system, steam fraction in the wellhead capable to produce electricity based on each well productivity immediately. The advantage for using vapor dominated system is reduce brine disposal in the wellhead so it will be a cost benefit in operation. The design and calculation for backpressure turbine will use probablistic approach with Monte Carlo simulation. The parameter that will be evaluated in sensitivity would be steam flow rate, turbine inlet pressure, and turbine exhaust pressure/atmospheric pressure. The result are probability for P10, P50, and P90 of gross power output which are 1.78 MWe, 2.22 MWe and 2.66 Mwe respectively. Whereas the P10, P50, and P90 of SSC are 4.67 kg/s/MWe, 5.19 kg/s/MWe and 5.78 kg/s/MWe respectively.

  7. Transient flow conditions in probabilistic wellhead protection: importance and ways to manage spatial and temporal uncertainty in capture zone delineation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Enzenhoefer, R.; Rodriguez-Pretelin, A.; Nowak, W.

    2012-12-01

    "From an engineering standpoint, the quantification of uncertainty is extremely important not only because it allows estimating risk but mostly because it allows taking optimal decisions in an uncertain framework" (Renard, 2007). The most common way to account for uncertainty in the field of subsurface hydrology and wellhead protection is to randomize spatial parameters, e.g. the log-hydraulic conductivity or porosity. This enables water managers to take robust decisions in delineating wellhead protection zones with rationally chosen safety margins in the spirit of probabilistic risk management. Probabilistic wellhead protection zones are commonly based on steady-state flow fields. However, several past studies showed that transient flow conditions may substantially influence the shape and extent of catchments. Therefore, we believe they should be accounted for in the probabilistic assessment and in the delineation process. The aim of our work is to show the significance of flow transients and to investigate the interplay between spatial uncertainty and flow transients in wellhead protection zone delineation. To this end, we advance our concept of probabilistic capture zone delineation (Enzenhoefer et al., 2012) that works with capture probabilities and other probabilistic criteria for delineation. The extended framework is able to evaluate the time fraction that any point on a map falls within a capture zone. In short, we separate capture probabilities into spatial/statistical and time-related frequencies. This will provide water managers additional information on how to manage a well catchment in the light of possible hazard conditions close to the capture boundary under uncertain and time-variable flow conditions. In order to save computational costs, we take advantage of super-positioned flow components with time-variable coefficients. We assume an instantaneous development of steady-state flow conditions after each temporal change in driving forces, following an idea by Festger and Walter, 2002. These quasi steady-state flow fields are cast into a geostatistical Monte Carlo framework to admit and evaluate the influence of parameter uncertainty on the delineation process. Furthermore, this framework enables conditioning on observed data with any conditioning scheme, such as rejection sampling, Ensemble Kalman Filters, etc. To further reduce the computational load, we use the reverse formulation of advective-dispersive transport. We simulate the reverse transport by particle tracking random walk in order to avoid numerical dispersion to account for well arrival times.

  8. Water Sources and Their Protection from the Impact of Microbial Contamination in Rural Areas of Beijing, China

    PubMed Central

    Ye, Bixiong; Yang, Linsheng; Li, Yonghua; Wang, Wuyi; Li, Hairong

    2013-01-01

    Bacterial contamination of drinking water is a major public health problem in rural China. To explore bacterial contamination in rural areas of Beijing and identify possible causes of bacteria in drinking water samples, water samples were collected from wells in ten rural districts of Beijing, China. Total bacterial count, total coliforms and Escherichia coli in drinking water were then determined and water source and wellhead protection were investigated. The bacterial contamination in drinking water was serious in areas north of Beijing, with the total bacterial count, total coliforms and Escherichia coli in some water samples reaching 88,000 CFU/mL, 1,600 MPN/100 mL and 1,600 MPN/100 mL, respectively. Water source types, well depth, whether the well was adequately sealed and housed, and whether wellhead is above or below ground were the main factors influencing bacterial contamination levels in drinking water. The bacterial contamination was serious in the water of shallow wells and wells that were not closed, had no well housing or had a wellhead below ground level. The contamination sources around wells, including village dry toilets and livestock farms, were well correlated with bacterial contamination. Total bacterial counts were affected by proximity to sewage ditches and polluting industries, however, proximity to landfills did not influence the microbial indicators. PMID:23462436

  9. Preliminary Results from Downhole Osmotic Samplers in a Gas Tracer Injection Experiment in the Upper Oceanic Crust on the Eastern Flank of the Juan de Fuca Ridge.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    de Jong, M. T.; Clark, J. F.; Neira, N. M.; Fisher, A. T.; Wheat, C. G.

    2015-12-01

    We present results from a gas tracer injection experiment in the ocean crust on the eastern flank of the Juan de Fuca Ridge, in an area of hydrothermal circulation. Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) tracer was injected in Hole 1362B in 2010, during IODP Expedition 327. Fluid samples were subsequently collected from a borehole observatory (CORK) installed in this hole and similar CORKs in three additional holes (1026B, 1362A, and 1301A), located 300 to 500 m away. This array of holes is located on 3.5 My old seafloor, as an array oriented subparallel to the Endeavor Segment of Juan de Fuca Ridge. Borehole fluid samples were collected in copper coils using osmotic pumps. In addition to pumps at seafloor wellheads, downhole sampling pumps were installed in the perforated casing in the upper ocean crust. These downhole samplers were intended to produce a high-resolution continuous record of tracer concentrations, including records from the first year after tracer injection in Holes 1362A and 1362B. In contrast, wellhead samplers were not installed on these CORKs holes until 2011, and wellhead records from all CORKs have a record gap of up to one year, because of a delayed expedition in 2012. The downhole samples were recovered with the submersible Alvin in August 2014. SF6 concentrations in downhole samples recovered in 2014 are generally consistent with data obtained from wellhead samples. Of particular interest are the results from Hole 1362B, where a seafloor valve was opened and closed during various recovery expeditions. High resolution tracer curves produced from the 1362B downhole samples confirm that these operations produced an SF6 breakthrough curve corresponding to a classic push-pull test used to evaluate contaminant field locations in terrestrial setting. Complete analyses of downhole samples from these CORKs are expected to produce high-resolution breakthrough curves that will allow more precise analysis and modeling of hydrothermal flow in the study area.

  10. Cryo-delivery Systems for the Co-transmission of Chemical and Electrical Power

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Grant, Paul M.

    2006-04-01

    We present a novel concept for the simultaneous transport of chemical power in the form of natural gas or hydrogen in a cryogenic state along with the simultaneous transmission of electrical power over via superconductivity. This concept could impact future efforts to tap and deliver methane from distant geographic resources over conventional pipelines with part of the chemical potential energy converted directly to electricity at the wellhead and the remaining gas cooled cryogenically to increase volumetric density and provide the necessary support of a superconducting cable housed within the same packaging. As the fossil reserve becomes depleted, nuclear power plants would be constructed at the former remote wellhead sites to co-generate electricity and cryocooled hydrogen, the latter replacing natural gas and also serving to operate the already installed superconducting electrical service line.

  11. Four Years of Chemical Measurements from the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Define the Deep Sea Sediment footprint and Subsequent Recovery

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Boehm, P.

    2016-02-01

    Chemical data acquired during and after the DWHOS showed that several mechanisms were responsible for transport of oil from the water column to the sediments in the deep sea off the continental shelf. Three primary pathways were identified:Sorption onto and sinking of drilling mud particles during "Top Kill" response activity, highly scattered deposition of residuesfrom in situ burns, and deposition of oil combined with microbial organic matter from diffuse oil plumes ("marine snow"). Data collected during 2010, 2011 and 2014 were used to define the oil footprint and estimate time to recovery. More than 1200 stations were sampled. Of these, 27 stations were visited all three years, providing a time series from which recovery rates were calculated using the loss of total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (TPAH) over time fit to first order kinetics. Results showed that the footprint of the oil was limited to the area around the wellhead and in patches to the southwest. Mostsamples had returned to background levels by 2015, with some exceptions close to the wellhead. Deposition to the northeast (DeSoto Canyon) was minor as evidenced by the absence of oil in sediments in that area. Samples with the longest recovery times were within 2 nautical miles of the wellhead, and often contained drilling mud, as shown by olefin signatures on the GC/FID chromatogram. Detailed chemistry data evaluation and chemical fingerprinting provided evidence that oil was being degraded in situ.

  12. 40 CFR 147.2920 - Operating requirements for wells authorized by permit.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    .... (c) Injection pressure at the wellhead shall be limited so that it does not initiate new fractures or propagate existing fractures in the confining zone adjacent to any UDSW. (d) Injection wells or projects...

  13. 40 CFR 147.2920 - Operating requirements for wells authorized by permit.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    .... (c) Injection pressure at the wellhead shall be limited so that it does not initiate new fractures or propagate existing fractures in the confining zone adjacent to any UDSW. (d) Injection wells or projects...

  14. 40 CFR 147.2920 - Operating requirements for wells authorized by permit.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    .... (c) Injection pressure at the wellhead shall be limited so that it does not initiate new fractures or propagate existing fractures in the confining zone adjacent to any UDSW. (d) Injection wells or projects...

  15. 40 CFR 147.2920 - Operating requirements for wells authorized by permit.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    .... (c) Injection pressure at the wellhead shall be limited so that it does not initiate new fractures or propagate existing fractures in the confining zone adjacent to any UDSW. (d) Injection wells or projects...

  16. Impacts of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on deep-sea coral-associated sediment communities

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Demopoulos, Amanda W.J.; Bourque, Jill R.; Cordes, Erik E.; Stamler, Katherine

    2016-01-01

    Cold-water corals support distinct populations of infauna within surrounding sediments that provide vital ecosystem functions and services in the deep sea. Yet due to their sedentary existence, infauna are vulnerable to perturbation and contaminant exposure because they are unable to escape disturbance events. While multiple deep-sea coral habitats were injured by the 2010 Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill, the extent of adverse effects on coral-associated sediment communities is unknown. In 2011, sediments were collected adjacent to several coral habitats located 6 to 183 km from the wellhead in order to quantify the extent of impact of the DWH spill on infaunal communities. Higher variance in macrofaunal abundance and diversity, and different community structure (higher multivariate dispersion) were associated with elevated hydrocarbon concentrations and contaminants at sites closest to the wellhead (MC294, MC297, and MC344), consistent with impacts from the spill. In contrast, variance in meiofaunal diversity was not significantly related to distance from the wellhead and no other community metric (e.g. density or multivariate dispersion) was correlated with contaminants or hydrocarbon concentrations. Concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) provided the best statistical explanation for observed macrofaunal community structure, while depth and presence of fine-grained mud best explained meiofaunal community patterns. Impacts associated with contaminants from the DWH spill resulted in a patchwork pattern of infaunal community composition, diversity, and abundance, highlighting the role of variability as an indicator of disturbance. These data represent a useful baseline for tracking post-spill recovery of these deep-sea communities.

  17. Deep-Sea Benthic Footprint of the Deepwater Horizon Blowout

    PubMed Central

    Montagna, Paul A.; Baguley, Jeffrey G.; Cooksey, Cynthia; Hartwell, Ian; Hyde, Larry J.; Hyland, Jeffrey L.; Kalke, Richard D.; Kracker, Laura M.; Reuscher, Michael; Rhodes, Adelaide C. E.

    2013-01-01

    The Deepwater Horizon (DWH) accident in the northern Gulf of Mexico occurred on April 20, 2010 at a water depth of 1525 meters, and a deep-sea plume was detected within one month. Oil contacted and persisted in parts of the bottom of the deep-sea in the Gulf of Mexico. As part of the response to the accident, monitoring cruises were deployed in fall 2010 to measure potential impacts on the two main soft-bottom benthic invertebrate groups: macrofauna and meiofauna. Sediment was collected using a multicorer so that samples for chemical, physical and biological analyses could be taken simultaneously and analyzed using multivariate methods. The footprint of the oil spill was identified by creating a new variable with principal components analysis where the first factor was indicative of the oil spill impacts and this new variable mapped in a geographic information system to identify the area of the oil spill footprint. The most severe relative reduction of faunal abundance and diversity extended to 3 km from the wellhead in all directions covering an area about 24 km2. Moderate impacts were observed up to 17 km towards the southwest and 8.5 km towards the northeast of the wellhead, covering an area 148 km2. Benthic effects were correlated to total petroleum hydrocarbon, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and barium concentrations, and distance to the wellhead; but not distance to hydrocarbon seeps. Thus, benthic effects are more likely due to the oil spill, and not natural hydrocarbon seepage. Recovery rates in the deep sea are likely to be slow, on the order of decades or longer. PMID:23950956

  18. 30 CFR 250.518 - What are the requirements for casing pressure management?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ...? Once you install your wellhead, you must meet the casing pressure management requirements of API RP 90... there is a conflict between API RP 90 and the casing pressure requirements of this subpart, you must...

  19. Hydraulic stimulation or low water injection in fractured reservoir of the geothermal well GRT-1 at Rittershoffen (France)?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vidal, J.; Genter, A.; Schmittbuhl, J.; Baujard, C.

    2016-12-01

    In the Upper Rhine Graben, several deep geothermal projects, such as at Soultz-sous-Forêts (France) or Basel (Switzerland), were based on the Enhanced Geothermal System technology. The principle underlying this technology consists of increasing the low initial natural hydraulic performance of pre-existing natural fractures in the geothermal granitic reservoir via hydraulic and/or chemical stimulations. Hydraulic stimulation consists of injection of a large amount of water at a high flow rate to promote hydroshearing of pre-existing fractures. At Soultz-sous-Forêts and Basel, the maximum wellhead pressures were 16 MPa and 30 MPa respectively which induced larger magnitude seismic events of 2.9 and 3.4 respectively. Those specific induced seismicity events were felt by local population. At Rittershoffen (France), the geothermal well GRT-1 was drilled in 2012 down to a depth of 2.6 km and penetrates fractured sandstones and granite. The reservoir temperature reaches more than 160°C but the production flowrate was too low for an industrial project economically viable. Thus, the well was subjected to Thermal, Chemical and Hydraulic stimulations, which improved the injectivity index five-fold. During the hydraulic operation, a moderate volume of water was injected from the wellhead with a low pressure of 3 MPa. Approximately 300 microseismic events were detected during the hydraulic stimulations. Due to the low wellhead pressure during injection, no events were felt by nearby residents. The goal of the study was to assess the impact of the stimulation by comparing pre- and post-stimulation acoustic image logs. This comparison revealed minor modifications of almost all the natural fractures. However, not all of these fractures are associated with permeability enhancement. The most important permeability enhancement was observed on the originally permeable fault zone affecting the top of the granitic basement. In the Upper Rhine Graben, several deep geothermal projects, such as at Soultz-sous-Forêts (France) or Basel (Switzerland), were based on the Enhanced Geothermal System technology. The principle underlying this technology consists of increasing the low initial natural hydraulic performance of pre-existing natural fractures in the geothermal granitic reservoir via hydraulic and/or chemical stimulations. Hydraulic stimulation consists of injection of a large amount of water at a high flow rate to promote hydroshearing of pre-existing fractures. At Soultz-sous-Forêts and Basel, the maximum wellhead pressures were 16 MPa and 30 MPa respectively which induced larger magnitude seismic events of 2.9 and 3.4 respectively. Those specific induced seismicity events were felt by local population. At Rittershoffen (France), the geothermal well GRT-1 was drilled in 2012 down to a depth of 2.6 km and penetrates fractured sandstones and granite. The reservoir temperature reaches more than 160°C but the production flowrate was too low for an industrial project economically viable. Thus, the well was subjected to Thermal, Chemical and Hydraulic stimulations, which improved the injectivity index five-fold. During the hydraulic operation, a moderate volume of water was injected from the wellhead with a low pressure of 3 MPa. Approximately 300 microseismic events were detected during the hydraulic stimulations. Due to the low wellhead pressure during injection, no events were felt by nearby residents. The goal of the study was to assess the impact of the stimulation by comparing pre- and post-stimulation acoustic image logs. This comparison revealed minor modifications of almost all the natural fractures. However, not all of these fractures are associated with permeability enhancement. The most important permeability enhancement was observed on the originally permeable fault zone affecting the top of the granitic basement.

  20. EIA's Natural Gas Production Data

    EIA Publications

    2009-01-01

    This special report examines the stages of natural gas processing from the wellhead to the pipeline network through which the raw product becomes ready for transportation and eventual consumption, and how this sequence is reflected in the data published by the Energy Information Administration (EIA).

  1. USING PLANTS TO REMEDIATE PETROLEUM-CONTAMINATED SOIL: PROJECT CONTINUATION

    EPA Science Inventory

    Crude oil contamination of soil often occurs adjacent to wellheads and storage facilities. Phytoremediation is a promising tool that can be used to remediate such sites and uses plants and agronomic techniques to enhance biodegradation of hydrocarbons. This project has conduct...

  2. 40 CFR 98.233 - Calculating GHG emissions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... group, and sub-basin category), where gas wells are vented to the atmosphere to expel liquids... produced liquids from onshore petroleum and natural gas production facilities (including stationary liquid... wellhead gas-liquid separator before liquid transfer to storage tanks. Calculate flashing emissions with a...

  3. 40 CFR 98.233 - Calculating GHG emissions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... group, and sub-basin category), where gas wells are vented to the atmosphere to expel liquids... produced liquids from onshore petroleum and natural gas production facilities (including stationary liquid... wellhead gas-liquid separator before liquid transfer to storage tanks. Calculate flashing emissions with a...

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

    PubMed

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

    2017-09-19

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

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

    PubMed Central

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

    2017-01-01

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

  6. 30 CFR 250.1603 - Determination of sulphur deposit.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Determination of sulphur deposit. 250.1603 Section 250.1603 Mineral Resources BUREAU OF OCEAN ENERGY MANAGEMENT, REGULATION, AND ENFORCEMENT..., after completion of the wells, of producing minerals at the wellheads). (b) A determination under...

  7. DEMONSTRATION OF THE ANALYTIC ELEMENT METHOD FOR WELLHEAD PROTECTION

    EPA Science Inventory

    A new computer program has been developed to determine time-of-travel capture zones in relatively simple geohydrological settings. The WhAEM package contains an analytic element model that uses superposition of (many) closed form analytical solutions to generate a ground-water fl...

  8. 40 CFR 98.233 - Calculating GHG emissions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... liquids unloading using Equation W-7 of this section. ER30NO10.179 Where: Ea,n = Annual natural gas... tanks receiving hydrocarbon produced liquids from onshore petroleum and natural gas production... the last wellhead gas-liquid separator before liquid transfer to storage tanks. Calculate flashing...

  9. 40 CFR 98.233 - Calculating GHG emissions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ...), where gas wells are vented to the atmosphere to expel liquids accumulated in the tubing, a recording... onshore petroleum and natural gas production facilities (including stationary liquid storage not owned or... emissions from onshore production storage tanks using operating conditions in the last wellhead gas-liquid...

  10. Comparison of geothermal power conversion cycles

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Elliott, D. G.

    1976-01-01

    Geothermal power conversion cycles are compared with respect to recovery of the available wellhead power. The cycles compared are flash steam, in which steam turbines are driven by steam separated from one or more flash stages; binary, in which heat is transferred from the brine to an organic turbine cycle; flash binary, in which heat is transferred from flashed steam to an organic turbine cycle; and dual steam, in which two-phase expanders are driven by the flashing steam-brine mixture and steam turbines by the separated steam. Expander efficiencies assumed are 0.7 for steam turbines, 0.8 for organic turbines, and 0.6 for two-phase expanders. The fraction of available wellhead power delivered by each cycle is found to be about the same at all brine temperatures: 0.65 with one stage and 0.7 with four stages for dual stream; 0.4 with one stage and 0.6 with four stages for flash steam; 0.5 for binary; and 0.3 with one stage and 0.5 with four stages for flash binary.

  11. 30 CFR 250.1603 - Determination of sulphur deposit.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Determination of sulphur deposit. 250.1603 Section 250.1603 Mineral Resources BUREAU OF SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENFORCEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE... of the wells, of producing minerals at the wellheads). (b) A determination under paragraph (a) of...

  12. 30 CFR 250.1603 - Determination of sulphur deposit.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Determination of sulphur deposit. 250.1603 Section 250.1603 Mineral Resources MINERALS MANAGEMENT SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR OFFSHORE OIL... the wells, of producing minerals at the wellheads). (b) A determination under paragraph (a) of this...

  13. 30 CFR 250.1603 - Determination of sulphur deposit.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Determination of sulphur deposit. 250.1603 Section 250.1603 Mineral Resources BUREAU OF SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENFORCEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE... of the wells, of producing minerals at the wellheads). (b) A determination under paragraph (a) of...

  14. 30 CFR 250.1603 - Determination of sulphur deposit.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Determination of sulphur deposit. 250.1603 Section 250.1603 Mineral Resources BUREAU OF SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENFORCEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE... of the wells, of producing minerals at the wellheads). (b) A determination under paragraph (a) of...

  15. DEMONSTRATION OF THE ANALYTIC ELEMENT METHOD FOR WELLHEAD PROJECTION - PROJECT SUMMARY

    EPA Science Inventory

    A new computer program has been developed to determine time-of-travel capture zones in relatively simple geohydrological settings. The WhAEM package contains an analytic element model that uses superposition of (many) closed form analytical solutions to generate a ground-water fl...

  16. 40 CFR 435.41 - Specialized definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... separation even if located separately from wellheads. (dd) Sanitary waste means the human body waste... means the water area and water body floor beneath any exploratory, development, or production facility... preparing an area of the water body floor for the purpose of constructing or placing a development or...

  17. 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...

  18. ESTIMATING FLOW AND FLUX OF GROUND-WATER DISCHARGE USING WATER TEMPERATURE AND VELOCITY. (R827961)

    EPA Science Inventory

    The nature of ground water discharge to a stream has important implications for nearby ground water flow, especially with respect to contaminant transport and well-head protection. Measurements of ground water discharge were accomplished in this study using (1) differences bet...

  19. APPARENT 85KRYPTON AGES OF GROUNDWATER WITHIN THE ROYAL WATERSHED, MAINE, USA

    EPA Science Inventory

    85Kr activities were determined in 264 domestic and municipal wells from 2002-2004 in the Royal watershed (361 km2), Maine. Gas extraction for 85Kr from wells was effected directly via a well-head methodology permitting efficient widespread analys...

  20. METHANE EMISSIONS FROM THE NATURAL GAS INDUSTRY VOLUME 9: UNDERGROUND PIPELINES

    EPA Science Inventory

    The 15-volume report summarizes the results of a comprehensive program to quantify methane (CH4) emissions from the U.S. natural gas industry for the base year. The objective was to determine CH4 emissions from the wellhead and ending downstream at the customer's meter. The accur...

  1. METHANE EMISSIONS FROM THE NATURAL GAS INDUSTRY VOLUME 14: GLYCOL DEHYDRATORS

    EPA Science Inventory

    The 15-volume report summarizes the results of a comprehensive program to quantify methane (CH4) emissions from the U.S. natural gas industry for the base year. The objective was to determine CH4 emissions from the wellhead and ending downstream at the customer's meter. The accur...

  2. METHANE EMISSIONS FROM THE NATURAL GAS INDUSTRY VOLUME 8: EQUIPMENT LEAKS

    EPA Science Inventory

    The 15-volume report summarizes the results of a comprehensive program to quantify methane (CH4) emissions from the U.S. natural gas industry for the base year. The objective was to determine CH4 emissions from the wellhead and ending downstream at the customer's meter. The accur...

  3. METHANE EMISSIONS FROM THE NATURAL GAS INDUSTRY VOLUME 5: ACTIVITY FACTORS

    EPA Science Inventory

    The 15-volume report summarizes the results of a comprehensive program to quantify methane (CH4) emissions from the U.S. natural gas industry for the base year. The objective was to determine CH4 emissions from the wellhead and ending downstream at the customer's meter. The accur...

  4. METHANE EMISSIONS FROM THE NATURAL GAS INDUSTRY VOLUME 2: TECHNICAL REPORT

    EPA Science Inventory

    The 15-volume report summarizes the results of a comprehensive program to quantify methane (CH4) emissions from the U.S. natural gas industry for the base year. The objective was to determine CH4 emissions from the wellhead and ending downstream at the customer's meter. The accur...

  5. METHANE EMISSIONS FROM THE NATURAL GAS INDUSTRY VOLUME 3: GENERAL METHODOLOGY

    EPA Science Inventory

    The 15-volume report summarizes the results of a comprehensive program to quantify methane (CH4) emissions from the U.S. natural gas industry for the base year. The objective was to determine CH4 emissions from the wellhead and ending downstream at the customer's meter. The accur...

  6. METHANE EMISSIONS FROM THE NATURAL GAS INDUSTRY VOLUME 4: STATISTICAL METHODOLOGY

    EPA Science Inventory

    The 15-volume report summarizes the results of a comprehensive program to quantify methane (CH4) emissions from the U.S. natural gas industry for the base year. The objective was to determine CH4 emissions from the wellhead and ending downstream at the customer's meter. The accur...

  7. METHANE EMISSIONS FROM THE NATURAL GAS INDUSTRY VOLUME 12: PNEUMATIC DEVICES

    EPA Science Inventory

    The 15-volume report summarizes the results of a comprehensive program to quantify methane (CH4) emissions from the U.S. natural gas industry for the base year. The objective was to determine CH4 emissions from the wellhead and ending downstream at the customer's meter. The accur...

  8. METHANE EMISSIONS FROM THE NATURAL GAS INDUSTRY VOLUME 1: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

    EPA Science Inventory

    The 15-volume report summarizes the results of a comprehensive program to quantify methane (CH4) emissions from the U.S. natural gas industry for the base year. The objective was to determine CH4 emissions from the wellhead and ending downstream at the customer's meter. The accur...

  9. 30 CFR 250.433 - What are the diverter actuation and testing requirements?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ..., DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS AND SULPHUR OPERATIONS IN THE OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF Oil and Gas Drilling Operations Diverter System Requirements § 250.433 What are the diverter actuation and.... (a) For drilling operations with a surface wellhead configuration, you must actuate the diverter...

  10. 30 CFR 250.431 - What are the diverter design and installation requirements?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... ENFORCEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS AND SULPHUR OPERATIONS IN THE OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF Oil and Gas Drilling Operations Diverter System Requirements § 250.431 What are the diverter... wellhead configurations and at least 12 inches for floating drilling operations; (b) Use dual diverter...

  11. 30 CFR 250.433 - What are the diverter actuation and testing requirements?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... ENFORCEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS AND SULPHUR OPERATIONS IN THE OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF Oil and Gas Drilling Operations Diverter System Requirements § 250.433 What are the diverter...-test the vent lines. (a) For drilling operations with a surface wellhead configuration, you must...

  12. 30 CFR 250.433 - What are the diverter actuation and testing requirements?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ..., DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS AND SULPHUR OPERATIONS IN THE OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF Oil and Gas Drilling Operations Diverter System Requirements § 250.433 What are the diverter actuation and.... (a) For drilling operations with a surface wellhead configuration, you must actuate the diverter...

  13. 30 CFR 250.433 - What are the diverter actuation and testing requirements?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ..., DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS AND SULPHUR OPERATIONS IN THE OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF Oil and Gas Drilling Operations Diverter System Requirements § 250.433 What are the diverter actuation and.... (a) For drilling operations with a surface wellhead configuration, you must actuate the diverter...

  14. WHAEM: PROGRAM DOCUMENTATION FOR THE WELLHEAD ANALYTIC ELEMENT MODEL (EPA/600/SR-94/210)

    EPA Science Inventory

    A new computer program has been developed to determine time-of-travel capture zones in relatively simple geohydrological settings. The WhAEM package contains an analytic element model that uses superposition of (many) closed form analytical solutions to generate a groundwater flo...

  15. 40 CFR Appendix F to Part 112 - Facility-Specific Response Plan

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... into a wellhead protection area as defined by the Safe Drinking Water Act of 1986 (SDWA). 1 The...) Water intakes (drinking, cooling, or other); (2) Schools; (3) Medical facilities; (4) Residential areas... discharge; (2) Proximity to downgradient wells, waterways, and drinking water intakes; (3) Proximity to fish...

  16. 7 CFR 1410.6 - Eligible land.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... vegetation suitable for wetland restoration or wildlife habitat, as determined appropriate by the CCC, of... area, or any area determined eligible for CRP based on wetland or wellhead protection area criteria. A... permanent nature (such as a lake, pond, or sinkhole), or wetland; excluding such areas as gullies or sod...

  17. 30 CFR 250.618 - Tubing and wellhead equipment.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... following requirements during well-workover operations with the tree removed: (a) No tubing string shall be... pressure integrity and is otherwise suitable for its intended use. (b) In the event of prolonged operations... Manager. (c) When reinstalling the tree, you must: (1) Equip wells to monitor for casing pressure...

  18. Toxiological Considerations in the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill

    EPA Science Inventory

    The Deep Water Horizon oil rig exploded on April 20, 2010, resulting in an ongoing release of light sweet petroleum crude oil and methane into Gulf of Mexico waters. The release from the deepwater wellhead 41 miles from Louisiana is at approximately 1 mile depth, and flow rates e...

  19. 30 CFR 250.617 - Tubing and wellhead equipment.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ...-workover operations with the tree removed: (a) No tubing string shall be placed in service or continue to... the tree, you must: (1) Equip wells to monitor for casing pressure according to the following chart... surface casing head, a surface tubing head, a surface tubing hanger, and a surface christmas tree. (2...

  20. METHANE EMISSIONS FROM THE NATURAL GAS INDUSTRY VOLUME 13: CHEMICAL INJECTION PUMPS

    EPA Science Inventory

    The 15-volume report summarizes the results of a comprehensive program to quantify methane (CH4) emissions from the U.S. natural gas industry for the base year. The objective was to determine CH4 emissions from the wellhead and ending downstream at the customer's meter. The accur...

  1. METHANE EMISSIONS FROM THE NATURAL GAS INDUSTRY VOLUME 15: GAS-ASSISTED GLYCOL PUMPS

    EPA Science Inventory

    The 15-volume report summarizes the results of a comprehensive program to quantify methane (CH4) emissions from the U.S. natural gas industry for the base year. The objective was to determine CH4 emissions from the wellhead and ending downstream at the customer's meter. The accur...

  2. METHANE EMISSIONS FROM THE NATURAL GAS INDUSTRY VOLUME 6: VENTED & COMBUSTION SOURCE SUMMARY

    EPA Science Inventory

    The 15-volume report summarizes the results of a comprehensive program to quantify methane (CH4) emissions from the U.S. natural gas industry for the base year. The objective was to determine CH4 emissions from the wellhead and ending downstream at the customer's meter. The accur...

  3. METHANE EMISSIONS FROM THE NATURAL GAS INDUSTRY VOLUME 11: COMPRESSOR DRIVER EXHAUST

    EPA Science Inventory

    The 15-volume report summarizes the results of a comprehensive program to quantify methane (CH4) emissions from the U.S. natural gas industry for the base year. The objective was to determine CH4 emissions from the wellhead and ending downstream at the customer's meter. The accur...

  4. METHANE EMISSIONS FROM THE NATURAL GAS INDUSTRY VOLUME 7: BLOW AND PURGE ACTIVITIES

    EPA Science Inventory

    The 15-volume report summarizes the results of a comprehensive program to quantify methane (CH4) emissions from the U.S. natural gas industry for the base year. The objective was to determine CH4 emissions from the wellhead and ending downstream at the customer's meter. The accur...

  5. Eighteenth annual offshore technology conference. Volume 1

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

    Not Available

    1986-01-01

    These sixty papers were given at a conference on offshore technology. Topics covered include friction effects of driving piles into sea beds of various compositions, wave forces on offshore platforms, stability, materials testing of various components such as plates, legs, wellheads, pipe joints, and protection of offshore platforms against ice and collision with icebergs.

  6. 30 CFR 250.619 - Tubing and wellhead equipment.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... during well-workover operations with the tree removed: (a) No tubing string shall be placed in service or... otherwise suitable for its intended use. (b) In the event of prolonged operations such as milling, fishing... the tree, you must: (1) Equip wells to monitor for casing pressure according to the following chart...

  7. 30 CFR 250.618 - Tubing and wellhead equipment.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... during well-workover operations with the tree removed: (a) No tubing string shall be placed in service or... otherwise suitable for its intended use. (b) In the event of prolonged operations such as milling, fishing... the tree, you must: (1) Equip wells to monitor for casing pressure according to the following chart...

  8. 30 CFR 250.619 - Tubing and wellhead equipment.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... during well-workover operations with the tree removed: (a) No tubing string shall be placed in service or... otherwise suitable for its intended use. (b) In the event of prolonged operations such as milling, fishing... the tree, you must: (1) Equip wells to monitor for casing pressure according to the following chart...

  9. Tribal water utility management

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

    Not Available

    1993-03-01

    Contents: primacy program (what is primacy, advantages and disadvantages, treatment as a state, grant applications and funding); safe drinking water act (sampling requirements, coliform standard, public notification, surface water treatment rule impacts, uic and wellhead protection programs, lead/copper rule); water utility management (how is the utility program evaluated, who's responsible, what is the board and tribal council role).

  10. 30 CFR 250.154 - What identification signs must I display?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... depicted on OCS Official Protraction Diagrams or leasing maps; (iii) In the Pacific OCS Region, list the... lease number individually on the well flowline at the wellhead; and (3) For subsea wells that flow... flow into a common pipeline or pipelines, no sign is required. Right-of-use and Easement ...

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

    Not Available

    This paper reports on Amoco's Yombo offshore oil field development on Marine I permit which is well under way with installation of decks on two wellhead platforms. Initial production from the field has begun at about 6,000 bopd. With production estimated to be 40,000 bopd by early 1992, it will bring Congo's total production to more than 200,000 bopd.

  12. SPR Hydrostatic Column Model Verification and Validation.

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

    Bettin, Giorgia; Lord, David; Rudeen, David Keith

    2015-10-01

    A Hydrostatic Column Model (HCM) was developed to help differentiate between normal "tight" well behavior and small-leak behavior under nitrogen for testing the pressure integrity of crude oil storage wells at the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve. This effort was motivated by steady, yet distinct, pressure behavior of a series of Big Hill caverns that have been placed under nitrogen for extended period of time. This report describes the HCM model, its functional requirements, the model structure and the verification and validation process. Different modes of operation are also described, which illustrate how the software can be used to model extendedmore » nitrogen monitoring and Mechanical Integrity Tests by predicting wellhead pressures along with nitrogen interface movements. Model verification has shown that the program runs correctly and it is implemented as intended. The cavern BH101 long term nitrogen test was used to validate the model which showed very good agreement with measured data. This supports the claim that the model is, in fact, capturing the relevant physical phenomena and can be used to make accurate predictions of both wellhead pressure and interface movements.« less

  13. Distinct Bacterial Communities in Surficial Seafloor Sediments Following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Blowout.

    PubMed

    Yang, Tingting; Speare, Kelly; McKay, Luke; MacGregor, Barbara J; Joye, Samantha B; Teske, Andreas

    2016-01-01

    A major fraction of the petroleum hydrocarbons discharged during the 2010 Macondo oil spill became associated with and sank to the seafloor as marine snow flocs. This sedimentation pulse induced the development of distinct bacterial communities. Between May 2010 and July 2011, full-length 16S rRNA gene clone libraries demonstrated bacterial community succession in oil-polluted sediment samples near the wellhead area. Libraries from early May 2010, before the sedimentation event, served as the baseline control. Freshly deposited oil-derived marine snow was collected on the surface of sediment cores in September 2010, and was characterized by abundantly detected members of the marine Roseobacter cluster within the Alphaproteobacteria. Samples collected in mid-October 2010 closest to the wellhead contained members of the sulfate-reducing, anaerobic bacterial families Desulfobacteraceae and Desulfobulbaceae within the Deltaproteobacteria, suggesting that the oil-derived sedimentation pulse triggered bacterial oxygen consumption and created patchy anaerobic microniches that favored sulfate-reducing bacteria. Phylotypes of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon-degrading genus Cycloclasticus, previously found both in surface oil slicks and the deep hydrocarbon plume, were also found in oil-derived marine snow flocs sedimenting on the seafloor in September 2010, and in surficial sediments collected in October and November 2010, but not in any of the control samples. Due to the relative recalcitrance and stability of polycyclic aromatic compounds, Cycloclasticus represents the most persistent microbial marker of seafloor hydrocarbon deposition that we could identify in this dataset. The bacterial imprint of the DWH oil spill had diminished in late November 2010, when the bacterial communities in oil-impacted sediment samples collected near the Macondo wellhead began to resemble their pre-spill counterparts and spatial controls. Samples collected in summer of 2011 did not show a consistent bacterial community signature, suggesting that the bacterial community was no longer shaped by the DWH fallout of oil-derived marine snow, but instead by location-specific and seasonal factors.

  14. Distinct Bacterial Communities in Surficial Seafloor Sediments Following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Blowout

    PubMed Central

    Yang, Tingting; Speare, Kelly; McKay, Luke; MacGregor, Barbara J.; Joye, Samantha B.; Teske, Andreas

    2016-01-01

    A major fraction of the petroleum hydrocarbons discharged during the 2010 Macondo oil spill became associated with and sank to the seafloor as marine snow flocs. This sedimentation pulse induced the development of distinct bacterial communities. Between May 2010 and July 2011, full-length 16S rRNA gene clone libraries demonstrated bacterial community succession in oil-polluted sediment samples near the wellhead area. Libraries from early May 2010, before the sedimentation event, served as the baseline control. Freshly deposited oil-derived marine snow was collected on the surface of sediment cores in September 2010, and was characterized by abundantly detected members of the marine Roseobacter cluster within the Alphaproteobacteria. Samples collected in mid-October 2010 closest to the wellhead contained members of the sulfate-reducing, anaerobic bacterial families Desulfobacteraceae and Desulfobulbaceae within the Deltaproteobacteria, suggesting that the oil-derived sedimentation pulse triggered bacterial oxygen consumption and created patchy anaerobic microniches that favored sulfate-reducing bacteria. Phylotypes of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon-degrading genus Cycloclasticus, previously found both in surface oil slicks and the deep hydrocarbon plume, were also found in oil-derived marine snow flocs sedimenting on the seafloor in September 2010, and in surficial sediments collected in October and November 2010, but not in any of the control samples. Due to the relative recalcitrance and stability of polycyclic aromatic compounds, Cycloclasticus represents the most persistent microbial marker of seafloor hydrocarbon deposition that we could identify in this dataset. The bacterial imprint of the DWH oil spill had diminished in late November 2010, when the bacterial communities in oil-impacted sediment samples collected near the Macondo wellhead began to resemble their pre-spill counterparts and spatial controls. Samples collected in summer of 2011 did not show a consistent bacterial community signature, suggesting that the bacterial community was no longer shaped by the DWH fallout of oil-derived marine snow, but instead by location-specific and seasonal factors. PMID:27679609

  15. Instrumental research of lithodynamic processes in estuaries of the White Sea

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rimsky-Korsakov, Nikolai; Korotaev, Vladislav; Ivanov, Vadim

    2017-04-01

    The report provides a comparative analysis of morphological lithodynamic processes in estuaries and river deltas on the basis of 2013-2015 field geophysical and hydrographic surveys held by IO RAS and MSU. Studies performed using side scan sonar (Imagenex YellowFin SSS), bathymetric (FortXXI Scat Echo sounder) and navigation (DGPS/GLONASS Sigma Ashtek receiver) equipment. North Dvina modern delta can be classified as multi-arm delta estuary lagoon performance. Areas of modern river waters occupy a large accumulation of deltaic arms. It formed a young island with elevations of about 1 m. The islands are composed of river alluvium and annually flooded during the flood period. Onega river mouth area is unique due to the specific geological conditions. Short, wellhead site is the cause of the anomalous attenuation of the tidal wave and the limited range of penetration of salt water seashore only to Kokorinskogo threshold. Morphological lithodynamic processes in high tide Mezen estuaries (syzygy - 8.5 m) are caused by tidal currents, river runoff, wind waves and sediment longshore drift. Due to the movement of huge masses of sediment in the Mezen estuary occur intense deformation silty-sand banks, reshaping of the bottom channel trenches and displacement of navigable waterways. Thus, the specificity of the morphological lithodynamic processes in high tidal estuaries is a lack of modern delta, the development of mobile local sediment structures inside the estuary and the formation of a broad mouth bar on the open wellhead coast. In multi-arm deltas an intense process of increasing marine edge of the delta is observed due to wellhead delta arms elongation and the formation of small estuarine bars at the mouths of the underwater channel trenches coming out into the open coast. Simultaneously, the process of filling the river sediments of residual waters within the subaerial delta and the formation of marine coastal bars on the outer perimeter edge of the sea ground delta.

  16. The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill: Ecogenomics of the Deep-Sea Plume

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hazen, T. C.

    2012-12-01

    The explosion on April 20, 2010 at the BP-leased Deepwater Horizon drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Louisiana, resulted in oil and gas rising to the surface and the oil coming ashore in many parts of the Gulf, it also resulted in the dispersment of an immense oil plume 4,000 feet below the surface of the water. Despite spanning more than 600 feet in the water column and extending more than 10 miles from the wellhead, the dispersed oil plume was gone within weeks after the wellhead was capped - degraded and diluted to undetectable levels. Furthermore, this degradation took place without significant oxygen depletion. Ecogenomics enabled discovery of new and unclassified species of oil-eating bacteria that apparently lives in the deep Gulf where oil seeps are common. Using 16s microarrays, functional gene arrays, clone libraries, lipid analysis and a variety of hydrocarbon and micronutrient analyses we were able to characterize the oil degraders. Metagenomic sequence data was obtained for the deep-water samples using the Illumina platform. In addition, single cells were sorted and sequenced for the some of the most dominant bacteria that were represented in the oil plume; namely uncultivated representatives of Colwellia and Oceanospirillum. In addition, we performed laboratory microcosm experiments using uncontaminated water collected from The Gulf at the depth of the oil plume to which we added oil and COREXIT. These samples were characterized by 454 pyrotag. The results provide information about the key players and processes involved in degradation of oil, with and without COREXIT, in different impacted environments in The Gulf of Mexico. We are also extending these studies to explore dozens of deep sediment samples that were also collected after the oil spill around the wellhead. This data suggests that a great potential for intrinsic bioremediation of oil plumes exists in the deep-sea and other environs in the Gulf of Mexico.

  17. 43 CFR 3275.14 - What aspects of my geothermal operations must I measure?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... wellhead pressure. (b) For all electrical generation facilities, you must measure: (1) Steam and/or hot... steam and/or hot water exiting the facility. (c) For direct use facilities, you must measure: (1) Flow of steam and/or hot water; and (2) Temperature of the steam or water entering the facility. (d) We...

  18. 43 CFR 3275.14 - What aspects of my geothermal operations must I measure?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... wellhead pressure. (b) For all electrical generation facilities, you must measure: (1) Steam and/or hot... steam and/or hot water exiting the facility. (c) For direct use facilities, you must measure: (1) Flow of steam and/or hot water; and (2) Temperature of the steam or water entering the facility. (d) We...

  19. 43 CFR 3275.14 - What aspects of my geothermal operations must I measure?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... wellhead pressure. (b) For all electrical generation facilities, you must measure: (1) Steam and/or hot... steam and/or hot water exiting the facility. (c) For direct use facilities, you must measure: (1) Flow of steam and/or hot water; and (2) Temperature of the steam or water entering the facility. (d) We...

  20. 43 CFR 3275.14 - What aspects of my geothermal operations must I measure?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... wellhead pressure. (b) For all electrical generation facilities, you must measure: (1) Steam and/or hot... steam and/or hot water exiting the facility. (c) For direct use facilities, you must measure: (1) Flow of steam and/or hot water; and (2) Temperature of the steam or water entering the facility. (d) We...

  1. Federal policies affecting the wellhead value of Prudhoe Bay crude oil. A report to the Alaska legislative council's subcommittee on oil and gas leasing and taxing policies, ninth Alaska state legislature

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

    Tussing, A.

    1977-03-28

    Markets for North Slope crude; FEA price ceilings and Prudhoe Bay crude oil prices; entitlements treatment of North Slope crude; and the question of exports and the long term oil supply picture are covered.

  2. 30 CFR 250.520 - When do I have to perform a casing diagnostic test?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false When do I have to perform a casing diagnostic test? 250.520 Section 250.520 Mineral Resources BUREAU OF OCEAN ENERGY MANAGEMENT, REGULATION, AND... plus 100 psig measured at the subsea wellhead. (3) hybrid well, a riser or the production casing...

  3. How Changing Energy Markets Affect Manufacturing

    EIA Publications

    2000-01-01

    The market for natural gas has been changing for quite some time. As part of natural gas restructuring, gas pipelines were opened to multiple users. Manufacturers or their representatives could go directly to the wellhead to purchase their natural gas, arrange the transportation, and have the natural gas delivered either by the local distribution company or directly through a connecting pipeline.

  4. 40 CFR 60.756 - Monitoring of operations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... owner or operator seeking to comply with § 60.752(b)(2)(ii)(A) for an active gas collection system shall... temperature measurements at each wellhead and: (1) Measure the gauge pressure in the gas collection header on... the landfill gas on a monthly basis as provided in § 60.755(a)(5); and (3) Monitor temperature of the...

  5. 40 CFR 60.756 - Monitoring of operations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... owner or operator seeking to comply with § 60.752(b)(2)(ii)(A) for an active gas collection system shall... temperature measurements at each wellhead and: (1) Measure the gauge pressure in the gas collection header on... the landfill gas on a monthly basis as provided in § 60.755(a)(5); and (3) Monitor temperature of the...

  6. WORKING WITH WHAEM2000: CAPTURE ZONE DELINEATION FOR A CITY WELLFIELD IN A VALLEY FILL GLACIAL OUTWASH AQUIFER SUPPORTING WELLHEAD PROTECTION

    EPA Science Inventory

    The purpose of this document is to introduce through a case study the use of the ground water geohydrology computer program WhAEM for Microsoft Windows (32-bit), or WhAEM2000. WhAEM2000 is a public domain, ground-water flow model designed to facilitate capture zone delineation an...

  7. METHANE EMISSIONS FROM THE NATURAL GAS INDUSTRY VOLUME 10: METERING AND PRESSURE REGULATING STATIONS IN NATURAL GAS TRANSMISSIONS AND DISTRIBUTION

    EPA Science Inventory

    The 15-volume report summarizes the results of a comprehensive program to quantify methane (CH4) emissions from the U.S. natural gas industry for the base year. The objective was to determine CH4 emissions from the wellhead and ending downstream at the customer's meter. The accur...

  8. 30 CFR 250.1722 - If I install a subsea protective device, what requirements must I meet?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... protective covering, the casing stub or mud line suspension equipment, or the trawl, and a discussion of any... subsea wellheads, casing stubs, mud line suspensions, or other obstructions in water depths less than 300... reveals that a casing stub or mud line suspension is no longer properly protected, or if the trawl does...

  9. 40 CFR Table W - 4 of Subpart W of Part 98-Default Total Hydrocarbon Emission Factors for Underground Natural Gas...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... Population Emission Factors—Storage Wellheads, Gas Service Connector 0.01 Valve 0.1 Pressure Relief Valve 0.17 Open Ended Line 0.03 Population Emission Factors—Other Components, Gas Service Low Continuous... Bleed Pneumatic Device Vents 2 2.35 1 Valves include control valves, block valves and regulator valves...

  10. 40 CFR Table W - 4 of Subpart W of Part 98-Default Total Hydrocarbon Emission Factors for Underground Natural Gas...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... Population Emission Factors—Storage Wellheads, Gas Service Connector 0.01 Valve 0.1 Pressure Relief Valve 0.17 Open Ended Line 0.03 Population Emission Factors—Other Components, Gas Service Low Continuous... Bleed Pneumatic Device Vents 2 2.35 1 Valves include control valves, block valves and regulator valves...

  11. 77 FR 37034 - Notice of Effectiveness of Exempt Wholesale Generator Status

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-06-20

    ... EG12-45-000 Silver State Solar Power North, LLC EG12-46-000 Wellhead Power Delano, LLC EG12-47-000... Wholesale Generator Status Docket Nos. Solano 3 Wind LLC EG12-36-000 Atlantic Power (Coastal Rivers) Corporation EG12-37-000 Atlantic Power (Williams Lake) Ltd EG12-38-000 Atlantic Power Preferred Equity, Ltd...

  12. Brady's Geothermal Field Distributed Temperature Sensing Data

    DOE Data Explorer

    Patterson, Jeremy

    2016-03-26

    This submission is an 8 day time history of vertical temperature measurements in Brady observation well 56-1 collected during the PoroTomo field experiment. The data was collected with a fiber-optic DTS system installed to a depth of 372 m below wellhead. DTS installation uses a double-loop set up. Data includes forward length and backward length temperature measurements.

  13. Aspects of wellbore heat transfer during two-phase flow

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

    Hasan, A.R.; Kabir, C.S.

    1994-08-01

    Wellbore fluid temperature is governed by the rate of heat loss from the wellbore to the surrounding formation, which in turn is a function of depth and production/injection time. The authors present an approach to estimate wellbore fluid temperature during steady-state two-phase flow. The method incorporates a new solution of the thermal diffusivity equation and the effect of both conductive and convective heat transport for the wellbore/formation system. For the multiphase flow in the wellbore, the Hasan-Kabir model has been adapted, although other mechanistic models may be used. A field example is used to illustrate the fluid temperature calculation proceduremore » and shows the importance of accounting for convection in the tubing/casing annulus. A sensitivity study shows that significant differences exist between the predicted wellhead temperature and the formation surface temperature and that the fluid temperature gradient is nonlinear. This study further shows that increased free gas lowers the wellhead temperature as a result of the Joule-Thompson effect. In such cases, the expression for fluid temperature developed earlier for single-phase flow should not be applied when multiphase flow is encountered. An appropriate expression is presented in this work for wellbores producing multiphase fluids.« less

  14. 30 CFR 250.1721 - If I temporarily abandon a well that I plan to re-enter, what must I do?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... or cement plug must be no more than 1,000 feet below the mud line. MMS may consider approving..., or other obstructions that extend above the mud line according to U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) requirements; and (f) Except in water depths greater than 300 feet, protect subsea wellheads, casing stubs, mud...

  15. Cameron predicts dry tree production system as the future subsea trend

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

    Not Available

    1978-06-05

    Dry chambers are coming into increasing use in the search for offshore oil. With Subsea Station Cameron, an oil well can be drilled on the ocean floor and then topped with a dry production chamber for shirtsleeve work at the wellhead. Components of the station are described: production Christmas tree, chamber, adapter spool, docking plate, entry hatch, flowline connection, and variable controls. (DLC)

  16. Geothermal systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mohl, C.

    1978-01-01

    Several tasks of JPL related to geothermal energy are discussed. The major task is the procurement and test and evaluation of a helical screw drive (wellhead unit). A general review of geothermal energy systems is given. The presentation focuses attention on geothermal reservoirs in California, with graphs and charts to support the discussion. Included are discussions on cost analysis, systems maintenance, and a comparison of geothermal and conventional heating and cooling systems.

  17. 78 FR 34894 - Regulated Navigation Area, Gulf of Mexico: Mississippi Canyon Block 20, South of New Orleans, LA...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-06-11

    ...). As noted in that document, the center of this RNA was established to surround an oil wellhead that... you fax, hand deliver or mail your comment, it will be considered as having been received by the Coast.... Viewing Comments and Documents To view comments, as well as documents mentioned in this preamble as being...

  18. Evaluation of an Innovative Technology for Treatment of Water Contaminated with Perchlorate and Organic Compounds

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-03-26

    signed// 13 March 2009 ____________________________________ Mark N. Goltz (Chairman) Date //signed// 2 March...I would like to thank Dr. Mark N. Goltz for his guidance throughout this process. His dedication as an advisor, sincere interest in the project...Parette, M. Goltz , D. Felker, A. Thal, and D. Craig, Tailored Granular Activated Carbon for Wellhead Perchlorate Treatment. Report, 2007

  19. Combining microseismic and geomechanical observations to interpret storage integrity at the In Salah CCS site

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Goertz-Allmann, Bettina P.; Kühn, Daniela; Oye, Volker; Bohloli, Bahman; Aker, Eyvind

    2014-07-01

    We present results from microseismic monitoring and geomechanical analysis obtained at the industrial-scale CO2 sequestration site at the In Salah gas development project in Algeria. More than 5000 microseismic events have been detected at a pilot monitoring well using a master event cross-correlation method. The microseismic activity occurs in four distinct clusters and thereof three clearly correlate with injection rates and wellhead pressures. These event clusters are consistent with a location within the reservoir interval. However, due to insufficient network geometry there are large uncertainties on event location. We estimate a fracture pressure of 155 bar (at the wellhead) from the comparison of injection pressure and injection rate and conclude that reservoir fracture pressure of the injection horizon has most likely been exceeded occasionally, accompanied by increased microseismic activity. Our analysis of 3-D ray tracing for direct and converted phases suggests that one of the event clusters is located at a shallower depth than the reservoir injection interval. However, this event cluster is most likely unrelated to changes in the injection activity at a single well, as the event times do not correlate with the wellhead pressures. Furthermore, this event cluster shows b-values close to one, indicating re-activated natural or tectonic seismicity on pre-existing weakness zones rather than injection induced seismicity. Analysis of event azimuths and significant shear wave splitting of up to 5 per cent provide further valuable insight into fluid migration and fracture orientation at the reservoir level. Although only one geophone was available during the critical injection period, the microseismic monitoring of CO2 injection at In Salah is capable of addressing some of the most relevant questions about fluid migration and reservoir integrity. An improved monitoring array with larger aperture and higher sensitivity is highly recommended, as it could greatly enhance the value of this technique. As such, real-time microseismic monitoring can be used to guide the injection pressure below fracture pressure, thus providing a tool to mitigate the risk of inducing felt seismicity and compromising seal integrity.

  20. 26 CFR 1.907(c)-3 - FOGEI and FORI taxes (for taxable years beginning after December 31, 1982).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... such a percentage of value solely for purposes of making the tax allocation in paragraph (a)(4) of this... creditable taxes under section 901, that the fair market value of the oil at the port is $10 per barrel, and... added to the oil beyond the well-head which is part of Y's tax base ($10-$9). (v) The royalty deductions...

  1. Scientific basis for safely shutting in the Macondo Well after the April 20, 2010 Deepwater Horizon blowout

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Hickman, Stephen H.; Hsieh, Paul A.; Mooney, Walter D.; Enomoto, Catherine B.; Nelson, Philip H.; Flemings, Peter; Mayer, Larry; Moran, Kathryn; Weber, Thomas; McNutt, Marcia K.; Rice, James R.

    2012-01-01

    As part of the government response to the Deepwater Horizon blowout, a Well Integrity Team evaluated the geologic hazards of shutting in the Macondo Well at the seafloor and determined the conditions under which it could safely be undertaken. Of particular concern was the possibility that, under the anticipated high shut-in pressures, oil could leak out of the well casing below the seafloor. Such a leak could lead to new geologic pathways for hydrocarbon release to the Gulf of Mexico. Evaluating this hazard required analyses of 2D and 3D seismic surveys, seafloor bathymetry, sediment properties, geophysical well logs, and drilling data to assess the geological, hydrological, and geomechanical conditions around the Macondo Well. After the well was successfully capped and shut in on July 15, 2010, a variety of monitoring activities were used to assess subsurface well integrity. These activities included acquisition of wellhead pressure data, marine multichannel seismic profiles, seafloor and water-column sonar surveys, and wellhead visual/acoustic monitoring. These data showed that the Macondo Well was not leaking after shut in, and therefore, it could remain safely shut until reservoir pressures were suppressed (killed) with heavy drilling mud and the well was sealed with cement.

  2. The Effect of Hydrostatic Pressure on Enrichments of Hydrocarbon Degrading Microbes From the Gulf of Mexico Following the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

    PubMed Central

    Marietou, Angeliki; Chastain, Roger; Beulig, Felix; Scoma, Alberto; Hazen, Terry C.; Bartlett, Douglas H.

    2018-01-01

    The Deepwater Horizon oil spill was one of the largest and deepest oil spills recorded. The wellhead was located at approximately 1500 m below the sea where low temperature and high pressure are key environmental characteristics. Using cells collected 4 months following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill at the Gulf of Mexico, we set up Macondo crude oil enrichments at wellhead temperature and different pressures to determine the effect of increasing depth/pressure to the in situ microbial community and their ability to degrade oil. We observed oil degradation under all pressure conditions tested [0.1, 15, and 30 megapascals (MPa)], although oil degradation profiles, cell numbers, and hydrocarbon degradation gene abundances indicated greatest activity at atmospheric pressure. Under all incubations the growth of psychrophilic bacteria was promoted. Bacteria closely related to Oleispira antarctica RB-8 dominated the communities at all pressures. At 30 MPa we observed a shift toward Photobacterium, a genus that includes piezophiles. Alphaproteobacterial members of the Sulfitobacter, previously associated with oil-degradation, were also highly abundant at 0.1 MPa. Our results suggest that pressure acts synergistically with low temperature to slow microbial growth and thus oil degradation in deep-sea environments. PMID:29755436

  3. Oil release from Macondo well MC252 following the Deepwater Horizon accident.

    PubMed

    Griffiths, Stewart K

    2012-05-15

    Oil flow rates and cumulative discharge from the BP Macondo Prospect well in the Gulf of Mexico are calculated using a physically based model along with wellhead pressures measured at the blowout preventer (BOP) over the 86-day period following the Deepwater Horizon accident. Parameters appearing in the model are determined empirically from pressures measured during well shut-in and from pressures and flow rates measured the preceding day. This methodology rigorously accounts for ill-characterized evolution of the marine riser, installation and removal of collection caps, and any erosion at the wellhead. The calculated initial flow rate is 67,100 stock-tank barrels per day (stbd), which decays to 54,400 stbd just prior to installation of the capping stack and subsequent shut-in. The calculated cumulative discharge is 5.4 million stock-tank barrels, of which 4.6 million barrels entered the Gulf. Quantifiable uncertainties in these values are -9.3% and +7.5%, yielding a likely total discharge in the range from 4.9 to 5.8 million barrels. Minimum and maximum credible values of this discharge are 4.6 and 6.2 million barrels. Alternative calculations using the reservoir and sea-floor pressures indicate that any erosion within the BOP had little affect on cumulative discharge.

  4. The Effect of Hydrostatic Pressure on Enrichments of Hydrocarbon Degrading Microbes From the Gulf of Mexico Following the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill.

    PubMed

    Marietou, Angeliki; Chastain, Roger; Beulig, Felix; Scoma, Alberto; Hazen, Terry C; Bartlett, Douglas H

    2018-01-01

    The Deepwater Horizon oil spill was one of the largest and deepest oil spills recorded. The wellhead was located at approximately 1500 m below the sea where low temperature and high pressure are key environmental characteristics. Using cells collected 4 months following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill at the Gulf of Mexico, we set up Macondo crude oil enrichments at wellhead temperature and different pressures to determine the effect of increasing depth/pressure to the in situ microbial community and their ability to degrade oil. We observed oil degradation under all pressure conditions tested [0.1, 15, and 30 megapascals (MPa)], although oil degradation profiles, cell numbers, and hydrocarbon degradation gene abundances indicated greatest activity at atmospheric pressure. Under all incubations the growth of psychrophilic bacteria was promoted. Bacteria closely related to Oleispira antarctica RB-8 dominated the communities at all pressures. At 30 MPa we observed a shift toward Photobacterium , a genus that includes piezophiles. Alphaproteobacterial members of the Sulfitobacter , previously associated with oil-degradation, were also highly abundant at 0.1 MPa. Our results suggest that pressure acts synergistically with low temperature to slow microbial growth and thus oil degradation in deep-sea environments.

  5. An Investigation of Potential Uses of Animals in Coast Guard Operations

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1981-06-01

    wellhead assembly ("Christmas tree") which Is a series of valves, controls and connections designed to regulate the flow of fluids from the -well...personnel reconnaissance. 9 0 Infrared emitters have been designed and tested for locating patrol and sentry dogs at night.91 Finally, in Project...principle of operant conditioning is "shaping" or the method of successive approximations. In order to design a completely new -3 -83- Si . behavior

  6. Human health tradeoffs in wellhead drinking water treatment: Comparing exposure reduction to embedded life cycle risks.

    PubMed

    Gifford, Mac; Chester, Mikhail; Hristovski, Kiril; Westerhoff, Paul

    2018-01-01

    Treatment of drinking water decreases human health risks by reducing pollutants, but the required materials, chemicals, and energy emit pollutants and increase health risks. We explored human carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic disease tradeoffs of water treatment by comparing pollutant dose-response curves against life cycle burden using USEtox methodology. An illustrative wellhead sorbent groundwater treatment system removing hexavalent chromium or pentavalent arsenic serving 3200 people was studied. Reducing pollutant concentrations in drinking water from 20 μg L -1 to 10 μg L -1 avoided 37 potential cancer cases and 64 potential non-cancer disease cases. Human carcinogenicity embedded in treatment was 0.2-5.3 cases, and non-carcinogenic toxicity was 0.2-14.3 cases, depending on technology and degree of treatment. Embedded toxicity impacts from treating Cr(VI) using strong-base anion exchange were <10% of those from using weak base anion exchange. Acidification and neutralization contributed >90% of the toxicity impacts for treatment options requiring pH control. In scenarios where benefits exceeded burdens, tradeoffs still existed. Benefits are experienced by a local population but burdens are born externally where the materials and energy are produced, thus exporting the health risks. Even when burdens clearly exceeded benefits, cost considerations may still drive selecting a detrimental treatment level or technology. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. International test and demonstration of a 1-MW wellhead generator: Helical screw expander power plant

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    McKay, R. A.

    1984-06-01

    A 1-MW wellhead generator was tested in 1980, 1981, and 1982 by Mexico, Italy, and New Zealand at Cerro Prieto, Cesano, and Broadlands, respectively. The total flow helical screw expander portable power plant, Model 76-1, had been built for the U.S. Government and field-tested in Utah, USA, in 1978 and 1979. The expander had oversized internal clearances designed for self-cleaning operation on fluids that deposit adherent scale normally detrimental to the utiliation of liquid dominated fields. Conditions with which the expander was tested included inlet pressures of 64 to 220 psia, inlet qualities of 0% to 100%, exhaust pressures of 3.1 to 40 psia, electrial loads of idle and 110 to 933 kW, electrical frequencies of 50 and 60 Hz, male rotor speeds of 2500 to 4000 rpm, and fluid characteristics to 310,000 ppm total dissolved solids and noncondensables to 38 wt % of the vapor. Some testing was done on-grid. Typical expander isentropic efficiency was 40% to 50% with the clearances not closed, and 5 percentage points or more higher with the clearances partly closed. The expander efficiency increased approximately logarithmically with shaft power for most operations, while inlet quality, speed, and pressure ratio across the machine had only small effects. These findings are all in agreement with the Utah test results.

  8. International test and demonstration of a 1-MW wellhead generator: Helical screw expander power plant

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mckay, R. A.

    1984-01-01

    A 1-MW wellhead generator was tested in 1980, 1981, and 1982 by Mexico, Italy, and New Zealand at Cerro Prieto, Cesano, and Broadlands, respectively. The total flow helical screw expander portable power plant, Model 76-1, had been built for the U.S. Government and field-tested in Utah, USA, in 1978 and 1979. The expander had oversized internal clearances designed for self-cleaning operation on fluids that deposit adherent scale normally detrimental to the utiliation of liquid dominated fields. Conditions with which the expander was tested included inlet pressures of 64 to 220 psia, inlet qualities of 0% to 100%, exhaust pressures of 3.1 to 40 psia, electrial loads of idle and 110 to 933 kW, electrical frequencies of 50 and 60 Hz, male rotor speeds of 2500 to 4000 rpm, and fluid characteristics to 310,000 ppm total dissolved solids and noncondensables to 38 wt % of the vapor. Some testing was done on-grid. Typical expander isentropic efficiency was 40% to 50% with the clearances not closed, and 5 percentage points or more higher with the clearances partly closed. The expander efficiency increased approximately logarithmically with shaft power for most operations, while inlet quality, speed, and pressure ratio across the machine had only small effects. These findings are all in agreement with the Utah test results.

  9. Basewide Groundwater Operable Unit. Groundwater Operable Unit Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study Report. Volume 1

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1994-06-01

    units would be reused in the remedy. Contingency measures to be included in the remedy are potential metals removal prior to water end use, potential...onbase reuse of a portion of the water, and wellhead treatment on offbase supply wells. The contingency measures will only be implemented if necessary...94 LEGEND Ouatmar aluvi dposts agua Frmaion(cosoldatd aluval epoits W iead rdetilnsMhte omtin(neitccnlmeae ansoe9ndkeca F 70 Quvatei-lernayalvu e pk

  10. Effects of offshore oil drilling on Philippine reef corals.

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Hudson, J.H.; Shinn, E.A.; Robbin, D.M.

    1982-01-01

    An offshore drilling site in an area of extensive live-coral bottom off NW Palawan Island, Philippines, was examined 15 months after well completion. Porites lutea growth rates showed that little suppression of head coral growth could be attributed to drilling. Diver observation, however, together with analysis of sampling transect photomosaics, revealed 70-90% reduction in foliose, branching, and plate-like corals in an iron-stained area that extended out from the wellheads in a 115 X 85-m ellipse.-from Authors

  11. Assessment of choke valve erosion in a high-pressure, high-temperature gas condensate well using TLA

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

    Birchenough, P.M.; Cornally, D.; Dawson, S.G.B.

    1994-12-31

    Many planned new developments in the North Sea will involve the exploitation of hostile high pressure, high temperature gas condensate reserves. The extremely high pressure letdown over the wellhead choke leads to very high flow velocities, and consequent risks of erosion damage occurring to the choke internals. In a recent study, measurements of erosion have been performed during an offshore well test under flowing conditions using advanced Thin Layer Activation techniques and scaled Laboratory tests.

  12. "Tepid" Geysers above salt caverns

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bérest, Pierre; Brouard, Benoît; Zakharov, Vassily

    2018-06-01

    The formation of a brine geyser erupting from the wellhead of a large underground salt cavern is described. In most cases, the brine outflow from an opened cavern is slow; it results from the cavern creep closure and the thermal expansion of the cavern brine. These two processes are smooth; however, the brine outflow often is bumpy, as it is modulated by atmospheric pressure variations that generate an elastic increase (or decrease) of both cavern and brine volumes. In addition, when the flow is fast enough, the brine thermodynamic behavior in the wellbore is adiabatic. The cold brine expelled from the cavern wellhead is substituted with warm brine entering the borehole bottom, resulting in a lighter brine column. The brine outflow increases. In some cases, the flow becomes so fast that inertia terms must be taken into account. A geyser forms, coming to an end when the pressure in the cavern has dropped sufficiently. A better picture is obtained when head losses are considered. A closed-form solution can be reached. This proves that two cases must be distinguished, depending on whether the cold brine initially contained in the wellbore is expelled fully or not. It can also be shown that geyser formation is a rare event, as it requires both that the wellbore be narrow and that the cavern be very compressible. This study stemmed from an actual example in which a geyser was observed. However, scarce information is available, making any definite interpretation difficult. xml:lang="fr"

  13. Assessment of geothermal resources of the United States, 1975

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    White, Donald Edward; Williams, David L.

    1975-01-01

    This assessment of geothermal resources of the United States consists of two major parts: (1) estimates of total heat in the ground to a depth of 10 km and (2) estimates of the part of this total heat that is recoverable with present technology, regardless of price. No attempt has been made to consider most aspects of the legal, environmental, and institutional limitations in exploiting these resouces. In general, the average heat content of rocks is considerably higher in the Western United States than in the East. This also helps to explain why the most favorable hydrothermal convection systems and the hot young igneous systems occur in the West. Resources of the most attractive identified convection systems (excluding national parks) with predicted reservoir temperatures above 150 deg C have an estimated electrical production potential of about 8,000 megawatt century, or about 26,000 megawatt for 30 years. Assumptions in this conversion are: (1) one-half of the volume of the heat reservoirs is porous and permeable, (2) one-half of the heat of the porous, permeable parts is recoverable in fluids at the wellheads, and (3) the conversion efficiency of heat in wellhead fluids to electricity ranges from about 8 to 20 percent , depending on temperature and kind of fluid (hot water or steam). The estimated overall efficiency of conversion of heat in the ground to electrical energy generally ranges from less than 2 to 5 percent, depending on type of system and reservoir temperature. (See also W77-07477) (Woodard-USGS)

  14. Well-head arsenic removal units in remote villages of Indian subcontinent: field results and performance evaluation.

    PubMed

    Sarkar, Sudipta; Gupta, Anirban; Biswas, Ranjan K; Deb, Arun K; Greenleaf, John E; Sengupta, Arup K

    2005-05-01

    Since 1997, over 135 well-head arsenic removal units have been installed in remote villages in the Indian state of West Bengal bordering Bangladesh. Every component of the arsenic removal treatment system including activated alumina sorbent is procured indigenously. Each unit serves approximately 200-300 households and contains about 100 L of activated alumina. No chemical addition, pH adjustment or electricity is required for operating these units. The arsenic concentration in the influent varies from around 100 microg/L to greater than 500 microg/L. In the treated water, arsenic concentration is consistently below 50 microg/L. The units are capable of removing both arsenites and arsenates from the contaminated groundwater for several months, often exceeding 10,000 bed volumes. In the top portion of the column, the dissolved iron present in ground water is oxidized by atmospheric oxygen into hydrated Fe(III) oxides or HFO particles which in turn selectively bind both As(III) and As(V). Upon exhaustion, these units are regenerated by caustic soda solution followed by acid wash. The arsenic-laden spent regenerant is converted into a small volume sludge (less than 500 g) and contained over a coarse sand filter in the same premise requiring no disposal. Many units have been operating for several years without any significant operational difficulty. The treated water is used for drinking and cooking. Most importantly, the villagers are responsible for the day to day operation and the upkeep of the units.

  15. Results of the Winter Flow Experiments Conducted on December 7-8, February 7-8, and February 28-29, 1992

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

    Dressen, Donald S.; Beikmann, Mel

    A winter flow regime has been proposed as a method of maintaining a non-freezing environment following the loss of circulation in the HDR Reservoir test facility when ambient temperature is below 32 °F. The regime, as presently envisioned, would automatically convert the surface facility from reservoir circulation to low rate reservoir production through the entire operating system except the EE-3A wellhead, the EE-2A x-mas tree, and the make-up/feed pump/water supply system.

  16. Sulfide stress cracking failures of 12Cr and 17-4PH stainless steel wellhead equipment

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

    Thompson, R.M.; Kohut, G.B.; Canfield, D.R.

    1991-03-01

    In this paper sulfide stress cracking case histories of 12 Cr and 17-4PH stainless steel tubing hangers are presented along with the results of NACE Standard TM0177 laboratory tests performed on the failed material. Even though the hangers both met NACE Standard MR0175-88 hardness requirements, failure still occurred. These failures demonstrate the limitations of these alloys in high H{sub 2}S service even when MR0175 requirements are met. The need for better usage guidelines is discussed.

  17. Lagrangian-based Backtracking of Oil Spill Dynamics from SAR Images: Application to Montara Case

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gautama, Budhi Gunadharma; Mercier, Gregoire; Fablet, Ronan; Longepe, Nicolas

    2016-08-01

    Within the framework of INDESO project (Infrastructure Development Space Oceanography), we address the issue of oilspill and aim at developing an operational SAR- based system for monitoring this issue in Indonesian waters from space. In this work, we focus on the backtrack- ing of an oilspill detected from SAR observations. As a case-study, we consider one large oil spill event that happened in Indonesian waters in 2009, referred to as the Montara oilspill. On 21 August 2009, the Montara Wellhead Platform had an uncontrolled release of hydrocarbons from one of the platform wells. It was estimated that 400 barrels (or approximately 64 tonnes) of crude oil were being lost per day. The uncontrolled release continued until 3 November 2009 and response operations continued until 3 December 2009. In this work, we develop a Langragian analysis and associated numerical inversion tools with a view to further analyzing the oil spread due to the Montara Wellhead Platform. Our model relies on a 2D Lagrangian transport model developed by CLS (Collecte Localisation Satellite). Our model involves four main parameters : the weights of wind- related and current-related advection, the origin and the duration of the oil leakage. Given SAR oilspill detections, we propose a numerical inversion of the parameters of the Lagrangian model, so that the simulated drift match the SAR observations of the oil spill. We demonstrate the relevance of the proposed model and numerical scheme for the Montara oilspill and further discuss their operational interest for the space-based oilspill backtracking and forecasting.

  18. Artesian pressures and water quality in Paleozoic aquifers in the Ten Sleep area of the Bighorn Basin, north-central Wyoming

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Cooley, M.E.

    1985-01-01

    Major Paleozoic artesian aquifers in the southeastern Bighorn Basin of Wyoming area, in descending order, the Tensleep Sandstone; the Madison Limestone and Bighorn Dolomite, which together form the Madison-Bighorn aquifer; and the Flathead Sandstone. Operating yields commonly are more than 1,000 gallons per minute from flowing wells completed in the Madison-Bighorn aquifer. The initial test of one well indicated a flow of 14,000 gallons per minute. Wellhead pressures range from less than 50 to more than 400 pounds per square inch. Transmissivities are 500-1,900 feet squared per day for the Madison-Bighorn aquifer and 90-325 feet squared per day for the Tensleep and Flathead Sandstones. Despite extensive development for irrigation there have been few decreases in pressure. Some decreases in pressure have occurred in wells completed in the Flathead Sandstone. Fractures along linear structural features result in significant secondary permeability and allow upward interformational movement of water that affects the altitude of the potentiometric surfaces in the Tensleep Sandstone and Madison-Bighorn aquifer. Upward-moving water from the Tensleep and other formations discharges at the land surface as springs along or near these lineations. Water from the aquifers generally contains minimal concentrations of dissolved solids and individual constituents but has excessive hardness. The water is satisfactory for irrigation and other purposes when hardness is not a detrimental factor. Wellhead temperatures range from 11 degrees to 27.5 degrees C, giving a geothermal gradient of about 0.44 degrees C per 100 feet. (USGS)

  19. Mississippi River Plume Enriches Microbial Diversity in the Northern Gulf of Mexico

    PubMed Central

    Mason, Olivia U.; Canter, Erin J.; Gillies, Lauren E.; Paisie, Taylor K.; Roberts, Brian J.

    2016-01-01

    The Mississippi River (MR) serves as the primary source of freshwater and nutrients to the northern Gulf of Mexico (nGOM). Whether this input of freshwater also enriches microbial diversity as the MR plume migrates and mixes with the nGOM serves as the central question addressed herein. Specifically, in this study physicochemical properties and planktonic microbial community composition and diversity was determined using iTag sequencing of 16S rRNA genes in 23 samples collected along a salinity (and nutrient) gradient from the mouth of the MR, in the MR plume, in the canyon, at the Deepwater Horizon wellhead and out to the loop current. Analysis of these datasets revealed that the MR influenced microbial diversity as far offshore as the Deepwater Horizon wellhead. The MR had the highest microbial diversity, which decreased with increasing salinity. MR bacterioplankton communities were distinct compared to the nGOM, particularly in the surface where Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria dominated, while the deeper MR was also enriched in Thaumarchaeota. Statistical analyses revealed that nutrients input by the MR, along with salinity and depth, were the primary drivers in structuring the microbial communities. These results suggested that the reduced salinity, nutrient enriched MR plume could act as a seed bank for microbial diversity as it mixes with the nGOM. Whether introduced microorganisms are active at higher salinities than freshwater would determine if this seed bank for microbial diversity is ecologically significant. Alternatively, microorganisms that are physiologically restricted to freshwater habitats that are entrained in the plume could be used as tracers for freshwater input to the marine environment. PMID:27458442

  20. Test and demonstration of a 1-MW wellhead generator: helical screw expander power plant, Model 76-1. Final report to the International Energy Agency

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

    Not Available

    1985-07-04

    A 1-MW geothermal wellhead power plant incorporating a Lysholm or helical screw expander (HSE) was field tested between 1980 and 1983 by Mexico, Italy, and New Zealand with technical assistance from the United States. The objectives were to provide data on the reliability and performance of the HSE and to assess the costs and benefits of its use. The range of conditions under which the HSE was tested included loads up to 933 kW, mass flowrates of 14,600 to 395, 000 lbs/hr, inlet pressures of 64 to 220 psia, inlet qualities of 0 to 100%, exhaust pressures of 3.1 tomore » 40 psia, total dissolved solids up to 310,000 ppM, and noncondensible gases up to 38% of the vapor mass flow. Typical machine efficiencies of 40 to 50% were calculated. For most operations efficiency increased approximately logarithmically with shaft power, while inlet quality and rotor speed had only small effects. The HSE was designed with oversized internal clearances in the expectation that adherent scale would form during operation. Improvements in machine efficiency of 3.5 to 4 percentage points were observed over some test periods with some scale deposition. A comparison with a 1-MW back-pressure turbine showed that the HSE can compete favorably under certain conditions. The HSE was found to be a rugged energy conversion machine for geothermal applications, but some subsystems were found to require further development. 7 refs., 28 figs., 5 tabs.« less

  1. Cost analysis of ground-water supplies in the North Atlantic region, 1970

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Cederstrom, Dagfin John

    1973-01-01

    The cost of municipal and industrial ground water (or, more specifically, large supplies of ground water) at the wellhead in the North Atlantic Region in 1970 generally ranged from 1.5 to 5 cents per thousand gallons. Water from crystalline rocks and shale is relatively expensive. Water from sandstone is less so. Costs of water from sands and gravels in glaciated areas and from Coastal Plain sediments range from moderate to very low. In carbonate rocks costs range from low to fairly high. The cost of ground water at the wellhead is low in areas of productive aquifers, but owing to the cost of connecting pipe, costs increase significantly in multiple-well fields. In the North Atlantic Region, development of small to moderate supplies of ground water may offer favorable cost alternatives to planners, but large supplies of ground water for delivery to one point cannot generally be developed inexpensively. Well fields in the less productive aquifers may be limited by costs to 1 or 2 million gallons a day, but in the more favorable aquifers development of several tens of millions of gallons a day may be practicable and inexpensive. Cost evaluations presented cannot be applied to any one specific well or specific site because yields of wells in any one place will depend on the local geologic and hydrologic conditions; however, with such cost adjustments as may be necessary, the methodology presented should have wide applicability. Data given show the cost of water at the wellhead based on the average yield of several wells. The cost of water delivered by a well field includes costs of connecting pipe and of wells that have the yields and spacings specified. Cost of transport of water from the well field to point of consumption and possible cost of treatment are not evaluated. In the methodology employed, costs of drilling and testing, pumping equipment, engineering for the well field, amortization at 5% percent interest, maintenance, and cost of power are considered. The report includes an analysis of test drilling costs leading to a production well field. The discussion shows that test drilling is a relatively low cost item and that more than a minimum of test holes in a previously unexplored area is, above all, simple insurance in keeping down costs and may easily result in final lower costs for the system. Use of the jet drill for testing is considered short sighted and may result in higher total costs and possibly failure to discover good aquifers. Economic development of ground water supplies will depend on obtaining qualified hydrologic and engineering advice, on carrying out adequate test drilling, and on utilizing high-quality (at times, more costly) material.

  2. Hydrocarbons in Deep-Sea Sediments following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Blowout in the Northeast Gulf of Mexico.

    PubMed

    Romero, Isabel C; Schwing, Patrick T; Brooks, Gregg R; Larson, Rebekka A; Hastings, David W; Ellis, Greg; Goddard, Ethan A; Hollander, David J

    2015-01-01

    The Deepwater Horizon (DWH) spill released 4.9 million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) over 87 days. Sediment and water sampling efforts were concentrated SW of the DWH and in coastal areas. Here we present geochemistry data from sediment cores collected in the aftermath of the DWH event from 1000-1500 m water depth in the DeSoto Canyon, NE of the DWH wellhead. Cores were analyzed at high-resolution (at 2 mm and 5 mm intervals) in order to evaluate the concentration, composition and input of hydrocarbons to the seafloor. Specifically, we analyzed total organic carbon (TOC), aliphatic, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAHs), and biomarker (hopanes, steranes, diasteranes) compounds to elucidate possible sources and transport pathways for deposition of hydrocarbons. Results showed higher hydrocarbon concentrations during 2010-2011 compared to years prior to 2010. Hydrocarbon inputs in 2010-2011 were composed of a mixture of sources including terrestrial, planktonic, and weathered oil. Our results suggest that after the DWH event, both soluble and highly insoluble hydrocarbons were deposited at enhanced rates in the deep-sea. We proposed two distinct transport pathways of hydrocarbon deposition: 1) sinking of oil-particle aggregates (hydrocarbon-contaminated marine snow and/or suspended particulate material), and 2) advective transport and direct contact of the deep plume with the continental slope surface sediments between 1000-1200 m. Our findings underline the complexity of the depositional event observed in the aftermath of the DWH event in terms of multiple sources, variable concentrations, and spatial (depth-related) variability in the DeSoto Canyon, NE of the DWH wellhead.

  3. Hydrocarbons in Deep-Sea Sediments following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Blowout in the Northeast Gulf of Mexico

    PubMed Central

    Romero, Isabel C.; Schwing, Patrick T.; Brooks, Gregg R.; Larson, Rebekka A.; Hastings, David W.; Ellis, Greg; Goddard, Ethan A.; Hollander, David J.

    2015-01-01

    The Deepwater Horizon (DWH) spill released 4.9 million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) over 87 days. Sediment and water sampling efforts were concentrated SW of the DWH and in coastal areas. Here we present geochemistry data from sediment cores collected in the aftermath of the DWH event from 1000 – 1500 m water depth in the DeSoto Canyon, NE of the DWH wellhead. Cores were analyzed at high-resolution (at 2 mm and 5 mm intervals) in order to evaluate the concentration, composition and input of hydrocarbons to the seafloor. Specifically, we analyzed total organic carbon (TOC), aliphatic, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAHs), and biomarker (hopanes, steranes, diasteranes) compounds to elucidate possible sources and transport pathways for deposition of hydrocarbons. Results showed higher hydrocarbon concentrations during 2010-2011 compared to years prior to 2010. Hydrocarbon inputs in 2010-2011 were composed of a mixture of sources including terrestrial, planktonic, and weathered oil. Our results suggest that after the DWH event, both soluble and highly insoluble hydrocarbons were deposited at enhanced rates in the deep-sea. We proposed two distinct transport pathways of hydrocarbon deposition: 1) sinking of oil-particle aggregates (hydrocarbon-contaminated marine snow and/or suspended particulate material), and 2) advective transport and direct contact of the deep plume with the continental slope surface sediments between 1000-1200 m. Our findings underline the complexity of the depositional event observed in the aftermath of the DWH event in terms of multiple sources, variable concentrations, and spatial (depth-related) variability in the DeSoto Canyon, NE of the DWH wellhead. PMID:26020923

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

    Deserts, L. des

    To develop hydrocarbon fields located in deep waters, several alternatives can be contemplated. Among these alternatives, some of them use surface wellheads while others use subsea wells; some alternatives are using bottom founded structures, while others use floating structures or a combination of both. The purpose of this paper is to try to assess when a compliant tower will be the most appropriate solution to consider. To make this assessment, the different types of compliant towers are recalled, as well as the different types of floating structures. Then some criteria are introduced to compare the different alternatives and to determinemore » when a compliant tower is the most appropriate solution.« less

  5. Environmental regulations and energy for home heating

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

    Cohen, A.S.; Fishelson, G.; Gardner, J.L.

    1975-01-01

    A cost/benefit study of environmental policies supports banning coal as an urban fuel. In an analysis of the Chicago area a coal ban resulted in costs exceeding benefits in only 16 of 172 square miles. In 54 areas benefits were double costs. Benefits include improved air quality, health, and savings on cleaning supplies, and showed no income or racial preferences. As coal use declines, natural gas and oil will increase in demand and price. Two methods for increasing natural gas price would be Federal deregulation of wellhead gas and a fuel policy allowing price increases in response to local shortages.more » (DCK)« less

  6. Indicators of the sources and distribution of nitrate in water from shallow domestic wells in agricultural areas of the New Jersey Coastal Plain

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Vowinkel, Eric F.; Tapper, Robert J.

    1995-01-01

    Previously collected and new water-quality data from shallow wells (screened interval less than 30 meters below the land surface) in predominantly agricultural areas of the New Jersey Coastal Plain were used to determine the relation of nitrate concentrations in shallow ground water to various hydrogeologic and land-use factors in the study area. Information on land use, well construction, hydrogeology, and water quality were used to predict the conditions under which concentrations of nitrate as nitrogen in water from domestic wells in predominantly agricultural areas are most likely to be equal to or larger than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 10 milligrams per liter. Results of the analyses of water-quality samples collected during 1980-89 from 230 shallow wells in the outcrop areas of the Kirkwood-Cohansey and Potomac-Raritan-Magothy aquifer systems were used to evaluate the regional effects of land use on shallow-ground-water quality. Results of statistical analysis indicate that concentrations of nitrate in shallow ground water are significantly different (p= 0.001) in agricultural areas than in undeveloped areas in both aquifer systems. Concentrations of nitrate nitrogen exceeded the MCL in water from more than 33 percent of the 60 shallow wells in agricultural areas. Concentrations of hitrate in water from shallow wells in agricultural areas increased as the percentage of agricultural land within an 800-meter-radius buffer zone of the wellhead increased (r= 0.81). Concentrations ofhitrate in water from domestic wells in agricultural areas were similar (p= 0.23) to those concentrations in water from irrigation wells. These results indicate that most of the nitrate in water from domestic wells in agricultural areas results from agricultural practices rather than other sources, such as septic systems. Water-quality samples collected from 12 shallow domestic wells in agricultural areas screened in the outcrop areas of the Kirkwood-Cohansey and Potomac-Raritan-Magothy aquifer systems were used to evaluate the local effects of hydrogeologic conditions and land-use activities on shallow-ground-water quality. Concentrations of water-quality constituents in these wells were similar among four sampling events over a l-year span. The concentration of hitrate in water from 6 of the 12 wells exceeded the MCL. Concentrations of nitrate greater than the MCL are associated with: values of specific conductance greater than 200 microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius, a screened interval whose top is less than 20 meters below land surface, concentrations of dissolved oxygen greater than 6 milligrams per liter, presence of pesticides in the ground water, a distance of less than 250 meters between the wellhead and the surfacewater divide, and presence of livestock near the wellhead. Ratios of stable isotopes of nitrogen in the water samples indicate that the source of hitrate in the ground water was predominantly chemical fertilizers rather than livestock wastes or effluent from septic systems.

  7. Water-level data from wells in the vicinity of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, southeastern New Mexico

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Richey, S.F.

    1987-01-01

    The U.S. Geological Survey monitored water levels in wells in the vicinity of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, a storage facility constructed in bedded salts in which defense-associated transuranic wastes will be deposited, in southeastern New Mexico during 1977 to 1985. A variety of methods was used to measure water levels. The particular method utilized at a given time depended on several factors, including the amount of condensation in the well, well-head configuration, depth to water, rate of water level change, and availability of equipment. The five methods utilized were: air line, Lynes pressure sentry system, M-scope, steel tape, and winch. (Lantz-PTT)

  8. Steam-assisted gravity drainage technology enhancement

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Durkin, S.; Menshikova, I.

    2018-05-01

    A hydrodynamic model of a region of Yaregskoye heavy oilfield was build. The results of the simulation have shown that injection capacity along the wellbore of a horizontal well is not uniform. It is determined by the geological heterogeneity of the formation. Therefore, there is importance of enhancing SAGD technology for Yaregskoye oilfield. A new technology was created. The efficiency of the technology is proved by numerical modelling. Horizontal injector and two-wellhead production wells penetrate the formation. Horizontal sections of the wells are located one above the other in the payzone. Wells are divided into two sections. Those sections work simultaneously and independently of one another. This technology allows to increase oil recovery of the oilfield.

  9. Tritium as an indicator of venues for nuclear tests.

    PubMed

    Lyakhova, O N; Lukashenko, S N; Mulgin, S I; Zhdanov, S V

    2013-10-01

    Currently, due to the Treaty on the Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons there is a highly topical issue of an accurate verification of nuclear explosion venues. This paper proposes to consider new method for verification by using tritium as an indicator. Detailed studies of the tritium content in the air were carried in the locations of underground nuclear tests - "Balapan" and "Degelen" testing sites located in Semipalatinsk Test Site. The paper presents data on the levels and distribution of tritium in the air where tunnels and boreholes are located - explosion epicentres, wellheads and tunnel portals, as well as in estuarine areas of the venues for the underground nuclear explosions (UNE). Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Reduction of Greenhouse Gas and Criteria Pollutant Emissions by Direct Conversion of Associated Flare Gas to Synthetic Fuels at Oil Wellheads

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

    Tan, Eric C; Zhang, Yi Min; Schuetzle, Dennis

    This study describes the results of a 'well-to-wheel' life cycle assessment (LCA) carried out to determine the potential greenhouse gas and criteria pollutant emission reductions that could be achieved by converting associated flare gas directly to synthetic fuels at oil wellheads in the US and globally. A Greyrock Flare Gas-to-Fuels(TM) conversion process at an Ohio oil well was used as the base case for this LCA. The liquid fuel produced directly from associated gas is comprised primarily of premium synthetic diesel with a small amount of synthetic gasoline. In this LCA scenario, the synthetic diesel and synthetic gasoline are blendedmore » at 20 and 10 vol% with petroleum diesel and gasoline, respectively. While the synthetic diesel fuel can be used as is (100%), the 20 vol% synthetic diesel blend (with petroleum diesel) was found to significantly improve engine performance, increase fuel economy, and reduce emissions. The direct conversion of associated gas to synthetic diesel fuels globally could reduce emissions of CO2 and CH4 by up to 356 and 5.96 million metric tons/year, respectively, resulting in the reduction of greenhouse gases (GHGs) by about 113.3 and 92.2% (20 year global warming potential) and 73.8 and 50.7% (100 year global warming potential) for synthetic diesel and gasoline fuels when compared to petroleum-derived gasoline fuels, respectively. Likewise, diesel criteria emissions could be reduced globally by up to 23.3, 0.374, 42.4, and 61.3 million metric tons/year globally for CO, particulates, NOx, and hydrocarbons, respectively. The potential economic benefit of this approach is that up to 5.30 and 71.1 billion liters of synthetic fuels could be produced each year in the US and globally from associated gas, respectively.« less

  11. Reliability, resilience and vulnerability criteria for the evaluation of time-dependent health risks: A hypothetical case study of wellhead protection

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rodak, C. M.; Silliman, S. E.; Bolster, D.

    2012-12-01

    A hypothetical case study of groundwater contaminant protection was carried out using time-dependent health risk calculations. The case study focuses on a hypothetical zoning project for parcels of land around a well field in northern Indiana, where the control of cancer risk relative to a mandated cancer risk threshold is of concern in the management strategy. Within our analysis, we include both uncertainty in the subsurface transport and variability in population behavior in the calculation of time-dependent health risks. From these results we introduce risk maps, a visual representation of the probability of an unacceptable health risk as a function of population behavior and the time at which exposure to the contaminant begins. We also evaluate the time-dependent risks with three criteria from water resource literature: reliability, resilience, and vulnerability (RRV). With respect to health risk from a groundwater well, the three criteria determine: the probability that a well produces safe water (reliability), the probability that a contaminated well returns to an uncontaminated state within a specified time interval (resilience), and the overall severity in terms of health impact of the contamination at a well head (vulnerability). The results demonstrate that the distributions of RRV values for each parcel of land are linked to the time-dependent concentration profile of the contaminant at the well, and the toxicological characteristics of the contaminant. The proposed time-dependent risk calculation expands on current techniques to include a continuous exposure start time, capable of reproducing the maximum risk while providing information on the severity and duration of health risks. Overall this study suggests that, especially in light of the inherent complexity of health-groundwater systems, RRV are viable criteria for relatively simple and effective evaluation of time-dependent health risk. It is argued that the RRV approach, as applied to consideration of potential health impact, allows for more informed, health-based decisions regarding zoning for wellhead protection.

  12. Numerical modeling of injection, stress and permeability enhancement during shear stimulation at the Desert Peak Enhanced Geothermal System

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Dempsey, David; Kelkar, Sharad; Davatzes, Nick; Hickman, Stephen H.; Moos, Daniel

    2015-01-01

    Creation of an Enhanced Geothermal System relies on stimulation of fracture permeability through self-propping shear failure that creates a complex fracture network with high surface area for efficient heat transfer. In 2010, shear stimulation was carried out in well 27-15 at Desert Peak geothermal field, Nevada, by injecting cold water at pressure less than the minimum principal stress. An order-of-magnitude improvement in well injectivity was recorded. Here, we describe a numerical model that accounts for injection-induced stress changes and permeability enhancement during this stimulation. In a two-part study, we use the coupled thermo-hydrological-mechanical simulator FEHM to: (i) construct a wellbore model for non-steady bottom-hole temperature and pressure conditions during the injection, and (ii) apply these pressures and temperatures as a source term in a numerical model of the stimulation. In this model, a Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion and empirical fracture permeability is developed to describe permeability evolution of the fractured rock. The numerical model is calibrated using laboratory measurements of material properties on representative core samples and wellhead records of injection pressure and mass flow during the shear stimulation. The model captures both the absence of stimulation at low wellhead pressure (WHP ≤1.7 and ≤2.4 MPa) as well as the timing and magnitude of injectivity rise at medium WHP (3.1 MPa). Results indicate that thermoelastic effects near the wellbore and the associated non-local stresses further from the well combine to propagate a failure front away from the injection well. Elevated WHP promotes failure, increases the injection rate, and cools the wellbore; however, as the overpressure drops off with distance, thermal and non-local stresses play an ongoing role in promoting shear failure at increasing distance from the well.

  13. Improving Deliverability in Gas Storage Fields by Identifying the Timing and Sources of Damage Using Smart Well Technology

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

    J.H. Frantz Jr; K.G. Brown; W.K. Sawyer

    2006-03-01

    This report summarizes the work performed under contract DE-FC26-03NT41743. The primary objective of this study was to develop tools that would allow Underground Gas Storage (UGS) operators to use wellhead electronic flow measurement (EFM) data to quickly and efficiently identify trends in well damage over time, thus aiding in the identification of potential causes of the damage. Secondary objectives of this work included: (1) To assist UGS operators in the evaluation of hardware and software requirements for implementing an EFM system similar to the one described in this report, and (2) To provide a cost-benefit analysis framework UGS operators canmore » use to evaluate economic benefits of installing wellhead EFM systems in their particular fields. Assessment of EFM data available for use, and selection of the specific study field are reviewed. The various EFM data processing tasks, including data collection, organization, extraction, processing, and interpretation are discussed. The process of damage assessment via pressure transient analysis of EFM data is outlined and demonstrated, including such tasks as quality control, semi-log analysis, and log-log analysis of pressure transient test data extracted from routinely collected EFM data. Output from pressure transient test analyses for 21 wells is presented, and the interpretation of these analyses to determine the timing of damage development is demonstrated using output from specific study wells. Development of processing and interpretation modules to handle EFM data interpretation in horizontal wells is also a presented and discussed. A spreadsheet application developed to aid underground gas storage operators in the selection of EFM equipment is presented, discussed, and used to determine the cost benefit of installing EFM equipment in a gas storage field. Recommendations for future work related to EFM in gas storage fields are presented and discussed.« less

  14. INEEL Source Water Assessment

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

    Sehlke, Gerald

    2003-03-01

    The Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) covers approximately 890 mi2 and includes 12 public water systems that must be evaluated for Source water protection purposes under the Safe Drinking Water Act. Because of its size and location, six watersheds and five aquifers could potentially affect the INEEL’s drinking water sources. Based on a preliminary evaluation of the available information, it was determined that the Big Lost River, Birch Creek, and Little Lost River Watersheds and the eastern Snake River Plain Aquifer needed to be assessed. These watersheds were delineated using the United States Geologic Survey’s Hydrological Unit scheme.more » Well capture zones were originally estimated using the RESSQC module of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Well Head Protection Area model, and the initial modeling assumptions and results were checked by running several scenarios using Modflow modeling. After a technical review, the resulting capture zones were expanded to account for the uncertainties associated with changing groundwater flow directions, a thick vadose zone, and other data uncertainties. Finally, all well capture zones at a given facility were merged to a single wellhead protection area at each facility. A contaminant source inventory was conducted, and the results were integrated with the well capture zones, watershed and aquifer information, and facility information using geographic information system technology to complete the INEEL’s Source Water Assessment. Of the INEEL’s 12 public water systems, three systems rated as low susceptibility (EBR-I, Main Gate, and Gun Range), and the remainder rated as moderate susceptibility. No INEEL public water system rated as high susceptibility. We are using this information to develop a source water management plan from which we will subsequently implement an INEEL-wide source water management program. The results are a very robust set of wellhead protection areas that will protect the INEEL’s public water systems yet not too conservative to inhibit the INEEL from carrying out its missions.« less

  15. The Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory Source Water Assessment

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

    Sehlke, G.

    2003-03-17

    The Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) covers approximately 890 square miles and includes 12 public water systems that must be evaluated for Source water protection purposes under the Safe Drinking Water Act. Because of its size and location, six watersheds and five aquifers could potentially affect the INEEL's drinking water sources. Based on a preliminary evaluation of the available information, it was determined that the Big Lost River, Birch Creek, and Little Lost River Watersheds and the eastern Snake River Plain Aquifer needed to be assessed. These watersheds were delineated using the United States Geologic Survey's Hydrological Unitmore » scheme. Well capture zones were originally estimated using the RESSQC module of the Environmental Protection Agency's Well Head Protection Area model, and the initial modeling assumptions and results were checked by running several scenarios using Modflow modeling. After a technical review, the resulting capture zones were expanded to account for the uncertainties associated with changing groundwater flow directions, a this vadose zone, and other data uncertainties. Finally, all well capture zones at a given facility were merged to a single wellhead protection area at each facility. A contaminant source inventory was conducted, and the results were integrated with the well capture zones, watershed and aquifer information, and facility information using geographic information system technology to complete the INEEL's Source Water Assessment. Of the INEEL's 12 public water systems, three systems rated as low susceptibility (EBR-1, Main Gate, and Gun Range), and the remainder rated as moderate susceptibility. No INEEL public water system rated as high susceptibility. We are using this information to develop a source water management plan from which we will subsequently implement an INEEL-wide source water management program. The results are a very robust set of wellhead protection areas that will protect the INEEL's public water systems yet not too conservative to inhibit the INEEL from carrying out its missions.« less

  16. Critique of analyses of natural gas pricing alternatives

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

    Lemon, R.

    The Administration has predicted that deregulation would add $210 billion to gas producers' profits over the next eight years; by contrast, a study done for the Natural Gas Supply Committee by Edward Erickson concludes that deregulation would mean a $126 billion savings to consumers over the same period. This article examines the analyses done in the past year by nine organizations. By examining the assumptions and projections of each analysis on wellhead prices, gas supplies, retail gas prices, and alternative energy costs and mixes, an attempt is made to explain divergent projections of the costs of energy under the threemore » alternative natural-gas-pricing scenarios: continuance under FPC's Opinion 770-A; National Energy Plan (NEP); and deregulation of new gas.« less

  17. Thermal treatment wall

    DOEpatents

    Aines, Roger D.; Newmark, Robin L.; Knauss, Kevin G.

    2000-01-01

    A thermal treatment wall emplaced to perform in-situ destruction of contaminants in groundwater. Thermal destruction of specific contaminants occurs by hydrous pyrolysis/oxidation at temperatures achievable by existing thermal remediation techniques (electrical heating or steam injection) in the presence of oxygen or soil mineral oxidants, such as MnO.sub.2. The thermal treatment wall can be installed in a variety of configurations depending on the specific objectives, and can be used for groundwater cleanup, wherein in-situ destruction of contaminants is carried out rather than extracting contaminated fluids to the surface, where they are to be cleaned. In addition, the thermal treatment wall can be used for both plume interdiction and near-wellhead in-situ groundwater treatment. Thus, this technique can be utilized for a variety of groundwater contamination problems.

  18. The recovered energy advantage; Unique new turboexpander makes use of pressure reduction

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

    Not Available

    1989-03-01

    The oil and gas industry does not just produce energy. The industry also consumes large quantities of energy in transporting hydrocarbons to the customer. A convenient, inexpensive source of usable energy would represent a distinct economical advantage to any phase of the industry. Smaller, more flexible and more affordable turboexpanders offer just such an advantage at many application points from the wellhead to the customer. This paper describes the turboexpander, a simple machine in which fluid or gas at high pressure is expanded to achieve a lower pressure. The released energy drives a turbine wheel and generates power or mechanicalmore » work. A turbo charger on a gasoline or diesel engine is a common example of a turboexpander.« less

  19. Water professionals and water policy in the Black Hills region

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Fontaine, T.A.; Driscoll, D.G.; Erickson, J.W.; Kenner, S.J.; Sawyer, J.F.; Kendy, Eloise

    1999-01-01

    A case study approach based on examples from the Black Hills region is used to evaluate the role of water professionals in developing feasible and fair public policy involving water resources. Examples presented include a long-term hydrologic investigation in the Black Hills, a local wellhead protection program, issues being addressed by a local flood management commission, coordination of definitions of beneficial stream uses by two state agencies, water-quality problems related to rapid population increase in a rural area, and impacts of potential climate change on water resources. In some of these examples, the hydrologic work was separated from policy making to ensure neutrality. In other examples, involvement of the hydrologists and water resource engineers directly benefited policy development. Opportunities for increased effectiveness were observed in most of the examples.

  20. Radon-222 content of natural gas samples from Upper and Middle Devonian sandstone and shale reservoirs in Pennsylvania—preliminary data

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Rowan, E.L.; Kraemer, T.F.

    2012-01-01

    Samples of natural gas were collected as part of a study of formation water chemistry in oil and gas reservoirs in the Appalachian Basin. Nineteen samples (plus two duplicates) were collected from 11 wells producing gas from Upper Devonian sandstones and the Middle Devonian Marcellus Shale in Pennsylvania. The samples were collected from valves located between the wellhead and the gas-water separator. Analyses of the radon content of the gas indicated 222Rn (radon-222) activities ranging from 1 to 79 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) with an overall median of 37 pCi/L. The radon activities of the Upper Devonian sandstone samples overlap to a large degree with the activities of the Marcellus Shale samples.

  1. The coso EGS project - Recent developments

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Rose, P.; Sheridan, J.; McCulloch, J.; Moore, J.N.; Kovac, K.; Weidler, R.; Hickman, S.

    2005-01-01

    An Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS) field experiment will be conducted to hydraulically stimulate injection well 34-9RD2, located on the east flank of the Coso geothermal reservoir, with the objective of increasing the injection rate of this well to 750 gpm at a wellhead pressure of 100 psi or less. The stimulation of this well is expected to create hydraulic communication with the recently drilled production well 38C-9, which is directly south of 34-9RD2. We summarize the results of fracture and stress analyses based upon borehole image logs of 38C-9; petrographic and petrologic analyses of cuttings from both the injection well 34-9RD2 and the production well 38C-9; and plans for the redrilling and stimulation of 34-9RD2.

  2. The Coso EGS project - Recent developments

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Rose, P.; Sheridan, J.; McCulloch, J.; Moore, J.N.; Kovac, K.; Spielman, P.; Weidler, R.; Hickman, S.

    2004-01-01

    An Engineered Geothermal System (EGS) field experiment will be conducted to hydraulically stimulate injection well 34-9RD2, located on the east flank of the Coso geothermal reservoir, with the objective of increasing the injection rate of this well to 750 gpm at a wellhead pressure of 100 psi or less. The stimulation of this well is expected to create hydraulic communication with the recently drilled production well 38C-9, which is directly south of 34-9RD2. We summarize the results of fracture and stress analyses based upon borehole image logs of 38C-9; petrographic and petrologic analyses of cuttings from both the injection well 34-9RD2 and the production well 38C-9; and plans for the redrilling and stimulation of 34-9RD2.

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

    Crawford, E.

    Higher wellhead prices are not expected to bring on a significant increase in supplies of oil and natural gas from new outer continental shelf (OCS) reservoirs between now and 1982. Between 1982 and 1987, however, the situation should change: if 1987 prices range from $7.50 to $25 per barrel, supplies are expected to increase from two to 3.5 million barrels per day, respectively. These results from an Arthur D. Little Co. study are based on the assumption of continued OCS leasing and development, although uncertainties remain about the extent of recoverable reserves. For example, no indications of commercial hydrocarbons havemore » been found in the Gulf of Alaska for the three wells dug so far. In general a price of $20 per barrel is needed to make the risky exploration worthwhile for oil companies. (DCK)« less

  4. Blowout brought under control in Gulf of Mexico

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

    Not Available

    1992-10-19

    This paper reports that Greenhill Petroleum Corp., Houston, killed a well blowout Oct. 9 and began cleaning up oil spilled into Timbalier Bay off La Fourche Parish, La. Development well No. 250 in Timbalier Bay field blew out Sept. 29 while Blake Drilling and Workover Co., Belle Chasse, La., was trying to recomplete it in a deeper zone. Fire broke out as Boots and Coots Inc., Houston, was positioning control equipment at the wellhead. State and federal oil spill response officials estimated the uncontrolled flow of well No. 250 at 1,400 b/d of oil. Coast Guard officials on Oct. 8more » upgraded the blowout to a major spill, after deciding that at least 2,500 bbl of oil had gone into the water.« less

  5. Operation and Performance of a Biphase Turbine Power Plant at the Cerro Prieto Geothermal Field (Final Report)

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

    Hays, Lance G.

    2000-09-01

    A full scale, wellhead Biphase turbine was manufactured and installed with the balance of plant at Well 103 of the Cerro Prieto geothermal resource in Baja, California. The Biphase turbine was first synchronized with the electrical grid of Comision Federal de Electricidad on August 20, 1997. The Biphase power plant was operated from that time until May 23, 2000, a period of 2 years and 9 months. A total of 77,549 kWh were delivered to the grid. The power plant was subsequently placed in a standby condition pending replacement of the rotor with a newly designed, higher power rotor andmore » replacement of the bearings and seals. The maximum measured power output of the Biphase turbine, 808 kWe at 640 psig wellhead pressure, agreed closely with the predicted output, 840 kWe. When combined with the backpressure steam turbine the total output power from that flow would be increased by 40% above the power derived only from the flow by the present flash steam plant. The design relations used to predict performance and design the turbine were verified by these tests. The performance and durability of the Biphase turbine support the conclusion of the Economics and Application Report previously published, (Appendix A). The newly designed rotor (the Dual Pressure Rotor) was analyzed for the above power condition. The Dual Pressure Rotor would increase the power output to 2064 kWe by incorporating two pressure letdown stages in the Biphase rotor, eliminating the requirement for a backpressure steam turbine. The power plant availability was low due to deposition of solids from the well on the Biphase rotor and balance of plant problems. A great deal of plant down time resulted from the requirement to develop methods to handle the solids and from testing the apparatus in the Biphase turbine. Finally an online, washing method using the high pressure two-phase flow was developed which completely eliminated the solids problem. The availability of the Biphase turbine itself was 100% after implementations of this method in March 2000. However, failures of instrumentation and control system components led to additional plant down time and damage to the bearings and seals. The enthalpy and pressure of well 103 declined substantially from the inception of the project. When the project was started the wellhead pressure and enthalpy were 760 psig and 882 Btu/lb respectively. At the time the plant was placed in standby the corresponding values were only 525 psig and 658 Btu/lb. This reduced the available plant power to only 400 kWe making the project economically unfeasible. However, replacement of the existing rotor with the Dual Pressure Rotor and replacement of the bearings and seals will enable the existing Biphase turbine to produce 1190 kWe at the present well conditions without the backpressure steam turbine. Operation with the present staff can then be sustained by selling power under the existing Agreement with CFE. Implementation of this option is recommended with operation of the facility to continue as a demonstration plant. Biphase turbine theory, design and performance are reported herein. The construction of the Biphase turbine and power plant and operational experience are detailed. Improvements in the Biphase turbine are indicated and analyzed. The impact of Biphase techonology on geothermal power production is discussed and recommendations made.« less

  6. Scientific Studies in Support of Shutting In the Macondo Well (Deepwater Horizon) Blowout, Gulf of Mexico (Invited)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hickman, S.; Mooney, W. D.; Hsieh, P. A.; Enomoto, C.; Nelson, P. H.; McNutt, M.

    2010-12-01

    Scientists, engineers and managers from BP, other private companies, universities, government research labs and a broad spectrum of federal agencies have formed a unique cooperative working relationship in responding to the Macondo oil well (Deepwater Horizon) blowout. Among the many activities performed during this effort, U.S. Geological Survey personnel evaluated the potential geologic hazard of shutting in the Macondo well at the sea floor, and collectively decided, with others, the conditions under which it could be safely undertaken. These hazards included the possible loss of wellbore integrity under the anticipated high shut-in pressures, potentially leading to new pathways for hydrocarbon release to the Gulf of Mexico through upward hydraulic fracture propagation and/or soft sediment erosion initiating at possible leak points in the cemented casing. This hazard evaluation required analysis of 2D and 3D seismic surveys, seafloor bathymetry, pressure transient tests, geophysical well logs, in-situ stress (“leak-off”) tests and drilling data (e.g., mud logs) to assess the geological, hydrological and geomechanical conditions at and around the Macondo well. After the well was successfully capped and shut in by BP on July 15, a variety of monitoring practices were put into place to guard against further leaks into the Gulf. These monitoring activities included acquisition of wellhead pressure data, marine multi-channel seismic profiles, sea-floor and sea-surface sonar surveys (the latter using the NOAA RV/Pisces), and wellhead visual/acoustic monitoring. Scientists and engineers from BP, outside consultants, government agencies and the university community then worked together to continuously evaluate these data to ensure that the well remained safely shut in until reservoir pressures were suppressed (“killed”) with heavy drilling mud and the well was sealed with cement. This effort to shut in and then permanently seal the blown-out Macondo well has involved an unprecedented level of interaction, collaboration and coordination among scientists, engineers, managers and emergency response officials, and will hopefully lead to improved methodologies and approaches to assessing and then mitigating hazards posed by deepwater drilling.

  7. Assessing the reactivation potential of pre-existing fractures in the southern Karoo, South Africa: Evaluating the potential for sustainable exploration across its Critical Zone

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dhansay, Taufeeq; Navabpour, Payman; de Wit, Maarten; Ustaszewski, Kamil

    2017-10-01

    Understanding the kinematics of pre-existing fractures under the present-day stress field is an indispensable prerequisite for hydraulically increasing fracture-induced rock permeability, i.e. through hydraulic stimulation, which forms the basis of economically viable exploitation of resources such as natural gas and geothermal energy. Predicting the likelihood of reactivating pre-existing fractures in a target reservoir at particular fluid injection pressures requires detailed knowledge of the orientations and magnitudes of the prevailing stresses as well as pore fluid pressures. In the absence of actual in-situ stress measurements, e.g. derived from boreholes, as is mostly the case in previously underexplored ;frontier areas;, such predictions are often difficult. In this study, the potential of reactivating pre-existing fractures in a likely exploration region of the southern Karoo of South Africa is investigated. The orientations of the present-day in-situ stresses were assessed from surrounding earthquake focal mechanisms, implying c. NW-SE oriented maximum horizontal stress and a stress regime changing between strike-slip and normal faulting. A comparison with paleo-stress axes derived from inverted fault-slip data suggests that the stress field very likely did not experience any significant reorientation since Cretaceous times. Maximum possible in-situ stress magnitudes are estimated by assuming that these are limited by frictional strength on pre-existing planes and subsequently, slip and dilation tendency calculations were performed, assuming hydrostatic pore fluid pressures of c. 32 MPa at targeted reservoir depth. The results suggest that prevalent E-W and NW-SE oriented sub-vertical fractures are likely to be reactivated at wellhead pressures exceeding hydrostatic pore fluid pressures by as little as 2-5 MPa, while less prevalent sub-horizontal and moderately inclined fractures require higher wellhead pressures that are still technically feasible. Importantly, actual in-situ stress measurements are essential to test these theoretical considerations and to guide the design of safe and effective exploration linked to fracture manipulation, such as shale gas recovery.

  8. Rational risk-based decision support for drinking water well managers by optimized monitoring designs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Enzenhöfer, R.; Geiges, A.; Nowak, W.

    2011-12-01

    Advection-based well-head protection zones are commonly used to manage the contamination risk of drinking water wells. Considering the insufficient knowledge about hazards and transport properties within the catchment, current Water Safety Plans recommend that catchment managers and stakeholders know, control and monitor all possible hazards within the catchments and perform rational risk-based decisions. Our goal is to supply catchment managers with the required probabilistic risk information, and to generate tools that allow for optimal and rational allocation of resources between improved monitoring versus extended safety margins and risk mitigation measures. To support risk managers with the indispensable information, we address the epistemic uncertainty of advective-dispersive solute transport and well vulnerability (Enzenhoefer et al., 2011) within a stochastic simulation framework. Our framework can separate between uncertainty of contaminant location and actual dilution of peak concentrations by resolving heterogeneity with high-resolution Monte-Carlo simulation. To keep computational costs low, we solve the reverse temporal moment transport equation. Only in post-processing, we recover the time-dependent solute breakthrough curves and the deduced well vulnerability criteria from temporal moments by non-linear optimization. Our first step towards optimal risk management is optimal positioning of sampling locations and optimal choice of data types to reduce best the epistemic prediction uncertainty for well-head delineation, using the cross-bred Likelihood Uncertainty Estimator (CLUE, Leube et al., 2011) for optimal sampling design. Better monitoring leads to more reliable and realistic protection zones and thus helps catchment managers to better justify smaller, yet conservative safety margins. In order to allow an optimal choice in sampling strategies, we compare the trade-off in monitoring versus the delineation costs by accounting for ill-delineated fractions of protection zones. Within an illustrative simplified 2D synthetic test case, we demonstrate our concept, involving synthetic transmissivity and head measurements for conditioning. We demonstrate the worth of optimally collected data in the context of protection zone delineation by assessing the reduced areal demand of delineated area at user-specified risk acceptance level. Results indicate that, thanks to optimally collected data, risk-aware delineation can be made at low to moderate additional costs compared to conventional delineation strategies.

  9. Hydraulic Shearing and Hydraulic Jacking Observed during Hydraulic Stimulations in Fractured Geothermal Reservoir in Pohang, Korea

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Min, K. B.; Park, S.; Xie, L.; Kim, K. I.; Yoo, H.; Kim, K. Y.; Choi, J.; Yoon, K. S.; Yoon, W. S.; Lee, T. J.; Song, Y.

    2017-12-01

    Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS) relies on sufficient and irreversible enhancement of reservoir permeability through hydraulic stimulation and possibility of such desirable change of permeability is an open question that can undermine the universality of EGS concept. We report results of first hydraulic stimulation campaign conducted in two deep boreholes in fractured granodiorite geothermal reservoir in Pohang, Korea. Borehole PX-1, located at 4.22 km, was subjected to the injection of 3,907 m3 with flow rate of up to 18 kg/s followed by bleeding off of 1,207 m3. The borehole PX-2, located at 4.35 km, was subjected to the injection of 1,970 m3 with flow rate of up to 46 kg/sIn PX-1, a sharp distinct decline of wellhead pressure was observed at around 16 MPa of wellhead pressure which was similar to the predicted injection pressure to induce hydraulic shearing. Injectivity interpretation before and after the hydraulic shearing indicates that permanent increase of permeability was achieved by a factor of a few. In PX-2, however, injectivity was very small and hydraulic shearing was not observed due possibly to the near wellbore damage made by the remedying process of lost circulation such as using lost circulation material during drilling. Flow rate of larger than 40 kg/s was achieved at very high well head pressure of nearly 90 MPa. Hydraulic jacking, that is reversible opening and closure of fracture with change of injection pressure, was clearly observed. Although sharp increase of permeability due to fracture opening was achieved with elevated injection pressure, the increased permeability was reversed with decreased injection pressure.Two contrasting response observed in the same reservoir at two different boreholes which is apart only 600 m apart provide important implication that can be used for the stimulation strategy for EGS.This work was supported by the New and Renewable Energy Technology Development Program of the Korea Institute of Energy Technology Evaluation and Planning (KETEP) through a grant funded by the Korean Government's Ministry of Trade, Industry & Energy (No. 20123010110010).

  10. Modeling the Buildup of Annular Pressure in Cased and Uncased Annuli of Faulty Wellbores

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lackey, G.; Rajaram, H.

    2017-12-01

    Structurally sound wellbores are essential to oil and gas production, natural gas storage, and carbon dioxide sequestration operations. Wellbore integrity is easily assessed at the wellhead by the presence of pressure or gas flow in the outer annuli of a well, as it indicates the uncontrolled vertical migration of fluids outside the production casing. This phenomenon is typically referred to as sustained casing pressure (SCP), sustained annular pressure, or surface casing vent flow. Of particular concern is the buildup of pressure in the surface casing annulus. If the surface casing is sealed at the wellhead and cement is not brought into the bottom of the casing, annular pressure that builds induces gas migration when the fluid and entry pressure of the formation at the bottom of the surface casing is exceeded. Multiple incidents of stray gas migration from oil and gas operations have contaminated water wells in Colorado, Pennsylvania, and Ohio through this mechanism. Natural gas escaping the #25 Standard Senson well at the Aliso Gas storage facility in California, the largest accidental release of greenhouse gases in US history, also followed this pathway. Previous studies have modeled the buildup of SCP in faulty wells with fully-cased annuli that are isolated from the surrounding formation. However, the majority of onshore oil and gas wells in the US are constructed with uncased outermost annuli that are hydraulically connected to the surrounding subsurface. In this study, we adapt current approaches of modeling SCP to include the regulation of annular liquid level by formation fluid pressure, dissolution of gas into the annular liquids, the transport of aqueous gas by crossflow into deep formations, and gas migration away from the well, when the entry pressure of the formations or fractures along the uncased annulus is exceeded, to compare the buildup behavior of SCP in both uncased and fully-cased annuli. We consider well construction and subsurface geology representative of the Wattenberg Field in Colorado and interpret observations of sustained casing pressure collected by the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission. We demonstrate that the potential negative consequences of integrity loss are much greater for an uncased well than for fully-cased well.

  11. Accuracy improvements of gyro-based measurement-while-drilling surveying instruments by a laser testing method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Rong; Zhao, Jianhui; Li, Fan

    2009-07-01

    Gyroscope used as surveying sensor in the oil industry has been proposed as a good technique for measurement-whiledrilling (MWD) to provide real-time monitoring of the position and the orientation of the bottom hole assembly (BHA).However, drifts in the measurements provided by gyroscope might be prohibitive for the long-term utilization of the sensor. Some usual methods such as zero velocity update procedure (ZUPT) introduced to limit these drifts seem to be time-consuming and with limited effect. This study explored an in-drilling dynamic -alignment (IDA) method for MWD which utilizes gyroscope. During a directional drilling process, there are some minutes in the rotary drilling mode when the drill bit combined with drill pipe are rotated about the spin axis in a certain speed. This speed can be measured and used to determine and limit some drifts of the gyroscope which pay great effort to the deterioration in the long-term performance. A novel laser assembly is designed on the wellhead to count the rotating cycles of the drill pipe. With this provided angular velocity of the drill pipe, drifts of gyroscope measurements are translated into another form that can be easy tested and compensated. That allows better and faster alignment and limited drifts during the navigation process both of which can reduce long-term navigation errors, thus improving the overall accuracy in INS-based MWD system. This article concretely explores the novel device on the wellhead designed to test the rotation of the drill pipe. It is based on laser testing which is simple and not expensive by adding a laser emitter to the existing drilling equipment. Theoretical simulations and analytical approximations exploring the IDA idea have shown improvement in the accuracy of overall navigation and reduction in the time required to achieve convergence. Gyroscope accuracy along the axis is mainly improved. It is suggested to use the IDA idea in the rotary mode for alignment. Several other practical aspects of implementing this approach are evaluated and compared.

  12. Taming a wild geothermal research well in yellowstone national park

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Fournier, Robert O.; Pisto, Larry M.; Howell, Bruce B.; Hutchnson, Roderick A.; ,

    1993-01-01

    In November 1992 the valve at the top of a U.S. Geological Survey drill hole in Yellowstone National Park parted from the casting as a result of corrosion. This allowed uncontrolled venting of boiling water and steam from the well at an estimated liquid flow rate of about 25-50 gallons per minute. A flow diverter assembly was designed, fabricated and installed on the well within 16 days, which allowed drill rods to be safely stripped into the well through on annular Blow-Out Preventer. Once this was accomplished it was a relatively routine matter to set a packer in the casting and cement the well shut permanently. The drill hole was brought under control and cemented shut within 18 days of the wellhead failure at a total cost of $47,066, which was about $5,000 less than anticipated.

  13. High-rate injection is associated with the increase in U.S. mid-continent seismicity

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Weingarten, Matthew; Ge, Shemin; Godt, Jonathan W.; Bekins, Barbara A.; Rubinstein, Justin L.

    2015-01-01

    An unprecedented increase in earthquakes in the U.S. mid-continent began in 2009. Many of these earthquakes have been documented as induced by wastewater injection. We examine the relationship between wastewater injection and U.S. mid-continent seismicity using a newly assembled injection well database for the central and eastern United States. We find that the entire increase in earthquake rate is associated with fluid injection wells. High-rate injection wells (>300,000 barrels per month) are much more likely to be associated with earthquakes than lower-rate wells. At the scale of our study, a well’s cumulative injected volume, monthly wellhead pressure, depth, and proximity to crystalline basement do not strongly correlate with earthquake association. Managing injection rates may be a useful tool to minimize the likelihood of induced earthquakes.

  14. US energy industry financial developments, 1993 first quarter

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

    Not Available

    1993-06-25

    Net income for 259 energy companies-- including, 20 major US petroleum companies-- rose 38 percent between the first quarter of 1992 and the first quarter of 1993. An increased level of economic activity, along with colder weather, helped lift the demand for natural gas. crude oil, coal, and electricity. The sharp rise in the domestic price of natural gas at the wellhead relative to the year-ago quarter was the most significant development in US energy during the first quarter. As a consequence of higher natural gas prices, the upstream segment of the petroleum industry reported large gains in income, whilemore » downstream income rose due to higher refined product demand. Increased economic activity and higher weather-related natural gas demand also led to improvements in income for the rate-regulated energy segment. However, declining domestic oil production continued to restrain upstream petroleum industry earnings growth, despite a moderate rise in crude oil prices.« less

  15. Was the Deepwater Horizon Well Discharge Churn Flow? Implications on the Estimation of the Oil Discharge and Droplet Size Distribution

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Boufadel, Michel C.; Gao, Feng; Zhao, Lin; Özgökmen, Tamay; Miller, Richard; King, Thomas; Robinson, Brian; Lee, Kenneth; Leifer, Ira

    2018-03-01

    Improved understanding of the character of an uncontrolled pipeline flow is critical for the estimation of the oil discharge and droplet size distribution both essential for evaluating oil spill impact. Measured oil and gas properties at the wellhead of the Macondo255 and detailed numerical modeling suggested that the flow within the pipe could have been "churn," whereby oil and gas tumble violently within the pipe and is different from the bubbly flow commonly assumed for that release. The churn flow would have produced 5 times the energy loss in the pipe compared to bubbly flow, and its plume would have entrained 35% more water than that of the bubbly flow. Both findings suggest that the oil discharge in Deepwater Horizon could have been overestimated, by up to 200%. The resulting oil droplet size distribution of churn flow is likely smaller than that of bubbly flow.

  16. Chemical dispersants: Oil biodegradation friend or foe?

    PubMed

    Rahsepar, Shokouh; Smit, Martijn P J; Murk, Albertinka J; Rijnaarts, Huub H M; Langenhoff, Alette A M

    2016-07-15

    Chemical dispersants were used in response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, both at the sea surface and the wellhead. Their effect on oil biodegradation is unclear, as studies showed both inhibition and enhancement. This study addresses the effect of Corexit on oil biodegradation by alkane and/or aromatic degrading bacterial culture in artificial seawater at different dispersant to oil ratios (DORs). Our results show that dispersant addition did not enhance oil biodegradation. At DOR 1:20, biodegradation was inhibited, especially when only the alkane degrading culture was present. With a combination of cultures, this inhibition was overcome after 10days. This indicates that initial inhibition of oil biodegradation can be overcome when different bacteria are present in the environment. We conclude that the observed inhibition is related to the enhanced dissolution of aromatic compounds into the water, inhibiting the alkane degrading bacteria. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Advantage of incorporating geothermal energy into power-station cycles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    White, A. A. L.

    1980-06-01

    The generation of electricity from low-temperature geothermal sources has been hampered by the low conversion efficiencies of Rankine cycle operating below 150 C. It is shown how the electrical output derived from a geothermal borehole may be substantially improved on that expected from these cycles by incorporating the geothermal heat into a conventional steam-cycle power station to provide feedwater heating. This technique can yield thermal conversion efficiencies of 11% which, for a well-head temperature of 100 C, is 50% greater than the output expected from a Rankine cycle. Coupled with the smaller capital costs involved, feedwater heating is thus a more attractive technique of converting heat into electricity. Although power stations above suitable geothermal resources would ideally have the geothermal heat incorporated from the design stage, experiments at Marchwood Power Station have shown that small existing sets can be modified to accept geothermal feedwater heating.

  18. Preliminary considerations for extraction of thermal effect from magma

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hickox, C. E.; Dunn, J. C.

    Simplified mathematical models are developed to describe the extraction of thermal energy from magma based on the concept of a counter-flow heat exchanger inserted into the magma body. Analytical solutions are used to investigate influence of the basic variables on electric power production. Calculations confirm that the proper heat exchanger flow path is down the annulus with hot fluid returning to the surface through the central core. The core must be insulated from the annulus to achieve acceptable wellhead temperatures, but this insulation thickness can be quite small. The insulation is effective in maintaining the colder annular flow below expected formation temperatures so that a net beat gain from the formation above a magma body is predicted. The analynes show that optimum flow rates exist that maximize electric power production. These optimum flow rates are functions of the heat transfer coefficients that describe magma energy extraction.

  19. Assessment of radioisotope heaters for remote terrestrial applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Uherka, Kenneth L.

    This paper examines the feasibility of using radioisotope byproducts for special heating applications at remote sites in Alaska and other cold regions. The investigation included assessment of candidate radioisotope materials for heater applications, identification of the most promising cold-region applications, evaluation of key technical issues and implementation constraints, and development of conceptual heater designs for candidate applications. Strontium-90 (Sr-90) was selected as the most viable fuel for radioisotopic heaters used in terrestrial applications. Opportunities for the application of radioisotopic heaters were determined through site visits to representative Alaskan installations. Candidate heater applications included water storage tanks, sludge digesters, sewage lagoons, water piping systems, well-head pumping stations, emergency shelters, and fuel storage tank deicers. Radio-isotopic heaters for freeze-up protection of water storage tanks and for enhancement of biological waste treatment processes at remote sites were selected as the most promising applications.

  20. Helical screw expander evaluation project

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mckay, R.

    1982-01-01

    A one MW helical rotary screw expander power system for electric power generation from geothermal brine was evaluated. The technology explored in the testing is simple, potentially very efficient, and ideally suited to wellhead installations in moderate to high enthalpy, liquid dominated field. A functional one MW geothermal electric power plant that featured a helical screw expander was produced and then tested with a demonstrated average performance of approximately 45% machine efficiency over a wide range of test conditions in noncondensing, operation on two-phase geothermal fluids. The Project also produced a computer equipped data system, an instrumentation and control van, and a 1000 kW variable load bank, all integrated into a test array designed for operation at a variety of remote test sites. Data are presented for the Utah testing and for the noncondensing phases of the testing in Mexico. Test time logged was 437 hours during the Utah tests and 1101 hours during the Mexico tests.

  1. A GIS policy approach for assessing the effect of fertilizers on the quality of drinking and irrigation water and wellhead protection zones (Crete, Greece).

    PubMed

    Kourgialas, Nektarios N; Karatzas, George P; Koubouris, Georgios C

    2017-03-15

    Fertilizers have undoubtedly contributed to the significant increase in yields worldwide and therefore to the considerable improvement of quality of life of man and animals. Today, attention is focussed on the risks imposed by agricultural fertilizers. These effects include the dissolution and transport of excess quantities of fertilizer major- and trace-elements to the groundwater that deteriorate the quality of drinking and irrigation water. In this study, a map for the Fertilizer Water Pollution Index (FWPI) was generated for assessing the impact of agricultural fertilizers on drinking and irrigation water quality. The proposed methodology was applied to one of the most intensively cultivated with tree crops area in Crete (Greece) where potential pollutant loads are derived exclusively from agricultural activities and groundwater is the main water source. In this region of 215 km 2 , groundwater sampling data from 235 wells were collected over a 15-year time period and analyzed for the presence of anionic (ΝΟ -3 , PO -3 4 ) and cationic (K +1 , Fe +2 , Mn +2 , Zn +2 , Cu +2 , B +3 ) fertilizer trace elements. These chemicals are the components of the primary fertilizers used in local tree crop production. Eight factors/maps were considered in order to estimate the spatial distribution of groundwater contamination for each fertilizer element. The eight factors combined were used to generate the Fertilizer Water Pollution Index (FWPI) map indicating the areas with drinking/irrigation water pollution due to the high groundwater contamination caused by excessive fertilizer use. Moreover, by taking into consideration the groundwater flow direction and seepage velocity, the pathway through which groundwater supply become polluted can be predicted. The groundwater quality results show that a small part of the study area, about 8 km 2 (3.72%), is polluted or moderately polluted by the excessive use of fertilizers. Considering that in this area drinking water sources (wells) are located, this study highlights an analytic method for delineation wellhead protection zones. All these approaches were incorporated in a useful GIS decision support system that aids decision makers in the difficult task of protection groundwater resources. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Biodegradation of dispersed Macondo oil in seawater at low temperature and different oil droplet sizes.

    PubMed

    Brakstad, Odd G; Nordtug, Trond; Throne-Holst, Mimmi

    2015-04-15

    During the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) accident in 2010 a dispersant (Corexit 9500) was applied at the wellhead to disperse the Macondo oil and reduce the formation of surface slicks. A subsurface plume of small oil droplets was generated near the leaking well at 900-1300 m depth. A novel laboratory system was established to investigate biodegradation of small droplet oil dispersions (10 μm or 30 μm droplet sizes) of the Macondo oil premixed with Corexit 9500, using coastal Norwegian seawater at a temperature similar to the DWH plume (4-5°C). Biotransformation of volatile and semivolatile hydrocarbons and oil compound groups was generally faster in the 10 μm than in the 30 μm dispersions, showing the importance of oil droplet size for biodegradation. These data therefore indicated that dispersant treatment to reduce the oil droplet size may increase the biodegradation rates of oil compounds in the deepwater oil droplets. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Use of abstraction regime and knowledge of hydrogeological conditions to control high-fluoride concentration in abstracted groundwater: San Luis Potosí basin, Mexico

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Carrillo-Rivera, J. J.; Cardona, A.; Edmunds, W. M.

    2002-04-01

    Significant amounts of fluoride are found in the abstracted groundwater of San Luis Potosí. This groundwater withdrawal induces a cold, low-fluoride flow as well as deeper thermal fluoride-rich flow in various proportions. Flow mixing takes place depending on the abstraction regime, local hydrogeology, and borehole construction design and operation. Fluoride concentrations (≈3.7 mg l -1) could become higher still, in time and space, if the input of regional fluoride-rich water to the abstraction boreholes is enhanced. It is suggested that by controlling the abstraction well-head water temperature at 28-30 °C, a pumped water mixture with a fluoride content close to the maximum drinking water standard of 1.5 mg l -1 will be produced. Further, new boreholes and those already operating could take advantage of fluoride solubility controls to reduce the F concentration in the abstracted water by considering lithology and borehole construction design in order to regulate groundwater flow conditions.

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

    Not Available

    Kongsberg Engineering a.s. has developed an oil loading system for the Central North Sea, in 492-ft waters, which is not permanent, is safer, economical and withstands the environmental forces in the area. The ''Subload'' system is based on loading directly from a seafloor terminal to two 78,000 dwt dynamically positioned shuttle tankers. Upon arrival at the field, a shuttle tanker fitted with an SPM loading yoke and a riser reel deploys a 16-in. flexible riser attached to a lower riser package fitted with thrusters. Controlled by signals from a special high-accuracy underwater maneuver the lower riser end into docking positionmore » with the seafloor terminal. The terminal is located at the end of a two-km, 28-in. pipe line from the production platform. Presentation of the system, the company said that the diverless hookup procedure between the intrument-controlled riser connection and the subsea wellhead requires 45 minutes. The shuttle tanker loading could be completed twice a day in seven and a half hours per operation.« less

  5. Appraisal of transport and deformation in shale reservoirs using natural noble gas tracers

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

    Heath, Jason E.; Kuhlman, Kristopher L.; Robinson, David G.

    2015-09-01

    This report presents efforts to develop the use of in situ naturally-occurring noble gas tracers to evaluate transport mechanisms and deformation in shale hydrocarbon reservoirs. Noble gases are promising as shale reservoir diagnostic tools due to their sensitivity of transport to: shale pore structure; phase partitioning between groundwater, liquid, and gaseous hydrocarbons; and deformation from hydraulic fracturing. Approximately 1.5-year time-series of wellhead fluid samples were collected from two hydraulically-fractured wells. The noble gas compositions and isotopes suggest a strong signature of atmospheric contribution to the noble gases that mix with deep, old reservoir fluids. Complex mixing and transport of fracturingmore » fluid and reservoir fluids occurs during production. Real-time laboratory measurements were performed on triaxially-deforming shale samples to link deformation behavior, transport, and gas tracer signatures. Finally, we present improved methods for production forecasts that borrow statistical strength from production data of nearby wells to reduce uncertainty in the forecasts.« less

  6. Stable and radiocarbon isotopic composition of dissolved organic matter in the Gulf of Mexico

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Walker, B. D.; Druffel, E. R. M.; Kolasinski, J.; Roberts, B. J.; Xu, X.; Rosenheim, B. E.

    2017-08-01

    Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) is of primary importance to marine ecosystems and the global carbon cycle. Stable carbon (δ13C) and radiocarbon (Δ14C) isotopic measurements are powerful tools for evaluating DOC sources and cycling. However, the isotopic signature of DOC in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) remains almost completely unknown. Here we present the first DOC Δ14C and δ13C depth profiles from the GOM. Our results suggest the Mississippi River exports large amounts of DOC with an anthropogenic "bomb" Δ14C signature. Riverine DOC is removed and recycled offshore, and some marine production of DOC is observed in the river plume. Offshore profiles show that DOC has higher Δ14C than its Caribbean feed waters, indicative of a modern deep DOC source in the GOM basin. Finally, high DOC with negative δ13C and Δ14C values were observed near the Macondo Wellhead, suggesting a transformation of Deepwater Horizon hydrocarbons into a persistent population of DOC.

  7. Approximate solutions for radial travel time and capture zone in unconfined aquifers.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Yangxiao; Haitjema, Henk

    2012-01-01

    Radial time-of-travel (TOT) capture zones have been evaluated for unconfined aquifers with and without recharge. The solutions of travel time for unconfined aquifers are rather complex and have been replaced with much simpler approximate solutions without significant loss of accuracy in most practical cases. The current "volumetric method" for calculating the radius of a TOT capture zone assumes no recharge and a constant aquifer thickness. It was found that for unconfined aquifers without recharge, the volumetric method leads to a smaller and less protective wellhead protection zone when ignoring drawdowns. However, if the saturated thickness near the well is used in the volumetric method a larger more protective TOT capture zone is obtained. The same is true when the volumetric method is used in the presence of recharge. However, for that case it leads to unreasonableness over the prediction of a TOT capture zone of 5 years or more. © 2011, The Author(s). Ground Water © 2011, National Ground Water Association.

  8. Comparative risk assessment of spill response options for a deepwater oil well blowout: Part III. Stakeholder engagement.

    PubMed

    Walker, Ann Hayward; Scholz, Debra; McPeek, Melinda; French-McCay, Deborah; Rowe, Jill; Bock, Michael; Robinson, Hilary; Wenning, Richard

    2018-05-25

    This paper describes oil spill stakeholder engagement in a recent comparative risk assessment (CRA) project that examined the tradeoffs associated with a hypothetical offshore well blowout in the Gulf of Mexico, with a specific focus on subsea dispersant injection (SSDI) at the wellhead. SSDI is a new technology deployed during the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill response. Oil spill stakeholders include decision makers, who will consider whether to integrate SSDI into future tradeoff decisions. This CRA considered the tradeoffs associated with three sets of response strategies: (1) no intervention; (2) mechanical recovery, in-situ burning, and surface dispersants; and, (3) SSDI in addition to responses in (2). For context, the paper begins with a historical review of U.S. policy and engagement with oil spill stakeholders regarding dispersants. Stakeholder activities throughout the project involved decision-maker representatives and their advisors to inform the approach and consider CRA utility in future oil spill preparedness. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Pore pressure migration during hydraulic stimulation due to permeability enhancement by low-pressure subcritical fracture slip

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mukuhira, Yusuke; Moriya, Hirokazu; Ito, Takatoshi; Asanuma, Hiroshi; Häring, Markus

    2017-04-01

    Understanding the details of pressure migration during hydraulic stimulation is important for the design of an energy extraction system and reservoir management, as well as for the mitigation of hazardous-induced seismicity. Based on microseismic and regional stress information, we estimated the pore pressure increase required to generate shear slip on an existing fracture during stimulation. Spatiotemporal analysis of pore pressure migration revealed that lower pore pressure migrates farther and faster and that higher pore pressure migrates more slowly. These phenomena can be explained by the relationship between fracture permeability and stress state criticality. Subcritical fractures experience shear slip following smaller increases of pore pressure and promote migration of pore pressure because of their enhanced permeability. The difference in migration rates between lower and higher pore pressures suggests that the optimum wellhead pressure is the one that can stimulate relatively permeable fractures, selectively. Its selection optimizes economic benefits and minimizes seismic risk.

  10. Preliminary assessment of the velocity pump reaction turbine as a geothermal total-flow expander

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Demuth, O. J.

    1984-06-01

    The velocity pump reaction turbine (VPRT) was evaluated as a total flow expander in a geothermal-electric conversion cycle. Values of geofluid effectiveness of VPRT systems were estimated for conditions consisting of: a 360(F) geothermal resource, 60 F wet-bulb ambient temperature, zero and 0.003 mass concentrations of dissolved noncondensible gas in the geofluid, 100 and 120 F condensing temperatures, and engine efficiencies ranging from 0.4 to 1.0. Achievable engine efficiencies were estimated to range from 0.77, with plant geofluid effectiveness values ranging as high as 9.5 watt hr-lbm geofluid for the 360 F resource temperature. This value is competitive with magnitudes of geofluid effectiveness projected for advanced binary plants, and is on the order of 40% higher than estimates for dual-flash steam and other total flow systems reviewed. Because of its potentially high performance and relative simplicity, the VPRT system appears to warrant further investigation toward its use in a well-head geothermal plant.

  11. Lateral instability of high temperature pipelines, the 20-in. Sleipner Vest pipeline

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

    Saevik, S.; Levold, E.; Johnsen, O.K.

    1996-12-01

    The present paper addresses methods to control snaking behavior of high temperature pipelines resting on a flat sea bed. A case study is presented based on the detail engineering of the 12.5 km long 20 inch gas pipeline connecting the Sleipner Vest wellhead platform to the Sleipner T processing platform in the North Sea. The study includes screening and evaluation of alternative expansion control methods, ending up with a recommended method. The methodology and philosophy, used as basis to ensure sufficient structural strength throughout the lifetime of the pipeline, are thereafter presented. The results show that in order to findmore » the optimum technical solution to control snaking behavior, many aspects need to be considered such as process requirements, allowable strain, hydrodynamic stability, vertical profile, pipelay installation and trawlboard loading. It is concluded that by proper consideration of all the above aspects, the high temperature pipeline can be designed to obtain sufficient safety level.« less

  12. NORM Management in the Oil & Gas Industry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cowie, Michael; Mously, Khalid; Fageeha, Osama; Nassar, Rafat

    2008-08-01

    It has been established that Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) accumulates at various locations along the oil/gas production process. Components such as wellheads, separation vessels, pumps, and other processing equipment can become NORM contaminated, and NORM can accumulate in sludge and other waste media. Improper handling and disposal of NORM contaminated equipment and waste can create a potential radiation hazard to workers and the environment. Saudi Aramco Environmental Protection Department initiated a program to identify the extent, form and level of NORM contamination associated with the company operations. Once identified the challenge of managing operations which had a NORM hazard was addressed in a manner that gave due consideration to workers and environmental protection as well as operations' efficiency and productivity. The benefits of shared knowledge, practice and experience across the oil & gas industry are seen as key to the establishment of common guidance on NORM management. This paper outlines Saudi Aramco's experience in the development of a NORM management strategy and its goals of establishing common guidance throughout the oil and gas industry.

  13. Analysis of the Thermal and Hydraulic Stimulation Program at Raft River, Idaho

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bradford, Jacob; McLennan, John; Moore, Joseph; Podgorney, Robert; Plummer, Mitchell; Nash, Greg

    2017-05-01

    The Raft River geothermal field, located in southern Idaho, roughly 100 miles northwest of Salt Lake City, is the site of a Department of Energy Enhanced Geothermal System project designed to develop new techniques for enhancing the permeability of geothermal wells. RRG-9 ST1, the target stimulation well, was drilled to a measured depth of 5962 ft. and cased to 5551 ft. The open-hole section of the well penetrates Precambrian quartzite and quartz monzonite. The well encountered a temperature of 282 °F at its base. Thermal and hydraulic stimulation was initiated in June 2013. Several injection strategies have been employed. These strategies have included the continuous injection of water at temperatures ranging from 53 to 115 °F at wellhead pressures of approximately 275 psi and three short-term hydraulic stimulations at pressures up to approximately 1150 psi. Flow rates, wellhead and line pressures and fluid temperatures are measured continuously. These data are being utilized to assess the effectiveness of the stimulation program. As of August 2014, nearly 90 million gallons have been injected. A modified Hall plot has been used to characterize the relationships between the bottom-hole flowing pressure and the cumulative injection fluid volume. The data indicate that the skin factor is decreased, and/or the permeability around the wellbore has increased since the stimulation program was initiated. The injectivity index also indicates a positive improvement with values ranging from 0.15 gal/min psi in July 2013 to 1.73 gal/min psi in February 2015. Absolute flow rates have increased from approximately 20 to 475 gpm by February 2 2015. Geologic, downhole temperature and seismic data suggest the injected fluid enters a fracture zone at 5650 ft and then travels upward to a permeable horizon at the contact between the Precambrian rocks and the overlying Tertiary sedimentary and volcanic deposits. The reservoir simulation program FALCON developed at the Idaho National Laboratory is being used to simulate and visualize the effects of the injection. The simulation model uses a discrete fracture network generated for RRG-9 using acoustic borehole imaging and analysis of microseismic activity. By adjusting the permeability of the fractures, a pressure history match for the first part of the stimulation program was obtained. The results of this model indicate that hydraulic fracturing is the dominant mechanism for permeability improvement for this part of the stimulation program.

  14. Application of borehole geophysics in defining the wellhead protection area for a fractured crystalline bedrock aquifer

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Vernon, J.H.; Paillet, F.L.; Pedler, W.H.; Griswold, W.J.

    1993-01-01

    Wellbore geophysical techniques were used to characterize fractures and flow in a bedrock aquifer at a site near Blackwater Brook in Dover, New Hampshire. The primary focus ofthis study was the development of a model to assist in evaluating the area surrounding a planned water supply well where contaminants introduced at the land surface might be induced to flow towards a pumping well. Well logs and geophysical surveys used in this study included lithologic logs based on examination of cuttings obtained during drilling; conventional caliper and natural gamma logs; video camera and acoustic televiewer surveys; highresolution vertical flow measurements under ambient conditions and during pumping; and borehole fluid conductivity logs obtained after the borehole fluid was replaced with deionized water. These surveys were used for several applications: 1) to define a conceptual model of aquifer structure to be used in groundwater exploration; 2) to estimate optimum locations for test and observation wells; and 3) to delineate a wellhead protection area (WHPA) for a planned water supply well. Integration of borehole data with surface geophysical and geological mapping data indicated that the study site lies along a northeast-trending intensely fractured contact zone between surface exposures of quartz monzonite and metasedimentary rocks. Four of five bedrock boreholes at the site were estimated to produce more than 150 gallons per minute (gpm) (568 L/min) of water during drilling. Aquifer testing and other investigations indicated that water flowed to the test well along fractures parallel to the northeast-trending contact zone and along other northeast and north-northwest-trending fractures. Statistical plots of fracture strikes showed frequency maxima in the same northeast and north-northwest directions, although additional maxima occurred in other directions. Flowmeter surveys and borehole fluid conductivity logging after fluid replacement were used to identify water-producing zones in the boreholes; fractures associated with inflow into boreholes showed a dominant northeast orientation. Borehole fluid conductivity logging after fluid replacement also gave profiles of such water-quality parameters as fluid electrical conductivity (FEC), pH, temperature, and oxidation-reduction potential, strengthening the interpretation of crossconnection of boreholes by certain fracture zones. The results of this study showed that the application of these borehole geophysical techniques at the Blackwater Brook site led to an improved understanding of such parameters as fracture location, attitude, flow direction and velocity, and water quality; all of which are important in the determination of a WHPA.

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

    Lucia M. Petkovic; Daniel M. Ginosar

    Since the year 2000, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has granted a dozen patents for inventions related to methane dehydroaromatization processes. One of them was granted to UOP LLC (Des Plaines). It relates to a catalyst composition and preparation method. Two patents were granted to Conoco Phillips Company (Houston, TX). One was aimed at securing a process and operating conditions for methane aromatization. The other was aimed at securing a process that may be integrated with separation of wellhead fluids and blending of the aromatics produced from the gas with the crude. Nine patents were granted tomore » ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc. (Houston, TX). Most of these were aimed at securing a dehydroaromatization process where methane-containing feedstock moves counter currently to a particulate catalyst. The coked catalyst is heated or regenerated either in the reactor, by cyclic operation, or in annex equipment, and returned to the reactor. The reactor effluent stream may be separated in its main components and used or recycled as needed. A brief summary of those inventions is presented in this review.« less

  16. Regulation, competition in natural gas industry

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

    O`Neill, R.P.; Whitmore, C.S.

    1995-08-01

    Conventional regulatory and rate-making tools are not adequate to deal with today`s natural-gas market, according to Richard P. O`Neill and Charles S. Whitmore of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in Washington, D.C. {open_quotes}Competitive market forces can substitute for many activities that traditionally have been regulated,{close_quotes} say O`Neill and Whitmore. {open_quotes}However, market-based solutions are only effective if traditional regulations is replaced by institutions that foster competition.{close_quotes} The transition to the era of open access to the transmission network, and thus to wellhead competition, started in the mid-1980s. More recently, change has also occurred in the industry`s communication and control activities. Pipelinesmore » now make more use of electronic communication and control, which will spread into pricing and capacity-release markets. Current trends and new policies for greater gas use make forecasting as difficult now as it has been for the past 20 years. O`Neill and Whitmore conclude that development of efficient institutions, therefore, should be the most important task of regulatory bodies.« less

  17. Geochemical study of groundwater at Sandia National Laboratories/New Mexico and Kirtland Air Force Base

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

    NONE

    The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Grand Junction Projects Office (GJPO) and its contractor, Rust Geotech, support the Kirtland Area Office by assisting Sandia National Laboratories/New Mexico (Sandia/NM) with remedial action, remedial design, and technical support of its Environmental Restoration Program. To aid in determining groundwater origins and flow paths, the GJPO was tasked to provide interpretation of groundwater geochemical data. The purpose of this investigation was to describe and analyze the groundwater geochemistry of the Sandia/NM Kirtland Air Force Base (KAFB). Interpretations of groundwater origins are made by using these data and the results of {open_quotes}mass balance{close_quotes} and {open_quotes}reactionmore » path{close_quote} modeling. Additional maps and plots were compiled to more fully comprehend the geochemical distributions. A more complete set of these data representations are provided in the appendices. Previous interpretations of groundwater-flow paths that were based on well-head, geologic, and geochemical data are presented in various reports and were used as the basis for developing the models presented in this investigation.« less

  18. Deep geothermal resources in the Yangbajing Field, Tibet

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

    Zhao Ping; Jin Jian; Duo Ji

    1997-12-31

    Since the first well was bored in July 1997 in the Yangbajing geothermal field, more than 80 wells have been drilled. The total of installed capacity is 25.18MWe for geothermal power plant that has generated about 1.0 x 10{sup 9} kWh electricity in all. Temperatures inside shallow reservoir are in the range from 150{degrees}C to 165{degrees}C. No high-temperature field if found below the shallow reservoir in the southern part. In order to enlarge the installed capacity and solve pressure decline in current productive wells, an exploration project of deep geothermal resources has been carried out in the northern part. Themore » highest temperature of 329{degrees}C was detected in well ZK4002 at 1850m depth in 1994. Well ZK4001 drilled in 1996 flows out high-enthalpy thermal fluid at the wellhead, in which the average temperature is 248{degrees}C in the feeding zones. There is a great potential for power generation in the northern part. The exploitation of deep geothermal resources would effect the production of existing wells.« less

  19. District heating systems in Oradea, Romania

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

    Lund, J.W.

    1997-08-01

    Oradea is located on the Crisul Repede River, in the northwestern corner of Romania almost due west of Budapest, Hungary. The city has a population around half a million people and can trace its origins back to the Neolithic Age. It was an urban settlement beginning in the 13th century and has been an economic and cultural center for the region. It is a geothermal city with 12 wells drilled within the city limits, six in the nearby Felix Spa and five in the Bors geothermal area to the west, with one doublet set at Nufarul. Currently, there are amore » variety of geothermal uses in the area, including space and greenhouse heating, domestic hot water supply, process heat, balneology and swimming pools. Wellhead temperatures range from 70 to 105{degrees}C with artesian flows of from 5 to 25 L/s. The present installed capacity is 25 MWt and the heat supply is estimated at 60,000 MWh per year (216,000 GJ/yr). With pumping, the production would double and adding four more doublets, the installed capacity be increased to 65 MWt.« less

  20. Kill operation requires thorough analysis

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

    Abel, L.W.

    1995-05-15

    Full control of a blowout well requires a properly designed post-capping kill operation because failures in regaining well control usually occur during the kill operation, not during capping. Capping (the installation of pressure control or diverter equipment on the wellhead) is generally very reliable in gaining control of a blowout well. The following techniques are some of the viable means of killing blowout wells once the capping assemblies are in place: direct shut in of the flow; bullheading; momentum kill; volumetric control for migration of fluids or lubrication after migration ceases; and dynamic kills (friction-based dynamic kills or mass flowmore » rate kills) The objective of most post-capping operations is to stop the flow and put the well under hydrostatic control. The means of killing a blowout once capping assemblies are in place should be chosen with care to avoid problems such as cratering, equipment failure, and underground blowouts. The particular circumstances and well integrity will dictate which kill method will be the most viable. Each of these five methods are explained.« less

  1. NORM management in the oil and gas industry.

    PubMed

    Cowie, M; Mously, K; Fageeha, O; Nassar, R

    2012-01-01

    It has been established that naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) may accumulate at various locations along the oil and gas production process. Components such as wellheads, separation vessels, pumps, and other processing equipment can become contaminated with NORM, and NORM can accumulate in the form of sludge, scale, scrapings, and other waste media. This can create a potential radiation hazard to workers, the general public, and the environment if certain controls are not established. Saudi Aramco has developed NORM management guidelines, and is implementing a comprehensive strategy to address all aspects of NORM management that aim to enhance NORM monitoring; control of NORM-contaminated equipment; control of NORM waste handling and disposal; and protection, awareness, and training of workers. The benefits of shared knowledge, best practice, and experience across the oil and gas industry are seen as key to the establishment of common guidance. This paper outlines Saudi Aramco's experience in the development of a NORM management strategy, and its goals of establishing common guidance throughout the oil and gas industry. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  2. An automatic, stagnation point based algorithm for the delineation of Wellhead Protection Areas

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tosco, Tiziana; Sethi, Rajandrea; di Molfetta, Antonio

    2008-07-01

    Time-related capture areas are usually delineated using the backward particle tracking method, releasing circles of equally spaced particles around each well. In this way, an accurate delineation often requires both a very high number of particles and a manual capture zone encirclement. The aim of this work was to propose an Automatic Protection Area (APA) delineation algorithm, which can be coupled with any model of flow and particle tracking. The computational time is here reduced, thanks to the use of a limited number of nonequally spaced particles. The particle starting positions are determined coupling forward particle tracking from the stagnation point, and backward particle tracking from the pumping well. The pathlines are postprocessed for a completely automatic delineation of closed perimeters of time-related capture zones. The APA algorithm was tested for a two-dimensional geometry, in homogeneous and nonhomogeneous aquifers, steady state flow conditions, single and multiple wells. Results show that the APA algorithm is robust and able to automatically and accurately reconstruct protection areas with a very small number of particles, also in complex scenarios.

  3. Water Resources and Natural Gas Production from the Marcellus Shale

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Soeder, Daniel J.; Kappel, William M.

    2009-01-01

    The Marcellus Shale is a sedimentary rock formation deposited over 350 million years ago in a shallow inland sea located in the eastern United States where the present-day Appalachian Mountains now stand (de Witt and others, 1993). This shale contains significant quantities of natural gas. New developments in drilling technology, along with higher wellhead prices, have made the Marcellus Shale an important natural gas resource. The Marcellus Shale extends from southern New York across Pennsylvania, and into western Maryland, West Virginia, and eastern Ohio (fig. 1). The production of commercial quantities of gas from this shale requires large volumes of water to drill and hydraulically fracture the rock. This water must be recovered from the well and disposed of before the gas can flow. Concerns about the availability of water supplies needed for gas production, and questions about wastewater disposal have been raised by water-resource agencies and citizens throughout the Marcellus Shale gas development region. This Fact Sheet explains the basics of Marcellus Shale gas production, with the intent of helping the reader better understand the framework of the water-resource questions and concerns.

  4. Investigation the Effect of the Dispersant Corexit 9500A on the Movement of an Oil-In-Water Emulsion Through an Alabama Beach Sand

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Steffy, D. A.; Nichols, A.

    2016-02-01

    A majority of Alabama's 60 miles of beaches were exposed to the crude oil released from the massive 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. To help remediate the spill BP sprayed the dispersant, COREXIT 9500A, over the floating oil in the Gulf and at the subsurface damaged Macondo wellhead. This dispersant could have inadvertently promoted an oil-in-water emulsion to infiltrate deeper into the exposed beaches which are composed of Holocene age, fine-to-medium quartz sand. A series of short-column tests of packed sand in glass columns simulated the arrival of an oil-in-water emulsion at a beach. An emulsion formed by weathered oil penetrated deeper into the sand as compared to oil that has experience little weathering. The penetrations of these emulsions were enhanced when a 2% COREXIT 9500A in saltwater solution was allowed to flush through the sand column. Unfortunately, by adding a dispersant it probably promoted some oil-in-water components to be distributed deeper into coastal sand of Alabama.

  5. A new syringe pump apparatus for the retrieval and temporal analysis of helium in groundwaters and geothermal fluids

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Barry, P.H.; Hilton, David R.; Tryon, M.D.; Brown, K.M.; Kulongoski, J.T.

    2009-01-01

    [1] We present details of a newly designed syringe pump apparatus for the retrieval and temporal analysis of helium (SPARTAH). The device is composed of a commercially available syringe pump connected to coils of Cu tubing, which interface the syringe and the groundwater or geothermal wellhead. Through test deployments at geothermal wells in Iceland and California, we show that well fluids are drawn smoothly, accurately, and continuously into the Cu tubing and can be time-stamped through user-determined operating parameters. In the laboratory, the tubing is sectioned to reveal helium (He) characteristics of the fluids at times and for durations of interest. The device is capable of prolonged deployments, up to 6 months or more, with minimal maintenance. It can be used to produce detailed time series records of He, or any other geochemical parameter, in groundwaters and geothermal fluids. SPARTAH has application in monitoring projects assessing the relationship between external transient events (e.g., earthquakes) and geochemical signals in aqueous fluids. ?? 2009 by the American Geophysical Union.

  6. A Mass-balance nitrate model for predicting the effects of land use on ground-water quality in municipal wellhead-protection areas

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Frimpter, M.H.; Donohue, J.J.; Rapacz, M.V.; Beye, H.G.

    1990-01-01

    A mass-balance accounting model can be used to guide the management of septic systems and fertilizers to control the degradation of groundwater quality in zones of an aquifer that contributes water to public supply wells. The nitrate nitrogen concentration of the mixture in the well can be predicted for steady-state conditions by calculating the concentration that results from the total weight of nitrogen and total volume of water entering the zone of contribution to the well. These calculations will allow water-quality managers to predict the nitrate concentrations that would be produced by different types and levels of development, and to plan development accordingly. Computations for different development schemes provide a technical basis for planners and managers to compare water quality effects and to select alternatives that limit nitrate concentration in wells. Appendix A contains tables of nitrate loads and water volumes from common sources for use with the accounting model. Appendix B describes the preparation of a spreadsheet for the nitrate loading calculations with a software package generally available for desktop computers. (USGS)

  7. The Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative: Managing a Multidisciplinary Data Explosion

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Howard, M. K.; Gibeaut, J. C.; Reed, D.

    2011-12-01

    On April 20, 2010 the Deepwater Horizon drilling unit located in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico, experienced a catastrophic wellhead blowout. Roughly 5 billion barrels of oil and 1 million U.S. gallons of dispersant were released near the wellhead over the next three months. Within weeks of the blowout, BP announced the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GRI) and pledged 50M/yr over 10 years for independent scientific research on the spill's impact on the ecosystem. Two months after the blowout three institutions were awarded a total of 25M in fast-track grants (Louisiana State University, Northern Gulf Institute, and Florida Institute of Oceanography). Soon after the Alabama Marine Environmental Sciences Consortium and the National Institutes of Health were awarded 5M and 10M, respectively. These five institutions began to generate data almost immediately. First year grants funded 100's of researchers from nearly 100 research units. Their activities included numerical modeling, field data collection, and laboratory experiments. Measured parameters included those associated with chemical analyses of oil, gas, and dispersants, studies of bacteria, plants and animals -from phytoplankton to marsh grasses, from zooplankton to cetaceans. Studies were conducted from estuaries to the deep Gulf, from atmosphere to sediments. Parameters from physical oceanography, marine meteorology, and biogeochemistry were measured in abundance. Additionally, impact studies on human mental, physical health and businesses were made. Proposals for years 2-4 of the program were to be awarded in August 2011 supporting 4-8 research consortia. Consortia may have up to 20 named researchers. In aggregate, these studies yielded a multidisciplinary data explosion. Following the fast-track awards the GRI Administrative Unit (AU) was established and a data management activity initiated. That activity became the GRI Information and Data Cooperative (GRIIDC). "Cooperative" emphasizes the collaborative relationship GRIIDC needed with the data originators. GRI founders only required that the AU provide a research database and data be shared openly with a minimum of delay and archived at national repositories. GRIIDC has three functions, to manage the data in cooperation with the originators, to facilitate public access to the data through the research database and to support management's need to track the project's progress. GRIIDC needed to rapidly assess the volume of data and specific parameters being collected, to quickly hire information technology and subject matter experts, to establish data policies for reporting, metadata content, submittal form and formats, and to establish and maintain mutually agreeable divisions of labor with the data originators. This presentation will describe the challenges and lessons learned by GRIIDC while building a collaborative end-to-end data management system designed to absorb, organize, share, and curate the massively heterogeneous data set produced by nearly $200M of GRI research.

  8. Monitoring Concept for CO2 Storage at the Pilot Site Ketzin, Germany

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wipki, Mario; Liebscher, Axel; Lüth, Stefan; Ivanova, Alexandra; Möller, Fabian; Schmidt-Hattenberger, Cornelia; Rippe, Dennis; Zimmer, Martin; Szizybalski, Alexandra

    2016-04-01

    Between 2008 and 2013, the German Research Centre for Geosciences - GFZ has injected more than 67 kt of CO2 at the Pilot Site in Ketzin, 25 km west of Berlin. The CO2 was stored in porous sandstones of the Upper Triassic Stuttgart Formation at a depth of 630 to 650 m. In more than a decade, GFZ has developed and tested an extraordinary multi-monitoring concept for onshore CO2 storages which mainly comprises the following methods: Time-lapse 3D seismic surveying is the most commonly used method for imaging and monitoring a CO2-plume in the deep underground before, during and after the injection phase. Such campaigns require high logistical and financial efforts and can be realised only to a limited extent. At Ketzin, for instance, 3D-seismic repeat surveys were acquired using several thousand surface acquisition points and lasting over two or three months. Alternative approaches include permanently buried seismic receivers. Geoelectric measurements in Ketzin are mainly applied by using a permanent downhole electrode installation (Vertical Electrical Resistivity Array = VERA) which has been implemented in three wells behind the well casings. Measurements between 590 m to 735 m are constantly carried out covering the vertical thickness of the entire CO2 storage horizon. Valuable results were achieved by a combination of inhole, crosshole and surface downhole measurements which has been carried out with appropriate acquisition geometries. For focused areas around monitoring wells, geoelectric methods may support and supplement information from seismic surveys. Borehole monitoring of pressure and temperature are generally indispensable for every underground gas storage type. In Ketzin, a remote monitoring system for all wells has been installed that constantly provides the operators with values for date, time, downhole and wellhead pressure, depth, and temperature. Moreover, all wellheads are checked weekly during onsite inspections. Samples for chemical analysis are taken in regular intervals from an observation well. With a total depth of 418 m, the well reaches the natural brine filled sandstones of the Triassic Exter Formation which represents the layer straight upon the caprock of the CO2 reservoir. Fluid samples are being analysed for stable carbon isotopes δ13C, dissolved organic carbon (DIC) and pH. Any significant intrusion of CO2 into this aquifer would cause distinct anomalies and trigger alarm conditions. Another regularly applied monitoring method in Ketzin is the measurement of soil CO2 flux. Natural CO2 flux is generated by the respiration of roots and soil organisms and the decomposition of organic matter. Both processes very much depend on the seasons respectively on the soil temperature. Outliers of the natural background range could indicate a leakage in the reservoir.

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

    Koen, A.D.

    This paper reports that oil and gas companies in the US are curbing costs and redirecting spending to survive the worst decline of petroleum industry activity on record. Persistently weak US natural gas prices and shaky oil prices worldwide have put pressure on domestic companies to become low cost producers. Efforts to cut exploration and development costs have depressed activity in the US, one of the world's most mature oil and gas provinces. International E and D hot spots include the UK North Sea, Yemen, Thailand, Myanmar, Pakistan, and Latin America. Prospects in the Commonwealth of Independent States also continuemore » to generate considerable enthusiasm. Operators struggling to survive or searching for funds to spend on non-US prospects are trying to shuck noncore US assets. Other favored cost cutting strategies include reducing and restructuring debt, operating and administrative staffs, and internal organizations. Major integrated companies are able to add value by refocusing refining, petrochemical, or marketing operations. But independents must adapt operations close to the wellhead to become low cost producers. Whatever tactics are used to mitigate effects of low US activity, no domestic company --- from the largest integrated major to the smallest independent producer --- has proven to be immune from the downturn.« less

  10. Spatial and temporal characteristics of elevated temperatures in municipal solid waste landfills.

    PubMed

    Jafari, Navid H; Stark, Timothy D; Thalhamer, Todd

    2017-01-01

    Elevated temperatures in waste containment facilities can pose health, environmental, and safety risks because they generate toxic gases, pressures, leachate, and heat. In particular, MSW landfills undergo changes in behavior that typically follow a progression of indicators, e.g., elevated temperatures, changes in gas composition, elevated gas pressures, increased leachate migration, slope movement, and unusual and rapid surface settlement. This paper presents two MSW landfill case studies that show the spatial and time-lapse movements of these indicators and identify four zones that illustrate the transition of normal MSW decomposition to the region of elevated temperatures. The spatial zones are gas front, temperature front, and smoldering front. The gas wellhead temperature and the ratio of CH 4 to CO 2 are used to delineate the boundaries between normal MSW decomposition, gas front, and temperature front. The ratio of CH 4 to CO 2 and carbon monoxide concentrations along with settlement strain rates and subsurface temperatures are used to delineate the smoldering front. In addition, downhole temperatures can be used to estimate the rate of movement of elevated temperatures, which is important for isolating and containing the elevated temperature in a timely manner. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Potential effects of deep-well waste disposal in western New York

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Waller, Roger Milton; Turk, John T.; Dingman, Robert James

    1978-01-01

    Mathematical and laboratory models were used to observe, respectively, the hydraulic and chemical reactions that may take place during proposed injection of a highly acidic, iron-rich waste pickle liquor into a deep waste-disposal well in western New York. Field temperature and pressure conditions were simulated in the tests. Hydraulic pressure in the middle stages of the initial (1968) injection test had probably hydraulically fractured the Cambrian sandstone-dolomite formation adjacent to the borehole. Transmissivity of the formation is 13 feet squared per day. The proposed rate of injection (72,000 gallons per day) of waste pickle liquor would approach a wellhead pressure of 600 pounds per square inch in about a year. Hydraulic fracturing would reoccur at about 580 pounds per square inch. The measurable cone of influence would extend about 22 miles after injection for 1 year. Chemical reactions between acidic wastes and brine-saturated dolomite would create precipitates that would drastically reduce the permeability of the unfractured part of the dolomite. Nondolomitic sandstone permeability would not be affected by chemical reactions, but the pores might be plugged by the iron-bearing waste. The digital model can be used for qualitative predictions on a regional scale. (Woodard-USGS)

  12. Purge water management system

    DOEpatents

    Cardoso-Neto, J.E.; Williams, D.W.

    1995-01-01

    A purge water management system is described for effectively eliminating the production of purge water when obtaining a groundwater sample from a monitoring well. In its preferred embodiment, the purge water management system comprises an expandable container, a transportation system, and a return system. The purge water management system is connected to a wellhead sampling configuration, typically permanently installed at the well site. A pump, positioned with the monitoring well, pumps groundwater through the transportation system into the expandable container, which expands in direct proportion with volume of groundwater introduced, usually three or four well volumes, yet prevents the groundwater from coming into contact with the oxygen in the air. After this quantity of groundwater has been removed from the well, a sample is taken from a sampling port, after which the groundwater in the expandable container can be returned to the monitoring well through the return system. The purge water management system prevents the purge water from coming in contact with the outside environment, especially oxygen, which might cause the constituents of the groundwater to oxidize. Therefore, by introducing the purge water back into the monitoring well, the necessity of dealing with the purge water as a hazardous waste under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act is eliminated.

  13. Light rare earth element depletion during Deepwater Horizon blowout methanotrophy.

    PubMed

    Shiller, A M; Chan, E W; Joung, D J; Redmond, M C; Kessler, J D

    2017-09-04

    Rare earth elements have generally not been thought to have a biological role. However, recent work has demonstrated that the light REEs (LREEs: La, Ce, Pr, and Nd) are essential for at least some methanotrophs, being co-factors in the XoxF type of methanol dehydrogenase (MDH). We show here that dissolved LREEs were significantly removed in a submerged plume of methane-rich water during the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) well blowout. Furthermore, incubation experiments conducted with naturally methane-enriched waters from hydrocarbon seeps in the vicinity of the DWH wellhead also showed LREE removal concurrent with methane consumption. Metagenomic sequencing of incubation samples revealed that LREE-containing MDHs were present. Our field and laboratory observations provide further insight into the biochemical pathways of methanotrophy during the DWH blowout. Additionally, our results are the first observations of direct biological alteration of REE distributions in oceanic systems. In view of the ubiquity of LREE-containing MDHs in oceanic systems, our results suggest that biological uptake of LREEs is an overlooked aspect of the oceanic geochemistry of this group of elements previously thought to be biologically inactive and an unresolved factor in the flux of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, from the ocean.

  14. Bull heading to kill live gas wells

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

    Oudeman, P.; Avest, D. ter; Grodal, E.O.

    1994-12-31

    To kill a live closed-in gas well by bull heading down the tubing, the selected pump rate should be high enough to ensure efficient displacement of the gas into the formation (i.e., to avoid the kill fluid bypassing the gas). On the other hand, the pressures that develop during bull heading at high rate must not exceed wellhead pressure rating, tubing or casing burst pressures or the formation breakdown gradient, since this will lead, at best, to a very inefficient kill job. Given these constraints, the optimum kill rate, requited hydraulic horsepower, density and type of kill fluids have tomore » be selected. For this purpose a numerical simulator has been developed, which predicts the sequence of events during bull heading. Pressures and flow rates in the well during the kill job are calculated, taking to account slip between the gas and kill fluid, hydrostatic and friction pressure drop, wellbore gas compression and leak-off to the formation. Comparison with the results of a dedicated field test demonstrates that these parameters can be estimated accurately. Example calculations will be presented to show how the simulator can be used to identify an optimum kill scenario.« less

  15. Rational design of bottom blocks for development of ore deposits systems with caving of ore and enclosing rocks

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Versilov, S. O.; Posylniy, Yu V.; Shurygin, D. N.; Tretyak, A. Ya

    2017-10-01

    The assessment of the geological conditions of development of existing ore deposits was made. For testing ore deposits in difficult mining and geological conditions, the authors proposed the system of development, accompanied by collapse of the mechanical ore with the use of feeders of active action that could be manufactured directly in the mine in accordance with the specific conditions of occurrence of minerals. The paper demonstrates the technology of manufacture of load-bearing structures of the feeder directly in the mine at the scene of the breaking of the first layer of ore, as well as the dynamics of the ore and the choice of parameters of concrete feeders. A new design of the bottom block was proposed, the idea of technical solution of which consists in the fact that it is offered to undergo the production of the smallest possible cross section, which is determined only by the dimensions of the conveyors to deliver ore. And before the explosion of fans of production wells, it is necessary to produce local collapse of the roof production to increase its height at the place of production of ore by blasting wellheads in two or three rows.

  16. Newberry Well 55-29 Stimulation Data

    DOE Data Explorer

    Trenton T. Cladouhos

    2012-12-08

    The Newberry Volcano EGS Demonstration in central Oregon, a 3 year project started in 2010, tests recent technological advances designed to reduce the cost of power generated by EGS in a hot, dry well (NWG 55-29) drilled in 2008. First, the stimulation pumps used were designed to run for weeks and deliver large volumes of water at moderate well-head pressure. Second, to stimulate multiple zones, AltaRock developed thermo-degradable zonal isolation materials (TZIMs) to seal off fractures in a geothermal well to stimulate secondary and tertiary fracture zones. The TZIMs degrade within weeks, resulting in an optimized injection/ production profile of the entire well. Third, the project followed a project-specific Induced Seismicity Mitigation Plan (ISMP) to evaluate, monitor for, and mitigate felt induced seismicity. Stimulation started October 17, 2012 and continued for 7 weeks, with over 41,000 m3 of water injected. Two TZIM treatments successfully shifted the depth of stimulation. Injectivity, DTS, and seismic analysis indicate that fracture permeability in well NWG 55-29 was enhanced by two orders of magnitude. This submission includes all of the files and reports associated with the geophysical exploration, stimulation, and monitoring included in the scope of the project.

  17. Environmental Impact of Natural Gas Hydrate Production

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Max, M. D.; Johnson, A. H.

    2017-12-01

    Unmet conventional energy demand is encouraging a number of deep energy importing nations closer to production of their potentially very large Natural Gas Hydrate (NGH) resources. As methane and other natural gases are potent greenhouse gases, concerns exist about the possible environmental risks associated NGH development. Accidental of natural gas would have environmental consequences. However, the special characteristics of NGH and production models indicate a very low environmental risk from the reservoir to the deepwater wellhead that is much lower than for conventional deepwater gas. NGH is naturally stable in its solid form in the reservoir and shutting in the gas can be achieved by stopping NGH conversion and gas production in the reservoir. Rapid shut down results in re-crystallization of gas and stabilization of the reservoir through NGH reformation. In addition, new options for innovative technologies have the potential to allow safe development of NGH at a fraction of the current estimated cost. Gas produced from NGH is about the same as processed conventional gas, although almost certainly more pure. Leakage of gas during transport is not a production issue. Gas transport leakage is a matter for best practices regulation that is rigorously enforced.

  18. Purge water management system

    DOEpatents

    Cardoso-Neto, Joao E.; Williams, Daniel W.

    1996-01-01

    A purge water management system for effectively eliminating the production of purge water when obtaining a groundwater sample from a monitoring well. In its preferred embodiment, the purge water management system comprises an expandable container, a transportation system, and a return system. The purge water management system is connected to a wellhead sampling configuration, typically permanently installed at the well site. A pump, positioned with the monitoring well, pumps groundwater through the transportation system into the expandable container, which expands in direct proportion with volume of groundwater introduced, usually three or four well volumes, yet prevents the groundwater from coming into contact with the oxygen in the air. After this quantity of groundwater has been removed from the well, a sample is taken from a sampling port, after which the groundwater in the expandable container can be returned to the monitoring well through the return system. The purge water management system prevents the purge water from coming in contact with the outside environment, especially oxygen, which might cause the constituents of the groundwater to oxidize. Therefore, by introducing the purge water back into the monitoring well, the necessity of dealing with the purge water as a hazardous waste under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act is eliminated.

  19. Using borehole flow data to characterize the hydraulics of flow paths in operating wellfields

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Paillet, F.; Lundy, J.

    2004-01-01

    Understanding the flow paths in the vicinity of water well intakes is critical in the design of effective wellhead protection strategies for heterogeneous carbonate aquifers. High-resolution flow logs can be combined with geophysical logs and borehole-wall-image logs (acoustic televiewer) to identify the porous beds, solution openings, and fractures serving as conduits connecting the well bore to the aquifer. Qualitative methods of flow log analysis estimate the relative transmissivity of each water-producing zone, but do not indicate how those zones are connected to the far-field aquifer. Borehole flow modeling techniques can be used to provide quantitative estimates of both transmissivity and far-field hydraulic head in each producing zone. These data can be used to infer how the individual zones are connected with each other, and to the surrounding large-scale aquifer. Such information is useful in land-use planning and the design of well intakes to prevent entrainment of contaminants into water-supply systems. Specific examples of flow log applications in the identification of flow paths in operating wellfields are given for sites in Austin and Faribault, Minnesota. Copyright ASCE 2004.

  20. Hydrogeochemistry and reservoir model of Fuzhou geothermal field, China

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Huang, H. F.; Goff, Fraser

    1986-03-01

    Fuzhou geothermal field is a low- to intermediate-temperature geothermal system consisting of meteoric water that circulates deeply along faults. The area of the field is about 9 km 2 but it is elongated in a NNW-trending direction. Fluids in the field are controlled by a series of four NNW extensional faults in Cretaceous granitic basement (Fuzhou fault zone). These faults feed warm waters into overlying permeable Quaternary sediments. The hydrothermal system consists of north and south parts whose chemical compositions are subtly different. In the northern part the system discharges sulfate/chloride waters with relatively low chloride concentrations, but in the south the system discharges chloride waters having relatively high chloride concentrations. Maximum wellhead temperatures are 97°C, which agrees with the chalcedony geothermometer in many cases. Based on the solubility of quartz, the deep-reservoir temperature cannot exceed 123 to 131°C. From heat and mass balance calculations, we conclude that the present total extracted capacity of fluid from the reservoir (20,000 tons/day) could be doubled without noticeable drawdown. We estimate the recoverable heat in the reservoir to be about 1.71 × 10 11 MJ.

  1. Methods for Finding Legacy Wells in Residential and Commercial Areas

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

    Hammack, Richard W.; Veloski, Garret A.

    In 1919, the enthusiasm surrounding a short-lived gas play in Versailles Borough, Pennsylvania resulted in the drilling of many needless wells. The legacy of this activity exists today in the form of abandoned, unplugged gas wells that are a continuing source of fugitive methane in the midst of a residential and commercial area. Flammable concentrations of methane have been detected near building foundations, which have forced people from their homes and businesses until methane concentrations decreased. Despite mitigation efforts, methane problems persist and have caused some buildings to be permanently abandoned and demolished. This paper describes the use of magneticmore » and methane sensing methods by the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) to locate abandoned gas wells in Versailles Borough where site access is limited and existing infrastructure can interfere. Here, wells are located between closely spaced houses and beneath buildings and parking lots. Wells are seldom visible, often because wellheads and internal casing strings have been removed, and external casing has been cut off below ground level. The magnetic survey of Versailles Borough identified 53 strong, monopole magnetic anomalies that are presumed to indicate the locations of steel-cased wells. This hypothesis was tested by excavating the location of one strong, monopole magnetic anomaly that was within an area of anomalous methane concentrations. The excavation uncovered an unplugged gas well that was within 0.2 m of the location of the maximum magnetic signal. Truck-mounted methane surveys of Versailles Borough detected numerous methane anomalies that were useful for narrowing search areas. Methane sources identified during truck-mounted surveys included strong methane sources such as sewers and methane mitigation vents. However, inconsistent wind direction and speed, especially between buildings, made locating weaker methane sources (such as leaking wells) difficult. Walking surveys with the methane detector mounted on a cart or wagon were more effective for detecting leaking wells because the instrument’s air inlet was near the ground where: 1) the methane concentration from subsurface sources (including wells) was a maximum, and 2) there was less displacement of methane anomalies from methane sources by air currents. The Versailles Borough survey found 15 methane anomalies that coincided with the location of well-type magnetic anomalies; the methane sources for these anomalies were assumed to be leaking wells. For abandoned well locations where the wellhead and all casing strings have been removed and there is no magnetic anomaly, leaking wellbores can sometimes be detected by methane surveys. Unlike magnetic anomalies, methane anomalies can be: 1) ephemeral, 2) significantly displaced from the well location, and 3) from non-well sources that cannot be discriminated without isotopic analysis. If methane surveys are used for well location, the air inlet to the instrument should be kept as close to the ground as possible to minimize the likelihood of detecting methane from distant, wind-blown sources.« less

  2. Comparison of Thermo-Elastic and Poro-Elastic Effects during Shear Stimulation of Desert Peak EGS Well 27-15 Using a Coupled Thermal-Hydrological-Mechanical Simulator

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kelkar, S.; Dempsey, D.; Hickman, S. H.; Davatzes, N. C.; Moos, D.; Zemach, E.

    2013-12-01

    High-temperature rock formations at moderate depths with low permeability are candidates for Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) projects. Hydraulic stimulation can be employed in such systems to create flow paths with low hydraulic impedance while maintaining significant heat transfer area to avoid premature cooling of the formation and the creation of short-circuit flow paths. Here we present results from a coupled thermal-hydrological-mechanical numerical model of a successful EGS stimulation in well 27-15 at the Desert Peak Geothermal Field, Nevada. This stimulation was carried out over two different depth intervals and multiple injection pressures, beginning in September 2010. The subject of this study is the initial shear stimulation phase, which was carried out at depths of 0.9 to 1.1 km over a period of about 100 days. The reservoir temperature at these depths is ~182 to 195° C. This treatment consisted of injection of 20 to 30° C water at wellhead pressures (WHP) of 1.5, 2.2, 3.1 and 3.7 MPa followed by periods of shut-in. To avoid hydraulic fracturing, these pressure steps were intentionally selected to stay below the minimum principal stress measured in the well. The injectivity did not change at WHP steps of 1.5 and 2.2 MPa, but improved significantly during injection at 3.1 MPa, from about 0.1 to 1.5 kg s-1 MPa-1. This improvement was attributed to self-propping shear failure of pre-existing natural fractures. The model incorporates physical processes thought to be important during this low-pressure shear stimulation phase. The relatively long periods of injection of water that was significantly cooler than the ambient formation temperature required incorporating in the model both thermo-mechanical and poroelastic effects, which were coupled to fluid flow via Mohr-Coulomb failure and shear-induced increases in fracture permeability. This model resulted in a good match to the wellhead injection data recorded during the stimulation. This numerical model was also used to separate the thermo-mechanical and poroelastic effects, compare their spatial and temporal evolution and carry out sensitivity analyses. To varying degrees, model results depended on variations in permeability anisotropy, elastic and thermal rock properties, Mohr-Coulomb parameters of static and dynamic friction and cohesion, shear-dilatation parameters, injection pressure and length of the injection zone. The thermoelastic and poroelastic effects are realized over different time scales, and their magnitudes are governed by different material properties; in general, model results show greater sensitivity to variations in the coefficient of thermal expansion than in the Biot poroelastic factor. Both thermal and poroelastic contributions to stressing of fractures significantly impact the onset as well as the magnitude of shear-induced permeability gains realized during this low-pressure stimulation.

  3. Stable large-scale CO2 storage in defiance of an energy system based on renewable energy - Modelling the impact of varying CO2 injection rates on reservoir behavior

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bannach, Andreas; Hauer, Rene; Martin, Streibel; Stienstra, Gerard; Kühn, Michael

    2015-04-01

    The IPCC Report 2014 strengthens the need for CO2 storage as part of CCS or BECCS to reach ambitious climate goals despite growing energy demand in the future. The further expansion of renewable energy sources is a second major pillar. As it is today in Germany the weather becomes the controlling factor for electricity production by fossil fuelled power plants which lead to significant fluctuations of CO2-emissions which can be traced in injection rates if the CO2 were captured and stored. To analyse the impact of such changing injection rates on a CO2 storage reservoir. two reservoir simulation models are applied: a. An (smaller) reservoir model approved by gas storage activities for decades, to investigate the dynamic effects in the early stage of storage filling (initial aquifer displacement). b. An anticline structure big enough to accommodate a total amount of ≥ 100 Mega tons CO2 to investigate the dynamic effects for the entire operational life time of the storage under particular consideration of very high filling levels (highest aquifer compression). Therefore a reservoir model was generated. The defined yearly injection rate schedule is based on a study performed on behalf of IZ Klima (DNV GL, 2014). According to this study the exclusive consideration of a pool of coal-fired power plants causes the most intensive dynamically changing CO2 emissions and hence accounts for variations of a system which includes industry driven CO2 production. Besides short-term changes (daily & weekly cycles) seasonal influences are also taken into account. Simulation runs cover a variation of injection points (well locations at the top vs. locations at the flank of the structure) and some other largely unknown reservoir parameters as aquifer size and aquifer mobility. Simulation of a 20 year storage operation is followed by a post-operational shut-in phase which covers approximately 500 years to assess possible effects of changing injection rates on the long-term reservoir behaviour. The cyclic injection operation has an impact on the requirements of the facility design. To define the design basis for the aboveground installations only wellhead pressures are to be considered. For this reason the calculated bottom hole pressures need to be transferred into wellhead pressures. This is done by the application of thermodynamic models which include all relevant processes associated with the fluid flow through production or injection strings. Finally, a commercial analysis is carried out which is based on a total cost estimate (CAPEX & OPEX). The outcome of this analysis demonstrates required certificate prices to reach the common return targets of an industrial project. References DNV GL, " CO2 Transport Infrastructure in Germany - Necessity and Boundary Conditions up to 2050", IZ Klima, Berlin, 2014, http://www.iz-klima.de/.

  4. Deployment operation of NanTroSEIZE C0002 riserless LTBMS

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kyo, N.; Saruhashi, T.; Sawada, I.; Namba, Y.; Kitada, K.; Kimura, T.; Toczko, S.; Araki, E.; Kopf, A.; IODP EXP 332 Scientists

    2011-12-01

    The installation of LTBMS (Long Term Borehole Monitoring System) for NanTroSEIZE (Nankai Trough Seismogenic Zone Experiment) C0002 riserless hole was successfully carried out as part of IODP Expedition 332 operations by DV Chikyu in November - December 2010. The water depth of the site and penetration depth of the hole are 1937.5 m and 980 mbsf respectively. Casing (9-5/8") was set to the depth of 888 mbsf and below the CORK head, 3-1/2" tubing was deployed inside the casing as the support structure for the downhole instruments. Within the rat hole section, two pressure ports, a strain meter, a tilt meter, a broadband seismometer, geophone, and accelerometer were deployed. These seismic and geodetic sensors were set within the borehole, and coupled to the formation via cement whose physical properties (Young's modulus, Poisson's ratio, density) were adjusted to fit the formation's properties. Screen sections were set to access the pore fluids, while isolating them from the sea floor and the lower lithological units by a swellable packer, and cement, respectively. At the top of wellhead, and at the apex of the 3-1/2" tubing assembly, a CORK head was landed. The CORK head holds the pressure sensor unit (4 pressure sensors), underwater mateable data connectors (connected to the cemented sensors), and hydraulic valves to access and sample formation fluids by ROV. The major scientific features of the Hole C0002G (riserless) LTBMS are sensors monitoring multiple parameters related to seismic, geodetic and pore fluid behavior simultaneously at distinct, multiple, layers within the same borehole. The main technical difficulties in the LTBMS development are as follows: (1) Reduction method for current-induced VIV (Vortex Induced Vibration) (2) Borehole coupling for seismic and geodetic sensors (3) Anti-vibration/shock and protection method for borehole sensors/instruments (4) Attachment and protection for sensor cables and pressure lines (5) Zone isolation for multi-layer pressure measurements (6) Wellhead system (CORK) for data connection to submarine cable network (7) Downsizing borehole instruments (installation with 3-1/2-in tubing) (8) System reliability (redundant sensor system) We carried out sea trials using a dummy sensor assembly to study the effects of deploying the assembly in strong currents, and also carried out additional pool experiments and numerical simulations to evaluate VIV countermeasures. Through shock and vibration mechanical tests, we improved the robustness of sensors and the sensor carrier. As part of these investigations, we conducted risk analysis based on the operation, science, and engineering points of view from, which helped clarify operational procedures for actual deployment. Future plans include returning to Hole C0002G site to deploy a data logger and battery for temporary observations. After examining the data quality, we'll finally connect the LTBMS to the DONET (Dense Oceanfloor Network System for Earthquakes and Tsunamis) submarine cabled network. Plans are also underway for deploying more LTBMS's into Site C0010 (riserless) and Site C0002 (riser).

  5. Development, Calibration and Deployment of an Electromagnetic Flowmeter for Cross-Hole Hydrogeologic Experiments

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Slovacek, A. E.; Fisher, A. T.; Kirkwood, W.; Wheat, C. G.; Maughan, T.; Gomes, K.

    2011-12-01

    We developed an autonomous electromagnetic flowmeter as part of a cross-hole hydrogeologic experiment using subseafloor borehole observatories (CORKs) that penetrate into the volcanic ocean crust. The cylindrical flowmeter is adapted from a conventional industrial tool and hardened for use at water depths up to 6000 m. In addition, the electronics were modified with a new power controller, and a data logger and communication board was added to enable data storage and long-term, autonomous use for up to eight years. The flowmeter generates a magnetic field and measures a voltage gradient that is created across the orifice as water moves through it. This kind of tool is ideally suited for use in the deep sea, particularly for measuring hydrothermal fluids emanating from the ocean crust, because it requires no moving parts, places no obstructions along the flow path, gives total flow volume as well as instantaneous flow rate, and is highly accurate across a large dynamic range, including bi-directional flow. This flowmeter was deployed on a CORK wellhead using an adapter and ring clamp system located above a 4-inch ball valve. The ball valve can be opened to permit flow (from an overpressured formation) out of the CORK and into the overlying ocean. A polyvinyl chloride "chimney" positioned vertically above the flowmeter is instrumented with autonomous temperature loggers to permit an additional estimate of fluid flow rates with time, based on heat loss during fluid ascent, and to facilitate fluid sampling. Calibration of the new flowmeter was completed in two stages: tank testing using a pump at flow rates of 0.5 to 1.2 L/s, and by lowering the flowmeter on a wireline at sea at rates equivalent to 0.5 to 5.2 L/s. A cross plot of apparent and reference flow rates obtained during calibration indicates a highly linear instrument response. Comparison of instantaneous (once per minute) and integrated (total flow) data collected during calibration indicates good agreement, although the instantaneous data tended to be noisy because of irregularity of flow (turbulence). The flowmeter was deployed in Summer 2011 on a CORK installed in IODP Hole 1362B, on the eastern flank of the Juan de Fuca ridge. Once the flowmeter was attached to the wellhead, the underlying ball valve was opened, which allowed overpressured fluids from the permeable ocean crust to flow upward and out of the seafloor at 5 to 10 L/s (estimated rate). Changes in formation fluid pressure resulting from this flow are being monitored in four additional CORKs located 310 to 2320 m away from Hole 1362B, which will allow large-scale, directional assessment of formation properties. The flowmeter is recording data for instantaneous flow rate and total flow once per hour, and will be recovered to permit collection and analysis of experimental data during a servicing visit in Summer 2012.

  6. The Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative: Building a Big Data System

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Howard, M. K.; Gayanilo, F. C.; Gibeaut, J. C.

    2012-12-01

    On April 20, 2010 the Deepwater Horizon drilling unit located in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico experienced a catastrophic wellhead blowout. Billions of barrels of oil and roughly 1 million U.S. gallons of dispersant were released near the wellhead over the subsequent three months. On May 24, 2010 BP announced the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI) and pledged 500M over 10 years toward independent scientific research on the spill's impact on the ecosystem. Data collection began immediately. By summer 2012 nearly 200M will have been committed to this research. Five hundred and seventy researchers from 114 institutions in 30 states and 4 countries are involved. Research activities include substantial numerical modeling, field and laboratory investigations of the environment and biota, and chemical studies of oil and dispersants. An additional $300M will be competed in subsequent years. The administrative and data management elements of the enterprise began to build in earnest in mid 2011. The last position in the GoMRI Information and Data Cooperative (GRIIDC) team was filled in July 2012. Due to the rapid evolution of the program in the first year, few data management requirements were imposed on the Year-One researchers. Proposal guidance for the Year 2-4 Research Consortia (RC) programs asked proposers to address data management questions but expressed few mandates. GRIIDC is charged with providing a portal to GoMRI data and metadata. Researchers are required to provide their data to GRIIDC and to national digital repositories with a minimum delay. Almost everything else was left to evolve through human networks. The GRIIDC team is composed of a System Architect, a Database Administrator, Software Engineers, a GIS specialist, a Technical Coordinator and several subject matter experts. The team faces the usual choices related to building a new cyberinfrastructure (e.g., metadata, ontologies, file formats, web services, etc.). However, the human element is the more important challenge and provides the solution. Human networking (word of mouth) during the time RC were preparing their proposals lead most RCs to designate and provision for a project-level data manager. A regular line of communication between the GRIIDC and the RC data managers was established early through face-to-face workshops and regular teleconferences. This greatly enhanced community acceptance of employing community standards and practices. GRIIDC underwent a multi-day "Planning, Scoping, Visioning and Team-building" activity designed to bring team members together and quickly establish roles and shared understanding of terminology. GRIIDC networks with previous programs such as the Marine Metadata Data Interoperability Program, NOAA and NSF data-centric groups, and established regional entities such as the Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System (GCOOS). Several GRIIDC staff also work for GCOOS or its observing system partners. Networking brings expertise to bear on difficult issues to reach solutions sooner than detailed independent study.

  7. Geopressured-geothermal test of the EDNA Delcambre No. 1 well, Tigre Lagoon Field, Vermilion Parish, Louisiana: analysis of water an dissolved natural gas. Final report

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

    Hankins, B.E.; Karkalits, O.C.

    1978-09-01

    The Edna Delcambre et al. No. 1 gas well, shut-in since June 1975, was made available for the project. Two geopressured sand-bed aquifers were tested: sand No. 3 at a depth of 12,900 feet and sand No. 1 at a depth of 12,600 feet. Each aquifer was subjected to flow tests which lasted approximately three weeks in each case. Water samples were obtained during flow testing of the two geopressured aquifers. The water contained 11.3 to 13.3% dissolved solids. Several radioactive species were measured. Radium-226 was found to be approximately 10 times more concentrated than the average amount observed inmore » surface waters. No appreciable amount of heavy metals was detected. Recombination studies at bottom-hole conditions indicate the solubility of natural gas per barrel of water to be about 24 SCF. The methane content was 93 to 95%, and the gas had a heating value in the range of 1020 to 1070 Btu/cu.ft. During the flow tests, the gas/water ratio at the well-head was observed to be 45 to 88 SCF/Bbl water produced. (MHR)« less

  8. New insights into microbial responses to oil spills from the Deepwater Horizon incident

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

    Mason, O.U.; Hazen, T.C.

    2011-06-15

    On April 20, 2010, a catastrophic eruption of methane caused the Deepwater Horizon exploratory drill rig drilling the Macondo Well in Mississippi Canyon Block 252 (MC252) to explode. The Deepwater Horizon oil spill was unprecendeted for several reasons: the volume of oil released; the spill duration; the well depth; the distance from the shore-line (77 km or about 50 miles); the type of oil (light crude); and the injection of dispersant directly at the wellhead. This study clearly demonstrated that there was a profound and significant response by certain members of the in situ microbial community in the deep-sea inmore » the Gulf of Mexico. In particular putative hydrocarbon degrading Bacteria appeared to bloom in response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, even though the temperature at these depths is never >5 C. As the plume aged the shifts in the microbial community on a temporal scale suggested that different, yet metabolically important members of the community were able to respond to a myriad of plume constituents, e.g. shifting from propane/ethane to alkanes and finally to methane. Thus, the biodegradation of hydrocarbons in the plume by Bacteria was a highly significant process in the natural attenuation of many compounds released during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.« less

  9. Evaluation of groundwater pollution in a mining area using analytical solution: a case study of the Yimin open-pit mine in China.

    PubMed

    Li, Tianxin; Li, Li; Song, Hongqing; Meng, Linglong; Zhang, Shuli; Huang, Gang

    2016-01-01

    This study focused on using analytical and numerical models to develop and manage groundwater resources, and predict the effects of management measurements in the groundwater system. Movement of contaminants can be studied based on groundwater flow characteristics. This study can be used for prediction of ion concentration and evaluation of groundwater pollution as the theoretical basis. The Yimin open-pit mine is located in the northern part of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China. High concentrations of iron and manganese are observed in Yimin open-pit mine because of exploitation and pumping that have increased the concentration of the ions in groundwater. In this study, iron was considered as an index of contamination, and the solute model was calibrated using concentration observations from 14 wells in 2014. The groundwater flow model and analytical solutions were used in this study to forecast pollution concentration and variation trend after calibration. With continuous pumping, contaminants will migrate, and become enriched, towards the wellhead in the flow direction. The concentration of the contaminants and the range of pollution increase with the flow rate increased. The suitable flow rate of single well should be <380 m/day at Yimin open-pit for the standard value of pollution concentration.

  10. A one-dimensional heat-transport model for conduit flow in karst aquifers

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Long, Andrew J.; Gilcrease, P.C.

    2009-01-01

    A one-dimensional heat-transport model for conduit flow in karst aquifers is presented as an alternative to two or three-dimensional distributed-parameter models, which are data intensive and require knowledge of conduit locations. This model can be applied for cases where water temperature in a well or spring receives all or part of its water from a phreatic conduit. Heat transport in the conduit is simulated by using a physically-based heat-transport equation that accounts for inflow of diffuse flow from smaller openings and fissures in the surrounding aquifer during periods of low recharge. Additional diffuse flow that is within the zone of influence of the well or spring but has not interacted with the conduit is accounted for with a binary mixing equation to proportion these different water sources. The estimation of this proportion through inverse modeling is useful for the assessment of contaminant vulnerability and well-head or spring protection. The model was applied to 7 months of continuous temperature data for a sinking stream that recharges a conduit and a pumped well open to the Madison aquifer in western South Dakota. The simulated conduit-flow fraction to the well ranged from 2% to 31% of total flow, and simulated conduit velocity ranged from 44 to 353 m/d.

  11. Gras Dowr joins world`s FPSO fleet

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

    NONE

    1997-05-05

    The Gras Dowr, a floating production, storage, and offloading vessel (FPSD) for Amerada Hess Ltd.`s North Sea Durward and Dauntless fields, is one of the latest additions to the world`s growing FPSO fleet. The Gras Dowr, anchored in about 90 m of water, lies between the Durward (U.K. Block 21/16) and Dauntless (U.K. Block 21/11) fields, about 3.5 km from the subsea wellhead locations. The Gras Dowr`s main functions, according to Bluewater Offshore Production Systems Ltd., are to: receive fluids from well risers; process incoming fluids to separate the fluid into crude, water, and gas; store dry crude oil andmore » maintain the required temperature; treat effluent to allow for water discharge to the sea; compress gas for gas lift as a future option; provide chemical injection skid for process chemical injection; use a part of the produced gas for fuel gas, and flare excess gas; inject treated seawater into the injection wells; house power generation for process and offloading operation and utilities; offload to a tandem moored shuttle tanker including receiving liquid fuel from the same tanker; provide accommodations for operating and maintenance crews; allow helicopters landings and takeoffs; allow handling and storage of goods transported by supply vessels; moor a shuttle tanker; and control the subsea wells.« less

  12. Induced seismicity response of hydraulic fracturing: results of a multidisciplinary monitoring at the Wysin site, Poland.

    PubMed

    López-Comino, J A; Cesca, S; Jarosławski, J; Montcoudiol, N; Heimann, S; Dahm, T; Lasocki, S; Gunning, A; Capuano, P; Ellsworth, W L

    2018-06-05

    Shale oil and gas exploitation by hydraulic fracturing experienced a strong development worldwide over the last years, accompanied by a substantial increase of related induced seismicity, either consequence of fracturing or wastewater injection. In Europe, unconventional hydrocarbon resources remain underdeveloped and their exploitation controversial. In UK, fracturing operations were stopped after the M w 2.3 Blackpool induced earthquake; in Poland, operations were halted in 2017 due to adverse oil market conditions. One of the last operated well at Wysin, Poland, was monitored independently in the framework of the EU project SHEER, through a multidisciplinary system including seismic, water and air quality monitoring. The hybrid seismic network combines surface mini-arrays, broadband and shallow borehole sensors. This paper summarizes the outcomes of the seismological analysis of these data. Shallow artificial seismic noise sources were detected and located at the wellhead active during the fracturing stages. Local microseismicity was also detected, located and characterised, culminating in two events of M w 1.0 and 0.5, occurring days after the stimulation in the vicinity of the operational well, but at very shallow depths. A sharp methane peak was detected ~19 hours after the M w 0.5 event. No correlation was observed between injected volumes, seismicity and groundwater parameters.

  13. Convergence of natural gas and electricity industries means change, opportunity for producers in the U. S

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

    Dar, V.K.

    1995-03-13

    The accelerating deregulation of natural gas and electricity distribution is the third and most powerful wave of energy deregulation coursing through North America. The first wave (1978--92) provided the impetus for sculpting competitive markets in energy production. The second (1986--95) is now breaking to fashion competitive bulk logistical and wholesale consumption markets through open access on and unbundling of gas pipeline and storage capacity and high voltage transmission capacity. The third wave, the deregulation of gas and electric retail markets through open access and nondiscriminatory, unbundled local gas and electric distribution tariffs, began in the early 1990s. It will gathermore » momentum for the next 5 years and crest at the turn of the century, affecting and molding almost $300 billion/year in retail energy sales. The transformation will have these strategic implications: (1) the convergent evolution of the gas and electric industries; (2) severe margin compression along the energy value chain from wellhead to busbar to the distribution pipes and wires; and (3) the rapid emergency of cyberspace retailing of energy products and services. The paper discusses merchant plants, convergence and producers, capital flows, producer federations, issues of scale, and demand, margins, and value.« less

  14. Assessment of sewer source contamination of drinking water wells using tracers and human enteric viruses

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Hunt, R.J.; Borchardt, M. A.; Richards, K.D.; Spencer, S. K.

    2010-01-01

    This study investigated the source, transport, and occurrence of human enteric viruses in municipal well water, focusing on sanitary sewer sources. A total of 33 wells from 14 communities were sampled once for wastewater tracers and viruses. Wastewater tracers were detected in four of these wells, and five wells were virus- positive by qRT-PCR. These results, along with exclusion of wells with surface water sources, were used to select three wells for additional investigation. Viruses and wastewater tracers were found in the groundwater at all sites. Some wastewater tracers, such as ionic detergents, flame retardants, and cholesterol, were considered unambiguous evidence of wastewater. Sampling at any given time may not show concurrent virus and tracer presence; however, given sufficient sampling over time, a relation between wastewater tracers and virus occurrence was identified. Presence of infectious viruses at the wellhead demonstrates that high-capacity pumping induced sufficiently short travel times for the transport of infectious viruses. Therefore, drinking-water wells are vulnerable to contaminants that travel along fast groundwater flowpaths even if they contribute a small amount of virus-laden water to the well. These results suggest that vulnerability assessments require characterization of "low yield-fast transport" in addition to traditional "high yield-slow transport", pathways. ?? 2010 American Chemical Society.

  15. Simulation of the landfall of the Deepwater Horizon oil on the shorelines of the Gulf of Mexico.

    PubMed

    Boufadel, Michel C; Abdollahi-Nasab, Ali; Geng, Xiaolong; Galt, Jerry; Torlapati, Jagadish

    2014-08-19

    We conducted simulations of oil transport from the footprint of the Macondo Well on the water surface throughout the Gulf of Mexico, including deposition on the shorelines. We used the U.S. National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) model General NOAA Operational Modeling Environment (GNOME) and the same parameter values and input adopted by NOAA following the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) blowout. We found that the disappearance rate of oil off the water surface was most likely around 20% per day based on satellite-based observations of the disappearance rate of oil detected on the sea surface after the DWH wellhead was capped. The simulations and oil mass estimates suggest that the mass of oil that reached the shorelines was between 10,000 and 30,000 tons, with an expected value of 22,000 tons. More than 90% of the oil deposition occurred on the Louisiana shorelines, and it occurred in two batches. Simulations revealed that capping the well after 2 weeks would have resulted in only 30% of the total oil depositing on the shorelines, while capping after 3 weeks would have resulted in 60% deposition. Additional delay in capping after 3 weeks would have averted little additional shoreline oiling over the ensuing 4 weeks.

  16. The supply chain of CO2 emissions

    PubMed Central

    Davis, Steven J.; Peters, Glen P.; Caldeira, Ken

    2011-01-01

    CO2 emissions from the burning of fossil fuels are conventionally attributed to the country where the emissions are produced (i.e., where the fuels are burned). However, these production-based accounts represent a single point in the value chain of fossil fuels, which may have been extracted elsewhere and may be used to provide goods or services to consumers elsewhere. We present a consistent set of carbon inventories that spans the full supply chain of global CO2 emissions, finding that 10.2 billion tons CO2 or 37% of global emissions are from fossil fuels traded internationally and an additional 6.4 billion tons CO2 or 23% of global emissions are embodied in traded goods. Our results reveal vulnerabilities and benefits related to current patterns of energy use that are relevant to climate and energy policy. In particular, if a consistent and unavoidable price were imposed on CO2 emissions somewhere along the supply chain, then all of the parties along the supply chain would seek to impose that price to generate revenue from taxes collected or permits sold. The geographical concentration of carbon-based fuels and relatively small number of parties involved in extracting and refining those fuels suggest that regulation at the wellhead, mine mouth, or refinery might minimize transaction costs as well as opportunities for leakage. PMID:22006314

  17. Metabolic and spatio-taxonomic response of uncultivated seafloor bacteria following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill

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

    Handley, K. M.; Piceno, Y. M.; Hu, P.

    The release of 700 million liters of oil into the Gulf of Mexico over a few months in 2010 produced dramatic changes in the microbial ecology of the water and sediment. Here, we reconstructed the genomes of 57 widespread uncultivated bacteria from post-spill deep-sea sediments, and recovered their gene expression pattern across the seafloor. These genomes comprised a common collection of bacteria that were enriched in heavily affected sediments around the wellhead. Although rare in distal sediments, some members were still detectable at sites up to 60 km away. Many of these genomes exhibited phylogenetic clustering indicative of common traitmore » selection by the environment, and within half we identified 264 genes associated with hydrocarbon degradation. Alkane degradation ability was near ubiquitous among candidate hydrocarbon degraders, whereas just three harbored elaborate gene inventories for the degradation of alkanes and aromatic and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Differential gene expression profiles revealed a spill-promoted microbial sulfur cycle alongside gene upregulation associated with PAH degradation. Gene expression associated with alkane degradation was widespread, although active alkane degrader identities changed along the pollution gradient. Analyses suggest that a broad metabolic capacity to respond to oil inputs exists across a large array of usually rare indigenous deep-sea bacteria.« less

  18. Effect of Inlet and Outlet Flow Conditions on Natural Gas Parameters in Supersonic Separation Process

    PubMed Central

    Yang, Yan; Wen, Chuang; Wang, Shuli; Feng, Yuqing

    2014-01-01

    A supersonic separator has been introduced to remove water vapour from natural gas. The mechanisms of the upstream and downstream influences are not well understood for various flow conditions from the wellhead and the back pipelines. We used a computational model to investigate the effect of the inlet and outlet flow conditions on the supersonic separation process. We found that the shock wave was sensitive to the inlet or back pressure compared to the inlet temperature. The shock position shifted forward with a higher inlet or back pressure. It indicated that an increasing inlet pressure declined the pressure recovery capacity. Furthermore, the shock wave moved out of the diffuser when the ratio of the back pressure to the inlet one was greater than 0.75, in which the state of the low pressure and temperature was destroyed, resulting in the re-evaporation of the condensed liquids. Natural gas would be the subsonic flows in the whole supersonic separator, if the mass flow rate was less than the design value, and it could not reach the low pressure and temperature for the condensation and separation of the water vapor. These results suggested a guidance mechanism for natural gas supersonic separation in various flow conditions. PMID:25338207

  19. Operations Summary During Riserless Drilling to >7700 mbsl in the Japan Trench for IODP Expedition 343 & 343T: JFAST, and Discussion of the Relationship Between Drilling Parameters and Rock Damage.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Toy, V. G.; Maeda, L.; Toczko, S.; Eguchi, N.; Chester, F. M.; Mori, J. J.; Sawada, I.; Saruhashi, T.

    2014-12-01

    During IODP Expedition 343: The Japan Trench Fast Drilling Project (JFAST), two main boreholes were drilled from the D/V Chikyu in ~7000 m water depth. An uncored hole that penetrated to 850.5 meters below seafloor (mbsf) (total depth [TD] = 7740 meters below sea level [mbsl]) was documented using logging while drilling (LWD) tools. From an adjacent partially cored hole drilled to 844.5 mbsf (TD = 7734 mbsl) 21 cores were acquired that spanned the two main fault targets. The operations lasted 88 days. The drilling operation was very technically challenging. The drill string had to be withdrawn a number of times due to high seas, and technical issues; five holes were drilled (one abandoned after spud-in) and reoccupied in >6800 m water depth. A simple observatory was deployed in the wellhead installed during Exp 343 during the follow-up Exp 343T. In certain intervals during coring we mostly recovered loose, subrounded fine gravel clasts of the two major lithologies penetrated to those depths (silt and mudstones). We have performed particle shape and size analysis on these gravel aggregates. Particle shape variations apparent visually are not clearly quantified by conventional 'shape descriptors'. Variations in particle size distributions are apparent and we will discuss whether these relate to variations in drilling parameters.

  20. Asphaltene content and composition as a measure of Deepwater Horizon oil spill losses within the first 80 days

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Lewan, M.D.; Warden, A.; Dias, R.F.; Lowry, Z.K.; Hannah, T.L.; Lillis, P.G.; Kokaly, R.F.; Hoefen, T.M.; Swayze, G.A.; Mills, C.T.; Harris, S.H.; Plumlee, G.S.

    2014-01-01

    The composition and content of asphaltenes in spilled and original wellhead oils from the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) incident provide information on the amount of original oil lost and the processes most responsible for the losses within the first 80 days of the active spill. Spilled oils were collected from open waters, coastal waters and coastal sediments during the incident. Asphaltenes are the most refractory component of crude oils but their alteration in the spilled oils during weathering prevents them from being used directly as a conservative component to calculate original oil losses. The alteration is reflected by their increase in oxygen content and depletion in 12C. Reconnaissance experiments involving evaporation, photo-oxidation, microbial degradation, dissolution, dispersion and burning indicate that the combined effects of photo-oxidation and evaporation are responsible for these compositional changes. Based on measured losses and altered asphaltenes from these experiments, a mean of 61 ± 3 vol% of the original oil was lost from the surface spilled oils during the incident. This mean percentage of original oil loss is considerably larger than previous estimates of evaporative losses based on only gas chromatography (GC) amenable hydrocarbons (32–50 vol%), and highlights the importance of using asphaltenes, as well as GC amenable parameters in evaluating original oil losses and the processes responsible for the losses.

  1. Assessment of the Geothermal Potential Within the BPA Marketing Area.

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

    Lund, John W.; Allen, Eliot D.

    1980-07-01

    The potential of geothermal energy is estimated that can be used for direct heat applications and electrical power generation within the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) marketing area. The BPA marketing area includes three principal states of Oregon, Washington, and Idaho and portions of California, Montana, Wyoming, Nevada, and Utah bordering on these three states. This area covers approximately 384,000 square miles and has an estimated population of 6,760,000. The total electrical geothermal potential within this marketing area is 4077 MW/sub e/ from hydrothermal resources and 16,000 MW/sub e/ from igneous systems, whereas the total thermal (wellhead) potential is 16.15 xmore » 10/sup 15/ Btu/y. Approximately 200 geothermal resource sites were initially identified within the BPA marketing area. This number was then reduced to about 100 sites thought to be the most promising for development by the year 2000. These 100 sites, due to load area overlap, were grouped into 53 composite sites; 21-3/4 within BPA preference customer areas and 31-1/4 within nonpreference customer areas. The geothermal resource potential was then estimated for high-temperature (> 302/sup 0/F = 150/sup 0/C), intermediate-temperature (194 to 302/sup 0/F = 90 to 150/sup 0/C), and low-temperature (< 194/sup 0/F = 90/sup 0/C) resources.« less

  2. Seawater capacitance – a promising proxy for mapping and characterizing drifting hydrocarbon plumes in the deep ocean

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Wynn, Jeff; Fleming, John A.

    2012-01-01

    Hydrocarbons released into the deep ocean are an inevitable consequence of natural seep, seafloor drilling, and leaking wellhead-to-collection-point pipelines. The Macondo 252 (Deepwater Horizon) well blowout of 2010 was even larger than the Ixtoc event in the Gulf of Campeche in 1979. History suggests it will not be the last accidental release, as deepwater drilling expands to meet an ever-growing demand. For those who must respond to this kind of disaster, the first line of action should be to know what is going on. This includes knowing where an oil plume is at any given time, where and how fast it is moving, and how it is evolving or degrading. We have experimented in the laboratory with induced polarization as a method to track hydrocarbons in the seawater column and find that finely dispersed oil in seawater gives rise to a large distributed capacitance. From previous sea trials, we infer this could potentially be used to both map and characterize oil plumes, down to a ratio of less than 0.001 oil-to-seawater, drifting and evolving in the deep ocean. A side benefit demonstrated in some earlier sea trials is that this same approach in modified form can also map certain heavy placer minerals, as well as communication cables, pipelines, and wrecks buried beneath the seafloor.

  3. High fluid pressure and triggered earthquakes in the enhanced geothermal system in Basel, Switzerland

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Terakawa, T.; Miller, S. A.; Deichmann, N.

    2011-12-01

    We estimate the pore fluid pressure field of the stimulated region during the fluid injection experiment in Basel, Switzerland by analyzing 118 well-constrained focal mechanisms. This technique, termed focal mechanism tomography (FMT), uses the orientations of the slip planes within the prevailing regional stress field as indicator of the fluid pressure along the plane at the time of slip. Elevated pore fluid pressures were concentrated within 500 m of the open hole section, and we find average earthquake triggering excess pressures of about 10MPa, with a peak value of 19.3 MPa, consistent with the known wellhead pressure applied at the borehole. Our results demonstrate that FMT is a robust approach, being validated at the macroscopic scale of the Basel stimulation experiment. Over-pressurized fluids induced many small events (M < 3) along faults unfavourably-oriented relative to the tectonic stress pattern, while larger events tended to occur along optimally-oriented faults. This suggests that small-scale hydraulic networks, developed from the high pressure stimulation, interact to load (hydraulically isolated) high strength bridges that produce the larger events. The triggering pore fluid pressures are substantially higher than that predicted from a linear pressure diffusion process from the source boundary, showing that the system is highly permeable along flow paths, allowing fast pressure diffusion to the boundaries of the stimulated region.

  4. Chemical Tool Peer Review Summary.

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

    Cashion, Avery Ted; Cieslewski, Grzegorz

    Chemical tracers are commonly used to characterize fracture networks and to determine the connectivity between the injection and production wells. Currently, most tracer experiments involve injecting the tracer at the injection well, manually collecting liquid samples at the wellhead of the production well, and sending the samples off for laboratory analysis. While this method provides accurate tracer concentration data, it does not provide information regarding the location of the fractures conducting the tracer between wellbores. The goal of this project is to develop chemical sensors and design a prototype tool to help understand the fracture properties of a geothermal reservoirmore » by monitoring tracer concentrations along the depth of the well. The sensors will be able to detect certain species of the ionic tracers (mainly iodide) and pH in-situ during the tracer experiment. The proposed high-temperature (HT) tool will house the chemical sensors as well as a standard logging sensor package of pressure, temperature, and flow sensors in order to provide additional information on the state of the geothermal reservoir. The sensors and the tool will be able to survive extended deployments at temperatures up to 225 °C and high pressures to provide real-time temporal and spatial feedback of tracer concentration. Data collected from this tool will allow for the real-time identification of the fractures conducting chemical tracers between wellbores along with the pH of the reservoir fluid at various depths.« less

  5. Expansion analyses of strategic petroleum reserve in Bayou Choctaw : revised locations.

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

    Ehgartner, Brian L.; Park, Byoung Yoon

    2010-11-01

    This report summarizes a series of three-dimensional simulations for the Bayou Choctaw Strategic Petroleum Reserve. The U.S. Department of Energy plans to leach two new caverns and convert one of the existing caverns within the Bayou Choctaw salt dome to expand its petroleum reserve storage capacity. An existing finite element mesh from previous analyses is modified by changing the locations of two caverns. The structural integrity of the three expansion caverns and the interaction between all the caverns in the dome are investigated. The impacts of the expansion on underground creep closure, surface subsidence, infrastructure, and well integrity are quantified.more » Two scenarios were used for the duration and timing of workover conditions where wellhead pressures are temporarily reduced to atmospheric pressure. The three expansion caverns are predicted to be structurally stable against tensile failure for both scenarios. Dilatant failure is not expected within the vicinity of the expansion caverns. Damage to surface structures is not predicted and there is not a marked increase in surface strains due to the presence of the three expansion caverns. The wells into the caverns should not undergo yield. The results show that from a structural viewpoint, the locations of the two newly proposed expansion caverns are acceptable, and all three expansion caverns can be safely constructed and operated.« less

  6. Study of alternatives to the Natural Gas Policy Act of 1978

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

    Not Available

    1981-11-01

    This report presents the results of the Department of Energy's review of natural gas policies. Its purpose is to define and evaluate alternatives to current policy which deregulate the US natural gas market. The review was initiated in March of 1981 for three reasons. First, natural gas plays a critical role in US energy markets, accounting for 25 percent of US energy use. Second, oil and gas market conditions have changed considerably since current natural gas policies were established in 1978. Indeed, in recognition of these changes, Congress modified national policy on gas use during the budget reconciliation process. Third,more » the Administration is committed to evaluating whether the costs of massive Federal intervention into the operation of markets outweigh the benefits. This study focuses on the wellhead and incremental pricing provisions of the Natural Gas Policy Act of 1978 (NGPA). It seeks to quantify the costs and benefits of alternative natural gas strategies. Specifically, the study evaluates the impacts of proposals to modify the NGPA on: efficiency of natural gas markets; oil import levels and energy security; supply, demand, and price of natural gas; performance of the US economy; and consumer wellbeing. The consequences of current and alternative gas policies under mid-range assumptions about future conditions are presented in Chapters II-V. Substantial uncertainty, however, surrounds the future course of the US natural gas market.« less

  7. Industrial Raman gas sensing for real-time system control

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Buric, M.; Mullen, J.; Chorpening, B.; Woodruff, S.

    2014-06-01

    Opportunities exist to improve on-line process control in energy applications with a fast, non-destructive measurement of gas composition. Here, we demonstrate a Raman sensing system which is capable of reporting the concentrations of numerous species simultaneously with sub-percent accuracy and sampling times below one-second for process control applications in energy or chemical production. The sensor is based upon a hollow-core capillary waveguide with a 300 micron bore with reflective thin-film metal and dielectric linings. The effect of using such a waveguide in a Raman process is to integrate Raman photons along the length of the sample-filled waveguide, thus permitting the acquisition of very large Raman signals for low-density gases in a short time. The resultant integrated Raman signals can then be used for quick and accurate analysis of a gaseous mixture. The sensor is currently being tested for energy applications such as coal gasification, turbine control, well-head monitoring for exploration or production, and non-conventional gas utilization. In conjunction with an ongoing commercialization effort, the researchers have recently completed two prototype instruments suitable for hazardous area operation and testing. Here, we report pre-commercialization testing of those field prototypes for control applications in gasification or similar processes. Results will be discussed with respect to accuracy, calibration requirements, gas sampling techniques, and possible control strategies of industrial significance.

  8. Risk of viral acute gastrointestinal illness from nondisinfected drinking water distribution systems.

    PubMed

    Lambertini, Elisabetta; Borchardt, Mark A; Kieke, Burney A; Spencer, Susan K; Loge, Frank J

    2012-09-04

    Acute gastrointestinal illness (AGI) resulting from pathogens directly entering the piping of drinking water distribution systems is insufficiently understood. Here, we estimate AGI incidence from virus intrusions into the distribution systems of 14 nondisinfecting, groundwater-source, community water systems. Water samples for virus quantification were collected monthly at wells and households during four 12-week periods in 2006-2007. Ultraviolet (UV) disinfection was installed on the communities' wellheads during one study year; UV was absent the other year. UV was intended to eliminate virus contributions from the wells and without residual disinfectant present in these systems, any increase in virus concentration downstream at household taps represented virus contributions from the distribution system (Approach 1). During no-UV periods, distribution system viruses were estimated by the difference between well water and household tap virus concentrations (Approach 2). For both approaches, a Monte Carlo risk assessment framework was used to estimate AGI risk from distribution systems using study-specific exposure-response relationships. Depending on the exposure-response relationship selected, AGI risk from the distribution systems was 0.0180-0.0661 and 0.001-0.1047 episodes/person-year estimated by Approaches 1 and 2, respectively. These values represented 0.1-4.9% of AGI risk from all exposure routes, and 1.6-67.8% of risk related to drinking water exposure. Virus intrusions into nondisinfected drinking water distribution systems can contribute to sporadic AGI.

  9. Federal seafood safety response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

    PubMed

    Ylitalo, Gina M; Krahn, Margaret M; Dickhoff, Walton W; Stein, John E; Walker, Calvin C; Lassitter, Cheryl L; Garrett, E Spencer; Desfosse, Lisa L; Mitchell, Karen M; Noble, Brandi T; Wilson, Steven; Beck, Nancy B; Benner, Ronald A; Koufopoulos, Peter N; Dickey, Robert W

    2012-12-11

    Following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, petroleum-related compounds and chemical dispersants were detected in the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. As a result, there was concern about the risk to human health through consumption of contaminated seafood in the region. Federal and Gulf Coast State agencies worked together on a sampling plan and analytical protocols to determine whether seafood was safe to eat and acceptable for sale in the marketplace. Sensory and chemical methods were used to measure polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and dispersant in >8,000 seafood specimens collected in federal waters of the Gulf. Overall, individual PAHs and the dispersant component dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate were found in low concentrations or below the limits of quantitation. When detected, the concentrations were at least two orders of magnitude lower than the level of concern for human health risk. Once an area closed to fishing was free of visibly floating oil and all sensory and chemical results for the seafood species within an area met the criteria for reopening, that area was eligible to be reopened. On April 19, 2011 the area around the wellhead was the last area in federal waters to be reopened nearly 1 y after the spill began. However, as of November 9, 2011, some state waters off the Louisiana coast (Barataria Bay and the Delta region) remain closed to fishing.

  10. Federal seafood safety response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill

    PubMed Central

    Ylitalo, Gina M.; Krahn, Margaret M.; Dickhoff, Walton W.; Stein, John E.; Walker, Calvin C.; Lassitter, Cheryl L.; Garrett, E. Spencer; Desfosse, Lisa L.; Mitchell, Karen M.; Noble, Brandi T.; Wilson, Steven; Beck, Nancy B.; Benner, Ronald A.; Koufopoulos, Peter N.; Dickey, Robert W.

    2012-01-01

    Following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, petroleum-related compounds and chemical dispersants were detected in the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. As a result, there was concern about the risk to human health through consumption of contaminated seafood in the region. Federal and Gulf Coast State agencies worked together on a sampling plan and analytical protocols to determine whether seafood was safe to eat and acceptable for sale in the marketplace. Sensory and chemical methods were used to measure polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and dispersant in >8,000 seafood specimens collected in federal waters of the Gulf. Overall, individual PAHs and the dispersant component dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate were found in low concentrations or below the limits of quantitation. When detected, the concentrations were at least two orders of magnitude lower than the level of concern for human health risk. Once an area closed to fishing was free of visibly floating oil and all sensory and chemical results for the seafood species within an area met the criteria for reopening, that area was eligible to be reopened. On April 19, 2011 the area around the wellhead was the last area in federal waters to be reopened nearly 1 y after the spill began. However, as of November 9, 2011, some state waters off the Louisiana coast (Barataria Bay and the Delta region) remain closed to fishing. PMID:22315401

  11. Evaluating bacterial community structures in oil collected from the sea surface and sediment in the northern Gulf of Mexico after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Zhanfei; Liu, Jiqing

    2013-01-01

    Bacterial community structures were evaluated in oil samples using culture-independent pyrosequencing, including oil mousses collected on sea surface and salt marshes during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and oil deposited in sediments adjacent to the wellhead 1 year after the spill. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that Erythrobacter, Rhodovulum, Stappia, and Thalassospira of Alphaproteobacteria were the prevailing groups in the oil mousses, which may relate to high temperatures and strong irradiance in surface Gulf waters. In the mousse collected from the leaves of Spartina alterniflora, Vibrio of Gammaproteobacteria represented 57% of the total operational taxonomic units, suggesting that this indigenous genus is particularly responsive to the oil contamination in salt marshes. The bacterial communities in oil-contaminated sediments were highly diversified. The relatively high abundance of the Methylococcus, Methylobacter, Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, and Chlorofexi bacteria resembles those found in certain cold-seep sediments with gas hydrates. Bacterial communities in the overlying water of the oil-contaminated sediment were dominated by Ralstonia of Betaproteobacteria, which can degrade small aromatics, and Saccharophagus degradans of Gammaproteobacteria, a cellulose degrader, suggesting that overlying water was affected by the oil-contaminated sediments, possibly due to the dissolution of small aromatics and biosurfactants produced during biodegradation. Overall, these results provided key information needed to evaluate oil degradation in the region and develop future bioremediation strategies. PMID:23568850

  12. An auxiliary adaptive Gaussian mixture filter applied to flowrate allocation using real data from a multiphase producer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lorentzen, Rolf J.; Stordal, Andreas S.; Hewitt, Neal

    2017-05-01

    Flowrate allocation in production wells is a complicated task, especially for multiphase flow combined with several reservoir zones and/or branches. The result depends heavily on the available production data, and the accuracy of these. In the application we show here, downhole pressure and temperature data are available, in addition to the total flowrates at the wellhead. The developed methodology inverts these observations to the fluid flowrates (oil, water and gas) that enters two production branches in a real full-scale producer. A major challenge is accurate estimation of flowrates during rapid variations in the well, e.g. due to choke adjustments. The Auxiliary Sequential Importance Resampling (ASIR) filter was developed to handle such challenges, by introducing an auxiliary step, where the particle weights are recomputed (second weighting step) based on how well the particles reproduce the observations. However, the ASIR filter suffers from large computational time when the number of unknown parameters increase. The Gaussian Mixture (GM) filter combines a linear update, with the particle filters ability to capture non-Gaussian behavior. This makes it possible to achieve good performance with fewer model evaluations. In this work we present a new filter which combines the ASIR filter and the Gaussian Mixture filter (denoted ASGM), and demonstrate improved estimation (compared to ASIR and GM filters) in cases with rapid parameter variations, while maintaining reasonable computational cost.

  13. Is the Recent Increase in Oklahoma Seismicity a Natural or Triggered Phenomenon?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Walsh, R.; Zoback, M. D.

    2012-12-01

    As the rate of magnitude 2.5 and larger earthquakes in the state of Oklahoma increased dramatically in late 2009, we have investigated the question of whether this increase is a natural phenomenon or related to wastewater injection. Injection triggered earthquakes have been observed in other areas of the central and eastern U.S. in recent years (for example, at the Dallas-Ft. Worth airport, near Guy, Arkansas and in Youngstown, Ohio). Given that wastewater injection occurs throughout Oklahoma, we have investigated pressure and injection rate data from about 5,700 state-regulated injection wells to determine if there are spatial and temporal correlations that might account for the recent increase in seismicity. It is important to note that the recent seismicity has been occurring throughout much of the state, although many of the events occur in several clusters. One such cluster is near Jones, OK (Oklahoma county) where about 4 M2.5+ earthquakes occurred within a 20 km radius over a 10 year period before the increase in seismicity and about 147 M2.5+ events have occurred in the 3 years since then. In this area, the wastewater injection rate has been relatively constant (about a million barrels per month) over the past decade while wellhead pressures have been slowly decreasing. These observations do not support the hypothesis that the recent increase in seismicity has been triggered by a corresponding increase in injection although the amount of injection and number of injection wells did increase markedly in this area in the late 1990's. Similarly, in the region of Lincoln County where the M5.6 earthquake occurred in November 2011, there have been no significant increases in injection volumes (and slightly decreasing wellhead pressures) over the past decade but here too there was an increase in the number of injection wells and injection rates in the late 1990's. To date, we have found neither spatial nor temporal correlations between the changes in seismicity rate and injection in these regions. It should also be noted that the 8 km depth of the M5.6 earthquake (as constrained by the St. Louis University Earthquake Center http://www.eas.slu.edu/eqc/eqc_mt/MECH.NA/20111106035310/index.html) is well below the ~2 km depth of the injection wells in the region. While it could be argued that the recent increase in seismicity results from cumulative effects of the injection rate increases that occurred in the late 1990's, one would not have expected a sudden increase in seismicity to occur in multiple places at the same time, especially since average injection pressures were declining in many areas. We do see a recent increase in injection rates that correlates with recent increases in seismicity in southeastern Oklahoma where the Woodford shale is being developed. While the injection data we have analyzed are currently only available through the end of 2010, it does encompass the first year of elevated seismicity. While we cannot rule out the possibility that some of the recent seismicity in Oklahoma has been triggered by wastewater injection, evidence available to date indicates that the increase in seismicity throughout the state appears to be a natural phenomenon.

  14. The ML 3.5 earthquake sequence induced by the hydrothermal energy project in St. Gallen, Switzerland

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kraft, T.; Wiemer, S.; Deichmann, N.; Diehl, T.; Edwards, B.; Guilhem, A.; Haslinger, F.; Király, E.; Kissling, E. H.; Mignan, A.; Plenkers, K.; Roten, D.; Seif, S.; Woessner, J.

    2013-12-01

    Starting in March 2013, the geothermal project of the city of Sankt Gallen, Switzerland, has drilled through 4 km of sedimentary rocks in the Swiss Molasse Basinin order to find and exploit hydrothermal aquifers in the Mesozoic sediments. In a large-scale 3D seismic survey, the project operators identified a nearly 30 km long N-S striking segmented fault zone in the Mesozoic sediments. Based on the apparent lack of recent seismic activity, they concluded that the fault zone was not active and drilled into this target of potentially enhanced permeability. In July 2013 a testing and stimulation program began in the Malm sediments. A small-scale fresh water injectionon July 14 was followed by two acid stimulations. A low level of seismicity that strongly correlated with the testing program was observed by the Swiss Seismological Service (SED) on a dedicated network of 10 surface stations and one shallow borehole station. The seismicity during this period did not exceed magnitude ML1.2 and was judged to be well within the expected range. When operators were preparing for an airlift test, methane gas was released into the borehole from an unknown source around noon on July 19. The pressure at the wellhead rose rapidly, and operators decided to pump water and heavy mud down the well. Even though wellhead pressure decreased steadily, seismicity started to increase suddenly at 7 pm (UTC) on July 19. Although the traffic light system designed by the operators was triggered in the early phase of the seismicity increase, operators found themselves forced to continue well control instead of stopping the pumps. During this period, the seismicity intensified and culminated in a ML 3.5 event at 3:30 (UTC) on July 20 that was widely felt in the area. Yet, the SED received only a small number of reports on minor non-structural damage. In the following hours, the operators were able to stabilize the well and flare the methane in a controlled manner. Seismicity decreased rapidly within a few days but two weeks later was still far from reaching the background level. Here we report on the results of our analysis of the induced seismic sequence at Sankt Gallen: ML 3.5 event initiated near the borehole, had a comparatively low stress drop (3.5 bar) and a rupture length of ~1.1 km. Peak ground motions observed for the ML 3.5 eventare very similar to the ones observed in the ML 3.4 event induced in 2006 in Basel. Yet, macroseismic intensities in St. Gallen only reach IV (EMS) versus V (EMS) in Basel. Precise earthquake relative locations indicate that seismicity extends bi-laterally from the injection point, following the trend of the mapped fault segments. Fault plane solutions of the two largest events indicate a left lateral strike slip fault whose orientation agrees well with the aftershock locations and the imaged fault zone. The St. Gallen sequence shows the highest seismic productivity per injected fluid volume when compared to other injection-induced sequences, and challenges proposed relations between injected fluid volume and maximum observed magnitude or between hydraulic energy and released seismic energy.

  15. “Can LUSI be stopped? - A case study and lessons learned from the relief wells”

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sutrisna, E.

    2009-12-01

    Since May 2006, in East Java, Indonesia, the LUSI mud volcano has been erupting huge volumes of mixture of predominately mud and water, with little sign of slowing down. It has disrupted social and economic life in this highly populated region. Most geologists believe LUSI is a naturally-occurring mud volcano (MV), like other MV in the Java island of particular interest are the MV along the Watukosek fault, such as, Kalang Anyar, Pulungan, Gunung Anyar, and Socah MV. All of these MV lie in the vicinity of the SSW/NNE trending Watukosek fault that passes through LUSI. The Porong collapse structure is an ancient MV closest to LUSI approx. 7 km away, which on seismic sections demonstrate its complex multi-branching plumbing system. Assuming that the mudflow passed through the wellbore due to an underground blowout, relief wells (RW) were planned to kill the mudflow and carried out in 3 stages, these were: 1. Re-entering the original Banjarpanji-1 (BJP-1) well to obtain accurate survey data so the relief wells could be steered into intersect this original well. 2. Drilling a monitoring well (M-1) to ascertain whether the soil had sufficient strength to support relief wells. 3. Drilling RW-1 and RW-2. Both RW-1 and RW-2 suffered of surface and subsurface problems never achieved their objectives and had to be aborted. Numbers of good lessons were learned from the relief well initiative, such as: 1. No gas or liquid flowed from the wellhead area when it was excavated one month after the eruption started. The wellhead remained intact and totally dead suggesting that the mud flowed to surface through a fault zone or a fracture network instead of up the wellbore. 2. The ‘fish’ in BJP-1 wellbore was found at its original location and not eroded away. This suggests that the mud flow did not pass through the wellbore. 3. The Temperature log showed lower temp. than surface mud temp. The Sonan log response was quiet. These results suggest that there was no near casing mudflow. 4. Dynamic subsurface conditions of the area with shear movement at a depth of 1,100 ft to 1,500 ft. 5. The RW-1 experienced alternate loss and kicks at a depth of around 3,200 ft. as it entered the unstable fault zone and fracture network which likely served as the mud flow conduit. Drilling in the zone of instability around the mudflow conduit cannot be avoided and is full of hazards. 6. The area suffers a dynamic geological condition. The subsidence rate at the rig site of more than 100 cm in a month. The subsidence also had a lateral component. 7. LUSI has multiple mudflow conduits as reflected in the more than 100 gas bubbles currently occurring within a radius of 1.5 km. Although the relief wells did not achieve their intended purpose to stop the mudflow, they allowed the collection of valuable data, all of which suggests that the mudflow did not originate from the BJP-1 wellbore as originally assumed. The use of relief wells to kill the mudflow is a futile attempt since in such complex plumbing system. New conduits or the two dormant mudflow centers along the fault line that appeared at the beginning of LUSI may reactivate if the currently active conduit is blocked. In conclusion, LUSI appears to be another naturally occurring MV that is impossible to kill using relief wells.

  16. Contributing recharge areas to water-supply wells at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Sheets, R.A.

    1994-01-01

    Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, in southwestern Ohio, has operated three well fields--Area B, Skeel Road, and the East Well Fields--to supply potable water for consumption and use for base activities. To protect these well fields from contamination and to comply with the Ohio Wellhead Protection Plan, the Base is developing a wellhead-protection program for the well fields. A three-dimensional, steady-state ground-water-flow model was developed in 1993 to simulate heads in (1) the buried-valley aquifer system that is tapped by the two active well fields, and in (2) an upland bedrock aquifer that may supply water to the wells. An advective particle-tracking algorithm that requires estimated porosities and simulated heads was used to estimate ground-water-flow pathlines and traveltimes to the active well fields. Contributing recharge areas (CRA's)--areas on the water table that contribute water to a well or well field--were generated for 1-, 5-, and 10-year traveltimes. Results from the simulation and subsequent particle tracking indicate that the CRA's for the Skeel Road Well Fields are oval and extend north- ward, toward the Mad River, as pumping at the well field increases. The sizes of the 1-, 5-, and 10-year CRA's of Skeel Road Well Field, under maximum pumping conditions, are approximately 0.5, 1.5 and 3.2 square miles, respectively. The CRA's for the Area B Well Field extend to the north, up the Mad River Valley; as pumping increases at the well field, the CRA's extend up the Mad River Valley under Huffman Dam. The sizes of the 1-, 5-, and 10-year CRA's of Area B Well Field, under maximum pumping conditions, are approximately 0.1, 0.5, and 0.9 square miles, respectively. The CRA's for the East Well Field are affected by nearby streams under average pumping conditions. The sizes of the 1-, 5-, and 10-year CRA's of the East Well Field, under maximum pumping conditions, are approximately 0.2, 1.2, and 2.4 square miles, respectively. However, as pumping increases at the East Well Field, the ground-water-flow model develops numerical instabilities which limit the usefulness of the CRA's. Sensitivity analyses show that variation of horizontal hydraulic conductivity and porosity in the upland bedrock does not affect the CRA's of the Skeel Road Well Field but does have a slight affect on the CRA's of the Area B Well Field. Uncertainties in horizontal hydraulic conductivity and porosity of the valley-train deposits have the largest affect on the size and shape of the CRA's of the Skeel Road Well Field. The position and size of the CRA's of Area B are probably also controlled by induced infiltration from the nearby Mad River and by pumping at the Rohrer's Island Well Field. However, uncertainty in riverbed conductance, which affects induced infiltration, does not significantly affect the size and shape of these CRA's. Pumping centers not included in the ground-water-flow model do not appreciably affect the CRA's of the Area B and Skeel Road Well Fields under normal pumping. The pumping centers, located near Huffman Dam, will probably limit the northern extent of teh CRA's of Area B Well Field under greater than normal pumping conditions. The CRA's of the East Well Field will propagate farther to the northeast and southwest as a result of the increased pumping-related stress to the aquifer system.

  17. Persistent impacts to the deep soft-bottom benthos one year after the Deepwater Horizon event.

    PubMed

    Montagna, Paul A; Baguley, Jeffrey G; Cooksey, Cynthia; Hyland, Jeffrey L

    2017-03-01

    In fall 2010, several months after the Deepwater Horizon blowout was capped, zones of moderate and severe impacts to deep-sea, soft-bottom benthos were identified that together extended over an area of 172 km 2 . A subset of stations sampled in 2010 was resampled in May and June 2011, 10 to 11 months after the event, to determine whether the identified adverse effects were persisting. The design compared 20 stations from the combined moderate and severe impact zone to 12 stations in the reference zone that were sampled in both years. There were no statistically significant differences in contaminant concentrations between the impact and nonimpact zones from 2010 to 2011, which indicates contaminants persisted after 1 y. Whereas there were some signs of recovery in 2011 (particularly for the meiofauna abundance and diversity), there was evidence of persistent, statistically significant impacts to both macrofauna and meiofauna community structure. Macrofaunal taxa richness and diversity in 2011 were still 22.8% and 35.9% less, respectively, in the entire impact zone than in the surrounding nonimpact area, and meiofaunal richness was 28.5% less in the entire impact zone than in the surrounding area. The persistence of significant biodiversity losses and community structure change nearly 1 y after the wellhead was capped indicates that full recovery had yet to have occurred in 2011. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2017;13:342-351. © 2016 SETAC. © 2016 SETAC.

  18. Constraining the Spatial Extent of Marine Oil Snow Sedimentation and Flocculent Accumulation Following the Deepwater Horizon Event Using an Excess 210Pb Flux Approach.

    PubMed

    Schwing, P T; Brooks, G R; Larson, R A; Holmes, C W; O'Malley, B J; Hollander, D J

    2017-06-06

    Following the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) event in 2010, there were several lines of evidence indicating the presence of marine oil snow sedimentation and flocculent accumulation (MOSSFA). A significant amount of marine oil snow formed in the water column of the northern Gulf of Mexico (nGoM), settled rapidly, and ultimately accumulated in the sediments of the nGoM. This study utilized a commonly used radioisotope tracer (excess 210 Pb, 210 Pb xs ) from 32 sediment cores collected from 2010 to 2013 to characterize the spatial extent of MOSSFA on the seafloor. Relative to pre-DWH conditions, an increase in 210 Pb xs flux occurred in two distinct regions: (1) in the western portion of the study area on an east-northeast to west-southwest axis, stretching 230 km southwest and 140 km northeast of the DWH wellhead, and (2) in the eastern portion of the study area on a 70 km northeast to southwest axis near the DeSoto Canyon. The total sedimentary spatial extent of MOSSFA, as calculated by increased 210 Pb xs flux after 2010, ranged from 12 805 to 35 425 km 2 . 210 Pb xs flux provides a valuable tool for documenting the spatial extent of MOSSFA following DWH and will continue to aid in the determination of advective transport and ultimate depocenters of MOSSFA material.

  19. Microbial Groundwater Sampling Protocol for Fecal-Rich Environments

    PubMed Central

    Harter, Thomas; Watanabe, Naoko; Li, Xunde; Atwill, Edward R; Samuels, William

    2014-01-01

    Inherently, confined animal farming operations (CAFOs) and other intense fecal-rich environments are potential sources of groundwater contamination by enteric pathogens. The ubiquity of microbial matter poses unique technical challenges in addition to economic constraints when sampling wells in such environments. In this paper, we evaluate a groundwater sampling protocol that relies on extended purging with a portable submersible stainless steel pump and Teflon® tubing as an alternative to equipment sterilization. The protocol allows for collecting a large number of samples quickly, relatively inexpensively, and under field conditions with limited access to capacity for sterilizing equipment. The protocol is tested on CAFO monitoring wells and considers three cross-contamination sources: equipment, wellbore, and ambient air. For the assessment, we use Enterococcus, a ubiquitous fecal indicator bacterium (FIB), in laboratory and field tests with spiked and blank samples, and in an extensive, multi-year field sampling campaign on 17 wells within 2 CAFOs. The assessment shows that extended purging can successfully control for equipment cross-contamination, but also controls for significant contamination of the well-head, within the well casing and within the immediate aquifer vicinity of the well-screen. Importantly, our tests further indicate that Enterococcus is frequently entrained in water samples when exposed to ambient air at a CAFO during sample collection. Wellbore and air contamination pose separate challenges in the design of groundwater monitoring strategies on CAFOs that are not addressed by equipment sterilization, but require adequate QA/QC procedures and can be addressed by the proposed sampling strategy. PMID:24903186

  20. Evaluating bacterial community structures in oil collected from the sea surface and sediment in the northern Gulf of Mexico after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

    PubMed

    Liu, Zhanfei; Liu, Jiqing

    2013-06-01

    Bacterial community structures were evaluated in oil samples using culture-independent pyrosequencing, including oil mousses collected on sea surface and salt marshes during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and oil deposited in sediments adjacent to the wellhead 1 year after the spill. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that Erythrobacter, Rhodovulum, Stappia, and Thalassospira of Alphaproteobacteria were the prevailing groups in the oil mousses, which may relate to high temperatures and strong irradiance in surface Gulf waters. In the mousse collected from the leaves of Spartina alterniflora, Vibrio of Gammaproteobacteria represented 57% of the total operational taxonomic units, suggesting that this indigenous genus is particularly responsive to the oil contamination in salt marshes. The bacterial communities in oil-contaminated sediments were highly diversified. The relatively high abundance of the Methylococcus, Methylobacter, Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, and Chlorofexi bacteria resembles those found in certain cold-seep sediments with gas hydrates. Bacterial communities in the overlying water of the oil-contaminated sediment were dominated by Ralstonia of Betaproteobacteria, which can degrade small aromatics, and Saccharophagus degradans of Gammaproteobacteria, a cellulose degrader, suggesting that overlying water was affected by the oil-contaminated sediments, possibly due to the dissolution of small aromatics and biosurfactants produced during biodegradation. Overall, these results provided key information needed to evaluate oil degradation in the region and develop future bioremediation strategies. © 2013 The Authors. Microbiology Open published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  1. Relationship between pressure, density of induced earthquake hypocenters, and permeability in the 2011 Paralana EGS stimulation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Riffault, J.; Dempsey, D. E.; Karra, S.; Archer, R.

    2016-12-01

    To create an Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS), high pressure injection is undertaken to reactivate pre-existing fractures and enhance their permeability. During the 2011 Paralana-2 EGS stimulation in South Australia, both injectivity, the ratio of the injection rate to wellhead pressure, and seismicity were recorded. An increase in injectivity indicates that permeability has been enhanced, although it does not constrain the location or magnitude of the change. Induced earthquakes, a spatiotemporal dataset, can confine the range of possible scenarios for permeability evolution. We consider a model in which the number of hypocenters recorded per unit of area of the injection plane (the hypocenter density) is proportional to fluid pressure increase. Then an inverse modelling approach is employed to recover the permeability enhancement distribution that is consistent with both the recorded changes in injectivity and seismicity. Our forward model is radial Darcy-flow with permeability a prescribed function of time and distance, i.e., k(r,t). Initially, we identify a range of permeability evolution scenarios that reproduce the observed injectivity increase with time. Thus, injectivity observations on their own are insufficient to constrain k(r,t). Then, we calibrate k(r,t) for a close match between the modelled pressure distribution and that inferred from the hypocenter density observations using a simple proportionality constant. The resulting permeability model is the one most likely to approximate permeability evolution during the Paralana stimulation.

  2. High fluid pressure and triggered earthquakes in the enhanced geothermal system in Basel, Switzerland

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Terakawa, Toshiko; Miller, Stephen A.; Deichmann, Nicholas

    2012-07-01

    We analyzed 118 well-constrained focal mechanisms to estimate the pore fluid pressure field of the stimulated region during the fluid injection experiment in Basel, Switzerland. This technique, termed focal mechanism tomography (FMT), uses the orientations of slip planes within the prevailing regional stress field as an indicator of the fluid pressure along the plane at the time of slip. The maximum value and temporal change of excess pore fluid pressures are consistent with the known history of the wellhead pressure applied at the borehole. Elevated pore fluid pressures were concentrated within 500 m of the open hole section, which are consistent with the spatiotemporal evolution of the induced microseismicity. Our results demonstrate that FMT is a robust approach, being validated at the meso-scale of the Basel stimulation experiment. We found average earthquake triggering excess pore fluid pressures of about 10 MPa above hydrostatic. Overpressured fluids induced many small events (M < 3) along faults unfavorably oriented relative to the tectonic stress pattern, while the larger events tended to occur along optimally oriented faults. This suggests that small-scale hydraulic networks, developed from the high pressure stimulation, interact to load (hydraulically isolated) high strength bridges that produce the larger events. The triggering pore fluid pressures are substantially higher than that predicted from a linear pressure diffusion process from the source boundary, and shows that the system is highly permeable along flow paths that allow fast pressure diffusion to the boundaries of the stimulated region.

  3. Natural gas: It's headed from surplus to shortage

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

    Parent, L.V.

    1988-02-01

    Reserve additions in the lower 48 states are not keeping up with the current rate of production, and deliverability surplus will soon become deliverability shortfall during periods of extended peak demand. Surplus deliverability will likely fade away, inasmuch as gas well completions are less than half of what they were when additions exceeded the current production rate of 16 tcf/year, and the outlook for a sharp increase in completions is bleak. Demand, lackluster before the recent cold weather, is likely to suffer some loss in markets where lower resid prices can switch loads back to oil. Year-end '87 price spikesmore » were a welcome relief to spot gas sellers, but low reside prices have already put a lid on what industrial users and power plants will pay. As an immature market struggles to develop structure in a quasi-deregulated environment, the Ferc is reduced to tinkering with the minutiae of Order 500, as it seeks to create a compromise that would be equally unsatisfactory to all. Canada is increasing its stake in the game. Canadian producers demonstrated their willingness to accept 1987's low price levels and be players. It will be another problem year for U.S. producers, as price relief for spot gas is more than offset by the Order 500 dilemma and drilling cost increases exceed wellhead price increases. Canadian gas will take a bigger piece of a desultory market. But pending shortfalls promise a better day for those with patience, stamina and deep pockets.« less

  4. Culture-dependent and culture-independent characterization of microbial assemblages associated with high-temperature petroleum reservoirs.

    PubMed

    Orphan, V J; Taylor, L T; Hafenbradl, D; Delong, E F

    2000-02-01

    Recent investigations of oil reservoirs in a variety of locales have indicated that these habitats may harbor active thermophilic prokaryotic assemblages. In this study, we used both molecular and culture-based methods to characterize prokaryotic consortia associated with high-temperature, sulfur-rich oil reservoirs in California. Enrichment cultures designed for anaerobic thermophiles, both autotrophic and heterotrophic, were successful at temperatures ranging from 60 to 90 degrees C. Heterotrophic enrichments from all sites yielded sheathed rods (Thermotogales), pleomorphic rods resembling Thermoanaerobacter, and Thermococcus-like isolates. The predominant autotrophic microorganisms recovered from inorganic enrichments using H(2), acetate, and CO(2) as energy and carbon sources were methanogens, including isolates closely related to Methanobacterium, Methanococcus, and Methanoculleus species. Two 16S rRNA gene (rDNA) libraries were generated from total community DNA collected from production wellheads, using either archaeal or universal oligonucleotide primer sets. Sequence analysis of the universal library indicated that a large percentage of clones were highly similar to known bacterial and archaeal isolates recovered from similar habitats. Represented genera in rDNA clone libraries included Thermoanaerobacter, Thermococcus, Desulfothiovibrio, Aminobacterium, Acidaminococcus, Pseudomonas, Halomonas, Acinetobacter, Sphingomonas, Methylobacterium, and Desulfomicrobium. The archaeal library was dominated by methanogen-like rDNAs, with a lower percentage of clones belonging to the Thermococcales. Our results strongly support the hypothesis that sulfur-utilizing and methane-producing thermophilic microorganisms have a widespread distribution in oil reservoirs and the potential to actively participate in the biogeochemical transformation of carbon, hydrogen, and sulfur in situ.

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

    Taylor, W.M.; Tison, M.; Bahoumina, A.

    The tieback of eleven 10 3/4-in., high-pressure risers in Elf Congo`s offshore N`Kossa field used a cold-forge tieback system to create a metal seal. The time-saving tieback method allows for placing the risers in residual tension. The installation work was completed in the fall of 1995. Average time to complete the 10 3/4-in. casing tiebacks, including test and nipple-up and nipple-down times, averaged 52 hr/well. Tiebacks for all three casing strings averaged 90 hr for all surface and subsea operations including BOP test and nipple-up/nipple-down time. Metal sealing of the primary casing annulus has been made practical because the offshoremore » industry has gone toward compact-wellheads and hanging of the completion on a mandrel. Hanging the completion on a mandrel, however, has it own set of considerations. Exact riser length may be difficult to predict before running because the riser must first be locked into the mudline casing hanger and then landed out on the support shoulder in the surface head. Also, a general desire is that riser tieback strings should be in tension after installation. This is not always easy with a passive or dumb hanger and fixed should configuration. Threaded, adjustable mandrel hanger systems exist but can require very close casing string space-out to achieve the desired residual riser tension. The paper describes the objectives, forged sleeves, running sequence, cold forging, and the prototype test.« less

  6. Quantification and source identification of the Total Elgin gas leak, UK - North Sea, by aircraft sampling

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lee, J. D.; Bauguitte, S.; Wellpott, A.; Lowry, D.; Fisher, R. E.; Lewis, A. C.; Hopkins, J.; Allen, G.; O'Shea, S.; Lanoiselle, M.; France, J.; Lidster, R.; Punjabi, S.; Manning, A. J.; Ryerson, T. B.; Mobbs, S.; Gallagher, M. W.; Coe, H.; Pyle, J. A.; Nisbet, E. G.

    2012-12-01

    Aircraft measurement and air sampling have been used to quantify the source and magnitude of the North Sea Total Elgin wellhead platform gas leak in March/April 2012. Isotopic techniques were used to characterise the geological source formation from which the gas came. Initially on 30 March 2012 the leak was in the range 1.6 - 0.7 kg s-1, reducing to less than half that rate by 3 April 2012. Keeling plot analysis of methane in air samples showed that the gas had δ13CCH4 -43‰, implying that the gas source was not the main high-pressure high-temperature Elgin gas field (5.5 km deep, at 190oC) but more probably the overlying Hod Formation. The evidence in the air plume for release of very volatile NMHCs confirmed media reports that the gas leak was on the production platform, above the sea level. This contrasts with the early situation in the BP Deepwater Horizon event, where release was underwater and volatile NMHC species were taken up in the water column. Non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHC) and other volatile organic compounds in the plumes were determined from flask samples by offline analysis. NMHC content was dominated by light alkanes ranging from >20 ppb ethane to <1 ppb benzene and <0.1 ppb higher monoaromatics. The methodology developed in this work is widely applicable to future emissions of environmental concern in circumstances where direct access is difficult or dangerous, and permits unbiased regulatory assessment of potential impact, independent of the emitting party.

  7. Effect of filter designs on hydraulic properties and well efficiency.

    PubMed

    Kim, Byung-Woo

    2014-09-01

    To analyze the effect of filter pack arrangement on the hydraulic properties and the well efficiency of a well design, a step drawdown was conducted in a sand-filled tank model. Prior to the test, a single filter pack (SFP), granule only, and two dual filter packs (DFPs), type A (granule-pebble) and type B (pebble-granule), were designed to surround the well screen. The hydraulic properties and well efficiencies related to the filter packs were evaluated using the Hazen's, Eden-Hazel's, Jacob's, and Labadie-Helweg's methods. The results showed that the hydraulic properties and well efficiency of the DFPs were higher than those of a SFP, and the clogging effect and wellhead loss related to the aquifer material were the lowest owing to the grain size and the arrangement of the filter pack. The hydraulic conductivity of the DFPs types A and B was about 1.41 and 6.43 times that of a SFP, respectively. In addition, the well efficiency of the DFPs types A and B was about 1.38 and 1.60 times that of the SFP, respectively. In this study, hydraulic property and well efficiency changes were observed according to the variety of the filter pack used. The results differed from the predictions of previous studies on the grain-size ratio. Proper pack-aquifer ratios and filter pack arrangements are primary factors in the construction of efficient water wells, as is the grain ratio, intrinsic permeability (k), and hydraulic conductivity (K) between the grains of the filter packs and the grains of the aquifer. © 2014, National Ground Water Association.

  8. Geomechanical Model Calibration Using Field Measurements for a Petroleum Reserve

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Park, Byoung Yoon; Sobolik, Steven R.; Herrick, Courtney G.

    2018-03-01

    A finite element numerical analysis model has been constructed that consists of a mesh that effectively captures the geometries of Bayou Choctaw (BC) Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) site and multimechanism deformation (M-D) salt constitutive model using the daily data of actual wellhead pressure and oil-brine interface location. The salt creep rate is not uniform in the salt dome, and the creep test data for BC salt are limited. Therefore, the model calibration is necessary to simulate the geomechanical behavior of the salt dome. The cavern volumetric closures of SPR caverns calculated from CAVEMAN are used as the field baseline measurement. The structure factor, A 2, and transient strain limit factor, K 0, in the M-D constitutive model are used for the calibration. The value of A 2, obtained experimentally from BC salt, and the value of K 0, obtained from Waste Isolation Pilot Plant salt, are used for the baseline values. To adjust the magnitude of A 2 and K 0, multiplication factors A 2 F and K 0 F are defined, respectively. The A 2 F and K 0 F values of the salt dome and salt drawdown skins surrounding each SPR cavern have been determined through a number of back analyses. The cavern volumetric closures calculated from this model correspond to the predictions from CAVEMAN for six SPR caverns. Therefore, this model is able to predict behaviors of the salt dome, caverns, caprock, and interbed layers. The geotechnical concerns associated with the BC site from this analysis will be explained in a follow-up paper.

  9. Results of investigation at the Miravalles geothermal field, Costa Rica. Resultados de las investigaciones en el campo geotermico de Miravalles, Costa Rica; Parte 2, Muestreo de fluidos pozo abajo

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

    Grigsby, C.O.; Goff, F.; Trujillo, P.E. Jr.

    Samples of the geothermal fluids in the Miravalles, Costa Rica, geothermal system were collected from production wellbores using downhole fluid samplers, from flowing wellheads using miniseparators, and from hot springs that discharge in the area. The reservoir fluid at Miravalles is a neutral-chloride-type water, but fumaroles and acid-sulfate springs are present within the main thermal area, and there are bicarbonate-rich hot springs that are clearly related to the neutral-chloride reservoir fluids. Dissolved gases are primarily a mixture of CO{sub 2} with air, but samples collected in the fumarolic areas also contain H{sub 2}S. Water-stable isotope analyses suggest local meteoric recharge,more » and the reservoir fluid shows oxygen isotopic shifts of about 2.5% due to high-temperature oxygen exchange between water and rock. Chemical geothermometer temperatures are consistent with the measured downhole temperature of 220{degrees} to 255{degrees}C. This pattern of neutral-chloride reservoir fluids with acid-sulfate springs near the source region and bicarbonate-rich chloride hot springs at the periphery of the system suggests a lateral outflow type of hydrothermal system. In addition to the geochemical evidence, temperature profiles from several of the wells show temperature reversals that are characteristic of lateral outflow plumes. We find no evidence for the underlying, higher temperature (300{degrees}C) system, which has been suggested by other investigators. 24 refs., 14 figs., 6 tabs.« less

  10. Review of flow rate estimates of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

    PubMed

    McNutt, Marcia K; Camilli, Rich; Crone, Timothy J; Guthrie, George D; Hsieh, Paul A; Ryerson, Thomas B; Savas, Omer; Shaffer, Frank

    2012-12-11

    The unprecedented nature of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill required the application of research methods to estimate the rate at which oil was escaping from the well in the deep sea, its disposition after it entered the ocean, and total reservoir depletion. Here, we review what advances were made in scientific understanding of quantification of flow rates during deep sea oil well blowouts. We assess the degree to which a consensus was reached on the flow rate of the well by comparing in situ observations of the leaking well with a time-dependent flow rate model derived from pressure readings taken after the Macondo well was shut in for the well integrity test. Model simulations also proved valuable for predicting the effect of partial deployment of the blowout preventer rams on flow rate. Taken together, the scientific analyses support flow rates in the range of ∼50,000-70,000 barrels/d, perhaps modestly decreasing over the duration of the oil spill, for a total release of ∼5.0 million barrels of oil, not accounting for BP's collection effort. By quantifying the amount of oil at different locations (wellhead, ocean surface, and atmosphere), we conclude that just over 2 million barrels of oil (after accounting for containment) and all of the released methane remained in the deep sea. By better understanding the fate of the hydrocarbons, the total discharge can be partitioned into separate components that pose threats to deep sea vs. coastal ecosystems, allowing responders in future events to scale their actions accordingly.

  11. Development of a downhole tool measuring real-time concentration of ionic tracers and pH in geothermal reservoirs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hess, Ryan F.; Boyle, Timothy J.; Limmer, Steven; Yelton, William G.; Bingham, Samuel; Stillman, Greg; Lindblom, Scott; Cieslewski, Grzegorz

    2014-06-01

    For enhanced or Engineered Geothermal Systems (EGS) geothermal brine is pumped to the surface via the production wells, the heat extracted to turn a turbine to generate electricity, and the spent brine re-injected via injection wells back underground. If designed properly, the subsurface rock formations will lead this water back to the extraction well as heated brine. Proper monitoring of these geothermal reservoirs is essential for developing and maintaining the necessary level of productivity of the field. Chemical tracers are commonly used to characterize the fracture network and determine the connectivity between the injection and production wells. Currently, most tracer experiments involve injecting the tracer at the injection well, manually collecting liquid samples at the wellhead of the production well, and sending the samples off for laboratory analysis. While this method provides accurate tracer concentration data at very low levels of detection, it does not provide information regarding the location of the fractures which were conducting the tracer between wellbores. Sandia is developing a high-temperature electrochemical sensor capable of measuring tracer concentrations and pH downhole on a wireline tool. The goal of this effort is to collect real-time pH and ionic tracer concentration data at temperatures up to 225 °C and pressures up to 3000 psi. In this paper, a prototype electrochemical sensor and the initial data obtained will be presented detailing the measurement of iodide tracer concentrations at high temperature and pressure in a newly developed laboratory scale autoclave.

  12. 2016 Groundwater Monitoring and Inspection Report Gnome-Coach, New Mexico, Site January 2017

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

    Kreie, Ken; Findlay, Rick

    The Gnome-Coach, New Mexico, Site was the location of an underground nuclear test in 1961 and a groundwater tracer test in 1963. Residual contamination remaining in the subsurface from these events requires long-term oversight. The Long-Term Surveillance and Maintenance Plan for the site describes the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Legacy Management’s (LM’s) plan for monitoring groundwater (radiochemical sampling and hydraulic head measurements), inspecting the site, maintaining the site’s institutional controls, evaluating and reporting data, and documenting the site’s records and data management processes. Groundwater monitoring and site inspection activities are conducted annually. This report summarizes the results ofmore » these activities conducted during the October 2015 through September 2016 reporting period. The site inspection and annual sampling were conducted on January 27, 2016. At the time of the site inspection, the signs installed near the emplacement shaft, near well USGS-1, and around the perimeter of the site were observed as being in good condition, as were the roads, wellheads, and Project Gnome monument. No new groundwater extraction wells or oil and gas wells were installed during this reporting period on the site or in the sections that surround the site. One new application was received by the New Mexico Oil Conservation Division to install a salt water disposal well approximately 0.8 miles northeast of the Project Gnome monument. The proposed well has a planned completion depth of 15,500 feet below ground surface, but as of November 2016 a drill date has not been established.« less

  13. Geomechanical Model Calibration Using Field Measurements for a Petroleum Reserve

    DOE PAGES

    Park, Byoung Yoon; Sobolik, Steven R.; Herrick, Courtney G.

    2018-01-19

    A finite element numerical analysis model has been constructed that consists of a mesh that effectively captures the geometries of Bayou Choctaw (BC) Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) site and multimechanism deformation (M-D) salt constitutive model using the daily data of actual wellhead pressure and oil–brine interface location. The salt creep rate is not uniform in the salt dome, and the creep test data for BC salt are limited. Therefore, the model calibration is necessary to simulate the geomechanical behavior of the salt dome. The cavern volumetric closures of SPR caverns calculated from CAVEMAN are used as the field baseline measurement.more » The structure factor, A 2, and transient strain limit factor, K o, in the M-D constitutive model are used for the calibration. The value of A 2, obtained experimentally from BC salt, and the value of K o, obtained from Waste Isolation Pilot Plant salt, are used for the baseline values. To adjust the magnitude of A 2 and K0, multiplication factors A 2 F and K o F are defined, respectively. The A 2 F and K0F values of the salt dome and salt drawdown skins surrounding each SPR cavern have been determined through a number of back analyses. The cavern volumetric closures calculated from this model correspond to the predictions from CAVEMAN for six SPR caverns. Therefore, this model is able to predict behaviors of the salt dome, caverns, caprock, and interbed layers. In conclusion, the geotechnical concerns associated with the BC site from this analysis will be explained in a follow-up paper.« less

  14. Geomechanical Model Calibration Using Field Measurements for a Petroleum Reserve

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

    Park, Byoung Yoon; Sobolik, Steven R.; Herrick, Courtney G.

    A finite element numerical analysis model has been constructed that consists of a mesh that effectively captures the geometries of Bayou Choctaw (BC) Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) site and multimechanism deformation (M-D) salt constitutive model using the daily data of actual wellhead pressure and oil–brine interface location. The salt creep rate is not uniform in the salt dome, and the creep test data for BC salt are limited. Therefore, the model calibration is necessary to simulate the geomechanical behavior of the salt dome. The cavern volumetric closures of SPR caverns calculated from CAVEMAN are used as the field baseline measurement.more » The structure factor, A 2, and transient strain limit factor, K o, in the M-D constitutive model are used for the calibration. The value of A 2, obtained experimentally from BC salt, and the value of K o, obtained from Waste Isolation Pilot Plant salt, are used for the baseline values. To adjust the magnitude of A 2 and K0, multiplication factors A 2 F and K o F are defined, respectively. The A 2 F and K0F values of the salt dome and salt drawdown skins surrounding each SPR cavern have been determined through a number of back analyses. The cavern volumetric closures calculated from this model correspond to the predictions from CAVEMAN for six SPR caverns. Therefore, this model is able to predict behaviors of the salt dome, caverns, caprock, and interbed layers. In conclusion, the geotechnical concerns associated with the BC site from this analysis will be explained in a follow-up paper.« less

  15. Groundwater source contamination mechanisms: Physicochemical profile clustering, risk factor analysis and multivariate modelling

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hynds, Paul; Misstear, Bruce D.; Gill, Laurence W.; Murphy, Heather M.

    2014-04-01

    An integrated domestic well sampling and "susceptibility assessment" programme was undertaken in the Republic of Ireland from April 2008 to November 2010. Overall, 211 domestic wells were sampled, assessed and collated with local climate data. Based upon groundwater physicochemical profile, three clusters have been identified and characterised by source type (borehole or hand-dug well) and local geological setting. Statistical analysis indicates that cluster membership is significantly associated with the prevalence of bacteria (p = 0.001), with mean Escherichia coli presence within clusters ranging from 15.4% (Cluster-1) to 47.6% (Cluster-3). Bivariate risk factor analysis shows that on-site septic tank presence was the only risk factor significantly associated (p < 0.05) with bacterial presence within all clusters. Point agriculture adjacency was significantly associated with both borehole-related clusters. Well design criteria were associated with hand-dug wells and boreholes in areas characterised by high permeability subsoils, while local geological setting was significant for hand-dug wells and boreholes in areas dominated by low/moderate permeability subsoils. Multivariate susceptibility models were developed for all clusters, with predictive accuracies of 84% (Cluster-1) to 91% (Cluster-2) achieved. Septic tank setback was a common variable within all multivariate models, while agricultural sources were also significant, albeit to a lesser degree. Furthermore, well liner clearance was a significant factor in all models, indicating that direct surface ingress is a significant well contamination mechanism. Identification and elucidation of cluster-specific contamination mechanisms may be used to develop improved overall risk management and wellhead protection strategies, while also informing future remediation and maintenance efforts.

  16. Modeling the Factors Impacting Pesticide Concentrations in Groundwater Wells.

    PubMed

    Aisopou, Angeliki; Binning, Philip J; Albrechtsen, Hans-Jørgen; Bjerg, Poul L

    2015-01-01

    This study examines the effect of pumping, hydrogeology, and pesticide characteristics on pesticide concentrations in production wells using a reactive transport model in two conceptual hydrogeologic systems; a layered aquifer with and without a stream present. The pumping rate can significantly affect the pesticide breakthrough time and maximum concentration at the well. The effect of the pumping rate on the pesticide concentration depends on the hydrogeology of the aquifer; in a layered aquifer, a high pumping rate resulted in a considerably different breakthrough than a low pumping rate, while in an aquifer with a stream the effect of the pumping rate was insignificant. Pesticide application history and properties have also a great impact on the effect of the pumping rate on the concentration at the well. The findings of the study show that variable pumping rates can generate temporal variability in the concentration at the well, which helps understanding the results of groundwater monitoring programs. The results are used to provide guidance on the design of pumping and regulatory changes for the long-term supply of safe groundwater. The fate of selected pesticides is examined, for example, if the application of bentazone in a region with a layered aquifer stops today, the concentration at the well can continue to increase for 20 years if a low pumping rate is applied. This study concludes that because of the rapid response of the pesticide concentration at the drinking water well due to changes in pumping, wellhead management is important for managing pesticide concentrations. © 2014, National GroundWater Association.

  17. Groundwater age, life expectancy and transit time distributions in advective dispersive systems; 2. Reservoir theory for sub-drainage basins

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cornaton, F.; Perrochet, P.

    2006-09-01

    Groundwater age and life expectancy probability density functions (pdf) have been defined, and solved in a general three-dimensional context by means of forward and backward advection-dispersion equations [Cornaton F, Perrochet P. Groundwater age, life expectancy and transit time distributions in advective-dispersive systems; 1. Generalized reservoir theory. Adv Water Res (xxxx)]. The discharge and recharge zones transit time pdfs were then derived by applying the reservoir theory (RT) to the global system, thus considering as ensemble the union of all inlet boundaries on one hand, and the union of all outlet boundaries on the other hand. The main advantages in using the RT to calculate the transit time pdf is that the outlet boundary geometry does not represent a computational limiting factor (e.g. outlets of small sizes), since the methodology is based on the integration over the entire domain of each age, or life expectancy, occurrence. In the present paper, we extend the applicability of the RT to sub-drainage basins of groundwater reservoirs by treating the reservoir flow systems as compartments which transfer the water fluxes to a particular discharge zone, and inside which mixing and dispersion processes can take place. Drainage basins are defined by the field of probability of exit at outlet. In this way, we make the RT applicable to each sub-drainage system of an aquifer of arbitrary complexity and configuration. The case of the well-head protection problem is taken as illustrative example, and sensitivity analysis of the effect of pore velocity variations on the simulated ages is carried out.

  18. Fingerprinting Deepwater Horizon Oil in the northern Gulf of Mexico using biomarkers and Gas Chromatography-Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS/MS)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Adhikari, P. L.; Overton, E. B.; Maiti, K.; Wong, R. L.

    2016-02-01

    Petroleum biomarkers such as hopanes, steranes, and triaromatic steroids are more persistent than alkanes and aromatic compounds. Thus, they are often used to track spilled oil in the environments and as a proxy for weathering processes. The present study utilizes water samples, suspended and sinking particles, and seafloor sediments collected during 2011-2013 from various locations of the northern Gulf of Mexico with wide range of contaminated oil for Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil fingerprinting. The MC252 source oil along with the samples collected in this study were analyzed using a gas chromatography coupled with a triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC/MS/MS) in Multiple Reaction Monitoring (MRM) mode and the results were compared with results from commonly used GC/MS selective ion monitoring (SIM) method. The results indicate that the MRM method separates interfering ions from interfering compounds and can be a powerful analytical strategy for a reliable identification and determination of trace levels of biomarkers in complex matrices. Source indicators such as the MRM fragment ion chromatograms of the biomarkers and their diagnostic ratios in samples were compared with the MC252 source oil. The preliminary results show that the biomarkers were below detection limits in dissolved samples. However, in few particulate and seafloor sediment samples, primarily from the immediate vicinity of the Macondo wellhead, contained their patterns. The results also illustrate that these biomarker compounds have been weathered within 1-3 years following the oil spill, and their DWH oil signature in some of these samples reflects this weathering.

  19. Time-resolved seismic tomography at the EGS geothermal reservoir of Soultz-Sous-Forêts (France) during hydraulic stimulations. A comparison between different injection tests

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dorbath, C.; Calo, M.; Cornet, F.; Frogneux, M.

    2011-12-01

    One major goal of monitoring seismicity accompanying hydraulic fracturing of a reservoir is to recover the seismic velocity field in and around the geothermal site. Several studies have shown that the 4D (time dependent) seismic tomographies are very useful to illustrate and study the temporal variation of the seismic velocities conditioned by injected fluids. However, only an appropriate separation of the data in subsets and a reliable tomographic method allow studying representative variations of the seismic velocities during and after the injection periods. We present here new 4D seismic tomographies performed using datasets regarding some stimulation tests performed at the Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS) site of Soultz-sous-Forêts (Alsace, France). The data used were recorded during the stimulation tests occurred in 2000, 2003 and 2004 that involved the wells GPK2, GPK3 and GPK4. For each set of events, the subsetting of the data was performed by taking into account the injection parameters of the stimulation tests (namely the injected flow rate and the wellhead pressure). The velocity models have been obtained using the Double-Difference tomographic method (Zhang and Thurber 2003) and further improved with the post-processing WAM technique (Calo' et al., 2009, 2011). This technique resulted very powerful because combines high resolution and reliablity of the seismic velocity fields calculated even with small datasets. In this work we show the complete sequence of the time-lapse tomographies and their variations in time and between different stimulation tests.

  20. Acoustic and sonochemical methods for altering the viscosity of oil during recovery and pipeline transportation.

    PubMed

    Abramov, Vladimir O; Abramova, Anna V; Bayazitov, Vadim M; Mullakaev, Marat S; Marnosov, Alexandr V; Ildiyakov, Alexandr V

    2017-03-01

    Reduction of oil viscosity is of great importance for the petroleum industry since it contributes a lot to the facilitation of pipeline transportation of oil. This study analyzes the capability of acoustic waves to decrease the viscosity of oil during its commercial production. Three types of equipment were tested: an ultrasonic emitter that is located directly in the well and affects oil during its production and two types of acoustic machines to be located at the wellhead and perform acoustic treatment after oil extraction: a setup for ultrasonic hydrodynamic treatment and a flow-through ultrasonic reactor. In our case, the two acoustic machines were rebuilt and tested in the laboratory. The viscosity of oil was measured before and after both types of acoustic treatment; and 2, 24 and 48h after ultrasonic treatment and 1 and 4h after hydrodynamic treatment in order to estimate the constancy of viscosity reduction. The viscosity reduction achieved by acoustic waves was compared to the viscosity reduction achieved by acoustic waves jointly with solvents. It was shown, that regardless of the form of powerful acoustic impact, a long lasting decrease in viscosity can be obtained only if sonochemical treatment is used. Using sonochemical treatment based on ultrasonic hydrodynamic treatment a viscosity reduction by 72,46% was achieved. However, the reduction in viscosity by 16%, which was demonstrated using the ultrasonic downhole tool in the well without addition of chemicals, is high enough to facilitate the production of viscous hydrocarbons. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Review of flow rate estimates of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    McNutt, Marcia K.; Camilli, Rich; Crone, Timothy J.; Guthrie, George D.; Hsieh, Paul A.; Ryerson, Thomas B.; Savas, Omer; Shaffer, Frank

    2012-01-01

    The unprecedented nature of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill required the application of research methods to estimate the rate at which oil was escaping from the well in the deep sea, its disposition after it entered the ocean, and total reservoir depletion. Here, we review what advances were made in scientific understanding of quantification of flow rates during deep sea oil well blowouts. We assess the degree to which a consensus was reached on the flow rate of the well by comparing in situ observations of the leaking well with a time-dependent flow rate model derived from pressure readings taken after the Macondo well was shut in for the well integrity test. Model simulations also proved valuable for predicting the effect of partial deployment of the blowout preventer rams on flow rate. Taken together, the scientific analyses support flow rates in the range of ~50,000–70,000 barrels/d, perhaps modestly decreasing over the duration of the oil spill, for a total release of ~5.0 million barrels of oil, not accounting for BP's collection effort. By quantifying the amount of oil at different locations (wellhead, ocean surface, and atmosphere), we conclude that just over 2 million barrels of oil (after accounting for containment) and all of the released methane remained in the deep sea. By better understanding the fate of the hydrocarbons, the total discharge can be partitioned into separate components that pose threats to deep sea vs. coastal ecosystems, allowing responders in future events to scale their actions accordingly.

  2. Review of flow rate estimates of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill

    PubMed Central

    McNutt, Marcia K.; Camilli, Rich; Crone, Timothy J.; Guthrie, George D.; Hsieh, Paul A.; Ryerson, Thomas B.; Savas, Omer; Shaffer, Frank

    2012-01-01

    The unprecedented nature of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill required the application of research methods to estimate the rate at which oil was escaping from the well in the deep sea, its disposition after it entered the ocean, and total reservoir depletion. Here, we review what advances were made in scientific understanding of quantification of flow rates during deep sea oil well blowouts. We assess the degree to which a consensus was reached on the flow rate of the well by comparing in situ observations of the leaking well with a time-dependent flow rate model derived from pressure readings taken after the Macondo well was shut in for the well integrity test. Model simulations also proved valuable for predicting the effect of partial deployment of the blowout preventer rams on flow rate. Taken together, the scientific analyses support flow rates in the range of ∼50,000–70,000 barrels/d, perhaps modestly decreasing over the duration of the oil spill, for a total release of ∼5.0 million barrels of oil, not accounting for BP's collection effort. By quantifying the amount of oil at different locations (wellhead, ocean surface, and atmosphere), we conclude that just over 2 million barrels of oil (after accounting for containment) and all of the released methane remained in the deep sea. By better understanding the fate of the hydrocarbons, the total discharge can be partitioned into separate components that pose threats to deep sea vs. coastal ecosystems, allowing responders in future events to scale their actions accordingly. PMID:22187459

  3. Growth model for large branched three-dimensional hydraulic crack system in gas or oil shale

    PubMed Central

    Chau, Viet T.

    2016-01-01

    Recent analysis of gas outflow histories at wellheads shows that the hydraulic crack spacing must be of the order of 0.1 m (rather than 1 m or 10 m). Consequently, the existing models, limited to one or several cracks, are unrealistic. The reality is 105–106 almost vertical hydraulic cracks per fracking stage. Here, we study the growth of two intersecting near-orthogonal systems of parallel hydraulic cracks spaced at 0.1 m, preferably following pre-existing rock joints. One key idea is that, to model lateral cracks branching from a primary crack wall, crack pressurization, by viscous Poiseuille-type flow, of compressible (proppant-laden) frac water must be complemented with the pressurization of a sufficient volume of micropores and microcracks by Darcy-type water diffusion into the shale, to generate tension along existing crack walls, overcoming the strength limit of the cohesive-crack or crack-band model. A second key idea is that enforcing the equilibrium of stresses in cracks, pores and water, with the generation of tension in the solid phase, requires a new three-phase medium concept, which is transitional between Biot’s two-phase medium and Terzaghi’s effective stress and introduces the loading of the solid by pressure gradients of diffusing pore water. A computer program, combining finite elements for deformation and fracture with volume elements for water flow, is developed to validate the new model. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Energy and the subsurface’. PMID:27597791

  4. Natural gas-the missing link in the pricing chain can develop a life of its own

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

    Symonds, E.

    When deputy treasury secretary R.T. McNamar addressed the May meeting of the National Foreign Trade Council in New York, he assured the assembled oilmen and bankers that further cuts of up to 20% should be expected in world oil prices. The puzzling feature is that the gas prices, which were for so long accused of undermining the oil market, are no longer brought into these discussions. Yet gas is the primary fuel over which governments have traditionally exercised the greatest control, and whose future movements must influence long-term world price levels as well as the near-term market for directly competitivemore » products such as heating and residual oils. On the domestic front, the latest of the gas industry's battle lines have been drawn around the long-lasting distortions of the 1954 ruling that the Federal Power Commission was obligated to devise and enforce as a method of controlling wellhead prices. As intended, gas then entered a long period of interstate sales below equilibrium prices, allowing it to capture one-third of the nation's energy market. But that share has now shrunk to approximately one-quarter of the market. This continuous decline was built into forecaster thinking during the long years of underpriced gas. The general assumption was that the decline in domestic supplies would be unbroken, and that prices would not be high enough to attract significant new supplies of supplemental gas. How far this assumption could be upset by decontrol remains an open question.« less

  5. Geomechanical Simulation of Bayou Choctaw Strategic Petroleum Reserve - Model Calibration.

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

    Park, Byoung

    2017-02-01

    A finite element numerical analysis model has been constructed that consists of a realistic mesh capturing the geometries of Bayou Choctaw (BC) Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) site and multi - mechanism deformation ( M - D ) salt constitutive model using the daily data of actual wellhead pressure and oil - brine interface. The salt creep rate is not uniform in the salt dome, and the creep test data for BC salt is limited. Therefore, the model calibration is necessary to simulate the geomechanical behavior of the salt dome. The cavern volumetric closures of SPR caverns calculated from CAVEMAN aremore » used for the field baseline measurement. The structure factor, A 2 , and transient strain limit factor, K 0 , in the M - D constitutive model are used for the calibration. The A 2 value obtained experimentally from the BC salt and K 0 value of Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) salt are used for the baseline values. T o adjust the magnitude of A 2 and K 0 , multiplication factors A2F and K0F are defined, respectively. The A2F and K0F values of the salt dome and salt drawdown skins surrounding each SPR cavern have been determined through a number of back fitting analyses. The cavern volumetric closures calculated from this model correspond to the predictions from CAVEMAN for six SPR caverns. Therefore, this model is able to predict past and future geomechanical behaviors of the salt dome, caverns, caprock , and interbed layers. The geological concerns issued in the BC site will be explained from this model in a follow - up report .« less

  6. Growth model for large branched three-dimensional hydraulic crack system in gas or oil shale.

    PubMed

    Chau, Viet T; Bažant, Zdeněk P; Su, Yewang

    2016-10-13

    Recent analysis of gas outflow histories at wellheads shows that the hydraulic crack spacing must be of the order of 0.1 m (rather than 1 m or 10 m). Consequently, the existing models, limited to one or several cracks, are unrealistic. The reality is 10(5)-10(6) almost vertical hydraulic cracks per fracking stage. Here, we study the growth of two intersecting near-orthogonal systems of parallel hydraulic cracks spaced at 0.1 m, preferably following pre-existing rock joints. One key idea is that, to model lateral cracks branching from a primary crack wall, crack pressurization, by viscous Poiseuille-type flow, of compressible (proppant-laden) frac water must be complemented with the pressurization of a sufficient volume of micropores and microcracks by Darcy-type water diffusion into the shale, to generate tension along existing crack walls, overcoming the strength limit of the cohesive-crack or crack-band model. A second key idea is that enforcing the equilibrium of stresses in cracks, pores and water, with the generation of tension in the solid phase, requires a new three-phase medium concept, which is transitional between Biot's two-phase medium and Terzaghi's effective stress and introduces the loading of the solid by pressure gradients of diffusing pore water. A computer program, combining finite elements for deformation and fracture with volume elements for water flow, is developed to validate the new model.This article is part of the themed issue 'Energy and the subsurface'. © 2016 The Author(s).

  7. Artesian pressures and water quality in Paleozoic aquifers in the Ten Sleep area of the Bighorn Basin, north-central Wyoming

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Cooley, Maurice E.

    1986-01-01

    The major Paleozoic artesian aquifers, the aquifers most favorable for continued development, in the Ten Sleep area of the Bighorn Basin of Wyoming are the Tensleep Sandstone, the Madison Limestone and Bighorn Dolomite (Madison-Bighorn aquifer), and the Flathead Sandstone. The minor aquifers include the Goose Egg and Park City Formations (considered in the Ten Sleep area to be the lateral equivalent of the Phosphoria Formation) and the Amsden Formation. Most wells completed in the major and minor aquifers flow at the land surface. Wellhead pressures generally are less than 50 pounds per square inch for the Tensleep Sandstone, 150-250 pounds per square inch for the Madison-Bighorn aquifer, and more than 400 pounds per square inch for the Flathead Sandstone. Flowing wells completed in the Madison-Bighorn aquifer and the Flathead Sandstone yield more than 1,000 gallons per minute. The initial test of one well completed in the Madison-Bighorn aquifer indicated a flow rate of 14,000 gallons per minute. Transmissivities range from 500 to 1,900 feet squared per day for the Madison-Bighorn aquifer and from about 90 to 325 feet squared per day for the Tensleep and Flathead Sandstones. Significant secondary permeability from fracturing in the Paleozoic aquifers allows local upward interformational movement of water, and this affects the altitude of the potentiometric surfaces of the Tensleep Sandstone and the Madison-Bighorn aquifer. Water moves upward from the Tensleep and other formations, through the Goose Egg Formation, to discharge at the land surface as springs. Much of the spring flow is diverted for irrigation or is used for rearing fish. Decreases from original well pressures were not apparent in wells completed in the Tensleep Sandstone or in the Madison-Bighorn aquifer in the study area except for a few wells in or near the town of Ten Sleep. Most wells completed in the Flathead Sandstone, which also are open to the Madison-Bighorn aquifer, show a decrease of pressure from the time of completion to 1978. The decrease of pressure is partly the result of water moving from the Flathead Sandstone into the Madison-Bighorn aquifer, which has a lower potentiometric surface than does the Flathead Sandstone, even during the time the wells are not in operation. Pressure in some small-capacity wells completed in the Goose Egg Formation also has decreased near Ten Sleep. Most of the wells, particularly the irrigation wells, show a progressive decrease in pressure during the irrigation season but recover during periods of nonuse. Measurements of the pressure were made principally in 1953, 1962, 1970, and 1975-78. Well water from the Paleozoic aquifers generally contains minimal concentrations of dissolved solids and individual constituents but excessive hardness. Dissolved-solids concentrations of water are less than 300 milligrams per liter in the Tensleep Sandstone and the Madison-Bighorn aquifer, less than 200 milligrams per liter in the Flathead Sandstone, and as much as 450 milligrams per liter in the Goose Egg Formation. Bicarbonate is the major constituent, followed by calcium and magnesium. Relatively large concentrations of sulfate, as much as 490 milligrams per liter, were found, mainly in water from the Goose Egg Formation. The water has low sodium (alkali) and medium salinity; therefore, the water is satisfactory for irrigation and most other uses, if excessive hardness is not a detrimental factor. Wellhead temperatures range from 11 ? to 27.5 ? Celsius (51 ? to 81.5 ? Fahrenheit) within a range in depth of approximately 250 to 4,000 feet. This gives a geothermal gradient of about 0.44 ? Celsius per 100 feet (0.79 ? Fahrenheit per 100 feet).

  8. Simulation of ground-water flow in the Vevay Township area, Ingham County, Michigan

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Luukkonen, Carol L.; Simard, Andreanne

    2004-01-01

    Ground water is the primary source of water for domestic, public-supply, and industrial use within the Tri-County region that includes Clinton, Eaton, and Ingham Counties in Michigan. Because of the importance of this ground-water resource, numerous communities, including the city of Mason in Ingham County, have begun local Wellhead Protection Programs. In these programs, communities protect their groundwater resource by identifying the areas that contribute water to production wells and potential sources of contamination, and by developing methods to manage and minimize threats to the water supply. In addition, some communities in Michigan are concerned about water availability, particularly in areas experiencing water-level declines in the vicinity of quarry dewatering operations. In areas where Wellhead Protection Programs are implemented and there are potential threats to the water supply, residents and communities need adequate information to protect the water supply.In 1996, a regional ground-water-flow model was developed by the U.S. Geological Survey to simulate ground-water flow in Clinton, Eaton, and Ingham Counties. This model was developed primarily to simulate the bedrock ground-waterflow system; ground-water flow in the unconsolidated glacial sediments was simulated to support analysis of flow in the underlying bedrock Saginaw aquifer. Since its development in 1996, regional model simulations have been conducted to address protection concerns and water availability questions of local water-resources managers. As a result of these continuing model simulations, additional hydrogeologic data have been acquired in the Tri-County region that has improved the characterization of the simulated ground-water-flow system and improved the model calibration. A major benefit of these updates and refinements is that the regional Tri-County model continues to be a useful tool that improves the understanding of the ground-water-flow system in the Tri-County region, provides local water-resources managers with a means to answer ground-water protection and availability questions, and serves as an example that can be applied in other areas of the state.A refined version of the 1996 Tri-County regional ground-water-flow model, developed in 1997, was modified with local hydrogeologic information in the Vevay Township area in Michigan. This model, updated in 2003 for this study, was used to simulate ground-water flow to address groundwater protection and availability questions in Vevay Township. The 2003 model included refinement of glacial and bedrock hydraulic characteristics, better representation of the degree of connection between the glacial deposits and the underlying Saginaw aquifer, and refinement of the model cell size.The 2003 model was used to simulate regional groundwater flow, to delineate areas contributing recharge and zones of contribution to production wells in the city of Mason, and to simulate the effects of present and possible future withdrawals. The areal extent of the 10- and 40-year areas contributing recharge and the zones of contribution for the city of Mason's production wells encompass about 2.3 and 6.2 square miles, respectively. Simulation results, where withdrawals for quarry operations were represented by one well pumping at 1.6 million gallons per day, indicate that water levels would decline slightly over 1 foot approximately 2 miles from the quarry in the glacial deposits and in the Saginaw aquifer. With a reduction of the local riverbed conductance or removal of local river model cells representing Mud Creek, water-level declines would extend further west of Mud Creek and further to the north, east, and south of the simulated quarry. Simulation results indicate that water withdrawn for quarry dewatering operations would decrease ground-water recharge to nearby Mud Creek, would increase ground-water discharge from Mud Creek, and that local water levels would be lowered as a result.

  9. Electromagnetic Measurements in an Active Oilfield Environment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schramm, K. A.; Aldridge, D. F.; Bartel, L. C.; Knox, H. A.; Weiss, C. J.

    2015-12-01

    An important issue in oilfield development pertains to mapping and monitoring of the fracture distributions (either natural or man-made) controlling subsurface fluid flow. Although microseismic monitoring and analysis have been used for this purpose for several decades, there remain several ambiguities and uncertainties with this approach. We are investigating a novel electromagnetic (EM) technique for detecting and mapping hydraulic fractures in a petroleum reservoir by injecting an electrically conductive contrast agent into an open fracture. The fracture is subsequently illuminated by a strong EM field radiated by a large engineered antenna. Specifically, a grounded electric current source is applied directly to the steel casing of the borehole, either at/near the wellhead or at a deep downhole point. Transient multicomponent EM signals (both electric and magnetic) scattered by the conductivity contrast are then recorded by a surface receiver array. We are presently utilizing advanced 3D numerical modeling algorithms to accurately simulate fracture responses, both before and after insertion of the conductive contrast agent. Model results compare favorably with EM field data recently acquired in a Permian Basin oilfield. However, extraction of the very-low-amplitude fracture signatures from noisy data requires effective noise suppression strategies such as long stacking times, rejection of outliers, and careful treatment of natural magnetotelluric fields. Dealing with the ever-present "episodic EM noise" typical in an active oilfield environment (associated with drilling, pumping, machinery, traffic, etc.) constitutes an ongoing problem. Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the US Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.

  10. Baseline models of trace elements in major aquifers of the United States

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Lee, L.; Helsel, D.

    2005-01-01

    Trace-element concentrations in baseline samples from a survey of aquifers used as potable-water supplies in the United States are summarized using methods appropriate for data with multiple detection limits. The resulting statistical distribution models are used to develop summary statistics and estimate probabilities of exceeding water-quality standards. The models are based on data from the major aquifer studies of the USGS National Water Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program. These data were produced with a nationally-consistent sampling and analytical framework specifically designed to determine the quality of the most important potable groundwater resources during the years 1991-2001. The analytical data for all elements surveyed contain values that were below several detection limits. Such datasets are referred to as multiply-censored data. To address this issue, a robust semi-parametric statistical method called regression on order statistics (ROS) is employed. Utilizing the 90th-95th percentile as an arbitrary range for the upper limits of expected baseline concentrations, the models show that baseline concentrations of dissolved Ba and Zn are below 500 ??g/L. For the same percentile range, dissolved As, Cu and Mo concentrations are below 10 ??g/L, and dissolved Ag, Be, Cd, Co, Cr, Ni, Pb, Sb and Se are below 1-5 ??g/L. These models are also used to determine the probabilities that potable ground waters exceed drinking water standards. For dissolved Ba, Cr, Cu, Pb, Ni, Mo and Se, the likelihood of exceeding the US Environmental Protection Agency standards at the well-head is less than 1-1.5%. A notable exception is As, which has approximately a 7% chance of exceeding the maximum contaminant level (10 ??g/L) at the well head.

  11. The public health significance of latrines discharging to groundwater used for drinking.

    PubMed

    Ravenscroft, P; Mahmud, Z H; Islam, M Shafiqul; Hossain, A K M Z; Zahid, A; Saha, G C; Zulfiquar Ali, A H M; Islam, Khairul; Cairncross, S; Clemens, J D; Islam, M Sirajul

    2017-11-01

    Faecal contamination of groundwater from pit latrines is widely perceived as a major threat to the safety of drinking water for several billion people in rural and peri-urban areas worldwide. On the floodplains of the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna delta in Bangladesh, we constructed latrines and monitored piezometer nests monthly for two years. We detected faecal coliforms (FC) in 3.3-23.3% of samples at four sites. We differentiate a near-field, characterised by high concentrations and frequent, persistent and contiguous contamination in all directions, and a far-field characterised by rare, impersistent, discontinuous low-level detections in variable directions. Far-field FC concentrations at four sites exceeded 0 and 10 cfu/100 ml in 2.4-9.6% and 0.2-2.3% of sampling events respectively. The lesser contamination of in-situ groundwater compared to water at the point-of-collection from domestic wells, which itself is less contaminated than at the point-of-consumption, demonstrates the importance of recontamination in the well-pump system. We present a conceptual model comprising four sub-pathways: the latrine-aquifer interface (near-field); groundwater flowing from latrine to well (far-field); the well-pump system; and post-collection handling and storage. Applying a hypothetical dose-response model suggests that 1-2% of the diarrhoeal disease burden from drinking water is derived from the aquifer, 29% from the well-pump system, and 70% from post-collection handling. The important implications are (i) that leakage from pit latrines is a minor contributor to faecal contamination of drinking water in alluvial-deltaic terrains; (ii) fears of increased groundwater pollution should not constrain expanding latrine coverage, and (iii) that more attention should be given to reducing contamination around the well-head. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Modular Advanced Oxidation Process Enabled by Cathodic Hydrogen Peroxide Production

    PubMed Central

    2015-01-01

    Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is frequently used in combination with ultraviolet (UV) light to treat trace organic contaminants in advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). In small-scale applications, such as wellhead and point-of-entry water treatment systems, the need to maintain a stock solution of concentrated H2O2 increases the operational cost and complicates the operation of AOPs. To avoid the need for replenishing a stock solution of H2O2, a gas diffusion electrode was used to generate low concentrations of H2O2 directly in the water prior to its exposure to UV light. Following the AOP, the solution was passed through an anodic chamber to lower the solution pH and remove the residual H2O2. The effectiveness of the technology was evaluated using a suite of trace contaminants that spanned a range of reactivity with UV light and hydroxyl radical (HO•) in three different types of source waters (i.e., simulated groundwater, simulated surface water, and municipal wastewater effluent) as well as a sodium chloride solution. Irrespective of the source water, the system produced enough H2O2 to treat up to 120 L water d–1. The extent of transformation of trace organic contaminants was affected by the current density and the concentrations of HO• scavengers in the source water. The electrical energy per order (EEO) ranged from 1 to 3 kWh m–3, with the UV lamp accounting for most of the energy consumption. The gas diffusion electrode exhibited high efficiency for H2O2 production over extended periods and did not show a diminution in performance in any of the matrices. PMID:26039560

  13. Preoperational Subsurface Conditions at the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center Service Waste Disposal Facility

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

    Ansley, Shannon Leigh

    2002-02-01

    The Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center (INTEC) Service Wastewater Discharge Facility replaces the existing percolation ponds as a disposal facility for the INTEC Service Waste Stream. A preferred alternative for helping decrease water content in the subsurface near INTEC, closure of the existing ponds is required by the INTEC Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) Record of Decision (ROD) for Waste Area Group 3 Operable Unit 3-13 (DOE-ID 1999a). By August 2002, the replacement facility was constructed approximately 2 miles southwest of INTEC, near the Big Lost River channel. Because groundwater beneath the Idaho National Engineering andmore » Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) is protected under Federal and State of Idaho regulations from degradation due to INEEL activities, preoperational data required by U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Order 5400.1 were collected. These data include preexisting physical, chemical, and biological conditions that could be affected by the discharge; background levels of radioactive and chemical components; pertinent environmental and ecological parameters; and potential pathways for human exposure or environmental impact. This document presents specific data collected in support of DOE Order 5400.1, including: four quarters of groundwater sampling and analysis of chemical and radiological parameters; general facility description; site specific geology, stratigraphy, soils, and hydrology; perched water discussions; and general regulatory requirements. However, in order to avoid duplication of previous information, the reader is directed to other referenced publications for more detailed information. Documents that are not readily available are compiled in this publication as appendices. These documents include well and borehole completion reports, a perched water evaluation letter report, the draft INEEL Wellhead Protection Program Plan, and the Environmental Checklist.« less

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

    Pallesen, T.R.; Braestrup, M.W.; Jorgensen, O.

    Development of Danish North Sea hydrocarbon resources includes the 17-km Rolf pipeline installed in 1985. This one consists of an insulated 8-in. two-phase flow product line with a 3-in. piggyback gas lift line. A practical solution to design of this insulated pipeline, including the small diameter, piggyback injection line was corrosion coating of fusion bonded epoxy (FBE) and polyethylene (PE) sleeve pipe. The insulation design prevents hydrate formation under the most conservative flow regime during gas lift production. Also, the required minimum flow rate during the initial natural lift period is well below the value anticipiated at the initiation ofmore » gas lift. The weight coating design ensures stability on the seabed during the summer months only; thus trenching was required during the same installation season. Installation of insulated flowlines serving marginal fields is a significant feature of North Sea hydrocarbon development projects. The Skjold field is connected to Gorm by a 6-in., two-phase-flow line. The 11-km line was installed in 1982 as the first insulated pipeline in the North Sea. The Rolf field, located 17 km west of Gorm, went on stream Jan. 2. The development includes an unmanned wellhead platform and an insulated, two-phase-flow pipeline to the Gorm E riser platform. After separation on the Gorm C process platform, the oil and condensate are transported to shore through the 20-in. oil pipeline, and the natural gas is piped to Tyra for transmission through the 30-in. gas pipeline. Oil production at Rolf is assisted by the injection of lift gas, transported from Gorm through a 3-in. pipeline, installed piggyback on the insulated 8-in. product line. The seabed is smooth and sandy, the water depth varying between 33.7 m (110.5 ft) at Rolf and 39.1 m (128 ft) at Gorm.« less

  15. Using dye tracing to establish groundwater flow paths in a limestone marble aquifer, University of California, Santa Cruz, California

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

    Hayes, J.; Bertschinger, V.; Aley, T.

    1993-04-01

    Areas underlain by karst aquifers are characterized by soluble rock with sinkholes, caves, and a complex underground drainage network. Groundwater issues such as flow direction, well pumping impacts, spring recharge areas, and potential contamination transport routes are greatly complicated by the unique structure of karst aquifers. Standard aquifer analysis techniques cannot be applied unless the structure of the karst aquifer is understood. Water soluble fluorescent dyes are a powerful tool for mapping the irregular subsurface connections and flow paths in karst aquifers. Mapping the subsurface connections allows reasonable estimates of the hydrologic behavior of the aquifer. Two different fluorescent dyesmore » were injected at two points in a limestone karst aquifer system beneath the University of California, Santa Cruz campus. Flow paths in the marble were thought to be closely tied to easily recognized geomorphic alignments of sinkholes associated with fault and fracture zones. The dye tests revealed unexpected and highly complex interconnections. These complex flow paths only partially corresponded to previous surface mapping and aerial photo analysis of fracture systems. Several interfingering but hydrologically unconnected flow paths evidently exist within the cavernous aquifer. For example, dye did not appear at some discharge springs close to the dye injection points, but did appear at more distant springs. This study shows how a dye tracing study in a small, well-defined limestone body can shed light on a variety of environmental and hydrological issues, including potential well pumping impact areas, wellhead protection and recharge areas, parking lot runoff injection to aquifers, and drainage routes from hazardous materials storage areas.« less

  16. Can Sanitary Inspection Surveys Predict Risk of Microbiological Contamination of Groundwater Sources? Evidence from Shallow Tubewells in Rural Bangladesh

    PubMed Central

    Ercumen, Ayse; Naser, Abu Mohd; Arnold, Benjamin F.; Unicomb, Leanne; Colford, John M.; Luby, Stephen P.

    2017-01-01

    Accurately assessing the microbiological safety of water sources is essential to reduce waterborne fecal exposures and track progress toward global targets of safe water access. Sanitary inspections are a recommended tool to assess water safety. We collected 1,684 water samples from 902 shallow tubewells in rural Bangladesh and conducted sanitary surveys to assess whether sanitary risk scores could predict water quality, as measured by Escherichia coli. We detected E. coli in 41% of tubewells, mostly at low concentrations. Based on sanitary scores, 31% of wells were low risk, 45% medium risk, and 25% high or very high risk. Older wells had higher risk scores. Escherichia coli levels were higher in wells where the platform was cracked or broken (Δlog10 = 0.09, 0.00–0.18) or undercut by erosion (Δlog10 = 0.13, 0.01–0.24). However, the positive predictive value of these risk factors for E. coli presence was low (< 50%). Latrine presence within 10 m was not associated with water quality during the wet season but was associated with less frequent E. coli detection during the dry season (relative risk = 0.72, 0.59–0.88). Sanitary scores were not associated with E. coli presence or concentration. These findings indicate that observed characteristics of a tubewell, as measured by sanitary inspections in their current form, do not sufficiently characterize microbiological water quality, as measured by E. coli. Assessments of local groundwater and geological conditions and improved water quality indicators may reveal more clear relationships. Our findings also suggest that the dominant contamination route for shallow groundwater sources is short-circuiting at the wellhead rather than subsurface transport. PMID:28115666

  17. Asphalt-derived high surface area activated porous carbons for carbon dioxide capture.

    PubMed

    Jalilov, Almaz S; Ruan, Gedeng; Hwang, Chih-Chau; Schipper, Desmond E; Tour, Josiah J; Li, Yilun; Fei, Huilong; Samuel, Errol L G; Tour, James M

    2015-01-21

    Research activity toward the development of new sorbents for carbon dioxide (CO2) capture have been increasing quickly. Despite the variety of existing materials with high surface areas and high CO2 uptake performances, the cost of the materials remains a dominant factor in slowing their industrial applications. Here we report preparation and CO2 uptake performance of microporous carbon materials synthesized from asphalt, a very inexpensive carbon source. Carbonization of asphalt with potassium hydroxide (KOH) at high temperatures (>600 °C) yields porous carbon materials (A-PC) with high surface areas of up to 2780 m(2) g(-1) and high CO2 uptake performance of 21 mmol g(-1) or 93 wt % at 30 bar and 25 °C. Furthermore, nitrogen doping and reduction with hydrogen yields active N-doped materials (A-NPC and A-rNPC) containing up to 9.3% nitrogen, making them nucleophilic porous carbons with further increase in the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface areas up to 2860 m(2) g(-1) for A-NPC and CO2 uptake to 26 mmol g(-1) or 114 wt % at 30 bar and 25 °C for A-rNPC. This is the highest reported CO2 uptake among the family of the activated porous carbonaceous materials. Thus, the porous carbon materials from asphalt have excellent properties for reversibly capturing CO2 at the well-head during the extraction of natural gas, a naturally occurring high pressure source of CO2. Through a pressure swing sorption process, when the asphalt-derived material is returned to 1 bar, the CO2 is released, thereby rendering a reversible capture medium that is highly efficient yet very inexpensive.

  18. Occurrence and potential human-health relevance of volatile organic compounds in drinking water from domestic wells in the United States

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Rowe, B.L.; Toccalino, P.L.; Moran, M.J.; Zogorski, J.S.; Price, C.V.

    2011-01-01

    BACKGROUND: As the population and demand for safe drinking water from domestic wells increase, it is important to examine water quality and contaminant occurrence. A national assessment in 2006 by the U.S. Geological Survey reported findings for 55 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) based on 2,401 domestic wells sampled during 1985-2002. OBJECTIVES: We examined the occurrence of individual and multiple VOCs and assessed the potential human-health relevance of VOC concentrations. We also identified hydrogeologic and anthropogenic variables that influence the probability of VOC occurrence. METHODS: The domestic well samples were collected at the wellhead before treatment of water and analyzed for 55 VOCs. Results were used to examine VOC occurrence and identify associations of multiple explanatory variables using logistic regression analyses. We used a screening-level assessment to compare VOC concentrations to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) and health-based screening levels. RESULTS: We detected VOCs in 65% of the samples; about one-half of these samples contained VOC mixtures. Frequently detected VOCs included chloroform, toluene, 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, and perchloroethene. VOC concentrations generally were < 1 ??g/L. One or more VOC concentrations were greater than MCLs in 1.2% of samples, including dibromochloropropane, 1,2-dichloropropane, and ethylene dibromide (fumigants); perchloroethene and trichloroethene (solvents); and 1,1-dichloroethene (organic synthesis compound). CONCLUSIONS: Drinking water supplied by domestic wells is vulnerable to low-level VOC contamination. About 1% of samples had concentrations of potential human-health concern. Identifying factors associated with VOC occurrence may aid in understanding the sources, transport, and fate of VOCs in groundwater.

  19. Modelling geothermal conditions in part of the Szczecin Trough - the Chociwel area

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Miecznik, Maciej; Sowiżdżał, Anna; Tomaszewska, Barbara; Pająk, Leszek

    2015-09-01

    The Chociwel region is part of the Szczecin Trough and constitutes the northeastern segment of the extended Szczecin-Gorzów Synclinorium. Lower Jurassic reservoirs of high permeability of up to 1145 mD can discharge geothermal waters with a rate exceeding 250 m3/h and temperatures reach over 90°C in the lowermost part of the reservoirs. These conditions provide an opportunity to generate electricity from heat accumulated in geothermal waters using binary ORC (Organic Rankine Cycle) systems. A numerical model of the natural state and exploitation conditions was created for the Chociwel area with the use of TOUGH2 geothermal simulator (i.e., integral finite-difference method). An analysis of geological and hydrogeothermal data indicates that the best conditions are found to the southeast of the town of Chociwel, where the bottom part of the reservoir reaches 3 km below ground. This would require drilling two new wells, namely one production and one injection. Simulated production with a flow rate of 275 m3/h, a temperature of 89°C at the wellhead, 30°C injection temperature and wells being 1.2 km separated from each other leads to a small temperature drop and moderate requirements for pumping power over a 50 years' time span. The ORC binary system can produce at maximum 592.5 kW gross power with the R227ea found as the most suitable working fluid. Geothermal brine leaving the ORC system with a temperature c. 53°C can be used for other purposes, namely mushroom growing, balneology, swimming pools, soil warming, de-icing, fish farming and for heat pumps.

  20. Groundwater methane in relation to oil and gas development and shallow coal seams in the Denver-Julesburg Basin of Colorado

    PubMed Central

    Sherwood, Owen A.; Rogers, Jessica D.; Lackey, Greg; Burke, Troy L.; Osborn, Stephen G.; Ryan, Joseph N.

    2016-01-01

    Unconventional oil and gas development has generated intense public concerns about potential impacts to groundwater quality. Specific pathways of contamination have been identified; however, overall rates of contamination remain ambiguous. We used an archive of geochemical data collected from 1988 to 2014 to determine the sources and occurrence of groundwater methane in the Denver-Julesburg Basin of northeastern Colorado. This 60,000-km2 region has a 60-y-long history of hydraulic fracturing, with horizontal drilling and high-volume hydraulic fracturing beginning in 2010. Of 924 sampled water wells in the basin, dissolved methane was detected in 593 wells at depths of 20–190 m. Based on carbon and hydrogen stable isotopes and gas molecular ratios, most of this methane was microbially generated, likely within shallow coal seams. A total of 42 water wells contained thermogenic stray gas originating from underlying oil and gas producing formations. Inadequate surface casing and leaks in production casing and wellhead seals in older, vertical oil and gas wells were identified as stray gas migration pathways. The rate of oil and gas wellbore failure was estimated as 0.06% of the 54,000 oil and gas wells in the basin (lower estimate) to 0.15% of the 20,700 wells in the area where stray gas contamination occurred (upper estimate) and has remained steady at about two cases per year since 2001. These results show that wellbore barrier failure, not high-volume hydraulic fracturing in horizontal wells, is the main cause of thermogenic stray gas migration in this oil- and gas-producing basin. PMID:27402747

  1. Can Sanitary Inspection Surveys Predict Risk of Microbiological Contamination of Groundwater Sources? Evidence from Shallow Tubewells in Rural Bangladesh.

    PubMed

    Ercumen, Ayse; Naser, Abu Mohd; Arnold, Benjamin F; Unicomb, Leanne; Colford, John M; Luby, Stephen P

    2017-03-01

    AbstractAccurately assessing the microbiological safety of water sources is essential to reduce waterborne fecal exposures and track progress toward global targets of safe water access. Sanitary inspections are a recommended tool to assess water safety. We collected 1,684 water samples from 902 shallow tubewells in rural Bangladesh and conducted sanitary surveys to assess whether sanitary risk scores could predict water quality, as measured by Escherichia coli . We detected E. coli in 41% of tubewells, mostly at low concentrations. Based on sanitary scores, 31% of wells were low risk, 45% medium risk, and 25% high or very high risk. Older wells had higher risk scores. Escherichia coli levels were higher in wells where the platform was cracked or broken (Δlog 10 = 0.09, 0.00-0.18) or undercut by erosion (Δlog 10 = 0.13, 0.01-0.24). However, the positive predictive value of these risk factors for E. coli presence was low (< 50%). Latrine presence within 10 m was not associated with water quality during the wet season but was associated with less frequent E. coli detection during the dry season (relative risk = 0.72, 0.59-0.88). Sanitary scores were not associated with E. coli presence or concentration. These findings indicate that observed characteristics of a tubewell, as measured by sanitary inspections in their current form, do not sufficiently characterize microbiological water quality, as measured by E. coli . Assessments of local groundwater and geological conditions and improved water quality indicators may reveal more clear relationships. Our findings also suggest that the dominant contamination route for shallow groundwater sources is short-circuiting at the wellhead rather than subsurface transport.

  2. Prediction of slug-to-annular flow pattern transition (STA) for reducing the risk of gas-lift instabilities and effective gas/liquid transport from low-pressure reservoirs

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

    Toma, P.R.; Vargas, E.; Kuru, E.

    Flow-pattern instabilities have frequently been observed in both conventional gas-lifting and unloading operations of water and oil in low-pressure gas and coalbed reservoirs. This paper identifies the slug-to-annular flow-pattern transition (STA) during upward gas/liquid transportation as a potential cause of flow instability in these operations. It is recommended that the slug-flow pattern be used mainly to minimize the pressure drop and gas compression work associated with gas-lifting large volumes of oil and water. Conversely, the annular flow pattern should be used during the unloading operation to produce gas with relatively small amounts of water and condensate. New and efficient artificialmore » lifting strategies are required to transport the liquid out of the depleted gas or coalbed reservoir level to the surface. This paper presents held data and laboratory measurements supporting the hypothesis that STA significantly contributes to flow instabilities and should therefore be avoided in upward gas/liquid transportation operations. Laboratory high-speed measurements of flow-pressure components under a broad range of gas-injection rates including STA have also been included to illustrate the onset of large STA-related flow-pressure oscillations. The latter body of data provides important insights into gas deliquification mechanisms and identifies potential solutions for improved gas-lifting and unloading procedures. A comparison of laboratory data with existing STA models was performed first. Selected models were then numerically tested in field situations. Effective field strategies for avoiding STA occurrence in marginal and new (offshore) field applications (i.e.. through the use of a slug or annular flow pattern regimen from the bottomhole to wellhead levels) are discussed.« less

  3. Sedimentation pulse in the NE Gulf of Mexico following the 2010 DWH blowout

    DOE PAGES

    Brooks, Gregg R.; Larson, Rebekka A.; Schwing, Patrick T.; ...

    2015-07-14

    The objective of this study was to investigate the impacts of the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil discharge at the seafloor as recorded in bottom sediments of the DeSoto Canyon region in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico. Through a close coupling of sedimentological, geochemical, and biological approaches, multiple independent lines of evidence from 11 sites sampled in November/December 2010 revealed that the upper ~1 cm depth interval is distinct from underlying sediments and results indicate that particles originated at the sea surface. Consistent dissimilarities in grain size over the surficial ~1 cm of sediments correspond to excess 234Th depths, which indicatesmore » a lack of vertical mixing (bioturbation), suggesting the entire layer was deposited within a 4–5 month period. In addition, a time series from four deep-sea sites sampled up to three additional times over the following two years revealed that excess 234Th depths, accumulation rates, and 234Th inventories decreased rapidly, within a few to several months after initial coring. The interpretation of a rapid sedimentation pulse is corroborated by stratification in solid phase Mn, which is linked to diagenesis and redox change, and the dramatic decrease in benthic formanifera density that was recorded in surficial sediments. Results are consistent with a brief depositional pulse that was also reported in previous studies of sediments, and marine snow formation in surface waters closer to the wellhead during the summer and fall of 2010. Although sediment input from the Mississippi River and advective transport may influence sedimentation on the seafloor in the DeSoto Canyon region, we conclude based on multidisciplinary evidence that the sedimentation pulse in late 2010 is the product of marine snow formation and is likely linked to the DWH discharge.« less

  4. Sedimentation Pulse in the NE Gulf of Mexico following the 2010 DWH Blowout

    PubMed Central

    Brooks, Gregg R.; Larson, Rebekka A.; Schwing, Patrick T.; Romero, Isabel; Moore, Christopher; Reichart, Gert-Jan; Jilbert, Tom; Chanton, Jeff P.; Hastings, David W.; Overholt, Will A.; Marks, Kala P.; Kostka, Joel E.; Holmes, Charles W.; Hollander, David

    2015-01-01

    The objective of this study was to investigate the impacts of the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil discharge at the seafloor as recorded in bottom sediments of the DeSoto Canyon region in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico. Through a close coupling of sedimentological, geochemical, and biological approaches, multiple independent lines of evidence from 11 sites sampled in November/December 2010 revealed that the upper ~1 cm depth interval is distinct from underlying sediments and results indicate that particles originated at the sea surface. Consistent dissimilarities in grain size over the surficial ~1 cm of sediments correspond to excess 234Th depths, which indicates a lack of vertical mixing (bioturbation), suggesting the entire layer was deposited within a 4–5 month period. Further, a time series from four deep-sea sites sampled up to three additional times over the following two years revealed that excess 234Th depths, accumulation rates, and 234Th inventories decreased rapidly, within a few to several months after initial coring. The interpretation of a rapid sedimentation pulse is corroborated by stratification in solid phase Mn, which is linked to diagenesis and redox change, and the dramatic decrease in benthic formanifera density that was recorded in surficial sediments. Results are consistent with a brief depositional pulse that was also reported in previous studies of sediments, and marine snow formation in surface waters closer to the wellhead during the summer and fall of 2010. Although sediment input from the Mississippi River and advective transport may influence sedimentation on the seafloor in the DeSoto Canyon region, we conclude based on multidisciplinary evidence that the sedimentation pulse in late 2010 is the product of marine snow formation and is likely linked to the DWH discharge. PMID:26172639

  5. Vulnerability of drinking-water wells in La Crosse, Wisconsin, to enteric-virus contamination from surface water contributions.

    PubMed

    Borchardt, Mark A; Haas, Nathaniel L; Hunt, Randall J

    2004-10-01

    Human enteric viruses can contaminate municipal drinking-water wells, but few studies have examined the routes by which viruses enter these wells. In the present study, the objective was to monitor the municipal wells of La Crosse, Wisconsin, for enteric viruses and determine whether the amount of Mississippi River water infiltrating the wells was related to the frequency of virus detection. From March 2001 to February 2002, one river water site and four wells predicted by hydrogeological modeling to have variable degrees of surface water contributions were sampled monthly for enteric viruses, microbial indicators of sanitary quality, and oxygen and hydrogen isotopes. (18)O/(16)O and (2)H/(1)H ratios were used to determine the level of surface water contributions. All samples were collected prior to chlorination at the wellhead. By reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR), 24 of 48 municipal well water samples (50%) were positive for enteric viruses, including enteroviruses, rotavirus, hepatitis A virus (HAV), and noroviruses. Of 12 river water samples, 10 (83%) were virus positive by RT-PCR. Viable enteroviruses were not detected by cell culture in the well samples, although three well samples were positive for culturable HAV. Enteroviruses detected in the wells by RT-PCR were identified as several serotypes of echoviruses and group A and group B coxsackieviruses. None of the well water samples was positive for indicators of sanitary quality, namely male-specific and somatic coliphages, total coliform bacteria, Escherichia coli, and fecal enterococci. Contrary to expectations, viruses were found in all wells regardless of the level of surface water contributions. This result suggests that there were other unidentified sources, in addition to surface water, responsible for the contamination.

  6. Occurrence and Potential Human-Health Relevance of Volatile Organic Compounds in Drinking Water from Domestic Wells in the United States

    PubMed Central

    Rowe, Barbara L.; Toccalino, Patricia L.; Moran, Michael J.; Zogorski, John S.; Price, Curtis V.

    2007-01-01

    Background As the population and demand for safe drinking water from domestic wells increase, it is important to examine water quality and contaminant occurrence. A national assessment in 2006 by the U.S. Geological Survey reported findings for 55 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) based on 2,401 domestic wells sampled during 1985–2002. Objectives We examined the occurrence of individual and multiple VOCs and assessed the potential human-health relevance of VOC concentrations. We also identified hydrogeologic and anthropogenic variables that influence the probability of VOC occurrence. Methods The domestic well samples were collected at the wellhead before treatment of water and analyzed for 55 VOCs. Results were used to examine VOC occurrence and identify associations of multiple explanatory variables using logistic regression analyses. We used a screening-level assessment to compare VOC concentrations to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) and health-based screening levels. Results We detected VOCs in 65% of the samples; about one-half of these samples contained VOC mixtures. Frequently detected VOCs included chloroform, toluene, 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, and perchloroethene. VOC concentrations generally were < 1 μg/L. One or more VOC concentrations were greater than MCLs in 1.2% of samples, including dibromochloropropane, 1,2-dichloropropane, and ethylene dibromide (fumigants); perchloroethene and trichloroethene (solvents); and 1,1-dichloroethene (organic synthesis compound). Conclusions Drinking water supplied by domestic wells is vulnerable to low-level VOC contamination. About 1% of samples had concentrations of potential human-health concern. Identifying factors associated with VOC occurrence may aid in understanding the sources, transport, and fate of VOCs in groundwater. PMID:18007981

  7. Monitoring Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in real-time on oil and natural gas production sites

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lupardus, R.; Franklin, S. B.

    2017-12-01

    Oil and Natural Gas (O&NG) development, production, infrastructure, and associated processing activities can be a substantial source of air pollution, yet relevant data and real-time quantification methods are lacking. In the current study, O&NG fugitive emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) were quantified in real-time and used to determine the spatial and temporal windows of exposure for proximate flora and fauna. Eleven O&NG sites on the Pawnee National Grassland in Northeastern Colorado were randomly selected and grouped according to production along with 13 control sites from three geographical locations. At each site, samples were collected 25 m from the wellhead in NE, SE, and W directions. In each direction, two samples were collected with a Gasmet DX4040 gas analyzer every hour from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm (6 hours total), July to October, 2016 (N=864). VOC concentrations generally increased during the 6 hr. day with the exception of N2O and were predominately the result of O&NG production and not vehicle exhaust. Thirteen of 24 VOCs had significantly different levels between production groups, frequently above reference standards and at biologically relevant levels for flora and fauna. The most biologically relevant VOCs, found at concentrations exceeding time weighted average permissible exposure limits (TWA PELs), were benzene and acrolein. Generalized Estimating Equations (GEEs) measured the relative quality of statistical models predicting benzene concentrations on sites. The data not only confirms that O&NG emissions are impacting the region, but also that this influence is present at all sites, including controls. Increased real-time VOC monitoring on O&NG sites is required to identify and contain fugitive emissions and to protect human and environmental health.

  8. Groundwater ages from the freshwater zone of the Edwards aquifer, Uvalde County, Texas—Insights into groundwater flow and recharge

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Hunt, Andrew G.; Landis, Gary P.; Faith, Jason R.

    2016-02-23

    Tritium–helium-3 groundwater ages of the Edwards aquifer in south-central Texas were determined as part of a long-term study of groundwater flow and recharge in the Edwards and Trinity aquifers. These ages help to define groundwater residence times and to provide constraints for calibration of groundwater flow models. A suite of 17 samples from public and private supply wells within Uvalde County were collected for active and noble gases, and for tritium–helium-3 analyses from the confined and unconfined parts of the Edwards aquifer. Samples were collected from monitoring wells at discrete depths in open boreholes as well as from integrated pumped well-head samples. The data indicate a fairly uniform groundwater flow system within an otherwise structurally complex geologic environment comprised of regionally and locally faulted rock units, igneous intrusions, and karst features within carbonate rocks. Apparent ages show moderate, downward average, linear velocities in the Uvalde area with increasing age to the east along a regional groundwater flow path. Though the apparent age data show a fairly consistent distribution across the study area, many apparent ages indicate mixing of both modern (less than 60 years) and premodern (greater than 60 years) waters. This mixing is most evident along the “bad water” line, an arbitrary delineation of 1,000 milligrams per liter dissolved solids that separates the freshwater zone of the Edwards aquifer from the downdip saline water zone. Mixing of modern and premodern waters also is indicated within the unconfined zone of the aquifer by high excess helium concentrations in young waters. Excess helium anomalies in the unconfined aquifer are consistent with possible subsurface discharge of premodern groundwater from the underlying Trinity aquifer into the younger groundwater of the Edwards aquifer.

  9. Heavy rainfall and waterborne disease outbreaks: the Walkerton example.

    PubMed

    Auld, Heather; MacIver, D; Klaassen, J

    Recent research indicates that excessive rainfall has been a significant contributor to historical waterborne disease outbreaks. The Meteorological Service of Canada, Environment Canada, provided an analysis and testimony to the Walkerton Inquiry on the excessive rainfall events, including an assessment of the historical significance and expected return periods of the rainfall amounts. While the onset of the majority of the Walkerton, Ontario, Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Campylobacter outbreak occurred several days after a heavy rainfall on May 12, the accumulated 5-d rainfall amounts from 8-12 May were particularly significant. These 5-d accumulations could, on average, only be expected once every 60 yr or more in Walkerton and once every 100 yr or so in the heaviest rainfall area to the south of Walkerton. The significant link between excess rainfall and waterborne disease outbreaks, in conjunction with other multiple risk factors, indicates that meteorological and climatological conditions need to be considered by water managers, public health officials, and private citizens as a significant risk factor for water contamination. A system to identify and project the impacts of such challenging or extreme weather conditions on water supply systems could be developed using a combination of weather/climate monitoring information and weather prediction or quantitative precipitation forecast information. The use of weather monitoring and forecast information or a "wellhead alert system" could alert water system and water supply managers on the potential response of their systems to challenging weather conditions and additional requirements to protect health. Similar approaches have recently been used by beach managers in parts of the United States to predict day-to-day water quality for beach advisories.

  10. Electromagnetic Measurements in an Active Oilfield Environment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Weiss, C. J.; Aur, K. A.; Schramm, K. A.; Aldridge, D. F.; O'rourke, W. T.

    2016-12-01

    An important issue in oilfield development is mapping fracture distributions (either natural or man-made) controlling subsurface fluid flow. Although microseismic monitoring has been successful in constraining fracture system geometry and dynamics, accurate interpretation of microseismic data can be confounded by factors such as complex or poorly-understood velocity distributions, reactivation of previously unknown faults and fractures, and the problem of relating flow patterns to the cloud of hypocenter locations. For the particular problem of hydrocarbon production, the question of which fractures remain sufficiently "open" to allow economical fluid extraction is critical. As a supplement to microseismic analysis, we are investigating a novel electromagnetic (EM) technique for detecting and mapping hydraulic fractures in a hydrocarbon or geothermal reservoir by introducing an electrically conductive contrast agent into the fracturing fluid. In the field experiment presented here, a proppant-filled fracture zone is illuminated by a large engineered antenna consisting of an insulated current-carrying cable, grounded to `Earth' near the wellhead, and grounded at the other end to the steel-cased borehole near the target. Time-lapse measurements of horizontal electric field are subsequently made on Earth's surface to map the change in subsurface conductivity due to proppant emplacement. As predicted by 3D numerical modelling, observed differences in electric field values are very small. While these numbers are above the noise floor of electric field sensors, pervasive anthropogenic EM noise and regional-scale magnetotelluric signals make extraction of the differences from the observed time series especially difficult. We present field-acquired data on ambient EM noise in an active oilfield environment and demonstrate techniques for extracting the difference signal due to proppant emplacement. These techniques include classical spectral methods along with estimation of time-domain Green's function by regularized, linear least squares methods.

  11. Sources of Water to Wells for Transient Cyclic Systems

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Reilly, T.E.; Pollock, D.W.

    1996-01-01

    Many state agencies are currently (1995) developing wellhead protection programs. The thrust of some of these programs is to protect water supplies by determining the areas contributing recharge to water-supply wells and by specifying regulations to minimize the opportunity for contamination of the recharge water by activities at the land surface. The area contributing recharge to a discharging well is the surface area at the water table through which the water flowing to the well entered the ground-water system. In the analyses of ground-water flow systems, steady-state average conditions are commonly used to simplify the problem and make a solution tractable. However, recharge is usually cyclic in nature, with seasonal cycles and longer term climatic cycles. The effect of these cyclic stresses on the area contributing recharge to wells is quantitatively analyzed for a hypothetical alluvial valley aquifer system that is representative of a large class of ground-water systems that are extensively developed for water supply. The analysis shows that, in many cases, these cyclic changes in the recharge rates do not significantly affect the location and size of the areas contributing recharge to wells. The ratio of the mean travel time to the length of the cyclic stress period appears to be an indicator of whether the transient effects of the cyclic stress must be explicitly represented in the analysis of contributing areas to wells. For the cases examined, if the ratio of the mean travel time to the period of the cyclic stress was much greater than one, then the transient area contributing recharge to wells was similar to the area calculated using an average steady-state condition. However, cyclic stresses on systems with ratios less than one do have an effect on the location and size of the areas contributing recharge to wells.

  12. Digital representation of oil and natural gas well pad scars in southwest Wyoming

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Garman, Steven L.; McBeth, Jamie L.

    2014-01-01

    The recent proliferation of oil and natural gas energy development in southwest Wyoming has stimulated the need to understand wildlife responses to this development. Central to many wildlife assessments is the use of geospatial methods that rely on digital representation of energy infrastructure. Surface disturbance of the well pad scars associated with oil and natural gas extraction has been an important but unavailable infrastructure layer. To provide a digital baseline of this surface disturbance, we extracted visible oil and gas well pad scars from 1-meter National Agriculture Imagery Program imagery (NAIP) acquired in 2009 for a 7.7 million-hectare region of southwest Wyoming. Scars include the pad area where wellheads, pumps, and storage facilities reside, and the surrounding area that was scraped and denuded of vegetation during the establishment of the pad. Scars containing tanks, compressors, and the storage of oil and gas related equipment, and produced-water ponds were also collected on occasion. Our extraction method was a two-step process starting with automated extraction followed by manual inspection and clean up. We used available well-point information to guide manual clean up and to derive estimates of year of origin and duration of activity on a pad scar. We also derived estimates of the proportion of non-vegetated area on a scar using a Normalized Difference Vegetation Index derived using 1-meter NAIP imagery. We extracted 16,973 pad scars of which 15,318 were oil and gas well pads. Digital representation of pad scars along with time-stamps of activity and estimates of non-vegetated area provides important baseline (circa 2009) data for assessments of wildlife responses, land-use trends, and disturbance-mediated pattern assessments.

  13. Chemistry of a low temperature geothermal reservoir: The Triassic sandstone aquifer at Melleray, FR

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

    Vuataz, Francois-David; Fouillac, Christian; Detoc, Aylvie

    1988-01-01

    The Triassic sandstone aquifer offers on a regional scale, a large potential for low-temperature geothermal exploitation in the Paris Basin. The Na-Cl water n the aquifer has highly variable mineralization (TDS = 4 to 110 g/l) and a wide range of temperature (50º to >100ºC). Chemical studies have been carried out on the Melleray site near Orléans, where a single wel was producing a Na-Cl geothermal water (TDS = 35 g/l) at a wellhead temperature of 72ºC to provide heat for greenhouses. The purpose of these studies is to understand the chemical phenomena occurring in the geothermal loop and tomore » determine the treatment of the fluid and the exploitation procedures necessary for proper reinjection conditions to be achieved. During the tests performed after the drilling operations, chemical variations in the fluid were noticed between several producing zones in the aquifer. Daily geochemical monitoring of the fluid was carried out during two periods of differing exploitation conditions, respectively pumping at 148 m{sup 3}/h and artesian flow at 36 m{sup 3}/h. Vertical heterogeneities of the aquifer can explain the variations observed for the high flowrate. Filtration experiments revealed that the particle load varies with the discharge rate and that over 95 weight % of the particles are smaller than 1 micrometer. The chemistry of the particles varies greatly, according to their origin as corrosion products from the well casing, particles drawn out of the rock or minerals newly formed through water-rock reactions. Finally, small-scale oxidation experiments were carried out on the geothermal fluid to observe the behavior of Fe and SiO{sub 2} and to favour particle aggregates for easier filtration or decantation processes.« less

  14. Oil: a guide through the total energy jungle

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

    Windsor, P.

    1976-01-01

    The primary fact is, according to Mr. Windsor, that there is no shortage of oil and there won't be for many years to come--ample time for advanced technologies to provide other sources of energy if only.... This is not to downgrade the severity of the crisis--but to say that the major dangers lie elsewhere, in politics, in monetary, fiscal, social and military national policies. The author traces an easily comprehensible line for connection through these complexities. Here is a brief history of oil, of the great oil companies, their connections with their governments and their continuing, if diminishing, importance. Heremore » are answers to such vital questions as: why a complex OPEC country like Iran might want maximum oil production and the highest possible rate of price increase while a smaller and simpler one like Saudi Arabia might want to keep its oil in the ground and ask more moderate prices; what effect the price of oil may have on world economic stability and the capabilities of Western technology; how oil is now setting back if not destroying the Green Revolution in new and developing countries; why it is perhaps sensible to develop oil fields off Scotland and Alaska, and elsewhere, even though the wellhead cost per barrel is astronomically higher than in Saudi Arabia. These matters, and many others like them, are not separate although they have devastating particular effects. In the end, more concerned with international relations than with oil itself or economics in the strict sense of the word, this book points out that the solution must be political on a multinational scale and requires foresight and forbearance of a kind uncommon in history. (from book jacket)« less

  15. Vulnerability of Drinking-Water Wells in La Crosse, Wisconsin, to Enteric-Virus Contamination from Surface Water Contributions

    PubMed Central

    Borchardt, Mark A.; Haas, Nathaniel L.; Hunt, Randall J.

    2004-01-01

    Human enteric viruses can contaminate municipal drinking-water wells, but few studies have examined the routes by which viruses enter these wells. In the present study, the objective was to monitor the municipal wells of La Crosse, Wisconsin, for enteric viruses and determine whether the amount of Mississippi River water infiltrating the wells was related to the frequency of virus detection. From March 2001 to February 2002, one river water site and four wells predicted by hydrogeological modeling to have variable degrees of surface water contributions were sampled monthly for enteric viruses, microbial indicators of sanitary quality, and oxygen and hydrogen isotopes. 18O/16O and 2H/1H ratios were used to determine the level of surface water contributions. All samples were collected prior to chlorination at the wellhead. By reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR), 24 of 48 municipal well water samples (50%) were positive for enteric viruses, including enteroviruses, rotavirus, hepatitis A virus (HAV), and noroviruses. Of 12 river water samples, 10 (83%) were virus positive by RT-PCR. Viable enteroviruses were not detected by cell culture in the well samples, although three well samples were positive for culturable HAV. Enteroviruses detected in the wells by RT-PCR were identified as several serotypes of echoviruses and group A and group B coxsackieviruses. None of the well water samples was positive for indicators of sanitary quality, namely male-specific and somatic coliphages, total coliform bacteria, Escherichia coli, and fecal enterococci. Contrary to expectations, viruses were found in all wells regardless of the level of surface water contributions. This result suggests that there were other unidentified sources, in addition to surface water, responsible for the contamination. PMID:15466536

  16. Capturing the Biofuel Wellhead and Powerhouse: The Chloroplast and Mitochondrial Genomes of the Leguminous Feedstock Tree Pongamia pinnata

    PubMed Central

    Kazakoff, Stephen H.; Imelfort, Michael; Edwards, David; Koehorst, Jasper; Biswas, Bandana; Batley, Jacqueline; Scott, Paul T.; Gresshoff, Peter M.

    2012-01-01

    Pongamia pinnata (syn. Millettia pinnata) is a novel, fast-growing arboreal legume that bears prolific quantities of oil-rich seeds suitable for the production of biodiesel and aviation biofuel. Here, we have used Illumina® ‘Second Generation DNA Sequencing (2GS)’ and a new short-read de novo assembler, SaSSY, to assemble and annotate the Pongamia chloroplast (152,968 bp; cpDNA) and mitochondrial (425,718 bp; mtDNA) genomes. We also show that SaSSY can be used to accurately assemble 2GS data, by re-assembling the Lotus japonicus cpDNA and in the process assemble its mtDNA (380,861 bp). The Pongamia cpDNA contains 77 unique protein-coding genes and is almost 60% gene-dense. It contains a 50 kb inversion common to other legumes, as well as a novel 6.5 kb inversion that is responsible for the non-disruptive, re-orientation of five protein-coding genes. Additionally, two copies of an inverted repeat firmly place the species outside the subclade of the Fabaceae lacking the inverted repeat. The Pongamia and L. japonicus mtDNA contain just 33 and 31 unique protein-coding genes, respectively, and like other angiosperm mtDNA, have expanded intergenic and multiple repeat regions. Through comparative analysis with Vigna radiata we measured the average synonymous and non-synonymous divergence of all three legume mitochondrial (1.59% and 2.40%, respectively) and chloroplast (8.37% and 8.99%, respectively) protein-coding genes. Finally, we explored the relatedness of Pongamia within the Fabaceae and showed the utility of the organellar genome sequences by mapping transcriptomic data to identify up- and down-regulated stress-responsive gene candidates and confirm in silico predicted RNA editing sites. PMID:23272141

  17. Capturing the biofuel wellhead and powerhouse: the chloroplast and mitochondrial genomes of the leguminous feedstock tree Pongamia pinnata.

    PubMed

    Kazakoff, Stephen H; Imelfort, Michael; Edwards, David; Koehorst, Jasper; Biswas, Bandana; Batley, Jacqueline; Scott, Paul T; Gresshoff, Peter M

    2012-01-01

    Pongamia pinnata (syn. Millettia pinnata) is a novel, fast-growing arboreal legume that bears prolific quantities of oil-rich seeds suitable for the production of biodiesel and aviation biofuel. Here, we have used Illumina® 'Second Generation DNA Sequencing (2GS)' and a new short-read de novo assembler, SaSSY, to assemble and annotate the Pongamia chloroplast (152,968 bp; cpDNA) and mitochondrial (425,718 bp; mtDNA) genomes. We also show that SaSSY can be used to accurately assemble 2GS data, by re-assembling the Lotus japonicus cpDNA and in the process assemble its mtDNA (380,861 bp). The Pongamia cpDNA contains 77 unique protein-coding genes and is almost 60% gene-dense. It contains a 50 kb inversion common to other legumes, as well as a novel 6.5 kb inversion that is responsible for the non-disruptive, re-orientation of five protein-coding genes. Additionally, two copies of an inverted repeat firmly place the species outside the subclade of the Fabaceae lacking the inverted repeat. The Pongamia and L. japonicus mtDNA contain just 33 and 31 unique protein-coding genes, respectively, and like other angiosperm mtDNA, have expanded intergenic and multiple repeat regions. Through comparative analysis with Vigna radiata we measured the average synonymous and non-synonymous divergence of all three legume mitochondrial (1.59% and 2.40%, respectively) and chloroplast (8.37% and 8.99%, respectively) protein-coding genes. Finally, we explored the relatedness of Pongamia within the Fabaceae and showed the utility of the organellar genome sequences by mapping transcriptomic data to identify up- and down-regulated stress-responsive gene candidates and confirm in silico predicted RNA editing sites.

  18. Occurrence and potential human-health relevance of volatile organic compounds in drinking water from domestic wells in the United States.

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Rowe, B.L.; Toccalino, P.L.; Moran, M.J.; Zogorski, J.S.; Price, C.V.

    2007-01-01

    BACKGROUND: As the population and demand for safe drinking water from domestic wells increase, it is important to examine water quality and contaminant occurrence. A national assessment in 2006 by the U.S. Geological Survey reported findings for 55 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) based on 2,401 domestic wells sampled during 1985-2002. OBJECTIVES: We examined the occurrence of individual and multiple VOCs and assessed the potential human-health relevance of VOC concentrations. We also identified hydrogeologic and anthropogenic variables that influence the probability of VOC occurrence. METHODS: The domestic well samples were collected at the wellhead before treatment of water and analyzed for 55 VOCs. Results were used to examine VOC occurrence and identify associations of multiple explanatory variables using logistic regression analyses. We used a screening-level assessment to compare VOC concentrations to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) and health-based screening levels. RESULTS: We detected VOCs in 65% of the samples; about one-half of these samples contained VOC mixtures. Frequently detected VOCs included chloroform, toluene, 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, and perchloroethene. VOC concentrations generally were < 1 microg/L. One or more VOC concentrations were greater than MCLs in 1.2% of samples, including dibromochloropropane, 1,2-dichloropropane, and ethylene dibromide (fumigants); perchloroethene and trichloroethene (solvents); and 1,1-dichloroethene (organic synthesis compound). CONCLUSIONS: Drinking water supplied by domestic wells is vulnerable to low-level VOC contamination. About 1% of samples had concentrations of potential human-health concern. Identifying factors associated with VOC occurrence may aid in understanding the sources, transport, and fate of VOCs in groundwater.

  19. Vulnerability of drinking-water wells in La Crosse, Wisconsin, to enteric-virus contamination from surface water contributions

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Borchardt, M. A.; Haas, N.L.; Hunt, R.J.

    2004-01-01

    Human enteric viruses can contaminate municipal drinking-water wells, but few studies have examined the routes by which viruses enter these wells. In the present study, the objective was to monitor the municipal wells of La Crosse, Wisconsin, for enteric viruses and determine whether the amount of Mississippi River water infiltrating the wells was related to the frequency of virus detection. From March 2001 to February 2002, one river water site and four wells predicted by hydrogeological modeling to have variable degrees of surface water contributions were sampled monthly for enteric viruses, microbial indicators of sanitary quality, and oxygen and hydrogen isotopes. 18O/ 16O and 2H/1H ratios were used to determine the level of surface water contributions. All samples were collected prior to chlorination at the wellhead. By reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR), 24 of 48 municipal well water samples (50%) were positive for enteric viruses, including enteroviruses, rotavirus, hepatitis A virus (HAV), and noroviruses. Of 12 river water samples, 10 (83%) were virus positive by RT-PCR. Viable enteroviruses were not detected by cell culture in the well samples, although three well samples were positive for culturable HAV. Enteroviruses detected in the wells by RT-PCR were identified as several serotypes of echoviruses and group A and group B coxsackieviruses. None of the well water samples was positive for indicators of sanitary quality, namely male-specific and somatic coliphages, total coliform bacteria, Escherichia coli, and fecal enterococci. Contrary to expectations, viruses were found in all wells regardless of the level of surface water contributions. This result suggests that there were other unidentified sources, in addition to surface water, responsible for the contamination.

  20. Minimizing transient influence in WHPA delineation: An optimization approach for optimal pumping rate schemes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rodriguez-Pretelin, A.; Nowak, W.

    2017-12-01

    For most groundwater protection management programs, Wellhead Protection Areas (WHPAs) have served as primarily protection measure. In their delineation, the influence of time-varying groundwater flow conditions is often underestimated because steady-state assumptions are commonly made. However, it has been demonstrated that temporary variations lead to significant changes in the required size and shape of WHPAs. Apart from natural transient groundwater drivers (e.g., changes in the regional angle of flow direction and seasonal natural groundwater recharge), anthropogenic causes such as transient pumping rates are of the most influential factors that require larger WHPAs. We hypothesize that WHPA programs that integrate adaptive and optimized pumping-injection management schemes can counter transient effects and thus reduce the additional areal demand in well protection under transient conditions. The main goal of this study is to present a novel management framework that optimizes pumping schemes dynamically, in order to minimize the impact triggered by transient conditions in WHPA delineation. For optimizing pumping schemes, we consider three objectives: 1) to minimize the risk of pumping water from outside a given WHPA, 2) to maximize the groundwater supply and 3) to minimize the involved operating costs. We solve transient groundwater flow through an available transient groundwater and Lagrangian particle tracking model. The optimization problem is formulated as a dynamic programming problem. Two different optimization approaches are explored: I) the first approach aims for single-objective optimization under objective (1) only. The second approach performs multiobjective optimization under all three objectives where compromise pumping rates are selected from the current Pareto front. Finally, we look for WHPA outlines that are as small as possible, yet allow the optimization problem to find the most suitable solutions.

  1. The Value of Renewable Energy as a Hedge Against Fuel Price Risk: Analytic Contributions from Economic and Finance Theory

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

    Bolinger, Mark A; Wiser, Ryan

    2008-09-15

    For better or worse, natural gas has become the fuel of choice for new power plants being built across the United States. According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), natural gas-fired units account for nearly 90% of the total generating capacity added in the U.S. between 1999 and 2005 (EIA 2006b), bringing the nationwide market share of gas-fired generation to 19%. Looking ahead over the next decade, the EIA expects this trend to continue, increasing the market share of gas-fired generation to 22% by 2015 (EIA 2007a). Though these numbers are specific to the US, natural gas-fired generation is makingmore » similar advances in many other countries as well. A large percentage of the total cost of gas-fired generation is attributable to fuel costs--i.e., natural gas prices. For example, at current spot prices of around $7/MMBtu, fuel costs account for more than 75% of the levelized cost of energy from a new combined cycle gas turbine, and more than 90% of its operating costs (EIA 2007a). Furthermore, given that gas-fired plants are often the marginal supply units that set the market-clearing price for all generators in a competitive wholesale market, there is a direct link between natural gas prices and wholesale electricity prices. In this light, the dramatic increase in natural gas prices since the 1990s should be a cause for ratepayer concern. Figure 1 shows the daily price history of the 'first-nearby' (i.e., closest to expiration) NYMEX natural gas futures contract (black line) at Henry Hub, along with the futures strip (i.e., the full series of futures contracts) from August 22, 2007 (red line). First, nearby prices, which closely track spot prices, have recently been trading within a $7-9/MMBtu range in the United States and, as shown by the futures strip, are expected to remain there through 2012. These price levels are $6/MMBtu higher than the $1-3/MMBtu range seen throughout most of the 1990s, demonstrating significant price escalation for natural gas in the United States over a relatively brief period. Perhaps of most concern is that this dramatic price increase was largely unforeseen. Figure 2 compares the EIA's natural gas wellhead price forecast from each year's Annual Energy Outlook (AEO) going back to 1985 against the average US wellhead price that actually transpired. As shown, our forecasting abilities have proven rather dismal over time, as over-forecasts made in the late 1980's eventually yielded to under-forecasts that have persisted to this day. This historical experience demonstrates that little weight should be placed on any one forecast of future natural gas prices, and that a broad range of future price conditions ought to be considered in planning and investment decisions. Against this backdrop of high, volatile, and unpredictable natural gas prices, increasing the market penetration of renewable generation such as wind, solar, and geothermal power may provide economic benefits to ratepayers by displacing gas-fired generation. These benefits may manifest themselves in several ways. First, the displacement of natural gas-fired generation by increased renewable generation reduces ratepayer exposure to natural gas price risk--i.e., the risk that future gas prices (and by extension future electricity prices) may end up markedly different than expected. Second, this displacement reduces demand for natural gas among gas-fired generators, which, all else equal, will put downward pressure on natural gas prices. Lower natural gas prices in turn benefit both electric ratepayers and other end-users of natural gas. Using analytic approaches that build upon, yet differ from, the past work of others, including Awerbuch (1993, 1994, 2003), Kahn and Stoft (1993), and Humphreys and McClain (1998), this chapter explores each of these two potential 'hedging' benefits of renewable electricity. Though we do not seek to judge whether these two specific benefits outweigh any incremental cost of renewable energy (relative to conventional fuels), we do seek to quantify the magnitude of these two individual benefits. We also note that these benefits are not unique to renewable electricity: other generation (or demand-side) resources whose costs are not tied to natural gas would provide similar benefits.« less

  2. Description and application of capture zone delineation for a wellfield at Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Landmeyer, J.E.

    1994-01-01

    Ground-water capture zone boundaries for individual pumped wells in a confined aquffer were delineated by using groundwater models. Both analytical and numerical (semi-analytical) models that more accurately represent the $round-water-flow system were used. All models delineated 2-dimensional boundaries (capture zones) that represent the areal extent of groundwater contribution to a pumped well. The resultant capture zones were evaluated on the basis of the ability of each model to realistically rapresent the part of the ground-water-flow system that contributed water to the pumped wells. Analytical models used were based on a fixed radius approach, and induded; an arbitrary radius model, a calculated fixed radius model based on the volumetric-flow equation with a time-of-travel criterion, and a calculated fixed radius model derived from modification of the Theis model with a drawdown criterion. Numerical models used induded the 2-dimensional, finite-difference models RESSQC and MWCAP. The arbitrary radius and Theis analytical models delineated capture zone boundaries that compared least favorably with capture zones delineated using the volumetric-flow analytical model and both numerical models. The numerical models produced more hydrologically reasonable capture zones (that were oriented parallel to the regional flow direction) than the volumetric-flow equation. The RESSQC numerical model computed more hydrologically realistic capture zones than the MWCAP numerical model by accounting for changes in the shape of capture zones caused by multiple-well interference. The capture zone boundaries generated by using both analytical and numerical models indicated that the curnmtly used 100-foot radius of protection around a wellhead in South Carolina is an underestimate of the extent of ground-water capture for pumped wetis in this particular wellfield in the Upper Floridan aquifer. The arbitrary fixed radius of 100 feet was shown to underestimate the upgradient contribution of ground-water flow to a pumped well.

  3. Hydraulic Fracture Induced Seismicity During A Multi-Stage Pad Completion in Western Canada: Evidence of Activation of Multiple, Parallel Faults

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Maxwell, S.; Garrett, D.; Huang, J.; Usher, P.; Mamer, P.

    2017-12-01

    Following reports of injection induced seismicity in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin, regulators have imposed seismic monitoring and traffic light protocols for fracturing operations in specific areas. Here we describe a case study in one of these reservoirs, the Montney Shale in NE British Columbia, where induced seismicity was monitored with a local array during multi-stage hydraulic fracture stimulations on several wells from a single drilling pad. Seismicity primarily occurred during the injection time periods, and correlated with periods of high injection rates and wellhead pressures above fracturing pressures. Sequential hydraulic fracture stages were found to progressively activate several parallel, critically-stressed faults, as illuminated by multiple linear hypocenter patterns in the range between Mw 1 and 3. Moment tensor inversion of larger events indicated a double-couple mechanism consistent with the regional strike-slip stress state and the hypocenter lineations. The critically-stressed faults obliquely cross the well paths which were purposely drilled parallel to the minimum principal stress direction. Seismicity on specific faults started and stopped when fracture initiation points of individual injection stages were proximal to the intersection of the fault and well. The distance ranges when the seismicity occurs is consistent with expected hydraulic fracture dimensions, suggesting that the induced fault slip only occurs when a hydraulic fracture grows directly into the fault and the faults are temporarily exposed to significantly elevated fracture pressures during the injection. Some faults crossed multiple wells and the seismicity was found to restart during injection of proximal stages on adjacent wells, progressively expanding the seismogenic zone of the fault. Progressive fault slip is therefore inferred from the seismicity migrating further along the faults during successive injection stages. An accelerometer was also deployed close to the pad operations providing information about the local ground motion at near offsets, although no ground motion was recorded that exceeds the minimum levels requiring mandatory reporting to the regulator.

  4. Newberry Well 55-29 Stimulation Data 2014

    DOE Data Explorer

    Trenton T. Cladouhos

    2015-09-03

    The Newberry Volcano EGS Demonstration in central Oregon, a 5 year project begun in 2010, tests recent technological advances designed to reduce the cost of power generated by EGS in a hot, dry well (NWG 55-29) drilled in 2008. First, the stimulation pumps used were designed to run for weeks and deliver large volumes of water at moderate well-head pressure. Second, to stimulate multiple zones, AltaRock developed thermo-degradable zonal isolation materials (TZIMs) to seal off fractures in a geothermal well to stimulate secondary and tertiary fracture zones. The TZIMs degrade within weeks, resulting in an optimized injection/ production profile of the entire well. Third, the project followed a project-specific Induced Seismicity Mitigation Plan (ISMP) to evaluate, monitor for, and mitigate felt induced seismicity. An initial stimulation was conducted in 2012 and continued for 7 weeks, with over 41,000 m3 of water injected. Further analysis indicated a shallow casing leak and an unstable formation in the open hole. The well was repaired with a shallow casing tieback and perforated liner in the open hole and re-stimulated in 2014. The second stimulation started September 23rd, 2014 and continued for 3 weeks with over 9,500 m3 of water injected. The well was treated with several batches of newly tested TZIM diverter materials and a newly designed Diverter Injection Vessel Assembly (DIVA), which was the main modification to the original injection system design used in 2012. A second round of stimulation that included two perforation shots and additional batches of TZIM was conducted on November 11th, 2014 for 9 days with an additional 4,000 m3 of water injected. The stimulations resulted in a 3-4 fold increase in injectivity, and PTS data indicates partial blocking and creation of flow zones near the bottom of the well.

  5. A decline in benthic foraminifera following the deepwater horizon event in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico.

    PubMed

    Schwing, Patrick T; Romero, Isabel C; Brooks, Gregg R; Hastings, David W; Larson, Rebekka A; Hollander, David J

    2015-01-01

    Sediment cores were collected from three sites (1000-1200 m water depth) in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico from December 2010 to June 2011 to assess changes in benthic foraminiferal density related to the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) event (April-July 2010, 1500 m water depth). Short-lived radioisotope geochronologies (²¹⁰Pb, ²³⁴Th), organic geochemical assessments, and redox metal concentrations were determined to relate changes in sediment accumulation rate, contamination, and redox conditions with benthic foraminiferal density. Cores collected in December 2010 indicated a decline in density (80-93%). This decline was characterized by a decrease in benthic foraminiferal density and benthic foraminiferal accumulation rate (BFAR) in the surface 10 mm relative to the down-core mean in all benthic foraminifera, including the dominant genera (Bulimina spp., Uvigerina spp., and Cibicidoides spp.). Cores collected in February 2011 documented a site-specific response. There was evidence of a recovery in the benthic foraminiferal density and BFAR at the site closest to the wellhead (45 NM, NE). However, the site farther afield (60 NM, NE) recorded a continued decline in benthic foraminiferal density and BFAR down to near-zero values. This decline in benthic foraminiferal density occurred simultaneously with abrupt increases in sedimentary accumulation rates, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations, and changes in redox conditions. Persistent reducing conditions (as many as 10 months after the event) in the surface of these core records were a possible cause of the decline. Another possible cause was the increase (2-3 times background) in PAH's, which are known to cause benthic foraminifera mortality and inhibit reproduction. Records of benthic foraminiferal density coupled with short-lived radionuclide geochronology and organic geochemistry were effective in quantifying the benthic response and will continue to be a valuable tool in determining the long-term effects of the DWH event on a larger spatial scale.

  6. Coupling Hydraulic Fracturing Propagation and Gas Well Performance for Simulation of Production in Unconventional Shale Gas Reservoirs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, C.; Winterfeld, P. H.; Wu, Y. S.; Wang, Y.; Chen, D.; Yin, C.; Pan, Z.

    2014-12-01

    Hydraulic fracturing combined with horizontal drilling has made it possible to economically produce natural gas from unconventional shale gas reservoirs. An efficient methodology for evaluating hydraulic fracturing operation parameters, such as fluid and proppant properties, injection rates, and wellhead pressure, is essential for the evaluation and efficient design of these processes. Traditional numerical evaluation and optimization approaches are usually based on simulated fracture properties such as the fracture area. In our opinion, a methodology based on simulated production data is better, because production is the goal of hydraulic fracturing and we can calibrate this approach with production data that is already known. This numerical methodology requires a fully-coupled hydraulic fracture propagation and multi-phase flow model. In this paper, we present a general fully-coupled numerical framework to simulate hydraulic fracturing and post-fracture gas well performance. This three-dimensional, multi-phase simulator focuses on: (1) fracture width increase and fracture propagation that occurs as slurry is injected into the fracture, (2) erosion caused by fracture fluids and leakoff, (3) proppant subsidence and flowback, and (4) multi-phase fluid flow through various-scaled anisotropic natural and man-made fractures. Mathematical and numerical details on how to fully couple the fracture propagation and fluid flow parts are discussed. Hydraulic fracturing and production operation parameters, and properties of the reservoir, fluids, and proppants, are taken into account. The well may be horizontal, vertical, or deviated, as well as open-hole or cemented. The simulator is verified based on benchmarks from the literature and we show its application by simulating fracture network (hydraulic and natural fractures) propagation and production data history matching of a field in China. We also conduct a series of real-data modeling studies with different combinations of hydraulic fracturing parameters and present the methodology to design these operations with feedback of simulated production data. The unified model aids in the optimization of hydraulic fracturing design, operations, and production.

  7. How bioavailable is highly weathered Deepwater Horizon oil?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bostic, J.; Ziolkowski, L. A.; Reddy, C. M.; Aeppli, C.; Swarthout, B.

    2016-02-01

    Oiled sand patties continue to be deposited on northern Gulf of Mexico beaches five years after the Deepwater Horizon (DwH) oil spill. It is known that during the first 18 months post-spill, sand patties from DwH were chemically transformed, both biotically and abiotically, from wellhead release to beach deposition. However, the chemically transformed oil, which appears to become more polar over time, is not well understood in regards to its biodegradation potential. Biodegradation exerts a large control on the fate of spilled oil, representing a major conduit for its removal from the environment. To assess the bioavailability of this weathered oil, sand patties were collected from intertidal and supratidal zones of beaches in Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi in July 2015. Microbial biomarkers of the viable community, phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA), were detected on all samples collected. The PLFA distributions (mostly saturated and branched structures) and abundances (2 - 9 x 1013 cells/g sand patty) were similar across sampling locations. The positive correlation between PLFA abundance and surface area to volume ratios of sand patties indicates that microbes are preferentially inhabiting outside surfaces of the patties. We will present data on the radiocarbon (14C) content of PLFA to assess carbon (C) sources assimilated by microbes. 14C of PLFA is a powerful tool for assessing C sources assimilated in this setting. Oil has no 14C (Δ14C= -1000‰) while modern organic matter has relatively abundant 14C (Δ14C= 0‰). Fingerprinting analysis of biomarker ratios using comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography will be presented to ascertain if oil originated from DwH. The extent of the chemical transformation of the oil into more polar compounds will also be measured using thin layer chromatography. Results of this investigation aim to determine the bioavailability and ultimate fate of oiled sand patties that continue to wash ashore on Gulf of Mexico beaches.

  8. Seismically active volume not a good indicator of the stimulated reservoir: evidence from Paralana

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Riffault, J.; Dempsey, D. E.; Karra, S.; Archer, R.

    2017-12-01

    Hydraulic stimulation is routinely carried out in EGS projects in order to engineer the geothermal reservoir, triggering large amounts of seismicity. There is broad consensus that hydroshearing, the shear failure of existing fractures caused by pore pressure increasing above a critical value, is the mechanism primarily responsible for the seismicity. It is also often assumed to be the primary mechanism behind permeability enhancement and thus reservoir creation, although several other physical processes, such as thermal and chemical effects, and tensile failure, can also contribute. An extension of this assumption is that the seismically active volume reflects the extent of the stimulated reservoir. This may not always be the case. Hydraulic stimulation aims to improve injectivity, which we define as the ratio of injection rate to wellhead pressure. During the Paralana-2 EGS stimulation, undertaken in South Australia in 2011, injectivity increased linearly over time, implying permeability enhancement. Concurrently, 4754 micro-earthquakes were detected and located. We have spatially averaged hypocentre positions in order to image the spatio-temporally evolving seismicity cloud and its main features. Using an established correlation from a previous EGS experiment, we use hypocentre density as a proxy measure of pore pressure increase. Knowing then how pressure and injectivity evolve over time, we develop an inversion procedure based on reservoir simulation to infer how permeability has evolved around the well. Our results indicate that, although there is significant permeability enhancement close to the wellbore, this is largely uncoupled from the seismically active volume that extends much further away. In other words, for the Paralana stimulation, the seismicity cloud is a poor indicator of the stimulated reservoir volume. It further implies that hydroshearing itself is not the main cause of permeability enhancement at Paralana. Our study suggests that past stimulations may need to be revisited and a stronger case made for estimates of the stimulated reservoir.

  9. And yet it moves! Involving transient flow conditions is the logical next step for WHPA analysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rodriguez-Pretelin, A.; Nowak, W.

    2017-12-01

    As the first line of defense among different safety measures, Wellhead Protection Areas (WHPAs) have been broadly used to protect drinking water wells against sources of pollution. In most cases, their implementation relies on simplifications, such as assuming homogeneous or zonated aquifer conditions or considering steady-state flow scenarios. Obviously, both assumptions inevitably invoke errors. However, while uncertainty due to aquifer heterogeneity has been extensively studied in the literature, the impact of transient flow conditions have received yet very little attention. For instance, WHPA maps in the offices of water supply companies are fixed maps derived from steady-state models although the actual catchment out there are transient. To mitigate high computational costs, we approximate transiency by means of a dynamic superposition of steady-state flow solutions. Then, we analyze four transient drivers that often appear on the seasonal scale: (I) regional groundwater flow direction, (II) strength of the regional hydraulic gradient, (III) natural recharge to the groundwater and (IV) pumping rate. The integration of transiency in WHPA analysis leads to time-frequency maps. They express for each location the temporal frequency of catchment membership. Furthermore, we account for the uncertainty due to incomplete knowledge on geological and transiency conditions, solved through Monte Carlo simulations. The main contribution of this study, is to show the need of enhancing groundwater well protection by considering transient flow considerations during WHPA analysis. To support and complement our statement, we demonstrate that 1) each transient driver imprints an individual spatial pattern in the required WHPA, ranking their influence through a global sensitivity analysis. 2) We compare the influence of transient conditions compared to geological uncertainty in terms of areal WHPA demand. 3) We show that considering geological uncertainty alone is insufficient in the presence of transient conditions. 4) We propose a practical decision rule for selecting a proper reliability level protection in the presence of both transiency and geological uncertainty.

  10. Atmospheric and soil-gas monitoring for surface leakage at the San Juan Basin CO{sub 2} pilot test site at Pump Canyon New Mexico, using perfluorocarbon tracers, CO{sub 2} soil-gas flux and soil-gas hydrocarbons

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

    Wells, Arthur W; Diehl, J Rodney; Strazisar, Brian R

    2012-05-01

    Near-surface monitoring and subsurface characterization activities were undertaken in collaboration with the Southwest Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership on their San Juan Basin coal-bed methane pilot test site near Navajo City, New Mexico. Nearly 18,407 short tons (1.670 × 107 kg) of CO{sub 2} were injected into 3 seams of the Fruitland coal between July 2008 and April 2009. Between September 18 and October 30, 2008, two additions of approximately 20 L each of perfluorocarbon (PFC) tracers were mixed with the CO{sub 2} at the injection wellhead. PFC tracers in soil-gas and in the atmosphere were monitored over a period ofmore » 2 years using a rectangular array of permanent installations. Additional monitors were placed near existing well bores and at other locations of potential leakage identified during the pre-injection site survey. Monitoring was conducted using sorbent containing tubes to collect any released PFC tracer from soil-gas or the atmosphere. Near-surface monitoring activities also included CO{sub 2} surface flux and carbon isotopes, soil-gas hydrocarbon levels, and electrical conductivity in the soil. The value of the PFC tracers was demonstrated when a significant leakage event was detected near an offset production well. Subsurface characterization activities, including 3D seismic interpretation and attribute analysis, were conducted to evaluate reservoir integrity and the potential that leakage of injected CO{sub 2} might occur. Leakage from the injection reservoir was not detected. PFC tracers made breakthroughs at 2 of 3 offset wells which were not otherwise directly observable in produced gases containing 20–30% CO{sub 2}. These results have aided reservoir geophysical and simulation investigations to track the underground movement of CO{sub 2}. 3D seismic analysis provided a possible interpretation for the order of appearance of tracers at production wells.« less

  11. A Decline in Benthic Foraminifera following the Deepwater Horizon Event in the Northeastern Gulf of Mexico

    PubMed Central

    Schwing, Patrick T.; Romero, Isabel C.; Brooks, Gregg R.; Hastings, David W.; Larson, Rebekka A.; Hollander, David J.

    2015-01-01

    Sediment cores were collected from three sites (1000–1200 m water depth) in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico from December 2010 to June 2011 to assess changes in benthic foraminiferal density related to the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) event (April-July 2010, 1500 m water depth). Short-lived radioisotope geochronologies (210Pb, 234Th), organic geochemical assessments, and redox metal concentrations were determined to relate changes in sediment accumulation rate, contamination, and redox conditions with benthic foraminiferal density. Cores collected in December 2010 indicated a decline in density (80–93%). This decline was characterized by a decrease in benthic foraminiferal density and benthic foraminiferal accumulation rate (BFAR) in the surface 10 mm relative to the down-core mean in all benthic foraminifera, including the dominant genera (Bulimina spp., Uvigerina spp., and Cibicidoides spp.). Cores collected in February 2011 documented a site-specific response. There was evidence of a recovery in the benthic foraminiferal density and BFAR at the site closest to the wellhead (45 NM, NE). However, the site farther afield (60 NM, NE) recorded a continued decline in benthic foraminiferal density and BFAR down to near-zero values. This decline in benthic foraminiferal density occurred simultaneously with abrupt increases in sedimentary accumulation rates, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations, and changes in redox conditions. Persistent reducing conditions (as many as 10 months after the event) in the surface of these core records were a possible cause of the decline. Another possible cause was the increase (2–3 times background) in PAH’s, which are known to cause benthic foraminifera mortality and inhibit reproduction. Records of benthic foraminiferal density coupled with short-lived radionuclide geochronology and organic geochemistry were effective in quantifying the benthic response and will continue to be a valuable tool in determining the long-term effects of the DWH event on a larger spatial scale. PMID:25785988

  12. Two-stream Convolutional Neural Network for Methane Emissions Quantification

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, J.; Ravikumar, A. P.; McGuire, M.; Bell, C.; Tchapmi, L. P.; Brandt, A. R.

    2017-12-01

    Methane, a key component of natural gas, has a 25x higher global warming potential than carbon dioxide on a 100-year basis. Accurately monitoring and mitigating methane emissions require cost-effective detection and quantification technologies. Optical gas imaging, one of the most commonly used leak detection technology, adopted by Environmental Protection Agency, cannot estimate leak-sizes. In this work, we harness advances in computer science to allow for rapid and automatic leak quantification. Particularly, we utilize two-stream deep Convolutional Networks (ConvNets) to estimate leak-size by capturing complementary spatial information from still plume frames, and temporal information from plume motion between frames. We build large leak datasets for training and evaluating purposes by collecting about 20 videos (i.e. 397,400 frames) of leaks. The videos were recorded at six distances from the source, covering 10 -60 ft. Leak sources included natural gas well-heads, separators, and tanks. All frames were labeled with a true leak size, which has eight levels ranging from 0 to 140 MCFH. Preliminary analysis shows that two-stream ConvNets provides significant accuracy advantage over single steam ConvNets. Spatial stream ConvNet can achieve an accuracy of 65.2%, by extracting important features, including texture, plume area, and pattern. Temporal stream, fed by the results of optical flow analysis, results in an accuracy of 58.3%. The integration of the two-stream ConvNets gives a combined accuracy of 77.6%. For future work, we will split the training and testing datasets in distinct ways in order to test the generalization of the algorithm for different leak sources. Several analytic metrics, including confusion matrix and visualization of key features, will be used to understand accuracy rates and occurrences of false positives. The quantification algorithm can help to find and fix super-emitters, and improve the cost-effectiveness of leak detection and repair programs.

  13. Investigation of Natural Gas Fugitive Leak Detection Using an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yang, S.; Talbot, R. W.; Frish, M. B.; Golston, L.; Aubut, N. F.; Zondlo, M. A.

    2017-12-01

    The U.S is now the world's largest natural gas producer, of which methane (CH4) is the main component. About 2% of the CH4 is lost through fugitive leaks. This research is under the DOE Methane Observation Networks with Innovative Technology to Obtain Reductions (MONITOR) program of ARPA-E. Our sentry measurement system is composed of four state-of-the-art technologies centered around the RMLDTM (Remote Methane Leak Detector). An open path RMLDTM measures column-integrated CH4 concentration that incorporates fluctuations in the vertical CH4 distribution. Based on Backscatter Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy and Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, the sentry system can autonomously, consistently and cost-effectively monitor and quantify CH4 leakage from sites associated with natural gas production. This system provides an advanced capability in detecting leaks at hard-to-access sites (e.g., wellheads) compared to traditional manual methods. Automated leak detecting and reporting algorithms combined with wireless data link implement real-time leak information reporting. Early data were gathered to set up and test the prototype system, and to optimize the leak localization and calculation strategies. The flight pattern is based on a raster scan which can generate interpolated CH4 concentration maps. The localization and quantification algorithms can be derived from the plume images combined with wind vectors. Currently, the accuracy of localization algorithm can reach 2 m and the calculation algorithm has a factor of 2 accuracy. This study places particular emphasis on flux quantification. The data collected at Colorado and Houston test fields were processed, and the correlation between flux and other parameters analyzed. Higher wind speeds and lower wind variation are preferred to optimize flux estimation. Eventually, this system will supply an enhanced detection capability to significantly reduce fugitive CH4 emissions in the natural gas industry.

  14. Lightweight Approaches to Natural Gas Hydrate Exploration & Production

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Max, M. D.; Johnson, A. H.

    2017-12-01

    Lower-cost approaches to drilling and reservoir utilization are made possible by adapting both emerging and new technology to the unique, low risk NGH natural gas resource. We have focused on drilling, wellbore lining technology, and reservoir management with an emphasis on long-term sand control and adaptive mechanical stability during NGH conversion to its constituent gas and water. In addition, we suggest that there are opportunities for management of both the gas and water with respect to maintaining desired thermal conditions. Some of the unique aspects of NGH deposits allow for new, more efficient technology to be applied to development, particularly in drilling. While NGH-bearing sands are in deepwater, they are confined to depths beneath the seafloor of 1.2 kilometers or less. As a result, they will not be significantly above hydrostatic pressure, and temperatures will be less than 30 oC. Drilling will be through semi-consolidated sediment without liquid hydrocarbons. These characteristics mean that high capability drillships are not needed. What is needed is a new perspective about drilling and producing NGH. Drilling from the seafloor will resolve the high-pressure differential between a wellhead on the sea surface in a vessel and reservoir to about the hydrostatic pressure difference between the seafloor and, at most, the base of the GHSZ. Although NGH production will begin using "off-the-shelf" technology, innovation will lead to new technology that will bring down costs and increase efficiency in the same way that led to the shale breakthrough. Commercial success is possible if consideration is given to what is actually needed to produce NGH in a safe and environmentally manner. Max, M.D. 2017. Wellbore Lining for Natural Gas Hydrate. U.S. Patent Application US15644947 Max, M.D. & Johnson, A.H. 2017. E&P Cost Reduction Opportunities for Natural Gas Hydrate. OilPro. . Max, M.D. & Johnson, A.H. 2016. Exploration and Production of Oceanic Natural Gas Hydrate: Critical Factors for Commercialization. Springer International Publishing AG, 405pp.

  15. The Prototype Plume Busters Software: A New Tool for Exploring Issues Related to Environmental Policy in Undergraduate-level Earth and Environmental Science Courses

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Macfarlane, P. A.

    2006-12-01

    Students seldom have an opportunity to explore the issues related to the environmental impact of contamination on water resources. With NSF support we have developed the prototype Plume Busters, in which students take on the role of an environmental consultant. The software consists of an interactive, Java application and accompanying HTML linked pages. Following a pipeline spill, the environmental consultant is hired by the pipeline owner to locate the resulting plume created by the spill and remediate the contaminated aquifer at minimum monetary and time cost. The contamination must be removed from the aquifer before it reaches the river and eventually a downstream public water supply. The application simulates movement of a plume from a pipeline break through a shallow alluvial aquifer towards the river upstream from a municipal water supply intake. To locate the plume, the student places observation wells on a gridded map of the study area and the simulation returns the contaminant concentrations at those locations on the appropriate sample dates. Once the plume is located, the student is able to site pumping and injection wells on the map for aquifer remediation using a simple pump-and-treat technique. The simulation then computes the movement of particles to the pumping wells and returns the cumulative mass removed by the production remediation well. Plume Busters also provides teachers with a means to initiate student exploration of a wide range of environmental issues, including (1) source-water assessment and ground-water and wellhead protection zones, (2) the impact of human activities and technology on the hydrosphere and the biosphere, (3) the role of technology in the resolution of environmental issues (4) legal, social, political, and economic implications of environmental issues, and (5) risk assessment resulting from human activities.

  16. Simulation of ground-water flow in glaciofluvial aquifers in the Grand Rapids area, Minnesota

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Jones, Perry M.

    2004-01-01

    A calibrated steady-state, finite-difference, ground-waterflow model was constructed to simulate ground-water flow in three glaciofluvial aquifers, defined in this report as the upper, middle, and lower aquifers, in an area of about 114 mi2 surrounding the city of Grand Rapids in north-central Minnesota. The calibrated model will be used by Minnesota Department of Health and communities in the Grand Rapids area in the development of wellhead protection plans for their water supplies. The model was calibrated through comparison of simulated ground-water levels to measured static water levels in 351 wells, and comparison of simulated base-flow rates to estimated base-flow rates for reaches of the Mississippi and Prairie Rivers. Model statistics indicate that the model tends to overestimate ground-water levels. The root mean square errors ranged from +12.83 ft in wells completed in the upper aquifer to +19.10 ft in wells completed in the middle aquifer. Mean absolute differences between simulated and measured water levels ranged from +4.43 ft for wells completed in the upper aquifer to +9.25 ft for wells completed in the middle aquifer. Mean algebraic differences ranged from +9.35 ft for wells completed in the upper aquifer to +14.44 ft for wells completed in the middle aquifer, with the positive differences indicating that the simulated water levels were higher than the measured water levels. Percentage errors between simulated and estimated base-flow rates for the three monitored reaches all were less than 10 percent, indicating good agreement. Simulated ground-water levels were most sensitive to changes in general-head boundary conductance, indicating that this characteristic is the predominant model input variable controlling steady-state water-level conditions. Simulated groundwater flow to stream reaches was most sensitive to changes in horizontal hydraulic conductivity, indicating that this characteristic is the predominant model input variable controlling steady-state flow conditions.

  17. Experimental determination of methane dissolution from simulated subsurface oil leakages

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sauthoff, W.; Peltzer, E. T.; Walz, P. M.; Brewer, P. G.

    2013-12-01

    Subsurface oil leakages and increased offshore drilling efforts have raised concern over the fate of hydrocarbon mixtures of oil and gas in ocean environments. Recent wellhead and pipeline failures in the Gulf of Mexico are extreme examples of this problem. Understanding the mechanism and rate of vertical transport of hydrocarbon chemical species is necessary to predict the environmental impact of subsurface leakages. In a series of controlled experiments, we carried out a deep-sea field experiment in Monterey Canyon to investigate the behavior of a gas-saturated liquid hydrocarbon mass rising from the seafloor. Aboard the R/V Rachel Carson, we used the ROV Ventana to transport a laboratory prepared volume of decane (C10H22) saturated with methane gas (CH4) to mimic a subsurface seafloor discharge. We released the oil and gas mixture into a vertically oriented open bottom glass tube followed by methane loss rate measurements both at discrete depths, and during rapid, continuous vehicle ascent from 800 to 100 m water depth to monitor changes in dissolution and bubble nucleation. Using laser Raman techniques and HD video we quantified the chemical state of the hydrocarbon fluid, including rate of methane gas dissolution. The primary methane Raman peak was readily observable within the decane C-H stretching complex. Variation in the amount of gas dissolved in the oil greatly influences oil plume density and in turn oil plume vertical rise rate. Our results show that the rise rate of the hydrocarbon mass significantly exceeds the rate at which the excess methane was lost by dissolution. This result implies that vertical transport of methane in the saturated hydrocarbon liquid phase can greatly exceed a gas bubble plume ascending the water column from a seafloor source. These results and observations may be applicable to improved understanding of the composition, distribution, and environmental fate of leaked hydrocarbon mixtures and inform remediation efforts.

  18. Vertical Strain Measured in the Mississippi River Delta Using Borehole Optical Fiber Strainmeters

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hatfield, W.; Allison, M. A.; Bridgeman, J.; Dixon, T. H.; Elliott, D.; Steckler, M. S.; Tornqvist, T. E.; Williams, K.; Wyatt, F. K.; Zumberge, M. A.

    2017-12-01

    Three boreholes in the Mississippi River Delta, at a site 2 km from the river near Myrtle Grove, Louisiana, have been instrumented with optical fiber strainmeters. The boreholes extend to depths of 9 m, 24 m, and 37 m. Each contains an optical fiber strainmeter that records the displacement between a steel surface casing and a termination fixture cemented into the bottom of each borehole. The strainmeters consist of an optical fiber cable stretched to a length 0.2% longer than its unstressed condition. An optical interferometer is formed between each sensing fiber and a second optical fiber of equal length wrapped on a reference mandrel housed in a sonde in the wellhead casing. This arrangement relaxes stability requirements on the light source. A signal processing unit samples the interference fringe signals 50,000 times per second and calculates the optical phase shift, providing a displacement record precise to a few nm or strain sensitivity of better than 1 nanostrain. The sensors operate from solar power and transmit the data (decimated to 20 samples per second) to an archiving system via a cell phone modem. To mitigate against the effects of temperature variations, a second optical fiber sensor with a different temperature is operated in parallel with the first, sharing the same cable and processing sonde. Records from the two fibers allow the separation of optical length changes caused by temperature from the earth strain. The three individual systems provide an unprecedented measure of soil compaction. Over short periods we observe sub-micron signals such as teleseisms, and over the long term we have observed stability at the tenths of a mm level. The site has shown no compaction or subsidence greater than a few tenths of a mm over the last year, highlighting the value of strainmeters over other techniques that can not resolve such small signals. Two of the sensors began operating in July of 2016, the third began operation in May of 2017.

  19. Seismogenic response to fluid injection operations in Oklahoma and California: Implications for crustal stresses

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Goebel, T.; Aminzadeh, F.

    2015-12-01

    The seismogenic response to induced pressure changes provides insight into the proximity to failure of faults close to injection sites. Here, we examine possible seismicity rate changes in response to wastewater disposal and enhanced oil recovery operations in hydrocarbon basins in California and Oklahoma. We test whether a statistically significant rate increase exists within these areas and determine the corresponding timing and location based on nonparametric modeling of background seismicity rates. Annual injection volumes increased monotonically since ~2001 in California and ~1998 in Oklahoma. While OK experienced a recent surge in seismic activity which exceeded the 95% confidence limit of a stationary Poisson process in ~2010, seismicity in CA showed no increase in background rates between 1980 and 2014. A systematic analysis of frequency-magnitude-distributions (FMDs) of likely induced earthquakes in OK indicates that FMDs are depleted in large-magnitude events. Seismicity in CA hydrocarbon basins, on the other hand, shows Gutenberg-Richter type FMDs and b~1. Moreover, the earthquakes and injection operations occur preferably in distinct areas in CA whereas in OK earthquakes occur closer to injection wells than expected from a random uniform process. To test whether injection operations may be responsible for the strongly different seismicity characteristics in CA and OK, we compare overall well density, wellhead pressures, peak and cumulative rates as well as injection depths. We find that average injection rates, pressures and volumes are comparable between CA and OK and that injection occurs on average 0.5 km deeper in CA than in OK. Thus, the here tested operational parameters can not easily explain the vastly different seismogenic response to injection operations in CA and OK, and may only be of secondary importance for the resulting earthquake activity. The potential to induce earthquakes by fluid injection operations is likely controlled by the specific geologic setting and stress state on nearby faults.

  20. Digital representation of oil and natural gas well pad scars in southwest Wyoming: 2012 update

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Garman, Steven L.; McBeth, Jamie L.

    2015-01-01

    The recent proliferation of oil and natural gas energy development in the Greater Green River Basin of southwest Wyoming has accentuated the need to understand wildlife responses to this development. The location and extent of surface disturbance that is created by oil and natural gas well pad scars are key pieces of information used to assess the effects of energy infrastructure on wildlife populations and habitat. A digital database of oil and natural gas pad scars had previously been generated from 1-meter (m) National Agriculture Imagery Program imagery (NAIP) acquired in 2009 for a 7.7-million hectare (ha) (19,026,700 acres) region of southwest Wyoming. Scars included the pad area where wellheads, pumps, and storage facilities reside and the surrounding area that was scraped and denuded of vegetation during the establishment of the pad. Scars containing tanks, compressors, the storage of oil and gas related equipment, and produced-water ponds were also collected on occasion. This report updates the digital database for the five counties of southwest Wyoming (Carbon, Lincoln, Sublette, Sweetwater, Uinta) within the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative (WLCI) study area and for a limited portion of Fremont, Natrona, and Albany Counties using 2012 1-m NAIP imagery and 2012 oil and natural gas well permit information. This report adds pad scars created since 2009, and updates attributes of all pad scars using the 2012 well permit information. These attributes include the origination year of the pad scar, the number of active and inactive wells on or near each pad scar in 2012, and the overall status of the pad scar (active or inactive). The new 2012 database contains 17,404 pad scars of which 15,532 are attributed as oil and natural gas well pads. Digital data are stored as shapefiles projected to the Universal Transverse Mercator (zones 12 and 13) coordinate system. These data are available from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) at http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/ds934.

  1. NASA Global GNSS Network (GGN) Status and Plans

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Doelger, S.; Sklar, J.; Blume, F.; Meertens, C. M.; Mattioli, G. S.

    2015-12-01

    UNAVCO, in conjunction with JPL, is responsible for monitoring the 62 GNSS permanent stations, which include 88 GPS receivers, which comprise the NASA Global GNSS Network (GGN). These sites represent approximately 16% of the ~400 International GNSS Service (IGS) stations, and they provide a globally distributed GNSS network to support NASA operations and its commitments to GGOS. UNAVCO provides data flow monitoring, trouble-shooting, station installation, maintenance, as well as engineering services to improve the capabilities and performance of station infrastructure. Activities this past year include the installation of a geodetic quality wellhead monument for the new SEY2 station to replace SEY1, which is mounted on a UCSD seismic station in the Seychelles Islands. SEY1 will be removed soon to accommodate planned maintenance and upgrades by UCSD. Data from both SEY1 and SEY2 are being collected concurrently until maintenance begins. MRTG (Multi Router Traffic Grapher), a tool to aid in characterizing bandwidth usage and to identify communications problems, is now being used to monitor data throughput at 7 stations where VSAT or radio telemetry are used, including: ABPO; AREQ; FALK; GUAM; HARV; ISPA; QUIN; and STHL. Aging computers are being replaced with new hardware running Linux CentOS. These are semi-ruggedized low power solid-state systems built to endure challenging environments. With the aid of on-site collaborators, systems are now deployed at: FALK; CUSV; KELY; STHL; SANT; and ZAMB. Last, 4 new GPS stations were deployed for NASA's Space Geodesy Project (SGP); three of which (KOKF, KOKG, and KOKR) are located at Koke'e Park Geophysical Observatory on Kauai, Hawai'i, and HAL1 at the Haleakala observatory complex on Maui, Hawai'i. A campaign system was set up at Koke'e in order to sample data quality to determine if an additional station would be viable. Planning is ongoing for deployment of several new stations next year at McDonald Observatory (TX).

  2. Enumerating Pathogenic Microorganism Surrogates for Groundwater Experiments Using Solid-Phase Cytometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stevenson, M. E.; Blaschke, A. P.; Kirschner, A.

    2010-12-01

    Regulators need a dependable method that would enable them to calculate with confidence the setback distance of a drinking water well from a potential point of contamination. Since it is not permissible to perform field tests using pathogenic microorganisms, it is necessary to predict the transport of dangerous microbes in a different way, using surrogates. One such surrogate method involves using bacteriophages, which are viruses that are pathogenic to bacteria, but are not dangerous to humans. Another possible surrogate to model the potential travel time of microbial contamination is the use of synthetic microspheres; we will test microspheres ranging in size from 0.025 to 1 µm. The constraining factor for comparing the transport of microspheres and bacteriophages is the detection limit of the measuring apparatus. Appropriate measuring techniques are mandatory for a comparison. Traditionally, bacteriophages are measured using plaque forming analysis, the detection limit being one plaque forming unit per petri dish. In our study, the use of solid-phase cytometry for enumerating microspheres for wellhead protection projects is being investigated, as the detection limit using this technology is one cell per filter. To the best of our knowledge, there is no other technique available that enables a comparable detection limit. The solid-phase cytometer used for this study is a ChemScan RDI (Chemunex, France). For comparison, epifluorescence microscopy will also be used. The ChemScan RDI device automatically drives an epifluorescent microscope to the site of each cell detected, in order to confirm the validity of the reading. In this way, it is possible to observe whether clumping together of microspheres is a problem or if non-target cells were labelled. Keywords: Microspheres, Solid-phase cytometry, ChemScan, Drinking water protection Acknowledgements: We would like to thank the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) for financial support as part of the Doctoral Program on Water Resource Systems (DK Plus W1219-N22) and the Vienna Waterworks (MA 31) as part of the GWRS-Vienna project.

  3. Incorporating Social Determinants into a Groundwater Risk Framework

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Simpson, M.; Allen, D. M.; Journeay, M.; Korteling, B.

    2009-12-01

    The remediation of polluted groundwater is often very costly, therefore water managers utilize various proactive measures, such as wellhead protection planning, to prevent contamination events. With limited available resources, it is essential to prioritize where these measures are introduced; systematic and integrated methodologies of assessing risk to groundwater can be utilized for this prioritization. To quantify the resistance of the physical system to pollution, Aquifer Vulnerability is commonly mapped for the area of interest. This information is useful for focusing monitoring efforts and identifying data gaps, but is a relative measure of contaminant risk. To more accurately assess the probability of contamination, an inventory of hazards can be integrated with intrinsic vulnerability of the physical system. This Threat indicator links land-use with chemicals and quantifies the risk based on the toxicity and environmental fate of these substances. Local knowledge of the quantity stored and likelihood of release can be utilized to further assess these threats. Both of these steps form part of an existing frameworks for assessing risk to groundwater. In this study, a groundwater risk framework is developed and tested in two study areas; Pender Island and the Lower Fraser Valley in British Columbia, Canada. Enhancements of a basic groundwater risk framework include not only incorporating points sources such as septic systems, landfills and fuel storage, but also various social determinants of risk. These social determinants include the Resistance of a community, which represents the planning and protection initiatives designed to safeguard the resource. These include items such as land-use planning that consider groundwater vulnerability and best management practices enforced by local governments. The ability to recover following an event is the Capacity of a community; indicators include the presence or absence of spill response plans, treatment systems or an alternative supply of water. The determinant of Loss quantifies the financial impact of this work. This indicator may be altered in future applications to include loss associated with human health and/or that stemming from a reduction in ecosystem health.

  4. High radiogenic heat-producing Caenozoic granites: implications for the origin of Quman geothermal field in Taxkorgan, northwestern China

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shuai, W.; Shihua, Q.

    2017-12-01

    As a new found geothermal field, Quman geothermal field (Taxkorgan, China) holds a wellhead temperature of 144 ° and a shallow buried depth of heat reservoir. The heat source of the geothermal field is thought to be the heat flow from the upper mantle, which is disputable with the average Pamir Moho depth of 70 km. The new geochemical data of Taxkorgan alkaline complex, which is located to the west of the geothermal field and is exposed for 60 km along the western side of the Taxkorgan Valley, shed a light on the origin of Quman geothermal field. Together with the lithological association, the geochemical results present that Taxkorgan alkaline complex are mainly composed of alkaline syenites and subalkaline granitoids. Based on the contents of Th, U and K of 25 rock samples, the average radioactive heat generation of the complex (9.08 μW/m3) is 2 times of the standard of high heat production granites (HHPGs) (5 μW/m3), and 4 times of the average upper continental crust (UCC) heat production (2.7 μW/m3). According to U-Pd dating of zircon in aegirine-augite syenite, the crystallization age of the complex is 11 Ma. The complex has incompatible element abundances higher than generally observed for the continental crust, therefore a mantle source should be considered. The results of apatite fission track ange and track length of the complex indicate a low uplift rate (0.11 mm/a) in 3 5 Ma and a high uplift rate (2 3 mm/a) since ca. 2Ma, which indicates a low exposed age of the complex. Therefore, combined with previous studies, we propose that radioactive heat production of the complex and afterheat of magma cooling are the heat source of Quman geothermal field. With a shallow buried heat source, the geothermal field is potential for EGS development.

  5. Thermal effects on geologic carbon storage

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

    Vilarrasa, Victor; Rutqvist, Jonny

    One of the most promising ways to significantly reduce greenhouse gases emissions, while carbon-free energy sources are developed, is Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS). Non-isothermal effects play a major role in all stages of CCS. In this paper, we review the literature on thermal effects related to CCS, which is receiving an increasing interest as a result of the awareness that the comprehension of non-isothermal processes is crucial for a successful deployment of CCS projects. We start by reviewing CO 2 transport, which connects the regions where CO 2 is captured with suitable geostorage sites. The optimal conditions for COmore » 2 transport, both onshore (through pipelines) and offshore (through pipelines or ships), are such that CO 2 stays in liquid state. To minimize costs, CO 2 should ideally be injected at the wellhead in similar pressure and temperature conditions as it is delivered by transport. To optimize the injection conditions, coupled wellbore and reservoir simulators that solve the strongly non-linear problem of CO 2 pressure, temperature and density within the wellbore and non-isothermal two-phase flow within the storage formation have been developed. CO 2 in its way down the injection well heats up due to compression and friction at a lower rate than the geothermal gradient, and thus, reaches the storage formation at a lower temperature than that of the rock. Inside the storage formation, CO 2 injection induces temperature changes due to the advection of the cool injected CO 2, the Joule-Thomson cooling effect, endothermic water vaporization and exothermic CO 2 dissolution. These thermal effects lead to thermo-hydro-mechanical-chemical coupled processes with non-trivial interpretations. These coupled processes also play a relevant role in “Utilization” options that may provide an added value to the injected CO 2 , such as Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR), Enhanced Coal Bed Methane (ECBM) and geothermal energy extraction combined with CO 2 storage. If the injected CO 2 leaks through faults, the caprock or wellbores, strong cooling will occur due to the expansion of CO 2 as pressure decreases with depth. Finally, we conclude by identifying research gaps and challenges of thermal effects related to CCS.« less

  6. Of Detection Limits and Effective Mitigation: The Use of Infrared Cameras for Methane Leak Detection

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ravikumar, A. P.; Wang, J.; McGuire, M.; Bell, C.; Brandt, A. R.

    2017-12-01

    Mitigating methane emissions, a short-lived and potent greenhouse gas, is critical to limiting global temperature rise to two degree Celsius as outlined in the Paris Agreement. A major source of anthropogenic methane emissions in the United States is the oil and gas sector. To this effect, state and federal governments have recommended the use of optical gas imaging systems in periodic leak detection and repair (LDAR) surveys to detect for fugitive emissions or leaks. The most commonly used optical gas imaging systems (OGI) are infrared cameras. In this work, we systematically evaluate the limits of infrared (IR) camera based OGI system for use in methane leak detection programs. We analyze the effect of various parameters that influence the minimum detectable leak rates of infrared cameras. Blind leak detection tests were carried out at the Department of Energy's MONITOR natural gas test-facility in Fort Collins, CO. Leak sources included natural gas wellheads, separators, and tanks. With an EPA mandated 60 g/hr leak detection threshold for IR cameras, we test leak rates ranging from 4 g/hr to over 350 g/hr at imaging distances between 5 ft and 70 ft from the leak source. We perform these experiments over the course of a week, encompassing a wide range of wind and weather conditions. Using repeated measurements at a given leak rate and imaging distance, we generate detection probability curves as a function of leak-size for various imaging distances, and measurement conditions. In addition, we estimate the median detection threshold - leak-size at which the probability of detection is 50% - under various scenarios to reduce uncertainty in mitigation effectiveness. Preliminary analysis shows that the median detection threshold varies from 3 g/hr at an imaging distance of 5 ft to over 150 g/hr at 50 ft (ambient temperature: 80 F, winds < 4 m/s). Results from this study can be directly used to improve OGI based LDAR protocols and reduce uncertainty in estimated mitigation effectiveness. Furthermore, detection limits determined in this study can be used as standards to compare new detection technologies.

  7. Subsurface Constraints on Late Cenozoic Basin Geometry in Northern Fish Lake Valley and Displacement Transfer Along the Northern Fish Lake Valley Fault Zone, Western Nevada

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mueller, N.; Kerstetter, S. R.; Katopody, D. T.; Oldow, J. S.

    2016-12-01

    The NW-striking, right-oblique Fish Lake Valley fault zone (FLVFZ) forms the northern segment of the longest active structure in the western Great Basin; the Death Valley - Furnace Creek - Fish Lake Valley fault system. Since the mid-Miocene, 50 km of right-lateral displacement is documented on the southern FLVFZ and much of that displacement was and is transferred east and north on active WNW left-lateral faults. Prior to the Pliocene, displacement was transferred east and north on a low-angle detachment. Displacement on the northern part of the FLVFZ continues and is transferred to a fanned array of splays striking (west to east) WNW, NNW, ENE and NNE. To determine the displacement budget on these structures, we conducted a gravity survey to determine subsurface basin morphology and its relation to active faults. Over 2450 stations were collected and combined with existing PACES and proprietary data for a total of 3388 stations. The data were terrain corrected and reduced to a 2.67 g/cm3 density to produce a residual complete Bouguer anomaly. The eastern part of northern Fish Lake Valley is underlain by several prominent gravity lows forming several sub-basins with maximum RCBA values ranging from -24 to -28 mGals. The RCBA was inverted for depth using Geosoft Oasis Montaj GM-SYS 3D modeling software. Density values for the inversion were constrained by lithologic and density logs from wells that penetrate the entire Cenozoic section into the Paleozoic basement. Best fitting gravity measurements taken at the wellheads yielded an effective density of 2.4 g/cm3 for the basin fill. Modeled basement depths range between 2.1 to 3 km. The sub-basins form an arc opening to the NW and are bounded by ENE and NNE faults in the south and NS to NNW in the north. At the northern end of the valley, the faults merge with ENE left-lateral strike slip faults of the Mina deflection, which carries displacement to NW dextral strike-slip faults of the central Walker Lane.

  8. Ground-water flow and contributing areas to public-supply wells in Kingsford and Iron Mountain, Michigan

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Luukkonen, Carol L.; Westjohn, David B.

    2000-01-01

    The cities of Kingsford and Iron Mountain are in the southwestern part of Dickinson County in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Residents and businesses in these cites rely primarily on ground water from aquifers in glacial deposits. Glacial deposits generally consist of an upper terrace sand-and-gravel unit and a lower outwash sand-and-gravel unit, separated by lacustrine silt and clay and eolian silt layers. These units are not regionally continuous, and are absent in some areas. Glacial deposits overlie Precambrian bedrock units that are generally impermeable. Precambrian bedrock consists of metasedimentary (Michigamme Slate, Vulcan Iron Formation, and Randville Dolomite) and metavolcanic (Badwater Greenstone and Quinnesec Formation) rocks. Where glacial deposits are too thin to compose an aquifer usable for public or residential water supply, Precambrian bedrock is relied upon for water supply. Typically a few hundred feet of bedrock must be open to a wellbore to provide adequate water for domestic users. Ground-water flow in the glacial deposits is primarily toward the Menominee River and follows the direction of the regional topographic slope and the bedrock surface. To protect the quality of ground water, Kingsford and Iron Mountain are developing Wellhead Protection Plans to delineate areas that contribute water to public-supply wells. Because of the complexity of hydrogeology in this area and historical land-use practices, a steady-state ground-water-flow model was prepared to represent the ground-water-flow system and to delineate contributing areas to public-supply wells. Results of steady-state simulations indicate close agreement between simulated and observed water levels and between water flowing into and out of the model area. The 10-year contributing areas for Kingsford's public-supply wells encompass about 0.11 square miles and consist of elongated areas to the east of the well fields. The 10-year contributing areas for Iron Mountain's public-supply wells encompass about 0.09 square miles and consist of elongate areas to the east of the well field.

  9. Transient flow conditions change how we should think about WHPA delineation: a joint frequency and probability analysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rodriguez Pretelin (1), Abelardo; Nowak (1), Wolfgang

    2017-04-01

    Well head protection areas (WHPAs) are frequently used as safety measures for drinking water wells, preventing them from being polluted by restricting land use activities in their proximities. Two sources of uncertainty are involved during delineation: 1) uncertainty in aquifer parameters and 2) time-varying groundwater flow scenarios and their own inherent uncertainties. The former has been studied by Enzenhoefer et al (2012 [1] and 2014 [2]) as probabilistic risk version of WHPA delineation. The latter is frequently neglected and replaced by steady-state assumptions; thereby ignoring time-variant flow conditions triggered either by anthropogenic causes or climatic conditions. In this study we analyze the influence of transient flow considerations in WHPA delineation, following annual seasonality behavior; with transiency represented by four transient conditions: (I) regional groundwater flow direction, (II) strength of the regional hydraulic gradient, (III) natural recharge to the groundwater and (IV) pumping rate. Addressing WHPA delineation in transient flow scenarios is computationally expensive. Thus, we develop an efficient method using a dynamic superposition of steady-state flow solutions coupled with a reversed formulation of advective-dispersive transport based on a Lagrangian particle tracking with continuous injection. This analysis results in a time-frequency map of pixel-wise membership to the well catchment. Additional to transient flow conditions, we recognize two sources of uncertainty, inexact knowledge of transient drivers and parameters. The uncertainties are accommodated through Monte Carlo simulation. With the help of a global sensitivity analysis, we investigate the impact of transiency in WHPA solutions. In particular, we evaluate: (1) Among all considered transients, which ones are the most influential. (2) How influential in WHPA delineation is the transience-related uncertainty compared to aquifer parameter uncertainty. Literature [1] R. Enzenhoefer, W. Nowak, and R. Helmig. Probabilistic exposure risk assessment with advective-dispersive well vulnerability criteria. Advances in Water Resources, 36:121-132, 2012. [2] R. Enzenhoefer, T. Bunk, and W. Nowak. Nine steps to risk-informed wellhead protection and management: a case study. Ground water, 52:161-174, 2014.

  10. Linking Effective Project Management to Business Strategy in Oil and Gas Industry through Decision-making Processes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Adeleke, Adeyinka

    The construction project in the oil and gas industry covers the entire spectrum of hydrocarbon production from the wellhead (upstream) to downstream facilities. In each of these establishments, the activities in a construction project include: consulting, studies, front-end engineering, detail engineering, procurement, program management, construction, installation, commissioning and start-up. Efficient management of each of the activities involved in construction projects is one of the driving forces for the successful completion of the project. Optimizing the crucial factors in project management during each phase of a project in an oil and gas industry can assist managers to maximize the use of available resources and drive the project to successful conclusions. One of these factors is the decision-making process in the construction project. Current research effort investigated the relationship between decision-making processes and business strategy in oil and gas industry using employee surveys. I recruited employees of different races, age group, genders, and years of experience in order understand their influence on the implementation of the decision-making process in oil and gas industry through a quantitative survey. Decision-making was assessed using five decision measures: (a) rational, (b) intuitive, (c) dependent, (d) avoidant, and (e) spontaneous. The findings indicated gender, age, years of work experience and job titles as primary variables with a negative relationship with decision-making approach for employees working in a major oil and gas industry. The study results revealed that the two most likely decision-making methods in oil and gas industry include: making a decision in a logical and systematic way and seek assistance from others when making a decision. Additionally, the two leading management approaches to decision-making in the oil and gas industry include: decision analysis is part of organization culture and management is committed to the decision-making process. Some recommendations for future studies were presented based on the need to intensify the importance of the current study and enlarge the body of knowledge regarding decision-making process in oil and gas industry.

  11. Sulfide Generation by Dominant Halanaerobium Microorganisms in Hydraulically Fractured Shales

    PubMed Central

    Booker, Anne E.; Borton, Mikayla A.; Daly, Rebecca A.; Welch, Susan A.; Nicora, Carrie D.; Hoyt, David W.; Wilson, Travis; Purvine, Samuel O.; Wolfe, Richard A.; Sharma, Shikha; Mouser, Paula J.; Cole, David R.; Lipton, Mary S.; Wrighton, Kelly C.

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT Hydraulic fracturing of black shale formations has greatly increased United States oil and natural gas recovery. However, the accumulation of biomass in subsurface reservoirs and pipelines is detrimental because of possible well souring, microbially induced corrosion, and pore clogging. Temporal sampling of produced fluids from a well in the Utica Shale revealed the dominance of Halanaerobium strains within the in situ microbial community and the potential for these microorganisms to catalyze thiosulfate-dependent sulfidogenesis. From these field data, we investigated biogenic sulfide production catalyzed by a Halanaerobium strain isolated from the produced fluids using proteogenomics and laboratory growth experiments. Analysis of Halanaerobium isolate genomes and reconstructed genomes from metagenomic data sets revealed the conserved presence of rhodanese-like proteins and anaerobic sulfite reductase complexes capable of converting thiosulfate to sulfide. Shotgun proteomics measurements using a Halanaerobium isolate verified that these proteins were more abundant when thiosulfate was present in the growth medium, and culture-based assays identified thiosulfate-dependent sulfide production by the same isolate. Increased production of sulfide and organic acids during the stationary growth phase suggests that fermentative Halanaerobium uses thiosulfate to remove excess reductant. These findings emphasize the potential detrimental effects that could arise from thiosulfate-reducing microorganisms in hydraulically fractured shales, which are undetected by current industry-wide corrosion diagnostics. IMPORTANCE Although thousands of wells in deep shale formations across the United States have been hydraulically fractured for oil and gas recovery, the impact of microbial metabolism within these environments is poorly understood. Our research demonstrates that dominant microbial populations in these subsurface ecosystems contain the conserved capacity for the reduction of thiosulfate to sulfide and that this process is likely occurring in the environment. Sulfide generation (also known as “souring”) is considered deleterious in the oil and gas industry because of both toxicity issues and impacts on corrosion of the subsurface infrastructure. Critically, the capacity for sulfide generation via reduction of sulfate was not detected in our data sets. Given that current industry wellhead tests for sulfidogenesis target canonical sulfate-reducing microorganisms, these data suggest that new approaches to the detection of sulfide-producing microorganisms may be necessary. PMID:28685163

  12. Sulfide Generation by Dominant Halanaerobium Microorganisms in Hydraulically Fractured Shales

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

    Booker, Anne E.; Borton, Mikayla A.; Daly, Rebecca A.

    ABSTRACT Hydraulic fracturing of black shale formations has greatly increased United States oil and natural gas recovery. However, the accumulation of biomass in subsurface reservoirs and pipelines is detrimental because of possible well souring, microbially induced corrosion, and pore clogging. Temporal sampling of produced fluids from a well in the Utica Shale revealed the dominance ofHalanaerobiumstrains within thein situmicrobial community and the potential for these microorganisms to catalyze thiosulfate-dependent sulfidogenesis. From these field data, we investigated biogenic sulfide production catalyzed by aHalanaerobiumstrain isolated from the produced fluids using proteogenomics and laboratory growth experiments. Analysis ofHalanaerobiumisolate genomes and reconstructed genomes frommore » metagenomic data sets revealed the conserved presence of rhodanese-like proteins and anaerobic sulfite reductase complexes capable of converting thiosulfate to sulfide. Shotgun proteomics measurements using aHalanaerobiumisolate verified that these proteins were more abundant when thiosulfate was present in the growth medium, and culture-based assays identified thiosulfate-dependent sulfide production by the same isolate. Increased production of sulfide and organic acids during the stationary growth phase suggests that fermentativeHalanaerobiumuses thiosulfate to remove excess reductant. These findings emphasize the potential detrimental effects that could arise from thiosulfate-reducing microorganisms in hydraulically fractured shales, which are undetected by current industry-wide corrosion diagnostics. IMPORTANCEAlthough thousands of wells in deep shale formations across the United States have been hydraulically fractured for oil and gas recovery, the impact of microbial metabolism within these environments is poorly understood. Our research demonstrates that dominant microbial populations in these subsurface ecosystems contain the conserved capacity for the reduction of thiosulfate to sulfide and that this process is likely occurring in the environment. Sulfide generation (also known as “souring”) is considered deleterious in the oil and gas industry because of both toxicity issues and impacts on corrosion of the subsurface infrastructure. Critically, the capacity for sulfide generation via reduction of sulfate was not detected in our data sets. Given that current industry wellhead tests for sulfidogenesis target canonical sulfate-reducing microorganisms, these data suggest that new approaches to the detection of sulfide-producing microorganisms may be necessary.« less

  13. Geology and habitat of oil in Ras Budran field, Gulf of Suez, Egypt

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

    Chowdhary, L.R.; Taha, S.

    1987-05-01

    Deminex discovered the Ras Budran oil field in 1978. Discovery well EE 85-1 was drilled in about 140 ft of water, 4 km off the Sinai coast of the Gulf of Suez. Appraisal drilling (EE 85-2, 3, and 4 wells) confirmed the presence of a major field with an estimated 700 million bbl oil in place. The field, developed from three wellhead platforms, went on production in April 1983. To date, 20 development wells have been drilled. The Ras Budran structure at the deepest mappable seismic reflector, top Kareem (middle Miocene), is a broad northeast-southwest-trending anticlinal feature striking nearly atmore » right angles to the main Gulf of Suez trend. At pre-Miocene producing horizons, the structure is complex and consists of a northeast-dipping flank (14-15) broken into several blocks by faults and limited to the south and west by major bounding faults. Oil is produced from three units of Nubian sandstone at a depth of 11,000 to 12,000 ft. The lower unit of Paleozoic age averages 10% porosity and up to 200 md in -situ permeability. The wells completed in this unit produce up to 2000 BOPD. In contrast, the sands of the upper two units of Lower Cretaceous age have a 15-20% porosity and up to 700 md permeability. The wells completed in these units produce 6000-8000 BOPD. The Ras Budran structure was primarily formed during the intra-Rudeis tectonic phase (lower Miocene). Migration of oil for accumulation in Ras Budran started late in the upper Miocene or Pliocene when the Santonian Brown Limestone and the Eocene Thebes Formation, the main source beds in the Gulf, reached the threshold of oil generation at a burial depth of about 10,000 ft (3000 m). At these depths, the organic matter in the source beds have a transformation ratio (0.10 to 0.15), increased yields of C15 + soluble organic matter and C15 + saturated hydrocarbons, a vitrinite reflectance of 0.62%, and a TTI value of 15.« less

  14. Thermal effects on geologic carbon storage

    DOE PAGES

    Vilarrasa, Victor; Rutqvist, Jonny

    2016-12-27

    One of the most promising ways to significantly reduce greenhouse gases emissions, while carbon-free energy sources are developed, is Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS). Non-isothermal effects play a major role in all stages of CCS. In this paper, we review the literature on thermal effects related to CCS, which is receiving an increasing interest as a result of the awareness that the comprehension of non-isothermal processes is crucial for a successful deployment of CCS projects. We start by reviewing CO 2 transport, which connects the regions where CO 2 is captured with suitable geostorage sites. The optimal conditions for COmore » 2 transport, both onshore (through pipelines) and offshore (through pipelines or ships), are such that CO 2 stays in liquid state. To minimize costs, CO 2 should ideally be injected at the wellhead in similar pressure and temperature conditions as it is delivered by transport. To optimize the injection conditions, coupled wellbore and reservoir simulators that solve the strongly non-linear problem of CO 2 pressure, temperature and density within the wellbore and non-isothermal two-phase flow within the storage formation have been developed. CO 2 in its way down the injection well heats up due to compression and friction at a lower rate than the geothermal gradient, and thus, reaches the storage formation at a lower temperature than that of the rock. Inside the storage formation, CO 2 injection induces temperature changes due to the advection of the cool injected CO 2, the Joule-Thomson cooling effect, endothermic water vaporization and exothermic CO 2 dissolution. These thermal effects lead to thermo-hydro-mechanical-chemical coupled processes with non-trivial interpretations. These coupled processes also play a relevant role in “Utilization” options that may provide an added value to the injected CO 2 , such as Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR), Enhanced Coal Bed Methane (ECBM) and geothermal energy extraction combined with CO 2 storage. If the injected CO 2 leaks through faults, the caprock or wellbores, strong cooling will occur due to the expansion of CO 2 as pressure decreases with depth. Finally, we conclude by identifying research gaps and challenges of thermal effects related to CCS.« less

  15. Sustained in situ measurements of dissolved oxygen, methane and water transport processes in the benthic boundary layer at MC118, northern Gulf of Mexico

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Martens, Christopher S.; Mendlovitz, Howard P.; Seim, Harvey; Lapham, Laura; D'Emidio, Marco

    2016-07-01

    Within months of the BP Macondo Wellhead blowout, elevated methane concentrations within the water column revealed a significant retention of light hydrocarbons in deep waters plus corresponding dissolved oxygen (DO) deficits. However, chemical plume tracking efforts were hindered by a lack of in situ monitoring capabilities. Here, we describe results from in situ time-series, lander-based investigations of physical and biogeochemical processes controlling dissolved oxygen, and methane at Mississippi Canyon lease block 118 ( 18 km from the oil spill) conducted shortly after the blowout through April 2012. Multiple sensor arrays plus open-cylinder flux chambers (;chimneys;) deployed from a benthic lander collected oxygen, methane, pressure, and current speed and direction data within one meter of the seafloor. The ROVARD lander system was deployed for an initial 21-day test experiment (9/13/2010-10/04/2010) at 882 m depth before a longer 160-day deployment (10/24/2011-4/01/2012) at 884 m depth. Temporal variability in current directions and velocities and water temperatures revealed strong influences of bathymetrically steered currents and overlying along-shelf flows on local and regional water transport processes. DO concentrations and temperature were inversely correlated as a result of water mass mixing processes. Flux chamber measurements during the 160-day deployment revealed total oxygen utilization (TOU) averaging 11.6 mmol/m2 day. Chimney DO concentrations measured during the 21-day deployment exhibited quasi-daily variations apparently resulting from an interaction between near inertial waves and the steep topography of an elevated scarp immediately adjacent to the 21-day deployment site that modulated currents at the top of the chimney. Variability in dissolved methane concentrations suggested significant temporal variability in gas release from nearby hydrocarbon seeps and/or delivery by local water transport processes. Free-vehicle (lander) monitoring over time scales of months to years utilizing in situ sensors can provide an understanding of processes controlling water transport, respiration and the fate and impacts of accidental and natural gas and oil releases.

  16. Flow rate and source reservoir identification from airborne chemical sampling of the uncontrolled Elgin platform gas release

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lee, James D.; Mobbs, Stephen D.; Wellpott, Axel; Allen, Grant; Bauguitte, Stephane J.-B.; Burton, Ralph R.; Camilli, Richard; Coe, Hugh; Fisher, Rebecca E.; France, James L.; Gallagher, Martin; Hopkins, James R.; Lanoiselle, Mathias; Lewis, Alastair C.; Lowry, David; Nisbet, Euan G.; Purvis, Ruth M.; O'Shea, Sebastian; Pyle, John A.; Ryerson, Thomas B.

    2018-03-01

    An uncontrolled gas leak from 25 March to 16 May 2012 led to evacuation of the Total Elgin wellhead and neighbouring drilling and production platforms in the UK North Sea. Initially the atmospheric flow rate of leaking gas and condensate was very poorly known, hampering environmental assessment and well control efforts. Six flights by the UK FAAM chemically instrumented BAe-146 research aircraft were used to quantify the flow rate. The flow rate was calculated by assuming the plume may be modelled by a Gaussian distribution with two different solution methods: Gaussian fitting in the vertical and fitting with a fully mixed layer. When both solution methods were used they compared within 6 % of each other, which was within combined errors. Data from the first flight on 30 March 2012 showed the flow rate to be 1.3 ± 0.2 kg CH4 s-1, decreasing to less than half that by the second flight on 17 April 2012. δ13CCH4 in the gas was found to be -43 ‰, implying that the gas source was unlikely to be from the main high pressure, high temperature Elgin gas field at 5.5 km depth, but more probably from the overlying Hod Formation at 4.2 km depth. This was deemed to be smaller and more manageable than the high pressure Elgin field and hence the response strategy was considerably simpler. The first flight was conducted within 5 days of the blowout and allowed a flow rate estimate within 48 h of sampling, with δ13CCH4 characterization soon thereafter, demonstrating the potential for a rapid-response capability that is widely applicable to future atmospheric emissions of environmental concern. Knowledge of the Elgin flow rate helped inform subsequent decision making. This study shows that leak assessment using appropriately designed airborne plume sampling strategies is well suited for circumstances where direct access is difficult or potentially dangerous. Measurements such as this also permit unbiased regulatory assessment of potential impact, independent of the emitting party, on timescales that can inform industry decision makers and assist rapid-response planning by government.

  17. Effect of seasonal and long-term changes in stress on sources of water to wells

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Reilly, Thomas E.; Pollock, David W.

    1995-01-01

    The source of water to wells is ultimately the location where the water flowing to a well enters the boundary surface of the ground-water system . In ground-water systems that receive most of their water from areal recharge, the location of the water entering the system is at the water table . The area contributing recharge to a discharging well is the surface area that defines the location of the water entering the groundwater system. Water entering the system at the water table flows to the well and is eventually discharged from the well. Many State agencies are currently (1994) developing wellhead-protection programs. The thrust of some of these programs is to protect water supplies by determining the areas contributing recharge to water-supply wells and by specifying regulations to minimize the opportunity for contamination of the recharge water by activities at the land surface. In the analyses of ground-water flow systems, steady-state average conditions are frequently used to simplify the problem and make a solution tractable. Recharge is usually cyclic in nature, however, having seasonal cycles and longer term climatic cycles. A hypothetical system is quantitatively analyzed to show that, in many cases, these cyclic changes in the recharge rates apparently do not significantly affect the location and size of the areas contributing recharge to wells. The ratio of the mean travel time to the length of the cyclic stress period appears to indicate whether the transient effects of the cyclic stress must be explicitly represented in the analysis of contributing areas to wells. For the cases examined, if the ratio of the mean travel time to the period of the cyclic stress was much greater than one, then the transient area contributing recharge to wells was similar to the area calculated using an average steady-state condition. Noncyclic long-term transient changes in water use, however, and cyclic stresses on systems with ratios less than 1 can and do affect the location and size of the areas contributing recharge to wells.

  18. Designing and implementing science-based methane policies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    George, F.

    2017-12-01

    The phenomenal growth in shale gas production across the U.S. has significantly improved the energy security and economic prospects of the country. Natural gas is a "versatile" fuel that has application in every major end-use sector of the economy, both as a fuel and a feedstock. Natural gas has also played a significant role in reducing CO2 emissions from the power sector by displacing more carbon intensive fossil fuels. However, emissions of natural gas (predominantly methane) from the wellhead to the burner tip can erode this environmental benefit. Preserving the many benefits of America's natural gas resources requires smart, science-based policies to optimize the energy delivery efficiency of the natural gas supply chain and ensure that natural gas remains a key pillar in our transition to a low-carbon economy. Southwestern Energy (SWN) is the third largest natural gas producer in the United States. Over the last several years, SWN has participated in a number of scientific studies with regulatory agencies, academia and non-governmental entities that have led to over a dozen peer-reviewed papers on methane emissions from oil and gas operations. This presentation will review how our participation in these studies has informed our internal policies and procedures, as well as our external programs, including the ONE Future coalition (ONE Future). In particular, the presentation will highlight the impact of such studies on our Leak Detection and Repair (LDAR) program, designing new methane research and on the ONE Future initiatives - all with the focus of improving the delivery efficiency of oil and gas operations. Our experience supports continued research in the detection and mitigation of methane emissions, with emphasis on longer duration characterization of methane emissions from oil and gas facilities and further development of cost-effective methane detection and mitigation techniques. We conclude from our scientific and operational experiences that a performance-based methane mitigation policy like the ONE Future will lead to more operationally efficient and cost-effective reductions in methane emissions from the natural gas supply chain.

  19. Seismic velocity variations at the EGS geothermal reservoir of Soultz-Sous-Forêts (France): Some observations for understanding stress regime changes during hydraulic stimulations using 4D tomography

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Calo, M.; Dorbath, C.; Cornet, F.; Cuenot, N.

    2011-12-01

    During the last decade three deep wells (GPK2, GPK3, and GPK4) were drilled to a depth of about 5000 m at the Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS) site of Soultz-sous-Forêts (Alsace, France). All the wells were stimulated through high-pressure hydraulic injections. Several thousands of micro-earthquakes with Duration Magnitude ranging from -0.9 to 2.9 were produced. The induced earthquakes were located by downhole and surface seismic stations. The wells behaved differently during and after the stimulations, as shown by several authors. We present here a comparison between new 4D seismic tomographies performed for the above mentioned stimulation tests. The velocity models have been obtained using the Double-Difference tomographic method (Zhang and Thurber 2003) and have been further improved with the post-processing WAM technique (Calo' et al., 2009, 2011). For each stimulation test, the subsetting of the data was performed by taking into account injection parameters (the injected flow rate and the wellhead pressure). In this work we discuss some important steps observed during and after the injections. A first observation is that low velocity anomalies were centered around the wells when stimulations started and then disappeared just after strong changes in the injected flow rate. We interpret these changes in seismic properties as transient changes in the stress regime during the stimulations. Furthermore, as shown by the seismic velocity models, pre-existing fracture network played a fundamental role on the intensity and distribution of the observed velocity anomalies. Indeed we observe that low velocity anomalies are much less evident and moved away from the well when documented large pre-exiting fractures cross the openhole part of the well. In particular, we observed this pattern for the models calculated with the data of the GPK3 stimulation. Thanks to the improvement and the reliability of these new velocity models, new discussions about the mechanical processes that occurred during the stimulations has been opened.

  20. Submesoscale currents in the northern Gulf of Mexico: Deep phenomena and dispersion over the continental slope

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bracco, Annalisa; Choi, Jun; Joshi, Keshav; Luo, Hao; McWilliams, James C.

    2016-05-01

    This study examines the mesoscale and submesoscale circulations along the continental slope in the northern Gulf of Mexico at depths greater than 1000 m. The investigation is performed using a regional model run at two horizontal grid resolutions, 5 km and 1.6 km, over a 3 year period, from January 2010 to December 2012. Ageostrophic submesoscale eddies and vorticity filaments populate the continental slope, and they are stronger and more abundant in the simulation at higher resolution, as to be expected. They are formed from horizontal shear layers at the edges of highly intermittent, bottom-intensified, along-slope boundary currents and in the cores of those currents where they are confined to steep slopes. Two different flow regimes are identified. The first applies to the De Soto Canyon that is characterized by weak mean currents and, in the high-resolution run, by intense but few submesoscale eddies that form near preferentially along the Florida continental slope. The second is found in the remainder of the domain, where the mean currents are stronger and the circulation is highly variable in both space and time, and the vorticity field is populated, in the high-resolution case, by numerous vorticity filaments and short-lived eddies. Lagrangian tracers are deployed at different times along the continental shelf below 1000 m depth to quantify the impact of the submesoscale currents on transport and mixing. The modeled absolute dispersion is, on average, independent of horizontal resolution, while mixing, quantified by finite-size Lyapunov exponents and vertical relative dispersion, increases when submesoscale processes are present. Dispersion in the De Soto Canyon is smaller than in the rest of the model domain and less affected by resolution. This is further confirmed comparing the evolution of passive dye fields deployed in De Soto Canyon near the Macondo Prospect, where the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded in 2010, and at the largest known natural hydrocarbon seep in the northern Gulf, known as GC600, located a few hundred kilometers to the west of the rig wellhead.

  1. The 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill: the trauma signature of an ecological disaster.

    PubMed

    Shultz, James M; Walsh, Lauren; Garfin, Dana Rose; Wilson, Fiona E; Neria, Yuval

    2015-01-01

    The 2010 Deepwater Horizon “British Petroleum (BP)” oil spill was a mega-disaster characterized as the petroleum industry’s largest-volume marine oil spill in history. Following a “wellhead blowout” that destroyed the drilling platform, 4.9 million barrels of petroleum flowed into the Gulf of Mexico over 87 days and the spill expanded to cover 68,000 square miles of sea surface. However, despite the expansive scope of the event, systematic surveys of affected coastal populations found only modest effects on mental health and substance abuse. An established trauma signature (TSIG) methodology was used to examine the psychological consequences in relation to exposure to the unique constellation of hazards associated with the spill. A hazard profile, a matrix of psychological stressors, and a “trauma signature” summary for the affected Gulf Coast population--in terms of exposure to hazard, loss, and change--were created specifically for this human-generated ecological disaster. Psychological risk characteristics of this event included: human causation featuring corporate culpability, large spill volume, protracted duration, coastal contamination from petroleum products, severe ecological damage, disruption of Gulf Coast industries and tourism, and extensive media coverage. The multiple impact effect was notable due to prior exposure of the region to Hurricane Katrina. These stressors were counterbalanced by the relative absence of other prominent risks for distress and psychopathology. Coastal residents did not experience significant onshore spill-related mortality or severe injury, shortages of survival needs, disruption of vital services (health care, schools, utilities, communications, and transportation), loss of homes, population displacement, destruction of the built environment, or loss of social supports. Initial acute economic losses were partially offset by large-sum BP payments for cleanup and recovery of the coastal economy. Not only did Gulf Coast populations display remarkable resilience in the face of daunting challenges, the behavioral health impact of the Deepwater Horizon spill appears to have been blunted by the absence of major evidence-based risks for psychological distress and disorder, the exemplary response, and the infusion of economic resources.

  2. Sensitivity of CO2 storage performance to varying rates and dynamic injectivity in the Bunter Sandstone, UK

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kolster, C.; Mac Dowell, N.; Krevor, S. C.; Agada, S.

    2016-12-01

    Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is needed for meeting legally binding greenhouse gas emissions targets in the UK (ECCC 2016). Energy systems models have been key to identifying the importance of CCS but they tend to impose few constraints on the availability and use of geologic CO2 storage reservoirs. Our aim is to develop simple models that use dynamic representations of limits on CO2 storage resources. This will allow for a first order representation of the storage reservoir for use in systems models with CCS. We use the ECLIPSE reservoir simulator and a model of the Southern North Sea Bunter Sandstone saline aquifer. We analyse reservoir performance sensitivities to scenarios of varying CO2 injection demand for a future UK low carbon energy market. With 12 injection sites, we compare the impact of injecting at a constant 2MtCO2/year per site and varying this rate by a factor of 1.8 and 0.2 cyclically every 5 and 2.5 years over 50 years of injection. The results show a maximum difference in average reservoir pressure of 3% amongst each case and a similar variation in plume migration extent. This suggests that simplified models can maintain accuracy by using average rates of injection over similar time periods. Meanwhile, by initiating injection at rates limited by pressurization at the wellhead we find that injectivity steadily increases. As a result, dynamic capacity increases. We find that instead of injecting into sites on a need basis, we can strategically inject the CO2 into 6 of the deepest sites increasing injectivity for the first 15 years by 13%. Our results show injectivity as highly dependent on reservoir heterogeneity near the injection site. Injecting 1MTCO2/year into a shallow, low permeability and porosity site instead of into a deep injection site with high permeability and porosity reduces injectivity in the first 5 years by 52%. ECCC. 2016. Future of Carbon Capture and Storage in the UK. UK Parliament House of Commons, Energy and Climate Change Committee, London: The Stationary Office Limited.

  3. Investigations of Very High Enthalpy Geothermal Resources in Iceland.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Elders, W. A.; Fridleifsson, G. O.

    2012-12-01

    The Iceland Deep Drilling Project (IDDP) is investigating the economic feasibility of producing electricity from supercritical geothermal reservoirs. Earlier modeling indicates that the power output of a geothermal well producing from a supercritical reservoir could potentially be an order of magnitude greater than that from a conventional hot geothermal reservoir, at the same volumetric flow rate. However, even in areas with an unusually high geothermal gradient, for normal hydrostatic pressure gradients reaching supercritical temperatures and pressures will require drilling to depths >4 km. In 2009 the IDDP attempted to drill the first deep supercritical well, IDDP-01, in the caldera of the Krafla volcano, in NE Iceland. However drilling had to be terminated at only 2.1 km depth when ~900°C rhyolite magma flowed into the well. Our studies indicate that this magma formed by partial melting of hydrothermally altered basalts within the Krafla caldera. Although this well was too shallow to reach supercritical pressures, it is highly productive, and is estimated to be capable of generating up to 36 MWe from the high-pressure, superheated steam produced from the upper contact zone of the intrusion. With a well-head temperature of ~440°C, it is at present apparently the hottest producing geothermal well in the world. A pilot plant is investigating the optimal utilization of this magmatically heated resource. A special issue of the journal Geothermics with 16 papers reporting on the IDDP-01 is in preparation. However, in order to continue the search for supercritical geothermal resources, planning is underway to drill a 4.5 km deep well at Reykjanes in SW Iceland in 2013-14. Although drilling deeper towards the heat source of this already developed high-temperature geothermal field will be more expensive, if a supercritical resource is found, this cost increase should be offset by the considerable increase in the power output and lifetime of the Reykjanes geothermal reservoir, without increasing its environmental foot print. If these efforts are successful, in future such very high enthalpy geothermal systems worldwide could become significant energy resources, where ever suitable young volcanic rocks occur, such as in the western USA, Hawaii, and Alaska.

  4. Production waters associated with the Ferron coalbed methane fields, central Utah: Chemical and isotopic composition and volumes

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Rice, C.A.

    2003-01-01

    This study investigated the composition of water co-produced with coalbed methane (CBM) from the Upper Cretaceous Ferron Sandstone Member of the Mancos Shale in east-central Utah to better understand coalbed methane reservoirs. The Ferron coalbed methane play currently has more than 600 wells producing an average of 240 bbl/day/well water. Water samples collected from 28 wellheads in three fields (Buzzards Bench, Drunkards Wash, and Helper State) of the northeast-southwest trending play were analyzed for chemical and stable isotopic composition.Water produced from coalbed methane wells is a Na-Cl-HCO3 type. Water from the Drunkards Wash field has the lowest total dissolved solids (TDS) (6300 mg/l) increasing in value to the southeast and northeast. In the Helper State field, about 6 miles northeast, water has the highest total dissolved solids (43,000 mg/l), and major ion abundance indicates the possible influence of evaporite dissolution or mixing with a saline brine. In the southern Buzzards Bench field, water has variable total dissolved solids that are not correlated with depth or spatial distance. Significant differences in the relative compositions are present between the three fields implying varying origins of solutes and/or different water-rock interactions along multiple flow paths.Stable isotopic values of water from the Ferron range from +0.9??? to -11.4??? ?? 18O and -32??? to -90??? ?? 2H and plot below the global meteoric water line (GMWL) on a line near, but above values of present-day meteoric water. Isotopic values of Ferron water are consistent with modification of meteoric water along a flow path by mixing with an evolved seawater brine and/or interaction with carbonate minerals. Analysis of isotopic values versus chloride (conservative element) and total dissolved solids concentrations indicates that recharge water in the Buzzards Bench area is distinct from recharge water in Drunkards Wash and is about 3 ??C warmer. These variations in isotopes along with compositional variations imply that the Ferron reservoir is heterogeneous and compartmentalized, and that multiple flow paths may exist. ?? 2003 Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Groundwater temperature transients on the Armutlu peninsula, eastern Marmara region

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Woith, Heiko; Caka, Deniz; Seyis, Cemil; Italiano, Francesco; Celik, Cengiz; Wang, Rongjiang; Baris, Serif

    2016-04-01

    Since many years MAM and GFZ in co-operation with Kocaeli University (KU) operate fluid monitoring stations around the Sea of Marmara. In the frame of MARsite (MARsite has received funding from the European Union's Seventh Programme for research, technological development and demonstration under grant agreement No 308417) these networks were jointly evaluated for the first time. The on-land fluid monitoring networks continuously monitor the following parameters: soil radon (21 sites), temperature and conductivity of thermal springs (9 sites) operated by MAM covering the whole Marmara region; fluid pressure and water level/temperature (8 sites) within ARNET operated by GFZ/KU. ARNET is a combined seismological/hydrogeological monitoring network covering the Armutlu peninsula located SE of Istanbul. Additional to the geothermal wells and springs - our main target to detect transients of potentially seismo-tectonic origin - three shallow groundwater wells (tenth of meters deep) are being operated to identify and quantify seasonal variations, and meteorological influences like rainfall and snowmelt. But it turned out that these shallow aquifer systems showed very stable conditions with very small annual temperature amplitudes (0.2 - 0.3°C). One of these shallow monitoring wells is located just south of Lake Iznik (in the village of Sölöz) very close to the southern branch of the North Anatolian Fault Zone. Water level showed a steady decreasing trend since June 2012. This trend resulted in a data gap starting in January 2014, when the water level dropped below the sensor position. After adjusting the sensor position, positive spikes in the borehole temperature were recorded in June and August 2014, and again in 2015. The spikes are characterised by a sharp temperature increase followed by a decay lasting several days until the pre-event temperature was reached again. Since the spikes occurred on two independent logger systems, and since they lasted several days, a technical origin is not likely. During the station visit in 2015 a physical explanation for these positive temperature spikes emerged. We noticed the release of pressured gas while opening the wellhead. Thus, tentatively we propose that the rise of a giant gas bubble was responsible for the temperature spikes. We present a preliminary model to explain the observations.

  6. Modeling of CBM production, CO2 injection, and tracer movement at a field CO2 sequestration site

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

    Siriwardane, Hema J.; Bowes, Benjamin D.; Bromhal, Grant S.

    2012-07-01

    Sequestration of carbon dioxide in unmineable coal seams is a potential technology mainly because of the potential for simultaneous enhanced coalbed methane production (ECBM). Several pilot tests have been performed around the globe leading to mixed results. Numerous modeling efforts have been carried out successfully to model methane production and carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) injection. Sensitivity analyses and history matching along with several optimization tools were used to estimate reservoir properties and to investigate reservoir performance. Geological and geophysical techniques have also been used to characterize field sequestration sites and to inspect reservoir heterogeneity. The fate and movement of injectedmore » CO{sub 2} can be determined by using several monitoring techniques. Monitoring of perfluorocarbon (PFC) tracers is one of these monitoring technologies. As a part of this monitoring technique, a small fraction of a traceable fluid is added to the injection wellhead along with the CO{sub 2} stream at different times to monitor the timing and location of the breakthrough in nearby monitoring wells or offset production wells. A reservoir modeling study was performed to simulate a pilot sequestration site located in the San Juan coal basin of northern New Mexico. Several unknown reservoir properties at the field site were estimated by modeling the coal seam as a dual porosity formation and by history matching the methane production and CO{sub 2} injection. In addition to reservoir modeling of methane production and CO{sub 2} injection, tracer injection was modeled. Tracers serve as a surrogate for determining potential leakage of CO{sub 2}. The tracer was modeled as a non-reactive gas and was injected into the reservoir as a mixture along with CO{sub 2}. Geologic and geometric details of the field site, numerical modeling details of methane production, CO{sub 2} injection, and tracer injection are presented in this paper. Moreover, the numerical predictions of the tracer arrival times were compared with the measured field data. Results show that tracer modeling is useful in investigating movement of injected CO{sub 2} into the coal seam at the field site. Also, such new modeling techniques can be utilized to determine potential leakage pathways, and to investigate reservoir anisotropy and heterogeneity.« less

  7. Estimation of methane emission from California natural gas industry.

    PubMed

    Kuo, Jeff; Hicks, Travis C; Drake, Brian; Chan, Tat Fu

    2015-07-01

    Energy generation and consumption are the main contributors to greenhouse gases emissions in California. Natural gas is one of the primary sources of energy in California. A study was recently conducted to develop current, reliable, and California-specific source emission factors (EFs) that could be used to establish a more accurate methane emission inventory for the California natural gas industry. Twenty-five natural gas facilities were surveyed; the surveyed equipment included wellheads (172), separators (131), dehydrators (17), piping segments (145), compressors (66), pneumatic devices (374), metering and regulating (M&R) stations (19), hatches (34), pumps (2), and customer meters (12). In total, 92,157 components were screened, including flanges (10,101), manual valves (10,765), open-ended lines (384), pressure relief valves (358), regulators (930), seals (146), threaded connections (57,061), and welded connections (12,274). Screening values (SVs) were measured using portable monitoring instruments, and Hi-Flow samplers were then used to quantify fugitive emission rates. For a given SV range, the measured leak rates might span several orders of magnitude. The correlation equations between the leak rates and SVs were derived. All the component leakage rate histograms appeared to have the same trend, with the majority of leakage rates<0.02 cubic feet per minute (cfm). Using the cumulative distribution function, the geometric mean was found to be a better indicator than the arithmetic mean, as the mean for each group of leakage rates found. For most component types, the pegged EFs for SVs of ≥10,000 ppmV and of ≥50,000 ppmV are relatively similar. The component-level average EFs derived in this study are often smaller than the corresponding ones in the 1996 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency/Gas Research Institute (EPA/GRI) study. Twenty-five natural gas facilities in California were surveyed to develop current, reliable, and California-specific source emission factors (EFs) for the natural gas industry. Screening values were measured by using portable monitoring instruments, and Hi-Flow samplers were then used to quantify fugitive emission rates. The component-level average EFs derived in this study are often smaller than the corresponding ones in the 1996 EPA/GRI study. The smaller EF values from this study might be partially attributable to the employment of the leak detection and repair program by most, if not all, of the facilities surveyed.

  8. Storm surges formation in the White and Barents Seas

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Arkhipkin, Victor; Dobrolyubov, Sergey; Korablina, Anastasia; Myslenkov, Stanislav

    2016-04-01

    Investigation of storm surges in the Arctic seas are of high priority in Russia due to the active development of offshore oil and gas, construction of facilities in the coastal zone, as well as for the safety of navigation. It is important to study the variability of surges, to predict this phenomena and subsequent economic losses, thus including such information into the Russian Arctic Development Program 2020. Surges in the White and Barents Seas are caused mainly by deep cyclones of two types: "diving" from the north (88% of all cyclones) and western. The average height of the storm surges in the White Sea is 0.6-0.9 m. An average duration of storm surges is about 80 hours. Mathematical modeling is used to analyze the characteristics of storm surges formation in the Dvina Bay of the White Sea, and in the Varandey village on the Barents Sea coast. Calculating storm surge heights in the White and Barents seas is performed using the ADCIRC model on an unstructured grid with a step from 20 km in the Barents Sea to 100 m in the White Sea. Unstructured grids allowed keeping small features of the coastline of the White and Barents seas, small islands and shallow banks, and assessing their impact on the development and transformation of wind-generated waves. The ADCIRC model used data of wind field reanalysis CFSv2. The storm surges were simulated for the time period from 1979 to 2010 and included scenarios with / without direct atmospheric pressure forcing, waves and tides. Numerical experiments have revealed distribution of storm surges in channels of the Northern Dvina River delta. The storm surges spreads in the model from the north-north-west of the Dvina Bay. As storm surge moves from the wellhead to the seaside estuary of the Northern Dvina (district Solombala), its height increases from 0.5 to 2 m. We also found a non-linear interaction of the surge and tide during the phase of surge destruction. This phenomenon is the highest in the period of low water, and the smallest in the period full of water. Analysis of storm surges in the Varandey village (the southern part of the Barents Sea) showed that the maximum height of storm surge reached 2.9 m in this region in July, 2010. The work performed was supported by the RSCF (grant № 14-37-00038)

  9. Using airborne measurements and modelling to determine the leak rate of the Elgin platform in 2012

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mobbs, Stephen D.; Bauguitte, Stephane J.-B.; Wellpott, Axel; O'Shea, Sebastian

    2013-04-01

    On the 25th March 2012 the French multinational oil and gas company Total reported a gas leak at the Elgin gas field in the North Sea following an operation on well G4 on the wellhead platform. During operations to plug and decommission the well methane leaked out which lead to the evacuation of the platform. Total made immense efforts to quickly stop the leak and on the 16th May 2012 the company announced the successful "Top kill". The UK's National Centre for Atmospheric Science (NCAS) supported the Total response to the leak with flights of the Facility for Airborne Atmospheric Measurements (FAAM) BAe-146 aircraft. Between the 3rd of April and the 4th of May five missions were flown. The FAAM aircraft was equipped with a Fast Greenhouse Gas Analyser (FGGA, Model RMT-200, Los Gatos Research Inc., US) to measure CH4 mixing ratios with an accuracy of 0.07±2.48 ppbv. The measurement strategy used followed closely NOAA's during the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010. The basis of the method is to sample the cross-wind structure of the plume at different heights downwind of the source. The measurements were then fitted to a Gaussian dispersion model which allowed the calculation of the leak rate. The first mission was flown on the 30th March 2012 only 5 days after Total reported the leak. On this day maximum CH4 concentrations exceeded 2800 ppbv. The plume was very distinct and narrow especially near the platform (10km) and it showed almost perfect Gaussian characteristics. Further downwind the plume was split up into several filaments. On this day the CH4 leak rate was estimated to be 1.1 kg/s. Between the 1st and 2nd mission (03/04/2012) the leak rate decreased significantly to about 0.5 kg/s. From the 2nd flight onwards only a minor decrease in leak rate was calculated. The last mission - while the platform was still leaking - was flown on the 4th of May, when the leak rate was estimated to be 0.3 kg/s. The FAAM aircraft measurements delivered time-critical, actionable information that accurately quantified the Elgin leak rate and contributed directly to safe and successful operational decision making.

  10. Enhanced Geothermal Systems in Urban Areas - Lessons Learned from the 2006 Basel ML3.4 Earthquake

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kraft, T.; Mai, P. M.; Wiemer, S.; Deichmann, N.; Ripperger, J.; Kästli, P.; Bachmann, C. E.; Fäh, D.; Woessner, J.; Giardini, D.

    2009-12-01

    We report on a recent deep-heat mining experiment carried out in 2006/2007 in the city of Basel (Switzerland). This pilot project was designed to produce renewable geothermal energy using the Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS) methodology. For developing the geothermal reservoir, a deep borehole was brought down to 5 km depth. Then, in December 2006, the deep-heat-mining project entered the first critical phase when the water injections started for generating micro-fracturing of the rock. These fractures increase the permeability of the host rock, needed for efficient heat exchange between the rock and the cold water; however, these fracture are also source of micro-seismicity - small earthquakes that are continuously recorded and monitored by dedicated local seismic networks. In this stimulation phase, the seismic activity increased rapidly above the usual background seismicity, and culminated in a widely felt ML 3.4 earthquake, which caused some damage in the city of Basel. Due to the higher-than-expected seismic activity, and the reaction of the population, the media, and the politicians, the experiment was stalled only 6 days after the stimulations began. Although the injected water was allowed to escape immediately after the mainshock and pressure at the wellhead dropped rapidly, the seismic activity declined only slowly, with three ML > 3 events occurring one to two months later. Although the EGS technology has been applied and studied at various sites since the 1970s, the physical processes and parameters that control injection-induced seismicity - in terms of earthquake rate, size distribution and maximum magnitude - are still poorly understood. Consequently, the seismic hazard and risk associated with the creation and operation of EGS are difficult to estimate. The very well monitored Basel seismic sequence provides an excellent opportunity to advance the understanding of the physics of EGS. The Swiss Seismological Service (SED) is investigating the Basel dataset in the framework of the multidisciplinary research project GEOTHERM (www.geotherm.ethz.ch) Left) Seismic network in Basel, Switzerland. An epicenter map of the fluid injection-induced seismicity recorded by the seismic network, indicating high event densities in hot colors, is shown in the inset. Right) Fluid injection-induced seismicity recorded by the seismic network.

  11. A Survey of Measurement, Mitigation, and Verification Field Technologies for Carbon Sequestration Geologic Storage

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cohen, K. K.; Klara, S. M.; Srivastava, R. D.

    2004-12-01

    The U.S. Department of Energy's (U.S. DOE's) Carbon Sequestration Program is developing state-of-the-science technologies for measurement, mitigation, and verification (MM&V) in field operations of geologic sequestration. MM&V of geologic carbon sequestration operations will play an integral role in the pre-injection, injection, and post-injection phases of carbon capture and storage projects to reduce anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. Effective MM&V is critical to the success of CO2 storage projects and will be used by operators, regulators, and stakeholders to ensure safe and permanent storage of CO2. In the U.S. DOE's Program, Carbon sequestration MM&V has numerous instrumental roles: Measurement of a site's characteristics and capability for sequestration; Monitoring of the site to ensure the storage integrity; Verification that the CO2 is safely stored; and Protection of ecosystems. Other drivers for MM&V technology development include cost-effectiveness, measurement precision, and frequency of measurements required. As sequestration operations are implemented in the future, it is anticipated that measurements over long time periods and at different scales will be required; this will present a significant challenge. MM&V sequestration technologies generally utilize one of the following approaches: below ground measurements; surface/near-surface measurements; aerial and satellite imagery; and modeling/simulations. Advanced subsurface geophysical technologies will play a primary role for MM&V. It is likely that successful MM&V programs will incorporate multiple technologies including but not limited to: reservoir modeling and simulations; geophysical techniques (a wide variety of seismic methods, microgravity, electrical, and electromagnetic techniques); subsurface fluid movement monitoring methods such as injection of tracers, borehole and wellhead pressure sensors, and tiltmeters; surface/near surface methods such as soil gas monitoring and infrared sensors and; aerial and satellite imagery. This abstract will describe results, similarities, and contrasts for funded studies from the U.S. DOE's Carbon Sequestration Program including examples from the Sleipner North Sea Project, the Canadian Weyburn Field/Dakota Gasification Plant Project, the Frio Formation Texas Project, and Yolo County Bioreactor Landfill Project. The abstract will also address the following: How are the terms ``measurement,'' ``mitigation''and ``verification'' defined in the Program? What is the U.S. DOE's Carbon Sequestration Program Roadmap and what are the Roadmap goals for MM&V? What is the current status of MM&V technologies?

  12. Superhot Drilling in Iceland, the Experience of the Iceland Deep Drilling Project.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Elders, W. A.; Friðleifsson, G. Ó.; Zierenberg, R. A.; Fowler, A. P.

    2017-12-01

    The Iceland Deep Drilling Project aims to improve geothermal economics by producing supercritical fluids (www.iddp.is). Supercritical wells could yield an order of magnitude more usable energy than that from conventional geothermal wells because of higher enthalpy and enhanced flow properties. In 2009, the IDDP-1 well failed to reach supercritical conditions in the Krafla caldera in NE Iceland, after encountering rhyolite magma at only 2.1 km depth. The completed geothermal well became the world's hottest and produced superheated steam with a wellhead temperature of 452°C and flow sufficient to generate 35 MWe. The IDDP next moved SW to the Reykjanes Peninsula, the landward extension of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, where it is possible to study an analog of the roots of a black smoker. Reykjanes is unique among Icelandic geothermal systems in being recharged by seawater, which has a critical point of 406°C at 298 bars. Drilling began by deepening an existing 2.5 km deep production well to 3 km depth, and then angling it towards the main upflow zone of the system, for a total slant depth of 4,659 m. Total circulation losses were encountered below 3 km that could not be cured by lost circulation materials or by multiple cement jobs. Accordingly, drilling continued to total depth without return of drill cuttings. We attempted 13 core runs below 3 km depth, only half of which recovered core. The cores are basalts and dolerites with alteration ranging from lower greenschist facies to lower amphibolite facies, suggesting formation temperatures >450°C. After the end of drilling in January 2017, following only six days of heating, supercritical conditions (426°C at 340 bars) were measured in the well at a depth of 4.5 km. The well has not yet been allowed to equilibrate to full in situ temperature. A perforated liner was inserted to 4,570 m, depth to facilitate temperature cycling to enhance permeability at depth through thermal cracking. In 2018 this will be followed by a flow test and eventual production of the well. The project is co-funded by the DEEPEGS project (EU H2020), HS Orka (the field operator), Statoil, the IDDP consortium, and the ICDP. Planning is underway to drill IDDP-3 at Hellisheidi.

  13. Snow on the Seafloor? Methods to Detect Carbohydrates in Deep-sea Sediments Impacted by the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lincoln, S. A.; Freeman, K. H.

    2015-12-01

    A significant portion of the oil released from the Macondo well after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon (DwH) explosion reached the seafloor (1,2). The transfer of buoyant hydrocarbons from the sea surface and subsurface plumes to depths >1500 m, however, is not well understood. A prominent role for sinking marine snow--small, composite particles composed largely of extracellular polymeric substances exuded by algae and bacteria--has been proposed. Snow particles, rich in carbohydrates, may have sorbed and physically entrained oil from the water column as they sank. Several lines of evidence support this scenario: abundant snow was observed 3-4 weeks after the oil spill (3); oil and dispersants can induce marine snow formation (4); and flocculent material covering deep-sea corals near the DwH site contained biomarkers consistent with Macondo oil (5). To investigate whether the chemically complex marine oil snow leaves a direct sedimentary record, we analyzed carbohydrates at high resolution (2 mm intervals) in sediment cores collected at 4 sites in the northern Gulf of Mexico in 2013 using a modified phenol-sulfuric acid spectrophotometric method. We detected a sharp subsurface peak in carbohydrate concentrations near the Macondo well; we interpret this peak as post-DwH marine snow. Coeval carbohydrate, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, and hopane profiles suggest a clear link between marine snow and Macondo oil components, as documented in a 3-year time-series at one site, and enable preliminary conclusions about the delivery and fate of marine snow components in sediments. We also characterized carbohydrates near the wellhead using fluorescent lectin-binding analyses developed for applications in cell biology. Particle morphologies include collapse structures suggestive of a water column origin. Finally, we explore the extent to which polysaccharide residues detected with selective lectins can be used to determine the provenance of marine snow (e.g., bacterial v. algal). (1) Valentine et al., 2014. PNAS 111, 15906-15911. (2) Romero et al., 2015. PLOS One 10(5): e0128371 (3) Passow et al., ERL 7, 035301. (4) Passow, 2014. Deep-Sea Res. II, http://dx.doi. org/10.1016/j.dsr2.2014.10.001i (5) White et al., 2012. PNAS 109(50), 20303-20308.

  14. Analysis of cavern and well stability at the West Hackberry SPR site using a full-dome model.

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

    Sobolik, Steven R.

    2015-08-01

    This report presents computational analyses that simulate the structural response of caverns at the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) West Hackberry site. The cavern field comprises 22 caverns. Five caverns (6, 7, 8, 9, 11) were acquired from industry and have unusual shapes and a history dating back to 1946. The other 17 caverns (101-117) were leached according to SPR standards in the mid-1980s and have tall cylindrical shapes. The history of the caverns and their shapes are simulated in a three-dimensional geomechanics model of the site that predicts deformations, strains, and stresses. Future leaching scenarios corresponding to oil drawdowns usingmore » fresh water are also simulated by increasing the volume of the caverns. Cavern pressures are varied in the model to capture operational practices in the field. The results of the finite element model are interpreted to provide information on the current and future status of subsidence, well integrity, and cavern stability. The most significant results in this report are relevant to Cavern 6. The cavern is shaped like a bowl with a large ceiling span and is in close proximity to Cavern 9. The analyses predict tensile stresses at the edge of the ceiling during repressurization of Cavern 6 following workover conditions. During a workover the cavern is at low pressure to service a well. The wellhead pressures are atmospheric. When the workover is complete, the cavern is repressurized. The resulting elastic stresses are sufficient to cause tension around the edge of the large ceiling span. With time, these stresses relax to a compressive state because of salt creep. However, the potential for salt fracture and propagation exists, particularly towards Cavern 9. With only 200 feet of salt between the caverns, the operational consequences must be examined if the two caverns become connected. A critical time may be during a workover of Cavern 9 in part because of the operational vulnerabilities, but also because dilatant damage is predicted under the ledge that forms the lower lobe in the cavern. The remaining caverns have no significant issues regarding cavern stability and may be safely enlarged during subsequent oil drawdowns. Predicted well strains and subsidence are significant and consequently future remedial actions may be necessary. These predicted well strains certainly suggest appropriate monitoring through a well-logging program. Subsidence is currently being monitored.« less

  15. Unconventional Oil and Gas Resources in Texas and Other Mining Activities: the Water Challenge

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nicot, J.

    2011-12-01

    A recent study, sponsored by the Texas Water Development Board, considered current and projected water use in the mining industry. It looked at the upstream segment of the oil and gas industry (that is, water used to extract the commodity until it leaves the wellhead), the aggregate, and coal industry, and other substances (industrial sand, lime, etc.). We obtained data through state databases, data collection from private vendors, and direct surveys of the various sectors of the industry. Overall, in 2008, we estimated that the state consumed ~160 thousand acre-feet (AF) in the mining industry, including 35.8 thousand AF for fracing wells (mostly in the Barnett Shale/Fort Worth area) and ~21.0 thousand AF for other purposes in the oil and gas industry, although more spread out across the state, with a higher demand in the Permian Basin area in West Texas. The coal industry used 20.0 thousand AF along the lignite belt from Central to East Texas. The 71.6 thousand AF used by the aggregate industry is distributed over most of the state, but with a clear concentration around major metropolitan areas. The remainder amounts to 11.0 thousand AF and is dominated by industrial sand production (~80% of total). Water is used mostly for drilling wells, stimulating/fracing wells, and secondary and tertiary recovery processes (oil and gas industry); for dewatering and depressurizing pits, with a small amount used for dust control (coal industry); and for dust control and washing (aggregate industry and industrial sand). Reuse/recycling has already been accounted for in water-use values, as well as opportunity usages, such as stormwater collection (aggregates). The split between surface water and groundwater is difficult to assess but it is estimated at ~56% groundwater in 2008. Projections for future use were done by extrapolating current trends, mainly for coal (same energy mix) and aggregates (following population growth). Projections for the oil and gas industry (Barnett, Eagle Ford, Haynesville, and other shales and tight formations) were made with the help of various sources by estimating the amount of oil and gas to be produced in the state in the next decades and by distributing it through time. We projected that the state overall water use will peak in the 2020-2030 decade at ~305 thousand AF, thanks to the oil and gas unconventional resources that will start to decrease in terms of water use around that time. Both coal and aggregates are slated to keep increasing, more strongly for aggregates.

  16. The United Nations framework classification for fossil energy and mineral reserves and resources 2009

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    MacDonald, D.; Lynch-Bell, M.; Ross, J.; Heiberg, S.; Griffiths, C.; Klett, T.

    2011-01-01

    Effective resource management in a globalizing economy requires accurate assessments of fossil energy and minerals resources. The recoverable quantities must be described and categorized in a manner that is consistent with scientific and social/economic information describing the economy as well as with the information describing the projects to recover them. A number of different standards have evolved over time in response to various professional needs Under a mandate given by the United Nations Economic and Social Council, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) has cooperated with Governments, regulatory agencies, industry, international organizations, and professional organizations (including Committee for Mineral Reserves International Reporting Standards (CRIRSCO), the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG), and the Society of Petroleum Evaluation Engineers (SPEE)), as well as with outstanding experts, to define a global classification for extractive activities (including oil, gas, heavy oil and bitumen extraction) that reflects the principal concerns of existing petroleum and mineral classifications. The United Nations Framework Classification for Fossil Energy and Mineral Reserves and Resources-2009 (UNFC-2009) aims to serve the following four principal needs: 1. The needs in international energy and mineral studies to formulate robust and long-sighted policies. 2. The needs of governments in managing their resources accordingly, allowing market prices to be transferred to the wellhead with as little loss as possible. 3. The industries' needs for information while deploying technology, management and finance to secure energy supplies and capture value efficiently within the established frameworks to serve its host countries, shareholders and stakeholders. 4. The financial community's need for information to allocate capital appropriately, providing reduced costs and improved long-sightedness through the application of lower risk-compensated discount factors. The projects are categorised with respect to economic and social viability, project feasibility and maturity and uncertainty with respect to the quantities addressed. The categorisation of projects rather than of accumulations provides coherence with other critical management information such as production, cash flows, value and demand for various input factors. This key aspect of UNFC-2009 reflects the critical relationship between the quantities that can be recovered economically and the recovery processes (projects) that must be implemented to achieve those recoveries. It facilitates the recognition of potential wastage of resources through flaring or inefficient recovery processes and therefore also the potential for improvement. Copyright 2011, Society of Petroleum Engineers.

  17. Evolution of Hydrocarbon-Degrading Microbial Communities in the Aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Well Blowout in the Gulf of Mexico

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Andersen, G.; Dubinsky, E. A.; Chakraborty, R.; Hollibaugh, J. T.; Hazen, T. C.

    2012-12-01

    The Deepwater Horizon oil spill created large plumes of dispersed oil and gas that remained deep in the water column and stimulated growth of several deep-sea bacteria that can degrade hydrocarbons at cold temperatures. We tracked microbial community composition before, during and after the 83-day spill to determine relationships between microbial dynamics, and hydrocarbon and dissolved-oxygen concentrations. Dominant bacteria in plumes shifted drastically over time and were dependent on the concentration of hydrocarbons, and the relative quantities of insoluble and soluble oil fractions. Unmitigated flow from the wellhead early in the spill resulted in the highest concentrations of oil and relatively more n-alkanes suspended in the plume as small oil droplets. These conditions resulted in near complete dominance by alkane-degrading Oceanospirillales, Pseudomonas and Shewanella. Six-weeks into the spill overall hydrocarbon concentrations in the plume decreased and were almost entirely composed of BTEX after management actions reduced emissions into the water column. These conditions corresponded with the emergence of Colwellia, Pseudoalteromonas, Cycloclasticus and Halomonas that are capable of degrading aromatic compounds. After the well was contained dominant plume bacteria disappeared within two weeks after the spill and transitioned to an entirely different set of bacteria dominated by Flavobacteria, Methylophaga, Alteromonas and Rhodobacteraceae that were found in anomalous oxygen depressions throughout August and are prominent degraders of both high molecular weight organic matter as well as hydrocarbons. Bio-Sep beads amended with volatile hydrocarbons from MC-252 oil were used from August through September to create hydrocarbon-amended traps for attracting oil-degrading microbes in situ. Traps were placed at multiple depths on a drilling rig about 600-m from the original MC-252 oil spill site. Microbes were isolated on media using MC-252 oil as the sole carbon source and characterized. Pure cultures were obtained from bacteria similar to those found to dominate hydrocarbon plumes and anomalous oxygen depressions by molecular community analysis. Respirometry studies confirmed that the isolates were able to metabolize the MC-252 oil. Our results from both molecular and culture analysis indicate that indigenous psychrophilic consortia of microorganisms thriving at 5°C from the oil-plume depth water were able to rapidly respond to dispersed oil at depth. The microbial community was highly dynamic and structured by changes in hydrocarbon composition over time. The spill caused sustained alterations in subsurface microbial communities and impacted the deep ocean for at least months after well containment.

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

    Ehgartner, Brian L.; Sobolik, Steven Ronald

    This report presents computational analyses that simulate the structural response of caverns at the Strategic Petroleum Reserve Bryan Mound site. The cavern field comprises 20 caverns. Five caverns (1, 2, 4, and 5; 3 was later plugged and abandoned) were acquired from industry and have unusual shapes and a history dating back to 1946. The other 16 caverns (101-116) were leached according to SPR standards in the mid-1980s and have tall cylindrical shapes. The history of the caverns and their shapes are simulated in a 3-D geomechanics model of the site that predicts deformations, strains, and stresses. Future leaching scenariosmore » due to oil drawdowns using fresh water are also simulated by increasing the volume of the caverns. Cavern pressures are varied in the model to capture operational practices in the field. The results of the finite element model are interpreted to provide information on the current and future status of subsidence, well integrity, and cavern stability. The most significant result in this report is relevant to caverns 1, 2, and 5. The caverns have non-cylindrical shapes and have potential regions where the surrounding salt may be damaged during workover procedures. During a workover the normal cavern operating pressure is lowered to service a well. At this point the wellhead pressures are atmospheric. When the workover is complete, the cavern is repressurized. The resulting elastic stresses are sufficient to cause tension and large deviatoric stresses at several locations. With time, these stresses relax to a compressive state due to salt creep. However, the potential for salt damage and fracturing exists. The analyses predict tensile stresses at locations with sharp-edges in the wall geometry, or in the case of cavern 5, in the neck region between the upper and lower lobes of the cavern. The effects do not appear to be large-scale, however, so the only major impact is the potential for stress-induced salt falls in cavern 5, potentially leading to hanging string damage. Caverns 1 and 2 have no significant issues regarding leachings due to drawdowns; cavern 5 may require a targeted leaching of the neck region to improve cavern stability and lessen hanging string failure potential. The remaining caverns have no significant issues regarding cavern stability and may be safely enlarged during subsequent oil drawdowns. Well strains are significant and consequently future remedial actions may be necessary. Well strains certainly suggest the need for appropriate monitoring through a well-logging program. Subsidence is currently being monitored; there are no issues identified regarding damage from surface subsidence or horizontal strain to surface facilities.« less

  19. Disposal of liquid wastes by injection underground--Neither myth nor millennium

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Piper, Arthur M.

    1969-01-01

    Injecting liquid wastes deep underground is an attractive but not necessarily practical means for disposing of them. For decades, impressive volumes of unwanted oil-field brine have been injected, currently about 10,000 acre-feet yearly. Recently, liquid industrial wastes are being injected in ever-increasing quantity. Dimensions of industrial injection wells range widely but the approximate medians are: depth, 2,660 feet; thickness of injection zone, 185 feet; injection rate, 135 gallons per minute; wellhead injection pressure, 185 pounds per square inch. Effects of deep injection are complex and not all are understood clearly. In a responsible society, injection cannot be allowed to put wastes out of mind. Injection is no more than storage--for all time in the case of the most intractable wastes--in underground space of which little is attainable in some areas and which is exhaustible in most areas. Liquid wastes range widely in character and concentration-some are incompatible one with another or with materials of the prospective injection zone; some which are reactive or chemically unstable would require pretreatment or could not be injected. Standards by which to categorize the wastes are urgently desirable. To the end that injection may be planned effectively and administered in orderly fashion, there is proposed an immediate and comprehensive canvass of all the United States to outline injection provinces and zones according to their capacities to accept waste. Much of the information needed to this end is at hand. Such a canvass would consider (1) natural zone, of groundwater circulation, from rapid to stagnant, (2) regional hydrodynamics, (3) safe injection pressures, and (4) geochemical aspects. In regard to safe pressure, definitive criteria would be sought by which to avoid recurrence of earthquake swarms such as seem to have been triggered by injection at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal well near Denver, Colo. Three of the 50 States--Missouri, .Ohio, and Texas-have statutes specifically to regulate injection of industrial wastes. Other States impose widely diverse constraints under unlike administrative authorities. Few, if any, State agencies currently have the staff skills, centralized authority, and financial resources to assure rights of the general public to be spared harm from, and to reap the benefit of accrued experience with, deep injection. Some new, fully competent institutional arrangement appears to be essential, under a unified policy. As required, such an institution might have en echelon components, respectively having nationwide, single State or major province, subprovince, or local jurisdiction.

  20. Coupling Power Generation, Geologic CO2 Storage and Saline Groundwater Desalination to Address Growing Energy Needs in Water Constrained Regions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Davidson, C. L.; Wurstner, S. K.; Fortson, L. A.

    2010-12-01

    As humanity works to both minimize climate change and adapt to its early impacts, co-management of energy and water resources will become increasingly important. In some parts of the US, power plants have been denied permits, in part because of the significant burden placed on local water supplies by assigning new water rights for the facility’s entire design life. Water resources may be allocated 30 to 50 years into a future where water availability and quality are uncertain due to supply impacts associated with climate change and increased demand from growing populations, agriculture and industry. In many areas, particularly those with access to seawater, desalination is being employed with increasing frequency to augment conventional sources of fresh water. At the same time, many of the world’s developed nations are moving to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. One key technological option for addressing emissions from the power generation sector is CO2 capture and geologic storage (CCS). This process is both water and energy intensive for many power and industrial facilities, compounding the impact of declining water availability for plants faced with deploying CCS in a CO2-constrained future. However, a unique opportunity may exist to couple power generation and CCS by extracting and desalinating brine from the CO2 storage formation to produce fresh water. While this coupled approach is unlikely to be attractive for most CCS projects, it may represent a viable option in areas where there is demand for additional electricity but conventional water supplies are unable to meet the needs of the power generation and CO2 capture systems, or in areas where brine produced from CCS projects can be desalinated to supplement strained municipal supplies. This paper presents a preliminary analysis of the factors impacting the feasibility of coupled CCS-desalination projects. Several injection / extraction scenarios have been examined via the STOMP geochemical flow model resulting in key outputs including extraction wellhead conditions, in situ CO2 plume behavior and reservoir pressure. Economic modeling for the water extraction and desalination portion of these coupled CCS / desalination scenarios suggests that -- while some scenarios yield costs far in excess of most existing desalination projects -- depending on the specific storage formation characteristics and desalination technology employed, fresh water could be produced at costs competitive with seawater desalination facilities, bolstering local water supplies and enabling deployment of industrial projects that might otherwise have been infeasible.

  1. Passive characterization of hydrofracture properties using signals from hydraulic pumps

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

    Rector III, J.W.; Dong, Q.; Patzek, T.W.

    1999-01-02

    Massive hydraulic fracturing is used to enhance production from the low-permeability diatomite fields of Kern County, CA. Although critical for designing injection and recovery well patterns, the in-situ hydraulic fracture geometry is poorly understood. In 1990, Shell conducted an extensive seismic monitoring experiment on several hydrofractures prior to a steam drive pilot to characterize hydrofracture geometry. The seismic data were recorded by cemented downhole geophone arrays in three observation holes (MO-1, MO-2, and MO-3) located near the hydraulic fracture treatment wells. Using lowpass filtering and moveout analysis, events in the geophone recordings are identified as conical shear waves radiating frommore » tube waves traveling down the treatment well. These events appear to be created by the hydraulic pumps, since their amplitudes are correlated with the injection rate and the wellhead pressure. Conical wave amplitudes are related to the tube wave attenuation in the treatment well and to wave-propagation characteristics of the shear component traveling in the earth. During the main fracturing stage, geophones above the fracture zone for wells MO-1 and MO-2 (both roughly along the inferred vertical fracture plane) exhibited conical-wave amplitude increases that are caused by shear wave reflection/scattering off the top of a fracture zone. From changes in the reflection amplitude as a function of depth, we interpret that the fracture zone initially extends along a confined vertical plane at a depth that correlates with many of the microseismic events. Toward the end of the main fracturing stage, the fracture zone extends upward and also extends in width, although we cannot determine the dimensions of the fracture from the reflection amplitudes alone. For all wells, we observe that the reflection (and what we infer to be the initial fracture) begins during a time period where no marked change in fracture pressure or injection rate or slurry concentration is observed. As the main fracturing stage progressed, we observed a significant decrease in amplitude for geophones below the top of the fracture zone. The attenuation was most pronounced for wells MO-1 and MO-2 (along the fracture plane). However, near the end of the main stage, well MO-3 also exhibited a significant amplitude decrease, suggesting the development of a fractured ''process zone'' around the main fracture plane. In addition, well MO-3 also exhibited an amplitude decrease in an interval well below the initial fracture zone. Both the interval and the direction (toward MO-3) correspond with temperature log increases observed during later steam injection.« less

  2. Monitoring underground migration of sequestered CO2 using self-potential methods

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ishido, T.; Pritchett, J.; Tosha, T.; Nishi, Y.; Nakanishi, S.

    2013-12-01

    An appropriate monitoring program is indispensable for an individual geologic storage project to aid in answering various operational questions by detecting changes within the reservoir and to provide early warning of potential CO2 leakage through the caprock. Such a program is also essential to reduce uncertainties associated with reservoir parameters and to improve the predictive capability of reservoir models. Repeat geophysical measurements performed at the earth surface show particular promise for monitoring large subsurface volumes. To appraise the utility of geophysical techniques, Ishido et al. carried out numerical simulations of an aquifer system underlying a portion of Tokyo Bay and calculated the temporal changes in geophysical observables caused by changing underground conditions as computed by reservoir simulation (Energy Procedia, 2011). They used 'geophysical postprocessors' to calculate the resulting temporal changes in the earth-surface distributions of microgravity, self-potential (SP), apparent resistivity (from MT surveys) and seismic observables. The applicability of any particular method is likely to be highly site-specific, but these calculations indicate that none of these techniques should be ruled out altogether. Some survey techniques (gravity, MT resistivity) appear to be suitable for characterizing long-term changes, whereas others (seismic reflection, SP) are quite responsive to short term disturbances. The self-potential postprocessor calculates changes in subsurface electrical potential induced by pressure disturbances through electrokinetic coupling (Ishido & Pritchett, JGR 1999). In addition to electrokinetic coupling, SP anomalies may be generated by various other mechanisms such as thermoelectric coupling, electrochemical diffusion potential, etc. In particular, SP anomalies of negative polarity, which are frequently observed near wells, appear to be caused by an underground electrochemical mechanism similar to a galvanic cell known as a 'geobattery' (e.g. Sato & Mooney, Geophysics 1960; Bigalke & Grabner, Electrochimica Acta 1997): the metallic well casing acts as a vertical electronic conductor connecting regions of differing redox potential. Electrons flow upward though the casing from a deeper reducing environment to a shallower oxidizing environment, and simultaneously a compensating vertical flow of ions is induced in the surrounding formation to maintain charge neutrality. If the redox potential in the deeper region is then increased by injecting an oxidizing substance, the difference in redox potential between the shallower and deeper regions will be reduced, resulting in an SP increase near the wellhead. We will report the results of SP measurements during gas (CO2 or air) injection tests at various sites and numerical simulations carried out using the extended SP postprocessor, which incorporates the above 'geobattery' mechanism in addition to electrokinetic coupling, and discuss the possibility mentioned above more quantitatively.

  3. Out of gas: Tenneco in the era of natural gas regulation, 1938--1978

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Raley, David

    2011-12-01

    Federal regulation over the natural gas industry spanned 1938--1978, during which time both the industry and the nature of the regulation changed. The original intent of the law was to reform an industry stagnating because of the Depression, but regulation soon evolved into a public-private partnership to win World War II, then to a framework for the creation and management of a nationwide natural gas grid in the prosperous post-war years, and finally to a confused and chaotic system of wellhead price regulation which produced shortages and discouraged new production during the 1950s and 1960s. By the 1970s, regulation had become ineffective, leading to deregulation in 1978. The natural gas industry operated under the oversight of the Federal Power Commission (FPC) which set gas rates, regulated profits and competition, and established rules for entry and exit into markets. Over the course of four decades, the FPC oversaw the development of a truly national industry built around a system of large diameter pipelines. Tennessee Gas Transmission Company (later Tenneco) was an integral part of this industry. At first, Tenneco prospered under regulation. Regulation provided Tenneco with the means to build its first pipeline and a secure revenue stream for decades. A series of conflicts with the FPC and the difficulties imposed by the Phillips vs. Wisconsin case in 1954 soon interfered with the ambitious long-term goals of Tenneco CEO and president Gardiner Symonds. Tenneco first diversified into unregulated businesses in the 1940s, which accelerated as regulatory changes constrained the company's growth. By the 1960s the company was at the forefront of the conglomeration movement, when Tenneco included a variety of disparate businesses, including oil and gas production, chemicals, consumer packaging, manufacturing, shipbuilding, and food production, among others. Gas transmission became a minority interest in Tenneco's portfolio as newer and larger divisions overshadowed its former core business. The 1970s brought a renewed interest in natural gas and other energy resources as the nation faced chronic energy shortages. As the FPC loosened its low rate policy in the early 1970s to encourage production, Tenneco once again invested heavily in new pipelines and gas exploration, as well as more speculative ventures in Arctic gas, liquefied natural gas, synthetic fuels, and nuclear energy. By 1978, growing public and political support led to deregulation of natural gas, plunging Tenneco into a new era where market forces, not FPC oversight, impacted the gas industry. The deregulation of natural gas in 1978 removed the guaranteed rate of return from Tenneco's bottom line and exposed the weakness of Tenneco's conglomeration---the profitable pipeline had long been used to prop-up weaker businesses. The 1980s and 1990s were characterized by a gradual dissolution of Tenneco.

  4. Historical reconstruction of wastewater and land use impacts to groundwater used for public drinking water: exposure assessment using chemical data and GIS.

    PubMed

    Swartz, Christopher H; Rudel, Ruthann A; Kachajian, Jennifer R; Brody, Julia G

    2003-09-01

    Land use in geographic areas that replenish groundwater and surface water resources is increasingly recognized as an important factor affecting drinking water quality. Efforts to understand the implications for health, particularly outcomes with long latency or critical exposure windows, have been hampered by lack of historical exposure data for unregulated pollutants. This limitation has hindered studies of the possible links between breast cancer risk and drinking water impacted by endocrine disrupting compounds and mammary carcinogens, for example. This paper describes a methodology to assess potential historical exposure to a broad range of chemicals associated with wastewater and land use impacts to 132 groundwater wells and one surface water body supplying drinking water to 18 public distribution systems on Cape Cod, MA. We calculated annual measures of impact to each distribution system and used the measures as exposure estimates for the residential addresses of control women in the Cape Cod Breast Cancer and Environment Study (Cape Cod Study). Impact was assessed using (1) historical chemical measurements of nitrate at the water supply sources (performed as required by the Safe Water Drinking Act) and (2) a geographic information system analysis of land use within the zones of contribution (ZOCs) delineated for each well in a state-mandated wellhead protection program. The period for which these impact estimates were developed (1972-1995) was constrained by the availability of chemical measurements and land use data and consideration of time required for groundwater transport of contaminants to the water supply wells. Trends in these estimates for Cape Cod suggest increasing impact to drinking water quality for land use over the study period. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to assess the effect on the distribution of controls' cumulative exposure estimates from (1) reducing the area of the ZOCs to reflect typical well operating conditions rather than extreme pumping conditions used for the regulatory ZOCs, (2) assuming residences received their drinking water entirely from the closest well or cluster of wells rather than a volume-weighted annual district-wide average, and (3) changing the travel time considered for contaminants to reach wells from land use sources. We found that the rank and distribution of controls' cumulative exposure estimates were affected most by the assumption concerning district mixing; in particular, assignment of exposure estimates based on impact values for the closest well(s) consistently produced a larger number of unexposed controls than when a district-wide average impact value was used. As expected, the results suggest that adequate characterization of water quality heterogeneity within water supplies is an important component of exposure assessment methodologies in health studies investigating impacted drinking water.

  5. Hydrologic monitoring of a waste-injection well near Milton, Florida, June 1975 - June 1977

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Pascale, Charles A.; Martin, J.B.

    1978-01-01

    This report presents the hydraulic and chemical data collected from June 1, 1975, when injection began, to June 30, 1977 through a monitoring program at a deep-well waste-injection system at the American Cyanamid Company's plant near Milton, about 12 miles northwest of Pensacola. The injection system consists of a primary injection well, a standby injection well, and two deep monitor wells all completed open hole in the lower limestone of the Floridan aquifer and one shallow-monitor well completed in the upper limestone of the Floridan aquifer. Two of the monitor wells and the standby injection well are used to observe hydraulic and geochemical effects of waste injection in the injection zone at locations 8,180 feet northeast, 1,560 feet south, and 1,025 feet southwest of the primary injection well. The shallow-monitor well, used to observe any effects in the first permeable zone above the 200-foot-thick confining bed, is 28 feet north of the primary injection well. Since injection began in June 1975, 607 million gallons of treated industrial liquid waste with a pH of 4.6 to 6.3 and containing high concentrations of nitrate, organic nitrogen and carbon have been injected into a saline-water-filled limestone aquifer. Wellhead pressure at the injection well in June 1977 average 137 pounds per square inch and the hydraulic pressure gradient was 0.53 pound per square inch per foot of depth to the top of the injection zone. Water levels rose from 36 to 74 feet at the three wells used to monitor the injection zone during the 25-month period. The water level in the shallow-monitor well declined about 8 feet. No changes were detected in the chemical character of water from the shallow-monitor well and deep-monitor well-north. Increases in concentration of bicarbonate and dissolved organic carbon were detected in water from the deep-test monitor well in February 1976 and at the standby injection well in August 1976. In addition to increases in bicarbonate and dissolved organic carbon, sulfate, total organic nitrogen, and total nitrogen concentrations have also increased substantially in samples from these wells. Nitrogen gas concentrations in water samples collected at the three deep-monitor wells ranged from 19 to 176 milligrams per liter, methane from 4.5 to 11.4 milligrams per liter, and carbon dioxide from 7.7 to 44 milligrams per liter. The most probable number of denitrifying bacteria in water samples collected at the three deep-monitor wells ranged from less than 2 colonies to 17 colonies per 100 milliliters. None of the water samples collected in April 1977 at the three deep-monitor wells showed positive concentrations of acetone, ethanol, methanol, or acrylonitrile.

  6. Development of hydrate risk quantification in oil and gas production

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chaudhari, Piyush N.

    Subsea flowlines that transport hydrocarbons from wellhead to the processing facility face issues from solid deposits such as hydrates, waxes, asphaltenes, etc. The solid deposits not only affect the production but also pose a safety concern; thus, flow assurance is significantly important in designing and operating subsea oil and gas production. In most subsea oil and gas operations, gas hydrates form at high pressure and low temperature conditions, causing the risk of plugging flowlines, with a undesirable impact on production. Over the years, the oil and gas industry has shifted their perspective from hydrate avoidance to hydrate management given several parameters such as production facility, production chemistry, economic and environmental concerns. Thus, understanding the level of hydrate risk associated with subsea flowlines is an important in developing efficient hydrate management techniques. In the past, hydrate formation models were developed for various flow-systems (e.g., oil dominated, water dominated, and gas dominated) present in the oil and gas production. The objective of this research is to extend the application of the present hydrate prediction models for assessing the hydrate risk associated with subsea flowlines that are prone to hydrate formation. It involves a novel approach for developing quantitative hydrate risk models based on the conceptual models built from the qualitative knowledge obtained from experimental studies. A comprehensive hydrate risk model, that ranks the hydrate risk associated with the subsea production system as a function of time, hydrates, and several other parameters, which account for inertial, viscous, interfacial forces acting on the flow-system, is developed for oil dominated and condensate systems. The hydrate plugging risk for water dominated systems is successfully modeled using The Colorado School of Mines Hydrate Flow Assurance Tool (CSMHyFAST). It is found that CSMHyFAST can be used as a screening tool in order to reduce the parametric study that may require a long duration of time using The Colorado School of Mines Hydrate Kinetic Model (CSMHyK). The evolution of the hydrate plugging risk along flowline-riser systems is modeled for steady state and transient operations considering the effect of several critical parameters such as oil-hydrate slip, duration of shut-in, and water droplet size on a subsea tieback system. This research presents a novel platform for quantification of the hydrate plugging risk, which in-turn will play an important role in improving and optimizing current hydrate management strategies. The predictive strength of the hydrate risk quantification and hydrate prediction models will have a significant impact on flow assurance engineering and design with respect to building safe and efficient hydrate management techniques for future deep-water developments.

  7. Approach for delineation of contributing areas and zones of transport to selected public-supply wells using a regional ground-water flow model, Palm Beach County, Florida

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Renken, R.A.; Patterson, R.D.; Orzol, L.L.; Dixon, Joann

    2001-01-01

    Rapid urban development and population growth in Palm Beach County, Florida, have been accompanied with the need for additional freshwater withdrawals from the surficial aquifer system. To maintain water quality, County officials protect capture areas and determine zones of transport of municipal supply wells. A multistep process was used to help automate the delineation of wellhead protection areas. A modular ground-water flow model (MODFLOW) Telescopic Mesh Refinement program (MODTMR) was used to construct an embedded flow model and combined with particle tracking to delineate zones of transport to supply wells; model output was coupled with a geographic information system. An embedded flow MODFLOW model was constructed using input and output file data from a preexisting three-dimensional, calibrated model of the surficial aquifer system. Three graphical user interfaces for use with the geographic information software, ArcView, were developed to enhance the telescopic mesh refinement process. These interfaces include AvMODTMR for use with MODTMR; AvHDRD to build MODFLOW river and drain input files from dynamically segmented linear (canals) data sets; and AvWELL Refiner, an interface designed to examine and convert well coverage spatial data layers to a MODFLOW Well package input file. MODPATH (the U.S. Geological Survey particle-tracking postprocessing program) and MODTOOLS (the set of U.S. Geological Survey computer programs to translate MODFLOW and MODPATH output to a geographic information system) were used to map zones of transport. A steady-state, five-layer model of the Boca Raton area was created using the telescopic mesh refinement process and calibrated to average conditions during January 1989 to June 1990. A sensitivity analysis of various model parameters indicates that the model is most sensitive to changes in recharge rates, hydraulic conductivity for layer 1, and leakance for layers 3 and 4 (Biscayne aquifer). Recharge (58 percent); river (canal) leakance (29 percent); and inflow through the northern, western, and southern prescribed flux model boundaries (10 percent) represent the major inflow components. Principal outflow components in the Boca Raton well field area include well discharge (56 percent), river (canal) leakance (27 percent), and water that discharges along the coast (10 percent). A particle-tracking analysis using MODPATH was conducted to better understand well-field ground-water flow patterns and time of travel. MODTOOLS was used to construct zones-of-transport spatial data for municipal supply wells. Porosity estimates were uniformly increased to study the effect of porosity on zones of transport. Where porosity was increased, the size of the zones of transport were shown to decrease.

  8. Assessing the Vulnerability of Public-Supply Wells to Contamination: Central Valley Aquifer System near Modesto, California

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Jagucki, Martha L.; Jurgens, Bryant C.; Burow, Karen R.; Eberts, Sandra M.

    2009-01-01

    This fact sheet highlights findings from the vulnerability study of a public-supply well in Modesto, California. The well selected for study pumps on average about 1,600 gallons per minute from the Central Valley aquifer system during peak summer demand. Water samples were collected at the public-supply well and at monitoring wells installed in the Modesto vicinity. Samples from the public-supply wellhead contained the undesirable constituents uranium, nitrate, arsenic, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and pesticides, although none were present at concentrations exceeding drinking-water standards. Of these contaminants, uranium and nitrate pose the most significant water-quality risk to the public-supply well because human activities have caused concentrations in groundwater to increase over time. Overall, study findings point to four primary factors that affect the movement and (or) fate of contaminants and the vulnerability of the public-supply well in Modesto: (1) groundwater age (how long ago water entered, or recharged, the aquifer); (2) irrigation and agricultural and municipal pumping that drives contaminants downward into the primary production zone of the aquifer; (3) short-circuiting of contaminated water down the public-supply well during the low-pumping season; and (4) natural geochemical conditions of the aquifer. A local-scale computer model of groundwater flow and transport to the public-supply well was constructed to simulate long-term nitrate and uranium concentrations reaching the well. With regard to nitrate, two conflicting processes influence concentrations in the area contributing recharge to the well: (1) Beneath land that is being farmed or has recently been farmed (within the last 10 to 20 years), downward-moving irrigation waters contain elevated nitrate concentrations; yet (2) the proportion of agricultural land has decreased and the proportion of urban land has increased since 1960. Urban land use is associated with low nitrate concentrations in recharge (3.1 milligrams per liter). Results of the simulation indicate that nitrate concentrations in the public-supply well peaked in the late 1990s and will decrease slightly from the current level of 5.5 milligrams per liter during the next 100 years. A lag time of 20 to 30 years between peak nitrate concentrations in recharge and peak concentrations in the well is the result of the wide range of ages of water reaching the public-supply well combined with changing nitrogen input concentrations over time. As for uranium, simulation results show that concentrations in the public-supply well will likely approach the Maximum Contaminant Level of 30 micrograms per liter over time; however, it will take more than 100 years because of the contribution of old water at depth in the public-supply well that dilutes uranium concentrations in shallower water entering the well. This allows time to evaluate management strategies and to alter well-construction or pumping strategies to prevent uranium concentrations from exceeding the drinking-water standard.

  9. The Features of Condensate Water and Its Guide on Gas Proudction in upper Triassic Gas Reservoir of Western Sichuan Depression, China

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shang, C.; Lou, Z.

    2012-12-01

    In upper Triassic Xujiahe Formation of western Sichuan depression, China, there developed ultrathight sandstones reservoirs, of which the mean porosity is 4.02% and the permeability mode is less than 0.1×10-3μm2. Because of the ultrathight sandstones, thick gaseous- liquid phase transition develops in the upper Trassic Xujiahe Formation. The absolute quantity of gaseous water is lager. Due to the change of temperature and pressure at the wellhead, the gaseous water in gas reservoir becomes condensate water. Therefore, the condensate water of low salinity can be widely found at the original productive process in the Xujiahe Formation reservoir, such as wells named Lian 150, Xin 851, Xin 853, Xin 856, Dayi 101, Dayi 103. The main cations are K++Na+, while the anions are HCO3- and Cl-. The main water type is CaCl2, followed by NaHCO3, Na2SO4 and MgCl2. The PH of condensate water is 5.28-8.20 with mean value 6.40. The salinity of condensate water is lower than that of formation water. The milligram equivalent (mEq) percent of ion is used to study the features of condensate water. The anions (mEq) distribution of condensate water are scattered in ternary diagram, while that of formation water concentrate upon the SO42- and Cl- endpoints. The percent of HCO3-(mEq) in condensate water is higher than that of formation water. There is no obvious difference of cations mEq percent between condensate water and formation water, which indicates that condensate water strongly affected by formation water. Through this study, condensate water may originate from formation water and then be affected by complicated physical and chemical interactions. The condensate water is affected by gas and formation water. The relationship between condensate water and gas yield is very close. The variations of water yield, salinity and ions composition can reflect the change of gas yield. Taking well Xin 856 for example, which is located in Xinchang gas felid, there exist a relationship between the condensate water yield and the gas yield. The sequence of high- medial -low gas yield is in consistent with the variation of condensate water - mixture water- formation water, in well Xin 856. In addition, water-gas ratio increases gradually from 0.049 m3/104m3 to 258.54 m3/104m3, in the whole process. Based on water yield of well Xin 856, the transition from condensate water to formation water can be indicated by the increase of salinity and the decrease of mEq percent of HCO3-. The percent of ions (mEq) of condensate water and formation water in Xujiahe formation gas reservoir of western Sichuan depression. a the percent of cations (mEq); b the percent of anions (mEq)

  10. Newberry Volcano EGS Demonstration: Plans and Results

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cladouhos, T. T.; Petty, S.; Moore, M.; Nordin, Y.; De Rocher, T.; Callahan, O.; Perry, D.

    2012-12-01

    Engineered or Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) have the potential to expand the availability of clean renewable, baseload energy beyond conventional geothermal areas. An EGS reservoir is created by injecting large volumes of cold water into hot, low-permeability rock to induce seismic slip and enhance the permeability of pre-existing fractures. To date, EGS demonstrations have been limited to a single stimulation per well and sub-economic production rates because a method to isolate the first fracture in a hot well has been lacking. In addition, some recent EGS demonstrations have been negatively impacted by induced seismicity felt by area residents. The Newberry Volcano Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS) Demonstration in central Oregon, funded in part by DOE Grant DE-EE0002777, is now in the field operations phase after two years of planning. The stimulation well, NWG 55-29 drilled in 2008, has very little natural permeability but is very hot, with a bottom hole temperature over 300°C. The Demonstration will test recent technological advances designed to reduce the cost of power generated by EGS and the risk of felt seismicity. First, the stimulation pumps used were designed to run for weeks with little downtime and deliver large volumes of water (1000 gpm, 63 l/s) at relatively low well-head pressure (max. 3000 psi, 20 MPa). This pump specification is based on the rock mechanics-based model of hydroshearing, reduction of effective normal stress and friction on existing fractures, which promotes shear slip and enhances permeability. In contrast, pumps used in hydrofracking, creation of permeability through tensile failure of the rock, operate for shorter periods at much lower volumes and higher pressures. Second, multiple zone stimulation in the open-hole sections of EGS wells would significantly reduce the cost of EGS power production by increasing the productivity of each well. To facilitate multiple zone stimulation, AltaRock Energy has developed a suite of thermo-degradable zonal isolation materials (TZIMs) to temporarily seal off fractures in a geothermal well, allowing for stimulation of secondary and tertiary fracture zones, thus optimizing the injection/production profile of the entire well. TZIMs with ranges of thermal degradation properties have been extensively tested in the lab and two conventional geothermal fields. At Newberry, TZIMs that are stable at 200°C and degrade quickly at 300°C will be used. Third, the project follows a project-specific Induced Seismicity Mitigation Plan (ISMP) to evaluate, monitor for, and mitigate felt induced seismicity. During stimulation, 16 seismic stations, installed within 4 km of the target stimulation zone, monitor microseismicity and growth of the EGS reservoir. Seismicity occurring in undesirable locations or with ground accelerations or magnitudes above agreed thresholds, would result in operational changes to prevent unwanted seismicity, such as the use of TZIMs or lower well head pressures. Results of the Demonstration, shared with the public, geothermal and scientific communities include the real-time microseismicity, injection pressures and flow rates, and final injectivity of the stimulated well.

  11. Sequestration and Enhanced Coal Bed Methane: Tanquary Farms Test Site, Wabash County, Illinois

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

    Frailey, Scott; Parris, Thomas; Damico, James

    The Midwest Geological Sequestration Consortium (MGSC) carried out a pilot project to test storage of carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) in the Springfield Coal Member of the Carbondale Formation (Pennsylvanian System), in order to gauge the potential for large-scale CO{sub 2} sequestration and/or enhanced coal bed methane recovery from Illinois Basin coal beds. The pilot was conducted at the Tanquary Farms site in Wabash County, southeastern Illinois. A four-well design an injection well and three monitoring wells was developed and implemented, based on numerical modeling and permeability estimates from literature and field data. Coal cores were taken during the drilling processmore » and were characterized in detail in the lab. Adsorption isotherms indicated that at least three molecules of CO{sub 2} can be stored for each displaced methane (CH{sub 4}) molecule. Microporosity contributes significantly to total porosity. Coal characteristics that affect sequestration potential vary laterally between wells at the site and vertically within a given seam, highlighting the importance of thorough characterization of injection site coals to best predict CO{sub 2} storage capacity. Injection of CO{sub 2} gas took place from June 25, 2008, to January 13, 2009. A continuous injection period ran from July 21, 2008, to December 23, 2008, but injection was suspended several times during this period due to equipment failures and other interruptions. Injection equipment and procedures were adjusted in response to these problems. Approximately 92.3 tonnes (101.7 tons) of CO{sub 2} were injected over the duration of the project, at an average rate of 0.93 tonne (1.02 tons) per day, and a mode injection rate of 0.6-0.7 tonne/day (0.66-0.77 ton/day). A Monitoring, Verification, and Accounting (MVA) program was set up to detect CO{sub 2 leakage. Atmospheric CO{sub 2} levels were monitored as were indirect indicators of CO{sub 2} leakage such as plant stress, changes in gas composition at wellheads, and changes in several shallow groundwater characteristics (e.g., alkalinity, pH, oxygen content, dissolved solids, mineral saturation indices, and isotopic distribution). Results showed that there was no CO{sub 2} leakage into groundwater or CO{sub 2} escape at the surface. Post-injection cased hole well log analyses supported this conclusion. Numerical and analytical modeling achieved a relatively good match with observed field data. Based on the model results the plume was estimated to extend 152 m (500 ft) in the face cleat direction and 54.9 m (180 ft) in the butt cleat direction. Using the calibrated model, additional injection scenarios-injection and production with an inverted five-spot pattern and a line drive pattern could yield CH{sub 4} recovery of up to 70%.« less

  12. How Well Does Fracture Set Characterization Reduce Uncertainty in Capture Zone Size for Wells Situated in Sedimentary Bedrock Aquifers?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    West, A. C.; Novakowski, K. S.

    2005-12-01

    Regional groundwater flow models are rife with uncertainty. The three-dimensional flux vector fields must generally be inferred using inverse modelling from sparse measurements of hydraulic head, from measurements of hydraulic parameters at a scale that is miniscule in comparison to that of the domain, and from none to a very few measurements of recharge or discharge rate. Despite the inherent uncertainty in these models they are routinely used to delineate steady-state or time-of-travel capture zones for the purpose of wellhead protection. The latter are defined as the volume of the aquifer within which released particles will arrive at the well within the specified time and their delineation requires the additional step of dividing the magnitudes of the flux vectors by the assumed porosity to arrive at the ``average linear groundwater velocity'' vector field. Since the porosity is usually assumed constant over the domain one could be forgiven for thinking that the uncertainty introduced at this step is minor in comparison to the flow model calibration step. We consider this question when the porosity in question is fracture porosity in flat-lying sedimentary bedrock. We also consider whether or not the diffusive uptake of solute into the rock matrix which lies between the source and the production well reduces or enhances the uncertainty. To evaluate the uncertainty an aquifer cross section is conceptualized as an array of horizontal, randomly-spaced, parallel-plate fractures of random aperture, with adjacent horizontal fractures connected by vertical fractures again of random spacing and aperture. The source is assumed to be a continuous concentration (i.e. a dirichlet boundary condition) representing a leaking tank or a DNAPL pool, and the receptor is a fully pentrating well located in the down-gradient direction. In this context the time-of-travel capture zone is defined as the separation distance required such that the source does not contaminate the well beyond a threshold concentration within the specified time. Aquifers are simulated by drawing the random spacings and apertures from specified distributions. Predictions are made of capture zone size assuming various degrees of knowledge of these distributions, with the parameters of the horizontal fractures being estimated using simulated hydraulic tests and a maximum likelihood estimator. The uncertainty is evaluated by calculating the variance in the capture zone size estimated in multiple realizations. The results show that despite good strategies to estimate the parameters of the horizontal fractures the uncertainty in capture zone size is enormous, mostly due to the lack of available information on vertical fractures. Also, at realistic distances (less than ten kilometers) and using realistic transmissivity distributions for the horizontal fractures the uptake of solute from fractures into matrix cannot be relied upon to protect the production well from contamination.

  13. Performance evaluation of an advanced air-fuel ratio controller on a stationary, rich-burn natural gas engine

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kochuparampil, Roshan Joseph

    The advent of an era of abundant natural gas is making it an increasingly economical fuel source against incumbents such as crude oil and coal, in end-use sectors such as power generation, transportation and industrial chemical production, while also offering significant environmental benefits over these incumbents. Equipment manufacturers, in turn, are responding to widespread demand for power plants optimized for operation with natural gas. In several applications such as distributed power generation, gas transmission, and water pumping, stationary, spark-ignited, natural gas fueled internal combustion engines (ICEs) are the power plant of choice (over turbines) owing to their lower equipment and operational costs, higher thermal efficiencies across a wide load range, and the flexibility afforded to end-users when building fine-resolution horsepower topologies: modular size increments ranging from 100 kW -- 2 MW per ICE power plant compared to 2 -- 5 MW per turbine power plant. Under the U.S. Environment Protection Agency's (EPA) New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) and Reciprocating Internal Combustion Engine National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (RICE NESHAP) air quality regulations, these natural gas power plants are required to comply with stringent emission limits, with several states mandating even stricter emissions norms. In the case of rich-burn or stoichiometric natural gas ICEs, very high levels of sustained emissions reduction can be achieved through exhaust after-treatment that utilizes Non Selective Catalyst Reduction (NSCR) systems. The primary operational constraint with these systems is the tight air-fuel ratio (AFR) window of operation that needs to be maintained if the NSCR system is to achieve simultaneous reduction of carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx), total hydrocarbons (THC), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and formaldehyde (CH 2O). Most commercially available AFR controllers utilizing lambda (oxygen) sensor feedback are unable to maintain engine AFR within the required range owing to drift in sensor output over time. In this thesis, the emissions compliance performance of an AFR controller is evaluated over a 6-month period on an engine driving a gas compressor in an active natural gas production field. This AFR controller differentiates itself from other commercially available products by employing a lambda sensor that has been engineered against sensor drift, making it better suited for natural gas engine applications. Also included in this study are the controller's responses to transient loads, diurnal performance, adaptability to seasonal variations in ambient temperature, fuel quality variations (in wellhead gas), engine health considerations for proper AFR control, and controller calibration sensitivity when replacing lambda sensors. During the first three months of operation and subsequent diurnal tests, the controller's performance as a multi-point AFR control system was consistent, demonstrating appropriate AFR adjustments to variation in engine operation, over a wide range of ambient conditions, despite high consumption rate of engine lubrication oil. For the remainder the test, the high levels of lubrication oil consumption, compromised the ability to verify controller performance.

  14. A proposal to investigate higher enthalpy geothermal systems in the USA

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Elders, W. A.

    2013-12-01

    After more than 50 years of development only ~3,400 MWe of electric power is currently being produced from geothermal resources in the USA. That is only about 0.33% of the country's total installed electrical capacity. In spite of the large demonstrated potential of geothermal resources, only ~2,500 MWe of new geothermal electrical capacity are under development, and the growth rate of this environmentally benign energy resource is overshadowed by the rapid increase in the installed capacity of wind and solar energy. Most of the new geothermal developments in the USA involve relatively small, moderate-temperature, geothermal systems. In contrast, development of higher enthalpy geothermal systems for power production has obvious advantages; specifically higher temperatures yield higher power outputs per well so that fewer wells are needed, leading to smaller environmental footprints for a given size of power plant. Disadvantages include that the fact that locations of suitable geothermal systems are restricted to young volcanic terrains, production of very high enthalpy fluids usually requires drilling deeper wells and may require enhanced geothermal (EGS) technology, and drilling deep into hot hostile environments is technologically challenging. However the potential for very favorable economic returns suggests that the USA should begin developing such a program. One approach to mitigating the cost issue is to form a consortium of industry, government and academia to share the costs and broaden the scope an investigation. An excellent example of such a collaboration is the Iceland Deep Drilling Project (IDDP) which is investigating the economic feasibility of producing electricity from supercritical geothermal reservoirs. This industry-government consortium planned to drill a deep well in the volcanic caldera of Krafla in NE Iceland. However drilling had to be terminated at 2.1 km depth when 900°C rhyolite magma flowed into the well. The resultant well was highly productive capable of generating >35 MWe from superheated steam at a well-head temperature of ~450°C. Plans for deep drilling to explore for deeper, much higher enthalpy, geothermal resources are already underway in the Taupo Volcanic Zone of New Zealand (Project HADES), and in northeast Japan the 'Beyond Brittle Project' (Project JBBP) is an ambitious program attempting to create an EGS reservoir in ~500oC rocks. However in the USA there is no comparable national program to develop such resources. There is a significant undeveloped potential for developing high-enthalpy geothermal systems in the western USA, Hawaii and Alaska. The purpose of this paper is to encourage the formation of a consortium to systematically explore, assess, and eventually develop such higher-enthalpy geothermal resources. Not only would this help develop large new sources of energy but it would permit scientific studies of pressure-temperature regimes not otherwise available for direct investigation, such as the coupling of magmatic and hydrothermal systems.

  15. Three-dimensional numerical reservoir simulation of the EGS Demonstration Project at The Geysers geothermal field

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Borgia, Andrea; Rutqvist, Jonny; Oldenburg, Curt M.; Hutchings, Lawrence; Garcia, Julio; Walters, Mark; Hartline, Craig; Jeanne, Pierre; Dobson, Patrick; Boyle, Katie

    2013-04-01

    The Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS) Demonstration Project, currently underway at the Northwest Geysers, California, aims to demonstrate the feasibility of stimulating a deep high-temperature reservoir (up to 400 °C) through water injection over a 2-year period. On October 6, 2011, injection of 25 l/s started from the Prati 32 well at a depth interval of 1850-2699 m below sea level. After a period of almost 2 months, the injection rate was raised to 63 l/s. The flow rate was then decreased to 44 l/s after an additional 3.5 months and maintained at 25 l/s up to August 20, 2012. Significant well-head pressure changes were recorded at Prati State 31 well, which is separated from Prati 32 by about 500 m at reservoir level. More subdued pressure increases occur at greater distances. The water injection caused induced seismicity in the reservoir in the vicinity of the well. Microseismic monitoring and interpretation shows that the cloud of seismic events is mainly located in the granitic intrusion below the injection zone, forming a cluster elongated SSE-NNW (azimuth 170°) that dips steeply to the west. In general, the magnitude of the events increases with depth and the hypocenter depth increases with time. This seismic cloud is hypothesized to correlate with enhanced permeability in the high-temperature reservoir and its variation with time. Based on the existing borehole data, we use the GMS™ GUI to construct a realistic three-dimensional (3D) geologic model of the Northwest Geysers geothermal field. This model includes, from the top down, a low permeability graywacke layer that forms the caprock for the reservoir, an isothermal steam zone (known as the normal temperature reservoir) within metagraywacke, a hornfels zone (where the high-temperature reservoir is located), and a felsite layer that is assumed to extend downward to the magmatic heat source. We then map this model onto a rectangular grid for use with the TOUGH2 multiphase, multicomponent, non-isothermal porous media numerical flow simulator in order to model the evolution and injection-related operational dynamics of The Geysers geothermal field. At the bottom of the domain in the felsite, we impose a constant temperature, constant saturation, low-permeability boundary. Laterally we set no-flow boundaries (no mass or heat flow), while at the top we use a fully aqueous-phase-saturated constant atmospheric pressure boundary condition. We compute initial conditions for two different conceptual models. The first conceptual model has two phases (gas and aqueous) with decreasing proportions of gas from the steam zone downward; the second model has dry steam all the way from the steam zone to the bottom. The first may be more similar to a pre-exploitation condition, before production reduced pressure and dried out the system, while the second is calibrated to the pressure and temperature actually measured in the reservoir today. Our preliminary results are in reasonable agreement with the pressure monitoring at Prati State 31. These results will be used in hydrogeomechanical modeling to plan, design, and validate the effects of injection in the system.

  16. Modifications of biological effects of drinking mineral waters in Pyatigorsk resort

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Reps, Valentina; Efimenko, Natalia; Abramtsova, Anna; Kozlova, Victoria; Sagradyan, Gayne; Tovbushenko, Tatiana; Kotova, Margarita

    2017-04-01

    A variety of types of drinking mineral waters (MW) of Pyatigorsk Deposit (PD) is explained by its structural style and hydrogeological conditions. In resort conditions the most widely used mineral waters are acidulated and carbonate chloride sodium hydrocarbonate MW. It has been shown earlier that natural MW have a high biological exposure potential on exchange processes both in norm and during pathological metabolic changes [1, 2]. We have studied some modification options of the composition of natural drinking mineral waters (MW) in Pyatigorsk resort to increase their rehabilitation potential. In the experiment on 110 male-rats of Wistar line there have been examined some biological effects of a course drinking intake (21 days) of natural MW from the spring that has sulphate-hydrocarbonate-chloride calcium-sodic composition with ferrum elevated level (3-5 mg/dm3), mineralization of 5,0-5,2 g/dm3, CO2 1,3-2,2 g/dm3, daily flow of 10-86 m3/day, temperature from 14 to 370C at the wellhead and MW modified by nanoparticles (NP) of Se (0,04 mg/kg, d - 35 nm) and Ag nanoparticles (0,001 mg/kg, d - 30 nm). One of the mechanisms of selenium influence on carbohydrate metabolism is the regulation of blood glucose level and its utilization by tissues. After the course by the studied MW type there has been noticed Ca-ATPase level reduction in liver against the background of insulin downregulation and glycemia elevation in blood serum of the rats [1]. There has been also observed glucagon retrogression in the blood of the labolatory animals after the treatment course by natural MW in 3 times (p<0,001) and after the course by MW in combination with Se nanoparticles in 1,5 times (p<0,01) in comparison with the control (fresh water). At the same time glucose level authentically increased only after the course by natural MW - 4,8 (4,6-5 ‰) mmol/l in comparison with the control - 4 (4 - 4,4 ‰) mmol/l. Insulin concentration did not change with the animals after the watering course by MW with Se nanoparticles whereas the course by MW with Ag nanoparticles was followed by insulin decreased secretion by 22% against the background of hypoglycemia. In the impact analysis of the course influence of mineral water in combination with Se and Ag nanoparticles there has been noticed an alteration of metabolic effects of native MW. We have observed the decrease in hormonal regulation level of metabolic processes and activation of cellicolous substrate ways of glucose utilization after the course by MW. The fortification of MW with Se nanoparticles restores the reduced activity of glycemia hormonal regulation. References 1. Efimenko, N.V. Action mechanisms of drinking mineral waters/ N.V. Efimenko, V.F. Reps// Resort medicine. - 2013. - №3. - P. 106-109. 2. Reps, V.F. Metabolic action mechanisms of the modified balneo-remedies/ V.F. Reps// Resort medicine. - 2013. - №4. - P. 18-21.

  17. Watershed Analysis of Nitrate Transport as a Result of Agricultural Inputs for Varying Land Use/Land Cover and Soil Type

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Scott, M. E.; Sykes, J. F.

    2006-12-01

    The Grand River Watershed is one of the largest watersheds in southwestern Ontario with an area of approximately 7000 square kilometers. Ninety percent of the watershed is classified as rural, and 80 percent of the watershed population relies on groundwater as their source of drinking water. Management of the watershed requires the determination of the effect of agricultural practices on long-term groundwater quality and to identify locations within the watershed that are at a higher risk of contamination. The study focuses on the transport of nitrate through the root zone as a result of agricultural inputs with attenuation due to biodegradation. The driving force for transport is spatially and temporally varying groundwater recharge that is a function of land use/land cover, soil and meteorological inputs that yields 47,229 unique soil columns within the watershed. Fertilizer sources are determined from Statistics Canada's Agricultural Census and include livestock manure and a popular commercial fertilizer, urea. Accounting for different application rates yields 60,066 unique land parcels of which 22,809 are classified as croplands where manure and inorganic fertilizes are directly applied. The transport for the croplands is simulated over a 14-year period to investigate the impact of seasonal applications of nitrate fertilizers on the concentration leaching from the root zone to the water table. Based on land use/land cover maps, ArcView GIS is used to define the location of fertilizer applications within the watershed and to spatially visualize data and analyze results. The large quantity of input data is stored and managed using MS-Access and a relational database management system. Nitrogen transformations and ammonium and nitrate uptake by plants and transport through the soil column are simulated on a daily basis using Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) within MS-Access modules. Nitrogen transformations within the soil column were simplified using parameters that were obtained from literature or could be calculated from readily available soil information for the Grand River Watershed. Spatially and seasonally averaged results for the 14 year period indicate that nitrate leaching through the root zone does not exceed the maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 10 mg/l nitrate. However, in 1992, over 12 percent of the watershed area in crops exceeded the MCL during the winter season. The characteristically well drained soils of the central region of the watershed are more susceptible to groundwater contamination following autumn manure-N applications, as no crop-growth is present to remove excess nitrogen from the system. Therefore, farm best management practices do not ensure that groundwater contamination will not occur. This research is an important first step in developing agricultural contaminant loadings for a watershed scale surface water and groundwater model. Municipalities can utilize this model as a management tool to determine the extent of contamination and delineate site sensitive locations, such as well-head protection zones. Other applications of this model include risk assessments of contaminant migration due to climate change predictions, varying fertilizer application practices, modifications in crop management and changes in land use. The impact of climate change on recharge has been investigated.

  18. Field experiment on CO2 back-production at the Ketzin pilot site

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Martens, Sonja; Möller, Fabian; Schmidt-Hattenberger, Cornelia; Streibel, Martin; Szizybalski, Alexandra; Liebscher, Axel

    2015-04-01

    The operational phase of the Ketzin pilot site for geological CO2 storage in Germany started in June 2008 and ended in August 2013. Over the period of approximately five years, a total amount of 67 kt of CO2 was successfully injected into a saline aquifer (Upper Triassic sandstone) at a depth of 630 m - 650 m. The CO2 used was mainly of food grade quality. In addition, 1.5 kt of CO2 from the pilot capture facility "Schwarze Pumpe" (lignite power plant CO2) was used in 2011. At the end of the injection period, 32 t N2 and 613 t CO2 were co-injected during a four-week field test in July and August 2013. In October 2014, a field experiment was carried out at Ketzin with the aim to back-produce parts of the injected CO2 during a two-week period. This experiment addressed two main questions: (i) How do reservoir and wellbore behave during back-production of CO2? and (ii) What is the composition of the CO2 and the co-produced formation fluid? The back-production was carried out through the former injection well. It was conducted continuously over the first week and with an alternating regime including production during day-time and shut-ins during night-time in the second week. During the test, a total amount of 240 t of CO2 and 57 m3 of brine were safely back-produced from the reservoir. Production rates up to 3,200 kg/h - which corresponds to the former highest injection rate - could be tested. Vital monitoring parameters included production rates of CO2 and brine, wellhead and bottomhole pressure and temperature at the production and observation wells and distributed temperature sensing (DTS) along the production well. A permanently installed geoelectrical array was used for crosshole electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) monitoring of the reservoir. Formation fluid and gas samples were collected and analysed. The measured compositions allow studying the geochemical interactions between CO2, formation fluid and rocks under in-situ conditions The field experiment indicates that a safe back-production of CO2 is generally feasible and can be performed at both, stable reservoir and wellbore conditions. ERT monitoring shows that the geoelectrical array at the production well was capable of tracking the back-production process, e.g. the back-flow of brine into the parts formerly filled with CO2. Preliminary results also show that the back-produced CO2 at Ketzin has a purity > 97 per cent. Secondary component in the CO2 stream is N2 with < 3 per cent which probably results from former injection operation and field tests. The results will help to verify geochemical laboratory experiments which are typically performed in simplified synthetic systems. The results gained at the Ketzin site refer to the pilot scale. Upscaling of the results to industrial scale is possible but must first be tested and validated at demo projects.

  19. Case study for delineating a contributing area to a well in a fractured siliciclastic-bedrock aquifer near Lansdale, Pennsylvania

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Barton, Gary J.; Risser, Dennis W.; Galeone, Daniel G.; Goode, Daniel J.

    2003-01-01

    A supply well used by the North Penn Water Authority near Lansdale, Pa., was selected as a case study for delineating a contributing area in a fractured siliciclastic-bedrock aquifer. The study emphasized the importance of refining the understanding of factors that control ground-water movement to the well by conducting (1) geophysical logging and flow measurements, (2) ground-water level monitoring, (3) aquifer testing, and (4) geochemical sampling. This approach could be applicable for other wells in siliciclastic-bedrock terranes, especially those of Triassic age in southeastern Pennsylvania.The principal methods for refining the understanding of hydrology at supply well MG-1125 were aquifer testing, water-level measurements, and geophysical logging. Results of two constant-discharge aquifer tests helped estimate the transmissivity of water-producing units and evaluate the anisotropy caused by dipping beds. Results from slug tests provided estimates of transmissivity that were used to evaluate the results from the constant-discharge aquifer tests. Slug tests also showed the wide distribution of transmissivity, indicating that ground-water velocities must vary considerably in the well field. Water-level monitoring in observation wells allowed maps of the potentiometric surface near the well field to be drawn. The measurements also showed that the hydraulic gradient can change abruptly in response to pumping from nearby supply wells. Water levels measured at a broader regional scale in an earlier study also provided a useful view of the potentiometric surface for purposes of delineating the contributing area. Geophysical logging and measurements of flow within wells showed that about 60 percent of water from supply well MG-1125 probably is contributed from relatively shallow water-producing fractures from 60 to 125 feet below land surface, but measurable amounts of water are contributed by fractures to a depth of 311 feet below land surface. Chemical samples supported the evidence that shallow fractures probably contribute significant amounts of water to well MG-1125. The large contribution of water from shallow fractures indicates that the area providing part of the recharge to the well is not far removed from the wellhead.Preliminary delineations of the contributing area and the 100-day time-of travel area were computed from a water budget and time-of-travel equation. These delineations provided insight into the size (but not the shape) of the contributing areas. Three other approaches were used and results compared: (1) uniform-flow equation, (2) hydrogeologic mapping, and (3) numerical modeling. The uniform-flow equation predicted a contributing area that seemed unrealistic—extending far across the ground-water divide into an adjacent watershed. Hydrogeologic mapping, if used with the potentiometric surface and constrained by the water budget, produced contributing area that was similar to that from numerical modeling. Numerical modeling allowed the incorporation of anisotropy caused by dipping water-producing units, differing transmissivity values of geologic units, and ground-water withdrawals from nearby supply wells. The numerical modeling showed that groundwater withdrawals from nearby supply wells affected the contributing area to supply well MG-1125 but had less effect on the 100-day time-of-travel area.

  20. Close-up to the stimulation phase of a EGS geothermal site: mapping the time-evolution of the subsurface elastic parameters using a trans-dimensional Monte Carlo approach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Piana Agostinetti, Nicola; Calo', Marco

    2014-05-01

    Stimulation of geothermal wells through hydraulic injections is the most common way to increase secondary porosity in hot-dry rock geothermal reservoir. As worldwide documented, injection of over-pressurized fluids in the subsurface creates a diffuse pattern of microseismicity confined to the portion of crustal volume around the injection well. Such "pseudo"-natural seismicity can be a valuable source of information about the elastic properties of the rock in the volume directly below the geothermal site and about their time-evolution during fluid injection. Classical methods (e.g. Local Earthquake Tomography, LET) have been applied to image how the rocks interact with the flow of over-pressurized fluids. Repeating the LET computation using consecutive set of events produces a time-series of P-wave velocity models which can be analyzed to catch the time-variation of the elastic properties. Such approaches, based on a linearized solution of the tomographic inverse problem, can give a qualitative idea of the behavior of rocks, but they cannot be used to quantify such interaction, due to the well-know issues which affect LET results, like the strong link between the "final" and the "starting" model (i.e. the "final" model must be a small-perturbation of the the "starting" model), model paramterization, damping of the covariance matrix, etc.. Also, the robustness of the retrieved models can not be easily assessed due to the difficulties to determine the absolute errors on the Vp parameters themselves. Thus, it can be challenging to understand if the fluctuations in the elastic properties remain or not within the estimated errors. In this study we present the results of a full 4D local earthquake tomography obtained with the P- and S- wave arrival times of 600 seismic events recorded in 2000 during the stimulation of the GPK2 well of the Enhanced Geothermal System located in Soultz-des-Forestes (France). We focus on the initial stage, when the injection rate has been increased abruptly from 30 l/s to 40 l/s. Such operation lasted less than 13 hours and generated a large number of events, almost evenly time-distributed. Such stage has been analyzed in details using a linearized tomographic inversion code imroved with a post-processing (WAM) which highlighted the fluctuations in the Vp velocity near the well-head over a few hours time-scale and a few hundreds meter spatial-scale (Calo' et al, GJI, 2011). The approach adopted (LET+WAM) provided a rough estimation of the distribution errors in the models that resulted unsatifactory to assess the reliablity of some important velocity variations observed over the time. Solving the LET inverse problem using a trans-dimensional Monte Carlo method gives us now the possibility to fully quantify the errors associated with the retrieved Vp and Vp/Vs models and enable us to evaluate the robustness of the fluctuations in the elastic properties during the injection phase.

  1. Produced water disposal in the southern San Joaquin Basin: a direct analog for brine leakage in response to carbon storage

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jordan, P. D.; Gillespie, J.

    2013-12-01

    Injection of CO2 during geologic carbon storage pressurizes reservoir fluid, which can cause its migration. Migration of saline water from the reservoir into underground sources of drinking water (USDW) via pathways such as permeable wells and faults is one concern. As of 2010, 2 billion cubic meters (MMMm3) of oil, 10 MMMm3 of water, and 400 MMMm3 of gas had been produced in the southern San Joaquin Valley. A considerable portion of the gas and a majority of the water were injected into production zones for pressure support, water flooding, or as steam for thermal recovery. However a portion of the produced water was disposed of by injection into zones without economic quantities of hydrocarbons, termed saline aquifers in the geologic carbon storage community. These zones often had the shallowest activity in a field, and so had no overlying pressure sink due to production and all oil and gas-related wells in the field encountered or passed through them. The subset of such zones at CO2 storage depths received disposed water volumes equivalent to tens of megatons (MT) of CO2 injected at overpressures of many MPa. For instance a water volume equivalent to over 20 MT of CO2 was injected at a depth of 900 m and an average wellhead pressure of 6 MPa in the Fruitvale oil field, which had almost a thousand wells. Use of USDW for irrigation and consumption is widespread in the area. An increase in total dissolved solids (TDS) in well water is acutely detectable either by taste or effect on crops. Consequently the produced water disposal injection in the southern San Joaquin Valley provides an analog for assessing the occurrence of water leakage impacts due to reservoir pressurization. Almost 230 articles regarding groundwater contamination published from 2000 to 2013 by The Bakersfield Californian, the main newspaper in the area, were assessed. These were written by 71 authors including 38 staff writers, covered 53 different types of facilities or activities that either contaminated groundwater or for which there was such a concern, and discussed 85 different geographic locations. They described groundwater contamination at hundreds of wells during and previous to the publication period. Contamination due to upward leakage caused by produced water disposal injection was not mentioned. Previous research found The Bakersfield Californian covered more well blowouts with the highest public consequence (evacuation) than did reports from the relevant state agency, but had virtually no coverage of the least consequential blow outs. This suggests the lack of reporting of groundwater impacts from leakage due to produced water disposal injection indicates no significant public impact, such as closure of numerous public supply wells, occurred during the article time period or for some years previous. This research continues with analysis of historic groundwater constituent data available from the California State Water Resources Control Board's Geotracker Groundwater Ambient Monitoring & Assessment database. For instance this database contains TDS and other constituent results for 149 wells within or in the immediate vicinity of the Fruitvale oil field.

  2. Fugitive methane emissions from natural, urban, agricultural, and energy-production landscapes of eastern Australia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kelly, Bryce F. J.; Iverach, Charlotte P.; Lowry, Dave; Fisher, Rebecca E.; France, James L.; Nisbet, Euan G.

    2015-04-01

    Modern cavity ringdown spectroscopy systems (CRDS) enable the continuous measurement of methane concentration. This allows for improved quantification of greenhouse gas emissions associated with various natural and human landscapes. We present a subset of over 4000 km of continuous methane surveying along the east coast of Australia, made using a Picarro G2301 CRDS, deployed in a utility vehicle with an air inlet above the roof at 2.2 mAGL. Measurements were made every 5 seconds to a precision of <0.5 ppb for CH4. These surveys were undertaken during dry daytime hours and all measurements were moisture corrected. We compare the concentration of methane in the near surface atmosphere adjacent to open-cut coal mines, unconventional gas developments (coal seam gas; CSG), and leaks detected in cities and country towns. In areas of dryland crops the median methane concentration was 1.78 ppm, while in the irrigation districts located on vertisol soils the concentration was as low as 1.76 ppm, which may indicate that these soils are a sink for methane. In the Hunter Valley, New South Wales, open-cut coal mining district we mapped a continuous 50 km interval where the concentration of methane exceeded 1.80 ppm. The median concentration in this interval was 2.02 ppm. Peak readings were beyond the range of the reliable measurement (in excess of 3.00 ppm). This extended plume is an amalgamation of plumes from 17 major pits 1 to 10 km in length. Adjacent to CSG developments in the Surat Basin, southeast Queensland, only small anomalies were detected near the well-heads. Throughout the vast majority of the gas fields the concentration of methane was below 1.80 ppm. The largest source of fugitive methane associated with CSG was off-gassing methane from the co-produced water holding ponds. At one location the down wind plume had a cross section of approximately 1 km where the concentration of methane was above 1.80 ppm. The median concentration within this section was 1.82 ppm, with a peak reading of 2.11 ppm. The ambient air methane concentration was always higher in urban environments compared to the surrounding countryside. Along one major road in Sydney we mapped an interval that extended for 6 km where the concentration was greater than 1.80 ppm. The median concentration in this interval was 1.90 ppm, with a peak reading of 1.97 ppm. This high reading in an urban setting is most likely due to leaks from the domestic gas distribution system. Methane leaks were detected in all country towns. Our measurements show that at the point of resource extraction the methane emission footprint of CSG is smaller than that of open-cut coal mining. However, leaking gas from urban centers must be added to the fugitive emissions of CSG to calculate the total fugitive emission footprint of CSG, which may therefore not be as low as claimed in the national greenhouse gas accounts. Our results highlight the need for additional continuous monitoring of methane emissions from all sectors, and for the full life-cycle of energy resources to be considered.

  3. Assessing the Vulnerability of Public-Supply Wells to Contamination: Floridan Aquifer System Near Tampa, Florida

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Jagucki, Martha L.; Katz, Brian G.; Crandall, Christy A.; Eberts, Sandra M.

    2009-01-01

    This fact sheet highlights findings from the vulnerability study of a public-supply well in Temple Terrace, Florida, northeast of Tampa. The well selected for study typically produces water at the rate of 700 gallons per minute from the Upper Floridan aquifer. Water samples were collected at the public-supply well and at monitoring wells installed in or near the simulated zone of contribution to the supply well. Samples of untreated water from the public-supply wellhead contained the undesirable constituents nitrate, arsenic, uranium, radon-222, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and pesticides, although all were detected at concentrations less than established drinking-water standards, where such standards exist. Overall, study findings point to four primary factors that affect the movement and fate of contaminants and the vulnerability of the public-supply well in Temple Terrace: (1) groundwater age (how long ago water entered, or recharged, the aquifer); (2) short-circuiting of contaminated water through sinkholes; (3) natural geochemical processes within the aquifer; and (4) pumping stress. Although the public-supply well is completed in the Upper Floridan aquifer, it produces water with concentrations of nitrate, VOCs, and the natural contaminant radon that are intermediate between the typical composition of water from the Upper Floridan aquifer and that of the overlying surficial aquifer system. Mixing calculations show that the water produced by the public-supply well could consist of upwards of 50 percent water from the surficial aquifer system mixed with water from the Upper Floridan aquifer. Anthropogenically affected water from the surficial aquifer system travels rapidly to depth through sinkholes that must be directly connected to the cavernous zone intersected by the public-supply well (and several other production wells in the region). Such solution features serve as fast pathways to the well and circumvent the natural attenuation of nitrate and radon that occurs when water from the surficial aquifer flows downward through the confining unit and then through the Upper Floridan aquifer matrix. Roughly 50 percent of the simulated flow to the public-supply well consists of water less than about 10 years old, thus making the well vulnerable to contamination from human activities. Sampling at various depths in the public-supply well during pumping and nonpumping conditions showed that water entering the well from the cavernous zone had much higher arsenic concentrations during pumping conditions (18.9 ug/L) than during nonpumping conditions (4.2 ug/L). This implies that movement of arsenic to the public-supply well from the cavernous zone is enhanced by pumping. One possible explanation is that pumping increases the movement of water with elevated dissolved oxygen content through the cavernous zone, which causes dissolution of arsenic associated with pyrite. All public-supply wells in the area may not have the same level of vulnerability as the well studied - many of the public-supply wells in the region have lower pumping rates and longer open intervals that may draw in a larger proportion of old water that predates anthropogenic influences. Determining the similarity of water produced by various public-supply wells in the region to that of the surficial aquifer system is one measure of well vulnerability that could be used to prioritize monitoring and land-use planning efforts to protect the most vulnerable wells.

  4. Gas and Isotope Geochemistry of 81 Steam Samples from Wells in The Geysers Geothermal Field, Sonoma and Lake Counties, California

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Lowenstern, Jacob B.; Janik, Cathy J.; Fahlquist, Lynne; Johnson, Linda S.

    1999-01-01

    The Geysers geothermal field in northern California, with about 2000-MW electrical capacity, is the largest geothermal field in the world. Despite its importance as a resource and as an example of a vapor-dominated reservoir, very few complete geochemical analyses of the steam have been published (Allen and Day, 1927; Truesdell and others, 1987). This report presents data from 90 steam, gas, and condensate samples from wells in The Geysers geothermal field in northern California. Samples were collected between 1978 and 1991. Well attributes include sampling date, well name, location, total depth, and the wellhead temperature and pressure at which the sample was collected. Geochemical characteristics include the steam/gas ratio, composition of noncondensable gas (relative proportions of CO2, H2S, He, H2, O2, Ar, N2, CH4, and NH3), and isotopic values for deltaD and delta18O of H2O, delta13C of CO2, and delta34S of H2S. The compilation includes 81 analyses from 74 different production wells, 9 isotopic analyses of steam condensate pumped into injection wells, and 5 complete geochemical analyses on gases from surface fumaroles and bubbling pools. Most samples were collected as saturated steam and plot along the liquid-water/steam boiling curve. Steam-togas ratios are highest in the southeastern part of the geothermal field and lowest in the northwest, consistent with other studies. Wells in the Northwest Geysers are also enriched in N2/Ar, CO2 and CH4, deltaD, and delta18O. Well discharges from the Southeast Geysers are high in steam/gas and have isotopic compositions and N2/Ar ratios consistent with recharge by local meteoric waters. Samples from the Central Geysers show characteristics found in both the Southeast and Northwest Geysers. Gas and steam characteristics of well discharges from the Northwest Geysers are consistent with input of components from a high-temperature reservoir containing carbonrich gases derived from the host Franciscan rocks. Throughout the geothermal field, the carbon-isotopic composition of CO2 is consistent with derivation of carbon from Franciscan metasedimentary rocks. NH3 concentrations are high in most Geysers well fluids, and are 2-3 orders of magnitude greater than would be expected in a the gas phase exhibiting homogeneous equilibrium at normal reservoir temperatures and pressures. Evidently, NH3 is flushed from the Franciscan host rocks at a rate that exceeds the reaction rate for NH3 breakdown. Many wells show clear influence by fluids from reinjection wells where steam condensate has been pumped back into the geothermal reservoir. Six wells were resampled over the time period of this study. One of these six wells was strongly affected by a nearby injection well. Three of the six resampled wells showed some signs of decreasing liquid/ steam within the geothermal reservoir, consistent with 'drying out' of the reservoir due to steam withdrawal. However, two wells exhibited little change. Analyses of gases from five surface manifestations (fumaroles and bubbling pools) are roughly similar to the deeper geothermal samples in both chemical and isotopic composition, but are lower in soluble gases that dissolve in groundwater during transit toward the surface.

  5. Occurrence and status of volatile organic compounds in ground water from rural, untreated, self-supplied domestic wells in the United States, 1986-99

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Moran, Michael J.; Lapham, Wayne W.; Rowe, Barbara L.; Zogorski, John S.

    2002-01-01

    Samples of untreated ground water from 1,926 rural, self-supplied domestic wells were analyzed for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) during 1986-99. This information was used to characterize the occurrence and status of VOCs in domestic well water. The samples were either collected as part of the U.S. Geological Survey?s National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program occurrence-assessment studies or were compiled by NAWQA from existing ambient ground-water or source-water-quality monitoring programs conducted by local, State, and other Federal agencies. Water samples were collected at the wellhead prior to treatment or storage. In most samples, 55 target VOCs were analyzed, and occurrence and status information generally was computed at an assessment level of 0.2 mg/L (microgram per liter). At least one VOC was detected in 12 percent of samples (232 samples) at an assessment level of 0.2 mg/L. This detection frequency is relatively low compared to the 26 percent detection frequency of at least one VOC in public sup-ply wells sampled by NAWQA, and the difference may be due, in part, to the higher pumping rates, pumping stress factors, and larger contributing areas of public supply wells. Samples with detections of at least one VOC were collected from wells located in 31 of 39 States. Solvents were the most frequently detected VOC group with detections in 4.6 percent of samples (89 samples) at an assessment level of 0.2 mg/L. The geographic distribution of detections of some VOC groups, such as fumigants and oxygenates, relates to the use pattern of com-pounds in that group. With the exception of com-pounds used in organic synthesis, detection frequencies of VOCs by group are proportional to the average half-life of compounds in the group. When the organic synthesis group is excluded from the analysis, a good correlation exists between the detection frequency of VOCs by group and average half-life of compounds in the group. Individually, VOCs were not commonly detected at an assessment level of 0.2 mg/L, with the seven most frequently detected VOCs found in only 1 to 5 percent of samples. Mixtures (two or more compounds) were a common mode of occurrence for VOCs when no assessment level was applied, and mixtures occurred in one-half of all samples that contained at least one VOC. Only 1.4 percent of samples (27 samples) had one or more VOC concentrations that exceeded a federally established drinking-water standard or health criterion. Only 0.1 percent of samples (2 samples) had one or more VOC concentrations that exceeded a taste/odor threshold. Potential point sources of VOCs near domestic wells are numerous. Leaks from under-ground storage tanks and aboveground storage tanks that hold gasoline, diesel fuel, or heating oil have the potential to be major point sources of contaminants to domestic wells. Shock chlorination may be a source of trichloromethane and other trihalomethanes in some domestic wells. Septic systems are believed to be an important source of contaminants to domestic wells, but extensive research on this subject does not exist. VOCs frequently are ingredients in household products such as cleansers and insecticides, and some VOCs have been found in septic systems.

  6. GIS-based technology for marine geohazards in LW3-1 Gas Field of the South China Sea

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Su, Tianyun; Liu, Lejun; Li, Xishuang; Hu, Guanghai; Liu, Haixing; Zhou, Lin

    2013-04-01

    The exploration and exploitation of deep-water oil-gas are apt to be suffered from high-risk geo-hazards such as submarine landslide, soft clay creep, shallow gas, excess pore-water pressure, mud volcano or mud diaper, salt dome and so on. Therefore, it is necessary to survey the seafloor topography, identify the unfavourable geological risks and investigate their environment and mechanism before exploiting the deep-water oil-gas. Because of complex environment, the submarine phenomenon and features, like marine geohazards, can not be recognized directly. Multi-disciplinary data are acquired and analysed comprehensively in order to get more clear understanding about the submarine processes. The data include multi-beam bathymetry data, sidescan sonar images, seismic data, shallow-bottom profiling images, boring data, etc.. Such data sets nowadays increase rapidly to large amounts, but may be heterogeneous and have different resolutions. It is difficult to make good management and utilization of such submarine data with traditional means. GIS technology can provide efficient and powerful tools or services in such aspects as spatial data management, processing, analysis and visualization. They further promote the submarine scientific research and engineering development. The Liwan 3-1 Gas Field, the first deep-water gas field in China, is located in the Zhu II Depression in the Zhujiang Basin along the continental slope of the northern South China Sea. The exploitation of this field is designed to establish subsea wellhead and to use submarine pipeline for the transportation of oil. The deep-water section of the pipeline route in the gas field is to be selected to pass through the northern continental slope of the South China Sea. To avoid huge economic loss and ecological environmental damage, it is necessary to evaluate the geo-hazards for the establishment and safe operation of the pipeline. Based on previous scientific research results, several survey cruises have been carried out with ships and AUV to collect multidisciplinary and massive submarine data such as multi-beam bathymetric data, sidescan sonar images, shallow-bottom profiling images, high-resolution multi-channel seismic data and boring test data. In order to make good use of these precious data, GIS technology is used in our research. Data model is designed to depict the structure, organization and relationship between multi disciplinary submarine data. With these data models, database is established to manage and share the attribute and spatial data effectively. The spatial datasets, such as contours, TIN models, DEM models, etc., can be generated. Some submarine characteristics, such as slope, aspects, curvature, landslide volume, etc., can be calculated and extracted with spatial analysis tools. The thematic map can be produced easily based on database and generated spatial dataset. Through thematic map, the multidisciplinary data spatial relationship can be easily established and provide helpful information for regional submarine geohazards identification, assessments and prediction. The produced thematic map of the LW3-1 Gas Field, reveal the strike of the seafloor topography to be NE to SW. Five geomorphological zones have been divided, which include the outer continental shelf margin zone with sand waves and mega-ripples, the continental slope zone with coral reefs and sand waves, the continental slope zone with a monocline shape, the continental slope zone with fault terraces and the continental slope zone with turbidity current deposits.

  7. Abiotic Versus Biotic Weathering Of Olivine As Possible Biosignatures

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

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

    2001-01-01

    We are investigating the weathering of silicate minerals by both purely inorganic, and biologically mediated processes using field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS). By resolving surface textures and chemical compositions of weathered surfaces at the sub-micron scale we hope to be able to distinguish abiotic from biotic weathering processes and so establish a new biosignature applicable to the study of astromaterials including but not limited to the Martian meteorites. Sterilized olivine grains (San Carlos, Arizona) no more than 1-2 mm in their longest dimension were optically assayed to be uniform in color and free of inclusions were selected as weathering subjects. Prior to all experiments surface morphologies and Fe/Mg ratios were determined for each grain using FE-SEM and EDS. Experiments were divided into two categories abiotic and biotic and were compared with "naturally" weathered samples. For the preliminary experiments, two trials (open and closed to the ambient laboratory environment) were performed under abiotic conditions, and three trials under biotic conditions (control, day 1 and day 2). The open system abiotic trials used sterile grains heated at 98 C and 200 C for both 24 and 48 hours in 1L double distilled de-ionized water. The closed system abiotic trials were conducted under the same conditions but in a sealed two layer steel/Teflon "bomb" apparatus. The biotic trials used sterile grains mounted in a flow-through device attached to a wellhead on the Columbia River aquifer. Several discolored, altered, grains were selected to document "natural" weathering surface textures for comparison with the experimental samples. Preliminary results indicate there are qualitative differences in weathered surface textures among all the designed experiments. The olivine grains in abiotic trials displayed etching, pitting, denticulate margins, dissolution and clay formation. The scale of the features ranged from tens to a few microns with textures that remained relatively sharp and were crystallographically controlled. These results were comparable to that observed in the "naturally" weathered comparison/reference grains. Chemical analysis by EDS indicates these textures correlated with the relative loss of Mg and Fe cations by diffusional processes. In contrast the biotic results indicated changes in the etching patterns on the scale of hundreds of nm, which are neither sharp nor crystallographically controlled (nanoetching). Organisms, organic debris and/or extracellular polymeric substances (biofilm) were often in close proximity or direct contact with the nanoetching. While there are many poorly constrained variables in natural weathering experiments to contend with, such as the time scale, the chemistry of the fluids and degree of biologic participation, some preliminary observations can be made: (1) certain distinct surface textures appear correlated with the specific processes giving rise to these textures; (2) the process of diffusing cations can produce many similar styles of surface textural changes; and (3) the main difference between abiotic and biotically produced weathering is the scale (microns versus nanometers) and the style (crystallographically versus noncrystallographically controlled) of the textural features. Further investigation into nanosize scale surface textures should attempt to quantify both textures and chemical changes of the role of microorganisms in the weathering of silicates. Additional experiments addressing nanoscale textures of shock features for comparison with the current data set.

  8. Assessment of local seismic response of the Stracciacappa maar (Central Italy)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Moscatelli, Massimiliano; Simionato, Maurizio; Gaudiosi, Iolanda; Sottili, Gianluca; Pagliaroli, Alessandro; Sirianni, Pietro; Pileggi, Domenico; Avalle, Alessandra; Giallini, Silvia; Razzano, Roberto; Mancini, Marco; Vignaroli, Gianluca; Piscitelli, Sabatino; Bellanova, Jessica; Calamita, Giuseppe; Perrone, Angela; Lanzo, Giuseppe

    2016-04-01

    In this work, we face the definition of a subsoil model aimed at the local seismic response assessment of the Stracciacappa maar (Sabatini Volcanic District, central Italy) (e.g., De Rita and Zanetti, 1986; Marra et al., 2014). The pyroclastic succession of Stracciacappa records two main hydromagmatic eruptive phases ended about 0.09 Ma ago (e.g., Sottili et al., 2010). The preserved crater, with a diameter of about 1500 meters and a crater floor of about 30-40 m, hosted a lake until it was drained in AD 1834. In the framework of the cooperation between CNR IGAG and Italian Department of Civil Protection (DPC) of the Presidency of Council of Ministers (DPC funds 2014), a multidisciplinary approach including detailed stratigraphic and geophysical study has been carried out in the Stracciacappa maar and surrounding areas. New geological map and cross sections illustrate the complex geometric relationships between the thick pyroclastic surge succession, showing diffuse sandwave structures, and even meter-sized lava ballistic. A composite interdigitation between lacustrine and epiclastic debris sediments fills the crater floor. A continuous coring borehole was drilled inside the crater, 45 meters deep from the wellhead, with sampling of undisturbed samples. In addition, four MASW and one SCPTU test were carried out, in order to define the velocity profile of the s-waves within the lacustrine deposits. This Vs profile was then extended at higher depths by using the results of four 2D seismic passive arrays. Moreover, in order to define the resonance frequency of sedimentary covers via the HVSR technique, twenty-eight measurements were carried out with digital sensor Tromino® and seven measurements were performed with a Lennartz® Le-3D/5s sensor with Lennartz Marslite® digitizer. Finally, three electrical resistivity tomography tests, with a total length of about 3500 meters, were carried out with the purpose of constraining the subsoil model. Regarding the non linear properties of soils, the cyclic soil behavior was investigated in laboratory through the Double Specimen Direct Simple Shear device. Particular care was given to organic clays within the lacustrine deposits, which show a stronger linearity and lower damping ratio with respect to inorganic clays of similar plasticity. The collected geological-geophysical dataset suggests the coalescence of several eruptive centres localized at different depths and laterally distributed within the present-day Stracciacappa maar. Data are currently processed for subsequent 2D and 3D numerical simulations of site effects. REFERENCES De Rita D. and Zanetti G., 1986. I centri esplosivi di Baccano e di Stracciacappe (Sabatini orientali, Roma): analogie e differenze della modellistica esplosiva in funzione del grado di interazione acqua/magma. Memorie della Società Geologica Italiana, 35, 689-697. Marra F., Sottili G., Gaeta M., Giaccio B., Jicha B., Masotta M., Palladino D.M., Deocampo D.M., 2014. Major explosive activity in the Monti Sabatini Volcanic District (central Italy) over the 800-390 ka interval: geochronological-geochemical overview and tephrostratigraphic implications Sottili G., Palladino D.M., Marra F., Jicha B., Karner D.B., Renne P., 2010. Geochronology of the most recent activity in the Sabatini Volcanic District, Roman Province, central Italy. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 196, 20-30.

  9. Bringing Fenton Hill into the Digital Age: Data Conversion in Support of the Geothermal Technologies Office Code Comparison Study Challenge Problems

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

    White, Signe K.; Kelkar, Sharad M.; Brown, Don W.

    The Geothermal Technologies Office Code Comparison Study (GTO-CCS) was established by the U.S. Department of Energy to facilitate collaboration among members of the geothermal modeling community and to evaluate and improve upon the ability of existing codes to simulate thermal, hydrological, mechanical, and chemical processes associated with complex enhanced geothermal systems (EGS). The first stage of the project, which has been completed, involved comparing simulations for seven benchmark problems that were primarily designed using well-prescribed, simplified data sets. In the second stage, the participating teams are tackling two challenge problems based on the EGS research conducted in hot dry rockmore » (HDR) at Fenton Hill, near Los Alamos, New Mexico. The Fenton Hill project, conducted by Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) from 1970 to 1995, was the world’s first HDR demonstration project. One of the criteria for selecting this experiment as the basis for the challenge problems was the amount and availability of data for generating model inputs. The Fenton Hill HDR system consisted of two reservoirs – an earlier Phase I reservoir tested from 1974 to 1981 and a deeper Phase II reservoir tested from 1980 to 1995. Detailed accounts of both phases of the HDR project have been presented in a number of books and reports, including a recently published summary of the lessons learned and a final report with a chronological description of the Fenton Hill project, prepared by LANL. Project documents and records have been archived and made public through the National Geothermal Data System (NGDS). Some of the data acquired from Phase II are available in electronic format readable on modern computers. These include the microseismic data from some of the important experiments (e.g. the massive hydraulic fracturing test conducted in 1983) and the injection/production wellhead data from the circulation tests conducted between 1992-1995. However, much of the data collected during the project, while publicly available, currently only exist in the form of tables or graphs within scanned documents. Therefore, in support of the GTO-CCS, the data needed for developing simulation inputs are being compiled and converted to platform independent, open readable formats so that all participating teams will have access to the same electronic data set. In some cases this requires conversion using optical character recognition, digitizing existing images, and generating the appropriate metadata from project documents. The GTO-Velo knowledge management framework, developed by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), was used for the benchmark problem stage of the comparison study and will also be used as the data repository for the challenge problem data sets. It is staggering and impractical to convert all published data for the Fenton Hill site, so the focus is on data that supports simulations for the three topical areas defined by the study for the challenge problems: 1) reservoir creation/stimulation, 2) reactive and passive transport, and 3) thermal recovery. Conversion of these data provide value not only to GTO-CCS participants, but also to members of the geothermal community at large who may be interested in revisiting the Fenton Hill experiment in the future.« less

  10. Model Refinement and Simulation of Groundwater Flow in Clinton, Eaton, and Ingham Counties, Michigan

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Luukkonen, Carol L.

    2010-01-01

    A groundwater-flow model that was constructed in 1996 of the Saginaw aquifer was refined to better represent the regional hydrologic system in the Tri-County region, which consists of Clinton, Eaton, and Ingham Counties, Michigan. With increasing demand for groundwater, the need to manage withdrawals from the Saginaw aquifer has become more important, and the 1996 model could not adequately address issues of water quality and quantity. An updated model was needed to better address potential effects of drought, locally high water demands, reduction of recharge by impervious surfaces, and issues affecting water quality, such as contaminant sources, on water resources and the selection of pumping rates and locations. The refinement of the groundwater-flow model allows simulations to address these issues of water quantity and quality and provides communities with a tool that will enable them to better plan for expansion and protection of their groundwater-supply systems. Model refinement included representation of the system under steady-state and transient conditions, adjustments to the estimated regional groundwater-recharge rates to account for both temporal and spatial differences, adjustments to the representation and hydraulic characteristics of the glacial deposits and Saginaw Formation, and updates to groundwater-withdrawal rates to reflect changes from the early 1900s to 2005. Simulations included steady-state conditions (in which stresses remained constant and changes in storage were not included) and transient conditions (in which stresses changed in annual and monthly time scales and changes in storage within the system were included). These simulations included investigation of the potential effects of reduced recharge due to impervious areas or to low-rainfall/drought conditions, delineation of contributing areas with recent pumping rates, and optimization of pumping subject to various quantity and quality constraints. Simulation results indicate potential declines in water levels in both the upper glacial aquifer and the upper sandstone bedrock aquifer under steady-state and transient conditions when recharge was reduced by 20 and 50 percent in urban areas. Transient simulations were done to investigate reduced recharge due to low rainfall and increased pumping to meet anticipated future demand with 24 months (2 years) of modified recharge or modified recharge and pumping rates. During these two simulation years, monthly recharge rates were reduced by about 30 percent, and monthly withdrawal rates for Lansing area production wells were increased by 15 percent. The reduction in the amount of water available to recharge the groundwater system affects the upper model layers representing the glacial aquifers more than the deeper bedrock layers. However, with a reduction in recharge and an increase in withdrawals from the bedrock aquifer, water levels in the bedrock layers are affected more than those in the glacial layers. Differences in water levels between simulations with reduced recharge and reduced recharge with increased pumping are greatest in the Lansing area and least away from pumping centers, as expected. Additionally, the increases in pumping rates had minimal effect on most simulated streamflows. Additional simulations included updating the estimated 10-year wellhead-contributing areas for selected Lansing-area wells under 2006-7 pumping conditions. Optimization of groundwater withdrawals with a water-resource management model was done to determine withdrawal rates while minimizing operational costs and to determine withdrawal locations to achieve additional capacity while meeting specified head constraints. In these optimization scenarios, the desired groundwater withdrawals are achieved by simulating managed wells (where pumping rates can be optimized) and unmanaged wells (where pumping rates are not optimized) and by using various combinations of existing and proposed well locations.

  11. The Areal Extent of Continuous Type Gas Accumulations in Lower Silurian Clinton Sands and Medina Group Sandstones of the Appalachian Basin and the Environments Affected by Their Development

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Wandrey, C.J.; Ryder, Robert T.; Nuccio, Vito F.; Aggen, Kerry L.

    1997-01-01

    In order to best preserve and manage our energy and natural resources we must understand the relationships between these resources and the impacts of their development. To further this understanding the U.S. Geological Survey is studying unconventional continuous-type and, to a lesser extent, conventional oil and gas accumulations and the environmental impacts associated with their development. Continuous-type gas accumulations are generally characterized by low matrix permeabilities, large areal extents, and no distinct water contacts. This basin scale map shows the overall extent of these accumulations and the general land use types that may be impacted by their development. The Appalachian Basin has the longest history of oil and gas exploration and production in the United States. Since Drake's Titusville discovery well was drilled in 1859, oil and gas has been continuously produced in the basin. While there is still a great deal of oil and gas production, new field discoveries are rare and relatively small. For most of the second half of the 20th century the Appalachian basin has been considered a mature petroleum province because most of the large plays have already been discovered and developed. One exception to this trend is the Lower Silurian Clinton Sands and Medina Group Gas play which is being developed in New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. This continuous-type gas play has been expanding since the early 1970's (see inset maps). In the 1980's economic incentives such as large increases in wellhead prices further stimulated continuous-type gas resource development. Continuous-type gas plays can be large in areal extent and in thickness. 'Sweetspots' (areas of greater prodcution) are hard to predict and generally associated with better than average permeabilities, and enhanced by natural fracture systems. With an overall success rate often approaching 90%, drilling most of the play with closely spaced wells is often the best way to maximize gas recovery. Some positive economic characteristics associated with the development of these continuous-type accumulations are high success rates, low drilling and development costs, and low water production, which results in low water disposal costs. Large areas within the Appalachian basin with good potential for this type of gas accumulation remain to be tested. Positive environmental characteristics include, a clean energy source, low water production, and relatively low surface impact. Some negative characteristics associated with these continuous -type accumulations are low individual well production rates and small well drainage area. Negative environmental characteristics are primarily related to the dense well spacing used to develop the resource to its full potential. Often negative environmental impacts such as surface disturbance can be greatly reduced. The number of well sites can be decreased by using a single centrally located surface location and associated facilities for several directionally or horizonatally drilled wells. This also minimizes the transportation infrastructure (access roads and pipelines) required to maintain the wells and deliver the gas. Visual impacts can be reduced by selecting well locations visible only over short distances. While the prospective area is large, potential decreases basin- ward and toward the northeast and southwest. These areas are represented by the lower potential plays 6727, 6730, and 6731. The U.S. Geological Survey landuse and landcover data was derived from USGS 1:250,000 and 1:100,000 scale maps. This information was collected between the mid 1970s to mid 1980s. The land use and land cover data was mapped and coded using the Anderson classification system (Anderson, 1975) which is a hierarchical system of general (level 1) to more specific (level 2) characterization. Level 1 characterization was used for this map; the land use and land cover designations are displayed below in the Explanation. T

  12. Methods for regional assessment of geothermal resources

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Muffler, P.; Cataldi, R.

    1978-01-01

    A consistent, agreed-upon terminology is prerequisite for geothermal resource assessment. Accordingly, we propose a logical, sequential subdivision of the "geothermal resource base", accepting its definition as all the thermal energy in the earth's crust under a given area, measured from mean annual temperature. That part of the resource base which is shallow enough to be tapped by production drilling is termed the "accessible resource base", and it in turn is divided into "useful" and "residual" components. The useful component (i.e. the thermal energy that could reasonably be extracted at costs competitive with other forms of energy at some specified future time) is termed the "geothermal resource". This in turn is divided into "economic" and "subeconomic" components, based on conditions existing at the time of assessment. In the format of a McKelvey diagram, this logic defines the vertical axis (degree of economic feasibility). The horizontal axis (degree of geologic assurance) contains "identified" and "undiscovered" components. "Reserve" is then designated as the identified economic resource. All categories should be expressed in units of thermal energy, with resource and reserve figures calculated at wellhead, prior to the inevitable large losses inherent in any practical thermal use or in conversion to electricity. Methods for assessing geothermal resources can be grouped into 4 classes: (a) surface thermal flux, (b) volume, (c) planar fracture and (d) magmatic heat budget. The volume method appears to be most useful because (1) it is applicable to virtually any geologic environment, (2) the required parameters can in Sprinciple be measured or estimated, (3) the inevitable errors are in part compensated and (4) the major uncertainties (recoverability and resupply) are amenable to resolution in the foreseeable future. The major weakness in all the methods rests in the estimation of how much of the accessible resource base can be extracted at some time in the future. In a manner similar to mineral and fuel assessment, this recoverability is expressed as a "recovery factor". For an ideally permeable hot-water system, the recovery factor may be as much as 50% and seems to be independent of temperature. It must decrease as effective porosity (??e) decreases, but the relation between the two is little more than a guess. On the other hand, for favorable systems like Larderello that produce steam by a mechanism of intergranular vaporization, the recovery factor is probably around 15-20%, decreasing to zero at an effective porosity of zero. According to the anlysis of Bodvarsson (1974), it increases with decreasing reservoir temperature, and as pointed out by Nathenson (1975a) is limited at low temperatures by the need to have sufficient reservoir pressure for extraction and use. The extent to which a geothermal reservoir can be resupplied with heat during "industrial" times of 10-100 yr can be evaluated using simple analytical models. The results, combined with gravity and levelling data of Hunt (1977) for Wairakei and Isherwood (1977) for The Geysers, confirm earlier conclusions by Ramey (1970) and Nathenson (1975a) that resupply to reservoirs producing only steam can be neglected, and the conclusion of Nathenson (1975a) that it may be significant for hot-water systems of high natural discharge. Major subjects that demand continuing investigation include: 1. 1. Determination of recovery factors as functions of temperature and effective porosity, particularly for hot-water systems. 2. 2. Evaluation of fluid recharge and heat resupply by repetitive gravity, levelling and underground temperature surveys in producing geothermal fields. 3. 3. Analysis of the extent to which a recovery factor can be enhanced by stimulation and by use of confined circulation loops. ?? 1979.

  13. Initiation of long-term coupled microbiological, geochemical, and hydrological experimentation within the seafloor at North Pond, western flank of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Edwards, K.J.; Backert, N.; Bach, W.; Becker, K.; Klaus, A.; Griffin, Dale W.; Anderson, L.; Haddad, A.G.; Harigane, Y.; Campion, P.L.; Hirayama, H.; Mills, H.J.; Hulme, S.M.; Nakamura, K.; Jorgensen, S.L.; Orcutt, B.; Insua, T.L.; Park, Y.-S.; Rennie, V.; Salas, E.C.; Rouxel, O.; Wang, F.; Russel, J.A.; Wheat, C.G.; Sakata, K.; Brown, M.; Magnusson, J.L.; Ettlinger, Z.

    2012-01-01

    Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) Expedition 336 successfully initiated subseafloor observatory science at a young mid-ocean-ridge flank setting. All of the drilled sites are located in the North Pond region of the Atlantic Ocean (22??45'N, 46??05'W) in 4414-4483 m water depth. This area is known from previous ocean drilling and site survey investigations as a site of particularly vigorous circulation of seawater in permeable 8 Ma basaltic basement underlying a <300 m thick sedimentary pile. Understanding how this seawater circulation affects microbial and geochemical processes in the uppermost basement was the primary science objective of Expedition 336. Basement was cored and wireline-logged in Holes U1382A and U1383C. Upper oceanic crust in Hole U1382A, which is only 50 m west of Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP) Hole 395A, recovered 32 m of core between 110 and 210 meters below seafloor (mbsf). Core recovery in basement was 32%, yielding a number of volcanic flow units with distinct geochemical and petrographic characteristics. A unit of sedimentary breccia containing clasts of basalt, gabbroic rocks, and mantle peridotite was found intercalated between two volcanic flow units and was interpreted as a rock slide deposit. From Hole U1383C we recovered 50.3 m of core between 69.5 and 331.5 mbsf (19%). The basalts are aphyric to highly plagioclase-olivine-phyric tholeiites that fall on a liquid line of descent controlled by olivine fractionation. They are fresh to moderately altered, with clay minerals (saponite, nontronite, and celadonite), Fe oxyhydroxide, carbonate, and zeolite as secondary phases replacing glass and olivine to variable extents. In addition to traditional downhole logs, we also used a new logging tool for detecting in situ microbial life in ocean floor boreholes-the Deep Exploration Biosphere Investigative tool (DEBI-t). Sediment thickness was ???90 m at Sites U1382 and U1384 and varied between 38 and 53 m at Site U1383. The sediments are predominantly nannofossil ooze with layers of coarse foraminiferal sand and occasional pebble-size clasts of basalt, serpentinite, gabbroic rocks, and bivalve debris. The bottommost meters of sections cored with the advanced piston corer feature brown clay. Extended core barrel coring at the sediment/basement interface recovered <1 m of brecciated basalt with micritic limestone. Sediments were intensely sampled for geochemical pore water analyses and microbiological work. In addition, high-resolution measurements of dissolved oxygen concentration were performed on the whole-round sediment cores. Major strides in ridge-flank studies have been made with subseafloor borehole observatories (CORKs) because they facilitate combined hydrological, geochemical, and microbiological studies and controlled experimentation in the subseafloor. During Expedition 336, two fully functional observatories were installed in two newly drilled holes (U1382A and U1383C) and an instrument and sampling string were placed in an existing hole (395A). Although the CORK wellhead in Hole 395A broke off and Hole U1383B was abandoned after a bit failure, these holes and installations are intended for future observatory science targets. The CORK observatory in Hole U1382A has a packer seal in the bottom of the casing and monitors/samples a single zone in uppermost oceanic crust extending from 90 to 210 mbsf. Hole U1383C was equipped with a three-level CORK observatory that spans a zone of thin basalt flows with intercalated limestone (???70-146 mbsf), a zone of glassy, thin basaltic flows and hyaloclastites (146-200 mbsf), and a lowermost zone (???200-331.5 mbsf) of more massive pillow flows with occasional hyaloclastites in the upper part.

  14. The 2016 groundwater flow model for Dane County, Wisconsin

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Parsen, Michael J.; Bradbury, Kenneth R.; Hunt, Randall J.; Feinstein, Daniel T.

    2016-01-01

    A new groundwater flow model for Dane County, Wisconsin, replaces an earlier model developed in the 1990s by the Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey (WGNHS) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). This modeling study was conducted cooperatively by the WGNHS and the USGS with funding from the Capital Area Regional Planning Commission (CARPC). Although the overall conceptual model of the groundwater system remains largely unchanged, the incorporation of newly acquired high-quality datasets, recent research findings, and improved modeling and calibration techniques have led to the development of a more detailed and sophisticated model representation of the groundwater system. The new model is three-dimensional and transient, and conceptualizes the county’s hydrogeology as a 12-layer system including all major unlithified and bedrock hydrostratigraphic units and two high-conductivity horizontal fracture zones. Beginning from the surface down, the model represents the unlithified deposits as two distinct model layers (1 and 2). A single layer (3) simulates the Ordovician sandstone and dolomite of the Sinnipee, Ancell, and Prairie du Chien Groups. Sandstone of the Jordan Formation (layer 4) and silty dolostone of the St. Lawrence Formation (layer 5) each comprise separate model layers. The underlying glauconitic sandstone of the Tunnel City Group makes up three distinct layers: an upper aquifer (layer 6), a fracture feature (layer 7), and a lower aquifer (layer 8). The fracture layer represents a network of horizontal bedding-plane fractures that serve as a preferential pathway for groundwater flow. The model simulates the sandstone of the Wonewoc Formation as an upper aquifer (layer 9) with a bedding-plane fracture feature (layer 10) at its base. The Eau Claire aquitard (layer 11) includes shale beds within the upper portion of the Eau Claire Formation. This layer, along with overlying bedrock units, is mostly absent in the preglacially eroded valleys along the Yahara River valley and in northeastern Dane County. Layer 12 represents the Mount Simon sandstone as the lowermost model layer. It directly overlies the Precambrian crystalline basement rock, whose top surface forms the lower boundary of the model. The model uses the USGS MODFLOW-NWT finite-difference code, a standalone version of MODFLOW-2005 that incorporates the Newton (NWT) solver. MODFLOW-NWT improves the handling of unconfined conditions by smoothing the transition from wet to dry cells. The model explicitly simulates groundwater–surface-water interaction with streamflow routing and lake-level fluctuation. Model input included published and unpublished hydrogeologic data from recent estimates of aquifer hydraulic conductivities. A spatial groundwater recharge distribution was obtained from a recent GIS-based, soil-water-balance model for Dane County. Groundwater withdrawals from pumping were simulated for 572 wells across the entire model domain, which includes Dane County and portions of seven neighboring counties—Columbia, Dodge, Green, Iowa, Jefferson, Lafayette, and Rock. These wells withdrew an average of 60 million gallons per day (mgd) over the 5-year period from 2006 through 2010. Within Dane County, 385 wells were simulated with an average withdrawal rate of 52 mgd.Model calibration used the parameter estimation code PEST, and calibration targets included heads, stream and spring flows, lake levels, and borehole flows. Steady-state calibration focused on the period 2006 through 2010; the transient calibration focused on the 7-week drought period from late May through July 2012. This model represents a significant step forward from previous work because of its finer grid resolution, improved hydrostratigraphic discretization, transient capabilities, and more sophisticated representation of surface-water features and multi-aquifer wells.Potential applications of the model include evaluation of potential sites for and impacts of new high-capacity wells, development of wellhead protection plans, evaluating the effects of changing land use and climate on groundwater, and quantifying the relationships between groundwater and surface water.

  15. Gas Hydrate Characterization in the GoM using Marine EM Methods

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

    Constable, Steven

    In spite of the importance of gas hydrate as a low-carbon fuel, a possible contributor to rapid climate change, and a significant natural hazard, our current understanding about the amount and distribution of submarine gas hydrate is somewhat poor; estimates of total volume vary by at least an order of magnitude, and commercially useful concentrations of hydrate have remained an elusive target. This is largely because conventional geophysical tools have intrinsic limitations in their ability to quantitatively image hydrate. It has long been known from well logs that gas hydrate is resistive compared to the host sediments, and electrical andmore » electromagnetic methods have been proposed and occasionally used to image hydrates. This project seeks to expand our capabilities to use electromagnetic methods to explore for gas hydrate in the marine environment. An important basic science aspect of our work was to quantify the resistivity of pure gas hydrate as a function of temperature at seafloor pressures. We designed, constructed, and tested a highpressure cell in which hydrate could be synthesized and then subjected to electrical conductivity measurements. Impedance spectroscopy at frequencies between 20 Hz and 2 MHz was used to separate the effect of the blocking electrodes from the intrinsic conductivity of the hydrate. We obtained very reproducible results that showed that pure methane hydrate was several times more resistive than the water ice that seeded the synthesis, 20,000 {Ohm}m at 0{degrees} C, and that the activation energy is 30.6 kJ/mol over the temperature range of -15 to 15{degrees} C. Adding silica sand to the hydrate, however, showed that the addition of the extra phase caused the conductivity of the assemblage to increase in a counterintuitive way. The fact that the increased conductivity collapsed after a percolation threshold was reached, and that the addition of glass beads does not produce a similar increase in conductivity, together suggest that while the surface of the gas hydrate grains are not intrinsically conductive, the presence of sand does increase their conductivity. In the field component of this project, we carried out an 18day cruise on the R.V. Roger Revelle in the Gulf of Mexico from 7th-26th October 2008 to collect controlled-source electromagnetic (CSEM) data over four hydrate prospects; blocks AC 818, WR 313, GC 955, and MC 118. During these surveys we deployed 30 ocean bottom electromagnetic (OBEM) recorders a total of 94 times at four survey areas and towed the Scripps Undersea Electromagnetic Source Instrument (SUESI) a total of 103 hours. SUESI transmission was 200 A on a 50 m dipole antenna at heights of 70-100 m above the seafloor. We also towed a neutrally buoyant 3-axis electric field recorder behind the SUESI antenna at a constant offset of 300 m. The use of a towed receiver that is "flown" above the seafloor allowed us to operate in areas where seafloor infrastructure such as wellheads, pipelines, and installed scientific equipment existed. We reduced the data to apparent resistivity psuedosections. The most compelling results come from the hydrate observatory at MC 118, where a localized resistivity anomaly is clearly identified under the southeast crater in an otherwise uniform 1 {Ohm}m background. The data from MC 118 also show that authigenic carbonate does not necessarily express itself as a confounding resistor, as was feared at the start of this project. While the results from the other prospects are much more complicated, the data are well correlated with known geology, and line to line agreement is good. Although these data are not amenable to 1D inversion as was initially hoped, we expect to use a newly developed 2D CSEM inversion code to continue to get useful information from this rich data set.« less

  16. Current knowledge on groundwater microbial pathogens and their control

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Macler, Bruce A.; Merkle, Jon C.

    Those who drink groundwater that has not been disinfected are at increased risk of infection and disease from pathogenic microorganisms. Recent studies have shown that up to half of all US drinking-water wells tested had evidence of fecal contamination. A significant fraction of all waterborne disease outbreaks is associated with groundwater. An estimated 750,000 to 5.9million illnesses per year result from contaminated groundwaters in the US. Mortality from these illnesses may be 1400-9400 deaths per year. Control of these pathogens starts with source-water protection activities to prevent fecal contamination of aquifers and wells. These include assessment of wellhead vulnerability to fecal contamination and correction of identified deficiencies. Correction may include control of sources or rehabilitation of the well itself. Disinfection can serve as a useful barrier and is recommended as a prudent public-health policy for all groundwater systems. Ceux qui boivent une eau souterraine non désinfectée présentent un risque accru d'infection et de maladie par des germes pathogènes. De récentes études ont montré que près de la moitié de tous les puits américains testés, captés pour l'eau potable, sont soumis à une contamination fécale. Une fraction significative de l'ensemble des premières manifestations de maladies liées à l'eau est associée aux eaux souterraines. On estime qu'entre 750 000 et 5,9millions de personnes sont malades chaque année aux États-Unis à cause d'eaux souterraines polluées. La mortalité parmi ces malades doit ètre de l'ordre de 1400 à 9400 décès par an. La protection contre ces germes pathogènes commence avec des mesures prises au niveau du captage pour empècher la pollution des aquifères et des puits. Celles-ci comprennent une évaluation de la vulnérabilité des tètes de puits à la pollution fécale et une correction des insuffisances mises en évidence. Cette correction peut comprendre une maîtrise des sources de pollution ou la réhabilitation du puits lui-mème. La désinfection peut ètre une précaution utile et est recommandée comme une mesure prudente de santé publique pour toutes les nappes aquifères. Beber agua subterránea no desinfectada supone un riesgo de infección por microorganismos patógenos. Estudios recientes muestran que la mitad de los pozos de abastecimiento analizados en los EEUU presentan evidencia de contaminación fecal. Un porcentaje significativo de la aparición de enfermedades transmitidas por el agua puede asociarse a las aguas subterráneas, estimándose que por contaminación de las mismas se registran, sólo en ese país, entre 750.000 y 5.9millones de personas enfermas y entre 1400-9400 muertos por año. El control de estos patógenos empieza con la protección de la fuente para prevenir la contaminación fecal de pozos y acuíferos. Esto supone evaluar la vulnerabilidad y corregir las posibles deficiencias detectadas, lo que incluye controlar los trabajos de rehabilitación del propio pozo. La desinfección puede servir como una barrera a los microorganismos patógenos, por lo que se recomienda como una política prudente de salud pública en zonas abastecidas con aguas subterráneas.

  17. Quality Characteristics of Ground Water in the Ozark Aquifer of Northwestern Arkansas, Southeastern Kansas, Southwestern Missouri, and Northeastern Oklahoma, 2006-07

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Pope, L.M.; Mehl, H.E.; Coiner, R.L.

    2009-01-01

    Because of water quantity and quality concerns within the Ozark aquifer, the State of Kansas in 2004 issued a moratorium on most new appropriations from the aquifer until results were made available from a cooperative study between the U.S. Geological Survey and the Kansas Water Office. The purposes of the study were to develop a regional ground-water flow model and a water-quality assessment of the Ozark aquifer in northwestern Arkansas, southeastern Kansas, southwestern Missouri, and northeastern Oklahoma (study area). In 2006 and 2007, water-quality samples were collected from 40 water-supply wells completed in the Ozark aquifer and spatially distributed throughout the study area. Samples were analyzed for physical properties, dissolved solids and major ions, nutrients, trace elements, and selected isotopes. This report presents the results of the water-quality assessment part of the cooperative study. Water-quality characteristics were evaluated relative to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency drinking-water standards. Secondary Drinking-Water Regulations were exceeded for dissolved solids (11 wells), sulfate and chloride (2 wells each), fluoride (3 wells), iron (4 wells), and manganese (2 wells). Maximum Contaminant Levels were exceeded for turbidity (3 wells) and fluoride (1 well). The Maximum Contaminant Level Goal for lead (0 milligrams per liter) was exceeded in water from 12 wells. Analyses of isotopes in water from wells along two 60-mile long ground-water flow paths indicated that water in the Ozark aquifer was at least 60 years old but the upper age limit is uncertain. The source of recharge water for the wells along the flow paths appeared to be of meteoric origin because of isotopic similarity to the established Global Meteoric Water Line and a global precipitation relation. Additionally, analysis of hydrogen-3 (3H) and carbon-14 (14C) indicated that there was possible leakage of younger ground water into the lower part of the Ozark aquifer. This may be caused by cracks or fissures in the confining unit that separates the upper and lower parts of the aquifer, poorly constructed or abandoned wells, or historic mining activities. Analyses of major ions in water from wells along the flow paths indicated a transition from freshwater in the east to saline water in the west. Generally, ground water along flow paths evolved from a calcium magnesium bicarbonate type to a sodium calcium bicarbonate or a sodium calcium chloride bicarbonate type as water moved from recharge areas in Missouri into Kansas. Much of this evolution occurred within the last 20 to 25 miles of the flow paths along a water-quality transition zone near the Kansas-Missouri State line and west. The water quality of the Kansas part of the Ozark aquifer is degraded compared to the Missouri part. Geophysical and well-bore flow information and depth-dependent water-quality samples were collected from a large-capacity (1,900-2,300 gallons per minute) municipal-supply well to evaluate vertical ground-water flow accretion and variability in water-quality characteristics at different levels. Although the 1,050-foot deep supply well had 500 feet of borehole open to the Ozark aquifer, 77 percent of ground-water flow entering the borehole came from two 20-foot thick rock layers above the 1,000-foot level. For the most part, water-quality characteristics changed little from the deepest sample to the well-head sample, and upwelling of saline water from deeper geologic formations below the well was not evident. However, more saline water may be present below the bottom of the well.

  18. Leakage Risk Assessment of CO{sub 2} Transportation by Pipeline at the Illinois Basin Decatur Project, Decatur, Illinois

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

    Mazzoldi, A.; Oldenburg, C. M.

    The Illinois Basin Decatur Project (IBDP) is designed to confirm the ability of the Mt. Simon Sandstone, a major regional saline-water-bearing formation in the Illinois Basin, to store 1 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) injected over a period of three years. The CO{sub 2} will be provided by Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) from its Decatur, Illinois, ethanol plant. In order to transport CO{sub 2} from the capture facility to the injection well (also located within the ADM plant boundaries), a high-pressure pipeline of length 3,200 ft (975 m) has been constructed, running above the ground surface within themore » ADM plant footprint. We have qualitatively evaluated risks associated with possible pipeline failure scenarios that lead to discharge of CO{sub 2} within the real-world environment of the ADM plant in which there are often workers and visitors in the vicinity of the pipeline. There are several aspects of CO{sub 2} that make its transportation and potential leakage somewhat different from other substances, most notable is its non-flammability and propensity to change to solid (dry ice) upon strong decompression. In this study, we present numerical simulations using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) methods of the release and dispersion of CO{sub 2} from individual hypothetical pipeline failures (i.e., leaks). Failure frequency of the various components of a pipeline transportation system over time are taken from prior work on general pipeline safety and leakage modeling and suggest a 4.65% chance of some kind of pipeline failure over the three-years of operation. Following the Precautionary Principle (see below), we accounted for full-bore leakage scenarios, where the temporal evolution of the mass release rate from the high-pressure pipeline leak locations was simulated using a state-of-the-art Pipe model which considers the thermodynamic effects of decompression in the entire pipeline. Failures have been simulated at four representative locations along the pipeline route within the ADM plant. Leakage scenarios at sites along the route of the pipeline, where plant operations (e.g., vehicular and train transportation) seem to present a higher likelihood of accidental failure, for example due to vehicles or equipment crashing into the pipeline and completely severing it, were modeled by allowing them to have a double source consistent with the pipeline releasing high-pressure CO{sub 2} from both ends of the broken pipe after a full-bore offset rupture. Simulation results show that the built environment of the plant plays a significant role in the dispersion of the gas as leaking CO{sub 2} can impinge upon buildings and other infrastructure. In all scenarios simulated, the region of very high-concentration of CO{sub 2} is limited to a small area around the pipeline failure, suggesting the likelihood of widespread harmful CO{sub 2} exposure to plant personnel from pipeline leakage is low. An additional risk is posed by the blast wave that emanates from a high-pressure pipeline when it is breached quickly. We estimate the blast wave risk as low because it occurs only for a short time in the immediate vicinity of the rupture, and requires an instantaneous large-scale rupture to occur. We recommend consideration of signage and guard rails and posts to mitigate the likelihood of vehicles crashing into the pipeline. A standardized emergency response plan applicable to capture plants within industrial sites could be developed based on the IBDP that would be useful for other capture plants. Finally, we recommend carrying out coupled wellbore-reservoir blowout scenario modeling to understand the potential for hazardous conditions arising from an unexpected blowout at the wellhead.« less

  19. Determination of hydrologic properties needed to calculate average linear velocity and travel time of ground water in the principal aquifer underlying the southeastern part of Salt Lake Valley, Utah

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Freethey, G.W.; Spangler, L.E.; Monheiser, W.J.

    1994-01-01

    A 48-square-mile area in the southeastern part of the Salt Lake Valley, Utah, was studied to determine if generalized information obtained from geologic maps, water-level maps, and drillers' logs could be used to estimate hydraulic conduc- tivity, porosity, and slope of the potentiometric surface: the three properties needed to calculate average linear velocity of ground water. Estimated values of these properties could be used by water- management and regulatory agencies to compute values of average linear velocity, which could be further used to estimate travel time of ground water along selected flow lines, and thus to determine wellhead protection areas around public- supply wells. The methods used to estimate the three properties are based on assumptions about the drillers' descriptions, the depositional history of the sediments, and the boundary con- ditions of the hydrologic system. These assump- tions were based on geologic and hydrologic infor- mation determined from previous investigations. The reliability of the estimated values for hydro- logic properties and average linear velocity depends on the accuracy of these assumptions. Hydraulic conductivity of the principal aquifer was estimated by calculating the thickness- weighted average of values assigned to different drillers' descriptions of material penetrated during the construction of 98 wells. Using these 98 control points, the study area was divided into zones representing approximate hydraulic- conductivity values of 20, 60, 100, 140, 180, 220, and 250 feet per day. This range of values is about the same range of values used in developing a ground-water flow model of the principal aquifer in the early 1980s. Porosity of the principal aquifer was estimated by compiling the range of porosity values determined or estimated during previous investigations of basin-fill sediments, and then using five different values ranging from 15 to 35 percent to delineate zones in the study area that were assumed to be underlain by similar deposits. Delineation of the zones was based on depositional history of the area and the distri- bution of sediments shown on a surficial geologic map. Water levels in wells were measured twice in 1990: during late winter when ground-water with- drawals were the least and water levels the highest, and again in late summer, when ground- water withdrawals were the greatest and water levels the lowest. These water levels were used to construct potentiometric-contour maps and subsequently to determine the variability of the slope in the potentiometric surface in the area. Values for the three properties, derived from the described sources of information, were used to produce a map showing the general distribution of average linear velocity of ground water moving through the principal aquifer of the study area. Velocity derived ranged from 0.06 to 144 feet per day with a median of about 3 feet per day. Values were slightly faster for late summer 1990 than for late winter 1990, mainly because increased with- drawal of water during the summer created slightly steeper hydraulic-head gradients between the recharge area near the mountain front and the well fields farther to the west. The fastest average linear-velocity values were located at the mouth of Little Cottonwood Canyon and south of Dry Creek near the mountain front, where the hydraulic con- ductivity was estimated to be the largest because the drillers described the sediments to be pre- dominantly clean and coarse grained. Both of these areas also had steep slopes in the potentiometric surface. Other areas where average linear velocity was fast included small areas near pumping wells where the slope in the potentiometric surface was locally steepened. No apparent relation between average linear velocity and porosity could be seen in the mapped distributions of these two properties. Calculation of travel time along a flow line to a well in the southwestern part of the study area during the sum

  20. Developpement d'outils de gestion des biogaz produits par les lieux d'enfouissement sanitaire

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Heroux, Martin

    The work carried out focused on two stages: (1) estimate methane emissions to the atmosphere or oxidized by methanothophic bacteria and, (2) study the behaviour and the efficiency of the CESM's landfill gas collecting system. This work is presented in three scientific articles constituting the corp of this thesis. For the first stage, work related to estimating emissions into the atmosphere was carried out throughout the summer of 2004, on three test areas covering a surface varying between 1000 and 4800 m2. The goal was to determine the effect that the air temperature, atmospheric pressure fluctuations, and precipitation, had on methane emissions. A complete 3 factors/2 levels (23) factorial experiment demonstrated that methane emissions increase when temperature goes down, when there was no rainfall during the last few days before emissions measurements, and when atmospheric pressure decrease. The observed effects can mainly be explained by the advective flow, diffusive flow, as well as biological oxidation of methane. On the basis of these experiments, a statistical analysis of variance (ANOVA) model was developed. Using this model, it was possible to calculate that during the summer of 2004, 54% of emissions were produced during only 17% of the time. Work of the first stage, on the biological oxidation of methane took place over two seasons, the fall of 2004 and the summer of 2005. Oxidation rate was measures at 60 occasions at four specific locations. These oxidation rates vary between 14% and 100%. The method used is the flux method for carbon contained in methane and carbon dioxide. Carbon isotopic composition measurements validated the oxidation rates calculated by the flux method. Flux intensity is the main factor influencing the oxidation rate. Observed kinetics parameters KM and Vmax, calculated with Michaelis-Menten equation, are 1.25 mol m-3 and 0.127 mole m-3 h -1 respectively. The temperature's effect is also observed when we compare the data collected in the fall of 2004 with that gathered in the summer of 2005. The obtained results led to evaluate that biological oxidation contributes to considerably reduce the methane emissions into the atmosphere. During the three months of summer 2005, net methane emissions were estimated to be approximately 20 tons and would have been 170 without any oxidation. For the second stage, the behavior and performance of the landfill gas collection network was studied between January 2004 and June 2006. In all, approximately 7200 flow measurements of the main landfill gas components were taken at the wellheads and 32000 at the pumping station. They were compiled into groups of six months and analyzed. Similarities in the behavior of wells from one zone to another were established by the statistical analysis of the data. These similarities, first of all, helped establish that approximately 205 wells would presently be sufficient for an optimal network and that the number of wells should progressively decrease to about 150 from now to 2020. They then helped complete behavior projections for wells located in the more recent zones based on the behavior of wells situated in the older zones. Based on the analysis made, three tools were developed. The first is a tool that rapidly evaluates the state of wells in a zone by comparing the average flow of methane collected by each of the wells during a given period with a representative flow curve that the wells should produce. The other two tools estimate the optimal number of wells required for a network based on the projected tons of buried waste over time or the anticipated rate of landfill gas generated. All the work completed led, therefore, to the development of easy-to-use and inexpensive tools and methods. These tools fill a need for landfill gas collection system operators. They could, however, be improved with further research. Also, it is recommended to test them on other sites to validate their applicability and identify their similarities. It is also recommended to test the methodology related to emission estimations during the other seasons and adapt them if necessary. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

  1. Silurian "Clinton" Sandstone Reservoir Characterization for Evaluation of CO2-EOR Potential in the East Canton Oil Field, Ohio

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

    Riley, Ronald; Wicks, John; Perry, Christopher

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of using CO2-enhanced oil recovery (EOR) in the East Canton oil field (ECOF). Discovered in 1947, the ECOF in northeastern Ohio has produced approximately 95 million barrels (MMbbl) of oil from the Silurian “Clinton” sandstone. The original oil-in-place (OOIP) for this field was approximately 1.5 billion bbl and this study estimates by modeling known reservoir parameters, that between 76 and 279 MMbbl of additional oil could be produced through secondary recovery in this field, depending on the fluid and formation response to CO2 injection. A CO2 cyclic test (“Huff-n-Puff”) wasmore » conducted on a well in Stark County to test the injectivity in a “Clinton”-producing oil well in the ECOF and estimate the dispersion or potential breakthrough of the CO2 to surrounding wells. Eighty-one tons of CO2 (1.39 MMCF) were injected over a 20-hour period, after which the well was shut in for a 32-day “soak” period before production was resumed. Results demonstrated injection rates of 1.67 MMCF of gas per day, which was much higher than anticipated and no CO2 was detected in gas samples taken from eight immediately offsetting observation wells. All data collected during this test was analyzed, interpreted, and incorporated into the reservoir characterization study and used to develop the geologic model. The geologic model was used as input into a reservoir simulation performed by Fekete Associates, Inc., to estimate the behavior of reservoir fluids when large quantities of CO2 are injected into the “Clinton” sandstone. Results strongly suggest that the majority of the injected CO2 entered the matrix porosity of the reservoir pay zones, where it diffused into the oil. Evidence includes: (A) the volume of injected CO2 greatly exceeded the estimated capacity of the hydraulic fracture and natural fractures; (B) there was a gradual injection and pressure rate build-up during the test; (C) there was a subsequent, gradual flashout of the CO2 within the reservoir during the ensuing monitored production period; and (D) a large amount of CO2 continually off-gassed from wellhead oil samples collected as late as 3½ months after injection. After the test well was returned to production, it produced 174 bbl of oil during a 60-day period (September 22 to November 21, 2008), which represents an estimated 58 percent increase in incremental oil production over preinjection estimates of production under normal, conditions. The geologic model was used in a reservoir simulation model for a 700-acre model area and to design a pilot to test the model. The model was designed to achieve a 1-year response time and a five-year simulation period. The reservoir simulation modeling indicated that the injection wells could enhance oil production and lead to an additional 20 percent recovery in the pilot area over a five-year period. The base case estimated that by injecting 500 MCF per day of CO2 into each of the four corner wells, 26,000 STBO would be produced by the central producer over the five-year period. This would compare to 3,000 STBO if a new well were drilled without the benefit of CO2 injection. This study has added significant knowledge to the reservoir characterization of the “Clinton” in the ECOF and succeeded in identifying a range on CO2-EOR potential. However, additional data on fluid properties (PVT and swelling test), fractures (oriented core and microseis), and reservoir characteristics (relative permeability, capillary pressure, and wet ability) are needed to further narrow the uncertainties and refine the reservoir model and simulation. After collection of this data and refinement of the model and simulation, it is recommended that a larger scale cyclic- CO2 injection test be conducted to better determine the efficacy of CO2-EOR in the “Clinton” reservoir in the ECOF.« less

  2. Silurian "Clinton" Sandstone Reservoir Characterization for Evaluation of CO2-EOR Potential in the East Canton Oil Field, Ohio

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

    Ronald Riley; John Wicks; Christopher Perry

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of using CO2-enhanced oil recovery (EOR) in the East Canton oil field (ECOF). Discovered in 1947, the ECOF in northeastern Ohio has produced approximately 95 million barrels (MMbbl) of oil from the Silurian 'Clinton' sandstone. The original oil-in-place (OOIP) for this field was approximately 1.5 billion bbl and this study estimates by modeling known reservoir parameters, that between 76 and 279 MMbbl of additional oil could be produced through secondary recovery in this field, depending on the fluid and formation response to CO2 injection. A CO2 cyclic test ('Huff-n-Puff') wasmore » conducted on a well in Stark County to test the injectivity in a 'Clinton'-producing oil well in the ECOF and estimate the dispersion or potential breakthrough of the CO2 to surrounding wells. Eighty-one tons of CO2 (1.39 MMCF) were injected over a 20-hour period, after which the well was shut in for a 32-day 'soak' period before production was resumed. Results demonstrated injection rates of 1.67 MMCF of gas per day, which was much higher than anticipated and no CO2 was detected in gas samples taken from eight immediately offsetting observation wells. All data collected during this test was analyzed, interpreted, and incorporated into the reservoir characterization study and used to develop the geologic model. The geologic model was used as input into a reservoir simulation performed by Fekete Associates, Inc., to estimate the behavior of reservoir fluids when large quantities of CO2 are injected into the 'Clinton' sandstone. Results strongly suggest that the majority of the injected CO2 entered the matrix porosity of the reservoir pay zones, where it diffused into the oil. Evidence includes: (A) the volume of injected CO2 greatly exceeded the estimated capacity of the hydraulic fracture and natural fractures; (B) there was a gradual injection and pressure rate build-up during the test; (C) there was a subsequent, gradual flashout of the CO2 within the reservoir during the ensuing monitored production period; and (D) a large amount of CO2 continually off-gassed from wellhead oil samples collected as late as 3 1/2 months after injection. After the test well was returned to production, it produced 174 bbl of oil during a 60-day period (September 22 to November 21, 2008), which represents an estimated 58 percent increase in incremental oil production over preinjection estimates of production under normal, conditions. The geologic model was used in a reservoir simulation model for a 700-acre model area and to design a pilot to test the model. The model was designed to achieve a 1-year response time and a five-year simulation period. The reservoir simulation modeling indicated that the injection wells could enhance oil production and lead to an additional 20 percent recovery in the pilot area over a five-year period. The base case estimated that by injecting 500 MCF per day of CO2 into each of the four corner wells, 26,000 STBO would be produced by the central producer over the five-year period. This would compare to 3,000 STBO if a new well were drilled without the benefit of CO2 injection. This study has added significant knowledge to the reservoir characterization of the 'Clinton' in the ECOF and succeeded in identifying a range on CO2-EOR potential. However, additional data on fluid properties (PVT and swelling test), fractures (oriented core and microseis), and reservoir characteristics (relative permeability, capillary pressure, and wet ability) are needed to further narrow the uncertainties and refine the reservoir model and simulation. After collection of this data and refinement of the model and simulation, it is recommended that a larger scale cyclic-CO2 injection test be conducted to better determine the efficacy of CO2-EOR in the 'Clinton' reservoir in the ECOF.« less

  3. Physical, chemical, and biological aspects of subsurface organic waste injection near Wilmington, North Carolina

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Leenheer, J.A.; Malcolm, R.L.; White, W.R.

    1976-01-01

    From May 1968 to December 1972, an industrial organic waste was injected at rates of 100 to 200 gallons per minute (6.3 to 12.6 litres per second) into a sand, gravel, and limestone aquifer of Late Cretaceous age by Hercules Inc. located near Wilmington, North Carolina. This report presents both field and laboratory data pertaining to the physical, chemical, and biological effects of waste injection into the subsurface at this particular site, a case history of the operation, predictions of the reactions between certain organic wastes and the aquifer components, and descriptions of the effects of these reactions on the subsurface movement of the wastes. The case history documents a situation in which subsurface waste injection could not be considered a successful means of waste disposal. The first injection well was used only for 1 year due to excessive wellhead pressure build-up above the specified pressure limit of 150 pounds per square inch (10.3 bars). A second injection well drilled as a replacement operated for only 5 months before it too began to have problems with plugging. Upward leakage of waste into shallower aquifers was also detected at several wells in the injection-observation well system. The multiple problems of plugging, high pressures, and waste leakage suggested that the reactive nature of the waste with the aquifer into which it was injected was the primary reason for the difficulties experienced with waste injection. A site study was initiated in June 1971 to investigate waste-aquifer interactions. The first stage of the study determined the hydrogeologic conditions at the site, and characterized the industrial waste and the native ground water found in the injection zone and other aquifers. The injection zone consisted of multiple permeable zones ranging in depth from about 850 to 1,000 feet (259 to 305 metres) below land surface. In addition to the injection zone, aquifers were found near depths of 60, 300, 500, and 700 feet (18, 91, 152, and 213 metres) below land surface. The aquifers from 300 feet (91 metres) down to the injection zone were flowing artesian with the natural pressure of the injection zone being 65 feet (20 metres) above land surface at the site. The dissolved solids concentration in the native ground water increased with depth to an average value of 20,800 mg/l (milligram per litre) (two-thirds that of seawater) in the water from the injection zone. Sodium chloride was the major dissolved solid, and all of the ground water below 300-feet (91-metres) depth was slightly alkaline. Dissolved organic carbon of the industrial waste averaged 7,100 mg/l and 95 percent of the organic carbon was identified and quantified. The major organic waste constituents in order of decreasing abundance were acetic acid, formic acid, p-toluic acid, formaldehyde, methanol, terephthalic acid, phthalic acid, and benzoic acid. Prior to injection, the waste was neutralized with lime to pH 4 so that the major inorganic waste constituent was calcium at a concentration of 1,300 mg/l. The second stage of the site study involved the observation of waste-aquifer interactions at various wells as the waste arrived and passed by the wells. Water samples obtained from three observation wells located 1,500 to 2,000 feet (457 to 607 metres) from the original injection well gave evidence for biochemical waste transformations at low waste concentrations. Gas that effervesced from these water samples contained up to 54 percent methane by volume. Ferrous iron concentrations as high as 35 mg/l, hydrogen sulfide gas, and sulfide precipitates were additional indicators of biochemical reductive processes in the subsurface environment. Approximately 3,000 organisms per millilitre were found in uncontaminated ground water from the injection zone whereas in waste-contaminated wells, the number increased to levels as high as 1,000,000 organisms per millilitre. High concentrations of waste were found to be toxic to microo

  4. Assessing the vulnerability of public-supply wells to contamination--Glacial aquifer system in Woodbury, Connecticut

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Jagucki, Martha L.; Brown, Craig J.; Starn, J. Jeffrey; Eberts, Sandra M.

    2010-01-01

    This fact sheet highlights findings from the vulnerability study of a public-supply well in Woodbury, Connecticut. The well typically produces water at the rate of 72 gallons per minute from the glacial aquifer system in the Pomperaug River Basin. Water samples were collected at the public-supply well and at monitoring wells installed in or near the simulated zone of contribution to the supply well. Samples of untreated water from the public-supply wellhead contained several types of undesirable constituents, including 11 volatile organic compounds (VOCs), nitrate, pesticides, uranium, and radon. Most of these constituents were detected at concentrations below drinking-water standards, where such standards exist. Only concentrations of the VOC trichlorethylene exceeded the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) of 5 micrograms per liter (ug/L) established by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for drinking water. Radon concentrations exceeded a proposed-but not finalized-MCL of 300 picocuries per liter (pCi/L). Overall, the study findings point to four main factors that affect the movement and fate of contaminants and the vulnerability of the public-supply well in Woodbury: (1) groundwater age (how long ago water entered, or recharged, the aquifer); (2) the percentage of recharge received through urban areas; (3) the percentage of recharge received through dry wells and their proximity to the public-supply well; and (4) natural geochemical processes occurring within the aquifer system; that is, processes that affect the amounts and distribution of chemical substances in aquifer sediments and groundwater. A computer-model simulation of groundwater flow to the public-supply well was used to estimate the age of water particles entering the well along the length of the well screen. About 90 percent of the simulated flow to the well consists of water that entered the aquifer 9 or fewer years ago. Such young water is vulnerable to contaminants resulting from human activities, as indicated by the solvents, fuel components, road salt, and septic-system leachate that were detected in the glacial aquifer system during the current study. Age-dating combined with chemical modeling suggests that less than 2 percent of water produced by the public-supply well is water from the deep bedrock that is "old" (water that recharged, or entered, the aquifer before 1952). Such a small percentage of old groundwater entering the public-supply well offers little potential for dilution of young waters containing contaminants from human activities. Shallow groundwater that originated as recharge through urban areas generally had higher median concentrations and more detections of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) than did groundwater from the deep glacial deposits or fractured bedrock that originated mainly as recharge through agricultural and undeveloped land. Shallow groundwater was also found to be affected by road salt and septic-system leachate. A chemical mixing model indicates that up to 15 percent of nitrate in water from the supply well is likely from septic-system leachate. The Connecticut Department of Public Health has identified several potential sources of contamination in the commercial area of Woodbury (several light industrial or commercial properties where hazardous materials and petroleum products are used and stored). To reduce stormwater runoff in the commercial area, water from the parking lots and pavement is channeled into dry wells-drains that shunt water directly into the aquifer system, bypassing the soil and unsaturated zones. A computer-model simulation of groundwater flow indicates that approximately 16 percent of the water produced by the public-supply well is derived from runoff captured by these drains. Traveltime for water from the dry wells to the public-supply well ranges from about 1.5 to less than 4 years. Dry wells have the potential to enhance contaminant movement to the supply well, suggesting that stormwater-control methods cannot be considered separately from groundwater quality—they are linked. Water-quality protection in this setting depends on the entire community. If residents and businesses take steps to reduce input of manmade contaminants to groundwater, a positive effect on quality of the supply-well water might begin to be seen in less than 10 years, owing to the short residence time of water in the aquifer.

  5. Hydrology of the Jackson, Tennessee, area and delineation of areas contributing ground water to the Jackson well fields

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Bailey, Z.C.

    1993-01-01

    A comprehensive hydrologic investigation of the Jackson area in Madison County, Tennessee, was conducted to provide information for the development of a wellhead-protection program for two municipal well fields. The136-square-mile study area is between the Middle Fork Forked Deer and South Fork Forked Deer Rivers and includes the city of Jackson. The formations that underlie and crop out in the study area, in descending order, are the Memphis Sand, Fort Pillow Sand, and Porters Creek Clay. The saturated thickness of the Memphis Sand ranges from 0 to 270 feet; the Fort Pillow Sand, from 0 to 180 feet. The Porters Creek Clay, which ranges from 130 to 320 feet thick, separates a deeper formation, the McNairy Sand, from the shallower units. Estimates by other investigators of hydraulic conductivity for the Memphis Sand range from 80 to 202 feet per day. Estimates of transmissivity of the Memphis Sand range from 2,700 to 33,000 feet squared per day. Estimates of hydraulic conductivity for the Fort Pillow Sand range from 68 to 167 feet per day, and estimates of transmissivity of that unit range from 6,700 to 10,050 feet squared per day. A finite-difference, ground-water flow model was calibrated to steady-state hydrologic conditions of April 1989, and was used to simulate hypothetical pumping plans for the North and South Well Fields. The aquifers were represented as three layers in the model to simulate the ground-water flow system. Layer 1 is the saturated part of the Memphis Sand; layer 2 is the upper half of the Fort Pillow Sand; and layer 3 is the lower half of the Fort Pillow Sand. The steady-state water budget of the simulated system showed that more than half of the inflow to the ground-water system is underflow from the model boundaries. Most of this inflow is discharged as seepage to the rivers and to pumping wells. Slightly less than half of the inflow is from areal recharge and recharge from streams. About 75 percent of the discharge from the system is into the streams, lakes, and out of the model area through a small quantity of ground-water underflow. The remaining 25 percent is discharge to pumping wells. The calibrated model was modified to simulate the effects on the ground-water system of three hypothetical pumping plans that increased pumping from the North Well Field to up to 20 million gallons per day, and from the South Well Field, to up to 15 million gallons per day. Maximum drawdown resulting from the 20 million-gallons-per-day rate of simulated pumping was 44.7 feet in a node containing a pumping well, and maximum drawdown over an extended area was about 38 feet. Up to 34 percent of ground-water seepage to streams in the calibrated model was intercepted by pumping in the simulations. A maximum of 9 percent more water was induced through model boundaries. A particle-tracking program, MODPATH, was used to delineate areas contributing water to the North and South Well Fields for the calibrated model and the three pumping simulations, and to estimate distances for different times-of-travel to the wells. The size of the area contributing water to the North Well Field, defined by the 5-year time-of-travel capture zone, is about 0.8 by 1.8 miles for the calibrated model and pumping plan 1. The size of the area for pumping plan 2 is 1.1 by 2.0 miles and, for pumping plan 3, 1.6 by 2.2 miles. The range of distance for l-year time-of-travel to individual wells is 200 to 800 feet for the calibrated model and plan 1, and 350 to 950 feet for plans 2 and 3. The size of the area contributing water to the South Well Field, defined by the 5-year time-of-travel capture zone, is about 0.8 by 1.4 miles for the calibrated model. The size of the area for pumping plans 1 and 3 is 1.6 by 2.2 miles and, for pumping plan 2, 1.1 by 1.7 miles. The range of distance for l-year time-of-travel to individual wells is 120 to 530 feet for the calibrated model, 670 to 1,300 feet for pumping plans 1 and 3, and 260 to 850 feet

  6. Summary of hydrogeologic and ground-water-quality data and hydrogeologic framework at selected well sites, Adams County, Pennsylvania

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Low, Dennis J.; Dugas, Diana L.

    1999-01-01

    Rapid population growth in Adams County has increased the demand for ground water and led Adams County planning officials to undertake an effort to evaluate the capabilities of existing community water systems to meet future, projected growth and to begin wellhead-protection programs for public-supply wells. As part of this effort, this report summarizes ground-water data on a countywide scale and provides hydrogeologic information needed to delineate wellheadprotection areas in three hydrogeologic units (Gettysburg Lowland, Blue Ridge, and Piedmont Lowland).Reported yields, specific capacities, well depths, and reported overburden thickness can vary by hydrogeologic unit, geologic formation, water use (domestic and nondomestic), and topographic setting. The reported yields of domestic wells drilled in the Gettysburg Lowland (median reported yield of 10 gallons per minute) are significantly greater than the reported yields from the Blue Ridge, Piedmont Lowland, and Piedmont Upland (median reported yields of 7.0, 8.0, and 7.0 gallons per minute, respectively). Reported yields of domestic wells completed in the diabase and the New Oxford Formation of the Gettysburg Lowland, and in the metarhyolite and metabasalt of the Blue Ridge, are significantly lower than reported yields of wells completed in the Gettysburg Formation. For nondomestic wells, reported yields from the Conestoga Formation of the Piedmont Lowland are significantly greater than in the diabase. Reported yields of nondomestic wells drilled in the Gettysburg, New Oxford, and Conestoga Formations, and the metarhyolite are significantly greater than those for domestic wells drilled in the respective geologic formations. Specific capacities of nondomestic wells in the Conestoga and Gettysburg Formations are significantly greater than their domestic counterparts. Specific capacities of nondomestic wells in the Conestoga Formation are significantly greater than the specific capacities of nondomestic wells in the metarhyolite, diabase, and Gettysburg and New Oxford Formations.Well depths do not vary considerably by hydrogeologic unit; instead, the greatest variability is by water use. Nondomestic wells drilled in the metarhyolite, Kinzers, Conestoga, Gettysburg, and New Oxford Formations are completed at significantly greater depths than their domestic counterparts. The reported thickness of overburden varies significantly by geologic formation and water use, but not by topographic setting. The median overburden thickness of the Blue Ridge (35 feet) is greater than in any other hydrologic unit.Except where adversely affected by human activities, ground water in Adams County is suitable for most purposes. Calcium and magnesium are the dominant cations, and bicarbonate is the dominant anion. In general, the pH and hardness of ground water is lower in areas that are underlain by crystalline rocks (Blue Ridge and Piedmont Upland) than in areas underlain by sedimentary rocks, especially where limestone or dolomite is dominant (Piedmont Lowland). Dissolved nitrate (as N) and dissolved nitrite (as N) concentrations in the water from 9 of 69 wells and 3 of 80 wells sampled exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) maximum contaminant levels (MCL) of 10 and 1.0 mg/L (milligrams per liter), respectively. Sulfate concentrations greater than the proposed USEPA MCL of 500 mg/L were reported from the water in 3 of 110 wells sampled. Iron concentrations in the water from 13 of 67 wells sampled and manganese in the water from 9 of 64 wells sampled exceeded the USEPA secondary maximum contaminant level (SMCL) of 300 and 50 mg/L (micrograms per liter), respectively. Aluminum concentrations in the water from 16 of 22 wells sampled exceeded the lower USEPA SMCL threshold of 50 µg/L. Pesticides were detected in the water from seven wells but at concentrations that did not exceed USEPA MCL's. Most volatile organic compounds detected in the ground water were confined to USEPA Superfund sites or the immediate area around the sites.The hydrogeologic framework in the vicinity of four public-supply well fields (Gettysburg, Abbottstown, Fairfield, and Littlestown) consists of two zones—an upper zone and a lower zone. In general, the upper zone is thin (5 to 60 feet or more) and dominated by saturated regolith and deeply weathered bedrock. The upper zone is bounded at the top by the water table and below by bedrock in which secondary porosity and permeability are considerably lower. Ground water is generally unconfined, and recharge rates are rapid. Ground-water flow is influenced more strongly by the topography of the ground surface and bedrock surface than by geologic structure. The lower zone is relatively thick (400 to 1,000 feet) and consists of slightly weathered to highly competent bedrock. Ground-water flow paths in the lower zone are generally greater and recharge rates are longer than in the upper zone; confined conditions are common, especially at depth.

  7. Handbook: Collecting Groundwater Samples from Monitoring Wells in Frenchman Flat, CAU 98

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

    Chapman, Jenny; Lyles, Brad; Cooper, Clay

    Frenchman Flat basin on the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) contains Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 98, which is comprised of ten underground nuclear test locations. Environmental management of these test locations is part of the Underground Test Area (UGTA) Activity conducted by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) under the Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order (FFACO) (1996, as amended) with the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) and the State of Nevada. A Corrective Action Decision Document (CADD)/Corrective Action Plan (CAP) has been approved for CAU 98 (DOE, 2011). The CADD/CAP reports on the Corrective Action Investigation that was conductedmore » for the CAU, which included characterization and modeling. It also presents the recommended corrective actions to address the objective of protecting human health and the environment. The recommended corrective action alternative is “Closure in Place with Modeling, Monitoring, and Institutional Controls.” The role of monitoring is to verify that Contaminants of Concern (COCs) have not exceeded the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) limits (Code of Federal Regulations, 2014) at the regulatory boundary, to ensure that institutional controls are adequate, and to monitor for changed conditions that could affect the closure conditions. The long-term closure monitoring program will be planned and implemented as part of the Closure Report stage after activities specified in the CADD/CAP are complete. Groundwater at the NNSS has been monitored for decades through a variety of programs. Current activities were recently consolidated in an NNSS Integrated Sampling Plan (DOE, 2014). Although monitoring directed by the plan is not intended to meet the FFACO long-term monitoring requirements for a CAU (which will be defined in the Closure Report), the objective to ensure public health protection is similar. It is expected that data collected in accordance with the plan will support the transition to long-term monitoring at each CAU. The sampling plan is designed to ensure that monitoring activities occur in compliance with the UGTA Quality Assurance Plan (DOE, 2012). The sampling plan should be referenced for Quality Assurance (QA) elements and procedures governing sampling activities. The NNSS Integrated Sampling Plan specifies the groundwater monitoring that will occur in CAU 98 until the long-term monitoring program is approved in the Closure Report. The plan specifies the wells that must be monitored and categorizes them by their sampling objective with the associated analytical requirements and frequency. Possible sample collection methods and required standard operating procedures are also presented. The intent of this handbook is to augment the NNSS Integrated Sampling Plan by providing well-specific details for the sampling professional implementing the Sampling Plan in CAU 98, Frenchman Flat. This handbook includes each CAU 98 well designated for sampling in the NNSS Integrated Sampling Plan. The following information is provided in the individual well sections: 1. The purpose of sampling. 2. A physical description of the well. 3. The chemical characteristics of the formation water. 4. Recommended protocols for purging and sampling. The well-specific information has been gathered from numerous historical and current sources cited in each section, but two particularly valuable resources merit special mention. These are the USGS NNSS website (http://nevada.usgs.gov/doe_nv/ntsarea5.cfm) and the UGTA Field Operations website (https://ugta.nv.doe.gov/sites/Field%20Operations/default.aspx). 2 Land surface elevation and measuring point for water level measurements in Frenchman Flat were a focus during CAU investigations (see Appendix B, Attachment 1 in Navarro-Intera, 2014). Both websites listed above provide information on the accepted datum for each well. A summary is found on the home page for the well on the USGS website. Additional information is available through a link in the “Available Data” section to an “MP diagram” with a photo annotated with the datum information. On the UGTA Field Operations well page, the same information is in the “Wellhead Diagram” link. Well RNM-2s does not have an annotated photo at this time. All of the CAU 98 monitoring wells are located within Area 5 of Frenchman Flat, with the exception of ER-11-2 in Area 11 (Figure 1). The wells are clustered in two areas: the northern area (Figure 2) and the central area (Figure 3). Each well is discussed below in geographic order from north to south as follows: ER-11-2, ER-5-3 shallow piezometer, ER-5-3-2, ER-5-5, RNM-1, RNM-2s, and UE-5n.« less

  8. Risk assessment in fractured porous media with particular reference to water catchments

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Enzenhoefer, R.; Helmig, R.; Nowak, W.; Binning, P. J.

    2009-04-01

    About 75% of the drinking water in Germany is drawn from groundwater. Karstic features can enhance the migration of contaminants to well fields, thus causing an elevated risk of contamination. In order to delineate well-head protection zones, the karstic flow and transport processes have to be understood and areas of high vulnerability have to be known from the perspective of a water constructor or manager. The trend in European legislation is to require probabilistic risk analysis in water supply management (see Water Safety Plan [WHO]). This will require to assess the 50 day line, and other indicators for well vulnerability, within stochastic frameworks. Also, the economic principles of risk (expected damage) minimization or cost/benefit optimization require probabilistic assessment of well vulnerability and well down time after contamination. The aim of this study is to provide a quantitative probabilistic approach to assess well vulnerability in a karstic system, meeting the future needs of water managers and expected legal requirements. To this end, we use a risk concept based on the four intrinsic well-vulnerability measures by Frind [2006], and transfer them to a probabilistic framework. The four vulnerability criteria are: (1)The time between a spill event and peak concentration arrival at the well, (2)The level of peak concentration relative to the spill concentration, (3)The time to breach a threshold concentration (e.g. drinking-water standard) and (4)The time of exposure (i.e., the time during which the threshold concentration is exceeded). This information helps the water manager to prioritize quantitatively the most sensitive areas with the highest risk to the well. To these areas the most efficient protection measures can be applied. Also, contamination sites can be ranked in the relevance of their remediation necessity. In order to model flow and transport processes in a karstic system, the aquifer has to be represented by a stochastic model concept. As a consequence, the four vulnerability criteria are assessed stochastically. The stochastic approach increases computational costs. As a counter-measure, we approximate the transient contaminant transport process by a higher-order expansion in the temporal moments of breakthrough, which we simulate directly from steady-state moment-generating equations [Harvey and Gorelick, 1995]. The computational time saved by the approximation in transient behaviour is then available for stochastic modelling. For further computational savings, we adopt the reverse formulation of well contamination. With the help of a geostatistical fracture-matrix generator [here: Silberhorn-Hemminger, 2002] we generate artificial fractured-matrix systems, representing the mean characteristic karst properties (e.g. fracture density, etc.) within the study area or any artificial aquifer domain. In a Monte Carlo approach, an ensemble of 1000 fracture-matrix systems are randomly generated, and the flow and transport processes are calculated in DuMuX as a one phase two component model. With an inverse formulation of the steady-state transport problem, the capture zone of the well can be calculated for each realization. The mean arrival time at the well may be calculated directly from the first temporal moment equation. Peak contamination level, peak arrival time, threshold arrival time and exposure time require more information than merely the first temporal moment. In order to reconstruct dispersive contaminant dilution and the shape of the breakthrough curve, the second central temporal moment equation (and higher order moment equations) are applied. Then, by statistical analysis of the ensemble results, all four intrinsic well vulnerability measures can be calculated. The final protection area outlines are given by the maximum acceptable risk level for a water manager towards its water supply from the catchment perspective. To validate our approach for a real case scenario, the whole risk concept will later be transferred to a study area, which is located on the Swabian Alb northeast of Ulm at the border to Bavaria. The project partner "Landeswasserversorgung" supplies approx. 60 million m³ groundwater per year for about 3 million inhabitants in the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg, including Stuttgart. Most of the aquifer is Upper Jurassic (Malm) and some parts are Quaternary. For a better understanding of the geological setting and the validation of the model, field tests (tracer tests etc.) can be suggested and optimized by optimal design techniques. Literature: Frind, E.O., Molson, J.W., and Rudolph D.L., "Well Vulnerability: A Quantitative Approach for Source Water Protection", Groundwater, Vol. 44, 2006 Harvey and Gorelick, "Temporal moment-generating equations: Modeling transport and mass transfer in heterogeneous aquifers", Water Resources Research, Vol. 31, No.8, Pages 1895-1911, 1995 Hemminger, A., Neunhäuserer, L. and R. Helmig, "The Reliability of a Stochastic Fracture Generator", ModelCARE 99: International Conference on Calibration and Reliability in Groundwater Modeling - Coping with uncertainty (20. - 23. September 1999, ETH Zurich, Switzerland). IAHS Redbook, Zürich, Schweiz, 2000 World Health Organisation (WHO), „Water Safety plans: Managing drinking-water quality from catchment to consumer", prepared by Annette Davison, Guy Howard, Melita Stevens, Phil Callan, Lorna Fewtrell, Dan Deere and Jamie Bartram, 2005 http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/dwq/wsp0506/en/index.html

  9. Development of a CO 2 Chemical Sensor for Downhole CO 2 Monitoring in Carbon Sequestration

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

    Liu, Ning

    Geologic storage of carbon dioxide (CO 2) has been proposed as a viable means for reducing anthropogenic CO 2 emissions. The means for geological sequestration of CO 2 is injection of supercritical CO 2 underground, which requires the CO 2 to remain either supercritical, or in solution in the water/brine present in the underground formation. However, there are aspects of geologic sequestration that need further study, particularly in regards to safety. To date, none of the geologic sequestration locations have been tested for storage integrity under the changing stress conditions that apply to the sequestration of very large amounts ofmore » CO 2. Establishing environmental safety and addressing public concerns require widespread monitoring of the process in the deep subsurface. In addition, studies of subsurface carbon sequestration such as flow simulations, models of underground reactions and transports require a comprehensive monitoring process to accurately characterize and understand the storage process. Real-time information about underground CO 2 movement and concentration change is highly helpful for: (1) better understanding the uncertainties present in CO 2 geologic storage; (2) improvement of simulation models; and (3) evaluation of the feasibility of geologic CO 2 storage. Current methods to monitor underground CO 2 storage include seismic, geoelectric, isotope and tracer methods, and fluid sampling analysis. However, these methods commonly resulted low resolution, high cost, and the inability to monitor continuously over the long time scales of the CO 2 storage process. A preferred way of monitoring in-situ underground CO 2 migration is to continuous measure CO 2 concentration change in brine during the carbon storage process. An approach to obtain the real time information on CO 2 concentration change in formation solution is highly demanded in carbon storage to understand the CO 2 migration subsurface and to answer the public safety problem. The objective of the study is to develop a downhole CO 2 sensor that can in-situ, continuously monitor CO 2 concentration change in deep saline. The sensor is a Severinghaus-type CO 2 sensor with small size, which renders it can be embedded in monitoring well casing or integrated with pressure/temperature transducers, enabling the development of “smart” wells. The studies included: (1) prepare and characterize metal-oxide electrodes. Test the electrodes response to pH change. Investigate different ions and brine concentration effects on the electrode’s performance. Study the stability of the electrode in brine solution; (2) fabricate a downhole CO 2 sensor with the metal-oxide electrodes prepared in the laboratory. Test the performance of the CO 2 sensor in brine solutions. Study high pressure effects on the performance of the sensor; (3) design and conduct CO 2/brine coreflooding experiments with the CO2 sensor. Monitor CO 2 movement along the core and test the performance of the sensor in coreflooding tests. Develop a data acquisition system that can digitize the sensor’s output voltage. Our completed research has resulted in deep understanding of downhole CO 2 sensor development and CO 2 monitoring in CO 2 storage process. The developed downhole CO 2 sensor included a metal-oxide electrode, a gas-permeable membrane, a porous steel cup, and a bicarbonate-based internal electrolyte solution. Iridium oxide-based electrode was prepared and used for preparation the CO 2 sensor. The prepared iridium oxide-based electrode displayed a linearly response to pH change. Different factors such as different ions and ions concentration, temperature, and pressure effects on the electrode performance on pH response were investigated. The results indicated that the electrode exhibited a good performance even in high salt concentration of produced water. To improve the electrode performance under high pressure, IrO 2 nanoparticles with the particle size in the range of 1-2 nm were prepared and electrodeposited on stainless steel substrate by cyclic voltammetry. It was observed that the thin film of iridium oxide was formed on the substrate surface and such iridium oxide-based electrode displayed excellent performance under high pressure for longer term. A downhole CO 2 sensor with the iridium oxide-based electrode was prepared. The working principle of the CO 2 sensor is based on the measurement of the pH change of the internal electrolyte solution caused by the hydrolysis of CO 2 and then determination of the CO 2 concentration in water. The prepared downhole CO 2 sensor had the size of diameter of 0.7 in. and length of 1.5 in. The sensor was tested under the pressures of 500 psi, 2,000 psi, and 3,000 psi. A linear correlation was observed between the sensor potential change and dissolved CO 2 concentration in water. The response time of the CO 2 sensor was in the range of 60-100 minutes. Further tests indicated that the CO 2 sensor exhibited good reproducibility under high pressure. A CO 2/brine coreflooding system was constructed to simulate the real-world CO 2 storage process. The prepared downhole CO 2 sensor was loaded in the system to monitor CO 2 movement during CO 2/brine coreflooding test. The results indicated that the sensor could detect CO 2 movement in the tests. Further studies showed that the sensor could be recovered by brine flooding after CO 2/brine flushed the core. The results of the coreflooding tests demonstrated that the sensor had potential application for CO 2 monitoring in carbon sequestration. A data acquisition system for the downhoe CO 2 sensor was developed and coded. The system converted the sensor output signal into digital data and transported the data from downhole to wellhead surface. The data acquisition system was tested and evaluated in the laboratory with the prepared sensor for data collection.« less

  10. Anthropogenic organic compounds in source water of select community water systems in the United States, 2002-10

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Valder, Joshua F.; Delzer, Gregory C.; Kingsbury, James A.; Hopple, Jessica A.; Price, Curtis V.; Bender, David A.

    2014-01-01

    Drinking water delivered by community water systems (CWSs) comes from one or both of two sources: surface water and groundwater. Source water is raw, untreated water used by CWSs and is usually treated before distribution to consumers. Beginning in 2002, the U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) National Water-Quality Assessment Program initiated Source Water-Quality Assessments (SWQAs) at select CWSs across the United States, primarily to characterize the occurrence of a large number of anthropogenic organic compounds that are predominantly unregulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Source-water samples from CWSs were collected during 2002–10 from 20 surface-water sites (river intakes) and during 2002–09 from 448 groundwater sites (supply wells). River intakes were sampled approximately 16 times during a 1-year sampling period, and supply wells were sampled once. Samples were monitored for 265 anthropogenic organic compounds. An additional 3 herbicides and 16 herbicide degradates were monitored in samples collected from 8 river intakes and 118 supply wells in areas where these compounds likely have been used. Thirty-seven compounds have an established U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for drinking water, 123 have USGS Health-Based Screening Levels (HBSLs), and 29 are included on the EPA Contaminant Candidate List 3. All compounds detected in source water were evaluated both with and without an assessment level and were grouped into 13 categories (hereafter termed as “use groups”) based on their primary use or source. The CWS sites were characterized in a national context using an extract of the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System to develop spatially derived and system-specific ancillary data. Community water system information is contained in the EPA Public Supply Database, which includes 2,016 active river intakes and 112,099 active supply wells. Ancillary variables including population served, watershed size, land use, population density, and recharge were characterized for each of the watersheds for river intakes and contributing areas for supply wells. A total of 313 samples were collected from 20 river intakes. Between the years of 2002 through 2010, samples were collected approximately 16 times over the course of a year. Seventy-one compounds from 12 of the 13 use groups commonly occurred (detected in greater than or equal to 1 percent of samples using an assessment level of 0.05 microgram per liter or when a compound was detected in greater than or equal to 10 percent of samples without an assessment level) indicating a wide variety of sources and pathways to these rivers and highlighting the importance of source-water protection strategies. A total of 448 supply wells were sampled once during 2002–10 as part of 30 independent groundwater studies. About 15 CWS supply wells were sampled for each independent groundwater study. Twenty-eight compounds from 7 of the 13 use groups commonly occurred indicating a wide variety of sources and pathways exist for these compounds to reach these wells and highlighting the importance of wellhead protection strategies. About one-half the 265 compounds monitored (122) were detected in both surface water and groundwater samples. A more diverse suite of compounds were detected in surface water in comparison to groundwater. However, herbicides and herbicide degradates were the most frequent group of compounds detected in both surface water and groundwater. Sixty-five of the most commonly occurring compounds were detected in one or more samples from both surface water and groundwater. Human-health benchmarks (MCLs for regulated compounds and HBSLs for unregulated compounds) were available for more than one-half the compounds (160 of the 265) monitored in this study. Fifty-eight percent (41 of 71) of the commonly occurring compounds in surface water have a human-health benchmark to which concentrations can be compared; 19 have MCLs and 22 have HBSLs. Eighty-three percent (24 of 28) of the most commonly occurring compounds in groundwater have a human-health benchmark for which concentrations can be compared; 14 have MCLs and 10 have HBSLs. To put results from this study into context with the national distribution of river intakes and supply wells used by CWSs, sites were grouped into the respective national population of land-use quartiles. The increase in compound occurrence with increasing urban and agricultural land use in the watershed or contributing area was more evident for rivers than for supply wells. The increase in detection frequency of herbicides and herbicide degradates with increasing agricultural land use was more evident for rivers than for supply wells. The occurrence of solvents did not change substantially with increasing urban land use for rivers or supply wells. Basic co-occurrence analyses were completed with and without an assessment level. Considering all detections in surface water without an assessment level, approximately 86 percent of source-water samples contained 2 or more compounds, and 50 percent of samples contained at least 14 compounds. Considering all detections in groundwater without an assessment level, 50 percent of samples contained at least three compounds. For the most part, the compounds detected most frequently as individual compounds in the environment often composed the most frequent unique mixtures. Five of the 10 most frequently co-occurring unique mixtures in both surface water and groundwater were the same: atrazine and deethylatrazine; atrazine and chloroform; deethylatrazine and simazine; atrazine and simazine; and deethylatrazine, atrazine, and simazine. Because similar mixtures were identified in both surface water and groundwater without an assessment level, future studies could be directed toward better understanding the toxicological importance of these unique mixtures. Summed concentrations of herbicide degradates were compared to concentrations of the parent herbicides in surface-water and groundwater samples collected from 8 river intakes and 118 CWS wells, from which samples were analyzed for an additional 3 herbicides and 16 degradates. The toxicity to humans for many of these degradate products is largely unknown and thus points to the importance of monitoring these compounds (both the parent and degradate) in the environment. This study highlights the importance of anthropogenic organic compounds in source water of select CWSs in the United States by characterizing their occurrence in surface-water and groundwater samples. Compound concentrations and occurrence are summarized and evaluated in a human-health context, when possible. Additionally, compounds found to co-occur as mixtures for both surface water and groundwater highlight the significance of low-level compound co-occurrence.

  11. Hydrologic assessment of the shallow groundwater flow system beneath the Shinnecock Nation tribal lands, Suffolk County, New York

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Noll, Michael L.; Rivera, Simonette L.; Busciolano, Ronald J.

    2016-12-02

    Defining the distribution and flow of shallow groundwater beneath the Shinnecock Nation tribal lands in Suffolk County, New York, is a crucial first step in identifying sources of potential contamination to the surficial aquifer and coastal ecosystems. The surficial or water table aquifer beneath the tribal lands is the primary source of potable water supply for at least 6 percent of the households on the tribal lands. Oyster fisheries and other marine ecosystems are critical to the livelihood of many residents living on the tribal lands, but are susceptible to contamination from groundwater entering the embayment from the surficial aquifer. Contamination of the surficial aquifer from flooding during intense coastal storms, nutrient loading from fertilizers, and septic effluent have been identified as potential sources of human and ecological health concerns on tribal lands.The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) facilitated the installation of 17 water table wells on and adjacent to the tribal lands during March 2014. These wells were combined with other existing wells to create a 32-well water table monitoring network that was used to assess local hydrologic conditions. Survey-grade, global-navigation-satellite systems provided centimeter-level accuracy for positioning wellhead surveys. Water levels were measured by the USGS during May (spring) and November (fall) 2014 to evaluate seasonal effects on the water table. Water level measurements were made at high and low tide during May 2014 to identify potential effects on the water table caused by changes in tidal stage (tidal flux) in Shinnecock Bay. Water level contour maps indicate that the surficial aquifer is recharged by precipitation and upgradient groundwater flow that moves from the recharge zone located generally beneath Sunrise Highway, to the discharge zone beneath the tribal lands, and eventually discharges into the embayment, tidal creeks, and estuaries that bound the tribal lands to the east, south, and west.Water levels in many of the wells in the network fluctuated in response to precipitation, upgradient groundwater flow, and tidal flux in Shinnecock Bay. Water level altitudes ranged from 6.66 to 0.47 feet (ft) above the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 during the spring measurement period, and from 5.25 to -0.24 ft (NAVD 88) during fall 2014. Historically, annual and seasonal precipitation seem to indicate long-term water level trends in an index well located in the town of Southampton, correlates with changes in storage in the upper glacial aquifer, but does not necessarily indicate water level extremes in the shallow groundwater system. To place the study period in perspective, calendar year 2014 was the 32d wettest year on record, with precipitation for the year totaling 48.1 inches, a 2.6-percent increase from the annual average (46.9 inches per year), based on 81 years of complete record at the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, National Weather Service cooperative meteorological station at Bridgehampton, New York. Estimated recharge to the water table beneath the tribal lands from precipitation for 2014 is 25.4 inches.Tidal flux caused water levels in wells to fluctuate from 0.30 to -0.24 ft during May 2014. Water levels in wells located north of Old Fort Pond and beneath the southernmost extent of the tribal lands were most influenced by tidal flux. During June 2014, hydrographs indicate that tidal flux influenced water levels by 0.48 ft in a well located near the southernmost extent of the tribal lands approximately 0.3 miles north of Shinnecock Bay, and was zero at a well located approximately 0.5 miles south of Montauk Highway, and 0.4 miles west of Heady Creek, near the geographic center of the tribal lands. Tidal-influence delay time (time interval between peak high-tide stage and corresponding peak high-water level) ranged from 1.75 hours at the well located near the southernmost extent of the tribal lands, to more than 4 hours at a well located north of Old Fort Pond, near the northwestern part of the tribal lands.Estimated hydraulic-conductivity values derived from the results of specific-capacity tests that were completed at nine observation wells during March 2015 were used to calculate average linear velocity. Average linear velocity along conceptualized flow-path segments of the upper glacial aquifer located beneath the tribal lands was estimated using an assumed effective porosity value, and hydraulic-conductivity and hydraulic-head values that were interpolated from measured values. Groundwater travel times were estimated by dividing the length of the flow-path segment by the average linear velocity along the flow-path segment. Total estimated groundwater travel time along a conceptualized flow path, beginning near Sunrise Highway and terminating at Shinnecock Bay, is approximately 45 years using a porosity value of 30 percent.A surficial-silty unit was identified from approximately 0 to 10 ft below land surface at multiple locations beneath the tribal lands. The lithology of the surficial unit was verified by interpreted gamma log results obtained from select wells, and auger-rig drill cuttings from an observation well located near the geographic center of the tribal lands. The altitude of the unit varies with topography and was delineated along a cross section line that trends north-south along the approximate centerline (spine) of the tribal lands. The altitude of the hydrogeologic contact between the upper glacial and the Magothy aquifers generally decreases from northwest to southeast, occurs at a depth ranging from about 150 to 200 ft beneath the tribal lands, and was identified at two locations north of the tribal lands, near Sunrise Highway and Sebonac Road. Results of electrical geophysical surveys indicate that the depth to the freshwater/saltwater interface decreases from north to south with decreasing water level altitude, and the Magothy and upper glacial aquifers contain saltwater at varying depths along the north-south trending section. Results of the surveys also indicate that the Magothy aquifer beneath the tribal lands contains brackish and salty water and is not considered a source of potable water supply. In general, depth to the interface increases with increasing geographic distance from the coastline. Low water table altitudes can result in increased saltwater encroachment into the surficial aquifer beneath the tribal lands. This upward movement and shallow depth of the freshwater/saltwater interface can jeopardize water quality in wells that supply water for domestic use.

  12. Hydrogeology, chemical characteristics, and water sources and pathways in the zone of contribution of a public-supply well in San Antonio, Texas

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Musgrove, MaryLynn; Fahlquist, Lynne; Stanton, Gregory P.; Houston, Natalie A.; Lindgren, Richard J.

    2011-01-01

    In 2001, the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program of the U.S. Geological Survey initiated a series of studies on the transport of anthropogenic and natural contaminants (TANC) to public-supply wells (PSWs). The main goal of the TANC project was to better understand the source, transport, and receptor factors that control contaminant movement to PSWs in representative aquifers of the United States. Regional- and local-scale study areas were selected from within existing NAWQA study units, including the south-central Texas Edwards aquifer. The local-scale TANC study area, nested within the regional-scale NAWQA study area, is representative of the regional Edwards aquifer. The PSW selected for study is within a well field of six production wells. Although a single PSW was initially selected, because of constraints of well-field operation, samples were collected from different wells within the well field for different components of the study. Data collected from all of the well-field wells were considered comparable because of similar well construction, hydrogeology, and geochemistry. An additional 38 PSWs (mostly completed in the confined part of the aquifer) were sampled throughout the regional aquifer to characterize water quality. Two monitoring well clusters, with wells completed at different depths, were installed to the east and west of the well field (the Zarzamora and Timberhill monitoring well clusters, respectively). One of the monitoring wells was completed in the overburden to evaluate potential hydrologic connectivity with the Edwards aquifer. Geophysical and flowmeter logs were collected from one of the well-field PSWs to determine zones of contribution to the wellbore. These contributing zones, associated with different hydrogeologic units, were used to select monitoring well completion depths and groundwater sample collection depths for depth-dependent sampling. Depth-dependent samples were collected from the PSW from three different depths and under three different pumping conditions. Additionally, selected monitoring wells and one of the well-field PSWs were sampled several times in response to a rainfall and recharge event to assess short-term (event-scale) temporal variations in water quality. For comparison purposes, groundwater samples were categorized as being from regional aquifer PSWs, from the well field (wellhead samples), from the monitoring wells (excluding the overburden well), from the overburden well, from the PSW depth-dependent sampling, and from temporal sampling. Groundwater samples were analyzed for inorganic, organic, isotopic, and age-dating tracers to characterize geochemical conditions in the aquifer and provide understanding of the mechanisms of mobilization and movement of selected constituents from source areas to a PSW. Sources, tracers, and conditions used to assess water quality and processes affecting the PSW and the aquifer system included (1) carbonate host rock composition; (2) physicochemical constituents; (3) major and trace element concentrations; (4) saturation indices with respect to minerals in aquifer rocks; (5) elemental ratios, such as magnesium to calcium ratios, that are indicative of water-rock interaction processes; (6) oxidation-reduction conditions; (7) nutrient concentrations, in particular nitrate concentrations; (8) the isotopic composition of nitrate, which can point to specific nitrate sources; (9) strontium isotopes; (10) stable isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen; (11) organic contaminant concentrations, including pesticides and volatile organic compounds; (12) age tracers, apparent-age distribution, and dissolved gas data used in age interpretations; (13) depth-dependent water chemistry collected from the PSW under different pumping conditions to assess zones of contribution; and (14) temporal variability in groundwater composition from the PSW and selected monitoring wells in response to an aquifer recharge event. Geochemical results indicate that the well-field and monitoring well samples were largely representative of groundwater in the regional confined aquifer. Constituents of concern in the Edwards aquifer for the long-term sustainability of the groundwater resource include the nutrient nitrate and anthropogenic organic contaminants. Nitrate concentrations (as nitrogen) for regional aquifer PSWs had a median value of 1.9 milligrams per liter, which is similar to previously reported values for the regional aquifer. Nitrate-isotope compositions for groundwater samples collected from the well-field PSWs and monitoring wells had a narrow range, with values indicative of natural soil organic values. A comparison with historical nitrate-isotope values, however, suggests that a component of nitrate in groundwater from biogenic sources might have increased over the last 30 years. Several organic contaminants (the pesticide atrazine, its degradate deethylatrazine, trichloromethane (chloroform; a drinking-water disinfection byproduct), and the solvent tetrachloroethene (PCE)) were widely distributed throughout the regional aquifer and in the local-scale TANC study area at low concentrations (less than 1 microgram per liter). Higher concentrations of PCE were detected in samples from the well-field PSWs and Zarzamora monitoring wells relative to the regional aquifer PSWs. The urban environment is a likely source of contaminants to the aquifer, and these results indicate that one or more local urban sources might be supplying PCE to the Zarzamora monitoring wells and the well-field wells. Samples from the well field also had high concentrations of chloroform relative to the monitoring wells and regional aquifer PSWs. For samples from the regional aquifer PSWs, the most frequently detected organic contaminants generally decreased in concentration with increasing well depth. Deeper wells might intercept longer regional flow paths with higher fractions of older water or water recharged in rural recharge areas in the western part of the aquifer that have been less affected by anthropogenic contaminants. A scenario of hypothetical contaminant loading was evaluated by using results from groundwater-flow-model particle tracking to assess the response of the aquifer to potential contamination. Results indicate that the aquifer responds quickly (less than 1 year to several years) to contaminant loading; however, it takes a relatively long time (decades) for concentrations to reach peak values. The aquifer also responds quickly (less than 1 year to several years) to the removal of contaminant loading; however, it also takes a relatively long time (decades) to reach near background concentrations. Interpretation of geochemical age tracers in this well-mixed karst system was complicated by contamination of a majority of measured tracers and complexities of extensive mixing. Age-tracer results generally indicated that groundwater samples were composed of young, recently recharged water with piston-flow model ages ranging from less than 1 to 41 years, with a median of 17 years. Although a piston-flow model is typically not valid for karst aquifers, the model ages provide a basis for comparing relative ages of different samples and a reference point for more complex hydrogeologic models for apparent-age interpretations. Young groundwater ages are consistent with particle-tracking results from hydrogeologic modeling for the local-scale TANC study area. Age-tracer results compared poorly with other geochemical indicators of groundwater residence time and anthropogenic effects on water quality, indicating that hydrogeologic conceptual models used in groundwater age interpretations might not adequately account for mixing in this karst system. Groundwater samples collected from the well field under a variety of pumping conditions were relatively homogeneous and well mixed for numerous geochemical constituents (with the notable exception of age tracers). Groundwater contributions to the PSW were dominated by well-mixed, relatively homogeneous groundwater, typical of the regional confined aquifer. Zones of preferential flow were determined for the PSW, but groundwater samples from different stratigraphic units were not geochemically distinct. Variations in chemical constituents in response to a rainfall and aquifer recharge event occurred but were relatively minor in the PSW and monitoring wells. This observation is consistent with the hypothesis that the response to individual recharge events in the confined aquifer, unless intersecting conduit flow paths, might be attenuated by mixing processes along regional flow paths. Results of this study are consistent with the existing conceptual understanding of aquifer processes in this karst system and are useful for water-resource development and management practices.

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