Numerical Modeling of Rock/Casing Interaction in Radioactive-Marker Boreholes of the Northern Adriatic Basin, Italy

2010 ◽  
Vol 13 (06) ◽  
pp. 906-913 ◽  
Author(s):  
N.. Castelletto ◽  
M.. Ferronato ◽  
G.. Gambolati ◽  
C.. Janna ◽  
P.. Teatini

Summary The possible influence of the well casing in reservoir-deformation measurements by the radioactive-marker technique (RMT) is investigated. The issue is quite important because RMT data may be used for a most-representative estimate of the in-situ vertical rock compressibility cM (i.e., a basic parameter to predict the land settlement caused by gas-/oilfield development or the land uplift caused by underground fluid injection). A geomechanical finite-element (FE) model is implemented to evaluate the disturbance caused by the stiffness of the steel casing and the surrounding cement on the amount of deformation around the borehole as detected by RMT. The FE model is integrated by a class of elastoplastic interface FEs (IFEs) specifically designed to account for the potential sliding of the different materials (i.e., along the contact surfaces between the steel casing and the cement, and the cement and the exploited formation). The numerical simulations make use of real casing data and geomechanical information from the Northern Adriatic basin, Italy. The results show that sliding is not likely to occur along the contact surfaces and that RMT appears to be a reliable tool for assessing the actual geomechanical properties of the depleted formation at a depth larger than 1000 m, where the in-situ deformation is negligibly affected by the casing stiffness. In shallow softer units, the compaction as measured by RMT is influenced progressively by casing, with a corresponding likely underestimate of cM.

Author(s):  
E. Ruedl ◽  
P. Schiller

The low Z metal aluminium is a potential matrix material for the first wall in fusion reactors. A drawback in the application of A1 is the rel= atively high amount of He produced in it under fusion reactor conditions. Knowledge about the behaviour of He during irradiation and deformation in Al, especially near the surface, is therefore important.Using the TEM we have studied Al disks of 3 mm diameter and 0.2 mm thickness, which were perforated at the centre by double jet polishing. These disks were bombarded at∽200°C to various doses with α-particles, impinging at any angle and energy up to 1.5 MeV at both surfaces. The details of the irradiations are described in Ref.1. Subsequent observation indicated that in such specimens uniformly distributed He-bubbles are formed near the surface in a layer several μm thick (Fig.1).After bombardment the disks were deformed at 20°C during observation by means of a tensile device in a Philips EM 300 microscope.


2016 ◽  
Vol 61 (1) ◽  
pp. 199-216 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marilena Cardu ◽  
Sergio Dipietromaria ◽  
Pierpaolo Oreste

Abstract The aim of this study was to evaluate the state of stress of a „voids-pillar“ structure excavated by means of the sub-level stoping method in an underground limestone quarry near Bergamo (Italy). Both the current structure of the quarry (i.e. the rooms exploited till now) and a possible future scenario were analysed using the (FDM) FLAC 2D code. The quarry has been in operation since 1927; at present, exploitation is carried out underground via the sub-level stoping method. Exploitation involves two levels, with 5 rooms on the upper level and 9 rooms on the lower level. After analysing data obtained from laboratory and in situ tests carried out on rock samples and natural discontinuities, the geomechanical properties of the medium, knowledge of which is essential in order to establish the parameters that must be included in the numerical model, were evaluated. The implementation of three numerical models made it possible to study both the present conditions of quarry exploitation and the evolution of the exploited rooms, as well as a possible expansion involving a third level of rooms. Using the results obtained regarding the stress-strain present in the pillars, a potential change in room geometry was proposed aimed at reducing the stress state inside the pillars, decreasing plasticity and increasing overall quarry safety.


Author(s):  
Dong-Feng Li ◽  
Noel P. O’Dowd ◽  
Catrin M. Davies ◽  
Shu-Yan Zhang

In this study, the deformation behavior of an austenitic stainless steel is investigated at the microscale by means of in-situ neutron diffraction (ND) measurements in conjunction with finite-element (FE) simulations. Results are presented in terms of (elastic) lattice strains for selected grain (crystallite) families. The FE model is based on a crystallographic (slip system based) representation of the deformation at the microscale. The present study indicates that combined in-situ ND measurement and micromechanical modelling provides an enhanced understanding of the mechanical response at the microscale in engineering steels.


2000 ◽  
Vol 8 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 569-573 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ke-Fu Yao ◽  
Jianzhong Xiao ◽  
Junlin Zhang
Keyword(s):  

1997 ◽  
Vol 234-236 ◽  
pp. 692-694 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Benyoucef ◽  
A. Coujou ◽  
B. Barbker ◽  
N. Clément

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessandra Lanzoni ◽  
Anna Del Ben ◽  
Edy Forlin ◽  
Federica Donda ◽  
Massimo Zecchin

<p>The Adriatic basin represents one of several restricted basins located in the Mediterranean Area. It consists of the foreland of three different orogenic belts: the Dinarides to the East, active during the Eocene, the Southern Alps to the North, active since the Cretaceous time, and the Apennines to the West, active since the Paleogene. The Apennines had a primary role during the Messinian Salinity Crisis (MSC), conditioning the connection between the Adriatic basin, the Ionian basin, and the proto-Tyrrhenian basin. During the Messinian, the present Adriatic Sea was characterized by shallow water domains, where gypsum evaporites initially deposited and often successively incised or outcropped. </p><p>In the past 50 years, a massive dataset, composed of 2D multichannel seismic data and boreholes, was collected, covering almost the whole Adriatic basin in the Italian offshore. In this work, we interpreted the Plio-Quaternary base (PQb), based on available public datasets and on seismic profiles present in literature, which provided regional information from the northernmost Trieste Gulf (Northern Adriatic Sea) to the Otranto Channel (Southern Adriatic Sea). Here, we propose the PQb time-structural map, obtained by analyzing more than 600 seismic profiles. The PQb represents both the Messinian erosion and/or the top of the Messinian evaporites. It is characterized by a high-amplitude reflector, commonly called “horizon M” in the old literature. Principal findings concerning the Messinian event are summarized as below: </p><p>-The Northern Adriatic (Gulf of Trieste, Gulf of Venice, Po delta, Kvarner Area) reveals widespread channelized systems produced by the initial decrease of the sea level, followed by subaerial erosion, related to further sea level decrease. High-grade erosion involved the nearby Adriatic carbonate platform in the Croatian offshore, where deep valleys, filled with Last Messinian or post- Messinian sediments, cut through the limestones.</p><p>-The Central Adriatic (from the Po delta to the Gargano Promontory) displays a higher evaporites accumulation than the northern sector. Meanwhile, the Mid-Adriatic Ridge was already developing, along with the Apennine Chain, which was in a westernmost position. Erosional features in the deeper area are related to channelized systems, which followed the evaporites deposition. Meanwhile, also the Mid-Adriatic Ridge was affected by erosion.</p><p>-The Southern Adriatic (from the Gargano Promontory to the Otranto Channel) is characterized by the Mesozoic Apulia carbonate platform, covered by a thin Cenozoic sequence affected by subaerial erosion or non-deposition. The platform margin and the slope leading to the deepest South Adriatic basin, where a Messinian gypsum layer, also recorded in the Albanian and Croatian offshore, shows a lower level of upper erosion.</p><p>In general, we notice strongly variable thicknesses of the horizon M, which is related to submarine erosion (channels), subaerial erosion (discontinuous surfaces), non-deposition (possible unconformity), and tilting toward the surrounding chains (deepening horizons). In this work, we evaluate these different components from a regional point of view.  </p>


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rakshith Naik ◽  
Yetzirah Urthaler ◽  
Scot McNeill ◽  
Rafik Boubenider

Abstract Certain subsea jumper design features coupled with operating conditions can lead to Flow Induced Vibration (FIV) of subsea jumpers. Excessive FIV can result in accumulation of allowable fatigue damage prior to the end of jumper service life. For this reason, an extensive FIV management program was instated for a large development in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) where FIV had been observed. The program consisted of in-situ measurement, modeling and analysis. Selected well and flowline jumpers were outfitted with subsea instrumentation for dedicated vibration testing. Finite Element (FE) models were developed for each jumper and refined to match the dynamic properties extracted from the measured data. Fatigue analysis was then carried out using the refined FE model and measured response data. If warranted by the analysis results, action was taken to mitigate the deleterious effects of FIV. Details on modeling and data analysis were published in [5]. Herein, we focus on the overall findings and lessons learned over the duration of the program. The following topics from the program are discussed in detail: 1. In-situ vibration measurement 2. Overall vibration trends with flow rate and lack of correlation of FIV to flow intensity (rho-v-squared); 3. Vibration and fatigue performance of flowline jumpers vs. well jumpers 4. Fatigue analysis conservatism Reliance on screening calculations or predictive FE analysis could lead to overly conservative operational limits or a high degree of fatigue life uncertainty in conditions vulnerable to FIV. It is proposed that in-situ vibration measurements followed by analysis of the measured data in alignment with operating conditions is the best practice to obtain a realistic understanding of subsea jumper integrity to ensure safe and reliable operation of the subsea system. The findings from the FIV management program provide valuable insight for the subsea industry, particularly in the areas of integrity management of in-service subsea jumpers; in-situ instrumentation and vibration measurements and limitations associated with predictive analysis of jumper FIV. If learnings, such as those discussed here, are fed back into design, analysis and monitoring guidelines for subsea equipment, the understanding and management of FIV could be dramatically enhanced compared to the current industry practice.


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