scholarly journals UNDERWATER RECOVERY OF SUBMERGED OIL DURING A COLD WEATHER RESPONSE

1997 ◽  
Vol 1997 (1) ◽  
pp. 765-772 ◽  
Author(s):  
CDR Randolph C. Heiland ◽  
LTJG Benjamin L. Smith ◽  
William Edward Hazel ◽  
Michael Popa ◽  
Dennis J. McCarthy
Keyword(s):  
Oil Recovery ◽  
Coal Tar ◽  
Cold Weather ◽  
Transfer System ◽  
Storage Tanks ◽  
Hydraulic Power ◽  
Detroit River ◽  
Subzero Temperatures ◽  
Harsh Conditions

ABSTRACT On February 5, 1996, a failed gasket on a transfer system between two 700,000-gallon storage tanks caused a spill of coal tar. The spill migrated through an outfall and entered the Detroit River. Eventually it was determined that 3500 gallons of the heavy coal tar had entered the river and sunk to the bottom. Responders used submersible pumps powered by hydraulic power packs and an environmental clamshell dredge to recover the submerged coal tar. Responders constantly battled subzero temperatures on the shore and frigid temperatures below the surface throughout the entire operation. Water recovered during the operation was filtered and discharged on site under the direction of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. This case study presents the spill response community with an in-depth view of submerged oil recovery during unusual and harsh conditions.

scholarly journals Integrating dark diversity and functional traits to enhance nature conservation of epiphytic lichens: a case study from Northern Italy

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diego Pires Ferraz Trindade ◽  
Meelis Pärtel ◽  
Carlos Pérez Carmona ◽  
Tiina Randlane ◽  
Juri Nascimbene
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Nature Conservation ◽  
Functional Traits ◽  
Growth Form ◽  
Northern Italy ◽  
Epiphytic Lichens ◽  
Mountain Areas ◽  
High Elevations ◽  
Harsh Conditions

AbstractMountains provide a timely opportunity to examine the potential effects of climate change on biodiversity. However, nature conservation in mountain areas have mostly focused on the observed part of biodiversity, not revealing the suitable but absent species—dark diversity. Dark diversity allows calculating the community completeness, indicating whether sites should be restored (low completeness) or conserved (high completeness). Functional traits can be added, showing what groups should be focused on. Here we assessed changes in taxonomic and functional observed and dark diversity of epiphytic lichens along elevational transects in Northern Italy spruce forests. Eight transects (900–1900 m) were selected, resulting in 48 plots and 240 trees, in which lichens were sampled using four quadrats per tree (10 × 50 cm). Dark diversity was estimated based on species co-occurrence (Beals index). We considered functional traits related to growth form, photobiont type and reproductive strategy. Linear and Dirichlet regressions were used to examine changes in taxonomic metrics and functional traits along gradient. Our results showed that all taxonomic metrics increased with elevation and functional traits of lichens differed between observed and dark diversity. At low elevations, due to low completeness and harsh conditions, both restoration and conservation activities are needed, focusing on crustose species. Towards high elevations, conservation is more important to prevent species pool losses, focusing on macrolichens, lichens with Trentepohlia and sexual reproduction. Finally, dark diversity and functional traits provide a novel tool to enhance nature conservation, indicating particular threatened groups, creating windows of opportunities to protect species from both local and regional extinctions.

scholarly journals The Effect of Carbonyl and Hydroxyl Compounds on Swelling Factor, Interfacial Tension, and Viscosity in CO2 Injection: A Case Study on Aromatic Oils

Processes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 94
Author(s):  
Asep Kurnia Permadi ◽  
Egi Adrian Pratama ◽  
Andri Luthfi Lukman Hakim ◽  
Doddy Abdassah
Keyword(s):  
Interfacial Tension ◽  
Oil Recovery ◽  
Viscosity Reduction ◽  
Co2 Injection ◽  
Minimum Miscibility Pressure ◽  
Lower Viscosity ◽  
Hydroxyl Compounds ◽  
Swelling Factor

A factor influencing the effectiveness of CO2 injection is miscibility. Besides the miscible injection, CO2 may also contribute to oil recovery improvement by immiscible injection through modifying several properties such as oil swelling, viscosity reduction, and the lowering of interfacial tension (IFT). Moreover, CO2 immiscible injection performance is also expected to be improved by adding some solvent. However, there are a lack of studies identifying the roles of solvent in assisting CO2 injection through observing those properties simultaneously. This paper explains the effects of CO2–carbonyl and CO2–hydroxyl compounds mixture injection on those properties, and also the minimum miscibility pressure (MMP) experimentally by using VIPS (refers to viscosity, interfacial tension, pressure–volume, and swelling) apparatus, which has a capability of measuring those properties simultaneously within a closed system. Higher swelling factor, lower viscosity, IFT and MMP are observed from a CO2–propanone/acetone mixture injection. The role of propanone and ethanol is more significant in Sample A1, which has higher molecular weight (MW) of C7+ and lower composition of C1–C4, than that in the other Sample A9. The solvents accelerate the ways in which CO2 dissolves and extracts oil, especially the extraction of the heavier component left in the swelling cell.

scholarly journals Development and Results from Application of PCM-Based Storage Tanks in a Solar Thermal Comfort System of an Institutional Building—A Case Study

Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (15) ◽  
pp. 3877 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Javier Batlles ◽  
Bartosz Gil ◽  
Svetlana Ushak ◽  
Jacek Kasperski ◽  
Marcos Luján ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Phase Change Materials ◽  
Exergy Analysis ◽  
Heating System ◽  
Storage Tanks ◽  
Research Groups ◽  
Energy Research ◽  
Solar Cooling ◽  
Daily Energy ◽  
The University

An important element of a solar installation is the storage tank. When properly selected and operated, it can bring numerous benefits. The presented research relates to a project that is implemented at the Solar Energy Research Center of the University of Almeria in Spain. In order to improve the operation of the solar cooling and heating system of the Center, it was upgraded with two newly designed storage tanks filled with phase change materials (PCM). As a result of design works, commercial material S10 was selected for the accumulation of cold, and S46 for the accumulation of heat, in an amount of 85% and 15%, respectively. The article presents in detail the process of selecting the PCM material, designing the installation, experimental research, and exergy analysis. Individual tasks were carried out by research groups cooperating under the PCMSOL EUROPEAN PROJECT. Results of tests conducted on the constructed installation indicate that daily energy saving when using a solar chiller with PCM tanks amounts to 40% during the cooling season.

Assessing reforestation failure at the project scale: The margin for technical improvement under harsh conditions. A case study in a Mediterranean Dryland

2021 ◽  
pp. 148952
Author(s):  
Antonio D. del Campo ◽  
Guillem Segura-Orenga ◽  
Inmaculada Bautista ◽  
Carlos J. Ceacero ◽  
María González-Sanchis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Technical Improvement ◽  
Harsh Conditions

Undersaturated Hydrocarbon Reservoir Waterflooding: A simulation Approach to Performance Assessment

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adekunle Tirimisiyu Adeniyi ◽  
Miracle Imwonsa Osatemple ◽  
Abdulwahab Giwa
Keyword(s):  
Oil Recovery ◽  
Net Present Value ◽  
Oil Production ◽  
Base Case ◽  
Present Value ◽  
Sweep Efficiency ◽  
Recovery Method ◽  
Solution Approach ◽  
Hydrocarbon Reservoir

Abstract There are a good numbers of brown hydrocarbon reservoirs, with a substantial amount of bypassed oil. These reservoirs are said to be brown, because a huge chunk of its recoverable oil have been produced. Since a significant number of prominent oil fields are matured and the number of new discoveries is declining, it is imperative to assess performances of waterflooding in such reservoirs; taking an undersaturated reservoir as a case study. It should be recalled that Waterflooding is widely accepted and used as a means of secondary oil recovery method, sometimes after depletion of primary energy sources. The effects of permeability distribution on flood performances is of concerns in this study. The presence of high permeability streaks could lead to an early water breakthrough at the producers, thus reducing the sweep efficiency in the field. A solution approach adopted in this study was reserve water injection. A reverse approach because, a producing well is converted to water injector while water injector well is converted to oil producing well. This optimization method was applied to a waterflood process carried out on a reservoir field developed by a two - spot recovery design in the Niger Delta area of Nigeria that is being used as a case study. Simulation runs were carried out with a commercial reservoir oil simulator. The result showed an increase in oil production with a significant reduction in water-cut. The Net Present Value, NPV, of the project was re-evaluated with present oil production. The results of the waterflood optimization revealed that an increase in the net present value of up to 20% and an increase in cumulative production of up to 27% from the base case was achieved. The cost of produced water treatment for re-injection and rated higher water pump had little impact on the overall project economy. Therefore, it can conclude that changes in well status in wells status in an heterogenous hydrocarbon reservoir will increase oil production.

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