An Assessment of Air and Water Pollution Accrued from Stone Quarrying in Mukono District, Central Uganda

The unquenchable demand for rock materials has attracted many companies within the building and construction sector to invest in stone quarrying. However, this has brought about the environmental impacts with health threats to people. There is a paucity of information about the magnitude of pollution on air and water and how it varies with quarry sites. This study therefore investigated the physical impacts of quarrying on air and water and explored the in-situ mitigations to undesirable effects due to stone quarrying. Four active quarry sites were identified. Field measurements of dust (particulate matter) was conducted within the four quarry sites and in the nearby community. Water samples were collected from quarry pits and nearby shallow wells for laboratory analysis of water quality. Statistical Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to test for differences in pollution across the four studied sites. Results revealed that, amidst use of wet crushing and water sprinkling on bare surfaces, dust emission was higher than the recommended permissible standards levels with a significant variation across the quarry sites with ANOVA (P-value=0.003) for PM2.5 and (P-value=0.04366) for PM10. Water pollution was mainly contributed by the non-permissive levels of nitrates, chromium, and pH. Polluted air and water are associated with sparking off health threats to the users in the community. In conclusion, quarry companies should strengthen the already existing mitigation of dust suppression. The study recommends additional measures such as treating quarry pit water before discharging to the open environment

Preliminary Conceptual Model of Hydrogeological System in The Raimanuk and its Surrounding Area on the Timor Island

There are several areas with groundwater potential in Timor island, one of which is the Raimanuk and its surrounding area. This study aims to determine the hydrogeological system in the Raimanuk and its surrounding area. The hydrogeological system is determined by the geological conditions, geomorphology, lithology, and groundwater flow patterns. Geological conditions and groundwater flow patterns are provided by conducting a field investigation. Twenty shallow wells and four springs were measured to provide the groundwater contour. The geoelectrical survey was conducted at eleven points to analyze subsurface lithology. The results show that the geology of the study area is dominated by alluvium (west area), carbonate siltstone, and crystalline limestone (middle to the east area). There are two types of aquifers in the study area: unconfined aquifers and confined aquifers with gravel sandstone lithology. The groundwater flow pattern shows that the groundwater movement is from the east to the southwest. Moreover, the groundwater also moved from the northern, southern, and western of the study area. It is implied that the aquifer’s shape at the Raimanuk area is formed as a bowl-like shape influenced by the geological, geomorphological conditions.

Preliminary geochemical characterization of the Mts. Simbruini karst aquifer (Central Italy)

Mts. Simbruini karst aquifer feeds important springs whose capture contributes to the water supply of Rome City. To improve the geochemical characterization of this aquifer, we analyzed 36 groundwater samples, 29 from springs and 7 from shallow wells, collected in 1996 and 2019. Atomic adsorption spectroscopy, tritration, ionic chromatography and mass spectrometry were the used analytical methods. Ground waters are bicarbonate alkaline-earth type and HCO3 dominance confirms that the aquifer is hosted in carbonate rocks. Total alkalinity vs. cations plot indicates that CO2 driven weathering controls the water chemistry. The probability plots of HCO3, cations and Ca2+ +Mg2+ indicate four groundwater populations with the less represented one (9 samples) characterized by the highest PCO2 values (>0.3 atm). Most anomalous values of the dissolved PCO2 are from springs located near the center of the studied area. Four samples have negative values of d13CCO2 (about -22‰ vs. PDB), indicating its organic origin, but two other samples have positive values (1.6 and 2.6 ‰ vs. PDB), similar to those observed in the CO2 of deep origin discharged at the close Colli Albani volcano. Therefore, geochemical evidence indicates that the Mts. Simbruini aquifer is locally affected by the input of deep originated CO2, likely rising up along fractures, interacting with a recharge of meteoric origin, as evidenced by its d2H and d18O isotopic signatures.

Hydrogeological Conceptual Model in the Middle of Randublatung Groundwater Basin

Randublatung groundwater basin is one of the groundwaters basins with massive utilization of groundwater pumping. However, the knowledge of the comprehensive hydrogeological system in this groundwater basin is limited, so this research aims to determine a comprehensive hydrogeological conceptual model of the Randublatung groundwater basin. The methodology was conducted by collecting secondary and primary data of deep and shallow wells to evaluate boundaries of pattern and direction of groundwater flow and develop the aquifer system’s geometry. The result shows that the groundwater flow boundaries are Grogol River in the west, Wado River in the East, Bengawan Solo river in the South as a river boundary, and Rembang Mountains in the North as a constant head boundary. Therefore, groundwater flows from the hills area to the Bengawan Solo River and the north as the river’s flow. Based on the log bor evaluation, the aquifer system of the study area consist of an unconfined aquifer with a maximum thickness of 20 m and three layers of confined aquifers with thickness vary between 8 to 60 m. the hydraulic conductivity of the aquifers depends on the aquifer’s lithology range from sand, gravel, limestone, and sandstone. This hydrogeological conceptual model provides essential information for numerical groundwater models in the middle of the Randublatung groundwater basin.

Digitalization in Collaborative Framework : Maintain High Quality Drilling Performance in Mahakam's Complex Well Preparation

Mahakam is a mature gas and oil field that has been in operation since 1966, covering an area of approximately 1500 square kilometers. It is located in East Kalimantan Province, Indonesia and has 7 operating fields. Tunu, Tambora and Handil are fields within the swamp shallow water (Delta), whereas Bekapai, Peciko, Sisi Nubi and South Mahakam are offshore fields with water depths ranging from 45 to 80 meters. The diverse setting of environments requires different methods of site preparation, construction, drilling and logistic. The drilling industrialization necessitates agile and complex well preparation especially in the Deltaic environment, with around 70 wells drilled with three swamp barge rigs each year. In recent drilling development in both Tunu and Handil fields, more shallow wells were drilled. These wells were drilled in the swamp with heavy sedimentation and/or sand banks which necessitated a large amount of dredging and required months of preparation whereas the drilling operation took up to 3 days per wells. The entire well preparation process requires planning, monitoring, and the participation of many team in different entities. Each entity has its own version of well planning database, resulting in data disagreement and lack of data integrity. Thousands of emails are being send and meetings are being organized to guarantee that operations runs well. Due to lack of trustworthy data, personnel movement or team reorganization, it has become serious issues. In 2016, company decided to start the digitalization efforts, by approaching various service company who provides the well planning software. It needed customization to match the corporate needs. However since the digitalization has not yet commonly used by most company, it was then not user friendly, thus several individuals were hesitant to utilize it. An internal team created an application in early 2019. As the business requirement & working flowchart, the team decided to have a clean and mobile-ready yet less complicated form that also enables team collaboration during the design. This ensures that all users, employee from any generation (X, Y, and Z) able to use and enter valid information. Equipped with map visualization, the related entities will be able to have better quick analysis on the condition surrounding wellhead position. The application also implements an adjustable workflow system that able to follow the dynamic of organization structure, ensure each of well planning task is assigned to the correct team. Push notifications are also an important element in this application for keeping the entire team up to date. The application also featured a discussion board and file sharing function, allowing each team to exchange information or files. The manual email exchange has been minimized, and the meeting hour has been reduced significantly. The errors are simply identified and fixed in a single integrated database. The application is continuously improved from well planning only in its early stages into well design to accommodate the whole drilling industrialization process.

Buoyancy Force on a Plain or Perforated Portion of a Pipe

Summary Torque and drag models have been used for several decades to calculate tension and torque profiles along drillstrings, casing strings, and liner strings. Buoyancy forces contribute to the loads acting on the pipe and affect its interaction with the borehole wall. Torque and drag calculations account for these localized effects, as well as the material internal forces, torques, and moments on each side of the contact. When the analysis is applied to a discrete length of pipe, the cross sections at each end do not contribute to the buoyancy forces because they are not in contact with the fluid, except where there is a change in diameter or at the end of the string of pipe. We argue that it is important to check that the models used for solid pipe torque and drag calculations remain valid for sand screens, in particular, the extent to which the buoyancy forces acting on a perforated tube might differ from those on a solid pipe. Because the buoyancy force is the result of the pressure gradient acting on the surface of the pipe, the presence of holes may also influence the buoyancy force. We propose that there are theoretical differences between local buoyancy forces acting on plain or perforated tubes. This paper describes how to calculate the local buoyancy force on a portion of a drillstem by the application of Gauss’ theorem and accounting for the necessary corrections arising from the cross sections not being exposed to the fluid. We built an experimental setup to verify that the tension inside a pipe subject to buoyancy behaves in accordance with the derived mathematical analysis. With complex well construction operations, for instance during extended-reach drilling or when drilling very shallow wells with high buildup rates, the slightest error in torques and drag calculations may end up jeopardizing the chances of success of the drilling operation. It is therefore important to check that the basis of design calculations remain valid in those contexts and that, for instance, sand screens or slotted liners may be run in hole safely after a successful drilling operation.

Evaluation of potability of water consumed by residents of the Lagoa de Cima region

The research is directed towards the study of water quality, specifically, of the residents who live in the Environmental Protection Area (EPA) of Lagoa de Cima, in Campos dos Goytacazes – RJ. Water is a primordial resource for the survival of all living beings, but when it comes to human beings, some care is needed in relation to its potability. Unfortunately, not everyone has access to portable water or even adequate treatment for it, which can lead to health problems in the future. This work aimed to evaluate the quality of water that is consumed by residents living in the urban center of São Benedito, which is located in Lagoa de Cima. Regarding the methodology, the following procedures were carried out: collection of bibliographic and documentary data, such as: ordinance, theses, articles, pre-existing “shapefiles” from Lagoa de Cima and the municipality of Campos dos Goytacazes; systematic review; collection of water samples from shallow wells for physicochemical and bacteriological analyses, map generation with spatialized water samples and elaboration of tables. According to the results obtained from the bacteriological analyses, the presence of total coliforms and thermotolerant coliforms was found in some samples. Among the physicochemical parameters analyzed, pH, Fe and Mn are in disagreement with the consolidation ordinance of Nº. 5/2017. Thus, it can be concluded that it is necessary that the public authorities provide assistance to the local population in relation to water quality

Study of the water quality of shallow wells in the municipality of Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ

Groundwater is an important source of supply, is available in almost all regions of the Earth, constituting an important natural resource. In addition, having knowledge of this resource in terms of quality and quantity is of paramount importance, as these waters are often used for human supply, for irrigation in rural areas and for industrial purposes. In this context, the North Fluminense region, especially the municipality of Campos dos Goytacazes, has been demanding more and more for the use of water resources, due to the population and business increase, motivated, above all, by the huge undertaking that is the Açu port complex, installed in the neighboring municipality, São João da Barra. This reality points to the relevance of developing work that will contribute to a better knowledge of groundwater. This research aims to contribute to a better knowledge of the water quality of the shallow free aquifers in the municipality of Campos dos Goytacazes. As for the methodology, the following steps will be carried out: collection of bibliographic and documentary data, such as conference proceedings, books, ordinance, laws, articles, theses, dissertations, and others; literature review; selection of physicochemical data from existing shallow wells; comparison of physical-chemical parameters with the maximum values allowed with Consolidation Ordinance Nº. 5 established by the Ministry of Health; map creation; and elaboration of table and graphs. It is expected with this research to produce and make available information that can contribute to the sustainable management of underground water resources in the municipality of Campos dos Goytacazes

First Application Drilling New Wells with HWU in Swamp Environment, Mahakam Delta

Tunu is a mature giant gas and condensate field locate in Swamp Area on Mahakam Delta, East Kalimantan, Indonesia. The field has been in developed for more than 40 years and considered as a mature field. As mature field, finding an economic well has become more challenging nowadays. The deeper zone of Tunu (TMZ) has no longer been considered profitable to be produced and the focus is shifted more on the producing widespread shallow gas pocket located in the much shallower zone of Tunu (TSZ). Facing the challenge of marginal reserves in the mature field, Pertamina Hulu Mahakam (PHM) take two approaches of reducing well cost thus increase well economics, improving drilling efficiency and alternative drilling means. Continues improvement on drilling efficiency by batch drilling, maxi drill, maximizing offline activities and industrialization of one phase well architecture has significantly squeezed the well duration. The last achievement is completing shallow well in 2.125 days from average of 6.5 days in period of 2017-2019. Utilization of Swamp Barge Drilling Rig on swamp area had been started from the beginning of the field development in 1980. Having both lighter and smaller drilling unit as alternative drilling means will give opportunity of reducing daily drilling rate. Hydraulic Workover Unit (HWU) comes as the best alternative drilling means for swamp area. In addition, fewer and smaller footprint equipment requires smaller barges with purpose of less civil works to dredge the river and preparing well location. Drilling with HWU project has been implemented at Tunu area with 5 wells has been completed successfully and safely. HWU drilling concept considered as proven alternative drilling means for the future of shallow wells development.