Orientador: Maria Aparecida Anselmo Tarsitano / Banca: Silvia Maria Almeida Lima Costa / Banca: Antonio Lázaro Sant'Ana / Banca: José Carlos Cavichioli / Banca: Omar Jorge Sabbag / Resumo: Considerando a importância do Programa Estadual de Microbacias Hidrográficas implantado no Estado de São Paulo entre os anos de 2000 a 2008, este trabalho objetivou avaliar as ações implantadas pelo referido Programa na microbacia do Córrego Ariranha, localizada no município de Junqueirópolis (SP). A questão a ser respondida seria em que medida esses ações teriam contribuído para desencadear um processo de desenvolvimento sustentável? Para obtenção dos dados foram aplicados questionários e realizadas entrevistas com os produtores rurais da microbacia estudada e com os gestores do programa, abordando as subvenções obtidas e o atendimento às expectativas geradas pelo PEMH. A base econômica desses produtores está centrada na pecuária de leite/corte e na fruticultura, especificamente na produção de acerola, além da cana, café e seringueira. As subvenções obtidas através do PEMH nessa microbacia totalizaram R$ 405.372,04, destacando os abastecedouros comunitários, construção de terraços e calagem. Com relação à avaliação os produtores consideram que o programa atendeu suas expectativas, possibilitou melhoria da renda das famílias, e atendeu às necessidades da comunidade da microbacia e, dentre as ações implantadas, a mais relevante foi a que construção de 11 abastecedouros comunitários que possibilitou disponibilidade de água nas propriedades resultando em melhoria na qualidade de vida dessas famílias. Questões ambientais, como a proteção de Área de Preservação Permanente, não foram priorizadas pelos produtores, alegando perdas de áreas para o setor produtivo. O tempo destinado para a implantação das ações (5 anos) em função da microbacia ter sido a terceira trabalhada no município, foi o maior problema apontado pelos produtores... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Taking into consideration the importance of the program Micro Basin State Program - Phase I (PEMH) set up in the State of São Paulo between 2000 and 2008, the present dissertation aimed at evaluating the actions taken by the mentioned program in the micro basin of the Ariranha Stream, in Junqueirópolis, SP, Brazil. The goal is to know whether the actions taken would have contributed to establish a process of sustainable development. Surveys and interviews with local producers and the program's managers were applied to obtain the data, addressing the achieved grants and the fulfillment of the generated expectations of the PEMH. The economic base of local producers is mainly stock raising and fruit growing, specially acerola, along with sugar cane, coffe beans and rubber trees. Subsidies obtained through the PEMH in this micro basin added R$ 405.372,04, including the collective water suppliers, terraces building and liming of the soil. The producers consider that the program satisfied their expectations, meeting their community needs and allowing an increase in their family income, specially the construction of 11 collective water suppliers that made water available to their properties and enhanced their quality of life. Environmental issues, as the protection of Areas of Permanent Preservation (APP's), were not prioritized by the producers that claimed such initiative reduced their available productive land. Since their community was the third to have the program implemented, the major problem pointed by them was that it took too long (5 years) for them to access its benefits. According to the executives of the PEMH, the actions taken were specific, and yet accomplished an increase in the quality of life of the rural families, therefore should not have been interrupted. Despite the limitations and... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Doutor

Magister Scientiae - MSc / The prospect of unconventional shale-gas development in the Karoo Basin (South Africa) has created the need to obtain baseline data on natural radioactivity in Karoo groundwaters. The Karoo Basin groundwater radiological baseline developed through this study could serve as a reference to research potential future radiological contamination effects due to hydraulic fracturing. The major naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) studied was radon (222Rn), in particular in-water activity concentrations; however, supplementary radium (226Ra and 228Ra) in-water activity concentrations and uranium (238U) in-water concentrations measurements were also made. A total of 53 aquifers across three provinces were sampled for groundwater and measured, with three measurement series from 2014 to 2016. The aquifers were categorized as shallow, mixed, or deep source. The radon-in-water baseline of the Karoo Basin can be characterised by a minimum of 0.6 ± 0.9 Bq/L, a maximum of 183 ± 18 Bq/L and mean of 41 ± 5 Bq/L. The radon-in-water levels from shallow sources (with water temperature < 20 °C) were systematically higher (40 Bq/L) than for deep sources (with water temperature > 20 °C). The natural fluctuations in radon-in-water levels were predominantly associated with shallow aquifers compared to almost none observed in the deep sources. The uranium in-water baseline can be characterised by a minimum of below detection level, a maximum of 41 μg/L, and the mean of 5.10 ± 0.80 μg/L. Similar to radon-in-water levels, uranium in-water levels for shallow sources were systematically higher than for deep sources. The limited (six aquifers) radium (228Ra and 226Ra) in-water activity-concentration measurement results were very low, with a maximum of 0.008 Bq/L (226Ra) and 0.015 Bq/L (228Ra). The 228Ra/226Ra ratio baseline were characterised by a minimum of 0.93, a mean of 3.3 ± 1.3, and a maximum of 6.5. The radium isotopes’ activity concentration ratio is an isotopic tracer for hydraulic fracturing wastewater. Pollution and contamination (radiological), due to unconventional shale gas development, in water resources has been noticed in the Marcellus Basin (United States). Consequently, developing and improving continuous baseline monitoring are of importance to study the environmental radiological effect of hydraulic fracturing.

Masters of Science / Petrophysical evaluation of four wells within Cretaceous gas-bearing sandstone reservoirs in blocks 4 and 5 Orange Basin, South Africa. Thierry Kamgang The present research work evaluates the petrophysical characteristics of the Cretaceous gasbearing sandstone units within Blocks 4 and 5 offshore South Africa. Data used to carry out this study include: wireline logs (LAS format), base maps, well completion reports, petrography reports, conventional core analysis report and tabulated interpretative age reports from four wells (O-A1, A-N1, P-A1 and P-F1). The zones of interest range between 1410.0m-4100.3m depending on the position of the wells. The research work is carried out in two phases: The first phase corresponds to the interpretation of reservoir lithologies based on wireline logs. This consists of evaluating the type of rocks (clean or tight sandstones) forming the reservoir intervals and their distribution in order to quantify gross zones, by relating the behavior of wireline logs signature based on horizontal routine. Extensively, a vertical routine is used to estimate their distribution by correlating the gamma-ray logs of the corresponding wells, but also to identify their depositional environments (shallow to deep marine).Sedlog software is used to digitize the results. The second phase is conducted with the help of Interactive Petrophysics (version 4) software, and results to the evaluation of eight petrophysical parameters range as follow: effective porosity (4.3% - 25.4%), bulk volume of water (2.7% – 31.8%), irreducible water saturation (0.2%-8.8%), hydrocarbon saturation (9.9% - 43.9%), predicted permeability (0.09mD – 1.60mD), volume of shale (8.4% - 33.6%), porosity (5.5% - 26.2%) and water saturation (56.1% - ii 90.1%). Three predefined petrophysical properties (volume of shale, porosity and water saturation)are used for reservoir characterization. The volume of shale is estimated in all the wells using corrected Steiber method. The porosity is determined from the density logs using the appropriate equations in wells O-A1 and P-A1, while sonic model is applied in well A-N1 and neutron-density relationship in well P-F1. Formation water resistivity (Rw) is determined through the following equation: Rw = (Rmf × Rt) / Rxo, and water saturation is calculated based on Simandoux relation. Furthermore, a predicted permeability function is obtained from the crossplot of core porosity against core permeability, and it results match best with the core permeability of well O-A1. This equation is used to predict the permeability in the other wells. The results obtained reveal that average volumes of shale decrease from the west of the field towards the east; while average porosities and water saturations increase from the south-west through the east despite the decreasing average water saturation in well P-A1. A corroboration of reference physical properties selected for reservoir characterization, with predefined cut-off values result to no net pay zones identified within the reservoir intervals studied. Consequently, it is suggested that further exploration prospects should be done between well O-A1 and A-N1.

>Magister Scientiae - MSc / The Bredasdorp Basin was formed consequent to extensional episodes during the initial stages of rifting in the Jurassic age. The basin acted as a local depocentre and was primarily infilled with late Jurassic and early Cretaceous shallow-marine and continental sediments. Two wells namely; D-D1 and E-AP1 were studied in order to evaluate the petrophysics and characterize sandstone reservoirs of the western Bredasdorp basin. This could be achieved by generating and comparing results from core analysis and wireline in order to determine if the two wells are comprised of good quality sandstone reservoirs and if the identified reservoirs produce hydrocarbons. A number of methods were employed in order to characterise and evaluate sandstone reservoir, these included; editing and normalization of raw wireline log data ,classification of lithofacies on the basis of lithology, sedimentary structures, facies distribution, grain size variation, sorting of grains, fossils and bioturbation; calibration of log and core data to determine parameters for petrophysical interpretation; volume of clay; determination of porosity, permeability and fluid saturation, cut-off determination to distinguish between pay and non-pay sands. Borehole D-D1 is located in the western part of the Bredasdorp Basin. Only two reservoirs in well D-D1 indicated to have pay parameters with an average porosity ranging from 11.3% to 16%, average saturation from 0.6% to 21.5% and an volume of clay from 26.5% to 31.5%. This well was abandoned due to poor oil shows according to the geological well completion report. On the contrary well E-AP1 situated in the northwestern section of the basin showed good quality reservoir sandstones occurring in the 19082m to 26963m intervals though predominantly water saturated. Pay parameters for all five reservoirs in this well showed zero or no average porosity, saturation and volume of clay.

This thesis investigates the development of regional drainage patterns within intra-continental rift basins using remote sensing data, field studies and numerical models. By examining modern-day extensional settings, such as the Basin and Range, USA, and the East African Rift System (EARS), this study elucidates the controls upon regional source-to-sink systems and assesses the findings in relation to existing, conceptual tectono-stratigraphic and drainage models. Rift basins are generally well studied and facies models well established. However, there is a tendency to overlook the regional perspective. Many drainage evolution studies and tectono-stratigraphic models focus upon the development of individual basin-bounding faults and half-grabens, often overlooking the influence of regional-scale drainage evolution upon landscape and stratigraphic development. On a regional scale, extensional basins are segmented into numerous sub-basins, which: (i) exist at different elevations; (ii) subside at different rates; (iii) vary in their degree of fluvial connectivity; and, (iv) may experience significant shifts between erosional and depositional regimes as drainage networks evolve. Through observations of the Basin and Range, and three-dimensional numerical modelling, it is shown how sub-basins with identical tectonic and climatic boundary conditions can exhibit vastly different stratigraphic fills depending on the degree of fluvial connectivity and their relationship to adjacent sub-basins. In addition, drainage integration is recognised as an overlooked, yet important process in the source-to-sink evolution of rift basins. Drainage integration between sub-basins of varying elevations is shown to cause widespread erosion and sediment bypass in the upstream basin, while contemporaneously increasing sediment supply to the downstream basin. A case study of the Tecopa Basin shows drainage integration as a powerful driver of base level fall and landscape transience in the absence of significant tectonic or eustatic controls. The differential gradients created by base level fall cause further upstream drainage rearrangements. To understand the evolution of regional hinterland drainages, two rift segments of varying maturity are compared. The Okavango Rift Zone represents a rift initiation phase segment while the Albertine Rift represents a rift climax phase segment. Through analysis of the contributing drainage patterns a model is proposed where early rift drainage is dominated by antecedent directions, with large, low relief, low slope catchments. As rifts mature catchments increase in relief and slope but reduce in asymmetry as the influence of antecedent drainage direction is reduced via tectonic tilting, drainage reversals and ponding. The thesis concludes that current tectono-stratigraphic models of sub-aerial rift settings commonly overlook the role of inter-basin erosion, under-appreciate the influence of antecedent drainage direction in hinterland input, and over-emphasise the role of axial rivers. Future tectono-stratigraphic models should acknowledge distinctions based upon the degree of fluvial connectivity (isolated or integrated sub-basins) and the regional position relative to adjacent sub-basins (upstream and terminal and sub-basins).

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Palynological and maturation data are combined to reconstruct the burial and thermal history of three oil wells in the Beaufort-Mackenzie Basin. From south to north, the three wells are Netserk F-40, Tarsuit A-25, and Orviiruk 0-03. Each well was examined palynologically and zoned based on species ranges of pollen, spores, fungi, and algal cysts. Using local extinction events of zonally diagnostic species to define the tops of intervals, seven informal palynozones are presented: Laevigatosporites (Pleistocene); ChenopodipoJlis (Pliocene to early Pleistocene); Ericipites (middle to late Miocene); Selenopemphix-1 (middle to late Oligocene); Integricorpus (early Oligocene); Araliaceoipollenites (late Eocene to early Oligocene); Pistillipollenites (middle Eocene). Correlations within the basin indicate that the proposed zonation may be useful for local correlations. Correlations outside the basin indicate that the palynological assemblages from the Beaufort-Mackenzie Basin may not be as isolated and endemic as first thought. A high recovery of algal cysts is attributed to less harsh maceration techniques, and confirms a significant population of cysts from a region in which they were formerly believed to be relatively scarce. The palynology does not exhibit an increase in marine influence with decreasing proximity to the basin margin. Instead it shows a consistent, strong terrestrial influence throughout each well. The large terrestrial discharge from the Mackenzie River is interpreted to have masked the effect of basin proximity on the palynology of the area. The study wells are dominated by terrestrial Type III organic matter. Recycled and terrestrial inert material often make up over 95 % of the residues. These results support a terrestrial source for the offshore oils in the Beaufort -Mackenzie Basin. There is a small but consistent presence of potential oil-generating material throughout each well (amorphous and liptinite). The liptinite is largely composed of pollen grains, spores, and leaf cuticle. Algal cysts are present but less abundant. If the observed amounts of amorphous and liptinite material continue to some depth, where the required level of thermal maturation might be reached, these sediments could act as source rocks for hydrocarbons. The rare occurrence of resinite in the study wells questions the resinite source theory for the hydrocarbons in the basin The sediments in each of the three study wells are immature to total depth, and could not be the source of Tertiary oils in the Beaufort - Mackenzie Basin. The levels of maturity in the wells, and the low maturation gradient calculated for Netserk F-40 (0.07 Ro/km), suggest that thermal maturation will only be achieved at much greater depths. This is most likely due to rapid sedimentation rates in the basin during the Tertiary. By combining the zonations from Chapter 3 with the maturation data from Chapter 4, the burial and thermal history of each study well is reconstructed. Using a modified version of Lopatin's method, paleo-geothermal gradients are calculated for each well. In each case, the gradient that best accountes for the measured maturities is 15 °C/km. The calculated gradient is approximately 1/2 to 1/3 of the present geothermal gradients for the wells. The gradient is in agreement with those previously calculated from similar basins, and is considered responsible for the failure of any of the study wells to encounter effective source rocks. Source rocks of Tertiary oils in the Beaufort-Mackenzie Basin will only exist at greater depths than those encountered in this study. Prospective targets may therefore be located adjacent to sites where vertical migration of hydrocarbons is likely, such as steeply-dipping faults. / Science, Faculty of / Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Department of / Graduate

Two digital- computer models of the ground -water reservoir of the Tucson basin, in south - central Arizona, were constructed to study errors in digital models and to evaluate the worth of additional basic data to models. The two models differ primarily in degree of detail -- the large -scale model consists of 1,890 nodes, at a 1/2 -mile spacing; and the small -scale model consists of 509 nodes, at a l -mile spacing. Potential errors in the Tucson basin models were classified as errors associated with computation, errors associated with mathematical assumptions, and errors in basic data: the model parameters of coefficient of storage and transmissivity, initial water levels, and discharge and recharge. The study focused on evaluating the worth of additional basic data to the small -scale model. A basic form of statistical decision theory was used to compute expected error in predicted water levels and expected worth of sample data (expected reduction in error) over the whole model associated with uncertainty in a model variable at one given node. Discrete frequency distributions with largely subjectively- determined parameters were used to characterize tested variables. Ninety -one variables at sixty - one different locations in the model were tested, using six separate error criteria. Of the tested variables, 67 were chosen because their expected errors were likely to be large and, for the purpose of comparison, 24 were chosen because their expected errors were not likely to be particularly large. Of the uncertain variables, discharge /recharge and transmissivity have the largest expected errors (averaging 155 and 115 feet, respectively, per 509 nodes for the criterion of absolute value of error) and expected sample worths (averaging 29 and 14 feet, respectively, per 509 nodes). In contrast, initial water level and storage coefficient have lesser values. Of the more certain variables, transmissivity and initial water level generally have the largest expected errors (a maximum of 73 per feet per 509 nodes) and expected sample worths (a maximum of 12 feet per 509 nodes); whereas storage coefficient and discharge/ recharge have smaller values. These results likely are not typical of those from many ground -water basins, and may apply only to the Tucson basin. The largest expected errors are associated with nodes at which values of discharge /recharge are large or at which prior estimates of transmissivity are very uncertain. Large expected sample worths are associated with variables which have large expected errors or which could be sampled with relatively little uncertainty. Results are similar for all six of the error criteria used. Tests were made of the sensitivity of the method to such simplifications and assumptions as the type of distribution function assumed for a variable, the values of the estimated standard deviations of the distributions, and the number and spacing of the elements of each distribution. The results are sensitive to all of the assumptions and therefore likely are correct only in order of magnitude. However, the ranking of the types of variables in terms of magnitude of expected error and expected sample worth is not sensitive to the assumptions, and thus the general conclusions on relative effects of errors in different variables likely are valid. Limited studies of error propagation indicated that errors in predicted water levels associated with extreme erroneous values of a variable commonly are less than 4 feet per node at a distance of 1 mile from the tested node. This suggests that in many cases, prediction errors associated with errors in basic data are not a major problem in digital modeling.

The apatite crystal structure-A5(TO4)3X-allows for complex substitutions of various minor and trace elements including volatile constituents, rare earth elements, and redox sensitive elements (e.g., As, Mn, Fe, S) (Piccoli and Candela, 1994; Piccoli and Candela, 2002; Pan and Fleet, 2002; Teiber et al., 2015; Harlov, 2015). In this study, apatite grains from 19 intrusions across northeastern Nevada with varied petrogenetic and metallogenic properties were analyzed by electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) to obtain major and trace element abundances. Systematic variations in Sr and REE concentrations in apatite grains from granitic host rocks are the result of competition with pre-existing and coexisting minerals in silicate melts. The presence of zoning in cathodoluminescence colors combined with high Sr concentrations in apatite from many of the Eocene granodiorite rocks suggest magma mixing affected the geochemical evolution in many of the Eocene igneous systems. In addition, high Sr concentrations in apatite grains from Late Cretaceous two-mica granites may reflect significant magmatic input from lower crustal and/or mantle sources despite the felsic nature of these intrusive rocks.A new EPMA analytical routine to measure arsenic down to detection limits of approximately 20 ppm allowed a more extensive characterization of As concentration in igneous apatite than has previously been published. Still, correlations between As and other trace-element concentrations are not evident, which may reflect the simple substitution of As5+ for P5+ in the apatite structure. Petrologic controls on As content include redox state, indicated by the high Asapat/Asbulk-rock in relatively oxidized intrusive rocks. An additional control is competition among other magmatic phases, exsolving aqueous fluids, or sulfide melts, indicated by enrichment of As in apatite cores relative to apatite rims. Past studies on redox-sensitive elements in igneous apatite have focused on Mn and S, but with further investigation, As may also prove to be a key redox-sensitive trace element in apatite for interpreting igneous and hydrothermal processes.

>Magister Scientiae - MSc / The present research deals with the characterization of the Lower Ecca Group in terms of sedimentology, mineralogy and organic geochemistry. A field study was conducted in order to characterize the sedimentology and thereby determine the environments of deposition of the Prince Albert, Whitehill and Collingham Formations. In addition, shale samples were subjected to geochemical and mineralogical analyses so as to ascertain its source rock properties. The study utilized X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy with an energy dispersive spectrometer (SEM-EDS), total organic carbon (TOC) and Rock-Eval pyrolysis to determine the mineralogy and organic geochemistry of shale from the formations under investigation. The sedimentological investigation revealed that the upper Prince Albert Formation is dominated by shale with thin beds of carbonate. These shales are interpreted to have been deposited by suspension settling in a marine environment which was occasionally interrupted by deposition of carbonates that form in a shallow marine environment. The overlying Whitehill Formation consists predominantly of carbonaceous shale with relatively more resistant shale beds also present. The fine sediments are interpreted to have been deposited from suspension settling under anoxic bottom conditions which would favor the preservation of organic rich material. Deposition of the Whitehill Formation was followed by the Collingham Formation which is dominated by rhythmic deposits of shale and sandstone that are occasionally interrupted by tuff layers. The clay size sediments are interpreted to have been deposited from suspension settling which are interbedded with low density turbidite current deposits in a marine environment. Based on the findings of the field study, it is apparent that the Prince Albert and Collingham Formations were deposited in marine environments, with the Whitehill Formation being deposited in an anoxic environment. These environments are known to be dominated by phytoplanktonic organisms and algal debris, and as such shales deposited in these environments contain predominantly Type I (derived from algae) and II kerogen (derived from plankton). It can therefore be postulated that Type I and II kerogens are the dominant constituents of organic matter in the Lower Ecca Group shales. Mineralogically, the shales consist chiefly of kaolinite, smectite and illite clay minerals, which are derived from a combination of weathering of feldspars, and the alteration of other clay minerals. The latter being inferred from the existence of albite in all the studied shale samples, pyroclastic material observed in the field, as well as the occurrence of alteration along clay mineral edges.