Thesis (M.S.)--West Virginia University, 2001. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains vi, 41 p. : ill. (some col.). Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 39-41).

Thesis (doctoral)--Freie Universität Berlin, X.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--West Virginia University, 2003. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains xv, 146 p. : ill. (some col.). Vita. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 117-129).

Identification of favorable production zones in hydrocarbon-bearing shale often requires the quantification of in-situ mechanical properties. These properties are also necessary for the optimal design of hydro-fracturing operations. Rock elastic properties are affected by volumetric concentrations of mineral constituents, porosity, fluid saturations, and total organic carbon (TOC). Rapid depth variations of rock properties often encountered in shale gas formations make conventional petrophysical interpretation methods inadequate to estimate volumetric concentration of mineral constituents. We introduce a new method to assess elastic properties of organic shale based on the combined quantitative interpretation of sonic, nuclear, and resistivity logs. In-situ elastic properties of organic shale are estimated by (a) improving the assessment of volumetric concentrations of mineral constituents, (b) implementing reliable rock physics models and mixing laws for organic shale, and (c) numerically reproducing wideband frequency dispersions of Stoneley and flexural waves. An example of the application of the method is described in the Haynesville shale gas formation. Estimates of mineral concentrations, porosity, and fluid saturations are in agreement with available laboratory core measurements and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) data. Calculated layer-by-layer P- and S-wave velocities differ by less than 15% from measured velocities thus confirming the reliability of the method. Finally, based on the new interpretation method developed in this thesis, correlations are found between mineral concentrations, TOC, porosity, and rock elastic properties, which can be used in the selection of optimal production zones. / text

published_or_final_version / Civil Engineering / Master / Master of Philosophy

Zero valent iron (ZVI) has demonstrated its reactivity and effectiveness for in-situ groundwater and soil remediation. The potential of the high reducing activity of nanoscale ZVI (nZVI) for environmental decontamination has attracted more attentions in recent years, as nZVI may be injected with water to the pollution sites for in-situ remediation. However, rapid oxidation and instant agglomeration of nZVI make it difficult for large-scale engineering application. Effort has been made to improve the stability and mobility of nZVI for effective in-situ remediation. In the present study, a novel Ca-based surface coating method has been developed for protection of nZVI and enhancement of its transport in environmental applications. A simple thermal deposition method was employed to coat a Ca-based layer on the surface of micro- or nano- ZVI particles in water or methanol environment. According to microscopic observations, Ca(OH)2 nano-layer was formed on the ZVI surface. A clear core-shell structure was observed for the coated nZVI/Ca(OH)2 particles based on the TEM observations. The Ca(OH)2 coating layer had a thickness about one fifth of the nZVI diameter and the Ca to Fe ratio was below 0.2. With the Ca(OH)2 shell, nZVI particles can be effectively protected against corrosion according to the standard natural spray corrosion tests. Thus, the Ca(OH)2 coating layer is able to greatly improve the stability of nZVI during storage, transportation and application. In addition, based on the result of the dissolution tests, the Ca(OH)2 shell could be readily dissolved in water with a low Ca content or a low ionic strength. After dissolution of the Ca(OH)2 shell, the reactivity of nZVI was found to be at the similar level as bare nZVI, which could remove Cr(VI) from water by more than 90% in about 20 min. The pseudo-first order rate constants for Cr(VI) reduction by bare nZVI and nZVI/ Ca(OH)2 after shell dissolution were 0.064 and 0.072 min-1, respectively. Moreover, the Ca(OH)2 coating shell would not only function as a protection layer but also improve the mobility of nZVI particles in in-situ applications. The aggregation and sedimentation of nZVI/Ca(OH)2 particles became considerably slower compared to bare nZVI without the coating. Clean-bed water filtration tests were conducted with sand and glass columns to evaluate the mobility and transport of nZVI in porous media. The results show that bare nZVI in the particle suspension deposited mostly at the top of the filters with little penetration. In comparison, the nZVI/Ca(OH)2 particles were able to penetrate through the filter media during the filtration process, and the dark iron particles could fill up the entire filter columns. The penetration rate increased from nearly 0 m/hr for bare nZVI to 0.43 m/hr for nZVI/Ca(OH)2 through the filter media. The Ca-based coating materials are known as of low cost and environmentally friendly. Thus, the new coating method developed in this study provides a cost-effective means for both the protection of nZVI and improvement of its transport and delivery in porous media for environmental decontamination. / published_or_final_version / Civil Engineering / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

There are 1,305 Superfund Sites on the United States Environmental Protection Agencies National Priorities List that may require remediation due to the environmental or human health risks associated with subsurface contamination. The contaminants present at these sites and others vary with respect to their physical and chemical properties which dictate the selection of appropriate remediation technologies. In-Situ Thermal Desorption (ISTD) has been studied as a remediation technique for removing many recalcitrant contaminants from soil. ISTD involves passing electrical current through heating elements in wells and removing contaminants through heater/vacuum wells. Heating occurs by heat conduction through the soil. At high temperatures, even relatively low volatility contaminants can be vaporized, removed by vacuum and treated with an on-site recovery system. The main objective of this research was to design and test a laboratory apparatus scaled to a typical ISTD field site and to use it to conduct experiments that could be used to aid in the validation of the STARS numerical simulator. A dimensional analysis was done on the governing energy balance equation to determine the most important scaling groups for the ISTD process so the laboratory experiments could be scaled up to the field. The laboratory apparatus was modeled after a symmetry element of the hexagonal field pattern and a triangular glass prism was constructed for heated sandpack experiments. Temperature data was measured in dry sand, sand partially saturated with water, and sand with both water and PCE added to it. The apparatus was made of glass so that the behavior of the PCE contaminant could be observed when the sand was heated. / text

I nuläget finns det 428 områden registrerade som förorenade med klorerade lösningsmedel iSverige. Dessa ämnen har använts inom svensk industri som avfettnings- och lösningsmedelsedan 1930-talet. Klorerade lösningsmedels komplexa spridningsbild medför större svårigheter vid sanering och undersökning jämfört med exempelvis petroleumkolväten. Därför är det viktigt att öka kunskapen om sanering av lösningsmedel. En flitigt användsaneringsmetod av förorenade områden i Sverige är schaktsanering. Där grävs jord upp för att sedan transporteras till behandlingsanläggning eller deponi. På grund av metodens klimat- och miljöpåverkan behöver saneringsmetoder som är mer ekonomiskt och miljömässigt hållbaratillämpas oftare. Detta examensarbete syftade till att utvärdera in situ-saneringsmetoder för mark och grundvatten förorenade av klorerade lösningsmedel utifrån funktions-, tids-, hållbarhets- och kostnadsaspekter. Vidare syftade arbetet till att undersöka vilka metoder som lämpar sig bäst under svenska förhållanden. För att utvärdera in situ-metoders lämplighet och olika funktionsaspekter beskrevs lämpliga in situ-metoder. En fallstudie genomfördes där fem områden förorenade med klorerade lösningsmedel runtom i Sverige studerades. För samtliga områden beskrevs området och föroreningssituationen. Därefter presenterades konsulternas utvärdering och val av saneringsmetod samt resultat av utförd sanering. Metoder som studerades i fallstudien var två tekniker tillhörande kemisk reduktion, multifasextraktion,biostimulering och termisk behandling. De fem projekten värderades även med SGI:s beslutstödsverktyg för saneringsmetoder, SAMLA. Där poängsattes metoderna utifrån olika kriterier tillhörande miljö, sociala faktorer samt ekonomi. Vidare gjordes en allmän utvärdering av in situ-metoder för klorerade lösningsmedel utifrån svenska förhållanden, vad gäller geologi, hydrogeologi, geokemi och klimat. De utvärderades även utifrån dess styrkor och svagheter med avseende på tillämpningsområden, kostnad, saneringstid,energiförbrukning samt användning i Sverige som sammanställdes i matriser. Värderingen i SAMLA av de fem projekten visade på liknande resultat jämfört med tidigare genomförda riskvärderingar. De metoder som valdes i riskvärderingarna fick även högst tilldelad poäng i SAMLA. Valet av metod för respektive projekt valdes utifrån rådande förhållanden på området, såsom geologi och befintliga byggnader. Slutsatser som kan drasfrån detta arbete är att samtliga in situ-metoder som utvärderades kan tillämpas i Sverige utifrån de geologiska förhållandena. Däremot är det de platsspecifika förhållandena, såsom stort grundvattenflöde eller heterogen jord, som styr valet av saneringsmetod. Även förutsättningar för fastigheten måste beaktas, exempelvis byggnader på platsen eller exploatering av området. Dock kan tillämpningen av in situ-metoder eventuellt utvecklas mo ten viss typ av geologiska förhållanden (högpermeabla jordar) där klorerade lösningsmedel troligen kan påträffas oftare. / Currently, there are 428 areas contaminated with chlorinated solvents in Sweden. These substances have been used in Sweden’s industry as degreasing agents and solvents.Chlorinated solvents are more difficult to investigate and remediate compared to petroleum hydrocarbons, due to their complicated distribution in different media. Hence, it is important to increase the knowledge of remediation of chlorinated solvents. The remediation technology excavation is frequently used in Sweden for contaminated areas. Excavation means that soil is dug up and transported to treatment or landfills sites. Due to its climate impact, the use of more sustainable remediation technologies should be increased. This thesis aimed to evaluate in situ remediation technologies for soil and groundwater contaminated with chlorinated solvents with respect to functionality, sustainability, time and cost aspects. Furthermore, this thesis aimed to investigate which technologies are best suited for Swedish conditions. To evaluate suitability and functionality of remediation technologies,all technologies were described and a case study of five areas in Sweden contaminated with chlorinated solvents was conducted. The contaminant situation and site-specific conditions were described for each area. Thereafter, the evaluation and choice of remediation technology and remediation result were presented. The technologies studied in the case study were two types of chemical reduction, multi-phase extraction, biostimulation and thermal treatment.The five projects were then assessed using the Swedish Geotechnical Institute’s decision support tool for remediation technologies, SAMLA. The technologies were rated in SAMLA according to criteria related to environmental factors, social factors and costs. Furthermore,the remediation technologies were evaluated based on their strengths and limitations with respect to Swedish conditions, such as geology, climate and geochemistry. They were also evaluated based on their strengths and limitations according to implementation areas, cost,remediation time, energy consumption and use in Sweden.The assessment of the five projects in SAMLA produced similar results compared to previously conducted risk evaluations. The technologies that were chosen based on the risk evaluations were also rated highest in SAMLA. The choice of technology for each project was based on conditions for the area, such as geology and existing buildings. Conclusions were drawn indicating that all technologies can be implemented in Sweden with respect to geological conditions. However, site-specific conditions, such as high groundwater flow and heterogeneous soil, limit the implementation of a specific technology. Moreover, other sitespecific conditions than those already discussed have to be considered, for instance buildings or future exploitation. Future development of in situ remediation technologies may focus on implementation of a certain type of geology (highly permeable soils), where chlorinated solvents may be found more frequently.

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