A novel method of predicting pore pressure has been invented. The method utilizes currently recorded drilling measurements to predict the pore pressure of the formation through which the bit is drilling. The method applies Mohr’s Theory to describe the stresses at the bottom of the borehole. From the stress state and knowledge of Mohr’s Envelope, the pore pressure is predicted. To verify the method, a test procedure was developed. The test procedure enabled systematic collection and processing of the drilling data to calculate the pore pressure prediction. The test procedure was then applied to industry data that was recorded at the surface. The industry data were composed of wells from different geographical regions. Two conclusions were deduced from the research. First, Mohr’s Theory indicates that the model is valid. Second, because of too much variation in the torque measurements the model cannot be proved and requires further investigation.

Loop heat pipes seem a promising approach for application in modern technologies where such thermal devices as cooling fans and radiators cannot satisfy overall requirements. Even though a loop heat pipe has a big potential to remove the thermal energy from a high heat flux source, the heat removal performance of heat pipes cannot be predicted well since a first principles of evaporation has not been established. An evaporation model based on statistical rate theory has been recently suggested by Ward and developed for a single pore by Oinuma. A loop heat pipe with coherent pore wick structure has been proposed as a design model. To limit product development risk and to enhance performance assurance, design model features and performance parameters have been carefully reviewed during the concept development phase and have been deliberately selected so as to be well-founded on the limited existing loop heat pipe knowledge base. A first principles evaporation model has been applied for evaporator geometry optimization. A number of iteration calculations have been performed to satisfy design and operating limitations. A set of recommendations for design optimization has been formulated. An optimal model has been found and proposed for manufacture and experimental investigation.

The moved sand caused by the wave is one of the important issue in coastal engineering. Moved sand of the coastal refers that wave and current ,cause sand suspended and moved, and it also caused the change of seabed along the coast. To estimate the change of sediment and establish the mechanism of sediment is very important in coastal engineering design. The series of hydraulic model experiments in wave flume are used to observation the relationships between moved sand and incident water wave condition. In this thesis, the movable-bed model of slope 1/45¡B1/30 ,which moved sand were estimated with surveyed from images of flume glass, and use image processing technique, we can calculate actual situation of movable-bed change. We also use the braces of sensor which was new design, set braces near surf zone, obtain the change of the pore pressure under the movable-bed and analysis the relationships between moved sand and incident water wave condition.

Prefabricated vertical drains represent a soil improvement technique that achieves liquefaction mitigation by decreasing the drainage path length and hence expediting the dissipation of excess pore pressures. When evaluating the required spacing between vertical drains to achieve the desired reduction in pore pressure response, simplified design charts or more sophisticated finite element analyses are used to predict the pore pressure response. These charts and programs have not been evaluated in terms of their accuracy because there exists little data with which to compare the numerical predictions. More recently, the effectiveness of prefabricated vertical drains for liquefaction mitigation has been evaluated via small – scale centrifuge testing performed on untreated soil deposits and on soil deposits treated with vertical drains. In particular, the performance of the soil deposits subjected to sinusoidal motions and actual earthquake recordings was tested. The main goal of this research is to compare the experimental observations of pore pressure response from the centrifuge experiments with the numerical predictions. The comparison focuses on the average excess pore pressure ratio (r_(u,avg)) that was developed in the location of a vertical pore pressure array in both the untreated and drain – treated sides of the models. In parallel, a parametric study is performed for the numerical predictions in order to study the effect of each input parameter that influences the pore pressure prediction, namely the effect of soil properties, ground motion characteristics and drain parameters. The numerical predictions are found to provide reliable predictions of the pore pressure response despite the simplicity of the constitutive model employed. The numerical predictions of r_(u,avg) time – histories are generally in good agreement with the recorded values in the centrifuge experiments. In most of the cases, the numerical model managed to predict the same maximum average excess pore pressure ratio, which is the parameter that is used in drain design. To incorporate any uncertainty on the soil properties or on the characteristics of shaking, the use of a smaller pore pressure threshold for drain design is recommended. / text

Pore-scale simulation has become increasingly important in recent years as a tool to understand multiphase flow behavior. Wettability affects aspects of flow such as capillary-pressure saturation curves, residual saturation of each phase, and relative permeability. Simulation of wettability at the pore-scale is still a non-trivial problem, and many different approaches exist to model it. In this work, we implement a variational level set formulation to impose different contact angles at the solid-fluid-fluid contact line for two-phase flow in simple rhomboidal pore geometries, and calculate the maximum mean curvature (equivalently capillary pressure) for each case. We compare our results with a detailed set of analytical and experimental results in a range of pore geometries of varying wettability from Mason and Morrow (1994), and demonstrate the accuracy of this method. While the simulations shown are for relatively simple geometries, the method has the ability to handle arbitrarily complex geometry (such as input from X-ray microtomography imaging). / text

The injection operator for a carbon dioxide sequestration project must control the reservoir and associated pore space within the project boundaries to allow for orderly development of the storage facility. A large number of interest owners within a project area is likely to make reaching unanimous agreement among all owners of pore space unlikely, and thus control of the reservoir difficult. In order to facilitate geologic sequestration of carbon dioxide on privately owned land in the United States, or on land for which the minerals or pore space are privately owned, a scheme for aggregating the ownership of pore space is needed. To allow geologic sequestration projects to move forward with less than unanimous consent of interest owners, states can employ various methods of aggregating pore space ownership. This paper examines oil and gas unitization statues and statutes creating groundwater districts to find legislative regimes useful for achieving pore space ownership aggregation. Among the approaches discussed, aggregation of pore space ownership through a unitization model is the most likely choice. Taking that one step further and setting up new unit operating agreements for enhanced oil recovery to serve as a repository for incremental geologic sequestration, and eventual full sequestration activities, provides a firm path toward reducing carbon dioxide emissions while respecting property rights. This paper also compares the few existing pore space aggregation statutes in the United States, which achieve aggregation of pore space ownership through either unitization or eminent domain. The state that appears to be the best equipped to deal with aggregation of pore space ownership is Wyoming. Wyoming has been a leader in developing legislation to deal with pore space ownership before other states. North Dakota and Utah are also very well situated to move forward with carbon sequestration activities. / text

No description available.

No description available.

Thesis (M.Sc. Environmental Science)--University of Waikato, 2007. / Title from PDF cover (viewed May 6, 2008) Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 1996. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [291]-305).