Waterflood optimization via rate control is receiving increased interest because of rapid developments in the smart well completions and I-field technology. The use of inflow control valves (ICV) allows us to optimize the production/injection rates of various segments along the wellbore, thereby maximizing sweep efficiency and delaying water breakthrough. It is well recognized that field scale rate optimization problems are difficult because they often involve highly complex reservoir models, production and facilities related constraints and a large number of unknowns. Some aspects of the optimization problem have been studied before using mainly optimal control theory. However, the applications to-date have been limited to rather small problems because of the computation time and the complexities associated with the formulation and solution of adjoint equations. Field-scale rate optimization for maximizing waterflood sweep efficiency under realistic field conditions has still remained largely unexplored. We propose a practical and efficient approach for computing optimal injection and production rates and thereby manage the waterflood front to maximize sweep efficiency and delay the arrival time to minimize water cycling. Our work relies on equalizing the arrival times of the waterfront at all producers within selected sub-regions of a water flood project. The arrival time optimization has favorable quasi-linear properties and the optimization proceeds smoothly even if our initial conditions are far from the solution. We account for geologic uncertainty using two optimization schemes. The first one is to formulate the objective function in a stochastic form which relies on a combination of expected value and standard deviation combined with a risk attitude coefficient. The second one is to minimize the worst case scenario using a min-max problem formulation. The optimization is performed under operational and facility constraints using a sequential quadratic programming approach. A major advantage of our approach is the analytical computation of the gradient and Hessian of the objective which makes it computationally efficient and suitable for large field cases. Multiple examples are presented to support the robustness and efficiency of the proposed optimization scheme. These include several 2D synthetic examples for validation purposes and 3D field applications.

Hyperspectral data is a powerful tool for mineral explorations and lithological discriminations. EO1-Hyperion is a space borne hyperspectral system for hyperspectral imaging which is capable of 220 spectral image channels within the range of 400 to 2500 nm wavelengths. It has advantages over airborne systems such as data cost and coverage area. Although it has many advantages, much more uncertainty exists in application period, of which this uncertainty does exist in all processing stages starting from the data preparation to the end of analysis stages. The aim of this thesis is to state the potential use of Hyperion data for lithological and mineralogical discriminations to further develop new hyperspectral image processing approach, and to improve existing preprocessing method in literature. The proposed algorithm is mainly based on atmospheric corrections and cross track illumination correction of Hyperion data. In order to achieve this, two test sites were selected. Site 1 located on the Central Anatolia, (Ekecek test site) is used for lithological discrimination and Site 2 located on West Anatolia (Biga test site) is used for mineralogical discrimination. The obtained results were compared and assessed with the field verifications, spectral measurements and existing spectral libraries. In the end of the study it is found that when proposed approach is followed hyperspectral data is proven to be a useful tool for mineralogical discrimination in mono minerallic outcrops and valuable for lithological mapping in relatively homogenous un-covered outcrops.

Volatile organic compound (VOC) contamination of low permeability geologic deposits due to Dense Non-Aqueous Phase Liquid (DNAPL) penetration through fractures is exceptionally difficult to remediate using in-situ methods as the low permeability of the sediments limits the delivery of reagents proximal to contaminant mass. This thesis examines in detail the extent of organic contaminant treatment away from hydraulically-induced fractures injected with particulate Zero Valent Iron as (1) ZVI and glycol (G-ZVI) and (2) an emulsified ZVI (EZVI) mixture within a contaminated glaciolacustrine clayey deposit. Continuous vertical cores were collected through the treatment zone at 2 and 2.5 years after substrate injections and soil sub-sample spacing was scaled to show the extent of the treatment zone adjacent to the ZVI in the fractures, expecting the treatment would be controlled by diffusion limited transport to the reaction zone. Analytical results show evidence of treatment in both the EZVI and the G-ZVI containing fractures with the presence of degradation by-products and reduced VOC concentrations in the fracture and surrounding clay matrix. / Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, University Consortium for Field-Focused Groundwater Contamination Research

Geologic map of Tennessee published in 1966 by the Tennessee Department of Conservation, Division of Geology. William D. Hardeman supervised and directed this geologic mapping and the compilation, preparation, and editing of this map. The source material for the map includes all recent (as of 1966) detailed published geologic maps and much recent unpublished geologic mapping that was begun and completed by the Division of Geology for the specific purpose of making this map of uniform accuracy through the state. The scale is 1:250,000 with the lower half including a detailed explanation including symbols/colors for rock types, mountain formations, and other geologic features. The sources of geologic information is also included. Physical copy resides in the Government Information, Law and Maps Department of East Tennessee State University’s Sherrod Library. / https://dc.etsu.edu/rare-maps/1017/thumbnail.jpg

No description available.

[pt] As zonas de falha são compostas por um núcleo, onde a maior parte da deformação é acomodada, e uma zona de dano, com deformação menos intensa. A zona de dano pode atuar como caminho de fluxo preferencial devido à presença de fraturas, ou como barreira devido às bandas de deformação. Portanto, sua caracterização é essencial para a adoção de estratégias de produção adequadas em campos de petróleo. Os métodos geofísicos geralmente utilizados, porém, dificilmente permitem a identificação das zonas de dano devido à baixa resolução sísmica. Como alternativa, empregam-se observações em afloramentos superficiais. Contudo, há uma grande dispersão de dados, que pode estar relacionada a uma variedade de fatores, como as propriedades da rocha protólita e os mecanismos de deformação atuantes. Neste sentido, este trabalho apresenta duas metodologias baseadas no método dos elementos finitos (MEF) para analisar a formação e evolução das zonas de dano em escala de reservatório. Na primeira abordagem, a zona de falha é totalmente representada através de um meio contínuo, enquanto que na segunda, a falha é representada como um plano por meio de uma descontinuidade. Em ambas aproximações, a zona de dano é estabelecida através das regiões plastificadas. Os resultados numéricos obtidos se aproximaram das observações de campo e possibilitaram a identificação das vantagens e limitações das duas abordagens baseadas no MEF. Por fim, os resultados também permitiram identificar os principais parâmetros geomecânicos que influenciam o desenvolvimento das zonas de dano, bem como os diferentes mecanismos de deformação que ocorrem ao longo da zona de dano. / [en] Fault zones are composed of two structural domains: the fault core, which accommodates most of the deformation, and a damage zone, with less intense deformation. The damage zone may act as a preferential flow path due to the presence of fractures, or as a barrier due to deformation bands. Therefore, the characterization of geological fault zones is essential for the adoption of adequate production strategies in oil fields. Generally, geophysical methods are used to characterize geological faults in the field. However, they hardly allow the identification of damage zones due to low seismic resolution. Alternatively, damage zones are analyzed through surface outcrops. Nonetheless, there is a wide dispersion of data in this type of study, which may be related to various factors, such as the properties of the host rock and the acting deformation mechanisms. Therefore, it is interesting to carry out this type of study in conjunction with numerical modeling to understand better the damage zone formation process. In this study, we present two methodologies based on the finite element method (FEM) to analyze the formation and evolution of damage zones at a reservoir scale. In the first methodology, the entire fault zone is represented through a continuum medium, while in the second methodology, the fault core is represented as a plane through a discontinuity. In both approaches, the damage zone is defined through the regions where plastic deformations were triggered. The numerical results obtained were close to field observations. They enabled the identification of the advantages and limitations of the two approaches based on the MEF. Finally, the results also allowed to identify the main parameters that influence the development of the damage zones and the different deformation mechanisms that occur along the damage zone.

A deposição de rejeitos radioativos em repositórios geológicos profundos vem sendo estudada nos últimos anos em diversos países. Materiais à base de cimento são utilizados nesses repositórios como material estrutural, matriz de imobilização de rejeitos ou material de preenchimento. Compreender o desempenho desse material é essencial para garantir a segurança da instalação durante o seu tempo de vida útil (de milhares a centenas de milhares de anos, dependendo do tipo de rejeito). Este trabalho objetiva modelar o comportamento em longo prazo do cimento Portland e estudar a influência de diversos fatores na hidratação e na evolução desse material. A modelagem descritiva abordou a hidratação do cimento nas condições ambientais esperadas no repositório e os efeitos desses fatores em propriedades mecânicas, mineralógicas e morfológicas do cimento. Os fatores ambientais considerados relevantes neste trabalho foram: alta temperatura e pressão, penetração de água subterrânea contendo íons quimicamente agressivos ao cimento e a presença do campo de radiação proveniente dos rejeitos. Ensaios acelerados de degradação também foram realizados para corroborar com o modelo descrito. Observou-se uma sinergia entre diversos fatores na degradação do cimento, como a influência da temperatura e da radiação em reações deletérias ao material. O resultado da modelagem apontou três principais possíveis causas de falha nas barreiras artificiais: a) a formação de um caminho preferencial; b) a perda de resistência e coesão do material; e c) o aumento na corrosão das estruturas metálicas. A descrição do modelo apresentada é a base para a modelagem matemática e a análise de segurança dos repositórios estudados no Brasil. / The radioactive waste disposal in deep geological repositories has been studied for many countries in the last years. Cementitious materials are used in these repositories as structural material, immobilization matrix and as backfill material. The understanding of the performance of these materials is essential to ensure the safety of the installation during its life time (from thousand to hundreds of thousands of years, depending on the type of waste). This works aims at modeling the long-term performance of Portland cement and study the influence of many environmental factors in the hydration and evolution of this material. The modeling approached the cement hydration in the conditions expected in the repository and the effects of these factors on cement mechanical, mineralogical and morphological properties. The environmental factors considered relevant was: high temperature and pressure, the penetration of groundwater containing aggressive chemical ions, and a radiation field from the waste. Degradation accelerated tests were done to corroborate with the descriptive model. It was observed a synergism between some factors on the cement degradation, as the influence of temperature and radiation field in some deleterious reactions in the material. The results of modeling pointed to three main causes of engineered barrier failure: a) the formation of a preferential pathway; b) loss of resistance and cohesion in the material; and c) the increase in the metallic structures corrosion process. The descriptive model is the basis for a mathematical modeling and to perform the safety assessment of the repositories studied in Brazil.

não-convencionais de metano biogênico em folhelhos podem representar importante recurso energético e contribuir significativamente para emissões de gases do efeito estufa. Com o intuito de avançar na compreensão dos controles na geração de metano (CH4) e dióxido de carbono (CO2) em folhelhos ricos em matéria orgânica, o presente estudo avaliou o potencial de geração e a estrutura de poros de folhelhos das bacias sedimentares do Paraná e Taubaté, localizadas na região sudeste do Brasil. As formações Ponta Grossa (Devoniano, Bacia do Paraná), Irati (Permiano, Bacia do Paraná) e Tremembé (Paleógeno, Bacia de Taubaté) foram analisadas de modo a obter-se taxas de produção biogênica de CH4 e CO2 sob diferentes condições. Para tanto, foram efetuadas incubações de 24 amostras de folhelho em laboratório, sob meios seco, aquoso e com adição de ácido ácetico, durante períodos de até 1 ano. Também foram realizadas análises para a determinação do teor de carbono orgânico e testes de adsorção para caracterização de poros e superfície específica das amostras de folhelho com o intuito de compreender o papel destas variantes na geração de gases biogênicos. As taxas de produção de gás biogênico em amostras incubadas a seco atingiram valores de até 3,17 ml/t.d (CH4) e 2,45x10³ ml/t.d (CO2) durante os primeiros 30 dias. Amostras incubadas com adição de água demonstraram aumento de 54% na produção de CH4 e 151% na produção de CO2. A adição de ácido acético no sistema foi responsável pelo reínicio ou aumento da produção de CH4 e CO2 na maioria dos casos avaliados. A Formação Irati apresentou o maior potencial para produção de metano biogênico entre as unidades estratigráficas estudadas, fator que pode estar ligado à biodegradação de petróleo pesado presente nos poros. O volume total de poros e a superfície específica de amostras aparenta não afetar a produção biogênica. Entretanto, a umidade e disponibilidade de substrato exercem controle predominante no potencial de geração de CH4 e CO2 biogênicos em folhelhos ricos em matéria orgânica. / Unconventional biogenic shale gas systems may represent an important energy resource and significantly contribute to geological greenhouse gases emissions. In order to better understand the controls on biogenic methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) generation in organic-rich shales, the present study evaluated the generation potential and the pore structure of shales from Taubaté and Paraná basins, located in southeastern Brazil. The Ponta Grossa (Devonian, Paraná basin), Irati (Permian, Paraná basin) and Tremembé Formations were analyzed in order to quantify production rates of biogenic CH4 and CO2 under distinct experimental conditions. Twenty four shale samples were used for batch incubations under dry, wet and acetic acid solution conditions during time periods reaching up to 1 year. The organic carbon content and nitrogen adsorption analysis for determining specific surface area and porosity were also performed to evaluate their role on biogenic gas generation.The biogenic gas production rates in samples under dry conditions reached up to 3.17 ml/t.d (CH4) and 2.45x10³ ml/t.d (CO2) during the first 30 days of incubation. Samples under wet conditions demonstrated production rates 54% higher for CH4 and 151% higher for CO2 in comparison with dry tests. Acetic acid addition restarted or increased CH4 and CO2 production in most cases. The Irati Formation showed the highest potential for biogenic methane production, which could be linked to the biodegradation of heavy liquid hydrocarbons occurring in this unit. Total pore volume and specific surface does not appear to significantly affect the biogenic production of CH4 and CO2. However, water content and substrate availability would exert predominant control over the biogenic gas generation within organic rich shales.

A deposição de rejeitos radioativos em repositórios geológicos profundos vem sendo estudada nos últimos anos em diversos países. Materiais à base de cimento são utilizados nesses repositórios como material estrutural, matriz de imobilização de rejeitos ou material de preenchimento. Compreender o desempenho desse material é essencial para garantir a segurança da instalação durante o seu tempo de vida útil (de milhares a centenas de milhares de anos, dependendo do tipo de rejeito). Este trabalho objetiva modelar o comportamento em longo prazo do cimento Portland e estudar a influência de diversos fatores na hidratação e na evolução desse material. A modelagem descritiva abordou a hidratação do cimento nas condições ambientais esperadas no repositório e os efeitos desses fatores em propriedades mecânicas, mineralógicas e morfológicas do cimento. Os fatores ambientais considerados relevantes neste trabalho foram: alta temperatura e pressão, penetração de água subterrânea contendo íons quimicamente agressivos ao cimento e a presença do campo de radiação proveniente dos rejeitos. Ensaios acelerados de degradação também foram realizados para corroborar com o modelo descrito. Observou-se uma sinergia entre diversos fatores na degradação do cimento, como a influência da temperatura e da radiação em reações deletérias ao material. O resultado da modelagem apontou três principais possíveis causas de falha nas barreiras artificiais: a) a formação de um caminho preferencial; b) a perda de resistência e coesão do material; e c) o aumento na corrosão das estruturas metálicas. A descrição do modelo apresentada é a base para a modelagem matemática e a análise de segurança dos repositórios estudados no Brasil. / The radioactive waste disposal in deep geological repositories has been studied for many countries in the last years. Cementitious materials are used in these repositories as structural material, immobilization matrix and as backfill material. The understanding of the performance of these materials is essential to ensure the safety of the installation during its life time (from thousand to hundreds of thousands of years, depending on the type of waste). This works aims at modeling the long-term performance of Portland cement and study the influence of many environmental factors in the hydration and evolution of this material. The modeling approached the cement hydration in the conditions expected in the repository and the effects of these factors on cement mechanical, mineralogical and morphological properties. The environmental factors considered relevant was: high temperature and pressure, the penetration of groundwater containing aggressive chemical ions, and a radiation field from the waste. Degradation accelerated tests were done to corroborate with the descriptive model. It was observed a synergism between some factors on the cement degradation, as the influence of temperature and radiation field in some deleterious reactions in the material. The results of modeling pointed to three main causes of engineered barrier failure: a) the formation of a preferential pathway; b) loss of resistance and cohesion in the material; and c) the increase in the metallic structures corrosion process. The descriptive model is the basis for a mathematical modeling and to perform the safety assessment of the repositories studied in Brazil.

A partir d’un ensemble de données interprétées et issues d’une analyse préalable par un opérateur expert (horizons, failles), l’objectif de la thèse est de proposer une segmentation d’une image sismique sous-jacente en parfaite cohérence avec les lois de la géologie. L’originalité de la démarche consistera à développer des techniques de segmentation d’images sismiques, entre autres basées sur des approches de type contours actifs, contraintes par des données interprétées en supplément de propriétés intrinsèques calculées par des procédés automatiques à partir de la donnée traitée sans nécessiter une quelconque supervision contrairement aux travaux existants. Un deuxième axe consistera à ordonnancer automatiquement les horizons (surfaces) interprétés et analyser finement chaque intervalle (le lieu existant entre deux horizons), en prenant en compte son contenu (amplitude, orientation, etc.). Tout cela aboutissant à la reconstruction du pseudo-temps géologique. / The objective of the thesis is to propose a segmentation of an underlying seismic image in perfect coherence with the results of a preliminary analysis by an expert (horizons, faults). laws of geology. The originality of the approach will be to develop techniques for segmenting seismic images, among others based on active contour type approaches, constrained by data interpreted in addition to intrinsic properties calculated by automatic processes from the data processed without requiring any supervision in contrast to existing work. A second axis will be to automatically schedule the horizons (surfaces) interpreted and to analyze each interval (the place between two horizons) finely, taking into account its content (amplitude, orientation, etc.). All this resulted in the reconstruction of the geological pseudo-time.