System modelling and testing of a magnetic susceptibility device and effect of downhole in-situ temperatures on magnetic susceptibility

Magnetic techniques have so far been under exploited in the petroleum industry. Recently scientists have published some results on laboratory based magnetic susceptibility data for reservoir rock minerals which show strong correlations with key petrophysical parameters including permeability. However, such laboratory based experiments are not representative of in-situ reservoir conditions. Part of this thesis investigates the in-situ magnetic properties of reservoir rocks and minerals at reservoir temperatures via laboratory experiments to model downhole conditions. The shapes of hysteresis curves at various temperatures and the shapes of temperature dependent susceptibility (TDS) curves for individual minerals (paramagnetic, diamagnetic, ferromagnetic) were used to identify the type of magnetic minerals present, their concentrations, phase transitions and changes in mineralogy. For paramagnetic minerals, magnetic susceptibility decreases with an increase in temperature, whereas diamagnetic susceptibility is shown to be independent of temperature. Ferromagnetic substances can show a variety of thermomagnetic changes depending on the type of ferromagnetic minerals present. Changes in the domain state of ferromagnetic carriers with temperature were also observed, which either resulted from the formation of new ferromagnetic components and/or variations in grain size. Theoretical and experimental data on the thermomagnetic properties of reservoir rock minerals are also presented. A downhole sonde capable of taking magnetic susceptibility measurements in-situ downhole has been designed and tested in this thesis. Since the laboratory based methods have demonstrated correlations between the magnetically derived mineral contents and petrophysical parameters, the downhole magnetic susceptibility sonde can potentially provide in-situ predictions of these parameters. Model boreholes were prepared in the laboratory using powder samples and by drilling through solid blocks of rock. Tests were performed on these model boreholes using the magnetic susceptibility sonde

Synthesis of Carbon Nanomaterials and Their Applications in the Oilfield

This dissertation explores the potential applications of nanotechnology in the oilfield including poly(vinyl alcohol) stabilized carbon black nanoparticles for oil exploration and temperature-responsive carbon black nanoparticles for enhanced oil recovery. Also, it describes the rational design of graphene nanoribbons via intercalating reactive metals into multi-walled carbon nanotubes followed by addition of vinyl monomers or haloalkanes. Efficient production and modification of these aforementioned nanomaterials will make them more attractive for applications in the oilfield and electronics materials. A method is reported for detecting the hydrocarbon in the porous media with stabilized nanoparticles that are capable of efficiently transporting hydrophobic molecules through oil-containing rocks and selectively releasing them when a hydrocarbon is encountered. Nano-sized carbon black was oxidized and then functionalized with poly(vinyl alcohol) via a coupling reaction between the polymer's hydroxyl groups and the carboxylic groups on oxidized carbon black. Breakthrough curves show that poly(vinyl alcohol)-coated oxidized carbon black was stable in synthetic sea brine at room temperature and could carry the 14C-labeled radioactive tracer 2,2ˊ,5,5ˊ-tetrachlorobiphenyl through rocks and then released the tracer upon exposure to hydrocarbon. Due to the temperature-sensitivity of hydrogen bonds, higher molecular weight poly(vinyl alcohol) was used to improve the stability of carbon black nanoparticles in synthetic sea brine at higher temperatures. After sulfation, high molecular weight poly(vinyl alcohol) could stabilized carbon black nanoparticles in American Petroleum Institute standard brine at high temperatures. Those nanoparticles could efficiently transport mass-tagged probe molecules through a variety of oil-field rock types and selectively released the probe molecules into the hydrocarbon-containing rocks. Those proof-of-concept chemical nanoreporters can potentially be used under conditions commonly observed in the reservoir, and aid in the recovery of oil that remains in place. Amphiphilic carbon nanoparticles have been prepared that are capable of reversibly transferring across the water/oil interface in a temperature-controlled manner. Nano-sized carbon black was oxidized and then functionalized with amphiphilic diblock polyethylene-b-poly(ethylene glycol) copolymers that were water-soluble at low-to-moderate temperatures but oil-soluble at higher temperatures. The correlation between the phase transfer temperature and the melting temperature of the hydrophobic block of the copolymers and the weight percent of hydrophilic block were investigated. The amphiphilic nanoparticles were used to stabilize oil droplets for demonstrating potential applications in reducing the water/oil interfacial tension, a key parameter in optimizing crude oil extraction from downhole reservoirs. Graphene nanoribbons free of oxidized surfaces can be prepared in large batches and 100% yield by splitting multi-walled carbon nanotubes with potassium vapor. If desired, exfoliation is attainable in a subsequent step using chlorosulfonic acid. The low-defect density of these GNRs is indicated by their electrical conductivity, comparable to that of graphene derived from mechanically exfoliated graphite. Additionally, cost-effective and potentially industrially scalable, in situ functionalization procedures for preparation of soluble graphene nanoribbons from commercially carbon nanotubes are presented. To make alkane-functionalized graphene nanoribbons, multi-walled carbon nanotubes were intercalated by sodium/potassium alloy under liquid-phase conditions, followed by addition of haloalkanes, while polymer-functionalized graphene nanoribbons were prepared via polymerizing vinyl monomers using potassium-intercalated graphene nanoribbons. The correlation between the splitting of MWCNTs, the intrinsic properties of the intercalants and the degree of graphitization of the starting MWCNTs has also been demonstrated. Those functionalized graphene nanoribbons could have applications in conductive composites, transparent electrodes, transparent heat circuits, and supercapcitors

Gas hydrate technology: state of the art and future possibilities for Europe

Interest in natural gas hydrates has been steadily increasing over the last few decades, with the understanding that exploitation of this abundant unconventional source may help meet the ever-increasing energy demand and assist in reduction of CO2 emission (by replacing coal). Unfortunately, conventional technologies for oil and gas exploitation are not fully appropriate for the specific exploitation of gas hydrate. Consequently, the technology chain, from exploration through production to monitoring, needs to be further developed and adapted to the specific properties and conditions associated with gas hydrates, in order to allow for a commercially and environmentally sound extraction of gas from gas hydrate deposits. Various academic groups and companies within the European region have been heavily involved in theoretical and applied research of gas hydrate for more than a decade. To demonstrate this, Fig. 1.1 shows a selection of leading European institutes that are actively involved in gas hydrate research. A significant number of these institutes have been strongly involved in recent worldwide exploitation of gas hydrate, which are shown in Fig. 1.2 and summarized in Table 1.1. Despite the state of knowledge, no field trials have been carried out so far in European waters. MIGRATE (COST action ES1405) aims to pool together expertise of a large number of European research groups and industrial players to advance gas-hydrate related activity with the ultimate goal of preparing the setting for a field production test in European waters. This MIGRATE report presents an overview of current technologies related to gas hydrate exploration (Chapter 2), production (Chapter 3) and monitoring (Chapter 4), with an emphasis on European activity. This requires covering various activities within different disciplines, all of which contribute to the technology development needed for future cost-effective gas production. The report points out future research and work areas (Chapter 5) that would bridge existing knowledge gaps, through multinational collaboration and interdisciplinary approaches

13th International Bologna Conference on Magnetic Resonance in Porous Media - Bologna 2016 Conference Handbook and Book of Abstracts

This conference series, founded at the University of Bologna in 1990 and now at the 13th edition, is devoted to the progress in Magnetic Resonance in Porous Media and in our understanding of Porous Media themselves, and to stimulate the contact among people from various parts of Academia and Industry. Researchers in Physics, Chemistry, Engineering, Life Sciences, Mathematics, Computer Sciences, and in Industrial Applications will benefit from exchange of ideas, experiences, and new approaches. Topics will include innovative techniques to study structure, behavior of fluids, and their interactions in every kind of natural and artificial porous materials, including rocks, cements, biological tissues, foodstuffs, wood, particle packs, sediments, pharmaceuticals, zeolites, and bioconstructs. New data acquisition and processing techniques are also expected to be strong features

13th International Bologna Conference on Magnetic Resonance in Porous Media - Bologna 2016 Conference Handbook and Book of Abstracts

This conference series, founded at the University of Bologna in 1990 and now at the 13th edition, is devoted to the progress in Magnetic Resonance in Porous Media and in our understanding of Porous Media themselves, and to stimulate the contact among people from various parts of Academia and Industry. Researchers in Physics, Chemistry, Engineering, Life Sciences, Mathematics, Computer Sciences, and in Industrial Applications will benefit from exchange of ideas, experiences, and new approaches. Topics will include innovative techniques to study structure, behavior of fluids, and their interactions in every kind of natural and artificial porous materials, including rocks, cements, biological tissues, foodstuffs, wood, particle packs, sediments, pharmaceuticals, zeolites, and bioconstructs. New data acquisition and processing techniques are also expected to be strong features

The Boston University Photonics Center annual report 2016-2017

This repository item contains an annual report that summarizes activities of the Boston University Photonics Center in the 2016-2017 academic year. The report provides quantitative and descriptive information regarding photonics programs in education, interdisciplinary research, business innovation, and technology development. The Boston University Photonics Center (BUPC) is an interdisciplinary hub for education, research, scholarship, innovation, and technology development associated with practical uses of light.This has undoubtedly been the Photonics Center’s best year since I became Director 10 years ago. In the following pages, you will see highlights of the Center’s activities in the past year, including more than 100 notable scholarly publications in the leading journals in our field, and the attraction of more than 22 million dollars in new research grants/contracts. Last year I had the honor to lead an international search for the first recipient of the Moustakas Endowed Professorship in Optics and Photonics, in collaboration with ECE Department Chair Clem Karl. This professorship honors the Center’s most impactful scholar and one of the Center’s founding visionaries, Professor Theodore Moustakas. We are delighted to haveawarded this professorship to Professor Ji-Xin Cheng, who joined our faculty this year.The past year also marked the launch of Boston University’s Neurophotonics Center, which will be allied closely with the Photonics Center. Leading that Center will be a distinguished new faculty member, Professor David Boas. David and I are together leading a new Neurophotonics NSF Research Traineeship Program that will provide $3M to promote graduate traineeships in this emerging new field. We had a busy summer hosting NSF Sites for Research Experiences for Undergraduates, Research Experiences for Teachers, and the BU Student Satellite Program. As a community, we emphasized the theme of “Optics of Cancer Imaging” at our annual symposium, hosted by Darren Roblyer. We entered a five-year second phase of NSF funding in our Industry/University Collaborative Research Center on Biophotonic Sensors and Systems, which has become the centerpiece of our translational biophotonics program. That I/UCRC continues to focus on advancing the health care and medical device industries

Experimental Determination Of Oilfield Cement Properties And Their Influence On Well Integrity

Oilfield cements are a key element in well construction, during the operational phase of a well, and after its abandonment. Hydrocarbon, geothermal, gas storage and carbon sequestration wells make use of oilfield cements to seal the annular space between the casing and the formation, some of the most common cements being API Class G and H. With an increase in the world’s energy needs and an expected uptick in drilling and plugging and abandonment activities, evaluating and understanding cement properties is crucial, since these properties are used in various engineering designs and calculations. In many scenarios, these properties are assumed constant with time, but an increasing number of authors have shown how properties change with time, temperature, and pressure. This work presents experiments run on Class G cement mixed with and without additives and cured at 25°C, 50°C, and 75°C, and constant pressure over a total of approximately two years. The influence of time, temperature, and additives on the performance of these cements is evaluated, and non-destructive testing methods are used to develop correlations to assess cement mechanical properties and to understand the development of porosity and its influence on cement performance. We applied NMR for the non-destructive evaluation of porosity, pore size distribution, cement water saturation, and curing of cement. We develop more accurate correlations as a function of temperature and for a variety of additives for the estimation of unconfined compressive strength through ultrasonic measurements