Defining simple and comprehensive assessment units for CO2 storage in saline formations beneath the UK North Sea and continental shelf

In the UK, by far the largest CO2 storage opportunities lie offshore. The North Sea in particular has a long and complex geological history, with potential reservoirs geographically widespread and occurring at multiple stratigraphic levels. Diverse storage estimates have been made, using a range of working methods, and yielding different values, e.g. SCCS (2009); Bentham (2006). Consequently the UK Storage Appraisal Project (UKSAP), commissioned and funded by the Energy Technologies Institute (ETI), is undertaking the most comprehensive assessment to date, using abundant legacy seismic and borehole data. This study has a remit to use best current practice, consistent between locations, to calculate the CO2 storage capacity of the entire UK Continental Shelf (UKCS) within saline aquifers and hydrocarbon fields. The potential storage formations have been subdivided into units for assessment, and filtered to remove units with only a small estimated storage capacity to concentrate resources on more viable units. The size of potential storage units approximate to a power law distribution, similar to that of hydrocarbon fields, with a large number of small units and a small number of large units

Metal release from contaminated estuarine sediment under pH changes in the marine environment

The contaminant release from estuarine sediment due to pH changes was investigated using a modified CEN/TS 14429 pH-dependence leaching test. The test is performed in the range of pH values of 0-14 using deionised water and seawater as leaching solutions. The experimental conditions mimic different circumstances of the marine environment due to the global acidification, carbon dioxide (CO2) leakages from carbon capture and sequestration technologies, and accidental chemical spills in seawater. Leaching test results using seawater as leaching solution show a better neutralisation capacity giving slightly lower metal leaching concentrations than when using deionised water. The contaminated sediment shows a low base-neutralisation capacity (BNCpH 12 = -0.44 eq/kg for deionised water and BNCpH 12 = -1.38 eq/kg for seawater) but a high acid-neutralisation capacity when using deionised water (ANCpH 4 = 3.58 eq/ kg) and seawater (ANCpH 4 = 3.97 eq/kg). Experimental results are modelled with the Visual MINTEQ geochemical software to predict metal release from sediment using both leaching liquids. Surface adsorption to iron- and aluminium- (hydr)oxides was applied for all studied elements. The consideration of the metal-organic matter binding through the NICA-Donnan model and Stockholm Humic Model for lead and copper, respectively, improves the former metal release prediction. Modelled curves can be useful for the environmental impact assessment of seawater acidification due to its match with the experimental values.This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, Project No. CTM 2011-28437-C02-01, ERDF included. M. C. Martı´n-Torre was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness by means of FPI. Fellowship No. BES-2012-053816

Segmentation of the Hellenides recorded by Pliocene initiation of clockwise block rotation in Central Greece

New paleomagnetic data from Early Miocene to Pliocene terrestrial sedimentary and volcanic rocks in Central Greece constrain the history of vertical-axis rotation along the central part of the western limb of the Aegean arc. The present-day pattern of rapid block rotation within a broad zone of distributed deformation linking the right-lateral North Anatolian and Kephalonia continental transform faults initiated after Early Pliocene time, resulting in a uniform clockwise rotation of 24.3±6.5° over a region >250. km long and >150. km wide encompassing Central Greece and the western Cycladic archipelago. Because the published paleomagnetic dataset requires clockwise rotations of >50° in Western Greece after ~17. Ma, while our measurements resolve no vertical-axis rotation of Central Greece between ~15. Ma and post-Early Pliocene time, a large part of the clockwise rotation of Western Greece must have occurred during the main period of contraction within the external thrust belt of the Ionian Zone between ~17 and ~15. Ma. Pliocene initiation of rapid clockwise rotation in Central and Western Greece reflects the development of the North Anatolia-Kephalonia Fault system within the previously extended Aegean Sea region, possibly in response to entry of dense oceanic lithosphere of the Ionian Sea into the Hellenic subduction zone and consequent accelerated slab rollback. The development of the Aegean geometric arc therefore occurred in two short-duration pulses characterized by rapid rotation and strong regional deformation. © 2012 Elsevier B.V

Defining Global Benchmarks in Bariatric Surgery: A Retrospective Multicenter Analysis of Minimally Invasive Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass and Sleeve Gastrectomy

OBJECTIVE To define "best possible" outcomes for bariatric surgery (BS)(Roux-en-Y gastric bypass [RYGB] and sleeve gastrectomy [SG]). BACKGROUND Reference values for optimal surgical outcomes in well-defined low-risk bariatric patients have not been established so far. Consequently, outcome comparison across centers and over time is impeded by heterogeneity in case-mix. METHODS Out of 39,424 elective BS performed in 19 high-volume academic centers from 3 continents between June 2012 and May 2017, we identified 4120 RYGB and 1457 SG low-risk cases defined by absence of previous abdominal surgery, concomitant procedures, diabetes mellitus, sleep apnea, cardiopathy, renal insufficiency, inflammatory bowel disease, immunosuppression, anticoagulation, BMI>50 kg/m and age>65 years. We chose clinically relevant endpoints covering the intra- and postoperative course. Complications were graded by severity using the comprehensive complication index. Benchmark values were defined as the 75th percentile of the participating centers' median values for respective quality indicators. RESULTS Patients were mainly females (78%), aged 38±11 years, with a baseline BMI 40.8 ± 5.8 kg/m. Over 90 days, 7.2% of RYGB and 6.2% of SG patients presented at least 1 complication and no patients died (mortality in nonbenchmark cases: 0.06%). The most frequent reasons for readmission after 90-days following both procedures were symptomatic cholelithiasis and abdominal pain of unknown origin. Benchmark values for both RYGB and SG at 90-days postoperatively were 5.5% Clavien-Dindo grade ≥IIIa complication rate, 5.5% readmission rate, and comprehensive complication index ≤33.73 in the subgroup of patients presenting at least 1 grade ≥II complication. CONCLUSION Benchmark cutoffs targeting perioperative outcomes in BS offer a new tool in surgical quality-metrics and may be implemented in quality-improvement cycle.ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT03440138

Progressing Scotland's CO2 storage opportunities

Carbon capture, transport and storage (CCS) is a rapidly growing industry that offers both environmental benefits and substantial business, employment and research opportunities for Scotland and the UK. In 20091 the report Opportunities for CO2 storage around Scotland identified the size of these opportunities and key initiatives that need to be acted upon to move CCS forward in Scotland. Government, industry and stakeholder organisations joined with Scottish Carbon Capture and Storage (SCCS) researchers in this Scottish Carbon Capture and Storage Development Study to progress some of the actions needed to inform the deployment of the entire CCS chain in Scotland and the UK. The study presents new insights on: • A path to CCS, defining the activities and timescales to meet national and international ambitions for deployment of CCS and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions; • Scotland's CO2 storage assets, refining the estimated large-scale carbon dioxide (CO2) storage capacity in North Sea sandstones; • Skills and capacity needs for the future global CCS industry and how to realise opportunities it presents for UK economic development; • Public communication and engagement on CCS. A Path to Deployable CCS technologies was explored and mapped out by the study members in July 2009, prior to the commencement of the study. The path presents their view of the timescales and activities needed to implement CCS in Scotland which, adopted together with other low-carbon technologies, will contribute to the national target of 80% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. This path has been adopted by the Scottish Government and Scottish Enterprise and has informed their document 'Carbon Capture and Storage - a Roadmap for Scotland' in 2010.Carbon capture, transport and storage (CCS) is a rapidly growing industry that offers both environmental benefits and substantial business, employment and research opportunities for Scotland and the UK. In 20091 the report Opportunities for CO2 storage around Scotland identified the size of these opportunities and key initiatives that need to be acted upon to move CCS forward in Scotland. Government, industry and stakeholder organisations joined with Scottish Carbon Capture and Storage (SCCS) researchers in this Scottish Carbon Capture and Storage Development Study to progress some of the actions needed to inform the deployment of the entire CCS chain in Scotland and the UK. The study presents new insights on: • A path to CCS, defining the activities and timescales to meet national and international ambitions for deployment of CCS and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions; • Scotland's CO2 storage assets, refining the estimated large-scale carbon dioxide (CO2) storage capacity in North Sea sandstones; • Skills and capacity needs for the future global CCS industry and how to realise opportunities it presents for UK economic development; • Public communication and engagement on CCS. A Path to Deployable CCS technologies was explored and mapped out by the study members in July 2009, prior to the commencement of the study. The path presents their view of the timescales and activities needed to implement CCS in Scotland which, adopted together with other low-carbon technologies, will contribute to the national target of 80% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. This path has been adopted by the Scottish Government and Scottish Enterprise and has informed their document 'Carbon Capture and Storage - a Roadmap for Scotland' in 2010

Last chance for carbon capture and storage

Anthropogenic energy-related CO2 emissions are higher than ever. With new fossil-fuel power plants, growing energy-intensive industries and new sources of fossil fuels in development, further emissions increase seems inevitable. The rapid application of carbon capture and storage is a much heralded means to tackle emissions from both existing and future sources. However, despite extensive and successful research and development, progress in deploying carbon capture and storage has stalled. No fossil-fuel power plants, the greatest source of CO2 emissions, are using carbon capture and storage, and publicly supported demonstration programmes are struggling to deliver actual projects. Yet, carbon capture and storage remains a core component of national and global emissions-reduction scenarios. Governments have to either increase commitment to carbon capture and storage through much more active market support and emissions regulation, or accept its failure and recognize that continued expansion of power generation from burning fossil fuels is a severe threat to attaining objectives in mitigating climate change