Two- and three-phase flow functions for numerical simulation of EOR processes

The understanding of governing mechanisms of multi-phase (oil, water, and gas) flow in porous media is of keen interest in petroleum and environmental engineering. In the petroleum engineering context, three-phase flow occurs in several important processes including in enhanced oil recovery (EOR). Recovery of a significant amount of the residual oil in reservoirs after primary recovery and secondary recovery (waterflooding) is important in order to tackle the increasing demand for the energy. EOR methods mainly involve two and three-phase flow in the reservoir. Relative permeability (kr) and capillary pressure (Pc) are two important parameters in multiphase flow which describe the interaction of each fluid in porous media. The importance of these flow functions will be even more significant for three-phase flow systems. This thesis attempts to address three key issues. (i) Improved determination of multi-phase flow functions (kr and Pc). (ii) The impact of parameters affecting flow functions. (iii) Prediction of multi-phase flow functions. Relative permeability (kr) can be measured in the laboratory using steady-state and unsteady-state methods, or estimated by mathematical correlations and pore-network models. As multi-phase flow experiments and in particular steady-state measurements are very time consuming and expensive, more often the unsteady-state method is used for multi-phase kr measurements. In this thesis, a methodology has been devised for calculating kr values and in particular three-phase kr from unsteady-state experiments. The effort was extended to simultaneously calculating Pc from the same coreflood experiment. There are different physical parameters which can affect flow functions. The effect of gas/oil interfacial tension (IFTg/o) on two and three-phase kr and also on residual saturation during alternative water and gas injections has also been studied. Finally, two-phase kr have been estimated for rock and fluid conditions where there is no previous data. This has been achieved by taking data from different conditions under which measurements were made

Do Spousal Intimate Relationships Affect Fertility Intentions and Preferences?

The fertility influence of spousal intimate relationships is unknown. Drawing on the Giddens’s theory of transformation of intimacy, this study proposed a hypothesis that couples supporting egalitarian intimate relationships, with a greater risk profile attached to the relationship, and having less attachments to the external normative pressures shaping marital relations, are more likely to have low-fertility intentions and preferences. Using data from a self-administered pilot survey (n = 375 prospective grooms and brides) designed by the authors, and employing multivariate regression models, we found that the lower attachment to external social forces in mate selection was associated with the lower ideal number of children, and those with a greater spousal relational egalitarianism and a higher risk profile attached to their relationships preferred lower number of children and were less likely to intend to have children after marriage. The study sheds new light on the determinants of low fertility.Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canadahttps://doi.org/10.13039/501100000155Nipissing Universityhttps://doi.org/10.13039/100009369Peer Reviewe

Carbon resilience calibration as a carbon management technology

In the path to a net-zero carbon and energy transition from fossil fuel, the world is facing a dilemma of growing global energy demand and required actions on climate-related risks. While over 80% of the current global energy needs are supplied by fossil fuels, the number of carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) projects is limited in this sector. There is a huge gap between the scale and distribution of ongoing CCUS projects and the carbon intensity (CI) of energy-intensive industries. Furthermore, the climate impact of growing reliance on unconventional resources (Tar sands and shales) as well as the depletion of conventional resources poses challenges to the oil and gas sector to meet energy demand, while limiting their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. On the other hand, the economic viability of CCUS projects is highly sensitive to carbon credits policies, which are not yet fully integrated in a way to fill the current gap in the number, scale and distribution of these projects. Moreover, there is limited consistency between the allocated decarbonization funds and the anticipated economic growth of fossil fuel economies to promote wide-scale global resilience to carbon exposure. Therefore, it is essential to take climate-related risks, including socioeconomic impacts, into consideration for the decision-making process of companies and governments to embrace low-carbon energy. The focus of this article is on carbon resilience calibration and emissions scenario analysis in investment decisions to realize decarbonization goals through balancing short-term actions with long-term energy transition plans. The challenges and prospects of the application of CCUS technologies as an industrial decarbonization approach are discussed. Carbon footprint (CFP) observing, factoring and reporting workflows for correlating carbon exposure and resilience as part of climate assessment are introduced. Moreover, the main elements of carbon resilience scenarios are analyzed to fill the gap between the current industrial activities and decarbonization plans and to avoid making decisions solely based on economic aspects. Finally, we propose a workflow for carbon resilience calibration and a cash flow model for a sample CCUS project in the upstream oil and gas industry

Review of Microfluidic Devices and Imaging Techniques for Fluid Flow Study in Porous Geomaterials

Understanding transport phenomena and governing mechanisms of different physical and chemical processes in porous media has been a critical research area for decades. Correlating fluid flow behaviour at the micro-scale with macro-scale parameters, such as relative permeability and capillary pressure, is key to understanding the processes governing subsurface systems, and this in turn allows us to improve the accuracy of modelling and simulations of transport phenomena at a large scale. Over the last two decades, there have been significant developments in our understanding of pore-scale processes and modelling of complex underground systems. Microfluidic devices (micromodels) and imaging techniques, as facilitators to link experimental observations to simulation, have greatly contributed to these achievements. Although several reviews exist covering separately advances in one of these two areas, we present here a detailed review integrating recent advances and applications in both micromodels and imaging techniques. This includes a comprehensive analysis of critical aspects of fabrication techniques of micromodels, and the most recent advances such as embedding fibre optic sensors in micromodels for research applications. To complete the analysis of visualization techniques, we have thoroughly reviewed the most applicable imaging techniques in the area of geoscience and geo-energy. Moreover, the integration of microfluidic devices and imaging techniques was highlighted as appropriate. In this review, we focus particularly on four prominent yet very wide application areas, namely “fluid flow in porous media”, “flow in heterogeneous rocks and fractures”, “reactive transport, solute and colloid transport”, and finally “porous media characterization”. In summary, this review provides an in-depth analysis of micromodels and imaging techniques that can help to guide future research in the in-situ visualization of fluid flow in porous media

Effect of Exogenous Application of Several Plant Growth Regulators on Photosynthetic Pigments of Fennel Plants

In order to investigate the effects of some plant growth regulators on photosynthetic pigments and growth of fennel plants, a greenhouse experiment was conducted based on the randomized complete block design with three replicates in 2017. Treatments were the application of methyl jasmonate (25, 50, 100 and 200 μM), putrescine (0.25, 0.5, 1 and 2 mM) and 24-Epibrassinolide at 0.001, 0.01, 0.1 and 1 μM and distilled water as a control. The results indicated that application of 0.5 Mm putrescine, exhibited significant effects on the chlorophyll a (62%), b (104%), total chlorophyll (72%), carotenoids (51%), flavonoids (51%), anthocyanin content (-14%), phenolic compounds (13%) and maximum quantum efficiency (17%) in dark condition and in light condition. Application of 24-Epibrassinolide resulted in a significant increase of chlorophyll a and total chlorophyll, carotenoids, phenol content, maximum quantum efficiency in the dark condition and photochemical quenching of fluorescence. The highest chlorophyll content and carotenoids were observed in treated plants with 0.1 µM 24-Epibrassinolide, while the maximum phenol content was obtained by application of 0.01 µM 24-Epibrassinolide. The application of methyl jasmonate significantly affected the major chlorophyll and accessory pigments (except phenol) of fennel. Plants treated with 50 µM methyl jasmonate exhibited higher concentrations of chlorophyll a (3.25 mg per g FW-1), total chlorophyll (4.35 mg per g FW-1), carotenoids (0.87 mg per g FW-1) and flavonoids (4.75 µg per g FW-1). A significant dry weight increased after the application of methyl jasmonate and it can be concluded that the most effective treatment in this regard for fennel plants was 50 µM methyl jasmonate

Rapid Laser Manufacturing of Microfluidic Devices from Glass Substrates

Conventional manufacturing of microfluidic devices from glass substrates is a complex, multi-step process that involves different fabrication techniques and tools. Hence, it is time-consuming and expensive, in particular for the prototyping of microfluidic devices in low quantities. This article describes a laser-based process that enables the rapid manufacturing of enclosed micro-structures by laser micromachining and microwelding of two 1.1-mm-thick borosilicate glass plates. The fabrication process was carried out only with a picosecond laser (Trumpf TruMicro 5×50) that was used for: (a) the generation of microfluidic patterns on glass, (b) the drilling of inlet/outlet ports into the material, and (c) the bonding of two glass plates together in order to enclose the laser-generated microstructures. Using this manufacturing approach, a fully-functional microfluidic device can be fabricated in less than two hours. Initial fluid flow experiments proved that the laser-generated microstructures are completely sealed; thus, they show a potential use in many industrial and scientific areas. This includes geological and petroleum engineering research, where such microfluidic devices can be used to investigate single-phase and multi-phase flow of various fluids (such as brine, oil, and CO2) in porous media