Fully Integrated Hydrocarbon Reservoir Studies: Myth or Reality?

Abstract: Problem statement: In the petroleum industry and especially during reservoir studies, data coming from different disciplines must be combined in order to generate a model that is representative of the reservoir being studied and can be used for defining the most viable development strategy of the field from both an economic and technical standpoint. Each of these disciplines represents an independent piece of a puzzle that is solved by professionals from various scientific fields who have different educational backgrounds. Integration among geophysics, geology, fluid dynamics and geomechanics is truly essential, but requires specific approaches and procedures for generating and calibrating a reservoir model capable of dealing with all and each of these aspects. Approach: Independent workflows were examined for each of the disciplines involved so as to highlight unavoidable interdependencies between static, dynamic and geomechanical models, even when the goal is to tackle each issue separately. Then, the traditional working method was compared to the integrated approach that supports the generation and calibration of models based on data and interpretation results from all the disciplines involved in the entire project. Results: The Construction of a reservoir model should be regarded as a dynamic process, subject to repeated updates as new data is made available and by frequent modifications when inconsistencies are found between the understanding that different specialists have of the same system. This approach has exhibited great advantages in terms of improvement in the quality and flexibility of the model, reduction of working time and generation of a single final model that can be adapted or used for any kind of simulation problem. Conclusion: An integrated approach is necessary for reservoir modeling purposes. Modern reservoir studies should be designed accordingly to permit the full integration of static, dynamic and geomechanical data into a single reservoir model. Integration is always beneficial, even though there still remains a misconception that it is not needed at all times. For this reason, it is recommended that an effort is made to set up a model capable to handle all aspects of a reservoir study each time a new field study is undertaken, even when it is not envisioned that all aspects might be of interest in the futur

ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY OF OIL INDUSTRY

Similarly to most industrial activities, the oil industry can affect the environment at several stages. The greatest impact is the release of waste into the environment in concentrations that are not natural. Virtually in all cases, the adverse impact can be minimized or eliminated through the implementation of a proper waste management plan. Over the past few years the oil industry has placed greater emphasis on minimizing the environmental impact of its operations in all the main phases of a hydrocarbon reservoir life: from appraisal to field development, from production and recovery to reservoir decommissioning. As a consequence, the oil industry is facing important technical challenges, approaching with great interest and expectation new emerging technologies, such as nanotechnologies and alternative solutions, like CO2 underground storage. This study provides an overview of the most interesting solutions that have been proposed and critically highlights their potential benefits and drawbacks. The following paper focuses on some of the new approaches that have already changed the routine operation workflow, while others are currently being tested and may yet require further improvement

An Ecosystem with HTII Response and Predators' Genetic Variability

A new model to investigate environmental effects of genetically distinguishable predators is presented. The Holling type II response function, modelling feeding satiation, leads to persistent system's oscillations, as in classical population models. An almost complete classification of the cases arising in the Routh–Hurwitz stability conditions mathematically characterizes the paper. It is instrumental as a guideline in the numerical experiments leading to the findings on the limit cycles. This result extends what found in an earlier parallel investigation containing a standard bilinear response function

Fully Integrated Hydrocarbon Reservoir Studies: Myth or Reality?

Abstract: Problem statement: In the petroleum industry and especially during reservoir studies, data coming from different disciplines must be combined in order to generate a model that is representative of the reservoir being studied and can be used for defining the most viable development strategy of the field from both an economic and technical standpoint. Each of these disciplines represents an independent piece of a puzzle that is solved by professionals from various scientific fields who have different educational backgrounds. Integration among geophysics, geology, fluid dynamics and geomechanics is truly essential, but requires specific approaches and procedures for generating and calibrating a reservoir model capable of dealing with all and each of these aspects. Approach: Independent workflows were examined for each of the disciplines involved so as to highlight unavoidable interdependencies between static, dynamic and geomechanical models, even when the goal is to tackle each issue separately. Then, the traditional working method was compared to the integrated approach that supports the generation and calibration of models based on data and interpretation results from all the disciplines involved in the entire project. Results: The Construction of a reservoir model should be regarded as a dynamic process, subject to repeated updates as new data is made available and by frequent modifications when inconsistencies are found between the understanding that different specialists have of the same system. This approach has exhibited great advantages in terms of improvement in the quality and flexibility of the model, reduction of working time and generation of a single final model that can be adapted or used for any kind of simulation problem. Conclusion: An integrated approach is necessary for reservoir modeling purposes. Modern reservoir studies should be designed accordingly to permit the full integration of static, dynamic and geomechanical data into a single reservoir model. Integration is always beneficial, even though there still remains a misconception that it is not needed at all times. For this reason, it is recommended that an effort is made to set up a model capable to handle all aspects of a reservoir study each time a new field study is undertaken, even when it is not envisioned that all aspects might be of interest in the future

An intrinsically safe facility for forefront research and training on nuclear technologies — Core design

The core of a subcritical, low-power research reactor in a lead matrix has been designed using the MCNPX code. The main parameters, like geometry, material composition in the fuel assembly and reflector size, have been optimized for a k eff ∼ 0.95 and a thermal power around 200 Kw. A 70 Mev, 1 mA proton beam incident on a beryllium target has been assumed as neutron source and the corresponding thermal power distribution and neutron fluxes in the reactor have been simulated

Preliminary investigation on the geological potential for underground hydrogen storage (uhs) in saline formations in italy

In the last years, energy transition from fossil fuels to renewable resources has been largely acknowledged as a necessity to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Hydrogen, the simplest element on Earth, can play an important role in this transition. It is not as an energy source but rather as an energy carrier: in layman’s terms, electricity is converted in chemical energy, which can then be converted again in electricity or in green methane, if combined with carbon dioxide. Because hydrogen can be obtained from the excess of electricity produced from power plants or from renewable energy sources, such as solar panels or wind mills, it is a clean and sustainable form of energy, to be stored and used when needed. As a consequence, a key issue is hydrogen storage. Large metallic containers are typically used to this end but their capacity is limited. Given the increasing hydrogen production and perspective large use, the only viable alternative is underground storage in geological formations, which can be depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs, deep saline aquifers, or cavities in salt domes. Underground hydrogen storage (UHS) is already in use in various countries and mostly in salt caverns artificially made by circulation of fresh water. In the Italian territory there are several areas where saline deposits are both observable as outcrops or detected deep in the subsoil. Their thickness and their geological, petrophysical and mechanical characteristics vary from one area to another depending on the depositional conditions, which favored the formation of different sedimentary facies. These characteristics have a strong impact on the decision to convert a saline dome into a hydrogen storage and, therefore, they should be thoroughly investigated. The aim of this work is to map the salt formations mapped on the Italian territory and to preliminarily assess their potential on the basis of the geological characteristics for a possible future use as underground hydrogen storages

Global Energy Demand and Its Geopolitical and Socioeconomic Implications: Which Role Would Shale Resources Have?

This paper discusses the geopolitical and socioeconomic implications the development of shale gas (& oil) has had in the US. The approach has been that of placing shale gas under erasure (or sous rature). In other words, the assumption that shale is currently both present/absent was made to answer the question of whether it can actually be considered as a resource. Moreover, the success of the “shale revolution” in the US has not only had an impact on the International Oil & Gas, Petrochemical, natural resource and renewable markets, but it has also triggered certain geopolitical events which are modifying the role played by nations globally. Finally, it is suggested that under the prevailing circumstances these unconventional resources appear to still be more of a challenge than part of the solution to the ever growing energy demand, and production of goods associated with societal needs/aspirations worldwide

Influence of biological variations and sample handling on measured microalbuminuria in diabetic patients

Five immunochemical assays for determining low concentrations of albumin were investigated. These were a radioimmunoassay (RIA); turbidimetric immunoassays (TIA) both according to end-point measuring principle on a Cobas Fara and Hitachi 717 analysers, and according to kinetic measuring principle on a Turbitimer instrument; and a nephelometric immunoassay (NIA). All achieved the analytical goal necessary for optimal patient care. The correlations between the albumin concentrations measured with the different techniques were very good. In vitro glycation of albumin did not influence albumin concentrations measured by the five assays. Urine albumin excretion measured over 3 consecutie days showed considerable day-to-day variation. This was highest for spot-urine specimens and significantly lower for 24 h and timed-overnight samples. Variation of storage temperature (room temperature, 4°C, -20°C), time (up till 3 months), and pH (within the range pH 5-8) of the urine samples did not change significantly the measured albumin concentrations. Different sample preparations (vortex-mixing, centrifugation, and thawing) had no influence on the measured albumin concentration. In conclusion, a maximum standardization of the collection of timed-overnight urine samples for screening and 24 h urine sampels for confirmation of microalbuminuria during 3 consecutive days is more crucial than the choice of the immunological technique