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Risk Considerations of Transitioning CO2-EOR Field to CO2 storage Field: Case Study
In the United States (U.S.), carbon dioxide (CO2) injection wells at EOR sites are currently regulated as Class II wells under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Underground Injection Control (UIC) program while dedicated geological CO2 storage (GCS) wells are considered Class VI wells. A CO2-EOR facility considering a transitioning from tertiary oil recovery to injecting CO2 for the primary purpose of long-term storage is required to obtain a Class VI permit where this transition poses an increased risk to underground sources of drinking water. This study considers how transitioning operations from CO2-EOR to storage can impact reservoir plume and pressure transient in the storage envelope, and how these changes could impact area of review and potential unwanted fluid migration. We developed a case study to assess subsurface response and leakage risks associated with a representative, hypothetical operation in a carbonate reservoir. This reservoir transitions from tertiary hydrocarbon recovery to dedicated GCS. Reservoir simulations were run for a set of credible CO2-EOR scenarios to estimate distributions of fluids phases and pressures throughout the model domain after CO2 flooding as well as forecasting the behavior of the reservoir after the transition to a dedicated storage phase. The evolutions from all simulated scenarios were used as the basis for leakage risk quantification using the National Risk Assessment Partnership’s Open-Source Integrated Assessment Model (NRAP-Open-IAM) with a novel reduced-order model to estimate time-dependent leakage of CO2, brine, and hydrocarbon fluids through potentially leaky wells. Results include a description of reservoir response, an estimate of the areal extent that could potentially be impacted by leakage to underground sources of drinking water, and estimates of the magnitude of potential leakage. Considerations for dedicated storage injection well selection, injectivity, and injection scheme performance and potential leakage risk are presented, with implications for risk assessment of well transition discussed. This study presents a risk-based workflow for the Class II to Class VI well transition. Integrating credible numerical simulation of viable CO2-EOR to dedicated CO2 storage with quantitative risk assessment tools, such as the NRAP-Open-IAM, will provide a valuable means to devise operational scenarios and inform decision-making related to storage benefit, leakage risk, and liability. Presented at the SPE/AAPG/SEG Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage Conference in Houston, TX, March 11-13, 2024.
Repowering and Retrofitting of Solar Inverters: A Field Case Study [Slides]
A handful of large-scale photovoltaic (PV) plants have undergone retrofitting and/or repowering of inverters for a variety of reasons, such as rapid product life-cycle innovations with lack of reverse compatibility, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) exiting the inverter business, weather damage, more lucrative revenue opportunities driven by high contractual offtake price, and so on. Insights has been collected via expert elicitation and relevant staff involved in these retrofitting/repowering at the case study site. Selecting and installing inverters from a different OEM at the commercially operating PV plant provides a unique opportunity to thoroughly document inverter retrofitting/repowering. The case study describes compatibility of mechanical, electrical, communications, and other important aspects. The goal is to provide a public case study that improves the general knowledge of the solar industry about what is involved in repowering/retrofitting a PV plant and how others can best prepare.
Oil slick studies using photographic and multispectral scanner data.
Field studies of spills of Nos. 6 (Bunker C), 4, and 2 fuel oils and menhaden fish oil in the southern Chesapeake Bay have been supplemented with aerial photographic and multispectral scanner data. Thin films showed best in ultraviolet and blue bands and thick films in the green. Color film was effective for all thicknesses. Thermal infrared imagery provided clear detection, but required field temperature and thickness data to distinguish thickness/emissivity variations from temperature variations. Slick spreading rates agree with the theory of Fay (1969); further study of spreading is in progress.
Radiation fluxes at the FIFE site
The main objective of the International Satellite Land Surface Climatology Project (ISLSCP) has been stated as 'the development of techniques that may be applied to satellite observations of the radiation reflected and emitted from the Earth to yield quantitative information concerning land surface climatological conditions'. The major field study, FIFE (the First ISLSCP Field Experiment), was conducted in 1987-89 to accomplish this objective. Four intensive field campaigns (IFC's) were carried out in 1987 and one in 1989. Factors contributing to observed reflected radiation from the FIFE site must be understood before the radiation observed by satellites can be used to quantify surface processes. Our last report (Walter-Shea et al., 1992b) focused on slope effects on incoming and outgoing shortwave radiation and net radiation from data collected in 1989. We report here on the final analysis of the slope data as well as results from thermal radiation studies conducted during the FIFE experiment. The specific areas reported are the following: (1) analysis of slope effects on measured reflectance values and estimates of surface albedo; (2) using remotely-measured surface temperatures as a means of estimating sensible heat flux from the Konza Prairie; (3) extracting canopy temperatures from remotely-measured composite surface temperatures; (4) modeling the measured composite temperature of partially vegetated surfaces; and (5) estimating gap distribution in partially vegetated surfaces from reflectance measurements.
Measurements and analysis of ice nuclei relevant to west coast U.S. precipitation
Improved understanding of the interactions of natural and human produced aerosols with clouds, and ultimately their influences on precipitation and climate is a key science need, and a goal of the DOE Atmospheric Systems Research program. This study focused on characterizing the numbers and types of ice nucleating particles (INPs), the rare particles in air that possess properties to trigger the formation of ice crystals in cold clouds, which are the initial seeds for wintertime snowfall, and for rainfall in many parts of the Earth. In this study, data were analyzed from field studies of INP numbers, types and spatial distributions feeding winter clouds on the West Coast of the U.S., so that regional scale and climate model simulations performed by other DOE-funded scientists can be improved in the future.
Acceptance and control of aircraft interior noise and vibration
Ride quality criteria for noise, vibration, and their combination in the helicopter cabin environment are discussed. Results are presented of laboratory and field studies of passenger responses to interior noise and vibration during the performance of a listening task and during reverie, as well as to the interaction of noise with multi-frequency and multi-axis vibration. A study of means for reducing helicopter interior noise based on analytical, experimental and flight studies of the near-field noise source characteristics of the aircraft, the transmission of noise through aircraft structures and the attenuation of noise by various noise control treatments is then presented which has resulted in a reduction of 3 dB in helicopter cabin noise. Finally, a model under development to evaluate passenger acceptance of a helicopter noise and vibration environment is indicated which incorporates the observed noise and vibration effects on comfort and is expected to provide insights for more effective noise and vibration control.
Slope effects on shortwave radiation components and net radiation
The main objective of the International Satellite Land Surface Climatology Project (ISLSCP) has been stated as 'the development of techniques that may be applied to satellite observations of the radiation reflected and emitted from the Earth to yield quantitative information concerning land surface climatological conditions.' The major field study, FIFE (the First ISLSCP Field Experiment), was conducted in 1978-89 to accomplish this objective. Four intensive field campaigns (IFC's) were carried out in 1987 and one in 1989. Factors contributing to observed reflected radiation from the FIFE site must be understood before the radiation observed by satellites can be used to quantify surface processes. Analysis since our last report has focused on slope effects on incoming and outgoing shortwave radiation and net radiation from data collected in 1989.
The Effects of Chronic Sleep Restriction on Calorie and Macronutrient Intake
Introduction: Chronic sleep restriction (CSR) has been associated with increased calorie intake and increased consumption of fats and carbohydrates, with inconsistent changes in protein. However, the majority of studies have either been observational field studies with no sleep intervention, or laboratory-based studies where food availability may not have reflected participants’ real-world choices. We hypothesized that calorie, fat, and carbohydrate intake would increase during a week of imposed CSR compared to a week of sleep satiation (SS) among individuals living in their home environment. Methods: Twelve healthy participants (6 females) kept a fixed sleep-wake schedule, with a constant waketime, at home for four weeks (actigraphy confirmed compliance). During weeks one and three, participants maintained 9 hours in bed. During weeks two and four, participants were randomly assigned to experimental weeks of 5 and 9 hours of time-in-bed in a crossover design. Participants documented their food consumption during both experimental weeks using a picture-based meal logging application (MealLogger). Intake of calories and macronutrients were classified by two blinded evaluators. Descriptive statistics were calculated in SAS (Cary, NC). Results: Participants averaged 4.43 ± 0.33 (SD) hours of sleep per night during CSR compared to 7.42 ± 0.42 hours during SS. Participants consumed a daily average of 1812 ± 672 kilocalories, 71 ± 31 grams of total fat, 217 ± 69 grams of carbohydrates, and 84 ± 40 grams of protein during CSR, compared to 1682 ± 514 kilocalories, 68 ± 23 grams of total fat, 198 ± 61 grams of carbohydrates, and 77 ± 32 grams of protein during SS. Conclusion: Preliminary descriptive findings suggest that, on average, participants consumed more calories, from an increase in consumption of each macronutrient group, during a week of sleep restriction compared to a week of sleep satiation. Further analysis is needed to determine whether these differences are statistically different and to identify when calories were consumed in each of the experimental conditions.
PV Field Performance Including Fleet and Bifacial Field Data
This presentation provides a review of two recent presentations - the 2021 PV Fleet Performance Data Initiative covered by the PVRW presentation, and bifacial system performance presented to a February DuraMAT working group. Details include degradation rate distributions from >6000 inverter channels, monthly performance vs expected, bifacial field studies of energy gain and field degradation.
The economics of growing shrub willow as a bioenergy buffer on agricultural fields: A case study in the Midwest Corn Belt: Shrub Willow Economics
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Contribution to the Study of Regional Magnetization of Satellite Magnetic Measurement: Magsat, Orsted, and Champ (with Gravity Field)
A discussion of and introduction to satellite-altitude geopotential field studies and their interpretation with emphasis on results from metalliferous regions will be given. The magnetic and gravimetric measurements from satellite altitudes show heterogeneity in deeper parts of the lithosphere. These patterns of magnetic anomalies do not only reveal the largest iron ore deposits such as Kiruna, Sweden, Kursk, Russia, and Banugi, Central African Republic but also linear features indicating structural discontinuities. Changes of magnetic amplitude of these patterns are caused by intersecting transverse fractures localizing magmatism and concentration of metals. In addition satellite altitude data are related to variations in crustal thickness and heat flow. Deep-rooted structural discontinuities, defined by combination of geological and geophysical criteria, with spacing of several hundred kilometers, reveal a quite uniform pattern in the deeper parts of the lithosphere. As these structures provide favorable pathways for the ascent of heat, magmas and ore-forming fluids, their recognition is of crucial importance and can be used in the compilation of a new type of mineral prognosis map. An example from Europe includes a pattern of east west trending structural discontinuities or belts and their junction with the NW-trending Tornqvist-Teisseyre Line. The Upper Silesian-Cracovian Zn-Pb district occurs along one of the latitudinal belts. Leslaw Teper of the University of Silesia has been invited to show the fractures in crystalline basement beneath the sediments hosting the Zn-Pb ores.
Advanced Anti-Fouling Coatings to Improve the Efficiency of Coal Power Plants
As the total cost of carbon to generate energy has become a global concern, operators are increasingly looking at all parts of the generation cycle to find areas where efficiency gains may be found. It has been long identified that fouling of heat exchangers is a persistent cause of up to 2.5% of global CO 2 emissions. Unfortunately, practice has also demonstrated that unless a powerful economic driver exists to encourage preemptive mitigation of fouling, there will always be a strong tendency for operators to minimize any form of intervention due to high costs and challenges in scheduling downtime. The objective of this proposed research effort was to demonstrate how existing power plants could lower their carbon emissions and significantly improve heat transfer efficiency using new surface treatment materials to control fouling in a variety of heat exchange equipment. The surface treatment material which was optimized and deployed in this effort is now known commercially as HeatX. It is a low-surface energy, water- and oil-repellent, abrasion resistant material which can be applied in-situ to a wide variety of previously worn/used/in-service substrates. Once applied, it provides a barrier against corrosion, scale deposit formation, and biofilm adhesion on the circulating water-containing tube-side. Alternatively, if applied to the tube exterior, the non-wetting nature of the surface was demonstrated to promote dropwise condensation, subsequently lowering condenser backpressure and increasing overall plant efficiency. As part of this cooperative effort, the Department of Energy’s support was crucial to de-risk and demonstrate the concept of HeatX, while validating both the performance and economic benefit in multiple pilot field studies. The HeatX material properties were optimized in this effort for full field applicability to heat exchangers and condensers, and Oceanit developed the necessary procedures and protocols to provide enough material to support extended length, multi-year demonstrations in the power generation, desalination, and refining industries, making this technology broadly applicable and ready for commercial transition. Field deployment case studies at thermal power plants have shown that the HeatX treatment can provide economic savings of up to $15,000 per day for an operator based on avoiding maintenance costs and lowering fuel usage. The complete mitigation of fouling effects can increase the efficiency of equipment by up to 7%, in a field where gains of 0.5% are generally seen as operationally significant. The HeatX treatment has also demonstrated exceptional lifetime and compatibility with a wide variety of seawater and hydrocarbon environments, further increasing both the return on investment and the effective emission reduction. Such efficiency improvements correlate to massive carbon savings. For every 1 GW of capacity, operators can see carbon emissions reductions of 300,000 tons of CO 2 per year. When looking at the bigger picture, improved condenser function across the U.S. has the potential to prevent 221.3 million tons of CO 2 emissions, equivalent to the sequestration capacity of 129 million acres of forest. If applied on a global scale, 1.26 billion metric tons of CO 2 could be averted from the atmosphere, the same amount of carbon sequestrated by 1.5 billion acres of forest annually or 262,000 wind turbines operating annually. As businesses across multiple industries take a more active role in focusing on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) solutions as part of their core business operations, HeatX will be an attractive technology for commercial investment.
Groundwater sapping valleys: Experimental studies, geological controls and implications to the interpretation of valley networks on Mars
An integrated approach using experimental laboratory models, field studies of terrestrial analogs, and remote studies of terrestrial field sites were applied to the goals of understanding the nature and morphology of valley networks formed by groundwater sapping. In spite of problems with scaling, the experimental studies provide valuable insights into concepts relating to the initiation, development, and evolution of valleys by groundwater sapping. These investigations are also aimed at developing geomorphic criteria for distinguishing valleys formed by surface runoff from those formed by groundwater sapping processes. Channels that were field classified as sapping vs. runoff were successfully distinguished using statistical analysis of their respective morphologies; therefore, it may be possible to use similar techniques to interpret channel genesis on Mars. The terrestrial and flume studies provide the ground truth dataset which can be used (and will be during the present year) to help interpret the genesis of valley networks on Mars.
Long-Term field testing of the accuracy and HVAC energy savings potential of occupancy presence sensors in A Single-Family home
The energy-saving potential of occupancy-centric smart thermostats has been extensively explored in simulations but lacked field testing for energy savings quantification and sensor performance assessment in real buildings. This paper presents a long-term field study conducted in a single-family home in Texas, U.S. to evaluate the performance of occupancy-centric controls (OCC) of HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning) system in terms of energy savings, sensor accuracy, and impact on electric peak demand. The test site was equipped with a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) smart thermostat and multiple occupancy presence sensors for OCC implementation. Additionally, a sub-metering system was installed to monitor electricity consumption of various end-use equipment, including the HVAC system. A supplementary device was installed to track the ground-truth occupancy for the accuracy evaluation of the occupancy presence sensor. Scenarios of baseline and OCC controls were alternated weekly over the 20-month testing period. The results indicated an effective OCC execution, as evidenced by indoor temperature profiles. During the 2023 cooling season, OCC achieved total energy savings of 1,958 kWh, corresponding to a 17.6% energy savings ratio. Under certain conditions, daily HVAC energy savings reached as high as 17 kWh, with a savings ratio of 35%. Sensor performance showed an overall accuracy of 83.8%, a False Positive Rate (FPR) of 12.8%, and a False Negative Rate (FNR) of 47.4%. A key limitation was the sensor’s inability to detect stationary occupants during sleep, leading to a midnight FNR of nearly 100% and significantly compromising thermal comfort. Additionally, the implementation of OCC resulted in extended periods of high electricity demand on summer afternoons, affecting occupant’s thermal comfort and posing potential challenges to community-level grid operations if OCC were widely adopted. Furthermore, this study addresses a critical research gap by empirically investigating energy-saving potential and occupancy sensor performance in residential buildings. Through a comprehensive field-testing study, the research examines the interrelationship between sensor accuracy, energy savings, and thermal comfort, an area that has received limited attention in the current literature.
Field-induced spin level crossings within a quasi-$XY$ antiferromagnetic state in $Ba$ 2 $FeSi$ 2 $O$ 7
Here, we present a high-field study of the strongly anisotropic easy-plane square lattice $S$ = 2 quantum magnet $Ba$ 2 $FeSi$ 2 $O$ 7 . This compound is a rare high-spin antiferromagnetic system with very strong easy-plane anisotropy, such that the interplay between spin level crossings and antiferromagnetic order can be studied. We observe a magnetic field-induced spin level crossing occurring within an ordered state. This spin level crossing appears to preserve the magnetic symmetry while producing a nonmonotonic dependence of the order parameter magnitude. The resulting temperature–magnetic field phase diagram exhibits two dome-shaped regions of magnetic order overlapping around 30 T. The ground state of the lower-field dome is predominantly a linear combination of |$S^z$ = 0$\rangle$ and |$S^z$ = 1$\rangle$ states, while the ground state of the higher-field dome can be approximated by a linear combination of |$S^z$ = 1$\rangle$ and |$S^z$ = 2$\rangle$ states. At 30 T, where the spin levels cross, the magnetization exhibits a slanted plateau, the magnetocaloric effect shows a broad hump, and the electric polarization shows a weak slope change. We determined the detailed magnetic phase boundaries and the spin level crossings using measurements of magnetization, electric polarization, and the magnetocaloric effect in pulsed magnetic fields to 60 T. Furthermore, we calculate these properties using a mean-field theory based on direct products of SU(5) coherent states and find good agreement. Finally, we measure and calculate the magnetically induced electric polarization that reflects magnetic ordering and spin level crossings. This multiferroic behavior provides another avenue for detecting phase boundaries and symmetry changes.
The Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory geothermal program in northern Nevada
The Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory's geothermal program began with consideration of regions where fluids in the temperature range of 150 to 230 C may be economically accessible. Three valleys, located in an area of high regional heat flow in north central Nevada, were selected for geological, geophysical, and geochemical field studies. The objective of these ongoing field activities is to select a site for a 10-MW demonstration plant. Field activities (which started in September 1973) are described. A parallel effort has been directed toward the conceptual design of a 10-MW isobutane binary plant which is planned for construction at the selected site. Design details of the plant are described. Project schedule with milestones is shown together with a cost summary of the project.