Impactos de atividades de exploração de petróleo e gás natural sobre a comunicação acústica de Mysticeti (ordem Cetacea): uma revisão

Acoustic communication is essential in mammals and has three main functions: acquisition of information about the environment, intraspecific communication and detection of predators and prey. Studies indicate that the introduction of sounds produced by anthropogenic activities such as military exercises, use of sonar and activities related to the extraction of oil and natural gas can cause interference in cetacean communication. Recently, the discovery of pre-salt tends to increase these activities. After a decade since the launch date of IBAMA`s licensing and before the imminent increase in exploration activities in Brazil, it is essential to conduct studies to monitor closely the impact of this type of activity on the marine ecosystem. Thus, this study aims to identify potential impacts that the process of oil and natural gas exploration and production might have on the communication of baleen whales. Data from literature on bioacoustics and ecology of these animals were linked with technical-scientific data regarding this type of activity. 310 documents related to the topic were analyzed. Among them only 81 documents are of academic origin, and the others mostly action plans and reports from government agencies. 80% of the documents do not have any species as a focus, and in the remaining 20%, 17% were focused on the Greenland Whale (Balaena mysticetus) and 22% on the gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus). The main impacts identified in this study were the increased frequency and amplitude of vocalization, reduction or cessation of more elaborate songs and masking problems

Thermodynamic, Economic and Emissions Analysis of a Micro Gas Turbine Cogeneration System operating on Biofuels

Pós-graduação em Engenharia Mecânica - FEG

Aplicação de um modelo numérico na otimização de fornos alimentícios usando o OpenFOAM®

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Avaliação energética do ciclo de refrigeração por absorção utilizando biogás de aterros sanitários e gás natural

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Análise da resistência à fadiga de tubos de aço API 5CT N80 Tipo Q soldados via processo de indução magnética de alta frequência (HFIW)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Gás natural no panorama brasileiro e um estudo de caso no setor automotivo

The intended purpose of this paper is to present the main aspects of natural gas applied to the public transportation as well as the environmental, economical and technical impacts in this sector. Also it is given specific information to be considered when comparing natural gas to other fuels, specially the diesel. At this point is presented the types of internal combustion engines (Otto and Diesel cycle) and which type is used in each vehicle. Moreover, it is presented the main standards pollutant emission (Euro, US and Proconve) with a brief explanation of the tests made in order to approve the engines. This paper is focused on heavy duty vehicles. Also in this paper is exposed the economic impact due to the natural gas use in the public transportation fleet. In addition is presented a real case (of Berlin) and an estimative to a Brazilian city, presenting the potential of natural gas as vehicular fuel in Brazil, as well as financial and environmental aspects of the substitution

Gás natural no panorama brasileiro e um estudo de caso no setor automotivo

The intended purpose of this paper is to present the main aspects of natural gas applied to the public transportation as well as the environmental, economical and technical impacts in this sector. Also it is given specific information to be considered when comparing natural gas to other fuels, specially the diesel. At this point is presented the types of internal combustion engines (Otto and Diesel cycle) and which type is used in each vehicle. Moreover, it is presented the main standards pollutant emission (Euro, US and Proconve) with a brief explanation of the tests made in order to approve the engines. This paper is focused on heavy duty vehicles. Also in this paper is exposed the economic impact due to the natural gas use in the public transportation fleet. In addition is presented a real case (of Berlin) and an estimative to a Brazilian city, presenting the potential of natural gas as vehicular fuel in Brazil, as well as financial and environmental aspects of the substitution

Effects of specimen geometry and loading mode on crack growth resistance curves of a high-strength pipeline girth weld

This work presents an investigation of the ductile tearing properties for a girth weld made of an API 5L X80 pipeline steel using experimentally measured crack growth resistance curves. Use of these materials is motivated by the increasing demand in the number of applications for manufacturing high strength pipes for the oil and gas industry including marine applications and steel catenary risers. Testing of the pipeline girth welds employed side-grooved, clamped SE(T) specimens and shallow crack bend SE(B) specimens with a weld centerline notch to determine the crack growth resistance curves based upon the unloading compliance (UC) method using the single specimen technique. Recently developed compliance functions and η-factors applicable for SE(T) and SE(B) fracture specimens with homogeneous material and overmatched welds are introduced to determine crack growth resistance data from laboratory measurements of load-displacement records.

Sviluppo di una metodologia per la modellazione geologica-geomeccanica ed il monitoraggio di reservoir adibiti a siti di stoccaggio di gas naturale

La valutazione dei rischi associati all’operatività dei sistemi di stoccaggio, quali la sismicità indotta e la subsidenza, è requisito basilare per una loro corretta gestione e progettazione, e passa attraverso la definizione dell’influenza sullo stato tensionale delle variazioni di pressione di poro nel sottosuolo. Principale scopo di questo progetto è lo sviluppo di una metodologia in grado di quantificare le deformazioni dei reservoir in funzione della pressione di poro, di tarare i modelli utilizzati con casi studio che presentino dati di monitoraggio reali, tali da consentire un confronto con le previsioni di modello. In questa tesi, la teoria delle inomogeneità è stata utilizzata, tramite un approccio semianalitico, per definire le variazioni dei campi elastici derivanti dalle operazioni di prelievo e immissione di fluidi in serbatoi geologici. Estensione, forma e magnitudo delle variazioni di stress indotte sono state valutate tramite il concetto di variazione dello sforzo critico secondo il criterio di rottura di Coulomb, tramite un’analisi numerica agli elementi finiti. La metodologia sviluppata è stata applicata e tarata su due reservoir sfruttati e riconvertiti a sistemi di stoccaggio che presentano dataset, geologia, petrofisica, e condizioni operative differenti. Sono state calcolate le variazioni dei campi elastici e la subsidenza; è stata mappata la variazione di sforzo critico di Coulomb per entrambi i casi. I risultati ottenuti mostrano buon accordo con le osservazioni dei monitoraggi, suggerendo la bontà della metodologia e indicando la scarsa probabilità di sismicità indotta. Questo progetto ha consentito la creazione di una piattaforma metodologica di rapido ed efficace utilizzo, per stimare l’influenza dei sistemi di stoccaggio di gas sullo stato tensionale della crosta terrestre; in fase di stoccaggio, permette di monitorare le deformazioni e gli sforzi indotti; in fase di progettazione, consente di valutare le strategie operative per monitorare e mitigare i rischi geologici associati a questi sistemi.

Imaging and modeling of pore scale processes in porous media using X-ray computed tomography and lattice Boltzmann solver

In der Erdöl– und Gasindustrie sind bildgebende Verfahren und Simulationen auf der Porenskala im Begriff Routineanwendungen zu werden. Ihr weiteres Potential lässt sich im Umweltbereich anwenden, wie z.B. für den Transport und Verbleib von Schadstoffen im Untergrund, die Speicherung von Kohlendioxid und dem natürlichen Abbau von Schadstoffen in Böden. Mit der Röntgen-Computertomografie (XCT) steht ein zerstörungsfreies 3D bildgebendes Verfahren zur Verfügung, das auch häufig für die Untersuchung der internen Struktur geologischer Proben herangezogen wird. Das erste Ziel dieser Dissertation war die Implementierung einer Bildverarbeitungstechnik, die die Strahlenaufhärtung der Röntgen-Computertomografie beseitigt und den Segmentierungsprozess dessen Daten vereinfacht. Das zweite Ziel dieser Arbeit untersuchte die kombinierten Effekte von Porenraumcharakteristika, Porentortuosität, sowie die Strömungssimulation und Transportmodellierung in Porenräumen mit der Gitter-Boltzmann-Methode. In einer zylindrischen geologischen Probe war die Position jeder Phase auf Grundlage der Beobachtung durch das Vorhandensein der Strahlenaufhärtung in den rekonstruierten Bildern, das eine radiale Funktion vom Probenrand zum Zentrum darstellt, extrahierbar und die unterschiedlichen Phasen ließen sich automatisch segmentieren. Weiterhin wurden Strahlungsaufhärtungeffekte von beliebig geformten Objekten durch einen Oberflächenanpassungsalgorithmus korrigiert. Die Methode der „least square support vector machine” (LSSVM) ist durch einen modularen Aufbau charakterisiert und ist sehr gut für die Erkennung und Klassifizierung von Mustern geeignet. Aus diesem Grund wurde die Methode der LSSVM als pixelbasierte Klassifikationsmethode implementiert. Dieser Algorithmus ist in der Lage komplexe geologische Proben korrekt zu klassifizieren, benötigt für den Fall aber längere Rechenzeiten, so dass mehrdimensionale Trainingsdatensätze verwendet werden müssen. Die Dynamik von den unmischbaren Phasen Luft und Wasser wird durch eine Kombination von Porenmorphologie und Gitter Boltzmann Methode für Drainage und Imbibition Prozessen in 3D Datensätzen von Böden, die durch synchrotron-basierte XCT gewonnen wurden, untersucht. Obwohl die Porenmorphologie eine einfache Methode ist Kugeln in den verfügbaren Porenraum einzupassen, kann sie dennoch die komplexe kapillare Hysterese als eine Funktion der Wassersättigung erklären. Eine Hysterese ist für den Kapillardruck und die hydraulische Leitfähigkeit beobachtet worden, welche durch die hauptsächlich verbundenen Porennetzwerke und der verfügbaren Porenraumgrößenverteilung verursacht sind. Die hydraulische Konduktivität ist eine Funktion des Wassersättigungslevels und wird mit einer makroskopischen Berechnung empirischer Modelle verglichen. Die Daten stimmen vor allem für hohe Wassersättigungen gut überein. Um die Gegenwart von Krankheitserregern im Grundwasser und Abwässern vorhersagen zu können, wurde in einem Bodenaggregat der Einfluss von Korngröße, Porengeometrie und Fluidflussgeschwindigkeit z.B. mit dem Mikroorganismus Escherichia coli studiert. Die asymmetrischen und langschweifigen Durchbruchskurven, besonders bei höheren Wassersättigungen, wurden durch dispersiven Transport aufgrund des verbundenen Porennetzwerks und durch die Heterogenität des Strömungsfeldes verursacht. Es wurde beobachtet, dass die biokolloidale Verweilzeit eine Funktion des Druckgradienten als auch der Kolloidgröße ist. Unsere Modellierungsergebnisse stimmen sehr gut mit den bereits veröffentlichten Daten überein.

Estimating Willingness to Pay for River Amenities and Safety Measures Associated with Shale Gas Extraction

This paper utilizes a Contingent Valuation Method survey of a random sample of residents to estimate that households are willing to pay an average of $12.00 per month for public projects designed to improve river access and $10.46 per month for additional safety measures that would eliminate risks to local watersheds from drilling for natural gas from underground shale formations. These estimates can be compared to the costs of providing each of these two amenities to help foster the formation of efficient policy decisions.

Local Impacts of Unconventional Gas Development within Pennsylvania's Marcellus Shale Region: Gauging Boomtown Development through the Perspectives of Educational Administrators

Using survey and interview data gathered from educators and educational administrators, we investigate school and community impacts of unconventional gas extraction within Pennsylvania's Marcellus Shale region. Respondents in areas with high levels of drilling are significantly more likely to perceive the effects of local economic gains, but also report increased inequality, heightened vulnerability of disadvantaged community members, and pronounced strains on local infrastructure. As community stakeholders in positions of local leadership, school leaders in areas experiencing Marcellus Shale natural gas extraction often face multiple decision-making dilemmas. These dilemmas occur in the context of incomplete information and rapid, unpredictable community change involving the emergence of both new opportunities and new insecurities.

IS THE U.S. SHALE GAS BOOM HAVING AN EFFECT ON THE EUROPEAN GAS MARKET?

This thesis focuses on the impact of the American shale gas boom on the European natural gas market. The study presents different tests in order to analyze the dynamics of natural gas prices in the U.S., U.K. and German natural gas market. The question of cointegration between these different markets are analyzed using several tests. More specifically, the ADF tests for the presence of a unit root. The error correction model test and the Johansen cointegration procedure are applied in order to accept or reject the hypothesis of an integrated market. The results suggest no evidence of cointegration between these markets. There currently is no evidence of an impact of the U.S. shale gas boom on the European market.

PROSPECTS AND ISSUES FOR FUEL CELLS WITH FREIGHT RAIL TRANSPORTATION

Recent changes in the cost and availability of natural gas (NG) as compared to diesel have sparked interest at all levels of the commercial shipping sector. In particular, Class 1 heavy-duty rail has been researching NG as a supplement to diesel combustion. This study investigates the relative economic and emissions advantage of making use of the energy efficiencies if combustion is circumvented altogether by use of fuel cell (FC) technologies applied to NG. FC technology for the transport sector has primarily been developed for the private automobile. However, FC use in the automobile sector faces considerable economic and logistical barriers such as cost, range, durability, and refueling infrastructure. The heavy-duty freight sector may be a more reasonable setting to introduce FC technology to the transportation market. The industry has shown interest in adopting NG as a potential fuel by already investing in NG infrastructure and locomotives. The two most promising FC technologies are proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) and solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). SOFCs are more efficient and capable of accepting any kind of fuel, which makes them particularly attractive. The rail industry can benefit from the adoption of FC technology through reduced costs and emissions, as well as limiting dependence on diesel, which accounts for a large portion of operation expenses for Class 1 railroads. This report provides an economic feasibility analysis comparing the use of PEMFCs and SOFCs in heavy freight rail transport applications. The scope is to provide insight into which technologies could be pursued by the industry and to prioritize technologies that need further development. Initial results do not show economic potential for NG and fuel cells in locomotion, but some minimal potential for reduced emissions is seen. Various technology configurations and market scenarios analyzed could provide savings if the price of LNG is decreased and the price of diesel increases. The most beneficial areas of needed research include technology development for the variable output of SOFCs, and hot start-up optimization.

Gas Analysis by Absorption

There is practically only one method of gas analysis. This was worked out many years ago by Bunsen, Hempel, and Winkler and consists in the successive absorption with different chemicals of the various constituents of the gas. The only improvement to this method is the oxidation and combustion of different components of a mixture followed by absorption.