Modelagem matemática e experimental da perda de injetividade em poços canhoneados

Water injection in oil reservoirs is a recovery technique widely used for oil recovery. However, the injected water contains suspended particles that can be trapped, causing formation damage and injectivity decline. In such cases, it is necessary to stimulate the damaged formation looking forward to restore the injectivity of the injection wells. Injectivity decline causes a major negative impact to the economy of oil production, which is why, it is important to foresee the injectivity behavior for a good waterflooding management project. Mathematical models for injectivity losses allow studying the effect of the injected water quality, also the well and formation characteristics. Therefore, a mathematical model of injectivity losses for perforated injection wells was developed. The scientific novelty of this work relates to the modeling and prediction of injectivity decline in perforated injection wells, considering deep filtration and the formation of external cake in spheroidal perforations. The classic modeling for deep filtration was rewritten using spheroidal coordinates. The solution to the concentration of suspended particles was obtained analytically and the concentration of the retained particles, which cause formation damage, was solved numerically. The acquisition of the solution to impedance assumed a constant injection rate and the modified Darcy´s Law, defined as being the inverse of the normalized injectivity by the inverse of the initial injectivity. Finally, classic linear flow injectivity tests were performed within Berea sandstone samples, and within perforated samples. The parameters of the model, filtration and formation damage coefficients, obtained from the data, were used to verify the proposed modeling. The simulations showed a good fit to the experimental data, it was observed that the ratio between the particle size and pore has a large influence on the behavior of injectivity decline.

Qualidade da água de um reservatório e do solo da zona ripária sob diferentes usos na região semiárida do Rio Grande do Norte

Reservoirs are artificial ecosystems intermediate between rivers and lakes widely used in the Brazilian semiarid region as a way to provide water supply due to the said region’s water scarcity. The use of water from these supply sources for multiple uses, along with occupation and utilization of its riparian zone without proper management, directly influences the increased nutrient flow into aquatic environments, there with contributing to the acceleration of eutrophication. The semi-arid region is characterized by peculiar weather conditions, such as severe evaporation, high temperatures with little variation throughout the year and long water residence time, making it susceptible to prolonged drought occurrence, which tends to concentrate the nutrients in reservoirs, which favors the development of eutrophic conditions. Moreover, it is common soil use and occupation by carrying out activities with potential environmental impact on natural resources such as agriculture, livestock farming and lack of sanitation. The aim of this study is both to evaluate the water quality of the Cruzeta Reservoir, located in the semiarid region of Rio Grande do Norte, during a prolonged drought period, and assess the quality of its riparian zone soil under different uses, by monitoring physical-chemical variables. Along the prolonged drought, high levels of turbidity, suspended solids, nutrients and chlorophyll a were verified as present, therefore featuring low water quality. In the riparian zone of Cruzeta Reservoir, the areas under use of agriculture and livestock farming appeared as one of the main diffuse sources of nutrients to the said reservoir, featuring the highest levels of phosphorus and nitrogen in the soil, originated from decomposition of animal excreta and from the use of fertilizers, creating a tendency to increased eutrophication of such water supply source. The indicators of water and soil quality are useful for monitoring and evaluating the conservation status of natural resources, allowing the control and mitigation of the reservoir eutrophication process. This study confirmed the hypothesis that the reduction of water level, resulting from prolonged drought event, aggravates the symptoms of eutrophication; and also that using the soil under severalways modifies the physic chemical properties of the soil, having livestock farming and agriculture as the usages with greatest potential towards yielding P and N to the aquatic environment.

Os impactos na qualidade da água e do solo de um manancial tropical do semiárido devido ao uso e ocupação e evento de seca extrema

Human activities alter soil features, causing the deterioration of its quality. Land use and occupation in drainage basins of water supply reservoirs can change the environmental soil quality and, thus, lead to the expansion of the soil potential of being a diffuse pollution source. In the Brazilian semiarid region, the soils are generally shallow with high susceptibility to erosion, favoring the sediment and nutrients input into the superficial waterbodies, contributing to the eutrophication process. Moreover, this region has high temperatures and high evapotranspiration rates, that are generally higher than the precipitation rates, causing a negative hydric balance and big volume losses by evaporation. The water volume reduction increases the nutrients’ concentration and, therefore, exacerbates the eutrophication process, deteriorating the water quality. Thereby, we hypothesized that the eutrophication process of semiarid reservoirs is intensified both by the extreme climatic events of prolonged drought, and by the diffuse pollution due to the basin land use and occupation. The study aimed to test whether the land use and occupation activities of the basin and the severe drought events intensify the eutrophication process of a semiarid tropical reservoir. To verify the influence of human activities carried out in the water supply of drainage basin on the soil quality and the eutrophication process, we conducted the mapping of the kind of use and occupation, as well the calculation of erosion for each activity and the soil quality evaluation of the riparian zone and water quality of the water supply. For the water analyses, the samplings were carried out monthly in the deeper point, near dam. For the soil, deformed composite samples were taken for the physical and chemical attributes analysis, according to the identified land use and occupation classes. The results showed that extreme droughts drastically reduces the water volume and elevates the nutrients concentration, contributing, thus, to a bigger degradation of water quality. Furthermore, we verified that human activities in the drainage basin promote the diffuse pollution, by increasing the soil susceptibility to erosion and nutrients contents. Summarizing, our results support the investigated hypothesis that activities of land use and occupation and extreme drought generate a combined effect that provide the intensification of eutrophication process of semiarid reservoirs.

Estudo da influência de sistemas microemulsionados na molhabilidade de arenitos e na recuperação avançada de petróleo

Sandstone-type reservoir rocks are commonly responsible for oil accumulation. The wettability is an important parameter for the physical properties of the container, since it interferes in characteristics such as relative permeability to the aqueous phase, residual oil distribution in the reservoir, operating characteristics with waterflood and recovery of crude oil. This study applied different types of microemulsion systems - MES - in sandstone reservoirs and evaluated their influences on wettability and residual oil recovery. For this purpose, four microemulsion were prepared by changing the nature of ionic surfactants (ionic and nonionic). Microemulsions could then be characterized by surface tension analysis, density, particle diameter and viscosity in the temperature range 30° C to 70° C. The studied oil was described as light and the sandstone rock was derived from the Botucatu formation. The study of the influence of microemulsion systems on sandstone wettability was performed by contact angle measurements using as parameters the rock treatment time with the MES and the time after the brine surface contact by checking the angle variation behavior. In the study results, the rock was initially wettable to oil and had its wettability changed to mixed wettability after treatment with MES, obtaining preference for water. Regarding rock-MES contact time, it was observed that the rock wettability changed more when the contact time between the surface and the microemulsion systems was longer. It was also noted only a significant reduction for the first 5 minutes of interaction between the treated surface and brine. The synthesized anionic surfactant, commercial cationic, commercial anionic and commercial nonionic microemulsion systems presented the best results, respectively. With regard to enhanced oil recovery performance, all systems showed a significant percentage of recovered oil, with the anionic systems presenting the best results. A percentage of 80% recovery was reached, confirming the wettability study results, which pointed the influence of this property on the interaction of fluids and reservoir rock, and the ability of microemulsion systems to perform enhanced oil recovery in sandstone reservoirs.

Estudo da influência de sistemas microemulsionados na molhabilidade de arenitos e na recuperação avançada de petróleo

Sandstone-type reservoir rocks are commonly responsible for oil accumulation. The wettability is an important parameter for the physical properties of the container, since it interferes in characteristics such as relative permeability to the aqueous phase, residual oil distribution in the reservoir, operating characteristics with waterflood and recovery of crude oil. This study applied different types of microemulsion systems - MES - in sandstone reservoirs and evaluated their influences on wettability and residual oil recovery. For this purpose, four microemulsion were prepared by changing the nature of ionic surfactants (ionic and nonionic). Microemulsions could then be characterized by surface tension analysis, density, particle diameter and viscosity in the temperature range 30° C to 70° C. The studied oil was described as light and the sandstone rock was derived from the Botucatu formation. The study of the influence of microemulsion systems on sandstone wettability was performed by contact angle measurements using as parameters the rock treatment time with the MES and the time after the brine surface contact by checking the angle variation behavior. In the study results, the rock was initially wettable to oil and had its wettability changed to mixed wettability after treatment with MES, obtaining preference for water. Regarding rock-MES contact time, it was observed that the rock wettability changed more when the contact time between the surface and the microemulsion systems was longer. It was also noted only a significant reduction for the first 5 minutes of interaction between the treated surface and brine. The synthesized anionic surfactant, commercial cationic, commercial anionic and commercial nonionic microemulsion systems presented the best results, respectively. With regard to enhanced oil recovery performance, all systems showed a significant percentage of recovered oil, with the anionic systems presenting the best results. A percentage of 80% recovery was reached, confirming the wettability study results, which pointed the influence of this property on the interaction of fluids and reservoir rock, and the ability of microemulsion systems to perform enhanced oil recovery in sandstone reservoirs.

Estudo da injeção de água e gás em um reservatório com características do pré-sal brasileiro

The pre-salt province is composed by large amounts of light oil and with good quality, a reality that puts Brazil in a strategic position facing the great demand for energy worldwide. In this province are the largest discoveries in the world in the last ten years; areas as Libra, Franco and Lula field, everyone containing volumes greater than 8 billion recoverable oil barrels. To develop and optimize the production of these fields, a study was done for choosing the improved oil recovery methods. The main motivations were the presence of carbon dioxide (CO2) as a contaminant and the strategic decision of do not discard it, combined with high GOR (gas-oil ratio) of the reservoir fluid. The method should take advantage of the unique abundant resources: seawater and produced gas. This way, the process of matching these resources in the water alterning gas injection (WAG) became a good option. In this master’s dissertation, it was developed a reservoir model with average characteristics of the Brazilian pre-salt, where was applied the improved oil recovery method of water alternating gas. The production of this reservoir was analyzed by parameters as: the first fluid injected in the injection process, position of the injection wells completion, injection water and gas rate and cycle time. The results showed a good performance of the method, with up to 26% of gains in the recovery factor regarding the primary recovery, since the application of water injection and gas, individually, was not able to overcome 10 % of gain. The most influential parameter found in the results was the cycle time, with higher recovery factor values obtained with the use of shorter times.

DESEMPENHO HIDRÁULICO DE EXUTORES SUBMARINOS

Nos centros urbanos próximos das orlas marítimas, tem-se optado pela descarga de águas residuais para o mar, aproveitando-se da elevada capacidade de depuração do oceano. Neste trabalho coloca-se o seguinte desafio: será possível um programa usado para a modelação de rede de distribuição de água ser capaz de modelar um exutor submarino? Para responder a este desafio, recorreu-se a um conjunto de artifícios, tendo por base conhecimentos da hidráulica. Foi construído um modelo unidimensional usando o EPANET cujas fronteiras são: a montante, a Câmara de Carga, a jusante os difusores. Recorreu-se aos componentes do EPANET, tais como: válvulas TCV (Throttle Control Valve) e reservatórios de nível fixo para simular a descarga e o nível de maré respetivamente. A modelação hidráulica de um exutor submarino tem implicações no impacto da descarga pelo que torna-se necessário o estudo da diluição inicial conseguida numa descarga. No presente trabalho desenvolveu-se um programa EPANET / MatLab com o objetivo de facilitar a aplicação desses artifícios e de estimar a diluição inicial. Aplicou-se o programa desenvolvido num caso de estudo e utilizou-se a versão beta do CORHYD, usado em obras de engenharia com alguma importância, para validar os resultados obtido através do programa EPANET /MatLab.

Estudo da distribuição de metais em água, sedimento e organismos aquáticos de rios e reservatórios pertencentes à rede de monitoramento da qualidade dos sedimentos do estado de São Paulo, Brasil

Dissertação (Mestrado)

Atração e retenção de talentos em empresas de engenharia consultiva no setor de petróleo e gás natural da cidade de Natal

This study addresses the question of attraction and retention of talent in companies that produce engineering projects in the area of oil and natural gas in the city of Natal. The objectives were to identify the mechanisms that these companies use to attract and retain talented professionals and what the relationship between these practices and performance of these organizations in the market. This is a case study of a qualitative nature which were included in the fullness of companies that work in that class in the capital Potiguar. Have been applied to the managers of these companies structured questionnaires with eleven issues orientativas based on theoretical reference adopted. The research finds that managers understand the word "talent", recognize the importance of the appreciation of its employees and the development of their innate abilities to better organizational performance, much due to the fact they are acting in a market of fierce competition. His companies - though not submit the formal procedures related to the subject in question - have mechanisms that can be characterized as the attraction and retention of talent. The relationships identified in this study are consistent with the results found in other studies and put the information here can serve as the basis for that other managers, including other areas, to reach excellence in their respective industries

CIDADANIA E TECNOLOGIA: Promovendo a interação política Belo Horizontina a partir dos estudos da Engenharia Semiótica e o desenvolvimento de um aplicativo para smartphones

Apesar do regime político brasileiro permitir a real participação da população na formação da vontade pública, historicamente constatamos um desinteresse da população para com os assuntos políticos. Esse desinteresse para com a política no Brasil transcende diferenças sociais e raciais uma vez que, mesmo os considerados mais politizados raramente se interessam por algum tipo de participação política. No entanto, vemos no ano de 2013 uma quebra desse desinteresse político. Nesse ano, uma série de manifestações, que se seguem até os dias atuais, foram mobilizadas através da atuação de cidadãos por meio das Redes Sociais. Com a recente mobilização da população para com os assuntos políticos, acredita-se que as mesmas abrem uma possibilidade de trazer os assuntos políticos para o dia a dia do cidadão e, para isso, busca-se na disciplina da Semiótica e na Engenharia Semiótica maneiras de informar e interagir com a sociedade sobre temas de cunho político. Para atingir esse objetivo, o presente trabalho propõe o desenvolvimento de um conceito de aplicativo que utilize as informações veiculadas no site da Câmara dos Vereadores de Belo Horizonte. No conceito de aplicativo desenvolvido, os cidadãos poderão opinar sobre as notícias veiculadas no site, ter acesso às informações dos vereadores atualmente eleitos, aprovar ou rejeitar projetos de lei em tramitação e comentar essas informações. Para validar o conceito de aplicativo desenvolvido, será aplicado um questionário estruturado que se baseia no System Usability Scale afim de avaliar a usabilidade do conceito proposto esperando que esse, de fato, facilite a interlocução da sociedade sobre temas públicos.

AMBIENTE DE PROGRAMAÇÃO SCRATCH VOLTADA PARA CRIANÇAS SOB A PERSPECTIVA DA ENGENHARIA SEMIÓTICA

Neste atual cenário mundial, em que as mudanças acontecem em uma velocidade espantosa, novos desafios, novas tecnologias e novos atores aparecem e participam ativamente dessas mudanças. Esta pesquisa apresenta exatamente um desses novos atores, as crianças, as quais interagem cada vez mais cedo com essa diversidade tecnológica. A participação das crianças nesse cenário passa a ser mais ativa quando as mesmas começam a aprender linguagem de programação através de ambientes computacionais. Esses ambientes são avaliados através de sua metacomunicação com aplicação de métodos da Engenharia Semiótica. Assim, a pesquisa tenta compreender e avaliar o processo de metacomunicação usuário-sistema e a contribuição do mesmo no processo de aprendizagem infantil. Com o objetivo de verificarmos essas ocorrências de rupturas entre o ambiente de programação Scratch e seu público-alvo específico, aplicamos a metodologia denominada MAC – Método de Avaliação da Comunicabilidade –, uma técnica conhecida pela Engenharia Semiótica desde 1999. Diversos resultados foram percebidos, porém um merece destaque especial, em que percebemos que as mensagens foram, em sua maioria, identificadas e interpretadas pelos usuários finais. Por outro lado, ocorreram rupturas de comunicação em todos os voluntários, mesmo para aqueles que concluíram todas as tarefas.

PROPOSTA DE UM ARCABOUÇO CONCEITUAL PARA A INTELIGÊNCIA ANALÍTICA NA ENGENHARIA DE SOFTWARE

As pesquisas e as práticas em inteligência analítica na Engenharia de Software têm crescido nas últimas décadas. As informações contidas em um repositório de software podem auxiliar engenheiros de software em suas atividades durante todas as fases do desenvolvimento de software. O uso da inteligência analítica está ajudando os profissionais da Engenharia de Software a obterem informações relevantes do repositório de software, direcionando-os para melhores tomadas de decisões. Por se tratar de um bem intangível, pode ser difícil compreender as informações geradas pelo software. Este trabalho realizou um mapeamento sistemático da literatura sobre inteligência analítica na Engenharia de Software, o que propiciou a elaboração de um arcabouço conceitual para utilização da inteligência analítica capaz de auxiliar nas atividades da Engenharia de Software. Com a finalidade de validar este arcabouço conceitual, foi construído um protótipo de uma aplicação que analisou dados de um software livre. Tal protótipo foi validado e comentado por um grupo focal formado por desenvolvedores e gestores de projetos de software de uma grande empresa da área de Tecnologia da Informação. Concluiu-se que a inteligência analítica é fortemente utilizada durante a fase de manutenção e vem crescendo sua utilização na área de Gestão e na Prática Profissional. Constatou-se que os commits podem ser bons indicadores da evolução de software e que a ferramenta desenvolvida neste trabalho permite compreender o que está sendo alterado no sistema e por que a alteração ocorreu.

ENGENHARIA SOCIAL: TÉCNICAS E ESTRATÉGIAS DE DEFESA EM AMBIENTES VIRTUAIS VULNERÁVEIS

O presente objeto de pesquisa tem como foco de estudos a Engenharia Social e a Segurança da Informação. Visa analisar as técnicas de ataque e defesas aos ambientes virtuais vulneráveis em empresas de pequeno, médio e grande porte. O estudo propõe aumentar as diretivas de segurança de forma a incluir mecanismos de defesas contra a Engenharia Social, considerando o pressuposto de que a organização conta com uma diretiva de segurança que estabelece metas, as práticas e os procedimentos que reconhece como necessários para proteger seus ativos informacionais, recursos e colaboradores contra-ataques tecnológicos ou físicos aplicados pela Engenharia Social. Apoia-se em teorias de Souza (2015), Watson, Masons e Ackroyd (2014), Mitnick e Simon (2003).   A presente pesquisa será por meio de estudo de casos múltiplos, de abordagem qualitativa e natureza aplicada à Engenharia Social e Segurança da Informação. Utilizam-se como instrumentos de pesquisa dois questionários estruturados e entrevistas, considerando como sujeitos Gestores de Tecnologia da Informação (TI) e Diretores de 10 empresas, convidados por meio de correio eletrônico corporativo. Pretende-se ao final desta pesquisa, sugerir ferramentas de Segurança da Informação, propor um modelo de proteção contra a Engenharia Social e comparar as técnicas de defesas contra Engenharia Social utilizadas entre as empresas pesquisadas além de desenvolver um modelo de Política de Segurança da Informação.