Incrustação em poço produtor de petróleo e gás natural: um estudo de caso

Water and gas is a common by - product of the oil production process. Production may be compromised by the precipitation of inorganic salts in both the reservoir and producing well, through scale formation. This precipitation is likely the cause of the formation damage. High temperatures and h igh pressures (HTHP) may favor the precipitation of insoluble salts. The most common types of scale in oil fields are calcium carbonate and calcium sulphate, strontium and barium sulphate. New types of scale formation have attracted special attention such as zinc sulphide and lead. This precipitation may occur in the pores of reservoir rocks, in the production string and in equipment, causing obstructions and consequent production losses. In this study, the influence of well depth on incrustation compositio n was investigated to design removal treatments and assess the behavior of these deposits along the string, through the analysis of pressure and temperature. Scale residues were recovered from the inside of the production string of an oil and gas well duri ng the string removal operation. A total of 10 samples from different depths (15.4 m to 4061.5 m) were obtained. Initially a dissolution test was conducted in weak acid, similar to that used in removal operations with this type of scale formation. Majority composition was defined and confirmed by dissolution tests using X - Ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy (XRF), X - Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) techniques. Residues with distinct characteristics were observed in different proportion s, showing a tendency toward increased and/or decreased mass with depth. In the samples closest to the surface, typical sandstone residues were found, with calcium (45% Ca) as the metal of highest concentration. The obtained results indicate correlations o f the scale types studied with the depth and, consequently, with the thermodynamic conditions of pressure and temperature.

Metagenoma de comunidades microbianas expostas à radiação natural e a metais

Many species have specialized to live in the most varied existing environments showing the remarkable adaptability of the microbial world the most diverse physicochemical conditions. Environments exposed to natural radiation and metals are scarce around the world, presenting a microbiota still unknown. With a total number estimated between 4 and 6 x 1030 microrganisms on earth, they constitute an enormous biological and genetic pool to be explored. Metagenomic approach independent of cultivation, provides a new form to access to the potential genomic environmental samples becoming a powerful tool for the elucidation of ecological functions, metabolic profiles, as well as to identify new biomolecules. In this context, the genetic material of environmental soil and water samples from Açude Boqueirao Parelhas-RN, under the influence of natural radiation and the presence of metals, was extracted, pirosequencing and the generated sequences were analyzed by bioinformatics programs (MG-RAST and STAMP). Taxonomic comparative profiles of both samples showed high abundance of Domain Bacteria, followed by a small portion attributable to Eucaryota Domains, Archaea and Viruses. Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria and Bacterioidetes phyla showed the greater dominance in both samples. Important genera and species associated with resistance to various stressors found in region were observed. Sequences related to oxidative and heat stress, DNA replication and repair, and resistance to toxic compounds were observed, suggesting a significant relationship between the microbiota and their metabolic profile, influenced by regional environmental variables. The results of this study add valuable and unpublished data on the composition of microbial communities in these regions

Gestão de recursos hídricos: governança e gerenciamento de conflitos pelo uso da água em região do Semiárido Nordestino

The water being vital natural resource and factor of economic and social development requires effective management and protection by the State. This thesis examines the panorama of National Water Resources Policy and the establishment of an effectively integrated management, shared and participative, contextualizing the principles foreseen in the policy. The work is focused on the discussion of public policies of access to water, analyzing the Fresh Water Program in semi-arid region of Brazil as a strategy of coexistence and permanence of a public policy that ensures the priority use, which is for human consumption. The conceptual framework of this study relies primarily on the contributions of authors in the field recognized as governance and water management. A study on the process of implementation of the various "institutions and policies" related to water management was promoted, contextualizing the change of paradigm in the transition from the centralized model to the one that takes into account the social participation, opening in this way broader perspectives for the analysis of the contents and of the impacts of these policies. The development of this study was conducted by the follow-up – both face-to-face as documentary-field – of the activities carried out while consultant of the Fresh Water Program. The history of water management in the semi-arid region was studied, depicting conflict movements and cooperation among actors. Despite the great obstacles to accomplish the shared and decentralized management, the study of this thesis points to a gradual improvement in the formulation of public policies that take into consideration governance and participatory management of water resources, with positive prospects towards the implementation of coordinated and cooperative actions in the region that mainly suffers from the shortage of rainfall, hence of shortage of water for irrigation and human consumption

Influência da granulometria e taxas de filtração no tratamento de água utilizando dupla filtração

The contamination of water sources of public drinking by waste originated by anthropogenic activities has brought various risks to human health. Among the consequences of such activities can highlight the bloom of microalgae and cyanobacteria, which have the potential to produce toxins dangerous to humans, and the presence of humic substances that are generated by the decomposition of natural organic matter (NOM), such as vegetation. When found in water sources for public supply, present negative aspects conferring high color, odor and taste. The double filtration technology has good efficiency in water with the presence of cyanobacteria and different quality variations. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the behavior of the technique of double filtration with pre-oxidation for water purifiers the lagoon of Extremoz-RN, which currently has high concentrations of cyanobacteria. The research is summarized in four phases: the first phase turned to static tests in jarteste equipment in the laboratory and subsequent phases were tested in the Pilot Plant of Double Filtration. For the second and third stage filtration rates were tested filtration rates of 120 and 180 m3 / m2 .day for ascending boulders filters and 160 and 240 m3 / m2 .day in the filters in quick sand descendants. The last phase aimed to evaluate the double filtration with pre-oxidation. The results demonstrated that the system could produce double filtration in all trials of good quality water according to the Decree nº. 2914/11 of the Ministry of Health. The use of preoxidation favored the removal of microcystin and color at the end of the tests, reaching a percentage of color removal around 60%. The analysis of variance in the data, enabled prove that the filtration rates of 180 m3 / m2.d the gravel filter and 240 m3 /m2 .d in rapid filters, were the most significant for the removal of turbidity. The ascending filter of boulder 4 with particle size finer filter layer showed the best performance and the best means of turbidity and apparent color. The rapid filter downward 1 was more efficient in removing turbidity reaching removal about 100%

A cafeína como agente modulador do ciclo atividade-repouso e memória em saguis (Callithrix jacchus)

Caffeine is the most consumed psychostimulant, with effects on attention, memory, and arousal. But when this substance is ingested near to bedtime there is a decrease on sleep, interfering on mnemonic processes. So, our ain was to investigate how the caffeine ingested near to sleep onset acts on sleep and memory in marmosets. We used 16 adult marmosets, single housed, in a 12:12h light-dark cycle. For registering locomotor activity were used two kinds of sensors. The gyroscope sensor registers activity each 30 sec and detects motion with good accuracy. Because of this we used this sensor for detecting nocturnal activity. The second sensor was based on infrared and accumulates activity each 5 min and it’s not able to detect nocturnal activity, just diurnal activity. We also used camera for registering Rest phase of one marmoset. For the cognitive task, the animals needed to learn a rewarded context (CR) when compared to a non-rewarded context CNR). This experiment comprises 5 phases: 1) Two days of habituation to apparatus; 2)Training for 8 days; 3) oral administration of caffeine (10 mg/kg) or placebo administration ±1h before sleep onset, for 8 days, with marmosets receiving placebo or caffeine; 4) retraining to apparatus and after that, placebo administration (placebo group-GP), or caffeine administration (with continuous group-GC and acute groupGA); 5) Test, for evaluating learning to CR. The sessions were filmed and each one had 8 min of duration. At 7 am started the habituation, training and test sessions, and at 3:15 pm started retraining. The results for gyroscope sensor showed that there was coincidence of 68,57% with nocturnal register of the cameras. Then, the gyroscope sensors detected nocturnal activity for all experimental groups Moreover, when compared sensor gyroscope with sensor based on infrared, was observed that both sensor presented similarity on patterns of activity curve. When we observed the effects of caffeine on Activity-Rest Cycle in GP, GA and GC, is possible to see that that gyroscope sensors and based on infrared presented only intra group differences. As behavioral results, the marmosets learned to discriminate CR when compared to CNR. Moreover, GP presented deficits on memory recall during the test, and GA increased the memory recall, when both were compared to GP. We concluded that the marmosets were able to learning the cognitive task and that the caffeine ingested near to sleep onset acts modulating memory in these animals. Moreover the gyroscope sensor can be used as alternative tool for investigating nocturnal activity. Then, the utilization of this non-invasive device allows marmosets exhibit their behavior within the laboratory conditions as natural as possible.

Influência da radiação ionizante natural no açude do boqueirão (RN): avaliação de risco saúde/ambiente

The contamination of water bodies with toxic substances causes a decrease in water quality, representing a risk to public health. In this context, human activities are generally seen as the main sources of water degradation. However, elements found naturally in the environment can also compromise water quality. Thus, the Boqueirão‘s dam, located in the municipality of Parelhas (RN, Brazil), was chosen as area for the development of this study, as its geological region is rich in the emission of natural ionizing radiation that produces byproducts like lead and Radon. Moreover, the area has a strong human influence that enhances the risks of pollutant discharge in this body of water.Thus, the objectives of this study were centered (i) in the analysis of risk perception in the city of Parelhas (RN/Brasil) due to the use of the water from the Boqueirão Dam; and (ii) in the assessment of water quality in the Dam using methods that quantify, mainly, heavy metals and radiation levels, as well as these toxics potential of inducing mutations on genetic material. The analysis of risk perception showed that the population in the city of Parelhas can perceive a risk in using the water from the dam and that they can recognize factors that influence the water quality. Regarding the second objective, the set of data point to the contamination of the Dam by heavy metals, as well as levels of radioactive parcicles and Radon – also present in high concentrations in outdoor air and on soil. Thus, it is possible to infer that the population residing in this area is subjected to injuries caused by exposure to natural and anthropogenic contamination. Our findings corroborate with the perception of the population regarding the risks associated with the use of the Dam for several types of activities. It is expected that the information gathered in this study can substantiate activities and future researches in this semiarid region in the Rio Grande do Norte/Brazil. Also, that the set of data can enable a better understanding of the specific toxicological scenario of risk found for the population and the effect of the contamination for the biota, which aids the development of a future risk assessment and a consequent management of this local issue.

Remoção de nitratos em água utilizando diferentes materiais e processos

The need to preserve the environment has led to the search for new materials for efficient disposal of chemical compounds that alter the stability of our natural resources. Among these resources, stands in first place the water, as a precious commodity and scarce, leading to the proper use and reuse. As a result, the World Health Organization has established maximum permissible values in drinking water, such as: 50 mg/L, 0, 1 mg/L and 0, 5 mg/L to at-3, at-2, NH 4, respectively. For these reasons, assesses the implementation of new materials and water treatment processes aiming at the removal of these compounds, such as alumina, in the form of powder or as a support for a catalytic system using inorganic membranes capable of supporting more severe conditions of temperature and pressure by opening new possibilities for applications of membrane reactors; and also for electrochemical treatments with doped diamond bobo electrodes (BDD) as anode and copper as cathode. For such purpose, was conducted the study of adsorption of nitrate in different times to assess the time required to achieve equilibrium by employing three commercial alumina called: acidic, basic and neutral alumina, with subsequent treatment only in the acidic alumina impregnating metals (PdCu/Al2O3) for the catalytic reaction. The materials were previously characterized by XRD, SEM techniques and ABET. Aluminas presented a considerable adsortive capacity of nitrate in the first thirty minutes, equivalent to 50% of removal reaching equilibrium in that time. After treatment, using alumina as catalyst for the reaction in batch reactor (Pd-Cu/Al2O3), the results were more favourable, totalling 64% reduction of ion NO3-at the end of three hours. On the other hand, the results for the catalytic reaction using the catalytic support Pd-Cu/TiO2 in membrane reactor proved to be low. -if, in this way, improve the conditions of catalytic system to optimize the process. Already, for the electrochemical tests using DDB1 electrodes as anode, and Cu, as cathode, there was a fairly significant nitrate reduction, approximately 80% of ion removal during three hours and cost viable applications.

Entre rios e ruas: água, açude e tragédia em uma cidade do agreste potiguar (Santa Cruz, 1º de abril de 1981)

On the evening of April 1, 1981, the city of Santa Cruz was taken by a flood that destroyed the spillway weir Santa Cruz and much of the city, causing the population of the lower areas to abandon their homes. Residences and closest to the dam, the river and the creek Trairi Sin streets were totally affected, and many of the houses and public buildings completely destroyed. Located in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, the city of Santa Cruz is marked by a very hot climate and semi-arid. With an average normal rainfall of 498.7 mm per year, the city is affected by drought since the beginning of its foundation, around the year 1831. For its development had continued, it was necessary that the population actualize various environmental interventions Nature, especially as regards the storage and distribution of water. Considering the process of occupying the space in question, as well as the relationships that human groups have with the natural environment, we aim to analyze how human interventions affect the environment around them, modifying it to meet their needs and interests. Thus, we intend to understand how media coverage enabled the construction of a framework of tragedy. We intend to observe how the occupation of Santa Cruz led to the modification of their surroundings, trying to discuss the effects of human intervention on natural disasters. Among the research sources include newspapers A República, Diário de Natal, Tribuna do Norte, O Poti and Folha de São Paulo, as well as interviews with the then mayor of Santa Cruz, Hildebrando Teixeira de Souza, and with the couple José Henrique de Pontes and Severina Aguida de Pontes, whose house was hit by the flood. We will also take messages from the state government, the minutes of the city council of Santa Cruz and reports produced by DNOCS on the construction of the weir and its survey after the flood.

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.

Análise da biorremediação de compostos monoaromáticos em água através da pseudomonas aeruginosa

The monoaromatic compounds are toxic substances present in petroleum derivades and used broadly in the chemical and petrochemical industries. Those compounds are continuously released into the environment, contaminating the soil and water sources, leading to the possible unfeasibility of those hydrous resources due to their highly carcinogenic and mutagenic potentiality, since even in low concentrations, the BTEX may cause serious health issues. Therefore, it is extremely important to develop and search for new methodologies that assist and enable the treatment of BTEX-contaminated matrix. The bioremediation consists on the utilization of microbial groups capable of degrading hydrocarbons, promoting mineralization, or in other words, the permanent destruction of residues, eliminating the risks of future contaminations. This work investigated the biodegradation kinetics of water-soluble monoaromatic compounds (benzene, toluene and ethylbenzene), based on the evaluation of its consummation by the Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria, for concentrations varying from 40 to 200 mg/L. To do so, the performances of Monod kinetic model for microbial growth were evaluated and the material balance equations for a batch operation were discretized and numerically solved by the fourth order Runge-Kutta method. The kinetic parameters obtained using the method of least squares as statistical criteria were coherent when compared to those obtained from the literature. They also showed that, the microorganism has greater affinity for ethylbenzene. That way, it was possible to observe that Monod model can predict the experimental data for the individual biodegradation of the BTEX substrates and it can be applied to the optimization of the biodegradation processes of toxic compounds for different types of bioreactors and for different operational conditions.

Análise da biorremediação de compostos monoaromáticos em água através da pseudomonas aeruginosa

The monoaromatic compounds are toxic substances present in petroleum derivades and used broadly in the chemical and petrochemical industries. Those compounds are continuously released into the environment, contaminating the soil and water sources, leading to the possible unfeasibility of those hydrous resources due to their highly carcinogenic and mutagenic potentiality, since even in low concentrations, the BTEX may cause serious health issues. Therefore, it is extremely important to develop and search for new methodologies that assist and enable the treatment of BTEX-contaminated matrix. The bioremediation consists on the utilization of microbial groups capable of degrading hydrocarbons, promoting mineralization, or in other words, the permanent destruction of residues, eliminating the risks of future contaminations. This work investigated the biodegradation kinetics of water-soluble monoaromatic compounds (benzene, toluene and ethylbenzene), based on the evaluation of its consummation by the Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria, for concentrations varying from 40 to 200 mg/L. To do so, the performances of Monod kinetic model for microbial growth were evaluated and the material balance equations for a batch operation were discretized and numerically solved by the fourth order Runge-Kutta method. The kinetic parameters obtained using the method of least squares as statistical criteria were coherent when compared to those obtained from the literature. They also showed that, the microorganism has greater affinity for ethylbenzene. That way, it was possible to observe that Monod model can predict the experimental data for the individual biodegradation of the BTEX substrates and it can be applied to the optimization of the biodegradation processes of toxic compounds for different types of bioreactors and for different operational conditions.

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.

O ensino das ciências e a promoção de capacidades de pensamento crítico em alunos do 2.º ciclo do ensino básico

Relatório de estágio apresentado para a obtenção do grau de mestre em Ensino do 1º e do 2º ciclos do ensino básico

Desenvolvimento do pensamento algébrico em alunos do 1.º Ciclo do Ensino Básico

Este estudo teve como objetivo principal investigar o desenvolvimento do pensamento algébrico em alunos do 1.º ciclo do ensino básico, procurando compreender o impacto da implementação de uma sequência de tarefas de cunho exploratório, envolvendo o estudo de padrões e sequências. As tarefas foram implementadas, no letivo 2013/2014, em quatro turmas do 1.º ciclo do ensino básico, uma de cada ano de escolaridade. A sequência de tarefas foi organizada em seis tarefas envolvendo padrões e sequências de repetição e de crescimento, privilegiando os contextos visuais/figurativos. Os alunos realizaram as tarefas, interagindo socialmente através do trabalho em pequeno grupo, e em grupo-turma durante os momentos da discussão coletiva. Procurou-se clarificar as estratégias e representações utilizadas, as generalizações formuladas e as dificuldades sentidas. A metodologia adotada foi qualitativa de natureza interpretativa, com uma organização de estudo de caso (casos múltiplos ou comparativos), dando ênfase à investigação sobre a prática. A recolha de dados teve como principais instrumentos o diário de bordo, as produções escritas dos alunos, a observação participante e as gravações de áudio e vídeo.Os resultados mostraram, que nos diferentes anos de escolaridade, os alunos usaram uma diversidade de representações e de estratégias, que se revelou essencial na capacidade de generalização e de aprendizagens algébricas. A linguagem natural foi uma representação privilegiada em todos os anos de escolaridade, permitiu a expressão, explicação e justificação de ideias, raciocínios, dificuldades e generalização de sequências. No estudo de caso do 1.º ano, dado a faixa etária dos alunos, foram realizadas generalizações próximas com concretização. Nos estudos de caso dos 3.º e 4.º anos, atendendo à idade, maturidade, capacidade de abstração e conhecimentos, observaram-se estratégias mais complexas e formais, proporcionando uma maior diversidade no estabelecimento de conexões e de generalizações desconstrutivas. As generalizações construtivas próximas foram observadas nos estudos de caso do 1.º e do 2.º anos. As generalizações desconstrutivas e distantes foram observadas no caso do 2.º ano e não foram visíveis no do 1.º ano. Os alunos revelaram compreensão algébrica, desenvolveram o estabelecimento de conexões, tendo-se aferido uma maior profundidade nos dois últimos anos de ciclo. A exploração de tarefas envolvendo padrões e sequências permitem a transversalidade dentro da própria Matemática. Desta forma, é fundamental continuar a explorar este tipo de tarefas, desde os primeiros anos de escolaridade, de modo a desenvolver o pensamento algébrico.