Engineering Geology, History and Geography of the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Area

2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-101
Author(s):  
Richard E. Gray ◽  
Brian H. Greene ◽  
Ryan W. Fandray ◽  
Robert J. Turka
Keyword(s):  
Natural Gas ◽  
Mine Drainage ◽  
Slope Instability ◽  
Acid Rock ◽  
Westward Expansion ◽  
Aging Infrastructure ◽  
Mountain Chain ◽  
Limestone Sand ◽  
Sand And Gravel ◽  
Continental Glaciation

ABSTRACTThe City of Pittsburgh, PA is located west of the Appalachian Mountains in the Appalachian Plateaus Province. The relatively flat surface of the plateau is dissected by drainage from the three principal rivers of the region, the Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio. The formation of Pittsburgh’s three rivers and drainages has a long history dating back to before the Pleistocene Epoch, linked closely to the advance and retreat of continental glaciation.Western Pennsylvania is associated with the westernmost formation of the Appalachian Mountain chain with deformation in the form of a series of nearly flat-lying, gently warped Paleozoic sedimentary rocks. Rocks cropping out in the region range in age from Devonian to Permian. Pennsylvanian strata are dominated by thin cyclic sequences of sandstone, shale, claystone, coal, and limestone. Most of the geologic hazards present in the region include slope instability, expansive shales and slags, mine subsidence, acid mine drainage, pyritic acid rock and flooding. The region also has an abundance of natural resources including coal, natural gas, oil, salt, limestone, sand and gravel and water.Pittsburgh's strategic location helped shape westward expansion during the formation of the Nation, largely because of the rivers, which served as an inexpensive, yet efficient means of transportation. Infrastructure was always significant in Pittsburgh. However, the existing aging infrastructure are deteriorating. Today, Pittsburgh has transcended the legacy name, “Steel City” and has revitalized itself with nationally-recognized universities and medical centers and a resurgence in natural gas exploration. However, many environmental legacy issues still burden the area.

scholarly journals Acid neutralization within limestone sand reactors receiving coal mine drainage

2005 ◽  
Vol 137 (2) ◽  
pp. 295-304 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barnaby J. Watten ◽  
Philip L. Sibrell ◽  
Michael F. Schwartz
Keyword(s):  
Coal Mine ◽  
Mine Drainage ◽  
Acid Neutralization ◽  
Coal Mine Drainage ◽  
Limestone Sand

Safety Implications of Bridging the Energy Supply/Demand Gap in Nigeria through Associated Natural Gas Utilization

2007 ◽  
Vol 18 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 363-372
Author(s):  
Funso A. Akeredolu ◽  
Jacob A. Sonibare
Keyword(s):  
Natural Gas ◽  
Energy Supply ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Electricity Generation ◽  
Safe Delivery ◽  
Associated Gas ◽  
Gas Utilization ◽  
Aging Infrastructure ◽  
Generation Capacity ◽  
Installed Capacity

There exists a wide energy supply/demand gap in Nigeria. The local generation of electricity meets only 31% of the demand of 10000 MW. By contrast, only 39.6% of the total installed capacity for electricity generation is achieved, owing to aging infrastructure, etc. The energy demand/supply pattern and infrastructure critically reviewed thus suggested the need to increase the electricity generation capacity. Furthermore, Nigeria flares 77% of her associated natural gas. Apart from the environmental penalties that flaring represents, in monetary terms, over the 110 years' life of Nigeria's gas reserves, a conservative estimate of the cost of the gas so-flared was $330 billion (based on $20/barrel average price of crude). It was safely inferred that the way forward in meeting the country's energy demand should include a strong element of gas utilization. In previous publications by this group, it was established that while domestic cooking could reduce the flared gas by about 5.4%, a cohesive policy on associated gas use for electricity generation could eliminate gas flaring. For domestic utilization of the associated gas, burner design and safety concerns were identified as the key challenges to overcome. The paper reports the effectiveness of odorizers in leakage detection/ prevention by the local consumers. It also discusses the issue of prevention of gas explosions. The previous cases of gas accidents were reviewed. The safety approaches proffered in the paper identified the relevant areas of research for safe delivery and consumption of natural gas in Nigeria.

Effects of acid mine drainage on clay minerals suspended in the Tinto River (Río Tinto, Spain). An experimental approach

Clay Minerals ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 99-108 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Galan ◽  
M. I. Carretero ◽  
J . C. Fernandez-Caliani
Keyword(s):  
Acid Mine Drainage ◽  
Mine Drainage ◽  
Drainage Basin ◽  
Acid Rock Drainage ◽  
Chemical Degradation ◽  
Acid Rock ◽  
Tinto River ◽  
Acid Mine ◽  
Mineral Stability ◽  
Water Ph

AbstractThe Tinto river is one of the most polluted stream environments in the world, as a result of both acid mine drainage and natural acid rock drainage. Two representative samples from the phyllosilicate-rich rocks exposed in the drainage basin (Palaeozoic chlorite-bearing slates and Miocene smectite-rich marls) were treated with acid river water (pH = 2.2) for different times to constrain the effects of extreme hydrogeochemical conditions on clay mineral stability. Illite and kaolinite did not show appreciable variations in their crystal chemistry parameters upon treatment. Chlorite underwent an incipient chemical degradation evidenced by the progressive loss of Fe in octahedral positions coupled with a shortening of the b unit-cell parameter, although no weathering products of chlorite were observed. Smectite and calcite were rapidly and fully dissolved thus neutralizing the water acidity, and subsequently Fe and Al oxy-hydroxides and opaline silica precipitated from the aqueous solution, together with a neoformed amorphous silicate phase largely enriched in Al and Mg.

scholarly journals Acid mine drainage mitigation: A review

2020 ◽  
pp. 97-118
Author(s):  
Daniel Lazo
Keyword(s):  
Acid Mine Drainage ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Mine Drainage ◽  
Acid Rock Drainage ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Mining Operations ◽  
Aquatic Life ◽  
Acid Rock ◽  
Sulphide Minerals ◽  
Acid Mine

Acid mine drainage (AMD) or acid rock drainage (ARD) refers to the effluents from coal and metal mines. AMD is a common phenomenon which occurs naturally as a process of rock weathering, but is increased in large scale due to human activities such as construction contracts (transportation corridors, dam build, etc.) and mining operations. This phenomenon denotes the acidic water that is produced during exposure of sulphide minerals (mainly pyrite) to air and water through a natural process, and creates sulphuric acid. AMD is a hazard to animals, aquatic life and human beings as it increases the acidity and dissolves metals. Preventing and treating AMD is an important issue in a mine site not only during operation life but also after the mine is abandoned.

Research and Application of Segmented Acid Fracturing Technology in Horizontal Wells of Ultra Deep Carbonate Gas Reservoirs in Southwest China

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yang Wang ◽  
Changlin Zhou ◽  
Huali Zhang ◽  
Tingting He ◽  
Xinyuan Tang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Natural Gas ◽  
Southwest China ◽  
Horizontal Wells ◽  
Gas Production ◽  
Reservoir Temperature ◽  
Fracturing Fluid ◽  
Gas Reservoir ◽  
Acid Rock ◽  
Acid Fracturing ◽  
Temporary Plugging Agent

Abstract The Shuangyu gas reservoir in Southwest China is a fracture ultra deep carbonate gas reservoir. Its reservoir buried depth is more than 7000m, and the reservoir temperature is about 160°C. In the early stage, the vertical well acid fracturing method was used to obtain the natural gas production, but the gas production decreased rapidly after acid fracturing, which is difficult to achieve economic and efficient development. Segmented acid fracturing of horizontal wells is an effective way to greatly increase gas production. However, segmented acid fracturing of horizontal wells in Shuangyu ultra deep carbonate gas reservoir faces the following problems: (1)High reservoir temperature, fast acid rock reaction speed and short length of acid corrosion fracture. (2) The diameter of horizontal well is small (114.3mm), packer and other tools can not be put into the wellbore. In this paper, through laboratory tests, an acid fracturing fluid with temperature resistance of 160 °C and friction resistance of 35% of water is developed. The fracturing fluid has the characteristics of high viscosity and high concentration of hydrogen ions, which can not only fracture the formation, but also carry out effective acid etching on the fracture during the injection process. Through the experiment, the temporary plugging agent which can meet the temperature of 160 °C and the combination of temporary plugging agent can form a sealing layer in the fracture with the width of 4mm, and the maximum sealing pressure can reach 20MPa. The research results have been successfully applied in well y616. After fracturing, the daily output of natural gas in well Y616 is 1 million cubic meters, which is more than three times that of the surrounding vertical wells.

Pleistocene marine kettle-fill deposits near Ottawa, Canada

1980 ◽  
Vol 17 (9) ◽  
pp. 1236-1245 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Hayward ◽  
H. M. French
Keyword(s):  
Marine Environment ◽  
Debris Flows ◽  
Slope Instability ◽  
Turbidity Currents ◽  
Ice Melt ◽  
Sand And Gravel

Exposures at several localities in the Ottawa region reveal Champlain Sea deposits filling depressions on what were formerly submerged surfaces of Wisconsin sand and gravel ridges. The deposits, referred to as "kettle fill," constitute materials eroded from the ridges in a marine environment and redeposited in ice-melt depressions or kettle holes. Processes responsible for the deposition of the sediment appear to include debris flows and small turbidity currents initiated by wave washing and slope instability. The dimensions of the depressions, their depth in relation to the falling wave base, and the steepness of the flanks were important factors controlling sedimentation. The kettle-fill facies comprise diamicton (pebbly mud), gravel, sand, and lutite.

scholarly journals The acidic waters in Italy: a brief overview

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco Magi ◽  
Jacopo Cabassi ◽  
Francesco Capecchiacci ◽  
Chiara Caponi ◽  
Luciano Giannini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mine Drainage ◽  
Acid Rock Drainage ◽  
Geothermal Gradient ◽  
Ore Deposits ◽  
Acid Rock ◽  
Geothermal Fields ◽  
Oxidative Processes ◽  
Acidic Waters ◽  
Polymetallic Sulfides ◽  
Mining Districts

The present study is aimed at providing a brief overview of the Italian acidic waters based on literature and unpublished data. Acidic waters in Italy, as elsewhere, are relatively common and associated with extremely variable geological settings. Owing to their peculiar features, these waters may seriously affect the environment and the ecosystems. Along the Apennine belt, the western and inner sectors of the Italian peninsula record an anomalous geothermal gradient, mostly overlapping with the Neogene-to-present magmatism, that explains the presence of a huge amount of CO2(H2S)-rich gas and thermal water discharges, geothermal fields (e.g. Larderello and Mt. Amiata) and ore deposits (e.g. Fe- and polymetallic sulfides, e.g. Elba Island and Colline Metallifere). Acidic waters (pH ≤5) from volcanic and geothermal areas show outlet temperatures and Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) from 10 to 96°C and <1 to ≈30 g/L, respectively, with a chemical composition usually belonging to the Ca-SO4, NH4-SO4 or Na-Cl facies. Frequently, they are related to bubbling and boiling pools due to the interaction between deepsourced gases and shallow aquifers or meteoric waters. Concentrations of heavy metals and metalloids are in most cases high. Extremely high contents of metals are also recorded for those acidic waters that characterize the main Italian mining districts, mostly located in Sardinia (not included in the present study), Tuscany and NW Alps, where they are related to Acid Mine Drainage l.s. or Acid Rock Drainage. The pH values are as low as 2.08, with variable TDS concentrations. Compositionally, they are Na-SO4, Ca(Mg)-SO4, and/or Mg(Ca)-SO4 waters, prevalently due to oxidative processes affecting polymetallic sulfides.

scholarly journals Penerapan Wetland untuk Pengelolaan Air Asam Tambang

KURVATEK ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 41-46
Author(s):  
Agus Panca Adi Sucahyo ◽  
Waterman Sulistyana Bargawa ◽  
Mohammad Nurcholis ◽  
Tedy Agung Cahyadi,
Keyword(s):  
Heavy Metals ◽  
Acid Mine Drainage ◽  
Mine Drainage ◽  
Mining Industry ◽  
Acid Rock ◽  
Acid Mine ◽  
Run Off ◽  
Environmental Pollution Problem ◽  
State Water ◽  
Wetland System

ABSTRAKAir asam tambang (AAT) merupakan air dengan kandungan pH rendah (di bawah 5) yang ditimbulkan akibat industri pertambangan. AAT terbentuk dari bertemunya tiga komponen, yaitu batuan yang mengandung sulfat, air dan udara. Batuan yang mengandung asam (potential acid foarming) yang terkupas selama kegiatan penambangan dapat membentuk AAT setelah bertemu udara dan air yang berasal dari paparan air hujan langsung, air limpasan dan rembesan air tanah. Air limpasan yang tercemar tersebut mempunyai pH sekitar 2 – 4 dengan kandungan logam berat berupa Al, Fe, Mn, Cu dan Zn. Metoda dalam pengelolaan AAT terdiri dari sistem aktif dan sistem pasif. Paper ini membahas mengenai pengelolaan AAT dengan menggunakan sistem pasif wetland. Cakupan yang dibahas menyajikan beberapa hal terkait wetland diantaranya: ukuran wetland dan desain wetland yang tepat termasuk keasaman air yang keluar dari tambang (pH), kondisi reaksi oksidasi, laju aliran air serta waktu yang diperlukan dalam proses wetland serta luasan area yang tersedia untuk konstruksi wetland. Manfaat yang dihasilkan dari studi ini dapat digunakan untuk penelitian selanjutnya dalam rangka program penutupan tambang tembaga dan emas.Kata kunci: wetland, remediasi pasif, air asam tambang (AAT) Acid mine drainage (AMD) is the most significant environmental pollution problem with a low pH (below 5) caused by the mining industry. AMD is former from three components, exposed acid rock contain sulphate, water and air. The exposed acid rocks (potential acidic forming) during mining activities create a chemical reaction with air and water can be from seepage and run off. The water overflow from pit lake has a pH around 2 – 4 and contain heavy metals, i.e. Al, Fe, Mn, Cu, and Zn. The methods of AMD treatments that are active and passive systems. This paper discusses the AMD treatment using passive wetland system. Main factors passive removal of acidity and heavy metals using wetlad system when determining type and size appropriate wetland system include the influent acidity, pH, redox state, water flow rates and retention times, the area available for wetland. The benefits of this  study for passive AMD treatment using wetland can be used for further research to supporting the copper and gold mine closure program. Keywords: wetland, passive reamediation, acid mine drainage

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