Successful Deployment of Metal Expandable Technology with Inner String Stage Cementing System Overcomes Well Construction Challenges in Bab Field, UAE

Inability to effectively isolate depleted aquifer formations due to severe losses during cementation leads to accelerated corrosion of the production casing. Per current practice, a top job is performed from surface to fill the annulus with cement, but with limited success in a severe losses’ scenario. The objective is to improve zonal isolation by applying V0 rated multiple stage cementation technology with inner string thus enhancing well integrity during the life cycle of the well. A metal expandable annular sealing system was selected as a reliable isolation mechanism for effective cementation behind aquifers due to its ability to provide high expansion in potentially washed-out wellbores and the feature of long multi-element sealing systems with built in redundancy. The inner string operated stage cementing system provides a reliable solution to selectively and accurately place cement above the metal expandable packer whilst maintaining V0 casing integrity once closed. Additionally, the unique combination of technologies provides a cost-effective life of well solution compared to current stage cementing methodologies. Following successful execution of three trial jobs, the multi-stage cement using V0 rated tools and an inner string was compared to similar jobs done per current cementing practices. Analysis involved reviewing the cement bond column coverage and quality (CBL) with offset wells. Cement bond log results showed that this technique enhanced the cement column quality behind the 9 5/8" casing across the aquifer zones with moderate to good cement for the most part. Contaminated cement was observed just below the previous casing shoe and this could be addressed by adding another stage tool just above the previous casing shoe. Overall results show improved cement column quality for this section when compared to conventional jobs with similar conditions and is recommended for future use in severe to total losses scenario. In a situation where losses are seen at the previous casing shoe, a three-stage job is recommended. Other benefits include: Security and confidence in gas tight sealing capability and mechanical integrity Precise and conclusive operation for open, close and lock with no risk of accidental lock Ability to squeeze cement below the metal expandable packer No reduction in pressure rating regardless of OH ID and full bore ID of casing No post operation drill out required of the stage tools V0 stage cementing tools with inner string and metal expandable annular sealing system are not available on Oil & Gas market as a single tool. Therefore, this combined technology application of solutions from different technology providers to access a dedicated solution is totally novel and creates an opportunity for future applications across the industry.

Simultaneous Infrared Spectroscopy, Raman Spectroscopy and Luminescence Sensing: A Multi-Spectroscopic Analyti-cal Platform

Scientific questions in fields such as catalysis, monitoring of biological processes or environmental chemistry demand for analytical technologies combining orthogonal spectroscopies. Combined spectroscopic concepts facilitate in-situ on-line monitoring of dynamic processes providing for a better understanding of the involved reaction pathways. In the present study, a low-liquid-volume multi-spectroscopic platform was developed based on infrared attenuated total reflection (IR-ATR) spectroscopy combined with Raman spectroscopy and lumines-cence sensing. For demonstrating the measurement capabilities, exemplary analyte systems including water / heavy water and aqueous solutions of ammonium sulfate were analyzed as proof-of-principle studies. It was successfully demonstrated that three optical techniques may be integrated into a single analytical platform with-out interference providing synchronized and complementary datasets by probing the same minute sample vol-ume. In addition, the developed assembly provides a gas-tight lid sealing the headspace above the probed liq-uid for monitoring the concentration of molecular oxygen also in the gas phase via luminescence quenching. Hence, the entire assembly may be operated at inert conditions, as required for example during the analysis of photocatalytic processes.

Minimization of Negative Impact of Well Cementing on Productive Horizons by Utilization of Swellable Packers

Avoiding of negative impact of slurry contact with productive sections by utilization of swellable pakers well completion systems as a key solution for depleted reservoirs. Results are compared to previously used classic well completion method with production casing cementing The new method of the well completion is based on a long period and many wells operations within Svyrydivske field in Dnipro-Donets Basin (here and after DDB). Precise selection of hybrid, oil and water based elastomers and correct placement in the appropriate hole zones for water and sectional isolation together with oil based mud utilization during drilling have provided stable production in depleted reservoirs and have minimized negative consequences from water filtration. The results achieved and the well completion method are described in detail to allow readers to replicate all results in a comparable geological conditions in DDB. Current well completion method has a couple of outstanding results achieved: –well integrity barrier is based on sufficient differential pressure provided by swellable packers;–reliable long term water isolation of all detected water contained intervals;–the production sections are not polluted by slurry filtrated water;–increased production rate comparing to cemented wells;–no risks of slurry loss during well cementing. This technology has been successfully implemented in both vertical and deviated wells on 4.5″ (114.3 mm) casing OD, in the interval 5100-5450 meters, bottom hole temperature 120-135°C. The differential pressure provided by swellable packer is up to 10,000 PSI (68.9 MPa). Fluid reactive packers are ready to expand and isolate highly cavernous hole sections and keep differential pressure sustainably. To achieve the best results with this well completion method, it is also important to use reliable gas tight casing connections and know precise reservoir characteristics. That is why the technology is recommended to be customized for well known brownfield reservoirs with high rate of depletion. The main benefit of the well completion method is a proved and safe technical solution for mainly depleted deep gas and condensate deposits in DDB (Ukraine) with sensitive economics

The Overlooked Perils of Heterogeneous Oil and Gas

Chapter 2 details the differences and similarities among twenty-first-century petroleum resources and distinguishes conventional from unconventional resources. The chapter argues that, while these definitions are muddled, there is value to understanding and parsing unconventional oil and gas. Numerous different oil and gas resources are then surveyed, including shale gas, ultradeep gas, Arctic gas, tight gas, coalbed methane, biogas, acid gas, geopressurized gas, methane hydrates, condensates, light tight oil, extra-heavy oil, ultradeep oil, Arctic oil, depleted oil, kerogen, biofuels, gas-to-liquids, and coal-to-liquids. Estimates are provided of cumulative industry greenhouse gas emissions for conventional versus unconventional oil and gas resources. The chapter concludes with a discussion of hydrogen—the ultimate unconventional resource—and its production pathways.

New Approach for the Construction and Calibration of Gas-Tight Setups for Biohydrogen Production at the Small Laboratory Scale

Biohydrogen production in small laboratory scale culture vessels is often difficult to perform and quantitate. One problem is that commonly used silicon tubing and improvised plastic connections used for constructing apparatus are cheap and easy to connect but are generally not robust for gases such as hydrogen. In addition, this type of apparatus presents significant safety concerns. Here, we demonstrate the construction of hydrogen-tight apparatus using a commercially available modular system, where plastic tubing and connections are made of explosion-proof dissipative plastic material. Using this system, we introduce a gas chromatograph calibration procedure, which can be easily performed without necessarily resorting to expensive commercial gas standards for the calibration of hydrogen gas concentrations. In this procedure, the amount of hydrogen produced by the reaction of sodium borohydride with water in a closed air-filled bottle is deduced from the observed decrease of the oxygen partial pressure, using the ideal gas law. Finally, the determined calibration coefficients and the gas-tight apparatus are used for the analysis of simultaneous oxygen consumption and hydrogen production of the purple photosynthetic bacterium, Rhodospirillum rubrum, during semi-aerobic growth in the dark.

Development of API 11D1 and API 19AC Validation Grade V0 Barrier-Qualified Gravel Pack System for Troll Phase 3 Big-Bore, High-Rate Gas Completions on the Norwegian Continental Shelf

The Troll Phase 3 (TP3) wells were designed to enable high gas rates and sand free production for an expected lifetime of 40 years with a minimum pressure drop. By taking reservoir and production properties into account, open-hole gravel pack (GP) sand screens in the lower completion and big bore tubing in the upper completion were selected. To further reduce the pressure loss in the well, reduce rig time and cost, and reduce deployment risks, eliminating the intermediate completion was proposed. Traditionally, an intermediate completion is required to serve as a gas-tight barrier for running of the upper completion, mainly due to historical limitations of the GP extension (GP sleeve) not being a barrier qualified to API 19AC Validation grade V0 (referred to as V0 hereafter) after pumping sand slurry through it (post-erosion). An extensive qualification program was completed to qualify the GP system to API 11D1 and API 19AC V0 for use as a gas-tight barrier post-erosion. This allows the GP system to serve as a primary barrier while installing the upper completion and temporarily abandoning the well. The GP packer was qualified to API 11D1 V0 with the additional requirement to perform entire qualification in as-rolled casing and including a plug-in-tailpipe load case. The GP sleeve provided the most technically challenging requirements: a full-scale erosion test, immediate closure of the sleeve after pumping operation, followed by API 19AC Annex A V0 validation. Challenges were encountered trying to meet the rigorous V0 (zero bubble) acceptance criteria post-erosion. A significantly different approach was developed to achieve gas-tight performance in debris-laden environments. The new design successfully passed the post-erosion API 19AC V0 qualification to the full rating of the GP sleeve. The GP system development and qualification enabled the industry-first V0 post-erosion GP system for Equinor, which eliminates the need for an intermediate completion. This state-of-the-art gravel pack system enabled the simplified high gas rate, big-bore well design, not previously possible given well barrier considerations. The reduced pressure drop across the lower completion is expected to yield a higher gas production rate for the 40 years expected well life, contributing significant value to the TP3 project.

Inerting Strategy for a Demonstration-Scale Hot Cell Facility Based on Experiences from Pilot-Scale Argon Cell Facility Operation and CFD Analysis

Pyroprocessing is being developed at Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI), and in recent years, all process equipment required for integrated processes have been examined in the PyRoprocess-integrated Inactive DEmonstration (PRIDE) facility. Based on the successful operation of a pilot-scale facility, a conceptual design for this scale-up facility was actualized. Implementing a “demonstration-scale” hot cell facility is challenging as it is intended to supersede PRIDE and satisfy the increased requirements of larger-scale facilities. This study focused on an inerting strategy for a larger-scale (demonstration-scale) hot cell facility to achieve conditions equivalent to those in a pilot-scale gas-tight argon cell facility. The study applies the inerting strategy to a demonstration-scale hot cell facility beyond that of the currently existing pilot-scale hot cell facility and performs computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation with various flow rates to determine an appropriate approach for inerting the target facility. To this end, practical constraints on the simulation are introduced based on experiences from the existing pilot-scale facility. The results show that the purging flow rate should be accurately predicted, and a variable flow rate should be applied to achieve hot cell inerting effectively. The required purging time and amount of inerting source are essential factors in the larger-scale hot cell facility. The study results can be helpful in the design of large hot cell facilities operated under inert conditions.

Packaging of baby food (review)

Рассмотрены основные виды упаковки и укупорочных средств для продуктов детского питания. Представлена классификация упаковки в зависимости от типа применяемого материала и направления использования. Упаковку и укупорочные средства для продуктов детского питания изготавливают из белой консервной жести, стекла, полимерных и комбинированных материалов. Для придания металлической упаковке требуемой химической устойчивости применяют защитные покрытия из лакокрасочных материалов. Наиболее распространенными лакокрасочными материалами являются эпокси-фенольные лаки и эмали, благодаря хорошей адгезии покрытия к стальной основе и достаточно высокой химической устойчивости к пищевым продуктам. Наиболее распространенными полимерными материалами являются полипропилен и полиэтилен терефталат, так как они обладают паро- и водонепроницаемостью, устойчивостью к жирам и органическим кислотам. Их используют для изготовления пленок, пакетов, жесткой упаковки и укупорочных средств. Для упаковки продуктов, чувствительных к окислению, применяют свето- и газонепроницаемые многослойные комбинированные материалы на основе фольги или металлизированных пленок. Применяемые упаковочные материалы должны соответствовать требованиям безопасности по санитарно-химическим показателям. Из упаковки, применяемой для фасования детского питания, не допускается миграция веществ, имеющих 1-й и 2-й класс опасности. The main types of packaging and capping agents for baby food products are considered in this article. The classification of packaging is presented depending on the type, the material used and the direction of use. Packaging and capping agents for baby food products are made of white tinplate, glass, polymer and combined materials. To give the metal packaging the required chemical resistance, protective coatings made of paint and varnish materials are used. The most common paint materials are epoxy-phenolic lacquers and enamels, due to the good adhesion of the coating to the steel base and a sufficiently high chemical resistance to food. The most common polymer materials are polypropylene and polyethylene terephthalate, because they have steam and water resistance, resistance to fats and organic acids. They are used for the manufacture of films, bags, rigid packaging and capping agents. For the packaging of products that are sensitive to oxidation, light- and gas-tight multilayer combined materials based on foil or metallized films are used. The packaging materials used must meet the safety requirements for sanitary and chemical indicators. The migration of substances with hazard class 1 and 2 is not allowed from the packaging used for packaging baby food.

Effects of Obligate Heterofermentative Lactic Acid Bacteria Alone or in Combination on the Conservation of Sugarcane Silage

Our objective was to determine the effects of two strains of obligate heterofermentative bacteria, alone or in combination, on the fermentation profile, gas production kinetics, chemical composition, and aerobic stability of sugarcane silage. A plot of sugarcane was manually harvested, mechanically chopped and treated with: distilled water (5 mL kg–1; Control), Lentilactobacillus hilgardii CNCM I-4785 [3 × 105 colony-forming units (cfu) g–1; LH], Lentilactobacillus buchneri NCIMB 40788 (3 × 105 cfu g–1; LB), and LH+LB (1.5 × 105 cfu g–1 of each strain). Treated forages were packed into 1.96-L gas-tight silos (0.40 porosity) and stored at 25 ± 1.5°C for 70 days (4 replicates per treatment). All heterolactic inoculants were effective to increase acetic acid concentration and inhibit yeast metabolism, as treated silages had lower formation of ethanol, ethyl esters and gas during fermentation. Lower fungal development spared soluble carbohydrates, consequently resulting in silages with higher in vitro digestibility. Nevertheless, L. buchneri was the most effective strain to extend the aerobic stability of sugarcane silage (based on both temperature and pH rise). The use of L. buchneri alone or in combination with L. hilgardii, applied at 3 × 105 cfu g–1, is a feasible strategy to inhibit yeast metabolism and increase the nutritional quality of sugarcane silage.

ЗАСТОСУВАННЯ ІОННО-ПЛАЗМОВИХ МЕТОДІВ ДЛЯ ОТРИМАННЯ ТОНКОПЛІВКОВИХ ПАЛИВНИХ ЕЛЕМЕНТІВ

New demands on aircraft operating systems, along with ever-increasing demands for reduced fuel consumption, pollutant emissions and noise, are driving the search for new cleaner technologies in which fuel cells show great potential. The work demonstrates the achieved level of development of thin-film composite materials using ion-plasma and plasma-chemical methods at JSC FED, which allows creating the prerequisites for changing properties in relation to traditional materials by 2…3 and more orders of magnitude, reducing the operating temperature to 400...600 °C. This makes it possible to develop fundamentally new designs of thin-film fuel cells (10-20 times less thick than the tubular version) and serial technologies for their manufacture in the following directions: application of thin-film compositions to the developed structure, taking into account technological limitations for different deposition methods; obtaining composite materials, which consist of layers: gas-tight electrolyte and electrode layers with thin-film current-collecting contacts; ensuring the separation of gas mixtures with a ceramic electrolyte layer with a thickness of < 50...20 microns; minimizing the thickness of the electrolyte film and other functional layers of the fuel cell; increasing the adhesion strength of layers and corrosion resistance of current-collecting contacts and electrode layers in working environments to ensure the operability of the structure throughout the entire operation process.