Numerical investigation of slippage characteristics of normal and reverse faults under fluid injection and production

Nowadays, a great deal of petroleum geology and engineering projects associated with underground fluid injection and production (FIP) are widely conducted around the world. The FIP engineering may cause complex stress perturbation and trigger seismicity, which have been extensively reported and studied. In this paper, we investigated the fault slippage characteristics influenced by FIP. It reveals that for a fault (normal or reverse) that penetrating through the reservoir into the caprock and underburden, the footwall reservoir is the relatively stable one for fluid injection in a fluid FIP engineering. No matter it is a normal or a reverse fault, injecting fluid into footwall reservoir and producing fluid from the hanging wall reservoir can induce smaller fault slippage. After having determined the better fluid injection–production pattern, we studied the influence of three key factors of fault, i.e., dip, offset and depth, on fault stability. We found that, in our range of study, the influence of single action of fault dip, offset or depth on fault slippage in a FIP engineering was small. However, the influence of the combined effects of the factors may be large. Finally, we studied the effect of different pressure management scenarios on fault responses based on the specific fluid injection–production pattern. The results revealed that appropriate pressure management could effectively reduce fault slippage in a FIP engineering. However, inappropriate pressure management may cause much larger fault slippage. Given these concerns, it is therefore vital that the effect of pressure management scenario to be modeled prior to FIP.     

A novel geographical information system-based Ant Miner algorithm model for delineating groundwater flowing artesian well boundary: a case study from Iraqi southern and western deserts

The Ant Miner algorithm was compared with the bivariate frequency ratio (FR) and boosted regression trees (BRT) algorithms in terms of its capacity to assess groundwater potential. A geospatial dataset was prepared that contains two components: a flowing well inventory map and eleven factors relevant to groundwater conditions. Average nearest neighbor technique was used to investigate the spatial pattern of flowing wells and to find the appropriate distance between flowing and nonflowing points in the study area. A wrapper approach known as random forest classifier and a filtering approach known as information gain ratio were used to identify the most relevant groundwater factors. The developed models were validated via the area under the operating characteristic curve. Results revealed that the Ant Miner model performed better in terms of both success (0.944) and prediction (0.92) rates compared to FR and BRT. Furthermore, the Ant Miner algorithm derived five simple, easily interpreted rules for predicting groundwater potential that can be used by hydrogeologists for identifying potential groundwater well locations with minimal effort and cost.     

Aliphatic hydrocarbons in coastal sediments of the Northern Cyprus (Eastern Mediterranean)

The sources and spatial distributions of aliphatic hydrocarbon concentrations were investigated in surficial sediments of the Northern Cyprus (Gemi Konagi, Girne and Gazi Magusa Areas). Aliphatic hydrocarbon levels were determined with a gas chromatography–mass spectrometer. Total aliphatic hydrocarbon (n-alkanes, Σ25; isoprenoids, Σ2) concentrations in the sediments were found in the range of 1107–6360 ng/g. Results indicated that the sediments were mainly dominated by odd numbered n-alkanes (n-C10–n-C34), maximizing at n-C17, n-C29 and n-C31. Statistical analyses and diagnostic ratios have been used to determine the possible sources and origins of aliphatic hydrocarbons. Aliphatic hydrocarbons were showed biogenic character at all sampling areas and were found mainly originated from terrestrial, marine and both terrestrial-marine plants at Gemi Konagi, Gazi Magusa and Girne, respectively.     

Between-Population Differences in Multi-stressor Tolerance During Embryo Development in the American Horseshoe Crab, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Limulus polyphemus</Emphasis>

The American horseshoe crab, Limulus polyphemus, is found along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts in genetically isolated populations. Eggs are laid in shoreline beaches that expose developing embryos to combinations of environmental stressors. Whether populations of L. polyphemus differ in multi-stressor tolerance had never been tested. We assessed the multi-stressor tolerance of L. polyphemus embryos from a population in Delaware Bay (DE) and determined whether these differed from the multi-stressor tolerance of embryos from a more southerly Florida Gulf Coast (FGC) population. We monitored the field sediment temperatures and determined multi-stressor tolerance of DE embryos, then compared these to published data for FGC embryos. For multi-stressor tolerance, we assessed development success of embryos in 2-week exposures to 36 full-factorial combinations of temperature (20, 25, 30, 35 °C), salinity (5, 15, and 34 ppt), and ambient O₂ (5, 13, and 21% O₂), followed by 2 weeks in recovery conditions. Sediment temperatures in the DE site ranged from 9.5 to 46 °C, with extended periods exceeding 35 °C. Development success was similar between the DE and FGC populations in 14 of 26 multi-stressor combinations. The DE embryos were generally more successful in conditions that included high temperature or moderate hyposalinity, whereas the FGC embryos were generally more successful in conditions that included extreme hyposalinity. This suggests that although multi-stressor tolerances are generally similar between the two populations, specific differences exist that correlate more with differences in nest microenvironment than latitude.     

Hydrogeochemical assessment of surface and groundwater resources of Korba coalfield,Central India: environmental implications

The present study assesses the impact of coal mining on surface and groundwater resources of Korba Coalfield, Central India. Accordingly, water samples collected from various sources are analyzed for major ions, trace elements, and other mine effluent parameters. Results show that the groundwater samples are slightly acidic, whereas river water and mine water samples are mildly alkaline. Elevated concentrations of Ca²⁺, Na⁺, HCO₃ ^?, and SO₄ ^2? alongside the molar ratios (Ca²⁺+Mg²⁺)/(SO₄ ^2?+HCO₃ ^?) <1 and Na⁺/Cl^? >1 suggest that silicate weathering (water-rock interaction) coupled with ion exchange are dominant solute acquisition processes controlling the chemistry of groundwater in the study area. The overall hydrogeochemistry of the area is dominated by two major hydrogeochemical facies (i.e., Ca–Cl–SO₄ and Ca–HCO₃). Analysis of groundwater and river water quality index (GRWQI) elucidates that majority (82%) of samples are of “excellent” to “good” category, and the remaining 12% are of “poor” quality. Similarly, the effluent water quality index (EWQI) indicates that 6 out of 8 samples belong to excellent quality. Concentration of trace element constituents such as As, Zn, Cu, Cr, and Cd is found to be well within the stipulated limits for potable use, except for Fe, Mn, and Pb. Suitability of water samples for irrigation purpose, established using standard tools like Wilcox and USSL diagrams, reveal “excellent to permissible” category for majority of the samples. The present study also substantiates the effectiveness of the measures implemented for the treatment of mine effluent water.     

Mapping thermal comfort in Iran based on geostatistical methods and bioclimatic indices

The cognition of thermal comfort plays a pivotal role in human life and activities. Recognizing thermal comfort based on climatic parameters is substantially significant. The main objective of the present study is to map thermal comfort using statistics from 43 meteorological stations, from 1970 to 2013. Initially, according to temperature and relative humidity, annual and seasonal thermal comfort conditions were mapped, and later bioclimatic human thermal comfort conditions in line with spatial factors were zoned based on bioclimatic indexes of Temperature Humidity Index (THI), effective temperature (ET) and Relative Strain Index (RSI). Among geostatistical methods, empirical Bayesian kriging (EBK) method with less RSME is more efficient. The annual distribution of temperature changes according to spatial factors of rugged topography and elevation, and latitude affects relative humidity. Thermal comfort in the northern and western half of Iran is higher than the southern and eastern areas of the country. Spatial factors of latitude and altitude reduce bioclimatic uniformity and create small areas with or without thermal comfort conditions. Bioclimatic indicators based on air temperature and relative humidity range of bioclimatic zones show. The results of ET and THI divide the whole country into six zones, from lack of thermal comfort to having thermal comfort conditions. Areas of southern strip as well as central and southeastern parts of the country do not have any human thermal comfort conditions in most of the year.     

The first field-based descriptions of pumping-induced saltwater intrusion and upconing

Development of the ideas about the equilibrium between freshwater and saline water has received considerable attention in the literature, but little has been written so far about the earliest scientific works about well salinization. Based on a review of the literature from the second half of the 19th century and the early 20th century, this historical note explores how insights into groundwater abstraction and saltwater intrusion developed, and examples of the earliest field studies are provided. Fundamental research was driven by the need for increasing water supply, but the progress of science did not lead to sustainable management practices everywhere. Research outcomes were shared between scientists of different countries, marking the beginning of coastal hydrogeology as a scientific specialization in the first decade of the 20th century.     

Assessing anthropogenic impacts on limited water resources under semi-arid conditions: three-dimensional transient regional modelling in Jordan

Both increasing aridity and population growth strongly stress freshwater resources in semi-arid areas such as Jordan. The country’s second largest governorate, Irbid, with over 1 million inhabitants, is already suffering from an annual water deficit of 25 million cubic meters (MCM). The population is expected to double within the next 20 years. Even without the large number of refugees from Syria, the deficit will likely increase to more then 50 MCM per year by 2035 The Governorate’s exclusive resource is groundwater, abstracted by the extensive Al Arab and Kufr Asad well fields. This study presents the first three-dimensional transient regional groundwater flow model of the entire Wadi al Arab to answer important questions regarding the dynamic quality and availability of water within the catchment. Emphasis is given to the calculation and validation of the dynamic groundwater recharge, derived from a multi-proxy approach, including (1) a hydrological model covering a 30-years dataset, (2) groundwater level measurements and (3) information about springs. The model enables evaluation of the impact of abstraction on the flow regime and the groundwater budget of the resource. Sensitivity analyses of controlling parameters indicate that intense abstraction in the southern part of the Wadi al Arab system can result in critical water-level drops of 10 m at a distance of 16 km from the production wells. Moreover, modelling results suggest that observed head fluctuations are strongly controlled by anthropogenic abstraction rather than variable recharge rates due to climate changes.     

Laboratory investigation and simulation of breakthrough curves in karst conduits with pools

A series of laboratory experiments are performed under various hydrological conditions to analyze the effect of pools in pipes on breakthrough curves (BTCs). The BTCs are generated after instantaneous injections of NaCl tracer solution. In order to test the feasibility of reproducing the BTCs and obtain transport parameters, three modeling approaches have been applied: the equilibrium model, the linear graphical method and the two-region nonequilibrium model. The investigation results show that pools induce tailing of the BTCs, and the shapes of BTCs depend on pool geometries and hydrological conditions. The simulations reveal that the two-region nonequilibrium model yields the best fits to experimental BTCs because the model can describe the transient storage in pools by the partition coefficient and the mass transfer coefficient. The model parameters indicate that pools produce high dispersion. The increased tailing occurs mainly because the partition coefficient decreases, as the number of pools increases. When comparing the tracer BTCs obtained using the two types of pools with the same size, the more appreciable BTC tails that occur for symmetrical pools likely result mainly from the less intense exchange between the water in the pools and the water in the pipe, because the partition coefficients for the two types of pools are virtually identical. Dispersivity values decrease as flow rates increase; however, the trend in dispersion is not clear. The reduced tailing is attributed to a decrease in immobile water with increasing flow rate. It provides evidence for hydrodynamically controlled tailing effects.     

Field Measurement of Stresses of Floor Slabs in Excavations

This paper presents field measurement of stresses of floor slabs in excavations. During the study, a typical measurement-section was selected, and concrete strain meters were embedded so as to make stress measurement for floor slabs. Effect of the excavation of adjacent foundation pit for existing structure was discussed deeply. What’s more, the stability of floor slabs was evaluated. Finally, it could be concluded as follows: With the increase of the excavation depth, the excavation of the Transfer Hall Foundation Pit (THFP) had large effect on the internal force of floor slabs beside it, however, such influence tended to be smaller for the foundation pit far from the Transfer Hall (TH);. According to the strain data from field measurement, safety factors of floor slabs were calculated, which turned out to meet national code (JGJ 120-2012). Meanwhile, it can be concluded that floor slabs were in the safe status. In the end, the variation relation of their internal force, which would provide some references for the design and construction of similar projects in future, was obtained.