Capturing the stories of corporations: A comparison of media debates on carbon capture and storage in Norway and Sweden

The development and deployment of carbon capture and storage (CCS) are sensitive to public debates that socially frame the technology. This study examines the evolving CCS debates, focusing on the media's framing of firms. Corporations are central CCS actors, and we analyze them in light of the nation-state, which has been emphasized in previous research as the primary context of CCS politics. Empirically, we compare framings of Statoil and Vattenfall in the Norwegian and Swedish media, drawing on a qualitative dataset of news media articles published between 2005 and 2009. We conclude that firms make regular media statements either to foster legitimacy or to respond to criticism of CCS. We also conclude that framing is not necessarily linked to technological success or failure and that interpretations of the technology have different forms depending on whether the related activity occurs in domestic or foreign markets. Finally, we explain the media framings based on the domestic energy situation and politics.     

Prediction of long-term settlement on soft clay using shear wave velocity and damping characteristics

This paper presents a method of calculating long-term settlement of a loaded pad on soft clay at Klang, Selangor, Malaysia where the soil model is treated as an anelastic material of viscoelastic property. Initially, an elastic shear modulus (G) value from shear wave velocity profiles of the seismic tests from spectral analysis of surface wave (SASW) and continuous surface wave (CSW) tests was obtained. A value of damping (D) at an equivalent elastic strain is then calculated from the hysteresis of the plate load tests corrected to equivalent strain using the Damping–Strain formula. The calculated elastic settlement and its equivalent damping are then used to calculate the long-term settlement by applying the generalised viscoelastic formula. Comparisons to traditional methods of settlement predictions were made and the viscoelastic formula has shown better agreement to the observed settlement. Further modification of the settlement formula is introduced to improve the settlement accuracy to 10%.     

Groundwater and surface-water utilisation using a bank infiltration technique in Malaysia

Bank infiltration (BI) is one of the solutions to providing raw water for public supply in tropical countries. This study in Malaysia explores the use of BI to supplement a polluted surface-water resource with groundwater. Three major factors were investigated: (1) contribution of surface water through BI to the resulting abstraction, (2) input of local groundwater, and (3) water-quality characteristics of the resulting water supply. A geophysical method was employed to define the subsurface geology and hydrogeology, and isotope techniques were performed to identify the source of groundwater recharge and the interaction between surface water and groundwater. The physicochemical and microbiological parameters of the local surface-water bodies and groundwater were analyzed before and during water abstraction. Extracted water revealed a 5–98 % decrease in turbidity, as well as reductions in HCO₃ ^?, Cl^?, SO₄ ^2?, NO₃ ^?, Ca²⁺, Al³⁺ and As concentrations compared with those of Langat River water. In addition, amounts of E. coli, total coliform and Giardia were significantly reduced (99.9 %). However, water samples from test wells during pumping showed high concentrations of Fe²⁺ and Mn²⁺. Pumping test results indicate that the two wells used in the study were able to sustain yields.     

Increased hydrocarbon recovery and CO2 storage in Neogene sandstones,a Croatian example: part II

During 2003–2006, a pilot project of alternating water and CO₂ injection was performed on a limited part of the Upper Miocene sandstone oil reservoir of the Ivani? Field. During the test period oil and gas recovery was significantly increased. Additionally 4,440 m³ of oil and 2.26 × 10⁶ m³ of gas were produced. It has initiated further modelling of sandstone reservoirs in the Ivani? Field in order to calculate volumes available for CO₂ injection for the purpose of increasing hydrocarbon production from depleted sandstone reservoirs in the entire Croatian part of the Pannonian Basin System. In the first phase, modelling was based on results of laboratory testing on the core samples. It considered applying analogies with world-known projects of CO₂ subsurface storage and its usage to enhance hydrocarbon production. In the second phase, reservoir variables were analysed by variograms and subsequently mapped in order to reach lithological heterogeneities and to determine reliable average values of reservoir volumes. Data on porosity, depth and reservoir thickness for the “Gamma 3” and the “Gamma 4” reservoirs, are mapped by the ordinary kriging technique. Calculated volume of CO₂ expressed at standard condition which can be injected in the main reservoirs of the Ivani? Field at near miscible conditions is above 15.5 billion m³.     

Evaluation of heavy metal contamination in groundwater samples from Kapas Island,Terengganu, Malaysia

An attempt has been made to delineate the hydrochemistry for a small island based on the major ions and heavy metal concentrations. In this investigation, six sampling campaigns were conducted to measure the concentrations of major ions (Ca, Mg, Na, K, HCO₃, Cl, and SO₄) and heavy metals (Zn, Cr, Pb, Mn, As, and Cu) in groundwater samples collected from seven sampling stations (boreholes) located on Kapas Island, Terengganu, Malaysia. The distribution of major ions is illustrated by a piper plot where Ca–HCO₃ is the dominant type. In addition, the concentrations of heavy metals demonstrate that Mn shows as being the highest concentrated heavy metal in the groundwater sampled in the sampling campaigns; the average Mn content in groundwater sampled was 54.05 μg/L. However, a comparison of the heavy metal (Mn, Cr, Zn, As, Pb, and Cu) concentrations in groundwater samples with the Drinking Water Quality Standard prescribed by World Health Organization reveals that none of these heavy metals exceeded the recommended threshold limits. The principal component analyses (PCA) extracted four components that control the groundwater chemistry. Components 1 and 2 from the PCA analyses extracted approximately 52.11 % of the total variance, which represent the heavy metals (As and Mn) and physical parameters (pH, redox potential, electrical conductivity, temperature, and total dissolved solids). Based on the output of the PHREEQC hydrogeochemical software, several species of heavy metals exist, in which the dominant species found are Mn²⁺, PbCO₃, Cu(OH)₂, and Zn⁺.     

A knowledge-driven GIS modeling technique for groundwater potential mapping at the Upper Langat Basin, Malaysia

The aim of this paper is to use a knowledge-driven expert-based geographical information system (GIS) model coupling with remote-sensing-derived parameters for groundwater potential mapping in an area of the Upper Langat Basin, Malaysia. In this study, nine groundwater storage controlling parameters that affect groundwater occurrences are derived from remotely sensed imagery, available maps, and associated databases. Those parameters are: lithology, slope, lineament, land use, soil, rainfall, drainage density, elevation, and geomorphology. Then the parameter layers were integrated and modeled using a knowledge-driven GIS of weighted linear combination. The weightage and score for each parameter and their classes are based on the Malaysian groundwater expert opinion survey. The predicted groundwater potential map was classified into four distinct zones based on the classification scheme designed by Department of Minerals and Geoscience Malaysia (JMG). The results showed that about 17% of the study area falls under low-potential zone, with 66% on moderate-potential zone, 15% with high-potential zone, and only 0.45% falls under very-high-potential zone. The results obtained in this study were validated with the groundwater borehole wells data compiled by the JMG and showed 76% of prediction accuracy. In addition statistical analysis indicated that hard rock dominant of the study area is controlled by secondary porosity such as distance from lineament and density of lineament. There are high correlations between area percentage of predicted groundwater potential zones and groundwater well yield. Results obtained from this study can be useful for future planning of groundwater exploration, planning and development by related agencies in Malaysia which provide a rapid method and reduce cost as well as less time consuming. The results may be also transferable to other areas of similar hydrological characteristics.     

Hafnium Isotope Characteristics of Palaeoarchaean Zircon OG1/OGC from the Owens Gully Diorite,Pilbara Craton,Western Australia

We report Hf isotope data for 3467 Ma igneous zircons from the Owens Gully Diorite of the Pilbara Craton. These zircons, designated OG1 or OGC, have simple, well‐defined U‐Pb age systematics. Measurements obtained by single crystal dissolution yield a moderate range in ¹⁷⁶Hf/¹⁷⁷Hf (mean 0.280633 ± 34) and ¹⁷⁶Lu/¹⁷⁷Hf (mean 0.00119) that translate into initial (3467 Ma) ¹⁷⁶Hf/¹⁷⁷Hf values that are equivalent within measurement uncertainty (mean 0.280554 ± 7, ε_Hf = +0.6 ± 0.2, 2s). Laser ablation analysis yielded clustered initial ¹⁷⁶Hf/¹⁷⁷Hf ratios (mean 0.280560 ± 20, 2s) indistinguishable from those obtained by solution analysis. The antiquity and moderately high ¹⁷⁶Lu/¹⁷⁷Hf of these zircons result in significant corrections for radiogenic ingrowth of ¹⁷⁶Hf (to 6 ε_Hf units). Depth profiling by concurrent Pb‐Hf isotope determination reveals trends to lower ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb in several crystals, although these are not accompanied by shifts in ¹⁷⁶Hf/¹⁷⁷Hf. We conclude that zircons from the Owens Gully Diorite are homogeneous for Hf isotopes at the scale of sampling and within the uncertainty limits of the measurement techniques employed. Zircon OG1/OGC would appear to be an ideal quality monitor for laser ablation Hf isotope determination in ancient zircons, and for laser ablation techniques where Hf isotope and age information are determined concurrently or simultaneously.     

Modelling of Riparian-Imitated Constructed Wetland for Fish Habitat

This paper presents a hydrodynamic-based investigation of constructed wetland suitability for fish habitat. A constructed wetland adjacent to river is manoeuvred to imitate riparian fish habitat by means of computer modelling. Flow-velocity conditions, water depths and effects of macrophytes to resistance of flow in constructed wetland are modelled and steered towards creating a favourable ground for natural substrate spawning of native fish species. The model suggests combination of two zones, which are a macrophyte zone for typical functions of a wetland and an open water zone with gravel bed to support fish reproductive cycles.