Engineering Commons^™

Are Natural Fractures In Sandstone Reservoir: Water Wet – Mixed Wet – Or Oil Wet?, Salah Almudhhi, Laila Abdullah, Waleed Al-Bazzaz, Saleh Alsayegh, Hussien Alajaj, Ralph E. Flori

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This study accurately measures the wettability contact angle of native Kuwaiti sandstone reservoir that hosts mixed pore size distributions in both the tight sandstone matrix as well as the natural fracture (NF) embedded in it. Also, this study, effectively, investigates the geometrical size and shape of natural available voids whether matrix voids or NF voids captured in the rock 2D image frame system. Correspondingly, this study is, successfully, measure tight matrix, NF Pore wall, and NF pore opening wettability performance and recovery efficiency contributions inside the sandstone reservoir. A model pore/ grain contact angle wettability is generated. Therefore, this study …

Seismic Azimuthal Anisotropy Beneath A Fast Moving Ancient Continent: Constraints From Shear Wave Splitting Analysis In Australia, Kailun Ba, Stephen S. Gao, Jianguo Song, Kelly H. Liu

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Seismic Azimuthal Anisotropy Beneath Australia is Investigated using Splitting of the Teleseismic PKS, SKKS, and SKS Phases to Delineate Asthenospheric Flow and Lithospheric Deformation Beneath One of the Oldest and Fast-Moving Continents on Earth. in Total 511 Pairs of High-Quality Splitting Parameters Were Observed at 116 Seismic Stations. Unlike Other Stable Continental Areas in Africa, East Asia, and North America, Where Spatially Consistent Splitting Parameters Dominate, the Fast Orientations and Splitting Times Observed in Australia Show a Complex Pattern, with a Slightly Smaller Than Normal Average Splitting Time of 0.85 ± 0.33 S. on the North Australian Craton, the Fast …

A Novel Technique For The Quantitative Determination Of Wettability Of A Severely Heterogeneous Tight Carbonate Reservoir, Saleh Al-Sayegh, Ralph E. Flori, Waleed Al-Bazzaz, Abdulaziz Abbas, Ali Qubian, Hasan Al-Saedi

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The objective of this study is to accurately measure the wettability contact angle of a cretaceous carbonate reservoir in a vertical well set-up known for as an unconventional tight carbonate oil reservoir. Also, to investigate the relative heterogeneity of these samples using digitally captured images; these images accurately capture natural pore-system in this carbonate rock samples and their wettability performance attributed towards building a vertical depth wettability/heterogeneity model. To capture, measure and model natural tight matrix static contact angle wettability in order to understand their new physics that will advance unconventional tight oil reservoir characterization. Entire vertical well depth reservoir …

Practical Imaging Applications Of Wettability Contact Angles On Kuwaiti Tight Carbonate Reservoir With Different Rock Types, Saleh Al-Sayegh, Ralph E. Flori, Waleed Al-Bazzaz, Sohaib Kholosy, Hasan Al-Saedi, Abdulaziz Abbas, Ali Qubian

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This study focuses on a tight carbonate reservoir which is located in Northern Kuwait and is classified as an unconventional reservoir. A practical imaging technique of wettability contact angle (θ°) presents "big data" as well as relative-permeability (Krw and Kro) measurements. Also, modeling, through rock image technology, the vast well-documented grain/pore boundary morphology available inside fresh rock fragments have achieved good results. Conventional laboratory relative-permeability experiments are expensive and time-consuming. This study introduces a novel method to measure/calculate relative permeability through fast, less expensive, non-destructive, and environmentally friendly techniques of imaging technology. One tight carbonate reservoir is selected, imaged, processed, …

Investigating Pore Body, Pore Throat, Nano-Pore Wettability Preference In Several Unconventional Kuwaiti Carbonate Reservoirs, Saleh Al-Sayegh, Ralph E. Flori, Hussain Alajaj, Waleed Hussien Al-Bazzaz

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This study will investigate measuring the wettability contact angles of native unconventional tight carbonate as well as other unconventional pore system reservoir samples that hosts varied pore shapes and subsequent wettability contact angle distributions in both reservoir matrix and possible natural fractures. Also, the investigation will include validation of the grain/ pore-wall wettability regions and classify the natural wettability preference available inside pores of the rock and their overall wettability performance and recovery efficiency contributions. Further investigation will include modeling pore throat contact angle wettability, and to understand their new physics that will advance reservoir characterization and oil recovery improvement.

Kuwaiti Carbonate Reservoir Oil Recovery Prediction Through Static Wettability Contact Angle Using Machine Learning Modeling, Saleh Al-Sayegh, Ralph E. Flori, Waleed Hussien Al-Bazzaz, Hasan Al-Saedi, Mostafa Al-Kaouri, Ali Qubian

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The objective of this study is to predict EOR efficiencies through static wettability contact angle measurement by Machine Learning (ML) modeling. Unlike conventional methods of measuring static wettability contact angle, the unconventional digital static wettability contact angle is captured and measured, then (ML) modeled in order to forecast the recovery based on wettability distribution phenomenon. Due to success in big data collection from reservoir imaging samples, this study applies data science lifecycle logic and utilizes Machine Learning (ML) models that can predict the recovery through wettability contact angles and thus identify the treatment of oil recovery for a candidate reservoir. …

Temporal Lidar Scanning In Quantifying Cumulative Rockfall Volume And Hazard Assessment: A Case Study At Southwestern Saudi Arabia, Abdullah A. Alotaibi, Norbert H. Maerz, Kenneth J. Boyko, Ahmed M. Youssef, Biswajeet Pradhan

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Rockfalls and unstable slopes pose a serious threat to people and property along roads/highways in the southwestern mountainous regions of Saudi Arabia. In this study, the application of terrestrial light detection and ranging (LiDAR) technology was applied aiming to propose a strategy to analyze and accurately depict the detection of rockfall changes, calculation of rockfall volume, and evaluate rockfall hazards along the Habs Road, Jazan Region, Saudi Arabia. A series of temporal LiDAR scans were acquired at three selected sites. Our results show that these three sites have different degrees of hazard due to their geological differences. The mean volume …

The Kanarra Fold-Thrust System -- The Leading Edge Of The Sevier Fold-Thrust Belt, Southwest Utah, William Joseph Michael Chandonia

Doctoral Dissertations

“The Jurassic to Eocene Sevier fold-thrust belt is the subject of continued scientific curiosity in tectonics, stratigraphy, and industry. Understanding its development in southwest Utah is hindered in part due to the multiple origins proposed for the Kanarra anticline, a major leading edge structure -- a drag fold along the Hurricane fault, Laramide monocline, Sevier fault propagation fold, or a combination of these -- which have confused its tectonic significance and regional context. This confusion results from the structural complexity of its exposed eastern limb, as well as displacement and burial of its crest and western limb beneath Neogene sediments …

Pressure Relief Wells: Analysis Of Subsurface Heterogeneity To Evaluate Relief Well Locations For Mississippi River Levees, Emma Marie Young

Masters Theses

“When designing pressure relief well systems, it is imperative to understand what major geomorphology and heterogenies features are present, such as buried oxbow lakes, especially when the feature is parallel to the source, such as the Mississippi River. When present, there is a notable greater increase in head pressures, especially on the landward tow of the levee. This can cause erosional features that originally thought of to have been protected from by installing pressure relief wells. When comparing the effective hydraulic conductivities of horizontal clay layers and vertical clay layers spanning the length of the model, little to no noticeable …

Findings Report: Virtual Workshop On ‘Resilient Supply Of Critical Minerals’, Marek Locmelis, Angela D. Lueking, Michael S. Moats, Kwame Awuah-Offei, Lana Z. Alagha, Mark W. Fitch, Alanna Krolikowski, Shelby Clark

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Executive Summary
On August 2-3, 2021, the Thomas J. O’Keefe Institute for Sustainable Supply of Strategic Minerals at Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) hosted the NSF-funded virtual workshop ‘Resilient Supply of Critical Minerals’. The workshop was convened via Zoom and attracted 158 registrants, including 108 registrants from academia (61 students), 30 registrants from government agencies, and 20 registrants from the private sector. Four topical sessions were covered:

A. Mineral Exploration and Source Diversification.
B. Supply Chain and Policy Issues.
C. Improving Mineral Recycling and Reprocessing Technologies.
D. Technological Alternatives to Critical Minerals.

Each topical session was composed …

T112, Pingxin Xia, Longtan Shao, Wen Deng

Stress-State Dependency of the Deformation Ratio of Quasi-Elastic Granular Soils under Cyclic Loading -- Raw Data

‘T’ series spreadsheets are the raw data of all tests. (The data in this series are overall stress and strain information).

Supporting information

Pf5, Pingxin Xia, Longtan Shao, Wen Deng

Stress-State Dependency of the Deformation Ratio of Quasi-Elastic Granular Soils under Cyclic Loading -- Raw Data

‘PS’ and ‘PF’ spreadsheets are the data of the prediction and calibration tests. (The data in this series are overall stress and strain information).

Supporting information

Dem, Pingxin Xia, Longtan Shao, Wen Deng

Stress-State Dependency of the Deformation Ratio of Quasi-Elastic Granular Soils under Cyclic Loading -- Raw Data

‘DEM’ spreadsheet is the simulation results. The test information of the numerical samples is included in it.

Supporting information

Pf Series, Pingxin Xia, Longtan Shao, Wen Deng

Stress-State Dependency of the Deformation Ratio of Quasi-Elastic Granular Soils under Cyclic Loading -- Raw Data

‘PS’ and ‘PF’ spreadsheets are the data of the prediction and calibration tests. (The data in this series are overall stress and strain information).

Supporting information

Pf6, Pingxin Xia, Longtan Shao, Wen Deng

Stress-State Dependency of the Deformation Ratio of Quasi-Elastic Granular Soils under Cyclic Loading -- Raw Data

‘PS’ and ‘PF’ spreadsheets are the data of the prediction and calibration tests. (The data in this series are overall stress and strain information).

Supporting information

T111, Pingxin Xia, Longtan Shao, Wen Deng

Stress-State Dependency of the Deformation Ratio of Quasi-Elastic Granular Soils under Cyclic Loading -- Raw Data

‘T’ series spreadsheets are the raw data of all tests. (The data in this series are overall stress and strain information).

Supporting information

T113, Pingxin Xia, Longtan Shao, Wen Deng

Stress-State Dependency of the Deformation Ratio of Quasi-Elastic Granular Soils under Cyclic Loading -- Raw Data

‘T’ series spreadsheets are the raw data of all tests. (The data in this series are overall stress and strain information).

Supporting information

T114, Pingxin Xia, Longtan Shao, Wen Deng

Stress-State Dependency of the Deformation Ratio of Quasi-Elastic Granular Soils under Cyclic Loading -- Raw Data

‘T’ series spreadsheets are the raw data of all tests. (The data in this series are overall stress and strain information).

Supporting information

T144, Pingxin Xia, Longtan Shao, Wen Deng

Stress-State Dependency of the Deformation Ratio of Quasi-Elastic Granular Soils under Cyclic Loading -- Raw Data

‘T’ series spreadsheets are the raw data of all tests. (The data in this series are overall stress and strain information).

Supporting information

T514, Pingxin Xia, Longtan Shao, Wen Deng

Stress-State Dependency of the Deformation Ratio of Quasi-Elastic Granular Soils under Cyclic Loading -- Raw Data

‘T’ series spreadsheets are the raw data of all tests. (The data in this series are overall stress and strain information).

Supporting information

T414, Pingxin Xia, Longtan Shao, Wen Deng

Stress-State Dependency of the Deformation Ratio of Quasi-Elastic Granular Soils under Cyclic Loading -- Raw Data

‘T’ series spreadsheets are the raw data of all tests. (The data in this series are overall stress and strain information).

Supporting information

Pf7, Pingxin Xia, Longtan Shao, Wen Deng

Stress-State Dependency of the Deformation Ratio of Quasi-Elastic Granular Soils under Cyclic Loading -- Raw Data

‘PS’ and ‘PF’ spreadsheets are the data of the prediction and calibration tests. (The data in this series are overall stress and strain information).

Supporting information

Ps Series, Pingxin Xia, Longtan Shao, Wen Deng

Stress-State Dependency of the Deformation Ratio of Quasi-Elastic Granular Soils under Cyclic Loading -- Raw Data

‘PS’ and ‘PF’ spreadsheets are the data of the prediction and calibration tests. (The data in this series are overall stress and strain information).

Supporting information

Strain Field_X, Pingxin Xia, Longtan Shao, Wen Deng

Stress-State Dependency of the Deformation Ratio of Quasi-Elastic Granular Soils under Cyclic Loading -- Raw Data

‘Strain field_x’ spreadsheet is the radial strain information of all the nodes. The first two columns of data are location information of the node in pixel coordinates. The third column is the information recorded at the first time, the fourth column is the information recorded at the second time, and so on.

Supporting information

T124, Pingxin Xia, Longtan Shao, Wen Deng

Stress-State Dependency of the Deformation Ratio of Quasi-Elastic Granular Soils under Cyclic Loading -- Raw Data

‘T’ series spreadsheets are the raw data of all tests. (The data in this series are overall stress and strain information).

Supporting information

T134, Pingxin Xia, Longtan Shao, Wen Deng

Stress-State Dependency of the Deformation Ratio of Quasi-Elastic Granular Soils under Cyclic Loading -- Raw Data

‘T’ series spreadsheets are the raw data of all tests. (The data in this series are overall stress and strain information).

Supporting information

T154, Pingxin Xia, Longtan Shao, Wen Deng

Stress-State Dependency of the Deformation Ratio of Quasi-Elastic Granular Soils under Cyclic Loading -- Raw Data

‘T’ series spreadsheets are the raw data of all tests. (The data in this series are overall stress and strain information).

Supporting information

T214, Pingxin Xia, Longtan Shao, Wen Deng

Stress-State Dependency of the Deformation Ratio of Quasi-Elastic Granular Soils under Cyclic Loading -- Raw Data

‘T’ series spreadsheets are the raw data of all tests. (The data in this series are overall stress and strain information).

Supporting information

T314, Pingxin Xia, Longtan Shao, Wen Deng

Stress-State Dependency of the Deformation Ratio of Quasi-Elastic Granular Soils under Cyclic Loading -- Raw Data

‘T’ series spreadsheets are the raw data of all tests. (The data in this series are overall stress and strain information).

Supporting information

Strain Field_Y, Pingxin Xia, Longtan Shao, Wen Deng

Stress-State Dependency of the Deformation Ratio of Quasi-Elastic Granular Soils under Cyclic Loading -- Raw Data

‘Strain field_y’ spreadsheet is the axial strain information of all the nodes. Data format is the same as ‘Strain field_x’

Supporting information