Digital Commons Network^™

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. …

Re-Assembling Polymer Particle Package For Conformance Control And Fluid Loss Control, Jingyang Pu, Baojun Bai, Thomas P. Schuman

Patents

This invention is broadly concerned with compositions and processes for oilfield applications. More specifically, this invention relates to novel polymer constructed packages that, when pumped into a petroleum well, provide tunable characteristics of transformation and delayed self-assembly with each other under reservoir conditions to yield strong, elastic, bulk gel materials. The compositions comprise a polymer, assembling agents, and optional additives used for the re-assembly stage are uniformly-distributed within the initial gel particles. The polymer particle packages absorb water and swell upon exposure to water, thus exposing the "assembling agents" that enable re-assembly. Both swelling and re-assembly are proportionally controlled via …

Cylindrical Mega-Voids In Quaternary Aeolianites, Little Exuma Island, The Bahamas: Georadar Response, Ilya Val Buynevich, H. Allen Curran, Bosiljka Glumac, Michael Savarese, Lisa Park Boush

Geosciences: Faculty Publications

In addition to karst features, tropical carbonates contain a wide range of smaller cylindrical voids (“pipes”) attributed to bioturbation, tree molds, or dissolution, among others. During geophysical investigation of the Little Exuma Island, The Bahamas, several sites with enigmatic voids were investigated using a high-frequency ground-penetrating radar (GPR) imaging.

The aim of the paper is to assess the feasibility of GPR to detect voids within lithified Holocene calcarenites of the Hannah Bay Member

Effects Of Lead Exposure On Birds Breeding In The Southeast Missouri Lead Mining District, Rebecka Brasso, Danielle Cleveland, Frank R. Thompson Iii, David E. Mosby, Kathy Hixson, Melissa Roach, Barnett A. Rattner, Natalie K. Karouna-Renier, Julia S. Lankton

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

Lead mining in the Southeast Missouri Lead Mining District began in the 1700s and continued for nearly 300 years; the waste piles associated with smelting, mining, and milling of lead ores have released metal residues that have contaminated soil and water in the region. Previous studies in the district have indicated potential harm to wildlife, including birds, because of elevated lead concentrations associated with mining. Exposure to soil-borne lead was correlated with elevated lead concentrations in tissues, inhibition of δ-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (δALAD), and renal lesions in birds foraging on ground-dwelling invertebrates at contaminated sites (compared to reference sites) in …

Berriasian–Valanginian Geochronology And Carbon-Isotope Stratigraphy Of The Yellow Cat Member, Cedar Mountain Formation, Eastern Utah, Usa, Robert M. Joeckel, Celina A. Suarez, Noah M. Mclean, Andreas Möller, Gregory A. Ludvigson, Marina B. Suarez, James I. Kirkland, Joseph Andrew, Spencer Kiessling, Garrett A. Hatzell

Conservation and Survey Division: Faculty and Staff Publications

The Early Cretaceous Yellow Cat Member of the terrestrial Cedar Mountain Formation in Utah, USA. has been interpreted as a “time-rich” unit because of its dinosaur fossils, prominent paleosols, and the results of preliminary chemostratigraphic and geochronologic studies. Herein, we refine prior interpretations with: (1) a new composite C-isotope chemostratigraphic profile from the well-known Utahraptor Ridge dinosaur site, which exhibits δ¹³C features tentatively interpreted as the Valanginian double-peak carbon isotope excursion (the so-called “Weissert Event”) and some unnamed Berriasian features; and (2) a new cryptotephra zircon eruption age of 135.10 ± 0.30/0.31/0.34 Ma (2σ) derived from the CA-ID-TIMS …

Rain-Induced Hazards In Remote, Low-Resource Communities: A Case Study Of Flash Flooding In The Usulután Department, El Salvador, Natalea Cohen

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Rain-induced natural hazards can lead to devastating and potentially life-threatening impacts. Understanding areas susceptible to flash flooding and characterizing the intensity of flash flood events is critical in improving the mitigation and emergency preparedness of vulnerable communities. Flash floods occur on small spatial scales and for short durations making it challenging to classify flash flood susceptibility and forecast events. Modeling flash flooding becomes even more difficult when focusing on data-poor regions. This study is based in California, El Salvador, an agricultural community located in the Central American Dry Corridor (CADC), a region experiencing the impacts of climate change and associated …

New Advances In Long-Term Monitoring Of Storm-Deposited Boulder Ridges Along Rocky Shorelines Of San Salvador Island, Bahamas, Bosiljka Glumac, Ursula Miquel, H. Allen Curran

Geosciences: Faculty Publications

Beginning in January 2012, we have monitored two boulder ridges on San Salvador: Singer Bar Point (SBP, length ~790 m) along the reef- and lagoon-protected northern coast and The Gulf (TG, length ~460 m) on the island’s high-energy southern coast. This long-term monitoring aims at documenting changes in ridge morphology and distribution, and the direction and amount of movement of individual boulders to gain insights into the intensity and effects of storms on these coastal areas.

In the initial stage of our investigations, the largest boulders from each site were photographed, GPS-located, measured, and characterized by composition and morphology. Boulders …

Evaluating The Use Of Environmental Tracers To Reduce Conceptual Model Uncertainty Of Hydrogeologic Models, Andrew Nordberg, Jon Graham, W. Payton Gardner

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Environmental tracer concentrations for CFC12, SF6, and tritium are used in groundwater simulations to assess the ability of these tracers to reduce conceptual model uncertainty due to uncertainty of a site’s geologic and recharge characterization. The resulting groundwater simulations are characterized by site-specific hydrologic and geologic data, and with coordination from a field team with years of knowledge about the site. First-order (conceptual) uncertainty is directly addressed by using a stochastic modeling approach for spatial variability of the proposed subsurface configurations. Simulations of environmental tracer concentrations and water levels are used to assess six alternate conceptual models that are based …

Synthetic Aperture Radar Observations At Salar De Pajonales, Chile, Michael A. A. Mcinenly

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Remotely sensed microwave radars provide the spatial and temporal coverage needed to improve our understanding of the relationship between moisture content and salt pan mineralogy and, ultimately, climate variability. Moisture content in the surface and near-surface crusts found in salt pan environments, such as salt pan, has a significant impact on the backscatter values recorded by synthetic aperture radar (SAR) systems. This is because moisture affects the dielectric constant and surface roughness of the saline surface, which in turn influences the amount of electromagnetic energy reflected back to the SAR sensor. Changes in backscatter values are attributed to seasonal and …

Carbonates In The Critical Zone, M. D. Covington, J. B. Martin, L. E. Toran, J. L. Macalady, N. Sekhon, P. L. Sullivan, Á. A. García Jr., J. B. Heffernan, W. D. Graham

Geosciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Earth's Critical Zone (CZ), the near-surface layer where rock is weathered and landscapes co-evolve with life, is profoundly influenced by the type of underlying bedrock. Previous studies employing the CZ framework have focused primarily on landscapes dominated by silicate rocks. However, carbonate rocks crop out on approximately 15% of Earth's ice-free continental surface and provide important water resources and ecosystem services to ∼1.2 billion people. Unlike silicates, carbonate minerals weather congruently and have high solubilities and rapid dissolution kinetics, enabling the development of large, interconnected pore spaces and preferential flow paths that restructure the CZ. Here we review the state …

Isotopic Signature Of Massive, Buried Ice In Eastern Taylor Valley, Antarctica: Implications For Its Origin, Christopher B. Gardner, Melisa A. Diaz, Devin F. Smith, Andrew G. Fountain, Joseph S. Levy, W. Berry Lyons

Geography Faculty Publications and Presentations

The coastal regions of the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica, contain deposits of the Ross Sea Drift, sedimentary material left from the Ross Sea ice sheet from the advance of the West Antarctic ice sheet during the Last Glacial Maximum. Much of this deposit is ice-cored, but data on the stable isotopic composition of water from this ice, which may contain a valuable climate archive, are sparse or incomplete. Widespread thermokarstic ground subsidence in this “coastal thaw zone” of the McMurdo Dry Valleys suggests that these potential records are rapidly being lost due to the melting of ground ice and permafrost. …

Constraining The Origin And Age Of The Thermal And Cold Water In The Lake Natron Basin, Northern Tanzania, Edista A. Abdallah, Charles H. Kasanzu, Crispin P. Kinabo, Akira Imai, Mike J. Butler

Tanzania Journal of Science

Springs on the eastern and western shores of Lake Natron Basin (LNB), located within the eastern branch of the East Africa Rift System (EARS) in Northern Tanzania had a discharge temperature that ranged between 34.0 °C and 51.2 °C, while the pH varied from 8.0 to 10.7. The electrical conductivity (EC) ranged between 5,007 µS/cm and 49,200 µS/cm. Cold waters had a temperature of 31.9 °C to 32.5 °C, while the pH ranged between 8.0 and 8.3, and the EC ranged between 1,401 µS/cm and 3,806 µS/cm. The stable isotope composition varied between -2.4 ‰ and -5.3 ‰ for δ18O, …

Spatial Analysis Of Groundwater Potential: A Firsthand Approach Towards Groundwater Development In Moroto District, Uganda, Musa W. Lowot, Augustina C. Alexander

Tanzania Journal of Science

Groundwater is a vital resource that helps mankind and development. However, in Moroto District challenges of groundwater development has increased arising from changes in rainfall patterns coupled with high abstraction from population increase. In this study, the spatial variability of groundwater potential was assessed to develop a tool that will aid decision on groundwater potential sites selection for groundwater development/exploration. The study utilized an integrated technique and tools such as Remote Sensing (RS), Geographic Information System (GIS) and Multi Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) in analysis and delineation of potential areas for successful groundwater development. The generated map through weighted overlay …

Mineralogical And Physicomechanical Characterization Of Kaolinitic Clay From Moshi, Northern Tanzania For Potential Ceramic Utilization, Samwel Paul Mziray, Harieth Hellar-Kihampa, Esther H.J. Lugwisha, Leonard Douglas Akwilapo

Tanzania Journal of Science

Kaolin clay from Moshi, northern Tanzania has been characterized for potential ceramics productions. Clay samples taken from three different levels of the deposit were analysed by XRD and XRF. Firing experiments were carried out on experimental briquettes at a maximum temperature of 1300 °C at the rate of 100 °C/hour. The results revealed dominance of kaolinite and illite in the raw clay. The samples were composed majorly by silica (36.88–41.62%), alumina (30.83–32.40%) and hematite (9.29–12.70%). Granulometric analysis showed that the amount of clay decreased with deposit depth. The physicomechanical properties of the clay fired at the optimal temperature of 1300 …

An Eolian Dust Origin For Clastic Fines Of Devono-Mississippian Mudrocks Of The Greater North American Midcontinent, Austin J. Mcglannan, Alicia Bonar, Lily Pfeifer, Sebastian Steinig, Paul Valdes, Steven Adams, David Duarte, Benmadi Milad, Andrew Cullen, Gerilyn S. Soreghan

School of Earth & Environment Departmental Research

Upper Devonian and Lower–Middle Mississippian strata of the North American midcontinent are ubiquitously fine-grained and silt-rich, comprising both so-called shale as well as argillaceous limestone (or calcareous siltstone) that accumulated in the Laurentian epeiric sea. Although long recognized as recording marine deposition, the origin and transport of the fine-grained siliciclastic material in these units remains enigmatic because they do not connect to any proximal deltaic feeder systems. Here, we present new data on grain size, whole-rock geochemistry, mineralogy, and U-Pb detrital-zircon geochronology from units across Oklahoma; we then integrate these data with models of surface wind circulation, refined paleogeographic reconstructions, …

Surficial Geologic Map Of The Big Clifty 7.5-Minute Quadrangle, Kentucky, Maxwell L. Hammond Iii, Antonia E. Bottoms, Ann Hislop, Matthew Massey, Michele Mchugh, Emily Morris

Contract Reports--KGS

The Big Clifty 7.5-minute quadrangle is located south of Louisville and west of Elizabethtown along the boundary between Hardin and Grayson Counties. The quadrangle lies within the Mammoth Cave plateau of the Mississippian Plateau physiographic region (McDowell, 1986). Topography is characterized by a low relief plain sitting at elevations between 650 to 850 ft above sea level, which is dissected and incised by Rough River, Meeting Creek, Clifty Creek, and their tributaries to below 500 ft. Swadley (1962) mapped the bedrock geology of the quadrangle, which was later digitized by Conley (2002). Mississippian bedrock is exposed throughout the quadrangle and …

Phase I Activities Of The Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth Mri) In The Western Kentucky Fluorspar District, Georgina Lukoczki, Craig Dietsch, John B. Hickman, Emily Morris, Douglas C. Curl, Carrie Pulliam, Stephanie Vicroy, William M. Andrews Jr.

Report of Investigations--KGS

The Western Kentucky Fluorspar District (WKFD), which comprises the Kentucky portion of the Illinois–Kentucky Fluorspar District, is well known for the occurrence of strategically important critical mineral resources, such as fluorite (fluorspar) and rare earth elements (REEs). Due to technological advances, demand has increased for critical minerals used in cell phones, magnets in wind turbines, batteries for electric vehicles, smart weapons, and other devices and systems. The overall objective of the Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI) program, directed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), is to gather information that will help better understand the distribution of critical minerals in …

Cenozoic Extension Of The Lake Tanganyika Rift, East Africa: Structures, Tectonostratigraphy And Paleoenvironmental Reconstruction, Shaidu Shaban

Dissertations - ALL

Active continental rifts are ideal sites for understanding the break-up of continents, and long-lived rift lake environments are known as important reservoirs for endemic communities and biodiversity. The sedimentary fill of extensional continental rifts within the East Africa Rift System (EARS) records a long history of continental extension and variable tropical climate that is unparalleled in its duration and fidelity. Continental extensional basins are sensitive to variations caused by the interplay between tectonics, sedimentary processes, and climate change. However, to discern the sedimentary fill history and its related tectonostratigraphy, as well as for reconstructing past climate changes, high-fidelity data such …

Testing Detrital Zircon Age Bias In Tectonic Provenance: Examples From Modern Alluvium In The South Island, New Zealand, Will Sparhawk Fisher

Theses - ALL

Detrital zircon (DZ) grains from 13 drainages across the South Island, New Zealand, were U-Pb dated to ascertain how accurately their ages reflect the geologic record of exposed bedrock. With the proliferation of inexpensive and easily accessible ion microprobes and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometers, DZ dating has become the dominant chronometer for elucidating tectonic systematics. Zircon’s physical and chemical resilience makes it an ideal candidate for U-Pb geochronometry, but is also a potential source of bias. Zircon’s resilience in sedimentary systems means it rarely occurs as first order detritus. N = 966 zircon grains from Modern alluvium …

Heterogeneous Strain Distribution & The Effects Of High Frequency Climate Change On The Evolution Of Early-Stage Rift Systems: Case Studies From Lakes Tanganyika And Malawi (Nyasa), East Africa, Lachlan Wright

Dissertations - ALL

The break-up of the earth’s crust through the formation of continental rift basins is a fundamental aspect of plate-tectonics and the first step that ultimately leads to plate-spreading, new continent formation, and the creation of ocean basins. Within continental rifts, processes associated with extensional faulting drive uplift and subsidence of the landscapes forming rift valleys, and climatically influenced processes act upon these transient landscapes, erode them, modify relief, and produce sediments that infill the rift valleys creating the stratigraphic record. Continental rifts are highly sensitive to the interplay between extensional faulting, sedimentary processes, and climate change, and variations in the …

Silting Dynamics And Metal Contaminants In The Georgetown Inner Harbor, Ezekiel Wil Meyers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Georgetown inner harbor is an abandoned oxbow-like river loop and a vital historic site with a wealth of traditional businesses and heavy local industry located within Winyah Bay. Since the modification of the Sampit River in 1949, chronic rapid silting has plagued the inner harbor. With these substantial amounts of fine-grained material accumulating inside the inner harbor, business operations along the waterfront, navigational and maritime operations, and contamination within the harbor are of major concern. The goals of this study were to (a) understand the silting dynamics inside the inner harbor, (b) identify heavy metals which might be of …

Extraction, Analysis, And Comparison Of Microplastics In Sc Marsh Substrates, Austin G. Sige

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The global, rapid increase in plastic production is a widespread problem for coastal environments such as marshes that present favorable conditions for plastic retention. This study looked at the microplastic abundance within three previously unstudied South Carolina marshes located in Myrtle Beach, Murrells Inlet, and Waties Island. A comparison between the microplastic types and abundances between locations provided knowledge about the impacts of sediment composition (sand, silt, clay, and organic matter) on microplastic sequestration. This study also produced a novel microplastic extraction methodology for cohesive marsh sediment that used elutriation to effectively break apart aggregates prior to chemical digestion and …

Mitigating The Shrink-Swell Capacities Of The Yazoo Clay Through Application Of Lime And Biochar, Austin Alan Brister

Theses and Dissertations

Shrinking and swelling in Yazoo Clay is a cause of concern for construction projects in Mississippi. This thesis investigated the effects of adding lime and Douglas Fir biochar on the shrinking and swelling capabilities of Yazoo Clay. Samples of Yazoo Clay were mixed with the additives in defined ratios and subjected to the free swell test and the COLE(rod) test. Biochar addition reduced the COLE(rod) of the samples a large amount, while increasing the swelling potential of the clay samples. The addition of lime slightly reduced both the shrinking and swelling potentials of the samples. The mineralogical variability of Yazoo …

Geologic Mapping Of The Sparta 7.5-Minute Quadrangle In Northern Mississippi Via Remote Sensing, Traditional Geologic Survey, And Applied Geospatial Information Systems Methods, Rayford Dean Parnell

Theses and Dissertations

Traditional geologic mapping involves substantial time and labor in the field as geologic contacts are manually examined and interpreted. The processes of mapping geologic contacts can be condensed into a quicker and less laborious process using advances in remote sensing and GIS (geospatial information systems), including increased resolution and computerized data management and interpretation. Application of these advances reduces the costs and time of geologic mapping. The Sparta 7.5-minute quadrangle provides a mostly unaltered view of regional Paleocene and Upper Cretaceous geology due to its rural locale, lack of development, and stream topography. Recently LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) survey …

Surficial Geologic Mapping Of The Starkville 7.5-Minute United States Geological Survey Quadrangle 33088d-7 In Oktibbeha County, Mississippi, Jonathan Leard

Theses and Dissertations

The Starkville Quadrangle is a hotspot for geological research. The Late Cretaceous is represented by the Demopolis Formation in the northeast corner of the quadrangle, followed by the Ripley Formation, and the Prairie Bluff Formation. The K-Pg boundary is exposed in the quadrangle, and the remarkable paleontology is of global importance. The Clayton Formation is the first Paleocene unit. Where the Clayton Formation channel sands are in contact with the underlying Prairie Bluff Formation, springs occur. Springs were a rare source of water in the Black Prairie and spurred the settlement of the area over 10,000 years ago. The Paleocene …

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