Earth Sciences Commons^™

General Brochure, University Of North Dakota. Energy And Environmental Research Center

EERC Brochures and Fact Sheets

Brochure about the Energy & Environmental Research Center, including its mission, employees, Centers of Excellence, and history. [This item is an outdated or superseded version and retained for historical purposes only. It may no longer reflect current information, policies, or practices.]

Geothermal Regime Of The Williston Basin In North Dakota, Faye N. Ricker

Theses and Dissertations

Understanding the thermal regime of a large intracontinental basin such as the Williston Basin can be enhanced by analysis of the relationships among radiogenic heat production, surface heat flow, formation temperatures, and gravity and magnetic anomaly patterns. Digital processing of the spatial and causal relationships gives insight into the effect of basement heat production on the thermal state of the basement rocks and the overlying sedimentary successions. These relationships provide valuable insight on the radioactive heat contribution to heat flow, heat flow from the lower crust, composition of the upper crust, and the potential for geothermal power generation. The specific …

Reservoir Analysis Of The Birdbear Formation (Devonian) In Northwestern North Dakota, Mitchell V. Sigler

Theses and Dissertations

The Birdbear Formation of northwestern North Dakota is a carbonate-evaporite unit deposited on a rimmed carbonate platform during the Late Devonian. The upper and lower contacts are conformable and the formation has been previously divided into two informal upper and lower members. Analyses of core intervals, thin sections, total organic carbon, and wire line logs have allowed for the identification of three informal units that are divided based on lithologic changes, depositional settings, and reservoir characteristics of the formation. Each unit is identified and mapped across the study area using core to log correlations. The units are recognized and named …

Lithostratigraphic Investigation And Components Of A Complete Petroleum System Within An Upper Devonian Carbonate-Evaporite Sequence : The Birdbear Formation, Williston Basin, North Dakota, Benjamin L. Engleman

Theses and Dissertations

The Birdbear Formation of the Williston Basin of southwestern North Dakota represents one carbonate-evaporite sequence of the Late Devonian. The formation was deposited during regression on a broad, shallow epeiric shelf and is composed principally of dolomite, limestone and anhydrite. The Birdbear Formation is conformable with the Duperow Formation below and the Three Forks Formation above. The designations of 17 lithofacies form the context for describing hydrocarbon generation, migration and accumulation. Rock-Eval 6 and total organic carbon of 42 samples were used to identify the quality of source rocks present in the formation. Good and excellent source rocks were identified …

Interplay Of Porous Media And Fracture Stimulation In Sedimentary Enhanced Geothermal Systems : Red River Formation, Williston Basin, North Dakota, Caitlyn M. Hartig

Theses and Dissertations

Fracture stimulated enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) can be installed in both crystalline rocks and sedimentary basins. The Red River Formation (Ordovician), which lies between 3.6 and 4.2 km depth in the Williston Basin, is a viable site for installation of sedimentary EGS (SEGS). SEGS is possible there because temperatures in the formation surpass 140° Celsius and the permeability is 0.1-38 mD; fracture stimulation can be utilized to improve performance. The main objectives of this project were 1) to determine the spatial variation of the intrinsic properties of the Red River Formation across the study area, and 2) to understand the …

General Brochure, University Of North Dakota. Energy And Environmental Research Center

EERC Brochures and Fact Sheets

Brochure about the Energy & Environmental Research Center, including its philosophy, partnerships, program areas, history, and Centers of Excellence. [This item is an outdated or superseded version and retained for historical purposes only. It may no longer reflect current information, policies, or practices.]

Long-Term Protection Of Freshwater Resources Following Co2 Storage, University Of North Dakota. Energy And Environmental Research Center

EERC Brochures and Fact Sheets

Fact sheet about mechanisms used to protect freshwater resources following CO₂ injection. Outlines U.S. Department of Energy’s research on water safety. [This item is an outdated or superseded version and retained for historical purposes only. It may no longer reflect current information, policies, or practices.]

Co2 Sequestration Test In A Deep, Unminable Lignite Seam, University Of North Dakota. Energy And Environmental Research Center

EERC Brochures and Fact Sheets

Fact sheet describing results of a Plains CO₂ Reduction (PCOR) Partnership-implemented test to determine the possibility of storing CO₂ in unminable lignite seams. Discusses testing procedure and purpose, and summarizes key results. [This item is an outdated or superseded version and retained for historical purposes only. It may no longer reflect current information, policies, or practices.]

Monitoring, Verification, And Accounting Plans Of Water Resources During The Geologic Storage Of Carbon Dioxide, University Of North Dakota. Energy And Environmental Research Center

EERC Brochures and Fact Sheets

Fact sheet examines the CO₂ monitoring, verification, and accounting (MVA) framework. Highlights measures taken to protect water resources. Developed by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Water Working Group. [This item is an outdated or superseded version and retained for historical purposes only. It may no longer reflect current information, policies, or practices.]

Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership Water Working Group, University Of North Dakota. Energy And Environmental Research Center

EERC Brochures and Fact Sheets

Fact sheet about the U.S. Department of Energy Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership’s Water Working Group. Includes information on the role of water in carbon capture and storage (CCS), and addressing stakeholder concerns regarding technological development. [This item is an outdated or superseded version and retained for historical purposes only. It may no longer reflect current information, policies, or practices.]

Geoneutrino Production Of The Northern Black Hills, South Dakota, United States Of America, Eric Eric Zimney

Theses and Dissertations

Current neutrino observatories operate underground to isolate the detector from cosmic rays and background radiation. However, background radiation from local sources has yet to be accounted for. Current models for neutrino contributions from terrestrial rocks are formulated from bulk compositional estimates of the whole Earth. To better understand local background radiation from geologic sources surfaces rocks were collected throughout the area surrounding the Homestake Mine, South Dakota, home of the Sanford Underground Research Laboratory. The surface rocks were analyzed for radioactivity and neutrino luminosity, producing heat maps indicating the levels of neutrino production throughout the area. The area around the …

Electron Donor Contributions To Denitrification In The Elk Valley Aquifer, North Dakota, Amanda M. Krieger

Theses and Dissertations

Six denitrification tracer tests were performed over eight and a half years in in situ mesocosms (ISMs) in the Elk Valley Aquifer (EVA) in east-central North Dakota. Groundwater samples were analyzed to determine how much nitrate was lost beyond that explained by dilution of the bromide tracer. Additional losses were attributed to denitrification. The denitrification rates varied from 0.10 to 0.23 mg N/L/day for the six tests. In general, the major electron donors for denitrification are organic carbon (OC), pyrite (FeS2), and ferrous iron silicate minerals. In the EVA tracer tests, increases in sulfate indicated that the oxidation of pyrite …

Elemental Chemostratigraphy Of The Three Forks Formation, Williston Basin, North Dakota, Brian R. Murphy

Theses and Dissertations

The Three Forks Formation of the Williston Basin in northwestern North Dakota is an Upper Devonian stratigraphic unit unconformably overlain by the Bakken Formation. It consists principally of dolostone, shale and anhydrite. The Three Forks is a productive tight oil resource play, which in recent years has been increasingly targeted and developed as part of the unconventional Bakken Petroleum System. Core analysis via energy dispersive x-ray fluorescence (ED-XRF) is a non-destructive, high-resolution chemostratigraphic data collection method that has been used here to produce concentration logs which reflect both lithologic heterogeneity and paleoredox conditions for the Three Forks Formation. These geochemical …

Quantifying Nutrient Cycling And Fate Within An Abandoned Feedlot And Adjacent Wetlands, Prosper Prosper Gbolo

Theses and Dissertations

Feedlot operations over the years have increased revenue and boosted economies of states and countries, but these operations have resulted in elevated concentrations of nutrients in soils, surface water, and groundwater. Feedlot operations generate large quantities of manure and other waste, which when not managed properly can result in environmental problems.

It is hypothesized that nitrogen can cause a short-term contamination of soils and groundwater beneath abandoned feedlots, but phosphorus can cause both short- and long term contamination, especially in well-drained carbonate and iron-rich soils associated with Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations. It is also hypothesized that a spectral vegetation index …

Patterns And Mechanisms Of Heat Transport In The Northern Denver Basin Nebraska, South Dakota And Wyoming, Aaron T. Ochsner

Theses and Dissertations

Finite difference simulations of the hydrothermal system of the northern Denver Basin are suggestive of a correlation between anomalous heat flux and the presence of faults and structural lineaments mapped in the region. Geothermal, hydrogeological, lithological, and structural data available for the northern Denver Basin were compiled and analyzed in an effort to determine the hydrothermal mechanisms responsible for observed heat flow anomalies in the study area. Measurement of thermal conductivity was conducted for 82 solid core samples and 60 unconsolidated samples from drill cuttings, yielding a harmonic mean thermal conductivity value of 1.52 ± 0.91W m-1 K-1 for the …

The Depositional Environment And Diagenetic Effects On Sand Bodies Within The Unconventional Resource Play Of The Spearfish Formation (Triassic) In North Central North Dakota, Matthew J. Sebade

Theses and Dissertations

The Triassic Spearfish Formation in North Dakota is comprised of three members, the Belfield, Pine, and Saude Members, in ascending order. This study focuses on the Saude Member in north-central North Dakota on the eastern margin of the Williston basin. Both the upper and lower contacts of the Spearfish in the study area are unconformable. In this region, the lateral distribution of red sandstone and argillaceous siltstone lithofacies were mapped using well log data. Four sandstone bodies were identified then mapped across the region using gamma ray logs. Sandstone bodies in descending order are the A sand, B sand, water …

Stratigraphy, Depositional Environments, And Petroleum Potential Of The Three Forks Formation -- Williston Basin, North Dakota, Richard A. Ashu

Theses and Dissertations

The hydrocarbon potential of the Three Forks Formation in North Dakota is poorly known due to limited stratigraphic, geochemical, and petrophysical data. This study presents a methodology and results of a reservoir characterization study of the stratigraphy, lithofacies distribution, petroleum potential, and paleo-environments of the Three Forks Formation in North Dakota as a potential for hydrocarbon exploration with the principal objective to evaluate the Three Forks Formation’s potential for future developments. The detailed lithology is computed by employing a probabilistic interpretation approach calibrated with lab results and five major lithofacies of the Three Forks Formation in North Dakota, which display …

Characterization, Diagenesis, And Geocellular Modeling Of Winnipegosis Formation Pinnacle Reefs In The Williston Basin, North Dakota, Nicholas W. Bosshart

Theses and Dissertations

The Middle Devonian Winnipegosis Formation of the North Dakota Williston Basin contains pinnacle reef structures which have been targeted in the past for hydrocarbon production. These reefs have not been proven to hold economically important primary recoverable reserves, and are now being analyzed for potential CO₂ EOR and storage applications.

During this study multiple sizes of Winnipegosis Formation pinnacle reef geocellular models were constructed utilizing data from North Dakota Winnipegosis pinnacle reefs wells, cores, and thin sections. These models were then simulated for CO₂ injectivity.

Initial results show that Winnipegosis pinnacle reefs smaller than 1.5 miles in diameter are likely …

Lithostratigraphic Investigation Of A Late Devonian Carbonate-Evaporite Sequence; The Duperow Formation, Williston Basin, North Dakota, Zachary P. Alcorn

Theses and Dissertations

The Duperow Formation of northwestern North Dakota is a cyclical carbonate evaporite unit deposited on a shallow marine shelf during the early part of the Late Devonian (Frasnian). The formation forms the lower part of the Jefferson Group and lithostratigraphic review permits three informal members to be recognized: lower, middle, and upper. Petrographic, lithologic, and well log examination of drill cores and thin sections allows the identification of seven lithofacies within the three members. Lithofacies include; bioclastic wackestone/packstone (LF1), stromatoporoid boundstone/floatstone (LF2), Amphipora boundstone/floatstone (LF3), peloidal wackestone (LF4), dolomitic mudstone (LF5), microbially laminated dolowackestone (LF6), and anhydrite (Lf7). Lithofacies are …

Landscape Evolution And Preservation Of Ice Over One Million Years Old Quantified With Cosmogenic Nuclides 26al, 10be, And 21ne, Ong Valley, Antarctica, Theodore C. Bibby

Theses and Dissertations

Antarctica has been glaciated for the past 35-40 million years (Denton et al., 1991) and evidence of periodic fluctuations of the Antarctic ice sheet (AIS) during the Cenozoic are recorded in the ice sheet itself, deep sea sediments, and glacial deposits on the continent (Ingólfsson, 2004). Quaternary continental records of AIS extent is limited to few locations along the Transantarctic Mountains (TAM) and coastal continental boundaries (Denton et al., 1984; Denton et al., 1989). Records of atmospheric variation over time, glacial extents, and ice sheet responses to environmental changes are required to understand modern day forces on climate and the …

Plains Co2 Reduction (Pcor) Partnership Atlas, Wesley D. Peck, Tera D. Buckley, Earl P. Battle, Megan M. Grove, Joyce M. Riske, Charles D. Gorecki, Edward N. Steadman, John A. Harju

EERC Maps and Infographics

The Plains CO₂ Reduction (PCOR) Partnership Atlas provides a regional profile of CO₂ sources and potential CO₂ storage locations across the PCOR Partnership region. The revised fourth edition provides an update-to-date look at PCOR Partnership activities, including regional characterization and full-scale demonstration activities. Additional background information on carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) is included to give a better understanding of how CCUS addresses concerns about climate change while allowing future energy needs to be met.

The Demand For Water, University Of North Dakota. Energy And Environmental Research Center

EERC Brochures and Fact Sheets

Northern Great Plains Water Consortium fact sheet on water use, including regional water issues and water demand. [This item is an outdated or superseded version and retained for historical purposes only. It may no longer reflect current information, policies, or practices.]

Carbon Capture And Storage: Protecting Freshwater Resources, University Of North Dakota. Energy And Environmental Research Center

EERC Brochures and Fact Sheets

Fact sheet on the importance of protecting water resources during carbon capture and storage (CCS). Outlines suggested regulatory framework and on U.S. Department of Energy measures to avoid unforeseen risks in the future. [This item is an outdated or superseded version and retained for historical purposes only. It may no longer reflect current information, policies, or practices.]

Research About Low Permeability Measurement, Jun He

Theses and Dissertations

Petroleum exploration and production from shale formations have gained great attention throughout the world in the last decade. Producing the hydrocarbons from shale is challenging because of the low porosity and permeability. It is imperative to investigate permeability of the shale formations in order to better understand the performance of wells that are producing hydrocarbons from shale. Permeability is also one of key parameters in modeling fluids flow in matrix in reservoir simulation. Due to the low or very low permeability, the measurement of permeability is time consuming and expensive. These factors often limited the ability to perform permeability measurement …

Hydraulic Fracturing Design For Horizontal Wells In The Bakken Formation, Williston Basin, Hadi Jabbari

Theses and Dissertations

Unconventional hydrocarbon reservoirs have proved to be challenging in terms of reservoir characterization, predicting production potential, estimating ultimate recovery, and optimizing hydraulic fracture stimulations. The methods by which these resources are extracted use progressive, or unconventional, technologies. Today, through the use of hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling, extraordinary amounts of oil and natural gas from deep shale formations across the United States and around the world are being safely produced.

Performing a hydraulic fracture design requires modeling of fracture propagation and tracking the fluid front in the created fracture. In this dissertation, the roles of all effective parameters and properties …

Geophysical Investigation And Assessment Of The Rye Patch Known Geothermal Resource Area, Rye Patch, Nevada, Mark Richmond Mcdonald

Theses and Dissertations

A gravity and ground-based magnetic survey was conducted at the Rye Patch Known Geothermal Resource Area located at Rye Patch, Nevada. The purpose of the study was to attempt to further delineate the geothermal reservoir and/or to identify potential drilling targets. The survey consisted of collecting data at 264 new stations to augment data from 203 stations collected in 2008. Information from previous seismic, aeromagnetic and geochemical investigations was also examined and incorporated. Filtering methods including removal of a polynomial trend surface and wavelength filtering were utilized on the gravity data to remove the strong regional overprint caused by the …

Correcting Heat Flow Data In The United States To Account For Climate Change, Godswill Njoku

Theses and Dissertations

Heat flow measurements may require correction for both recent warming and post-glacial warming signals. Warming during the last century can be detected in borehole temperature profiles. Both climate warming signals during the past century and post-glacial warming signals during the past 10 millennia are greatest near the surface and diminish with depth.

Both atmospheric data and borehole temperature data show that recent warming varies systematically with latitude along a north-south transect in the United States. The systematic increase with latitude from +0.7 oC at 41.6oN to +2.3 oC at 49oN during the last century is consistent with the prediction that …

Geomechanics And Elastic Anisotropy Of The Bakken Formation, Williston Basin, Mehdi Ostadhassan

Theses and Dissertations

Many of the earth’s rocks exhibit anisotropic characteristics. Anisotropy is particularly common in many sedimentary rocks, such as shales. Anisotropy is defined as the spatial alignment of mineral grains, layers, fractures and stresses which causes elastic wave velocity and other elastic properties to vary with direction. There are two types of anisotropy: intrinsic and stress-induced. Intrinsic anisotropy is caused by beddings, microstructures or aligned fractures formed during deposition. Stress-induced anisotropy is caused by strain associated with external stresses. Intrinsic anisotropy originates in the absence of external stresses, while stress-induced anisotropy results from tectonic and overburden stresses. The style of earth …

Lithological And Sequence Stratigraphic Examination Of The Madison Group Marker Beds, Eastern Williston Basin Margin, North Dakota, Troy Jd. Skitt

Theses and Dissertations

The Frobisher-Alida interval consists of eight log-defined subintervals or “beds” within the Mississippian upper Mission Canyon and lower Charles Formations of the Madison Group in the Williston Basin. The subintervals are composed of predominantly evaporite and carbonate lithologies, and include in descending order: 1) Midale, 2) Rival, 3) Bluell, 4) Sherwood, 5) Mohall, 6) Glenburn, 7) Wayne, and 8) Landa. The top of the lower six subintervals are separated by thin but areal extensive log-defined markers of contrasting lithologies and include in descending order: 1) State A, 2) Sherwood Argillaceous Marker (S.A.M.), 3) K-1, 4) K-2, 5) K-3, and 6) …

General Brochure, University Of North Dakota. Energy And Environmental Research Center

EERC Brochures and Fact Sheets

Brochure about the Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC), including its philosophy, partnerships, program areas, history, and Centers of Excellence. [This item is an outdated or superseded version and retained for historical purposes only. It may no longer reflect current information, policies, or practices.]