Oil, Gas, and Energy Commons^™

Degradable Nanocomposite Preformed Particle Gel For Chemical Enhanced Oil Recovery Applications, Paul Tongwa

Doctoral Dissertations

”This work presents two new materials that can be potentially used in conformance control to increase ultimate oil recovery from mature oilfields.

The first product is a degradable nanocomposite preformed particle gel for enhanced in-depth mobility control. Three different types of degradable nanocomposite preformed particle gels were synthesized. These three nanocomposite hydrogels were made using Laponite XLG, Calcium Montmorillonite, and Sodium Montmorillonite nanomaterials. It was observed that after degradation, Laponite XLG nanocomposite hydrogels had the highest post-degradation viscosity (4437 cp), followed by sodium nanocomposite hydrogels (129 cp), and lastly calcium nanocomposite hydrogels (75.5 cp). Thus, degradable Laponite XLG nanocomposite hydrogels …

Sustainability Of Sustainability: Exploring Alternatives In Alternative Energy, Corey C. Cooling

Honors Program Theses

In light of a gap in the literature of what makes or breaks student biodiesel conversion programs, this thesis will give a review and analysis of select existing biodiesel conversion programs and suggest a model reflecting the characteristics of successful student programs.

The study’s research questions are:

1. What are the common themes or factors successful programs exhibit?

2. What institutional factors create a productive environment for biodiesel programs?

3. Can the tactics of successful programs be generalized?

Firstly, I define successful programs as programs that are financially feasible, develop student skills, lower the environmental impact of universities and foster …

Hydraulic Fracturing: Restoring Public Health And Safety As A Top Priority, Brian Barnes

Op-Eds from ENSC230 Energy and the Environment: Economics and Policies

Hydraulic Fracturing: Restoring Public Health and Safety as a Top Priority

Tar Sands, Americas Drug Of Choice, James Cope

Op-Eds from ENSC230 Energy and the Environment: Economics and Policies

Tar Sands, Americas Drug of Choice

Dirty Power, Or A Dirty Word?, Kyle Chapo

Op-Eds from ENSC230 Energy and the Environment: Economics and Policies

Dirty Power, or a Dirty Word?

Criticality And Characteristic Neutronic Analysis Of A Transient-State Shockwave In A Pulsed Spherical Gaseous Uranium-Hexafluoride Reactor, Jeremiah Boles

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this study is to analyze the theoretical criticality of a spherical uranium-hexafluoride reactor with a transient, pulsed shockwave emanating from the center of the sphere in an outward-radial direction. This novel nuclear reactor design, based upon pulsed fission in a spherical enclosure is proposed for possible use in direct energy conversion, where the energy from fission products is captured through the use of electrostatic fields or through induction. An analysis of the dynamic behavior of the shockwave in this reactor is the subject of this thesis. As a shockwave travels through a fluid medium, the characteristics of …

The Water Wall: A Passive Solar Collection And Thermal Storage Device For Supplementary Radiant Heating, Rhett Roman Noseck

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Through the implementation of passive solar building systems, suburbia could take a fresh new step forward toward a progressively more sustainable direction. Making passive solar strategies a priority, master planned community developments would see opportunity to change the style and design of future suburban residences.

The focus and intention of this body of work is to research, design, fabricate, and test a prototype of a passive solar heating device using water as the medium for thermal storage. The size and shape of the design for the water wall device will be determined by the currently built suburban environment; however, for …

Profiting From Regulation: Evidence From The European Carbon Market, James B. Bushnell, Howard Chong, Erin T. Mansur

Dartmouth Scholarship

We investigate how cap-and-trade regulation affects profits. In late April 2006, the EU CO2 allowance price dropped 50 percent, equating to a €28 billion reduction in the value of aggregate annual allowances. We examine daily returns for 552 stocks from the EUROSTOXX index. Despite reductions in environmental costs, we find that stock prices fell for firms in both carbon- and electricity-intensive industries, particularly for firms selling primarily within the EU. Our results imply that investors focus on product price impacts, rather than just compliance costs and the nominal value of pollution permits.

Global Fossil Energy Markets And Climate Change Mitigation: An Analysis With Remind, Nico Bauer, Ioanna Mouratiadou, Gunnar Luderer, Lavinia Baumstark, Robert J. Brecha, Ottmar Edenhofer, Elmar Kriegler

Physics Faculty Publications

We analyze the dynamics of global fossil resource markets under different assumptions for the supply of fossil fuel resources, development pathways for energy demand, and climate policy settings. Resource markets, in particular the oil market, are characterized by a large discrepancy between costs of resource extraction and commodity prices on international markets. We explain this observation in terms of (a) the intertemporal scarcity rent, (b) regional price differentials arising from trade and transport costs, (c) heterogeneity and inertia in the extraction sector. These effects are captured by the REMIND model. We use the model to explore economic effects of changes …

Perspectivas Ciudadanas Del Petróleo En Ecuador: Variaciones De Opiniones Del Desarrollo Del Yasuní-Itt Por Barreras Socioeconómicas Y Geográficas / Citizen Perspectives On Petroleum In Ecuador: Variances In Opinion On Yasuní-Itt Development Across Socioeconomic And Geographic Barriers, Megan Tokunaga

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study considers the perspectives of the petroleum industry of three sites throughout Ecuador: the capital (Quito), a major Amazonian city (Coca), and a small Amazonian community (Loma del Tigre). Twenty-five surveys were distributed in each site with questions regarding socioeconomic factors, benefits of the petroleum industry, motivations behind these opinions, and economic alternatives to petroleum. Of the 75 participants, 79.7% were against the exploitation of the ITT petroleum Block in Yasuní National Park. Quito was most opposed and Loma del Tigre was least opposed to ITT exploitation. Perceived benefits from the petroleum industry were minimal: 33.8% felt that their …

A Way To Reestablish Our Nations Power, Spencer Petersen

Op-Eds from ENSC230 Energy and the Environment: Economics and Policies

A Way to Reestablish Our Nations Power

Where Is Your Next Gallon Coming From?, Daniel Kent

Op-Eds from ENSC230 Energy and the Environment: Economics and Policies

Where Is Your Next Gallon Coming From?

Clean Fuel For Americans, Tate Emanuel

Op-Eds from ENSC230 Energy and the Environment: Economics and Policies

Clean fuel for Americans

Green Revolving Funds Provide Community Benefits Through Innovation, Amanda Johnson

Op-Eds from ENSC230 Energy and the Environment: Economics and Policies

Green Revolving Funds Provide Community Benefits Through Innovation

Finding Future Energy Today, Savanna Mcdonald

Op-Eds from ENSC230 Energy and the Environment: Economics and Policies

Finding Future Energy Today

Energy Responsibility, Lee Kottmeyer

Op-Eds from ENSC230 Energy and the Environment: Economics and Policies

Energy Responsibility

The War On American Ethanol, Jared Korth

Op-Eds from ENSC230 Energy and the Environment: Economics and Policies

The War on American Ethanol

Electric Vehicles, Clean Or Dirty?, Nathan Mccormick

Op-Eds from ENSC230 Energy and the Environment: Economics and Policies

Electric Vehicles, Clean or Dirty?

Avoiding The Bust After The Boom, Eric Macke

Op-Eds from ENSC230 Energy and the Environment: Economics and Policies

Avoiding the Bust After the Boom

Electric Vehicles: More Practical Than We Realize, Mark Friend

Op-Eds from ENSC230 Energy and the Environment: Economics and Policies

Electric Vehicles: More Practical than We Realize