Gas Industry Research Articles

Evaluation of carbon capture technologies in the oil and gas industry using a socio-technical systems perspective-based decision support system under interval type-2 trapezoidal fuzzy set

Concerns in relation to consequences of global warming and climate change have activated worldwide attempts for mitigating the concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) produced by the industrial sector. Decarbonizing the oil and gas refining (OGR) industries is a challenging problem for policy-makers owing to its potential to prevent economic, environmental, and health risks. In this regard, CO2 capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technologies are the most encouraging options to decarbonize. The technologies related to the part of CO2 capture can play a vital role in solving the mentioned problem. Various technologies have been employed for CO2 capture, and choosing the appropriate technology is a complex multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) issue. This work develops a novel and robust decision support system (DSS). The DSS integrates MCDM techniques of the Delphi and Entropy integration method (DAEIM) and complex proportional assessment of alternatives (COPRAS) method with the interval type-2 trapezoidal fuzzy (IT2TF) environment. The proposed DSS is used to evaluate, prioritize, and choose technologies for CO2 capture. A hybrid criteria system, which involves elements of socio-technical systems perspective has been used for evaluating the candidate technologies. For implementing the DSS of this work, five capture technologies of post-combustion (A_cc1), pre-combustion (A_cc2), oxy-fuel combustion (A_cc3), direct air capture (A_cc4), and indirect air capture (A_cc5) have been chosen for evaluation. The final value of each technology is A_cc1 (0. 2907), A_cc2 (0.2602), A_cc3 (0.1005), A_cc4 (0.2304), and A_cc5 (0.1181) and the preferences of the technologies are A_cc1> A_cc2> A_cc4> A_cc5> A_cc3. The evaluation findings reveal that post-combustion technology with the value of 0.2907 is the most suitable scenario for the capture of CO2 emissions from Iran's OGR systems. The computation results demonstrate that the suggested DSS is feasible and applicable and give reliable and robust findings for acquiring the optimal CO2 capture technology.

Introduction to this special section: Subsurface uncertainty

Handling the nonuniqueness and ambiguity of geophysical inversion results is a major challenge in characterizing the subsurface. Geophysical inversion is the process of estimating the physical properties of the subsurface from the measured geophysical data, such as seismic, electromagnetic, gravity, or magnetic signals. However, there are often many different subsurface models that can fit the same data adequately well. Therefore, it is important to evaluate the uncertainty and reliability of the inverted models and integrate other sources of information, such as geologic, petrophysical, or geochemical data, to reduce uncertainty. Despite the industry's advances in recent decades, the number of subsurface outcomes that fall outside predicted ranges is disproportionate to the supposed certainty of those ranges. This leads to inefficient allocation of investment budgets, which is particularly painful due to the capital-intensive nature of the oil and gas industry.

Measuring Operational Efficiency: A Functional Analysis of Core and Non-Core Activities in a Leading Romanian Oil and Gas Retail Company

Abstract This paper employs a qualitative approach to conduct functional analysis within one of the main players in the Romanian market in the retail oil and gas industry, utilizing the company's internal intranet platform to gather data. The study unfolds in distinct stages, beginning with department selection, followed by task breakdown, activity categorization, data collection, analysis, and insight sharing. The analysis reveals a comprehensive view of the company's operational landscape, guiding strategic decisions and resource optimization. Key conclusions highlight the significance of core activities for revenue and growth, the value of diverse employee typologies, and opportunities for efficiency enhancement. The study's insights offer practical directions for managing core competencies, fostering informed collaboration, and adapting to industry changes. Future recommendations include leveraging this analysis for future strategy, investment, and innovation.

209 Evaluating the respiratory protection programs in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry: approach to assessing knowledge, awareness, behaviour, and compliance

209 Evaluating the respiratory protection programs in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry: approach to assessing knowledge, awareness, behaviour, and compliance

Highly efficient oil-in-water emulsion separation based on innovative stannic oxide/polyvinylchloride (SnO2/PVC) microfiltration membranes

Global awareness has been raised to tackle the impact of produced water effluents from the oil and gas industries on the environment. In this work, innovative stannic oxide/polyvinylchloride (SnO2/PVC) microfiltration membranes were fabricated via the phase inversion method and their properties and performance were studied. Six membranes consisting of a fixed PVC concentration of 15 wt%, and varying loading of SnO2 nanoparticles (SnO2NPs) of 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 1, and 1.5 wt% were cast. The results showed that embedding SnO2NPs outstandingly increased the pure water flux from 40.03 L/m2.h for the pristine PVC membrane to 104.06 L/m2.h for the 1 wt% SnO2NPs/PVC membrane when the oil in water feed concentration was 100 mg/L. This was attributed to enhancing the comprehensive porosity and hydrophilicity of the membranes as well as improving their grifted negative charge. Additionally, the maximum rejection of oil as COD and NTU removal percent achieved by the 1 wt% SnO2NPs/PVC membrane were around 99.6 % and 99.3 % respectively, compared to 83.29 % and 86.11 % using the pristine PVC membrane. Finally, the surface roughness decreased from 18.45 to 8.59 nm with adding SnO2NPs which positively improved the fouling resistance of the membranes as confirmed by obtaining low relative flux reduction and high flux recovery ratio.

Generalized functionals for qualification of geological carbon storage injection sites

Many nations have pledged to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. Embarking on the decarbonization journey, they posited geological carbon storage (GCS) as a pivotal technology within the carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) framework. The CCUS chain operates to reduce “hard-to-abate” emissions at key sectors by capturing carbon dioxide (CO2), reusing it, transporting it, or disposing of it via injection into underground geological formations for permanent storage. Despite the global success of GCS ventures, mainly driven by the oil and gas industry, GCS initiatives are still in their early stages in several developing countries. In Brazil, for instance, a full setup covering precise storage capacity databases, potential CCUS clusters, national regulatory structure, and auxiliary computer-aided engineering is underway. Intended to push the frontier in the latter subject, this paper introduces mathematical models for qualifying underground CO2 storage sites. Our research explores a family of multivariate functionals endowed with underlying reservoir features and distinct weighting functions, thus envisioning two primary objectives. Firstly, it clarifies non-linear interactions between rock and fluid properties using quality indicators. Secondly, it evaluates geographical regions considering structural traps/caprocks settings. Backed by the Matlab Reservoir Simulation Toolbox (MRST) capabilities, the methodology is a subsidiary resource for identifying suitable injection and storage sites. A case study using the UNISIM-I-D model generated dozens of volumetric quality maps that point to unique potential storage sites. Numerical simulation experiments of injection comparing legacy and novel wells reveal storage surpluses improved by up to 50%. The paper seeks to establish foundational knowledge in GCS efficiency for general underground settings. One expects that these outcomes leverage well-repurposing perspectives and stimulate field appraisal actions to scale up GCS projects both in Brazil and worldwide.

Multiobjective History Matching Using Machine Learning Proxies-Assisted Iterative Rejection Sampling

Summary The effectiveness of subsurface assessment for various field development scenarios relies on accurately quantifying uncertainties during production forecasts. This study proposes a new design-of-experiment (DoE)-based multiobjective history matching (HM) workflow using machine learning (ML) proxies-assisted iterative rejection sampling (IRS). The HM target is to improve the HM outcome of all the objectives simultaneously and attain a series of reliable simulation models for production forecasting after a predefined number of iterations. The IRS workflow takes full advantage of various proxies to efficiently explore the solution space via Monte Carlo (MC) sampling. The MC samples are iteratively rejected according to each objective function, and the new simulation designs for the next iteration are intentionally selected from the accepted MC samples to best preserve the subsurface uncertainty. The strengths of IRS over the other two optimizers commonly used in the oil and gas industry, genetic algorithm (GA) and particle swarm optimization (PSO), are validated through three applications—an analytic six-parameter three-objective minimization problem, a complex 120-parameter five-objective HM for Brugge field, and a 41-parameter three-objective HM study for an offshore asset in the Gulf of Mexico. By comparing the performance against GA and PSO, this study demonstrates that IRS is able to reduce the values of all the objectives rapidly and guarantees a better posterior distribution of simulation samples in the parameter space. Thus, IRS would yield a series of reliable simulation models with a close match to the observation data and preserve a high diversity of model parameters. These models can play an important role in modern reservoir management to facilitate the decision-making process. In addition, the IRS algorithm itself only costs 0.2–0.5% of the computational resource and 1.4–12.0% of the waiting time, according to the field study. To the best of our knowledge, the IRS workflow is the first one that integrates various types of ML proxies into the multiobjective HM process in the literature.

Identification and tracing of near-source petroleum transport system based on reservoir bitumen index (RBI) method: A case study of the lower cambrian in the Tazhong-Bachu area, Tarim Basin, China

The exploration of deep layers has become increasingly important in the global oil and gas industry. The Tazhong-Bachu area of the Tarim Basin is a pioneering target for deep petroleum exploration in China, but only Wells Zhongshen1 and Zhongshen5 have found industrial oil flow in the Cambrian. Noteworthily, the occurrence of reservoir bitumen in the Lower Cambrian coring interval in many wells indicates that large-scale hydrocarbon migration had occurred here in geological history. Effective identification of reservoir bitumen in the Cambrian dolomite reservoirs is crucial to understanding hydrocarbons' distribution and migration. In this study, we adopt the Reservoir Bitumen Index (RBI) method to deduce a quantitative calculation formula for reservoir bitumen, and classify the transport system into four types based on differences in hydrocarbon transport behavior and characteristics. The results show that the deep carbonate low permeability-tight reservoirs of the Lower Cambrian in the Tazhong-Bachu area generally develop reservoir bitumen, most likely derived from underlying Precambrian source rocks. Therefore, the Lower Cambrian carbonate reservoir is considered a near-source discrete petroleum transport system, providing great potential for further oil and gas exploration in the Lower Paleozoic in the Tazhong-Bachu area.

Воздействие криогенных сред и струйного горения на эпоксидные интумесцентные композиции, предназначенные для защиты оборудования и строительных конструкций нефтегазового комплекса

The article discusses the studies of epoxy intumescent fire-protective coating of steel structures impacted by cryogenic media and jet fire, in accordance with the requirements of the methodology developed at the Orenburg branch of the Federal State Autonomous Educational Institution of Higher Education VNIIPO EMERCOM of Russia, and harmonized with the international standards ISO 22899-1:2021, ISO 20088-1:2016, and ISO 20088-3. The tests have been conducted with the epoxy fire- and cryogenic-protective intumescent composition «Plamkor-5» (produced by JSC Scientific and Production Holding «VMP», Yekaterinburg, Russia). According to the results of the test for resistance of a square-shaped sample with internal dimensions 1500×1500×500 mm and a central shelf made of 10 mm thick carbon steel coated with the fire-retardant composition «Plamkor-5» to cryogenic fluid spill, it has been established that the sample does not reach the critical temperature of minus 49 °C with an actual 22.37 mm dry layer thickness. The average sample temperature at the 60th minute of the test was minus 32.09 °C. The results of the test of a similar sample in order to determine the resistance of the fire-protective composition «Plamkor-5» to a jet fire with an actual 10,89 mm thickness of the protective dry layer have shown that the sample does not reach the critical temperature of 500 °С during 60-minute fire exposure, whereas the average temperature of the sample was only 37 % (184.84 ºС) of the temperature limit value. According to the results of the test for resistance of a steel column shape sample of I-section 25K2 coated with the fire-retardant composition «Plamkor-5» to spill under the pressure of the cryogenic liquid, it has been established that the sample does not reach the critical temperature of minus –49 °С with an actual 23.78 mm dry layer thickness, whereas the average temperature of the sample at the 60th minute of test was minus 48.38 °С. The obtained results are comparable with the effect of the best import analogs; therefore, «Plamkor-5»-based fire-protective coatings can be used for the design and development of fire protection of building structures, at the facilities of the oil and gas industry, in tunnel structures, and civil engineering.

Structural Transformation Through a Multi-vector Geo-economic Governance? BRI and Upgrading of the Uzbek Gas Industry

Gas is a strategic source of energy and Uzbekistan ranks 11th in the world for mining and 14th for reserves. The article investigates whether and how the BRI and Chinese capital have contributed to Uzbek structural transformation in the gas industry. It argues that although the Chinese BRI seems to adopt an extractive approach to acquire natural resources, its interventions are also an opportunity for multi-directional forms of upgrading in the gas sector, both directly and indirectly. Directly, first the Chinese involvement as a consumer has reconfigured geo-economic power relations around gas. Secondly, there is an unprecedented support by China to national infrastructure development, both as a lender and a producer. Thirdly, China is the main source of machineries to enable energy transmission. Despite these factors, BRI and the Chinese presence are contributing only marginally to upgrading. A coordinated industrial strategy coming from the Uzbek state remains a necessary condition for structural transformation.

The Influence of Different Mass Ratios on Vortex-Induced Vibration Energy Extraction of Four Cylinder Arrays

Currently, there is a growing demand for renewable energy harnessed from fluid dynamics within the oil and gas industry. The surge in demand has propelled electricity to become a vital and irreplaceable form of universal energy worldwide. Vortex-Induced Vibrations (VIV) energy harvesting shows great potential as a technology for capturing energy from flowing bodies of water. The purpose of this research is to investigate the numerical aspect of VIV in rigid circular cylinders with the intention of capturing renewable energy from the sea. The investigation employs a Vortex-Induced Vibration Aquatic Clean Energy (VIVACE) converter to analyze the vibration characteristics of densely packed cylinders featuring varying mass ratios (m*) at both minimum and maximum values. Another purpose of the study is to investigate the effect that m* has on the performance of a VIV converter that is comprised of four cylinders positioned in a staggered pattern. For the purpose of analyzing power conversion in the VIV energy converter model across a wide range of mass ratios (from 2.36 to 12.96), simulations are carried out with a Reynolds number of 82000. The findings indicate that the highest converted power reaches a peak of 7.48 W with a mass ratio of 2.36, whereas a greater mass ratio of 12.96 results in only 4.33. The study highlights the substantial influence of mass ratios on the extraction of power output from VIV. The results essentially offer crucial information about the optimum mass ratio in closed four cylinder arrays to design VIV energy harvesting to produce clean and renewable energy sources.

Synthesis and evaluation of phosphoric ester pyrogallic acid hexaglycidyl ether as a green corrosion protective agent in the gas and oil industries

Synthesis and evaluation of phosphoric ester pyrogallic acid hexaglycidyl ether as a green corrosion protective agent in the gas and oil industries

Multi-scale numerical analysis of Ca-based desulfurizer dynamics characteristics and SO2 absorption processes in industrial-scale SDA-FGD reactor

Spray dry absorption flue gas desulfurization technology is widely employed to control sulfur dioxide emissions from industrial pollutant gases. This study employs the multiphase particle-in-cell method to numerically simulate gas–solid heat transfer, SO2 removal processes, and the effect of operating conditions in the SDA reactor. The flue gas desulfurization model used has been experimentally validated. The results indicate that flue gas and slurry droplets exhibit swirling flow along the reactor walls, forming gas vortices at the top and near the outlet. The temperature and Reynolds number of slurry droplets show minimal variation when particle size is below 43 μm. The heat transfer coefficient of slurry droplets is notably higher at the reactor top and increases with the slip velocity of the droplets. Furthermore, the CaSO3 volume fraction increases with longer residence times of the slurry droplets in the reactor. When the height and diameter of the main reaction area are lower than 14 m and 8.5 m, respectively, the SO2 mass fraction in the central area undergoes significant changes. The SO2 inlet concentration is negatively correlated with desulfurization efficiency, whereas the slurry injection speed, along with the diameter and height of the main reaction region, are positively correlated with desulfurization efficiency. Among these factors, the SO2 inlet concentration and the height of the main reaction region have the most substantial impact on desulfurization efficiency.

Significant contributions of the petroleum industry to volatile organic compounds and ozone pollution: Insights from year-long observations in the Yellow River Delta

The petroleum industry is a significant source of anthropogenic volatile organic compounds (VOCs), but up to now, its exact impact on urban VOCs and ozone (O3) remains unclear. This study conducted year-long VOC observations in Dongying, China, a petroleum industrial region. The VOCs from the petroleum industry (oil and gas volatilization and petrochemical production) were identified by employing the positive matrix factorization model, and their contribution to O3 formation was quantitatively evaluated using an observation-based chemical box model. The observed annual average concentration of VOCs was 68.6 ± 63.5 ppbv, with a maximum daily average of 335.3 ppbv. The petroleum industry accounted for 66.5% of total VOCs, contributing 54.9% from oil and gas evaporation and 11.6% from petrochemical production. Model results indicated that VOCs from the petroleum industry contributed to 31% of net O3 production, with 21.3% and 34.2% contributions to HO2+NO and RO2+NO pathways, respectively. The larger impact on the RO2 pathway is primarily due to the fact that OH+VOCs account for 86.9% of the primary source of RO2. This study highlights the critical role of controlling VOCs from the petroleum industry in urban O3 pollution, especially those from previously overlooked low-reactivity alkanes.

Separation processes for the treatment of industrial flue gases – Effective methods for global industrial air pollution control

The treatment of flue gases has become a crucial area of interest with the increasing air emissions into the atmosphere from industries involved in combustion of fossil fuels in their operations. In essence, there is a critical need for effective methods of treatment more than ever. Treatment and separation are now a demand for the overall industrial operations to control the rate of flue gas emissions. The major culprit in this wise is power generating industry. The major associated air pollutants are carbon dioxide, sulfur oxides, trace metals, volatile organic compounds, particulate matters, and nitrogen oxides. However, the choice of technologies to be utilized requires more than just knowledge of the separation process, but also a good understanding of the properties of the pollutants. This review explored and evaluated the various separation processes and technologies for the treatment of industrial flue gases for the control of the associated air pollutants. It also analyzed the performance with references to cost and efficiency, the advantages and disadvantages, principles for selection, research direction, and/or potential opportunities in existing separation processes and technologies.

СОЦИАЛЬНАЯ ГАЗИФИКАЦИЯ ПОМОГАЕТ ПРЕОДОЛЕВАТЬ ТРУДНЫЕ ВРЕМЕНА ТОПЛИВНО-ЭНЕРГЕТИЧЕСКОГО КОМПЛЕКСА СТРАНЫ

The material of the proposed article seems to the authors to be extremely relevant in connection with the 12 packages adopted by the Western community against Russia, containing more than 17 thousand of all kinds of sanctions and restrictions, including in relation to the export of hydrocarbons. This circumstance has put the domestic economy in an extremely difficult situation, especially in the context of the restoration of the country's national economy. Reorientation of the oil and gas industry to the East, to the countries of Greater Eurasia, year-round transport and industrial development of the Northern Sea Route and the Arctic zone of Russia will not only overcome the problems and difficulties that have arisen, but also strengthen political and economic ties with the states of the Silk Road and the Organization of the Collective Security Treaty (CSTO). The purpose of the study is a comprehensive economic assessment of the implementation of state regional development programs based on the use of hydrocarbon raw materials, including the social gasification/additional gasification program in the constituent entities of the Federation, to which the President paid special attention in his Address to the Federal Assembly 2024. A separate task is to forecast industrial production based on processing of hydrocarbon raw materials at various stages of technological conversion into lines of consumer goods and into products intended for export. The research results obtained so far by the authors of the article boil down to a review of information sources on the identified problems, an analysis of individual issues of the dynamics of production, export supplies, transportation and pricing of domestic hydrocarbon raw materials,and to determining the success of the implementation of the gasification program in individual regions of the Federation. The conceptual approaches involved were discussed. The article concludes with three conclusions.

Impact of rotor–stator axial spacing on the gas–liquid–solid flow characteristics of a multiphase rotodynamic pump based on the Euler multi-fluid model

Multiphase rotodynamic pumps are used by the oil and gas industry to transport mixed media in pipelines. The characteristics of gas–liquid–solid flow in such pumps are significantly affected by the rotor–stator axial spacing so that further investigation is required. Based on the Euler multi-fluid model, the Computational Fluid Dynamics simulations were conducted in this study on the gas–liquid–solid multiphase rotodynamic pump at the rotor–stator axial spacings of 8, 10, 12, 14, and 16 mm, respectively. Changes in the pump's characteristics of external, multiphase flow, and pressure fluctuation were systematically analyzed by using ANSYS-CFX. The results showed that, an overall decreasing trend for the efficiency and head of the multiphase rotodynamic pump were demonstrated with increases in the rotor–stator axial spacing from 8 to 16 mm, which can be categorized into plummets I, moderation, and plummets II. As the rotor–stator axial spacing increased, the pressurization decreased from the inlet to outlet of guide vane while the aggregation of gas and solid increased. Additionally, vorticity increased and vortex structure was found to be more significant. As a result, the overall performance of the multiphase rotodynamic pump deteriorated. The pressure fluctuation in the multiphase rotodynamic pump was determined by the rotor–stator interaction and multiphase flow under gas–liquid–solid flow conditions, resulting in a non-positive correlation between the pressure fluctuation and the pump's external and internal flow characteristics. The location of maximum pressure fluctuation in the multiphase rotodynamic pump was changed from the impeller outlet to the guide vane inlet with increases in rotor–stator axial spacing.

Oil and Gas Pipeline Integrity Monitoring and Alert System

The oil and gas industry face significant risks of explosions, often due to factors like gas and oil leakage as well as external corrosion. These substances are highly flammable, and even minor leaks can create volatile environments where the smallest spark can lead to catastrophic explosions. While internal corrosion in pipelines receives attention, external corrosion is often overlooked. Over time, pipeline coatings deteriorate, leaving them susceptible to external corrosion, which can result in leaks, endangering workers and the environment. Detecting and addressing corrosion promptly is crucial for preventing accidents and environmental harm. To address these challenges, a pipeline monitoring system has been developed using a Raspberry Pi Model 3B+ and advanced sensors. This system continuously monitors temperature, pressure, and external corrosion along pipeline routes. It utilizes a K-type thermocouple and a 1.2MPa pressure transducer for real-time data collection. Additionally, a laptop camera integrated with YOLOv8 enables visual inspection for detecting corrosion. The Raspberry Pi processes sensor data and images, triggering alerts for anomalies like temperature or pressure drops indicating leaks, or corrosion spots identified by YOLOv8. The system interfaces with ThingSpeak for remote data visualization and analysis, empowering operators to make informed decisions and take prompt corrective actions.

Numerical study of combustion flow field characteristics of industrial gas turbine under different fuel blending conditions

Numerous studies have shown that the mixture of fuel and oxidant significantly influences the flow characteristics and pollutant emissions within the combustion flow field. This study investigates the effects of various methane fuel blending ratios (0.19–0.41) on combustion flow, emission characteristics, performance parameters, and field synergies through numerical simulation. Combustion simulation employs the SST k-ω and flame-generated manifold models. The findings indicate that as the fuel blending ratio increases from 0.19 to 0.41, the temperature at the front end of the cyclone gradually rises, resulting in an average outlet temperature increase of 165 K. The outlet temperature uniformity index (γT) shows minimal variation, while the Pattern Factor (PF) and NO emissions at the outlet gradually increase. Additionally, the fuel blending ratio (α) exhibit a limited impact on CO emissions at the outlet. When α ≥ 0.39, the peak temperature is located in the cyclonic region, resulting in an extremely heterogeneous outlet temperature distribution. Under various operational conditions, NO is primarily concentrated in the high-temperature region near the wall, and the pollutant emission merit function (fe) gradually increase with α. The optimum field synergy and overall performance for the low-resistance heat transfer are attained at α = 0.37. Significant velocity shocks are observed in the near-wall regions on both sides of the combustion chamber, when α ≥ 0.35, based on DMD analysis. To achieve low NO emission, uniform outlet temperature, and ensure safe, long-term operation of the gas turbine, the fuel blending ratio of 0.3 to 0.35 is advised.

The Oil and Gas Industry in the Second Republic of Poland

The article reviews the most important statistical publications on the oil and gas industry in the Second Republic of Poland. The recommended sources allow an in-depth study of the development of this industry, the volume of oil and gas production and the scale of production of oil and gas derivatives. The article also discusses the personnel working in the energy industry, consumption and prices of oil and gas, investment works, etc. This warrants further and expanded research on the impact of the oil and gas sector on the overall socio-economic relations in the Second Republic of Poland. Furthermore, the essay offers an in-depth analysis of the diplomatic and economic relations of interwar Poland with other countries who were its trade partners. If we wish to refer to this heritage in a thoughtful way and draw on it for knowledge and experience, we need to understand it better.