Major Oil Research Articles

Impact of Drying Methods on Qualitative and Quantitative of Monarda citriodora Cerv. ex Lag. Essential Oil Yield

A genus of Monarda belongs to the family (Lamiaceae), the largest group of angiosperms. The crop has been grown extensively across the world for its flavoring and therapeutic properties as well as for its high-quality essential oil. The present research was designed to study the impact of different drying methods i.e (shed drying, sun-drying, microwave, oven-drying at (40°, 50°, and 60° C), freeze-drying (0°, -10°, and -20° C), and vacuum drying (30°, 45° and 60° C) on the qualitative and quantitative analysis of Monarda citriodora essential oil. Dried and fresh plant samples were hydro-distilled using the clevenger apparatus, and essential oil analyzed by Gas Chromatography (GC) and Gas Chromatography mass spectrophotoscopy (GC/MS). The results showed that different drying methods had significant effects on essential oil yield as shed-drying (2.6 ml) >freeze-drying (2.2 ml at 0°C) >oven drying (2.1 ml) >fresh drying (2.0 ml) >sun drying (2.0 ml) >microwave (0.15 ml). The major compounds obtained by GC/MS were thymol (92.46%) >g-terpinene (10.48%) >o-cymene (9.31%) >carvacrol (8.88%) >cyclohexene (3.51%). The highest essential oil yield was observed under shed dried (2.6 ml) and the major essential oil compound, thymol (92.46%), was observed under microwave-2 (4.0 min, 4.0 min, 4.0 min, and 3.0 min) combination. The results show an inversely proportional correlation between essential oil compounds. Thus, it has been summarized that the M. citriodora plant dry under the shed-drying method was the most appropriate and suitable method for obtaining a high-quality essential oil yield and microwave-2 (MV-2) combination for oil composition.

Water-Based Drilling Fluid Helps Control Extreme Conditions in Gas Shale Play

_ This article, written by JPT Technology Editor Chris Carpenter, contains highlights of paper URTeC 208307, “A Water-Based Drilling Fluid for Controlling Deep-Reservoir Extreme Conditions in an Abu Dhabi Gas Shale Play,” by Gabe Manescu, SPE, Schlumberger; Balazs Veer, SPE, TotalEnergies; and Panamarathupalayam Balakrishnan, SPE, Schlumberger, et al. The paper has not been peer reviewed. _ A combination of teamwork and fluids technology proved to be the formula for successfully drilling in high-pressure/high-temperature (HP/HT) conditions for an onshore UAE shale gas play. The success achieved in drilling deep [6200-m measured depth (MD)], long-lateral-displacement (2,000-m) wells with an integrated global operator is a combination dependent on frequent, transparent communication between team members. The environmentally acceptable aqueous drilling fluid delivered a barite sag-free operation in these highly deviated wellbores. Introduction The drilling of unconventional HP/HT wells in the Diyab field can experience difficulty in reaching target depth. One significant challenge is the design of a drilling fluid to manage reservoir pressures and temperatures. The reservoir temperature may reach 165.5°C, requiring mud weights (MW) greater than 20 lbm/gal. Tailoring the drilling-fluid formulation to balance economics and environmental regulations while overcoming HP/HT conditions is critical. In the Diyab drilling campaign, special emphasis was placed on designing the drilling fluid and then on its use in 8½-in. reservoir sections. Background The Upper Jurassic (Oxfordian to Middle Kimmeridgian) Diyab formation, also known as the Dukhan formation, has served as the source rock for several major oil and gas fields in the Middle East. The Diyab formation is unique because of its lower porosities, high carbonate mineralogy, and pressure gradient. Despite the lower porosity, the high-carbonate content defines an extremely brittle target conducive to hydraulic fracture stimulation. Several organic-rich intervals exist throughout the Diyab formation and are separated by less-organic tight limestones, which create different flow units. From a developmental perspective, this condition has the potential to create a high-impact stacked play. The extent of the prospective unconventional Diyab formation within the UAE is limited to the onshore north-central UAE, where most of this area is within Block 1, operated by TotalEnergies. The depth of the prospective basal Diyab interval across Block 1 ranges between 3758 and 4115 m. Three unconventional offset wells (DE-02, DE-03, and DE-04) were drilled by ADNOC within Block 1 to test the productivity of the three submembers of the greater Diyab interval (the Jubaila, Hanifa, and Tuwaiq Mountain formations). After determining that the Hanifa formation had the most-promising productivity, the first TotalEnergies appraisal horizontal well, DE-05, was drilled. After drilling this well, the DE-06 well was the second horizontal appraisal well to be drilled. Additionally, two more deep wells, DE-09 and DE-10, were successfully drilled and evaluated.

Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis) Essential Oil Moderately Affects Strychnine-Induced and Pentylenetetrazol-Induced Convulsions —In Silico and In Vivo Studies

Epileptic seizures are a consequence of uncontrolled neuronal discharge and demand urgent and prolonged treatment. Due to a lack of potent and low-risk drugs that could prevent seizures, efforts are underway to discover new drugs, and plant metabolites are often considered valuable candidates in this search. Lemon balm ( Melissa officinalis L., Lamiaceae) is a world-renowned medicinal plant affecting central nervous system function. In this study, we aimed to examine whether the results from in silico modeling of the interactions of major lemon balm essential oil constituents with GABAA and glycine receptors correspond to in vivo results of the convulsions in mice induced by the application of either pentylenetetrazol (GABAA antagonistic) or strychnine (glycine receptor antagonist). While molecular docking experiments of essential oil constituents to the two receptors demonstrated the possibility of ligand–receptor interactions, no binding poses were scored highly, and as the in vivo effect of the essential oil on convulsions seems to be only moderate, the results of the in silico study seem not to contradict results obtained by in vivo models. Thus, we can say that molecular docking might be a useful tool in initial screening for active constituents of natural product mixtures and the potential prediction of their activity in models in vivo.

An annual profile of the impacts of simulated oil spills on the Northeast Arctic cod and haddock fisheries.

We simulate the combined natural and pollutant-induced survival of early life stages of NEA cod and haddock, and the impact on the adult populations in response to the time of a major oil spill in a single year. Our simulations reveal how dynamic ocean processes, controlling both oil transport and fate and the frequency of interactions of oil with drifting fish eggs and larvae, mediate the magnitude of population losses due to an oil spill. The largest impacts on fish early life stages occurred for spills initiated in Feb-Mar, concomitant with the initial rise in marine productivity and the earliest phase of the spawning season. The reproductive health of the adult fish populations was maintained in all scenarios. The study demonstrates the application of a simulation system that provides managers with information for the planning of development activities and for the protection of fisheries resources from potential impacts.

The effect of US economic policy uncertainty on market risk of international crude oil and the portfolio strategy

The paper investigates the impact of US economic policy uncertainty (EPU) on major crude oil markets. GARCH-tDDC-Copula model is constructed to study the spillover effect of US EPU on the international crude oil market risk, and then the median-CoVaR portfolio model is constructed to discuss the optimal portfolio strategy of crude oil importers when US EPU is in different states. Results show that the spillover effect of US EPU on international crude oil market risk is nonlinear, asymmetric and time-varying. When US EPU increases from the average level to the 0.95 quantile level, the price reduction risk of crude oil market in Brent, Dubai and Western Texas increases by 37.26%, 42.66%, and 39.28% respectively, and the price increase risk increases by 7.22%, 6.64%, and 7.53% respectively. Compared with the median-VaR portfolio strategy and the equal-weight combination portfolio strategy, the advantage of the median-CoVaR model is that it can achieve ‘targeted’ management for asset risk under specific conditions. When US EPU peak occurs, crude oil importers can formulate a basket price strategies with dynamic weighted based on the median-CoVaR model, which can better reduce the depreciation risk of crude oil assets. The findings have important implications for importers and investors.

Genetic Analysis and Quantitative Trait Locus Mapping using the Major Gene Plus Polygene Model for Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] Main Quality Trait

Background: Soybean is an important oil and cash crop, soybean protein is the main source of protein for human consumption. Soybean oil is also major edible oil that is rich in unsaturated fatty acids and is more conducive to human long-term consumption than animal oil. An important research direction of current soybean breeding is improvement of the protein and fat content using marker assisted selection and many reports of associated quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping have been documented. Until to now, a total of 241 QTLs associated with protein content and 315 related to fat content have been collected on the SoyBase website. Methods: In this study, 236 F2 generation plants and a derivative group were constructed by using Jiyu50 and Jinong18, obtained from Jilin Province. Combining three years of phenotypic and molecular detection data, using the ICIM method, one-dimensional scanning detected 24 QTLs related to protein and fat content, two-dimensional ICIM analysis of F2:3 families detected 7 pairs of epistatic QTLs associated with fat content. Result: Based on a mixed model for major genes and polygenes, the C model was determined the optimal genetic model for protein and fat content, with genetic rates of multiple genes of 71.15% and 79.15%, respectively. In the detection of high-oil molecular markers, the detection coincidence degree was Sat_238 greater than Satt 100 greater than Satt 150 greater than Satt 636 greater than Sat_287 = Sat_342, while this was Satt150 = Sat_342 greater than Satt100 greater than Satt 636 greater than Sat_287 greater than Sat_238 for high-protein markers. The QTL localization results showed that 9 microeffect QTLs related to protein content and 7 microeffect QTLs related to fat content were detected. Isolation analysis results were generally similar to those of QTL mapping. One stable QTL associated with protein content and two stable QTLs associated with fat content were identified as being of some application value in soybean molecular marker-assisted breeding.

Identifying and Explaining Public Preferences for Renewable Energy Sources in Qatar

As a major natural gas and oil producer, Qatar has made significant strides towards its energy transition. This paper uses a survey research design with statistical tests to investigate citizens’ preferences for a wide range of energy resources. In this study, participants were asked to prioritize energy sources based on their environmental impact, price, benefits to Qatar’s economy, support of energy security, and ability to create jobs. The results showed that approximately two-thirds of the sample (n = 354) preferred renewable energy sources, particularly solar, which ranks first. Renewable energy sources were more likely to be favored by the group with greater knowledge of energy sources than those with limited knowledge, except for solar energy, which was preferred by both groups. Additionally, both natural gas and wind rank second in terms of preference, followed by hydropower. In contrast, nuclear power was not ranked, indicating a strong opposition to this type of energy. The study provides an evidence-based example of the tendency of citizens in a hydrocarbon-rich country to prefer renewable energy sources and natural gas. The energy policymakers need to collaborate with local communities so that citizens can participate in important future energy discussions to develop a personal connection to climate solutions.

Physiological reactions to and recovery from acute stressors: the roles of chronic anxiety and stable resources

BackgroundResearch has shown that employees subjected to acute stressors at work can suffer devastating repercussions. However, little is known about how employees who are experiencing ongoing chronic anxiety or have stable resources respond to acute stressors, particularly regarding their physiological responses to these situations. This study examines the physiological effects of an acute stressor when workers are already under chronic anxiety (i.e., cognitive anxiety and somatic anxiety) or when they have a stable resource (i.e., job control).Participants and procedureData were collected from 230 full-time employees working at three major oil companies in Brazil. First, demographic, anxie-ty, and job control measures were collected via questionnaire. Later, muscle tension, skin temperature, and heart rate were collected during a simulated task to assess the physiological response to stress. Hypotheses were tested by repeated measures general linear modeling.ResultsThe findings indicated that when employees were exposed to an acute stressor, those with chronic cognitive and somatic anxiety exhibited more heightened physiological responses than those lower on chronic anxiety. Further, compared to those with low control, employees with stable, high control over their work experienced a lower physiological reaction to the acute stressor.ConclusionsChronic anxiety generates high levels of physiological arousal and hyper-responsiveness to acute environmental stressors. Also, employees possessing stable resources, such as job control, experience reduced physiological responsivity to an acute stressor.

Effect of pretreatments of camellia seeds on the quality, phenolic profile, and antioxidant capacity of camellia oil.

Camellia oil is one of the four major woody oils in the world and has high nutritional value due to its richness in monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) and bioactive substances. In order to compare the effects of pretreatments of camellia seeds on the quality, phenolic profile, and antioxidant capacity of camellia oil, three different pretreatment methods, i.e., hot air (HA), steam (ST) and puffing (PU), were used to treat the seed powder in the present study. All three pretreatments changed the internal structure of the camellia seeds. The oil yield was increased after all three pretreatments, with the highest oil yield increased by PU pretreatment (Based on the oil yield, we screened out the best conditions of the three pretreatments, HA pretreatment is 60°C for 40 min, ST pretreatment is 100°C for 15 min, PU pretreatment is 800 rpm). The fatty acids (FAs) of the oil were relatively stable, with no significant changes after three pretreatments. However, all three pretreatments had a significant effect on the acid value (AV), peroxide value (PV), and benzo(a)pyrene (Ba P) of the camellia oil. The PU and HA pretreatments could increase the tocopherol content and the total sterols content in the camellia oil. The ST and PU pretreatments significantly increased the free phenolics (FP) content, all three pretreatments reduced the contents of conjugated phenolics (CP) and insoluble-bound phenolics (IBP) in the camellia oil. The IBP made the most significant contribution to the antioxidant capacities of camellia oil. ST and PU prtreatments increased the antioxidant capacities of the total phenolics in the camellia oil. Eight phenolics in FP, CP, and IBP were significantly correlated with the antioxidant capacities of camellia oil. The results of the present study could provide some theoretical guidance for the pretreatment of camellia seeds for higher oil yield, phenolic content and enhanced antioxidant capacities of camellia oil.

Vibrational Spectroscopic Methods for the Identification and Distinction of Essential Oils in Genus Ocimum L.: A Chemometric Approach

Essential oils are mainly analyzed by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC–MS). This is a time consuming technique which requires complex instrumentation assembly. Raman and FTIR spectroscopy are rapid and non-destructive techniques for qualitative characterization, differentiation of principal essential oil components, detection of adulteration in the oil, quality control of essential oil in industry as well as to distinguish different taxa. In the present study, five Ocimum spp. (Ocimum tenuiflorum L., Ocimum gratissimum L., Ocimum × africanum Lour., Ocimum basilicum L. and Ocimum americanum L) have been identified on the basis of essential oil by the Raman and FTIR spectroscopic techniques. It was found that methyl eugenol, eugenol, estragole, and camphor are major essential oils components present in Ocimum L. The results of PCA indicate that all five species of Ocimum L. form different clusters on the basis of principal essential oil components. The components of essential oil predicted by Raman spectroscopy correlate well with that of FTIR data. The present study demonstrates the use of Raman and FTIR spectroscopy techniques to distinguish taxa and characterization of essential oil components.

Effect of glutathione and α‐tocopherol on coriander green fruits essential oil

AbstractCoriander essential oil has several biological characters those make it an important place as a source of natural product. Due to the lack of natural products, many essential oil compounds are imitated by others made of cheap chemicals, which studies have shown to have a great danger to human health. From this point of view, it is necessary to search for new ways to increase natural products, the most important of which are essential oils. One of these methods is the use of bioregulators to modify the production of essential oil and its components to increase its biological use area. Thus, the variations of coriander green fruits essential oil were evaluated under different rates of glutathione and α‐tocopherol to determine the possibility of using them in the production of essential oil from coriander green fruits. Coriander plants were treated during cultivation at rates of glutathione (0, 0.2, 0.4 and 0.6 g L−1) without or with α‐tocopherol (0.4 g L−1). Green fruits essential oil was separated by hydro‐distillation and analysed by gas chromatography and gas chromatography/Mass spectrometry; data were statistically analysed by two ways analysis of variance. Plants treated with 0.6 g L−1 glutathione with α‐tocopherol gave the maximum values of green fruits yield and essential oil content (% and yield per plant). The major essential oil constituents were linalool, undecan‐3‐ol and yomogi alcohol; while oxygenated monoterpenes were the main fractions. Plants exposed to glutathione with α‐tocopherol doses resulted in higher values of major components and main fraction than those subjected to glutathione rates. This trial ascertained that the subordination of coriander plants to glutathione and α‐tocopherol rates led to variations in green fruits essential oil, and this, in turn, affected its biological activities.

Worldwide rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) research: A bibliometric analysis during 2011–2021

Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) is the world's second produced oilseed and accounts for nearly 12% of world major vegetable oil production. For the last 10 years, the production, planting area, and yield of rapeseed have been stable, with improvement of seed quality and especially seed oil content. This paper presented the worldwide rapeseed research by using the bibliometric analysis of papers published during the period 2011–2021. In total, 7617 articles and reviews were included in this analysis. Our results showed that the global publication on rapeseed increased substantially in the past 11 years, and the number of publications of China grew significantly in particular. China was the largest contributor to rapeseed research with higher H-index value and number of citations compared to the other countries. China also had the largest number of leading universities and institutions, of which Huazhong Agricultural University was the most productive. The scientific mapping including co-authorship network of countries/regions and authors, and co-occurrence network of author keywords were analyzed using VOSviewer software. The most common rapeseed research topics included oil, rapeseed meal, yield, biodiesel, fatty acids, salt stress, and proteins, while the current research focused on topics such as: abiotic stress, evolution, expression analysis, phylogenetic analysis, heterosis, polyploidy, and transcriptomics. This paper depicts the knowledge structure of current global rapeseed research that may help direct the future studies for relevant researchers.

Оценка влияния налогообложения выбросов СО2 на российскую отрасль нефтедобычи

The impact of hypothetical restrictions on fossil fuel consumption, implemented through the introduction of a tax on CO2 emissions in the global economy and certain regions, on oil production by Russia, OPEC, and eight other major oil producers is assessed in this article. The first part of this study reviews the current literature on taxation of emissions in the global economy. Approaches to modelling such a policy and the problem of choosing the trajectory of the tax rate are analyzed, as are the main conclusions, consequences, and recommendations for the economic policy of oil exporting countries. Approaches to modelling pricing in the oil market are considered separately. The analysis shows that the premise of oligopolistic strategic interaction of oil exporters plays an important role in modelling the oil market. Subsequently, a model of strategic interaction between countries in the oil market is built according to the Cournot model. This model is calibrated using data on the parameter of demand as well as supply, including the production costs of individual exporting countries according to Rystad. Twelve scenarios for taxation of the industry through the introduction of a tax on CO2 emissions in the amount of $25, $50 and $75 dollars per ton of emissions are built. It is assumed that this tax is converted into a tax on the purchase of oil in proportion to the amount of emissions that are emitted when using each barrel of oil. For each initial value of the tax rate of the tax on emissions, cases are considered when the rate remains unchanged or increases at a constant rate of 1.5% per year. Further, the same options for taxation when applied only by developed countries are also considered. The analysis in this article shows that a gradual increase in the tax rate leads to accelerated oil production. It also reveals the significant role of the spillover effect between markets in the case of the introduction of a tax only in some countries. Thus, with the introduction of a tax of $50 per ton of emissions with an annual growth of 1.5% worldwide, the peak oil price is lower by $29.6 per barrel. With the introduction of such a tax only in developed countries, the fall in oil prices at its peak compared to the baseline scenario without taxation is $18.4 per barrel in the market where a tax was introduced, and $7.8 per barrel in a market that did not impose a tax. It is also indicated that, due to the introduction of the tax, Russia has one of the largest losses in revenue among all oil exporters.

Identification of soybean based on Sentinel-1/2 SAR and MSI imagery under a complex planting structure

Soybeans, as the major global oil seed crops, are among the large-scale agricultural products imported into China. In this way, the accurate identification of their growing areas is the basis for agricultural decision-making and planting structure adjustment, which are of great significance to the national food security. Currently, there is insufficient research on the identification of soybean, using remote sensing, under complex agricultural planting structures. In this paper, Guoyang County, a typical soybean-producing region in the north of Anhui Province, China, was selected as the study area, and then the multi-temporal Sentinel-1/2 (S-1/2) microwave and optical multispectral data were integrated to obtain the spatial distribution of the planting areas, via a stepwise hierarchical extraction strategy. Considering the Jeffries-Matusita (JM) distance, August 18 (i.e., the early pod setting stage) was correspondingly determined as more appropriate for soybean extraction, compared with other time phases. For this purpose, a set of rules were established to eliminate the non-cropland pixels, and the total distribution of the field vegetation was derived accordingly. In total, 30 candidate features (viz. 10 spectral bands, 11 vegetation indices, 4 texture features, and 5 microwave polarization features) were selected, and their importance was evaluated based on the ReliefF algorithm. With the support of the typical cover type samples, the weight assessment method for the ReliefF feature was further bundled with three machine-learning (ML) algorithms, namely, the random forest (RF), the back-propagation neural network (BPNN), and the support vector machine (SVM), to single out the optimum subset of the features for soybean identification. The results finally revealed that the ReliefF-RF model outperformed the other two. With nine optimum features, Kappa coefficient also reached up to 0.77–0.85. Furthermore, the extraction accuracy produced by the optimum subset of the features was significantly greater than the original 10 spectral bands (Kappa coefficient of 0.75–0.84), albeit slightly lower than the effect of the total 30 features (Kappa coefficient of 0.78–0.85).

Effects of foliar zinc applications on some yield parameters and essential oil constituents of the mastic tree (Pistacia lentiscus var. chia Duham.)

Mastic tree (Pistacia lentiscus var. chia Duham.) is an important medicinal aromatic plant which is being cultivated without any regular fertilization generally. Foliar Zn applications have great importance for many commercial plant species because of their important role in metabolic activities. In this study, the effects of foliar ZnSO4 sprayings (0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.8%) applied at 50% and 100% leafing stages, on some yield parameters and essential oil composition of mastic tree were assessed. A field experiment was carried out for two consecutive years at Ege University, Turkey. Mastic resin yield was more than doubled with 0.8% Zn particularly in the second year. The highest leaf Zn content was measured as 187.8 mg l−1 with 0.8% zinc spraying while it was 35.4 mg l−1 in unsprayed trees at 100% leafing in the first year. Leaf essential oil and α-tocopherol contents were not significantly influenced by different Zn levels and leafing stages in both years. As for the major essential oil constituents, β-myrcene (62.4%), germacrene-D (14.3%), α-terpinenyl acetate (5.52%), t-caryophyllene (2.1%) and α-pinene (1.4%) were determined. Zinc sprayings increased the β-myrcene, germacrene-D and α-pinene contents particularly at 100% leafing in the first year. In mastic tree two consecutive applications of Zn seems to be necessary for reaching to desirable leaf Zn contents. Application of 0.8% Zn or more would be proper to increase the contents of most parameters assessed.

In Vitro and In Silico Evaluation of ACE2 and LOX Inhibitory Activity of Origanum Essential Oils and Carvacrol.

Origanum spp. are used both for culinary purposes and for their biological activities. In this study, commercial Origanum majorana, Origanum minutiflorum, Origanum vulgare, and Origanum onites essential oils and their prominent constituent carvacrol were evaluated for their in vitro and in silico angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 and lipoxygenase enzyme inhibitory potentials. The essential oils were analysed by gas chromatography-flame ionisation detection and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, where carvacrol was identified as the major component (62 - 81%), confirming the quality. In vitro enzyme inhibition assays were conducted both with the essential oils (20 µg/mL) and with carvacrol (5 µg/mL). The comparative values of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 percent inhibition for O. majorana, O. minutiflorum, O. vulgare, and O.onites essential oils were determined as 85.5, 79.1, 74.3, and 42.8%, respectively. As a result of the enzyme assays, carvacrol showed 90.7% in vitro angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 inhibitory activity. The in vitro lipoxygenase inhibition of the essential oils (in the same order) was 89.4, 78.9, 81.1, and 73.5%, respectively, where carvacrol showed 74.8% inhibition. In addition, protein-ligand docking and interaction profiling was used to gain structural and mechanistic insights into the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 and lipoxygenase inhibitory potentials of major Origanum essential oil constituents. The in silico findings agreed with the significant enzyme inhibition activity observed in vitro. Further in vivo studies are suggested to confirm the safety and efficacy of the oils.

Relationship Between Geopolitical Risk In Major Oil Producing Countries and Oil Price

This study has applied Granger causality tests and dynamic ordinary least squares (DOLS) models to examine the relationship between geopolitical risk in major oil-producing countries and the crude oil price before and after the 2008 financial crisis. The granger causality tests show that the geopolitical risk of Saudi Arabia, Russia, the United States and China granger cause changes in crude oil prices. The DOLS models show that the series in the model are cointegrated. The coefficients for the geopolitical index of Canada, Russia and China are significant before the 2008 financial crisis sample period. However, the DOLS model shows that the coefficients for all geopolitical indexes are insignificant after the 2008 financial crisis sample period. The general public and investors generally precept major oil exporters like Russia and Saudi Arabia as the major players in the oil market. However, after the 2008 financial crisis, the discrepancy in the economic needs of the major oil-producing countries has reduced their ability to co-operate crude oil prices. This study also discovered that China plays a significant role in the oil market.

The Impact of Oil Price Shocks on the Macroeconomic Variables of Major Oil Exporting Countries: A GVAR Approach

The Impact of Oil Price Shocks on the Macroeconomic Variables of Major Oil Exporting Countries: A GVAR Approach

An Experimental and Theoretical Study on Essential Oil of Aethionema sancakense: Characterization, Molecular Properties and RDG Analysis.

This study aims to experimentally and theoretically examine the plant Aethionema sancakense, which was determined as a new species and whose essential oil and fatty acid compositions were characterized by GC/GC-MS technique. Linoleic acid (23.1%), α-humulene (19.8%), camphene (13.9%), and heptanal (9.7%) were found to be the major essential oil components of A. sancakense aerial part structures. The quantum chemical calculations of these four molecules that are very important to this plant were performed using the density functional method (DFT)/B3LYP with the 6-31 G (d, p) basis set in the ground state for the gas phase. The molecular structures, HOMO-LUMO energies, electronic properties, Fukui functions, and molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) surfaces of the major constituents of Aethionema sancakense essential oil were calculated and interpreted. Finally, the RDG-NCI analysis of these molecules was performed to determine the non-covalent interactions present within the molecules.

Coordinated Program of Research on Multi-Pathway Community Exposures Associated with Unconventional Oil and Gas Development

BACKGROUND AND AIM. People can be exposed to chemical agents (e.g., benzene) and non-chemical agents (e.g., noise, light, and vibration) released from unconventional oil and gas development (UOGD). Important knowledge gaps limit our understanding of the temporal and spatial variability of these exposures, as well as the UOGD processes leading to potential exposures. We aim to describe a new coordinated program of research funded by HEI Energy that will investigate potential exposure pathways between UOGD releases of noise and chemicals to air and water and people in communities affected by this development in major oil- and natural gas-producing regions of the United States. METHODS. Three research teams from different institutions are collaborating to: 1) develop and evaluate a novel combined emissions and dispersion model (Tracking Community Exposures and Releases from UOGD [TraCER] model) that can be used for future UOGD emissions and exposure research nationally, and 2) conduct air quality and noise monitoring to improve understanding of potential acute and chronic human exposures and to evaluate the model in Colorado and Texas. Research teams assessing water-related exposures are combining existing data with machine learning and fate and transport models to evaluate exposure pathways between UOGD processes and water sources in Colorado, New Mexico, and Pennsylvania. The research will involve meaningful engagement with stakeholders in the study locations. RESULTS: HEI Energy’s coordinated program of research and stakeholder engagement will provide critical information to support decision making about how best to protect human health. It will produce publicly available data for use in future UOGD health studies and accountability research, as well as models and frameworks, that can be applied to any region in the United States, to connect specific UOGD processes to potential exposures to noise and chemicals in air and water.