Environmental Geosciences

This presents study assessed some physicochemical parameters (temperature, pH, conductivity, turbidity and dissolved oxygen) in hand dug well water from ten (10) locations within Wannune in Tarka LGA of Benue State, Nigeria. Ten (10) heavy metals concentration zinc (Zn), mercury (Hg), Arsenic (As), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), iron (Fe), cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) were also determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS). The results revealed the mean values for temperature, pH, conductivity, turbidity and dissolved oxygen to be 2.79±0.876 o C, 6.35±0.313, 153.4±99.633 µs/cm, 3.85±1.556 NTU, and 5.70±0.666 mg/L respectively. The results also revealed very low concentrations of heavy metals (within WHO and NSDWQ standard for portable water) except for Fe (0.51 mg/L) from W4 which is slightly above the prescribed limit (0.3 mg/L) prescribed by WHO and NSDWQ and is attributed to mechanical repairs of vehicles, use of engine oils on daily basis and rusting from iron buckets used for abstracting water from the well. Hg, As, Cu and Mn were not detected in any of the well water samples. The authors therefore recommend that the water is safe for drinking and domestic use but members of the community should construct wells away from dumpsites or sites where mechanical activities occur also adopt a better practice of abstracting well water than the use of iron buckets.

Midkiff presents his case with the clear purpose of raising our awareness and concerns. In some instances, however, he exaggerates the problem. He claims that the North Platte and South Platte Rivers at their confluence are perennially dry and that it is now possible to cross the Platte River in central Nebraska without one’s toes getting wet. Yet as I write this review streamflow in the central Platte River at Overton is about 500 cubic feet per second. He correctly observes that in many areas the Ogallala Aquifer will be dry in 30 to 100 years, but he also asserts that the Ogallala receives little recharge from precipitation and no recharge from the Rocky Mountains. In Nebraska, however, the Ogallala Aquifer still receives significant amounts of water from the Rocky Mountains and recharge from precipitation in the Sandhills. As a result, in Nebraska the amount of water in storage from predevelopment to the year 2000 has actually increased. Such exaggerations throw doubt on Midkiff...

This presents study assessed some physicochemical parameters (temperature, pH, conductivity, turbidity and dissolved oxygen) in hand dug well water from ten (10) locations within Wannune in Tarka LGA of Benue State, Nigeria. Ten (10) heavy metals concentration zinc (Zn), mercury (Hg), Arsenic (As), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), iron (Fe), cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) were also determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS). The results revealed the mean values for temperature, pH, conductivity, turbidity and dissolved oxygen to be 2.79±0.876 o C, 6.35±0.313, 153.4±99.633 µs/cm, 3.85±1.556 NTU, and 5.70±0.666 mg/L respectively. The results also revealed very low concentrations of heavy metals (within WHO and NSDWQ standard for portable water) except for Fe (0.51 mg/L) from W4 which is slightly above the prescribed limit (0.3 mg/L) prescribed by WHO and NSDWQ and is attributed to mechanical repairs of vehicles, use of engine oils on daily basis and rusting from iron buckets used for abstracting water from the well. Hg, As, Cu and Mn were not detected in any of the well water samples. The authors therefore recommend that the water is safe for drinking and domestic use but members of the community should construct wells away from dumpsites or sites where mechanical activities occur also adopt a better practice of abstracting well water than the use of iron buckets.

geomorphic concept of the 'orderly sequence of landforms' (Thornbury 1954). Generally, fluvial systems show a downstream increase in channel width, discharge and hydraulic radius, and a decrease in channel gradient, and grain size (Schumm 2005; Bradshaw et al. 1978). However, rivers sometimes show unusual and complex behaviour (Malik et al. 2024), contrary to established trends. Complexity is a situation between 'order' and 'chaos' (Richards 2002), where difficulty is faced in describing the system characteristics (Manson 2001). The word 'complexity' has been used in different ways with rivers (Sivakumar et al. 2007; Zhou et al. 2012; Kourgialas et al. 2012; Zhang et al. 2017), but here, it is related to the geomorphological characteristics of the river. There are different interpretations of complexity in geomorphology (Keiler 2011). According to Phillips (2003), complexities are complications in the prediction of different facets of geomorphology, but they provide an

is a full professor of earthquake geology and structural geology, project leader of the Greek Database of Seismogenic Sources, and has worked for three decades on the tectonics, geodynamics, and active faults of the broader Aegean Region. He is a member of the Commissione Grandi Rischi at the Italian Prime Minister Presidency.

A field mapping and laboratory study was undertaken to characterize the lower portion of Bida Formation around Jima and Doko areas near Bida, central Nigeria. Field mapping revealed four lithofacies for the sandy braided river deposits. They are: (1) lithofacies Fa consists of gravely, very coarse sandstones; (2) lithofacies Fb is characterized by gravely, medium to very coarse grained sandstones; (3) lithofacies Fc is identified by coarse silt to fine grained sandstones; (4) lithofacies Fd is recognized by sheet-like beds of fine to medium grained sandstones. They record channel flow (Fa), subaqueous dune (Fb), overbank (Fc) and crevasse splay deposits (Fd) respectively. The four lithofacies allowed the definition of two architectural elements: (1) channel architectural element (CH) and (2) overbank architectural element (OF). A CH element overlain by an OF element defines a unit bar; while stacked, multiple CH overlain by an OF delineate a compound bar. Computation of grain size data for Fa and Fb facies yielded permeability values of 19.4 to 352.3 millidarcies using empirically generated equation. Because permeability values do not vary much, it is suggested that Fa and Fb be treated as one homogeneous entity if object based reservoir modelling of the sandstones is to be done. This work shows that detailed field mapping integrated with grain size data can offer valuable information useful for aquifer and reservoir studies of the sandstones.

The key factor behind raw mix design in the cement factory is the appropriate production planning, resulting in high-quality raw material. Quarry managers usually come up with uncertainty-related raw materials due to variations in chemical composition. These uncertainties required efficient planning in terms of useful insight into this problem. This research provides a detailed explanation of scenario analysis of raw materials used in cement manufacturing using Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) and indices. Scenario analysis is used to predict the possibility of best, worst and most likely cases of raw material’s quality. Whereas, Monte Carlo simulation is used to evaluate the inherent uncertainty associated with chemical composition values in order to analyze the impact of truly unpredictable scenarios. The predictive results help in decisions related to production planning, raw mix design optimization and increasing the probability of designing the best plan.

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The vertical compaction of unconsolidated subsurface sediment was investigated at the Tama river estuary in Tokyo, Japan. The cores were taken by hand using polybutyrate tubes with different inner diameters, and core compaction ratios were measured in situ . Percent compaction varied with depth within the same core and with the inner diameter of a coring tube as well as its wall thickness. These results strongly suggest that vertical compaction of soft sediments during coring should be well documented in published articles relevant to the time-dependent analysis of sedimentary environments. Otherwise, comparison of one core with another could be misleading in discussions focused on modern soft sediment.

1. INTRODUCTION The Hawaiian Islands have unique and varied microclimates. The localized nature of these microclimates means that they will be affected differently by the larger-scale climatic influences of the region. Included in the principal large-scale climate controls are the position of the islands on the earth's surface, the trade winds, wintertime mid-latitude storms, subtropical storms, and infrequent tropical disturbances (Schroeder, 1993). The island's microclimates are primarily due to the topographical influences of large and small mountains upon the prevailing trade winds. Because of the variety of climates found on the islands, long-term prediction of fire potential is a challenging task for Hawaiian fire managers. Deficiencies in rainfall can lead to a variety of problems for the Hawaiian Islands (Giambelluca and Sanderson, 1990). One of the problems associated with deficient rainfall is that of wildfires. Although major wildfires in Hawaii are not as large a...

The objective of this paper is to demonstrate the capability of Remote Sensing (RS) and Geographic Information System (GIS) in water resource management for gauged as well as ungauged watershed. Availability of fresh water determines the development of any region or country because water plays a crucial role for the overall development. Groundwater is a vital natural resources which plays an important role for the development of rural as well as urban areas. Groundwater has limited extent and volume. The tremendous increase in the demand of groundwater for the purpose of household, agricultural and industrial use leads to the concept of water resource management. The result of over exploitation of groundwater throughout the world include lowering of water table, resulting lower agricultural productivity, sea water intrusion in coastal aquifer, land subsidence, groundwater quality degradation, droughts etc. To protect this precious resource from over exploitation and pollution, it is...

The objective of this paper is to demonstrate the capability of Remote Sensing (RS) and Geographic Information System (GIS) in water resource management for gauged as well as ungauged watershed. Availability of fresh water determines the development of any region or country because water plays a crucial role for the overall development. Groundwater is a vital natural resources which plays an important role for the development of rural as well as urban areas. Groundwater has limited extent and volume. The tremendous increase in the demand of groundwater for the purpose of household, agricultural and industrial use leads to the concept of water resource management. The result of over exploitation of groundwater throughout the world include lowering of water table, resulting lower agricultural productivity, sea water intrusion in coastal aquifer, land subsidence, groundwater quality degradation, droughts etc. To protect this precious resource from over exploitation and pollution, it is...

In this work, the critical micellar concentration (CMC) for three anionic and nonionic surfactants was measured. The commercial products employed were Texapon 5 (sodium lauryl ether sulfate), Surfacpol 906 (ethoxylated nonylphenol), and Canarcel TW80 (ethoxylated sorbitan monooleate), and the CMC measured values were 0.941, 0.0934, and 0.05 mM, respectively. The diesel adsorption on sandy and clayey soils was characterized by means of the partition coefficients K d , resulting in values of 0.5 and 1.4 mL/g for sandy and clayey soil, respectively. There are a few reports of K d values for complex mixtures of organic compounds such as diesel. Retardation factors for every system were calculated, resulting in 2.6 and 2.9 for the sandy and the clayey soil, respectively. Interestingly, the retardation factors for both soils are quite similar, even when the diesel-soil partition coefficient for clayey soil is threefold the value for the sandy soil. Finally, diesel-removal efficiencies for the three surfactants from an aged contaminated sandy soil were evaluated at the sub-CMC and supra-CMC levels, at concentrations of 0.5, 5, 100 and 300 times the CMC for every surfactant. The results of the soil's washing as a removal percentage were 46.4 -74.2, 41.9 -83.3, and 52.5 -88.2% for Texapon 5, Canarcel TW80, and Surfacpol 906, respectively. Experimental data were recalculated according to an equation where f oc /K d is a function of the total surfactant dose [D]. The experimental behavior for concentrations between 0.47 and 47 mM for Texapon, 0.025 and 2.5 mM for Canarcel, and 0.046 and 4.66 mM for Surfacpol was predicted by the mentioned equation. After these values, the f oc /K d values increased at a very accelerated rate, especially for the case of Surfacpol.

(M. S.), India I. INTRODUCTION The use of plants as medicines is a very ancient story and a traditional medical practice in all the passed civilizations (Samuelsson, 2004). Population rise, inadequate supply of drugs, the prohibitive cost of treatments, side effects of several allopathic drugs and development of resistance to currently used drugs for infectious diseases have led to increased emphasis on the use of plant materials as a source of medicines for a wide variety of human ailments. According to the World Health Organization, 80% of people in developing countries still depend on local medicinal plants to fulfill their primary health needs (World Health Organisation, 2002-2005). The use of medicinal plants is not just a custom of the distant past. Perhaps 90% of the world's population still relies completely on raw herbs and unrefined extracts as medicines (Duke, 1985). Due to poverty, ignorance, and unavailability of modern health facilities, most people especially rural people are still forced to practice traditional medicines for their common day ailments, most of these people from the poorest link in the trade of medicinal plants (Khan, 2002). However, the traditional use of plants is declining due to economic factors such as displacement and urbanization processes. Known from the antiquity for their therapeutic and aromatic properties, Artemisia species have been intensively studied in the last decades. Artemisia is a large, diverse genus with approximately, 200 and 400 species belonging to the daisy family Asteraceae. Artemisia is a wind pollinated cosmopolitan genus, mainly distributed in temperate areas of mid to high latitudes of the northern hemisphere, colonizing in arid and semiarid environmental landscape, with only a few representatives in the southern hemisphere. Central Asia is its center of diversification, while the Mediterranean region and North West America are two secondary speciation areas (McArthur and Plummer, 1978; Vales and McArthur, 2001). A few species are also reported in Africa and Europe (Ling, 1994; Shultz, 2006; Tutin et al., 1976). Out of 31 species of Artemisia found in India, 21 species are found in Jammu and Kashmir. Many species are economically important as medicines, food, forage, ornamentals or soil stabilizers in disturbed habitats. Some taxa are toxic or allergenic while others are invasive weeds which can adversely affect harvests

Approximately 600 oil field produced water discharges are permitted in Wyoming by the State's Department of Environmental Quality's (WDEQ) National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program. Wyoming is one of a few states that allows the discharge of oil field produced water into surface waters for beneficial use by livestock and wildlife. Sixty-six wetland sites receiving oil field produced water discharges in Wyoming were surveyed to determine the percentage of discharges in compliance with NPDES permit requirements and to determine the amount of chronic oil releases associated with these discharges. Separator pits were also surveyed to determine wildlife mortality and to assess implementation of wildlife deterrents. Although limited in scope, this survey of oil field produced water discharges in Wyoming shows that: inefficient oilwater separation is causing a chronic discharge of oil into some of the wetlands receiving oil field produced water; and, over half (53 percent) of the sites surveyed used only flagging to deter migratory birds from oil pits used to skim oil from produced water. Additionally, approximately 85 percent of the oil field produced water discharges surveyed went into ephemeral streams.

Water is a vital natural resource that is essential for both human life and ecosystems. Groundwater is dependable resource in most coastal areas in Timor-Leste, including the Ulmera Watershed. In this study, we integrated geospatial techniques and the AHP method to map groundwater potential zones. Eight criteria were used in the spatial analysis, resulting in a groundwater potential zone map classified into five categories: very poor (37.79%), poor (41.51%), moderate (4.14%), good (8.46%), and very good (8.10%). The highest groundwater potential zones (GWPZ) are found in the lowlands and fluvio-alluvial deposit areas, while moderate zones are distributed in the foothills and coastal zones. The lowest GWPZ occur in the highlands and steep slopes, predominantly in areas with metamorphic rocks. In the near future, managing groundwater extraction, waste disposal, and establishing groundwater management policies will be essential. Further research on hydrodynamics and water quality is also required for the Ulmera Watershed.

The use of plants as medicines is a very ancient story and a traditional medical practice in all the passed civilizations (Samuelsson, 2004). Population rise, inadequate supply of drugs, the prohibitive cost of treatments, side effects of several allopathic drugs and development of resistance to currently used drugs for infectious diseases have led to increased emphasis on the use of plant materials as a source of medicines for a wide variety of human ailments. According to the World Health Organization, 80% of people in developing countries still depend on local medicinal plants to fulfill their primary health needs (World Health Organisation, 20022005). The use of medicinal plants is not just a custom of the distant past. Perhaps 90% of the world's population still relies completely on raw herbs and unrefined extracts as medicines (Duke, 1985). Due to poverty, ignorance, and unavailability of modern health facilities, most people especially rural people are still forced to pra...

The key factor behind raw mix design in the cement factory is the appropriate production planning, resulting in high-quality raw material. Quarry managers usually come up with uncertainty-related raw materials due to variations in chemical composition. These uncertainties required efficient planning in terms of useful insight into this problem. This research provides a detailed explanation of scenario analysis of raw materials used in cement manufacturing using Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) and indices. Scenario analysis is used to predict the possibility of best, worst and most likely cases of raw material’s quality. Whereas, Monte Carlo simulation is used to evaluate the inherent uncertainty associated with chemical composition values in order to analyze the impact of truly unpredictable scenarios. The predictive results help in decisions related to production planning, raw mix design optimization and increasing the probability of designing the best plan.

Abstract: This is the first study to survey selenium levels in spring water of Yarmouk Basin north of Jordan. Elevated selenium levels in spring waters have been observed indicating that selenium contamination is widespread. In almost all of the spring water samples, selenium concentrations exceeded the maximum allowable level based on the Jordan and World Health Organization for drinking water quality guidelines of 10 µg/L. Evaluation of seasonal patterns in the concentrations of selenium showed higher concentration in dry ...

The Council Run gas field in north-central Center County, Pennsylvania, produces from the first, third, fourth, fifth and sixth Elk sands of the Upper Devonian. Estimated ultimate recoveries (EURs) of over 90% of the 550 wells exceed 450 Mmcf. EUR's of some wells exceed 1.0 Bcf. Reserves are estimated as 50 to 400 Mmcf in the first Elk sand, 30 to 100 Mmcf in the third, 50 to 700 Mmcf in the fourth, 50 to 1700 Mmcf in the fifth, and 30 to 150 Mmcf in the sixth. Reservoir sands have porosities up to 16% with gas saturations up to 83%. The stacking pattern of sands defines lowstand, transgressive and highstand systems tracts. The fifth Elk sand is the most prolific and consists of multiple coarsening-upward sequences deposited in nearshore and deltaic environments of the lowstand systems tract.

The Council Run gas field in north-central Center County, Pennsylvania, produces from the first, third, fourth, fifth and sixth Elk sands of the Upper Devonian. Estimated ultimate recoveries (EURs) of over 90% of the 550 wells exceed 450 Mmcf. EUR's of some wells exceed 1.0 Bcf. Reserves are estimated as 50 to 400 Mmcf in the first Elk sand, 30 to 100 Mmcf in the third, 50 to 700 Mmcf in the fourth, 50 to 1700 Mmcf in the fifth, and 30 to 150 Mmcf in the sixth. Reservoir sands have porosities up to 16% with gas saturations up to 83%. The stacking pattern of sands defines lowstand, transgressive and highstand systems tracts. The fifth Elk sand is the most prolific and consists of multiple coarsening-upward sequences deposited in nearshore and deltaic environments of the lowstand systems tract.

The global reliance on hydrocarbon resources and fossil fuels has resulted in a significant surge in carbon dioxide emissions, necessitating urgent measures to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. Integrating CO 2 storage with enhanced oil recovery (EOR) presents a promising solution for reducing emissions and enhancing oil recovery by sequestering CO 2 within oil reservoirs, especially in fractured carbonate reservoirs. The research utilized the Eclipse simulator to model different gas injection scenarios in a crude oil reservoir, focusing on assessing the effectiveness of CO 2 and flue gas geo-sequestration and EOR, performing sensitivity analyses on reservoir characteristics, and evaluating the impact of varying injection rates on gas storage capacity and oil recovery factor. The findings demonstrated a superior capacity to store flue gas (150 MMSCF) in comparison to CO 2 (85 MMSCF) and flue gas injection demonstrated better reservoir pressure maintenance than CO 2 injection, while CO 2 injection resulted in a higher oil recovery factor of 52% compared to flue gas injection at 36%. Additionally, analysis of reservoir characteristics in gas storage revealed that, an augmentation in reservoir porosity, permeability, and injection rate substantiated an increase in gas storage capacity for both CO 2 and flue gas injection. Except for CO 2 storage, which displayed a normal distribution trend in the permeability analysis. Additionally, it was elucidated that higher reservoir pressure and temperature in flue gas injection resulted in a reduction of gas storage capacity, while these variables exhibited relative stability in the context of CO 2 injection. The scrutiny of gas storage in reservoir characteristics unveiled substantial alterations in porosity and injection rate, signifying their pivotal roles in influencing gas storage capacity. In the EOR study, heightened reservoir pressure, temperature, permeability, and injection rate collectively contributed to an amplified oil recovery for both flue gas and CO 2 , except CO 2 injection demonstrated a normal distribution trend in oil recovery within the permeability analysis. Conversely, higher porosity was associated with a decrease in oil recovery. The findings of this research provide valuable insights into the feasibility and effectiveness of employing flue gas geosequestration and EOR in fractured carbonate reservoirs.

2-Dimensional imaging was used to investigate the presence of leachate and contaminant plume around septic tank within the Staff Quarters in University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria. This conventional 2-D electrical resistivity survey method was carried out by engaging the Wenner Alpha array configuration using PASI 16 GL Terrameter. Four traverses with a spread of 160 m each were covered around the septic system using DIPRO and RES2D Inversion software for interpretation so as to delineate the plume and probable trend of migration. To test for the presence of heavy metals, Physiochemical analyses were done on the water collected through the borehole that was very close to the septic system. The interpretation of the inverted 2-D electrical resistivity data revealed five subsurface layer: topsoil, clayey sand and sandy layers, clayey sand and sand zones constitute the major aquifer units in the study area. The 2 D Inversion delineated contamination plumes as low resistivity zones. As revealed by the inversion model, there was a strong evidence of vertical and Original Research Article

Lutte contre les changements climatiques du Québec (MDDELCC). The work was funded through the ecoEnergy Innovation Initiative (ecoEII) and the Program for Energy Research and Development (PERD) of the Energy Sector, and through regular funds of the Environmental Geoscience Program of the Lands and Minerals Sector, both of Natural Resources Canada. This is Geological Survey of Canada contribution 20170284.

In the words of John B. Patton, State Geologist of Indiana, Arthur J. Phinney's paper entitled "The Natural Gas Field of Indiana" was "one of the earliest and best in the annals of petroleum geology" (1). Though Phinney lived to be 92 years old, only 15 years were spent doing geologic research, and during these years he maintained his medical practice in Muncie, Indiana. Edgar Wesley Owen observed: "Many highly trained geologists were less productive than the amateur Phinney." (2) Arthur John Phinney was born in Russell Township of Geauga County, Ohio in late August of 1850. He was raised on a farm 20 miles east of Cleveland (3). He received his early education in high school and the Geauga Seminary, an academy of that area. After attending the academy, he entered Oberlin College. After completing two terms (one year) at Oberlin College he went on to Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania for two more years, where he reached the junior year.

Earth Sciences: an International Journal (ESIJ) is a peer-reviewed, open access journal that addresses the impacts and challenges of Mechanical Engineering. The journal documents practical and theoretical results which make a fundamental contribution for the development of Earth  Sciences. This journal aims to bring together researchers and practitioners in all Earth Sciences    aspects, including(but not limited to):

The key factor behind raw mix design in the cement factory is the appropriate production planning, resulting in high-quality raw material. Quarry managers usually come up with uncertainty-related raw materials due to variations in chemical composition. These uncertainties required efficient planning in terms of useful insight into this problem. This research provides a detailed explanation of scenario analysis of raw materials used in cement manufacturing using Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) and indices. Scenario analysis is used to predict the possibility of best, worst and most likely cases of raw material's quality. Whereas, Monte Carlo simulation is used to evaluate the inherent uncertainty associated with chemical composition values in order to analyze the impact of truly unpredictable scenarios. The predictive results help in decisions related to production planning, raw mix design optimization and increasing the probability of designing the best plan.

CO 2 emissions rates have seen an exponential growth from the 19th century up till date, if no drastic measures and plans are implemented to prevent this exponential growth the consequence will be devastating. The notion of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions gained prominence through the Paris Agreement, a groundbreaking accord reached at the United Nations Climate Change Conference. This agreement was devised to mitigate the impact of greenhouse gas emissions. To execute the net-zero CO 2 emission plan, the USDOE has set a new goal to remove gigatons of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere and durably store it for less than $100/ton of net CO 2-equivalent. Making such a goal a reality requires an accurate estimation of CO 2 storage capacity for the successful implementation of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technologies, and the assessment of the impact of CCS to the reduction of CO 2 emissions. Hence this paper serves as a template for accurately estimating CO 2 storage capacity in depleted saturated oil reservoirs with initial gas cap using three approaches: Volumetric, Production and Correlation-based methods and compares the accuracy of the estimates. A case study was conducted on a depleted VR273_Q combination sand in the Vermillion Basin, Gulf of Mexico (GOM). The deterministic and stochastic (P50) CO 2 storage capacity estimates from the Volume-based method are 1.21 million tonnes (Mt) and 1.23 Mt respectively, while the deterministic CO 2 storage capacity estimates from the Production and Correlationbased method are 1.32 Mt and 1.41 Mt respectively. All three approaches showed similar results, with little deviations attributed to petrophysical uncertainties arising from data gaps i.e., absence of well logs to key wells. However, these uncertainties are captured by Stochastic (P90) CO 2 storage capacity estimates of 1.47 Mt from the Volume-based method. Although the Correlation-based approach slightly overestimates the CO 2 storage capacity, it can be used as a starting point for quick estimation as it only requires production data which are readily available on various databases for GOM. Finally, through this paper, opportunities for concerned agencies to make well-informed energy-related policies and business decisions are made possible.

Wireline well log data collected over a period of time are often used for monitoring subsurface conditions in environmentally threatened areas. Traditional interpretation techniques work well with small wireline well log data sets; however, data sets can become cumbersome or unmanageable when they are large. An alternative method of displaying and interpreting this type of data is by reformatting the digital well log data and using seismic interpretation software. This technique, called pseudoseismic, allows large quantities of digital well log data to be displayed and interpreted rapidly with relative ease. To illustrate the use of this technique, it has been applied to a digital conductivity well log data set from southcentral Kansas to aid in understanding subtle changes in groundwater salinity levels.

where he investigates geological and environmental aspects of energy resources. He also studies modern natural and experimental systems to better understand processes relevant to past and future environmental change. He received his Ph.D. in geology from the University of Illinois.

At Cranfield field, Mississippi, a monitored carbon dioxide (CO 2) sequestration and enhanced oil recovery project provides a unique opportunity to study sealing properties of a marine shale as a CO 2confining zone. The reservoir is in the amalgamated fluvial basal sandstone of the lower Tuscaloosa Formation at depths of more than 3000 m (9843 ft). The marine mudstone of the middle Tuscaloosa forms a continuous regional confining system of approximately 75 m (246 ft). A 6-m (20-ft) core was retrieved from the middle Tuscaloosa marine mudstone approximately 70 m (230 ft) above the CO 2 injection zone. We conducted a series of characterizing analyses on the core that would enable us to assess with high confidence seal performance over geologic time. The core displays considerable heterogeneity at centimeter to decimeter scales, with lithology varying from silt-bearing clay-rich mudstone to siltstone and very fine grained sandstone. In total, nine microfacies are recognized in the core. Petrographic, mineralogical, and chemical analyses (scanning electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, and x-ray fluorescence) show that calcite cements preferentially form in coarser grained beds and have greatly reduced porosity and permeability, making silty and sandy beds less permeable than mudstone. Mercury intrusion capillary pressure tests show desirable sealing capacity for all samples capable of retaining a CO 2 column of 49 to 237 m (161-778 ft) at 100% water saturation. Permeability and porosity of all facies are less than 0.0001 md and 4%, respectively. Pores in the samples are at nanometer scales, with modal pore-throat sizes less than 20 nm. Scanning electron microscopic imaging on ion-milled surfaces confirms that nanopores are scarce and generally isolated.

One of the challenges confronting carbon dioxide capture and sequestration (CCS) in geologic media over extended periods of time is determining the caprock sealing capacity. If the pressure of supercritical carbon dioxide ðscCO 2 Þ injected in the repository overcomes the caprock sealing capacity, leaking of scCO 2 may enter other porous formations, compromising the storage formation, or even may go back to the atmosphere, and thus the process of sequestration becomes futile. Carbon dioxide sealing capacity is controlled by two groups of parameters: (1) texture (e.g., the pore-throat size, distribution, geometry, and sorting; median grain size, porosity, degree of bioturbation, specific surface area, preferred orientation of matrix clay minerals, orientation, and aspect of ratio of organic particles) and (2) composition (mineralogical content, proportion of soft, deformable mineral grains to rigid grains, organic matter content, carbonate content, silt content, cementation, ductility, compaction, and ash content). The primary goal of this study was to investigate several parameters listed above and to estimate their respective contributions to sealing capacity to better understand its role in shale and carbonates. To assess the effect of textural and compositional properties on scCO 2 maximum retention column height, we collected 30 representative core samples from caprock formations in three counties (Cimarron, Texas, and Beaver) in the Oklahoma Panhandle. The study area was chosen because it hosts three depleted gas fields with a *This article represents an extension of a presentation made at AAPG 43rd Eastern Section,

Gas migration incidents, particularly stream contamination cases, have been rarely investigated and gone through the peer review process, with the exception of three sites in northeast Pennsylvania (Dimock and two Sugar Runs in Lycoming and Bradford counties, respectively) where air emission surveys, dissolved methane measurements, and structural (hydro)geologic interpretations have been used to demonstrate potential environmental impacts due to shale gas operations. In addition to reviewing previously published work from these three sites, we report and analyze unpublished new data trying to determine if a direct relationship between methane migration, stream contamination, and air emissions exists at those sites. Our analysis indicates that subsurface methane migration, stream methane contamination, and air emissions might not be all present or detectable at a faulty/leaky shale gas well. Which of these signs of contamination, if any, exist is largely controlled by the local (hydro)geologic conditions. In each case, the most likely migration pathway was from gas charged zones up well annular spaces to confined permeable formations, then laterally to a direct discharge or by vertically controlled joints to streams, water wells, and the atmosphere. The confining units act as barriers to the buoyant movement of stray gases, allowing subsurface travel of gas for 1-4 km from a leaky gas well. The knowledge we learn from these three sites can guide the future investigations of methane contamination cases in other regions.

Groundwater quality can be impacted by the backfilling of coal pits with waste rock containing new mineral surfaces and nanomaterials. This study was implemented to identify newly available arsenic and selenium sources in waste rock from the Cordero Rojo Mine in the Powder River Basin, Wyoming, to highlight the alteration of contaminant sources with the transition from an overburden geologic state to the mined waste rock. Basic kinetic models were constructed to replicate the possible weathering modeling scenario derived from published sources of arsenic and selenium in the Powder River Basin overburden—pyrite and gypsum, respectively. These basic prediction models were unable to capture the arsenic and selenium trends recorded for a saturated column loaded with waste rock from the Cordero Rojo Mine. Enhanced kinetic models were tested through trial and error to capture newly available sources created by the mining of the waste rock. The incorporation of new source contributions produced modeled arsenic and selenium trends similar to the observed trends in water extracted from the column. The identification of newly available contaminant sources in backfill waste rock is necessary to evaluate the potential release of contaminants and the exceedance of water quality criteria for overburden formations that have not previously shown the potential for water quality contamination.

The Cretaceous sediments in the Anambra Basin (SE Nigeria) consist of a cyclic succession of coals, carbonaceous shales, silty shales, siltstones and sandstones interpreted as deltaic deposits. Statistics reveals a graphic mean range from 1.5 to 2.8, sorting range from 0.45 to 1.58, skewness range from-0.58 to 0.32 and kurtosis between 0.38 and 2 for the Ajali Sandstone. From these results, the sandstones in the area are dominated by medium to coarse grains, poorly to moderately sorted, coarse skewed and very platykurtic sediments. Further sedimentological evaluation in six localities indicates fluvial-flood plain-marginally marine facies for the Mamu and Nsukka Formations and marine for the Nkporo and Enugu Shales. The geochemical evaluations show that total organic carbon (TOC) (8.95wt%) of the samples constitutes that of good to excellent source rock with oil, oil/gas, gas prones for kerogen types I, II/III, III indicated by Rock-Eval S2/S3 (9.13). The high oxygen index (OI) (42.61 mgCO2g-1 TOC) suggest deposition in a shallow marine environment. The Tmax (430 o C), indicate the immaturity to onset of maturity of these source rocks. Potential reservoir units occur in the fluvial sandstones of the Ajali Formation and in the marginal marine and flood plain sandstones of the Mamu Formation. The shales and claystones of the Nsukka and Imo Formations may provide regional seals.

Rashidpur Gas Field is located in the west of Srimongal in East Central Bangladesh. The accumulation associated with the Miocene Bhuban-Boka Bil Sandstone Reservoirs in a structural trap. The structure is about 35 km long and 7 km wide with amplitude of some 4900 ft. Rashidpur anticline is a sub-meriodinal axis, elongated, asymmetrical doubly plunging anticline which has two pay

Wireline well log data collected over a period of time are often used for monitoring subsurface conditions in environmentally threatened areas. Traditional interpretation techniques work well with small wireline well log data sets; however, data sets can become cumbersome or unmanageable when they are large. An alternative method of displaying and interpreting this type of data is by reformatting the digital well log data and using seismic interpretation software. This technique, called pseudoseismic, allows large quantities of digital well log data to be displayed and interpreted rapidly with relative ease. To illustrate the use of this technique, it has been applied to a digital conductivity well log data set from southcentral Kansas to aid in understanding subtle changes in groundwater salinity levels.

This study aims to improve our knowledge of the subsurface geology, and to
create a comprehensive geological framework to highlight potential
opportunities in the region. It involved analyzing the electrical and magnetic
parameters of the subsurface formations, comparing dipole-dipole electrical
resistivity and Schlumberger borehole data with magnetic data, and then
determining the level of alteration using conductive and resistant
anomalies. The results reveal that the area is characterized by resistant
anomalies and a high magnetic field of felsic formations, extending over a total
area of 85.56 ha and covered by a thick layer of alteration averaging 15 m in
depth. These formations span the entirety of the eastern portion of the study
area and isolated areas situated to the west and southwest. A major network
of fractures running NE-SW and NNE-SSW was highlighted through the
analysis of the conductive anomalies. Overall, this study has enabled us to use
a geophysical approach to distinguish the spatial distribution of the sound
lithological series in the area, the degree of alteration of the series, and the
related fracture and fault systems, which could serve as a valuable guide for
any mineral resource and aggregate exploration activity in the region.

Keywords : electrical resistivity, Magnetic anomalies, felsic rock, Toumodi region.

An attempt has been made in this study to estimate the grain sizes and statistical parameters of aquifer sediments, in parts of Bayelsa State, South-South Nigeria. Precise measurement of statistical parameters of sediments is a vital and significant factor for the comparative evaluation of sedimentary depositional environment. Particle size analysis is a vital tool for the determination of the cost, quality and performance of aggregates for several economic purposes, such as in the construction, hospitality, agricultural industrial and of course in ground water resource management. Particle size distribution parameters were determined through conventional sieve analysis, the graphical method for obtaining statistical parameters was mployed in this study. Sieve analysis is the process of measuring the particle size distribution of unbound sediments, it is a less costly and simple to access process. The resulting cumulative frequency distribution curves are continuous with only a single mode value, indicating that all the samples in the study are evidently homogeneous at their specific sites. The coefficient of uniformity (η) evaluated ranges from 2.81 to 5.6 for samples 1 and 3 respectively, while the porosity values estimated ranges from 0.34 (34%) to 0.43 (43%) for samples 2 and 4 respectively. The study indicated that the samples have average grain sizes ranging from 0.37 to 0.95 mm (average 0.60 mm), which were shown to be well graded. The inclusive graphic kurtosis of the sediment grains ranges from 0.12-1.5 (average 0.59), occupying sediments that are very platykurtic (very deficiently peaked) being less than 0.67 to mesokurtic and leptokurtic or excessively peaked (relatively better sorted in the central parts than in the tails).

Northeastern British Columbia (NEBC) in Canada is a zone of conventional oil and gas production since the 1960s. Additionally it contains four shale gas basins that are increasingly being exploited using hydraulic fracturing since the mid2000s. Based on information that is publicly available through the BC Oil and Gas Commission, it appears that at least 19% of drilled oil and gas wellbores in the province have leakage. However, this incident rate could much higher due to underreporting. There are two major consequences of such wellbore leakage: greenhouse gas emission (GHG) and the possibility of aquifer contamination. This article examines the mechanisms of fluids leakage and estimates the rate of GHG emissions from faulty wellbores.

Predrilling electrical measurements involving Spontaneous Potential (SP), Electrical Resistivity (ER) and Induced Polarization (IP) have been carried out at Owulade Estate, Irawo area, Lagos, Nigeria to determine the aquifer unit and groundwater quality in the area. A total of 15 points were sounded using the Schlumberger array for Vertical Electrical Sounding with maximum current electrode separation (AB) of 1.5km. The study has shown the existence of three aquifer units characterized by varying water quality ranging from saline to very good quality freshwater. The SP results were used to delineate various lithological units within the study area while the integration of IP and ER results show that the low resistivity (0.8-25.9 Ohm-m) sand bed consisting of saline /brackish water are characterized by low IP values (< 10 mV/V), the sandy clay (22.7-38.9 Ohm-m) and clayey sand (43.3-86.3 Ohm-m) layers consisting of intermediate to good quality fresh water are characterized by high IP values (10-20 mV/V) while the clean sand formation consisting of very good quality fresh water is characterized by low IP(< 10 mV/V) and high resistivity (91.5-294 Ohm-m) values. The clay formation is characterized by low resistivity (0.8-20 Ohm-m) and very high IP values (20-100 mV/V). The integrated approach has helped in resolving the lithological units as well as the groundwater quality.

Fossil-fuel-based power generation in the Ohio River Valley region of the United States is responsible for large CO 2 emissions. Underlying this region is a thick sedimentary sequence consisting of saline reservoirs, deep unminable coal seams, thick sections of organic-rich shales, and oil and gas reservoirs. Under favourable conditions, these reservoirs could be used for sequestering large volumes of CO 2. However, validation and eventual utilization of this potentially very large geological sequestration capacity requires detailed site-specific geological characterization as well as injection and monitoring demonstrations. The Ohio River Valley CO 2 Storage Project is a collaborative effort (supported by

This paper describes a probabilistic approach for mapping of coastal flood hazards associated with sea-level rise and storm intensification toward the end of the 21st century. Under the Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 8.5, the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) predicts a 0.6-m ensemble mean of sealevel rise for the Central Pacific from the 1986-2005 to 2081-2100 epochs. Fifty downscaling simulations of the 2080-2099 period from the CMIP5 NCAR-CCSM4 model produce 2492 hurricanes around the Hawaiian Islands. In comparison with a control dataset for the 1980-1999 period, the simulated future hurricanes show a slight increase in number and a northward shift of the tracks toward the Hawaiian Islands. There are 627 hurricanes in the 2080-2099 dataset with potential impact on Oahu, and the top 24 storms selected by wind speed at the urban Honolulu coast define a scenario set for inundation mapping. A suite of spectral wave, circulation, and Boussinesq models in a nested grid system describes generation and propagation of surge and waves across the ocean as well as wave setup and runup at the coast. The interoperable package includes phase-averaged and phase-resolving processes to determine the coastal flood hazards over a range of spatial and temporal scales during a hurricane event. Since the simulated dataset corresponds to a quasi 1000-year period, barring the tail end of the distribution, the suite of inundation scenarios enables definition of flood hazard maps with return periods of up to 500 years or annual exceedance probabilities of 0.2% or greater for climate change adaptation.