Borehole stability in naturally fractured rocks with drilling mud intrusion and associated fracture strength weakening:A coupled DFN-DEM approach

Borehole instability in naturally fractured rocks poses significant challenges to drilling.Drilling mud invades the surrounding formations through natural fractures under the difference between the wellbore pressure(P w)and pore pressure(P p)during drilling,which may cause wellbore instability.However,the weakening of fracture strength due to mud intrusion is not considered in most existing borehole stability analyses,which may yield significant errors and misleading predictions.In addition,only limited factors were analyzed,and the fracture distribution was oversimplified.In this paper,the impacts of mud intrusion and associated fracture strength weakening on borehole stability in fractured rocks under both isotropic and anisotropic stress states are investigated using a coupled DEM(distinct element method)and DFN(discrete fracture network)method.It provides estimates of the effect of fracture strength weakening,wellbore pressure,in situ stresses,and sealing efficiency on borehole stability.The results show that mud intrusion and weakening of fracture strength can damage the borehole.This is demonstrated by the large displacement around the borehole,shear displacement on natural fractures,and the generation of fracture at shear limit.Mud intrusion reduces the shear strength of the fracture surface and leads to shear failure,which explains that the increase in mud weight may worsen borehole stability during overbalanced drilling in fractured formations.A higher in situ stress anisotropy exerts a significant influence on the mechanism of shear failure distribution around the wellbore.Moreover,the effect of sealing natural fractures on maintaining borehole stability is verified in this study,and the increase in sealing efficiency reduces the radial invasion distance of drilling mud.This study provides a directly quantitative prediction method of borehole instability in naturally fractured formations,which can consider the discrete fracture network,mud intrusion,and associated weakening of fracture strength.The information provided by the numerical approach(e.g.displacement around the borehole,shear displacement on fracture,and fracture at shear limit)is helpful for managing wellbore stability and designing wellbore-strengthening operations.

Efficient production optimization for naturally fractured reservoir using EDFM

Naturally fractured reservoirs make important contributions to global oil and gas reserves and production.The modeling and simulation of naturally fractured reservoirs are different from conventional reservoirs as the existence of natural fractures.To address the development optimization problem of naturally fractured reservoirs,we propose an optimization workflow by coupling the optimization methods with the embedded discrete fracture model(EDFM).Firstly,the effective and superior performance of the workflow is verified based on the conceptual model.The stochastic simplex approximate gradient(StoSAG)algorithm,the ensemble optimization(EnOpt)algorithm,and the particle swarm optimization(PSO)algorithm are implemented for the production optimization of naturally fractured reservoirs based on the improved versions of the Egg model and the PUNQ-S3 model.The results of the two cases demonstrate the effectiveness of this optimization workflow by finding the optimal well controls which yield the maximum net present value(NPV).Compared to the initial well control guess,the final NPV obtained from the production optimization of fractured reservoirs based on all three optimization algorithms is significantly enhanced.Compared with the optimization results of the PSO algorithm,StoSAG and EnOpt have significant advantages in terms of final NPV and computational efficiency.The results also show that fractures have a significant impact on reservoir production.The economic efficiency of fractured reservoir development can be significantly improved by the optimization workflow.

Flavanone and flavonoid hydroxylase genes regulate fiber color formation in naturally colored cotton

Using naturally colored cotton(NCC)can eliminate dyeing,printing and industrial processing,and reduce sewage discharge and energy consumption.Proanthocyanidins(PAs),the primary coloration components in brown fibers,are polyphenols formed by oligomers or polymers of flavan-3-ol units derived from anthocyanidins.Three essential structural genes for flavanone and flavonoid hydroxylation encoding flavanone-3-hydroxylase(F3H),flavonoid 3’-hydroxylase(F3’H)and flavonoid 3’5’-hydroxylase(F3’5’H)are initially committed in the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway to produce common precursors.The three genes were all expressed predominantly in developing fibers of NCCs,and their expression patterns varied temporally and spatially among NCC varieties.In GhF3Hi,GhF3’Hi and GhF3’5’Hi silenced lines of NCC varieties XC20 and ZX1,the expression level of the three genes decreased in developing cotton fiber,negatively correlated with anthocyanidin content and fiber color depth.Fiber color depth and type in RNAi lines changed with endogenous gene silencing efficiency and expression pattern,the three hydroxylase genes functioned in fiber color formation.GhF3H showed functional differentiation among NCC varieties and GhF3’H acted in the accumulation of anthocyanin in fiber.Compared with GhF3’H,GhF3’5’H was expressed more highly in brown fiber with a longer duration of expression and caused lighter color of fibers in GhF3’5’H silenced lines.These three genes regulating fiber color depth and type could be used to improve these traits by genetic manipulation.

NATURALLY REDUCTIVE(α_(1),α_(2))METRICS

Letting F be a homogeneous(α_(1),α_(2))metric on the reductive homogeneous manifold G/H,we first characterize the natural reductiveness of F as a local f-product between naturally reductive Riemannian metrics.Second,we prove the equivalence among several properties of F for its mean Berwald curvature and S-curvature.Finally,we find an explicit flag curvature formula for G/H when F is naturally reductive.

Complex fracture propagation model and plugging timing optimization for temporary plugging fracturing in naturally fractured shale

In this paper,a viscoelasticity-plastic damage constitutive equation for naturally fractured shale is deduced,coupling nonlinear tensile-shear mixed fracture mode.Dynamic perforation-erosion on fluid re-distribution among multi-clusters are considered as well.DFN-FEM(discrete fracture network combined with finite element method)was developed to simulate the multi-cluster complex fractures propagation within temporary plugging fracturing(TPF).Numerical results are matched with field injection and micro-seismic monitoring data.Based on geomechanical characteristics of Weiyuan deep shale gas reservoir in Sichuan Basin,SW China,a multi-cluster complex fractures propagation model is built for TPF.To study complex fractures propagation and the permeability-enhanced region evolution,intersecting and competition mechanisms between the fractures before and after TPF treatment are revealed.Simulation results show that:fracture from middle cluster is restricted by the fractures from side-clusters,and side-clusters plugging is benefit for multi fractures propagation in uniformity;optimized TPF timing should be delayed within a higher density or strike of natural fractures;Within a reservoir-featured natural fractures distribution,optimized TPF timing for most clustered method is 2/3 of total fluid injection time as the optimal plugging time under different clustering modes.

Interactions of naturally occurring compounds with antimicrobials

Antibiotics are among the most often used medications in human healthcare and agriculture.Overusing these substances can lead to complications such as increasing antibiotic resistance in bacteria or a toxic effect when administering large amounts.To solve these problems,new solutions in antibacterial therapy are needed.The use of natural products in medicine has been known for centuries.Some of them have antibacterial activity,hence the idea to combine their activity with commercial antibiotics to reduce the latter's use.This review presents collected information on natural compounds(terpenes,alkaloids,flavonoids,tannins,sulfoxides,and mycotoxins),of which various drug interactions have been observed.Many of the indicated compounds show synergistic or additive interactions with antibiotics,which suggests their potential for use in antibacterial therapy,reducing the toxicity of the antibiotics used and the risk of further development of bacterial resistance.Unfortunately,there are also compounds which interact antagonistically,potentially hindering the therapy of bacterial infection.Depending on its mechanism of action,each compound can behave differently in combination with different antibiotics and when acting against various bacterial strains.

Modeling flow in naturally fractured reservoirs： effect of fracture aperture distribution on dominant sub-network for flow

Fracture network connectivity and aperture （or conductivity） distribution are two crucial features controlling flow behavior of naturally fractured reservoirs. The effect of connectivity on flow properties is well documented. In this paper, however, we focus here on the influence of fracture aperture distribution. We model a two dimensional fractured reservoir in which the matrix is impermeable and the fractures are well connected. The fractures obey a power-law length distribution, as observed in natural fracture networks. For the aperture distribution, since the information from subsurface fracture networks is limited, we test a number of cases： log-normal distributions （from narrow to broad）, power-law distributions （from narrow to broad）, and one case where the aperture is pro- portional to the fracture length. We find that even a well- connected fracture network can behave like a much sparser network when the aperture distribution is broad enough （c~ 〈 2 for power-law aperture distributions and σ ≥ 0.4 for log-normal aperture distributions）. Specifically, most fractures can be eliminated leaving the remaining dominant sub-network with 90% of the permeability of the original fracture network. We determine how broad the aperture distribution must be to approach this behavior and the dependence of the dominant sub-network on the parameters of the aperture distribution. We also explore whether one can identify the dominant sub-network without doing flow calculations.

Study on the Genetics and Development of Fiber Pigments and Color Deviation After Wetting Process of Naturally Colored Cotton

The genetic control of fiber pigment color in naturally colored cotton was studied. The expression of brown and green fiber color was controlled by incompletely dominant single genes and incompletely dominant major genes, respectively. Production and accumulation of the fiber pigment were related to special expression of enzymatic genes for pigment synthesis in fiber cells. At the stage of fiber lengthening, naturally colored cotton, like white cotton, appeared purely white. But when fiber cell walls entered the thickening stage, pigment appeared by degrees. When the fiber was completely matured (on boll dehiscence), the color reached its darkest level. After wetting process treatment, the hues of the fiber pigment changed in regular patterns. The hue circle for brown and green cotton changed in the opposite direction with wetting process treatment. In general, the treated cotton color and luster became dark and vivid, and this trend provided the possibility for enhancing the fiber quality by suitable environmental friendly finishing. The analysis showed that the color and luster of the cotton may be controlled by a series of pigments which show different chemical performance.

Naturally fractured hydrocarbon reservoir simulation by elastic fracture modeling

Accurate fluid flow simulation in geologically complex reservoirs is of particular importance in construction of reservoir simulators.General approaches in naturally fractured reservoir simulation involve use of unstructured grids or a structured grid coupled with locally unstructured grids and discrete fracture models.These methods suffer from drawbacks such as lack of flexibility and of ease of updating.In this study,I combined fracture modeling by elastic gridding which improves flexibility,especially in complex reservoirs.The proposed model revises conventional modeling fractures by hard rigid planes that do not change through production.This is a dubious assumption,especially in reservoirs with a high production rate in the beginning.The proposed elastic fracture modeling considers changes in fracture properties,shape and aperture through the simulation.This strategy is only reliable for naturally fractured reservoirs with high fracture permeability and less permeable matrix and parallel fractures with less cross-connections.Comparison of elastic fracture modeling results with conventional modeling showed that these assumptions will cause production pressure to enlarge fracture apertures and change fracture shapes,which consequently results in lower production compared with what was previously assumed.It is concluded that an elastic gridded model could better simulate reservoir performance.

SOLUTION OF GENERALIZED COORDINATE FOR WARPING FOR NATURALLY CURVED AND TWISTED BEAMS

A theoretical method for static analysis of naturally curved and twisted beams under complicated loads was presented, with special attention devoted to the solving process of governing equations which take into account the effects of torsion-related warping as well as transverse shear deformations. These governing equations, in special cases, can be readily solved and yield the solutions to the problem. The solutions can be used for the analysis of the beams, including the calculation of various internal forces, stresses, strains and displacements. The present theory will be used to investigate the stresses and displacements of a plane curved beam subjected to the action of horizontal and vertical distributed loads. The numerical results obtained by the present theory are found to be in very good agreement with the results of the FEM results. Besides, the present theory is not limited to the beams with a double symmetric cross-section, it can also be extended to those with arbitrary cross-sectional shape.

Spin-exchange relaxation of naturally abundant Rb in a K-Rb-21Ne self-compensated atomic comagnetometer

The total effective spin-exchange relaxation of naturally abundant Rb in a K–Rb–21Ne comagnetometer is analyzed,and the results show that the coexistence of 87Rb and 85Rb isotopes in the same volume can lead to a large extra spinexchange broadening compared to pure 87Rb.This broadening mainly comes from the contribution of the equivalent reduction in the Rb spin-exchange rate.On this basis,an approximate relaxation model is proposed and experimentally demonstrated to be more accurate than that from a previous work.This study also provides a method for determining the properties of alkali-metal vapor cells.

CHARACTERISTIC DIFFERENCE METHODS FOR TWO-PHASE DISPLACEMENT IN NATURALLY FRACTURED RESERVOIRS

In this paper we shall give the characteristic difference methods for two phase displace meat problem in naturally fractured reservoirs.We shall prove the existence,uniqueness of the ap proximate solution and a priori discrete L2-error estimates.

Comparison of the thermal properties of clay samples as potential walling material for naturally cooled building design

The thermal properties of different clay samples obtained from locations in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria were investigated and compared, and in order to establish their suitability as building material from energy conservation point of view. The results showed that stoneware clay has the highest solar radiation absorptivity of 22 32 m -1 while kaolin clay has the lowest radiation absoptivity of 14 46 m -1 A model for the prediction of temperature variation with thickness of the samples was developed. Results showed that kaolin would make the best choice for the design of a naturally cooled building.

Research on the Properties of the Naturally Coloured Cottons

Structures and characteristics of naturally coloured cottons grown in China were analyzed. Breaking strength of yarns made of pure coloured cotton and coloured cotton fibres blended with other fibres were investigated. Colour fastness of the coloured cotton goods was tested. Suggestions for using the coloured cotton practically and effectively were also included.

Effects of Mulberry Extract on Regulation of Sex Hormone and Hypothalamic Neurotransmitter in Naturally Aged Female Rats

[Objective] This study aimed to investigate the effects of different mulberry extracts on sex hormone and hypothalamic neurotransmitter in naturally aged female rats and reveal the mechanism and material basis of anti-aging effect of mulberry. [ Method] Fourteen-month-old SD female rats were selected and ran- domly divided into model group, positive control group, high-dose and low-dose water extract groups, high-dose and low-dose 50% ethanol extract groups, and high-dose and low-dose 95% ethanol extract groups; four-month-old SD female rats were used as blank control group. After eight weeks of drug administration, the levels of 17β-estradiol （E2 ）, follicle- stimulating hormone （FSH） and luteinizing hormone （LH） in serum and beta-endorphin （β-EP） in hypothalamus were de- termined by radioimmunoassay; the levels of norepinephrine （ NE）, dopamine （ DA）, 5-hydroxy tryptamine （5-HT） and 5-HIAA in hypothalamus were determined by fluorescence spectrometry. [ Result] Water extract of mulberry can increase the level of E2 and reduce levels of FSH and LH in serum, and increase the level of fl-EP and reduce levels of DA, 5-HT and 5-HIAA in hypothalamus of naturally aged female rats. Water extract of mulberry exhibited higher effects than 50% eth- anol extract and 95% ethanol extract. [ Conclusion] Mulberry could significantly improve the function of hypothalamic peptide neurotransmitter in naturally aged rats, correct disorders of hypothalamic monoamine neurotransmitter, and treat perimenopausal syndrome by regulating reproductive endocrine function, which might be related with its water-soluble components and require further investigation and development.

A Review of the Dynamic Modeling Approaches for Characterizing Fluid Flow in Naturally Fractured Reservoirs

Fluid flow in fractured media has been studied for decades and received considerable attention in the oil and gas industry because of the high productivity of naturally fractured reservoirs.Due to formation complexity and reservoir heterogeneity,characterizing fluid flow with an appropriate reservoir model presents a challenging task that differs relatively from homogeneous conventional reservoirs in many aspects of view,including geological,petrophysical,production,and economics.In most fractured reservoirs,fracture networks create complex pathways that affect hydrocarbon flow,well performance,hence reservoir characterization.A better and comprehensive understanding of the available reservoir modeling approaches is much needed to accurately characterize fluid flow behavior in NFRs.Therefore,in this paper,a perspective review of the available modeling approaches was presented for fluid flow characterization in naturally fractured medium.Modeling methods were evaluated in terms of their description,application,advantages,and disadvantages.This study has also included the applications of these reservoir models in fluid flow characterizing studies and governing equations for fluid flow.Dual continuum models were proved to be better than single continuum models in the presence of large scale fractures.In comparison,discrete models were more appropriate for reservoirs that contain a smaller number of fractures.However,hybrid modeling was the best method to provide accurate and scalable fluid flow modeling.It is our understanding that this paper will bridge the gap between the fundamental understanding and application of NFRs modeling approaches and serve as a useful reference for engineers and researchers for present and future applications.

A Simulation Approach for Screening of EOR Scenarios in Naturally Fractured Reservoirs

Undoubtedly, plenty of hydrocarbon sources are located in carbonate rocks, particularly those which are naturally fractured that is still needed to study their characterization, because of their complex and unconventional behavior. Therefore, applying any processes that cause Enhancing Oil Recovery (EOR) from Naturally Fractured Reservoirs (NFR) seems necessary and useful. However, selecting the best developed scenario is always challenging. Screening criteria would determine the possibility of implementing an EOR process. While, utilizing trade marketing simulators can solve this problem. Moreover, simulation can evaluate other parameters such as water cut and gas-oil ratio. In this research, an aquifer-supported Iranian NFR with two parts that are separated to each other with a shale layer is considered in order to select the best EOR scenario. The fluid model is created using PVTi software. Various production scenarios included natural depletion, water flooding, miscible carbon dioxide injection, water-alternating-gas (WAG) injection, simultaneous water- alternating-gas (SWAG) injection, hybrid injection, and gas recycling are simulated in ECLIPSE Compositional (E300) and their recovery factor recorded as the target parameter. The developed scenarios are designed in a way that gives the optimized results, i.e. higher recovery factor, less water cut as well as the less gas-oil ratio. As a result, SWAG shows better conditions and is recommended for the further studies of the reservoir management plan in the future. Also, the role of the aquifer in the SWAG scenario is positive by creating a natural WAG in addition to the SWAG. Additionally, the average reservoir pressure through fractures reduces less in the SWAG than the other Scenarios, the oil and gas production rate reduce less in the SWAG and SWAG/ miscible gas respectively than the other scenarios. The maximum and the minimum water cut are related to the water flooding and SWAG, respectively.Finally, the simulation approach of EOR screening in NFR is better than other approaches, from the perspective of economic issues as well as the simplicity of the methods.

Prediction of oil recovery in naturally fractured reservoirs subjected to reinfiltration during gravity drainage using a new scaling equation

By comparing numerical simulation results of single-porosity and dual-porosity models,the significant effect of reinfiltration to naturally fractured reservoirs was confirmed.A new governing equation was proposed for oil drainage in a matrix block under the reinfiltration process.Utilizing inspectional analysis,a dimensionless equation suitable for scaling of recovery curves for matrix blocks under reinfiltration has been obtained.By the design of experiments,test cases with different rock and fluid properties were defined to confirm the scope of the presented equation.The defined cases were simulated using a realistic numerical simulation approach.This method can estimate the oil amount getting into the matrix block through reinfiltration,help simulate the oil drainage process in naturally fractured reservoirs accurately,and predict the recovery rate of matrix block in the early to middle periods of production.Using the defined scaling equation in the dual-porosity model can improve the accuracy of the predicted recovery rate.

Naturally in Love

Beijing’s warm summer air was filled with love on June 22,2010.Cotton Council International China held a fashion wedding party against the breath taking backdrop of the Purple Jade Villas,for the winning couple

Are You The One?——COTTON USA^(TM) Launches “Naturally in Love” Online Video Competition

Following the great success of COTTON USA’s "Natural World" online video competition earlier this year, the brand has launched a new competition as part of its