A Research Progress of CO_(2)-Responsive Plugging Channeling Gels

In the heterogeneous reservoirs,CO_(2) flooding easily leads to CO_(2) gas channeling,which can seriously affect sweeping efficiency and reduce oil recovery.After thoroughly investigating the advantages and shortcomings of various CO_(2) plugging technologies,this paper focuses on the feasibility of improving conventional water-alternating gas(WAG)through CO_(2)-responsive gel materials.Based on the different chemical reaction mechanisms between the unique chemical structure and CO_(2),changes in the material’s physical and chemical properties can respond to CO_(2).The feasibility of utilizing these property changes for CO_(2)-responsive plugging is explored.Various CO_(2)-responsive gels and gel nanoparticles have been extensively researched in different fields,such as energy,medicine,and biology.This paper surveys the molecular structures,chemical compositions,response mechanisms,and changes of these CO_(2)-responsive gels,aiming to draw insights into the carbon dioxide-enhanced oil recovery(CO_(2)-EOR)field.Finally,the key issues and future development direction of CO_(2)-responsive plugging gels were analyzed.

Gas channeling control with an in-situ smart surfactant gel during water-alternating-CO_(2) enhanced oil recovery

Undesirable gas channeling always occurs along the high-permeability layers in heterogeneous oil reservoirs during water-alternating-CO_(2)(WAG)flooding,and conventional polymer gels used for blocking the“channeling”paths usually suffer from either low injectivity or poor gelation control.Herein,we for the first time developed an in-situ high-pressure CO_(2)-triggered gel system based on a smart surfactant,N-erucamidopropyl-N,N-dimethylamine(UC22AMPM),which was introduced into the aqueous slugs to control gas channeling inWAG processes.The water-like,low-viscosity UC22AMPM brine solution can be thickened by high-pressure CO_(2) owing to the formation of wormlike micelles(WLMs),as well as their growth and shear-induced structure buildup under shear flow.The thickening power can be further potentiated by the generation of denser WLMs resulting from either surfactant concentration augmentation or a certain range of heating,and can be impaired via pressurization above the critical pressure of CO_(2) because of its soaring solvent power.Core flooding tests using heterogeneous cores demonstrated that gas channeling was alleviated by plugging of high-capacity channels due to the in-situ gelation of UC22AMPM slugs upon their reaction with the pre-or post-injected CO_(2) slugs under shear flow,thereupon driving chase fluids into unrecovered low-permeability areas and producing an 8.0% higher oil recovery factor than the conventional WAG mode.This smart surfactant enabled high injectivity and satisfactory gelation control,attributable to low initial viscosity and the combined properties of one component and CO_(2)-triggered gelation,respectively.This work could provide a guide towards designing gels for reducing CO_(2) spillover and reinforcing the CO_(2) sequestration effect during CO_(2) enhanced oil recovery processes.

Numerical study of the deep removal of R134a from non-condensable gas mixture by cryogenic condensation and de-sublimation

Nowadays,the limits on greenhouse gas emissions are becoming increasingly stringent.In present research,a two-dimensional numerical model was established to simulate the deep removal of 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane(R134a)from the non-condensable gas(NCG)mixture by cryogenic condensation and de-sublimation.The wall condensation method was compiled into the Fluent software to calculate the condensation of R134a from the gas mixture.Besides,the saturated thermodynamic properties of R134a under its triple point were extrapolated by the equation of state.The simulation of the steam condensation with NCG was conducted to verify the validity of the model,the results matched well with the experimental data.Subsequently,the condensation characteristics of R134a with NCG and the thermodynamic parameters affecting condensation were studied.The results show that the section with relatively higher removal efficiency is usually near the inlet.The cold wall temperature has a great influence on the R134a removal performance,e.g.,a 15 K reduction of the wall temperature brings a reduction in the outlet R134a molar fraction by 85.43%.The effect of changing mass flow rate on R134a removal is mainly reflected at the outlet,where an increase in mass flow rate of 12.6% can aggravate the outlet molar fraction to 210.3% of the original.The research can provide a valuable reference for the simulation of the deep removal of various low-concentration gas using condensation and de-sublimation methods.

A novel method for multichannel discharge image diagnosis in gas switches based on multi-axis tomography techniques

The discharge channel is a crucial diagnostic tool for identifying the properties of gas switches.However,single-view images cannot easily be used to inherently understand the discharge channel characteristics of trigger electrodes.A reconstruction method of the discharge channel in gas switches is proposed based on a multi-axis tomography technique,which uses very few projections of optical images to reconstruct the location of a multichannel discharge in annular electrodes.In this paper,an algorithm named TVM-OSEM(total variation minimization ordered subsets expectation maximization)is proposed,which can effectively remove artifact noise to improve the reconstruction accuracy of discharge channels.The method is validated against simulations of a radiator with high-density-difference boundary.The calculated discharge channel distribution from one experiment is presented.

Partitioning characteristics of gas channel of coal-rock mass in mining space and gas orientation method

In order to research the influence of coal-rock mass morphology of mining space on the flow law of gas,the laboratory physical model and numerical computation methods were adopted to simulate coal mining activities.The simulation results indicate that,after coal seam mining,the loose rock accumulation body of free caving,ordered rock arrangement body of plate damage rich in longitudinal and transverse fractures and horizontal fissure body formed by rock mass deformation imbalance are formed from bottom to top in the mining space.For these three types of accumulation bodies,there are essential differences in the accumulation state,rock size and gas breakover characteristics.According to this,the coal-rock mass in the mining space is classified into gas turbulence channel area,gas transitional flow channel area and gas seepage channel area.In the turbulence channel area,the gas is distributed transversely and longitudinally and gas diffuses in the form of convection with Reynolds number R_e more than100;in the transitional flow channel area,one-way or two-way gas channels are crisscross and gas is of transitional flow regime with R,.between 10 and 100.In the seepage channel area,there are a few vertical gas channels with R,.less than 10.In this paper,the researches on the gas orientation method in different partitions were further carried out,gas orientation methods of low-level pipe burying,middle-level interception and high-level extraction were determined and an on-site industrial test was conducted,achieving the effective diversion of gas and verifying the reasonableness of gas channel partition.

CO_2-triggered gelation for mobility control and channeling blocking during CO_2 flooding processes

CO2 flooding is regarded as an important method for enhanced oil recovery （EOR） and greenhouse gas control. However, the heterogeneity prevalently dis- tributed in reservoirs inhibits the performance of this technology. The sweep efficiency can be significantly reduced especially in the presence of ＂thief zones＂. Hence, gas channeling blocking and mobility control are important technical issues for the success of CO2 injection. Normally, crosslinked gels have the potential to block gas channels, but the gelation time control poses challenges to this method. In this study, a new method for selectively blocking CO2 channeling is proposed, which is based on a type of CO2-sensitive gel system （modified polyacry- lamide-methenamine-resorcinol gel system） to form gel in situ. A CO2-sensitive gel system is when gelation or solidification will be triggered by CO2 in the reservoir to block gas channels. The CO2-sensitivity of the gel system was demonstrated in parallel bottle tests of gel in N2 and CO2 atmospheres. Sand pack flow experiments were con- ducted to investigate the shutoff capacity of the gel system under different conditions. The injectivity of the gel system was studied via viscosity measurements. The results indi- cate that this gel system was sensitive to CO2 and had good performance of channeling blocking in porous media. Advantageous viscosity-temperature characteristics were achieved in this work. The effectiveness for EOR in heterogeneous formations based on this gel system was demonstrated using displacement tests conducted in double sand packs. The experimental results can provide guideli- nes for the deployment of theCO2-sensitive gel system for field applications.

Formation and evolution of gas flow channels in the abutment pressure area

The permeability of coal ahead of the working face obviously changes dues to changes in abutment pressure.The formation and evolution of gas flow channels within the abutment pressure area was studied by analyzing the fracture extension mechanism and fracture development in different zones of the abutment pressure area.Fracture and damage mechanics theory is used to understand the observations.The following two techniques were used to understand the evolution of gas flow channels:field observation of the characteristic fractures at different positions relative to the working face and fluorescence micrographs of prepared coal samples.Bending tensile fractures develop along an approximately vertical direction that forms a microscopic network of channels in areas of stress concentration.The abutment pressure affects the local stress and,hence,the local gas conduction.The fractures induced by large deformation and plastic flow form macroscopically networked channels in the reduced stress area.Closer to the working face the gas flow channels evolve from microscopic to macroscopic and from isolated to network.Gas permeability continuously increases during this time.This is corroborated by field observations of the displacement of top coal and the gas flow from gas extraction drillings.

Evolution and distribution of macroscopic gas channels in an overburden strata

The evolution of gas bearing channels in the roof,and their spatial distribution,was studied.A complete consideration of gas flow changes through the stress-strain changes in the roof near a working face is made.The theoretical abutment pressure distribution using displacement monitors and borehole visual recording instruments allow a theoretical analysis.Field test research determined the conditions for formation of macroscopic gas channels.These appear along the working face roof,normally distributed to it.These results show that the coal rock stratification becomes a macroscopic gas channel boundary if its deformation is less than the lower layer,or greater than the layer above it.At the same time the stability is greater than the distance from the roof for hanging dew conditions.The working face advances and the roof gas channels experience a cycle of development.Microscopic channels dominate the initial stage then macroscopic gas channels form,develop,and close.The evolution of the macroscopic channels depends on the ratio between the distances from the new compaction area in the goaf to the initial stress area in front of the working face.The amount of daily advance of the face also affects channel development.The experimental observations in one mining area showed that the main gas channels are located about 2 and 6.2 m above the lower surface of the roof and that they have an evolution period 7 to 11 days long.

Enhancement of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Performance Using a Novel Tapered Gas Channel

Based on use of multi-dimensional models,this investigation simulates the performance of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell by varying the channel pattern.In the one-dimensional model,the porosity of the gas diffusion layer is 0.3.The model reveals the water vapor distribution of the fuel cell and demonstrates that the amount of water vapor increases linearly with the reduction reaction adjacent to the gas channel and the gas diffusion layer.Secondly,four novel tapered gas channels are simulated by a two-dimensional model.The model considers the distributions of oxygen,the pressure drop,the amount of water vapor distribution and the polarization curves.The results indicate that as the channel depth decreases,the oxygen in the tapered gas channel can be accel-erated and forced into the gas diffusion layer to improve the cell performance.The three-dimensional model is employed to simulate the phenomenon associated with four novel tapered gas channels.The results also show that the best performance is realized in the least tapered gas channel.Finally,an experimentally determined mechanism is found to be consistent with the results of the simulation.

Investigations on Non-Condensation Gas of a Heat Pipe

This paper utilizes numerical analysis method to determine the influence of non-condensation gas on the thermal performance of a heat pipe. The temperature difference between the evaporation and condensation sections of a single heat pipe and maximum heat capacity are the index of the thermal performance of a heat pipe for a thermal module manufacturer. The thermal performance of a heat pipe with lower temperature difference between the evaporation and condensation sections is better than that of higher temperature dif- ference at the same input power. The results show that the maximum heat capacity reaches the highest point, as the amount of the non-condensation gas of a heat pipe is the lowest value and the temperature difference between evaporation and condensation sections is the smallest one. The temperature difference is under 1?C while the percentage of the non-condensation gas is under 8 × 10?5%, and the heat pipe has the maximum heat capacity.

Characteristics of mining gas channel expansion in the remote overlying strata and its control of gas flow

The technology of pressure relief gas drainage is one of the most effective and economic for preventing gas emissions in underground mines.Based on current understanding of strata breakage and fracture development in overlying strata,the current study divides the overlying strata into the following three longitudinal zones in terms of the state of gas flow:a turbulent channel zone,a transitional circulation channel zone and a seepage channel zone.According to the key strata discrimination theory of controlling the overlying strata,the calculation method establishes that the step-type expansion of the mining gas channel corresponds to the advancing distance of working face,and this research also confrms the expanding rule that the mining gas channel in overlying strata follows the advancing distance of mining working face.Based on the geological conditions of Xinjing Coal Mine of Yangquan,this paper researches the expanding rule of mining gas channel as well as the control action of the channel acting on the pressure relief flow under the condition of the remote protective layer,and got the distance using inversion that the step-type expanding of mining gas channel is corresponding to the advancing distance of working face,which verifes the accuracy and feasibility of theoretical calculation method proposed in this study.The research provides the theoretical basis for choosing the technology of pressure relief gas drainage and designing the parameters of construction.

Effect of non-condensable gas on a collapsing cavitation bubble near solid wall investigated by multicomponent thermal MRT-LBM

A multicomponent thermal multi-relaxation-time(MRT)lattice Boltzmann method(LBM)is presented to study collapsing cavitation bubble.The simulation results satisfy Laplace law and the adiabatic law,and are consistent with the numerical solution of the Rayleigh-Plesset equation.To study the effects of the non-condensable gas inside bubble on collapsing cavitation bubble,a numerical model of single spherical bubble near a solid wall is established.The temperature and pressure evolution of the two-component two-phase flow are well captured.In addition,the collapse process of the cavitation bubble is discussed elaborately by setting the volume fractions of the gas and vapor to be the only variables.The results show that the non-condensable gas in the bubble significantly affects the pressure field,temperature field evolution,collapse velocity,and profile of the bubble.The distinction of the pressure and temperature on the wall after the second collapse becomes more obvious as the non-condensable gas concentration increases.

The Coupled Effects of Dryness and Non-condensable Gas Content of Geothermal Fluid on the Power Generation Potential of an Enhanced Geothermal System

The Enhanced Geothermal System(EGS) is a recognized geothermal exploitation system for hot dry rock(HDR), which is a rich resource in China. In this study, a numerical simulation method is used to study the effects of geothermal fluid dryness and non-condensable gas content on the specific enthalpy of geothermal fluid. Combined with the organic Rankine cycle(ORC), a numerical model is established to ascertain the difference in power generation caused by geothermal fluid dryness and non-condensable gas content. The results show that the specific enthalpy of geothermal fluid increases with the increase of geothermal fluid temperature and geothermal fluid dryness. If the dryness of geothermal fluid is ignored, the estimation error will be large for geothermal fluid enthalpy. Ignoring non condensable gas will increase the estimation of geothermal fluid enthalpy, so the existence of the non-condensable gas tends to reduce the installed capacity of a geothermal power plant. Additionally, both mass flow of the working medium and net power output of the ORC power generation system are increased with increasing dryness of geothermal fluid, however there is some impact of geothermal fluid dryness on thermal efficiency.

Effect of Non-Condensable Gas Leakage on Long Term Cooling Performance of Loop Thermosyphon

We have developed a loop thermosyphon for cooling electronic devices. The cooling performance of a thermosyphon deteriorates with an increasing amount of non-condensable gas (NCG). Design of a thermosyphon must consider NCG to provide guaranteed performance for a long time. In this study, the heat transfer performance of a thermosyphon was measured while changing the amount of NCG. The resultant performances were expressed as approximations. These approximations enabled us to predict the total thermal resistance of the thermosyphon by the amount of NCG and input heating. Then, using the known leakage in the thermosyphon and the amount of dissolved NCG in the water, we can predict the amount of NCG and the total thermal resistance of the thermosyphon after ten years. Although there is a slight leakage in the thermosyphon, we are able to design a thermosyphon with a guaranteed level of cooling performance for a long time using the proposed design method.

Effects of Strain Channel on Electron Irradiation Tolerance of InP-based HEMT Structures

The introduction of strain In_(x)Ga_(1-x)As channel with high In content increases the confinement of the two-dimensional electron gas(2DEG)and further improves the high-frequency performance of InGaAs/InAlAs/InP HEMTs.The effect of In_(x)Ga_(1-x)As channel with different In contents on electron irradiation tolerance of InP-based HEMT structures in terms of 2DEG mobility and density has been investigated.The experiment results show that,after the same high electron irradiation dose,the 2DEG mobility and density in InP-based HEMT structures with strain In_(x)Ga_(1-x)As(x>0.53)channel decrease more dramatically than that without strain In_(0.53)Ga_(0.47)As channel.Moreover,the degradation of 2DEG mobility and density becomes more severe as the increase of In content and strain in the In_(x)Ga_(1-x)As channel.The research results can provide some suggestions for the design of radiation-resistant InP-based HEMTs.

Oil and gas cooperation between China and Central Asia in an environment of political and resource competition

This paper investigates Central Asia＇s oil and gas resources, special geopolitics and energy competition, and approaches, challenges and prospects in cooperation between China and Central Asia. The objective is to propose measures for oil and gas cooperation between China and Central Asia. Central Asia is rich in oil and gas resources. Its remaining recoverable reserves of crude oil and natural gas account for 1.9% and 10.6 %, respectively, of the world＇s total reserves. Moreover, there is great exploration and development potential. As a strategic channel connecting Eurasia, Central Asia has a prominent geopolitical status. Many powerful countries such as the United States, Russia and China, as well as Europe, have an intense energy competition in Central Asia. In the oil and gas cooperation with Central Asia, the China National Petroleum Corporation （CNPC） focuses on establishing a coordination group, promoting overall oil and gas business opportunities and sustainable development, innovating and applying specialty engineering technology and improving project economic benefits. Through its efforts over the last nearly two decades, the China National Petroleum Corporation has completed a 50-million-tonne a year oil and gas production centre in Central Asia and oil and gas pipelines passing through multiple countries, becoming an important channel for securing China＇s energy imports. If appropriate measures are taken in the ＇Thirteenth Five-Year Plan＇ period or later, the China National Petroleum Corporation will develop a 100-million-tonne p.a. oil and gas production centre in Central Asia and a strategic oil and gas import channel exceeding this amount of production. This cooperation between China and Central Asia is however faced with the following challenges： increasing multinational competition uncertainty, potential risks in the political systems of Central Asian countries, frequently occurring violence and also resource policy tightening in Central Asia. To further oil and gas cooperation with Central Asia, it is recommended that China should develop an energy acquisition strategy, assign a regional energy ambassador, enhance oil and gas supply by mergers and acquisitions, establish regional multinational subsidiaries and improve its risk prevention system.

Geologic-Geophysical Indicators of the Deep Structure of Zones of Geothermal Anomalies for Allocation of Channels of the Deep Heat and Mass Transfer

On the basis of the analysis of field thermogeochemical data along abnormal zones of a thermal stream in the Bukhara-Khiva, oil-and-gas region of the Turan (Tegermen, Chagakul, Shimoly Alat, Beshtepa) was succeeded to obtain important data on a deep structure of sites. Data of gas-chemical and geothermal observations show about confinedness of abnormal concentration of methane to zones of the increased values of the temperature field the measured values of temperatures (Tegermen Square and others). On geoelectric section mines 2-D of inversion of the MT-field depth of 4000 m are lower, among very high-resistance the chemogenic and carbonate deposits of the Paleozoic is traced the subvertical carrying-out abnormal zone. This zone is identified as the channel of a deep heat and mass transfer with which hydrocarbon (HC) deposits are connected. It is shown that electro-investigation when using a geophysical complex can and has to become “advancing” at exploration by oil and gas.

Numerical Simulation Study on the Effect of Horizontal Well Reservoir Stimulation for Gas Hydrate Production

A new gas hydrate reservoir stimulation method of in-situ fracturing with transient heating is proposed, in line with analysis of the technological bottlenecks faced by marine gas hydrate production. This method injects the developed chemical reagents into a hydrate reservoir through hydraulic fracturing, releasing heat during the chemical reaction to increase the hydrate decomposition rate. The chemical reaction product furthermore has a honeycomb structure to support fractures and increase reservoir permeability. Based on the geological model of natural gas hydrate in the South China Sea, three development methods are simulated to evaluate hydrate production capacity, consisting of horizontal well, fractured horizontal well and in-situ fracturing with transient heating well. Compared with the horizontal well, the simulation results show that the cumulative gas production of the fractured horizontal well in one year is 7 times that of the horizontal well, while the cumulative gas production of in-situ fracturing with transient heating well is 12 times that of the horizontal well, which significantly improves daily efficiency and cumulative gas production. In addition, the variation patterns of hydrate saturation and temperature-pressure fields with production time for the three exploitation plans are presented, it being found that three sensitive parameters of fracture conductivity, fracture half-length and fracture number are positively correlated with hydrate production enhancement. Through the simulations, basic data and theoretical support for the optimization of gas hydrate reservoir stimulation scheme has been provided.

Distinct BSRs and their implications for natural gas hydrate formation and distribution at the submarine Makran accretionary zone

To investigate the nature of gas hydrates in the Makran area,new high-resolution geophysical data were acquired between 2018-2019.The data collected comprise multibeam and two-dimensional multi-channel seismic reflection data.The multibeam bathymetry data show East-North-East(ENE)ridges,piggy-back basins,canyon and channel systems,and the morphology of the abyssal plain.Continuous and discontinuous bottom simulating reflectors(BSRs)occur in the piggy-back basins on most of the seismic profiles available.The BSRs cut the dipping layers with strong amplitude and reversed polarity.Discontinuous BSRs indicate a transition along a dipping high-permeable sand layers from gas-rich segment to the gas hydrate-bearing segment and sugge st alternating sediments of fine and relatively coarse grain size.Double BSRs are highly dynamic and attributed to slumps occurring in the study area.The BSRs induced by slumps are located both at deep and shallow depths,responding to the temperature or pressure variation.For the first time,BSRs are observed in the abyssal plain of the Makran area,being associated with anticline structures,which do not show large spatial continuity and are strongly conditioned by structural conditions such as anticlines and fluid migration pathways,including deep fault,gas chimney,and high-permeable sedimentary layer.Our results may help to assess the gas hydrate potential within the piggy-back basins and to determine the most promising target areas.Moreover,results about the abyssal plain BSR may help to locate hydrocarbon reservoirs in the deep ocean.

Sufficiently diffused attachment of nitrogen arc by gasdynamic action

For realizing diffused anode attachment in pure nitrogen arcs, a special arc plasma generator was designed and combined with suitable working parameters such as gas flow rate and arc current. The anode has a flow-restrictor channel of 2.8 mm diameter and downstream expansion half-angle of 8°, with the purpose of creating a dispersed nitrogen-arc column by strong gasdynamic expansion effect. Results show that, when thermal blocking condition existed in the flow restrictor and the cathode cavity pressure was higher than that in the exit chamber by at least 9 kPa, the action due to gasdynamic expansion could be much stronger than the self-magnetic contraction effect of the arc and the nitrogen arc column could be effectively dispersed to form a sufficiently diffused attachment on the water-cooled anode surface.