Beneficial effects of wettability altering surfactants in oil-wet fractured reservoirs

In fractured reservoirs, an effective matrix-fracture mass transfer is required for oil recovery. Surfactants have long been considered for oil recovery enhancement, mainly in terms of their ability to reduce oil–water interfacial tension. These surfactants are effective when the fractured formations are water-wet, where capillary imbibition of surfactants from the fracture into the matrix contributes to oil recovery. However, another beneficial aspect of surfactants, namely their ability to alter wettability, remains to be explored and exploited. Surfactants capable of altering wettability can be especially beneficial in oil-wet fractured formations, where the surfactant in the fracture diffuses into the matrix and alters the wettability, enabling imbibition of even more surfactant into the matrix. This sequential process of initial diffusion followed by imbibition continues well into the matrix yielding significant enhancements in oil recovery.In order to test this hypothesis of sequential diffusion–imbibition phenomenon, Dual-Drop Dual-Crystal (DDDC) contact angle experiments have been conducted using fractured Yates dolomite reservoir fluids, two types of surfactants (nonionic and anionic) and dolomite rock substrates. A new experimental procedure was developed in which crude oil equilibrated with reservoir brine has been exposed to surfactant to simulate the matrix-fracture interactions in fractured reservoirs. This procedure enables the measurements of dynamic contact angles and oil–water interfacial tensions, in addition to providing the visual observations of the dynamic behavior of crude oil trapped in the rock matrix as it encounters the diffusing surfactant from the fractures. Both the measurements and visual observations indicate wettability alterations of the matrix surface from oil-wet to less oil-wet or intermediate wet by the surfactants. Thus this study is of practical importance to oil-wet fractured formations where surfactant-induced wettability alterations can result in significant oil recovery enhancements. In addition, this study has also identified the need to include contact angle term in the dimensionless Bond number formulations for better quantitative interpretation of rock–fluids interactions.     

Hamiltonian of a Slightly Asymmetric Molecules with a Three Fold Internal Rotor and Its Applications to Optically Pumped FIR Lasers: Theoretical Aspects

In this paper, a Model of the Hamiltonian function is reviewed for the slightly asymmetric class of molecules, which is the most successful so far, according to our present knowledge. This model does not have the redundancy problem suffered by previous models. The observed frequencies are calculated to within experimental accuracy. In our subsequent papers we will show the application of this model for the prediction and quantum number assignments of optically pumped far infrared lasers and thereby increasing the possibility of new lines in the region of the spectrum which severely lacks enough monochromatic sources. We will also show that this model is capable of calculating even MMW transitions for the second excited state of methanol. All the previous models consider transitions up to the first excited torsional state.     

Binding free energy calculations of galectin-3-ligand interactions

Galectins show remarkable binding specificity towards ß-galactosides.A recently developed method for calculating binding free energiesbetween a protein and its substrates has been used to evaluatethe binding specificity of galectin-3. Five disaccharides anda tetrasaccharide were used as the substrates. The calculatedbinding free energies agree quite well with the experimentaldata and the ranking of binding affinities is well reproduced.For all the six protein–ligand complexes it was observedthat electrostatic interactions oppose binding whereas the non-polarcontributions drive complex formation. The observed bindingspecificity of galectin-3 for galactosides rather than glucosidesis discussed in light of our results.     

Adaptive cell division for ray tracing

In ray tracing the two most commonly used data structures are the octree and uniform cell division. The octree structure allows efficient adaptive subdivision of space, while taking care of the spatial coherence of the objects in it; however, the tree structure locating the next node in the path of a ray is complex and time consuming. The cell structure, on the other hand, can be stored in a three-dimensional array, and each cell can be efficiently accessed by specifying three indices. However, such a uniform cell division does not take care of object coherence. The proposed data structure combines the positive features of the above data structures while minimising their disadvantages. The entire object space is implicitly assumed to be a three-dimensional grid of cells. Initially, the entire object space is a single voxel which later undergoes “adaptive cell division.” But, unlike in the octree structure, where each voxel is divided exactly at the middle of each dimension, in adaptive cell division, each voxel is divided at the nearest cell boundary. The result is that each voxel contains an integral number of cells along each axis. Corresponding to the implicit cell division we maintain a three-dimensional array, with each array element containing the voxel number which is used to index into the voxel array. The voxel array is used to store information about the structure of each voxel, in particular, the objects in each voxel. While a ray moves from one voxel to another we always keep track of the cell through which the ray is currently passing. Since only arrays are involved in accessing the next voxel in the path of the ray, the operation is very efficient.     

Experimental determination of NH<Subscript>4</Subscript>NO<Subscript>3</Subscript>-KNO<Subscript>3</Subscript> binary phase diagram

The solid-state phase transitions in ammonium nitrate (AN)-potassium nitrate (KN) system, and the equilibrium AN-KN phase diagram have been determined by using differential scanning calorimetry and high-temperature in situ x-ray diffractometry. Sample preparation was performed in a special “dry room” with very low humidity. A single phase region (AN III) with no phase transitions to 373 K was observed in the composition range 5 to 20% KN; this is critical for use in air bag gas generators. The high-temperature KN phase (KN I) has a wide range of stability from 20 to 100 wt.% KN. There are one eutectic, two eutectoid, three peritectoid, and one congruent transformations in this phase diagram. Two new nonstoichiometric phases were found at lower temperatures in the mid-composition range between the AN and KN terminal solid solutions. Details of the phase equilibria are presented.     

In Situ Performance Testing of Deteriorating Water Tanks for Durability Assessment

Reports of failure of existing concrete structures due to a lack of durability, rather than a deficiency in structural strength, has made concrete technologists, engineers, and researchers focus research on the parameters influencing durability performance with respect to time. Systematic performance monitoring, with respect to chosen durability parameters of existing concrete structures, will decide the direction of future research in this area. Inferences based on laboratory simulations and testing need to be confirmed by in situ field measurements and studies. In situ condition rating and performance monitoring surveys have been conducted by many researchers, scientists, and professional associations, and reported in literature. Inferences of few such studies are summarized and discussed. Deterioration of concrete structures constructed in recent times is observed at relatively faster rates, and has been mainly attributed to cracking. Cracking is associated with the use of faster-hydrating portland cements with increased fineness and the tricalcium silicate (C3S) content to support the high speed of modern construction. In the present research, a case study of deteriorated water tank structures situated in the semitropical region of India is presented. Some selected parameters—such as concrete cover, carbonation depth, chloride concentration, compressive strength, etc. which influence long term durability of structures—have been measured.     

Analysis of supersaturation and nucleation in a moving solution droplet with flowing supercritical carbon dioxide

A supercritical antisolvent (SAS) process is employed for production of solid nanoparticles from atomized droplets of dilute solution in a flowing supercritical carbon dioxide (SC CO₂) stream by attaining extremely high, very rapid, and uniform supersaturation. This is facilitated by a two‐way mass transfer of CO₂ and solvent, to and from the droplet respectively, rendering rapid reduction in equilibrium solubility of the solid solute in the ternary solution. The present work analyses the degree of supersaturation and nucleation kinetics in a single droplet of cholesterol solution in acetone during its flight in a flowing SC CO₂ stream. Both temperature and composition are assumed to be uniform within the droplet, and their variations with time are calculated by balancing the heat and mass transfer fluxes to and from the droplet. The equilibrium solubility of cholesterol with CO₂ dissolution has been predicted as being directly proportional to the Partial Molar Volume Fraction (PMVF) of acetone in the binary (CO₂–acetone) system. The degree of supersaturation has been simulated up to the time required to attain almost zero cholesterol solubility in the droplet for evaluating the rate of nucleation and the size of the stable critical nuclei formed. The effects of process parameters have been analysed in the pressure range of 7.1–35.0 MPa, temperature range of 313–333 K, SC CO₂ flow rate of 0.1136–1.136 mol s^?1, the ratio of the volumetric flow rates of CO₂‐to‐solution in the range of 100–1000, and the initial mole fraction of cholesterol in acetone solution in the range of 0.0025–0.010. The results confirm an extremely high and rapid increase in degree of supersaturation, very high nucleation rates and stable critical nucleus diameter of the order of a nanometre. Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry     

Reaction of zirconium fluoride glass with water: kinetics of dissolution

When liquid water contacts a zirconium-barium-lanthanum fluoride glass, at least three different processes occur. Barium and zirconium fluoride dissolve into the water, water penetrates into the glass, and zirconium fluoride crystals grow on the glass surface, in static solution. The rate of dissolution, as measured by solution analysis, is possibly controlled by diffusion in the solid surface; surface blockage and surface reactions are other possible kinetic steps involved. Diffusion in solution is not the controlling mechanism. Hydrogen profiles in the glass surface suggest that the penetration rate of water into the glass is controlled by diffusion and a surface reaction.