Adding sustainable sources to the Saudi Arabian electricity sector

With power plants in Saudi Arabia consuming 27% of the kingdom’s oil and 100% of its natural gas, a host of strategic projects are under way to boost the prominence of alterative resources in the overall mix. The nation is targeting 54?GW of renewable energy and 17?GW of nuclear power by 2040.     

GEOCHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF THE PERMIAN–TRIASSIC TRANSITION AT OUTCROP,CENTRAL SAUDI ARABIA

This study presents the results of chemostratigraphic analyses and spectral gamma‐ray logging integrated with sedimentological data across the Permian‐Triassic boundary at a measured outcrop section in central Saudi Arabia. The studied section encompasses the uppermost part of the Midhnab Member and the Lower and Upper Khartam Members of the Khuff Formation. Lithofacies were interpreted to have been deposited in subtidal, tidal to supratidal, lacustrine and meandering fluvial / flood plain, marginal marine and lagoonal depositional environments. Integration of bulk geochemical and carbon isotope (δ¹³C) data allowed the identification of a stratigraphic interval with a negative shift in δ¹³C ratio values, which was interpreted to correspond to the end‐Permian mass extinction event. The end of this “first negative shift in δ¹³C values” is taken to mark the Permian‐Triassic boundary. Above this boundary and just below an interval containing scattered thrombolites, a second negative shift in δ¹³C ratios was observed, and corresponds to an interval with long‐term uranium depletion as indicated by the bulk sediment geochemical and spectral gamma‐ray uranium data. The Permian‐Triassic boundary (PTrB) was placed at the transition between marginal‐marine and subtidal deposits. This stratigraphic position corresponds to the end of the “first negative δ¹³C shift” and the point of greatest uranium depletion. Although previous studies on outcrops of the Khuff Formation in Saudi Arabia identified a major sequence boundary between the Lower and Upper Khartam Members and interpreted it as the P TrB, no evidence is presented in this study for exposure and dissolution at this surface. Accordingly, the Permian‐Triassic transition is placed in the transgressive portion of the Upper Khartam Member, while the sequence boundary below is interpreted to correspond to the end‐Permian extinction. Correlation of Khuff time‐equivalent units in the Arabian Plate is challenging, and this study will contribute to an improved understanding of this important stratigraphic unit, which contains prolific non‐associated gas reservoirs. The identification of the Permian‐Triassic boundary in central Saudi Arabia will help in the construction of a sequence‐stratigraphic scheme for the Khuff, and with the correlation of lithofacies within this heterogeneous reservoir unit.     

Using diffusion of innovation theory and sentiment analysis to analyze attitudes toward driving adoption by Saudi women

Although several studies have used sentiment analysis to examine social media content, relatively few have complemented this work with sociological theories. This study employed the diffusion of innovation (DOI) framework to provide a deeper understanding of the recent debate on whether women in Saudi Arabia should be granted the right to drive. The outlook of proponents and opponents was considered by using detailed Arabic Twitter data. The sentiment analysis approach was used. The findings were analyzed on the basis of DOI stages, and the innovation–decision process demonstrated that 60% of Twitter users supported the governments' approval of women's right to drive and 40% either opposed the order or had a neutral opinion. The finding of our analysis suggests that Saudi society corresponds the DOI stages and exhibits the tendency to support the right of women to drive. This study contributes to DOI research, particularly concerning the use of social media for studying opinions on important unsettled social matters.     

Groundwater Flow from Fractured Layer to Porous-Media Blind Variable Large Diameter Well

In this paper, unconfined porous medium is considered to drain vertically to an underlying fractured aquifer, which leads groundwater to a variable large diameter well blind to porous medium. Such cases are quite common in arid regions, where the geological layers have top to bottom sequence as quaternary sedimentary layer (porous-unconfined aquifer), weathered and/or fractured underlying layers (fractured-confined aquifer), which are underlain by impervious rock formation. The necessary type curves are provided both for the fractured (pumped) and overlying porous (unpumped) media. Initially, the effect of varying well diameter on the drawdown is explained. The general groundwater movement equation for this configuration yields to well known Theis, Hantush, and Jacob solutions. It is also indicated that at large times, classical Jacob straight line is not valid in every case, because there is a set of other straight lines with different slopes. The application of the methodology is presented for an aquifer test in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.     

The effect of contractor size on mark-up size decision in Saudi Arabia

This study is a part of a larger study addressing the bidding decisions of construction contractors in Saudi Arabia. It examines the mark-up size decisions of small, medium, and large contractors in Saudi Arabia. These groups are found to consider and evaluate many factors subjectively when they set mark-up sizes for projects. However, the importance of these factors varies as the contractor's size changes. Bidding document price, strength in the industry, time allowed for submitting bids and other factors are the greatest contributors to the discrimination between contractor sizes.     

MICROPOROSITY IN THE UPPER JURASSIC ARAB‐D CARBONATE RESERVOIR,CENTRAL SAUDI ARABIA: AN OUTCROP ANALOGUE STUDY

This study investigates microporosity in an outcrop analogue of the Upper Jurassic (Kimmeridgian) Arab‐D carbonate reservoir in central Saudi Arabia, integrating outcrop facies analysis, petrographic and SEM data and statistical analyses. At the study location in Wadi Nisah, the outcropping succession includes the uppermost Jubaila Formation and the entire Arab‐D Member of the Arab Formation which together comprise the Arab‐D reservoir interval. The succession is composed of eight lithofacies which can be grouped into three lithofacies associations based on their depositional environments. The stromatoporoid lithofacies association includes dolomitic mudstones, dolomitic wackestones and stromatoporoid wackestones and packstones; the skeletal bank lithofacies association includes burrowed fossiliferous wackestones and peloidal fossiliferous grainstones; and the tidal flat lithofacies association comprises laminated mudstones, wave‐rippled sandy grainstones, and supra‐ and intertidal muds with rip‐up clasts. The lithofacies were classified into mud‐dominated, grain‐dominated and dolostone textural groups. Microporosity and associated permeability in the analysed samples (n = 125 for porosity and n = 61 for permeability) range from 0.11% to 4.8 % and 0.36 to 4.35 mD, respectively. Three types of microporosity were observed: (i) between macro‐ and micro‐sparry calcite crystals; (ii) between micrites of varying morphologies; and (iii) within macro‐sized dolomite crystals. Microporosity distribution was controlled by sparry calcite cement, micrite crystal size, sorting and shape, and the presence of dolomite crystals. Statistical analyses of microporosity and associated permeability show non‐normal distributions for both variables. Coefficients of variation indicated high variability for porosity and permeability, which may be attributed to the high degree of heterogeneity in the pore system. In general there was a poor correlation between microporosity and permeability, but the correlation improved when visualized for individual textural groups.     

Architecture + Textiles = Architextiles

A hybrid term, ‘architextiles’ encompasses a wide range of projects and ways of thinking that unite architecture and textiles. By way of introduction to this issue, guest-editor Mark Garcia highlights the significant rise of interest in this confluence by theorists, architects, engineers, textile designers, materials scientists and artists. He also explains how, as a hybrid mode of design and practice, architextiles is better able to respond to society's fast-changing cultural and consumer demands, enabling the production of more dynamic, flexible, interactive, event and process-based spaces. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Assessing effects of renewable deployment on emissions in the Saudi power sector until 2040 using integer optimization

We quantify the impacts of renewable deployment on carbon emissions and natural gas supply in the Saudi power sector. A capacity expansion model, which simultaneously considers generation and transmission builds covering a planning horizon up to 2040, was created. The simulated scenarios, which entailed retiring liquid fuels from the Saudi power sector and accounted for different gas prices, consider the following candidate build technologies: nuclear, gas, solar photovoltaics, wind, concentrated solar power with storage, and battery storage. Renewables can reduce carbon emissions by 66 million tons to 114 million tons (25–41 %) by 2040 depending on the gas price. The abatement costs were estimated to range between 20 $/ton and 50 $/ton of carbon dioxide. Within Saudi Arabia, renewable deployment can also defer national gas supply expansion plans but not investments in expanding domestic gas transport capacities. Finally, under certain conditions when deploying significant renewable capacity, better transmission interconnection between regions manages renewable intermittency more cost-effectively than storage deployment.     

75t/d离子膜烧碱装置运行总结

介绍了75t/d离子膜烧碱装置的工艺流程、设备选择、运行情况及运行中出现的问题和解决办法,讨论了参与国外项目运行中的注意事项。     

Prioritizing barriers to successful business process re‐engineering (BPR) efforts in Saudi Arabian construction industry

Engaging in business process re‐engineering (BPR) efforts could prove to be highly rewarding for construction companies in Saudi Arabia. However, BPR is risky and could be disastrous if not properly approached. To enable sound BPR efforts and increase success chances, thorough investigation of barriers is essential. This study presents 29 barriers, with their influence (strength) on the success of BPR initiatives. Additionally, these barriers are ranked according to the ease of overcoming each. Finally, a graphical aid is provided to enable decision makers to concentrate their efforts on the most influential (strongest), yet easiest to overcome barriers. Following inadequate approach, affected people not informed, culture of construction firms, using inappropriate tools, using external consultants, undefined core processes, and fear and resistance to change are the most important barriers to successful BPR endeavours.