Hydraulic Fracturing and Well Stimulation, Volume 1

Hydraulic fracturing, commonly referred to as “fracking,” is a technique used by the oil and gas industry to mine hydrocarbons trapped deep beneath the Earth’s surface. The principles underlying the technology are not new. Fracking was first applied at the commercial level in the United States as early as 1947, and over the decades it has been applied in various countries including Canada, the UK, and Russia. The author worked with engineering teams as early as the mid-1970s in evaluating ways to improve oil recovery from this practice. By and large fracking was not an economically competitive process and had limited applications until the early 2000s. Several factors altered the importance of this technology, among them being significant technological innovations in drilling practices with impressive high tech tools for exploration, well construction and integrity, and recovery along with discoveries of massive natural gas reserves in the United States and other parts of the world. These factors have catapulted the application of the technology to what is best described as the gold rush of the 21st century, with exploration and natural gas plays proceeding at a pace that seemingly is unrivaled by any historical industrial endeavor. But this level of activity has invoked widespread criticism from concerned citizens and environmental groups in almost every nation across the Globe. This outstanding new volume offers the industry a handbook of environmental management practices that can mitigate risks to the environment and, through best practices and current technologies, to conform to the current standards and regulations that are in place to provide the world with the energy it needs while avoiding environmental damage. For the new hire, veteran engineer, and student alike, this is a one-of-a-kind volume, a must-have for anyone working in hydraulic fracturing.

Presents an up-to-date description of current and new hydraulic fracturing processes Details Emerging Technologies such as Fracture Treatment Design, Open Hole Fracturing, Screenless Completions, Sand Control, Fracturing Completions and Productivity Covers Environmental Impact issues including Geological Disturbance; Chemicals used in Fracturing; General Chemicals; Toxic Chemicals; and Air, Water, Land, and Health impacts Provides many process diagrams as well as tables of feedstocks and their respective products

This book presents both sides of a very controversial subject in today’s media: induced hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking.” It covers the technology and methods used in hydraulic fracturing in easy-to-understand language, for the engineer and layperson alike, presenting the environmental effects of hydraulic fracturing.

Presents a systematic and comprehensive study of hydraulic fracturing, original in its concentration of core soil problems There have been a number of well-studied cases in which dams have failed or been damaged by concentrated leaks for no apparent cause. In some of these experiences, investigators concluded that differential settlement cracks were the probable causes, even though no cracks were seen on the surface. In these examples, it was not determined whether the crack was open before the reservoir filled or whether it might have opened afterward. In several unsolved problems on the safety of the earth-rock fill dam, the problem of hydraulic fracture in the soil core of the earth-rock fill dam is one that is widely paid attention by designers and researchers. Hydraulic fracturing is generally considered as a key cause which may induce the leakage of the dam during first filling. In this extensive book, a new numerical simulate method is suggested. The method is based on the conventional two-dimensional finite element technique, and the theoretical formulations to calculate energy release rate using virtual crack extension method. The influence factors on convergence of calculated J integral are investigated. The accuracy of the calculated J integral is verified by analysing the three typical problems in Fracture Mechanics, in which propagation of crack may follow mode I, mode II and mixed mode I-II respectively. Using the new numerical method, the factors affecting the occurrence of hydraulic fracturing in the earth-rock fill dam are investigated. The investigating results indicate that increasing any of the Young’s modulus, the Poisson’s ratio and the density of the core soil is helpful to reduce the likelihood of the occurrence of hydraulic fracturing. The likelihood of the occurrence of hydraulic fracturing increases with increasing the water level or the crack depth. The lower part of the dam core is the zone in which the phenomenon of hydraulic fracturing may be induced easily. As an example to analyse the ability of earth-rock fill dam to resist hydraulic fracturing, the Nuozhadu Dam located in Western China is analysed. Presents a systematic and comprehensive study of hydraulic fracturing, original in its concentration of core soil problems Focuses on the problem of hydraulic fracturing in earth-rock fill dams from three aspects; conditions and mechanisms of hydraulic fracturing, criterion of hydraulic fracturing, and numerical method on hydraulic fracturing Examines advanced laboratory soil testing, application of numerical methods and field testing/monitoring, all needed for a better understanding of hydraulic fracturing in earth/rock fill dams Provides an essential reference in an area of scarce research in this field, and the need in high earth dam construction in developing countries is pressing Ideal for researchers in Hydraulic and Geotechnical Engineering Fields; Students on Masters or PhD courses; as well as Designers and Constructors in Hydraulic and Geotechnical Engineering Fields.

This book presents a new fracturing technique that should be considered as a potential alternative, or a companion technique, to hydraulic fracturing of tight gas reservoirs and low permeability rock masses. As opposed to hydraulic fracturing which generates a few numbers of large cracks, electro-hydraulic fracturing induces diffuse micro-cracking and fragmentation of rocks. Laboratory tests demonstrate that increases of permeability by two orders of magnitude can be reached, without major cracking in tested specimens. This book discusses the principles of this new technique, reports experiments which have been developed is order to prove the concept and finally describes the numerical model from which the potentialities of this technique in representative reservoir conditions can be assessed.

Brain stimulation technologies are both tools to probe brain function and to provide therapeutic options for patients with neuropsychiatric disease where pharmacological options are not viable. Although the field has been in existence for over seventy years, research interest in brain stimulation has been on the rise particularly in the last two decades. Brain Stimulation: Methodologies and Interventions is an introduction to the field of brain stimulation technology and its applications. The book explores how brainstimulating technologies work in the context of brain pathways that mediate normal and abnormal brain function. Chapters cover neuroanatomy and activity dependent changes in neuronal function triggered by brain stimulation, as well as applications of brain stimulation technologies themselves, including noninvasive procedures that rely on convulsive or seizure therapeutics, and non-convulsive therapies such as magnetic and electrical brain stimulation. Authored by an international group of leaders in the field, Brain Stimulation is a valuable resource for both neuroscience researchers and clinicians.

The swelling of concrete is a major concern for the owners and operators of dams and hydraulic structures. Faced with irreversible movement of their dams or with observations of cracking processes, operators need to explain the phenomena observed in order to justify safety conditions and in some cases to plan remedial works. Over the last 20 years, active research has been carried out in the field, resulting in practical results in phenomena interpretation and dam modeling. At the same time, an increasing number of affected dams have undergone safety re-evaluations and in some cases remedial work. Several of them have been removed altogether. Although it remains difficult to establish a “state of the art” in this domain due to the rapidly changing context, regular international exchanges in the field appear fruitful and necessary. Following on from previous conferences in the field organized by Robin Charlwood, former President of the ICOLD Concrete Committee, the initiative was taken by EDF and Toulouse University-LMDC to organize a workshop to provide a new opportunity for sharing experience. The aim of this workshop is to assemble active researchers, leading engineers, and experts from the practicing community and administration interested directly or indirectly in concrete swelling effects in dams and hydraulic structures. All types of chemical expansion phenomena, including those due to alkali aggregate reactions and those due to ettringite formation, are addressed. These proceedings include 24 papers written by experts renowned in their field, illustrating the need to progress with interdisciplinary approaches.

Capturing, recording and broadcasting the voice is often difficult. Many factors must be taken into account and achieving a true representation is much more complex than one might think. The capture devices such as the position of the singer(s) or narrator(s), the acoustics, atmosphere and equipment are just some of the physical aspects that need to be mastered. Then there is the passage through the analog or digital channel, which disrupts the audio signal, as well as the processes that are often required to enrich, improve or even transform the vocal timbre and tessitura. While in the past these processes were purely material, today digital technologies and software produce surprising results that every professional in recording and broadcasting should know how to master.

Recording and Voice Processing 1 addresses some general theoretical concepts. A history of recording and the physiology of the vocal apparatus are detailed in order to give the reader an understanding of the fundamental aspects of the subject. This volume also includes an advanced study of microphones, addressing their characteristics and typologies. The acoustic environment and its treatment are also considered in terms of the location of the sound capture – whether in a home studio, recording studio, live or natural environment – in order to achieve a satisfactory sound recording.

This two volume set provides a comprehensive account of the entire sequence of operations involved in discovering a drug through the actual delivery of the drug to clinicians and medical practitioners. Includes case studies of the discovery of erythromycin analogs (antibiotics), Tagamet, and Ultiva (remifentanil) Discusses the discovery of agents for the treatment and management of bacterial infections, Parkinson's disease, psoriasis, ulcers and stomach pain, atopic dermatitis, asthma, and cancer Contains chapters on combinatorial chemistry, molecular biology-based drug discovery, genomics, and chemogenomics The first volume of this set thoroughly describes conceptualizing a drug, creating a library of candidates for testing, screening those candidates for in vitro and in vivo activity, conducting and analyzing the results of clinical trials, and revising the drug as necessary.