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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1994

Piston-Skirt Lubrication System For Compressor

Piston-skirt lubrication system provides steady supply of oil to piston rings of gas compressor. No need for oil-filled crankcase or external oil pump. Instead, part of each piston acts as its own oil pump circulating oil from reservoir. Annular space at bottom of piston and cylinder constitutes working volume of small oil pump. Depending on application, reservoir open to atmosphere, or sealed and pressurized in bellows to prevent contact between oil and atmosphere. Filter removes particles worn away from piston rings and cylinder wall during normal operation.

Schroeder, Edgar C.↗
NASA NTRS2017

Method and Device for Extraction of Liquids from a Solid Particle Material

A method, system, and device for separating oil from oil sands or oil shale is disclosed. The method includes heating the oil sands, spinning the heated oil sands, confining the sand particles mechanically, and recovering the oil substantially free of the sand. The method can be used without the addition of chemical extraction agents. The system includes a source of centrifugal force, a heat source, a separation device, and a recovery device. The separation device includes a method of confining the sands while allowing the oil to escape, such as through an aperture.

deMayo, Benjamin↗
DOE OSTI2021

Biofuel Options for Marine Applications: Technoeconomic and Life-Cycle Analyses

This study performed technoeconomic and life-cycle analyses to assess the economic feasibility and emission benefits and tradeoffs of various biofuel production pathways as an alternative to conventional marine fuels. We analyzed production pathways for (1) Fischer-Tropsch diesel from biomass and cofeeding biomass with natural gas or coal, (2) renewable diesel via hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids from yellow grease and cofeeding yellow grease with heavy oil, and (3) bio-oil via fast pyrolysis of low-ash woody feedstock. We also developed a new version of the Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Transportation (GREET) marine fuel module for the estimation of life-cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) and criteria air pollutant (CAP) emissions of conventional and biobased marine fuels. The alternative fuels considered have a minimum fuel selling price between 2.36 and 4.58 $/heavy fuel oil gallon equivalent (HFOGE), and all exhibit improved life-cycle GHG emissions compared to heavy fuel oil (HFO), with reductions ranging from 40 to 93%. The alternative fuels also exhibit reductions in sulfur oxides and particulate matter emissions. Additionally, when compared with marine gas oil and liquified natural gas, they perform favorably across most emission categories except for cases where carbon and sulfur emissions are increased by the cofed fossil feedstocks. The pyrolysis bio-oil offers the most promising marginal CO2 abatement cost at less than $100/tonne CO2e for HFO prices >$1.09/HFOGE followed by Fischer-Tropsch diesel from biomass and natural gas pathways, which fall below $100/tonne CO2e for HFO prices >$2.25/HFOGE. Pathways that cofeed fossil feedstocks with biomass do not perform as well for marginal CO2 abatement cost, particularly at low HFO prices. This study indicates that biofuels could be a cost-effective means of reducing GHG, sulfur oxide, and particulate matter emissions from the maritime shipping industry and that cofeeding biomass with natural gas could be a practical approach to smooth a transition to biofuels by reducing alternative fuel costs while still lowering GHG emissions, although marginal CO2 abatement costs are less favorable for the fossil cofeed pathways.

Greenhouse gas, life cycle assessment, techno-econ↗
DOE OSTI2025

Rapid quantification of whole seed fatty acid amount, composition, and shape phenotypes from diverse oilseed species with large differences in seed size

Seed oils are widely used in the food, biofuel, and industrial feedstock industries, with their utility and value determined by total oil content and fatty acid composition. Current high throughput seed oil analysis methods either lack accuracy in total fatty acid profiling or require extensive labor for lipid extraction prior to derivatization to fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) and quantification by gas chromatography (GC). Alternatively, direct whole seed FAME production methods have been developed for the very small seeds in the model species Arabidopsis thaliana but these have generally not been adapted to larger seeds of most oilseed crops. High-throughput direct whole seed FAME production methods were optimized for seeds up to 5 mg each utilizing acid-catalyzed esterification. For the oilseed species Camelina sativa, Thlaspi avernse (pennycress), Cuphea viscosissima, and Brassica napus (var. Canola), the total seed fatty acid content and composition from direct seed esterification to FAME matched that of lipid extract derivatization demonstrating the accuracy of the methods. In combination with seed phenotyping using GridFree, this approach enabled the development of a rapid pipeline for simultaneous seed weight, count, size/shape phenotyping, and oil analysis. For the larger and tougher seeds produced by Limnanthes alba (Meadowfoam) and Cannabis sativa L. (hemp) the whole seed acid-based method proved insufficient, and prior laborious homogenization of seeds was required. Therefore, a rapid one-tube bead homogenization and base catalyzed-esterification method was developed. Base-derived fatty acid esterification cannot derivatize free fatty acids leading to slightly lower total seed fatty acid than acid-catalyzed methods, however the seed oil content and fatty acid composition that is valuable for screening large numbers of samples in research populations was accurately measured. New rapid whole seed fatty acid esterification and phenotyping protocols were developed to accurately assess oilseed lipid content. These methods are particularly valuable in oilseed research, breeding, and engineering applications where efficient analysis of large numbers of samples and accurate oil fatty acid profiling is essential. While having been developed for current and emerging oilseed crops, these methods also provide a foundation from which protocols might be established for new and emerging crop species.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2022

Optimizing conformance control for gas injection EOR in unconventional reservoirs

Field observations have shown that interference between wells caused by connected fractures commonly exists in unconventional reservoirs. The well interference effect and conformance issues could lead to minimal enhanced oil recovery response (EOR) in actual operations if they are not properly controlled. A series of data analysis, modeling, and experimental activities were performed in this study to investigate the gas EOR strategies in the Bakken Formation. Employing the embedded discrete fracture modeling technology, a multiple-well, multiple-fracture model was developed to capture the well interference and conformance issues in the Bakken. The model made it possible to investigate the complex flow behavior between wells in the EOR (huff ‘n’ puff) processes. Alternative EOR and conformance control strategies using water and surfactant injections were studied to improve oil production performance based on experimental observations. Results showed that water injection could be used for conformance control in the Bakken because of its relatively low mobility compared to gas; however, water could also block oil flow around the conformance control wells because of the high interfacial tension between oil and water. Adding surfactant to the injection water is more effective for improving gas EOR performance since surfactant reduces the oil–water interfacial tension and contact angle effectively. Up to 9.4% more oil could be produced from the huff ‘n’ puff wells in 2 years of EOR operations when rich gas was injected at only 3 MMscf/d with 6000 psi of surfactant injection in the offset wells for conformance control.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2021

Alteration in micro-mechanical characteristics of wellbore cement fracture surfaces due to fluid exposure

The stiffness of wellbore cement fracture surfaces was measured after exposing to the advective flow of nitrogen, silicone oil, and medium sweet dead crude oil for different exposure periods. The test specimens were extracted from fractured cement cylinders, where the cement fracture surfaces were exposed to the different fluids up to 15 weeks. A nanoindenter with a Berkovich indenter tip was used to measure load-indentation depth data, which was used to extract the elastic modulus (E) and nano-hardness (H) of the cement fracture surfaces. A reduction in the elastic modulus compared with an unexposed specimen were observed in all the specimens. Both elastic modulus and nano-hardness for the specimens exposed to silicone oil were lower than specimens exposed to nitrogen gas and varied with the period of exposure. The elastic modulus and nano-hardness of the specimens exposed to crude oil were the lowest with a significant decrement with the exposure period. The frequency distribution of the nanoindentation measurements shows that the volume-fraction ratio of the two types of cement hydrated nanocomposites for both the unexposed and test specimens is about 70:30%. Phase transformation beneath the indenter is observed for all of the specimens, with more obvious plastic deformation in specimens exposed to crude oil. Analytical measurements (SEM, EDS, FT-IR, and XRD) on exposed cement fracture surfaces reveal different levels of physical and chemical alteration that are consistent with the reduction in stiffness measured by nanoindentation. Furthermore, the study suggests that cement stiffness will decrease due to crude oil exposure, and the fracture will be sensitive to stress and pore pressure with time.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2024

From biowaste to BioPave: Biological pathways for sequestration of anthropogenic CO 2 and enhancing durability of roadway infrastructures

Biomass-derived bio-oils are emerging as sustainable, low-carbon alternatives for construction materials, particularly in innovative pavement applications, 'BioPave'. Here, this study evaluates bio-oils from various sources, including algae and wastewater biomass, revealing variations in carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur contents, along with viscosity. We focused on their application in outdoor construction, assessing their resistance to thermal and solar radiation, and moisture. The study also examines their interaction with siliceous surfaces and their influence on asphalt adhesion in BioPave systems under moisture conditions. Laboratory experiments and computational modeling demonstrated molecular composition significantly influenced bio-oils' responses to thermal and UV exposure. Bio-oils rich in polar groups showed hardening upon thermal treatment, while those with higher concentrations of saturated aliphatics remained more stable. Furthermore, our findings highlight the significance of dosage control in maximizing beneficial effects of bio-oils in intermolecular interactions at bitumen-aggregate interface in BioPave applications. These findings offer insights into the potential of bio-oils in sustainable construction and the need for dosage control to optimize pavement performance.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Modeling Contact Angle vs. Temperature for the Quartz-Water-Decane System

Innovative approaches are needed to improve the efficiency of oil recovery technologies to meet the growing demands of fossil-fuel based energy consumption. Enhanced oil recovery (EOR) methods such as low-salinity waterflooding and chemically tuned waterflooding aim to optimize the reservoir’s wetting properties, detaching oil globules from rock surfaces and allowing easier oil flow through pore throats. This wetting behavior is commonly quantified by contact angle measurements of the rock-oil-brine interface, which have been thoroughly investigated and theorized for many systems at ambient temperatures and pressures. However, few studies exist for extending contact angle theories away from ambient conditions. In this paper, we model the contact angles of a quartz-water-decane system at elevated temperatures using the surface tension component (STC) approach. Temperature-dependent van der Waals [Lifshitz-van der Waals (LW)] interactions and hydrogen-bonding (acid-base) interactions were calculated and are incorporated into the model for the quartz-water-decane interface. Additionally, the Hough and White procedure was used to create temperature-dependent dielectric functions of quartz, water, and normal decane for calculations of Hamaker coefficients. Hamaker coefficients calculated this way are highly linear with temperature and agree well with Israelachvili’s approximation. The acid-base interactions likely contribute the most to system wettability changes. Resulting contact angles of the quartz-water-decane system shift from water-wet (16°) to slightly water-wet (57.4°) as temperature increases. The model was also successfully verified for the quartz-air-water system. Our results can be used in future studies to determine optimal injected water compositions for specific rock-oil-brine and other systems with consideration of reservoir temperature.

02 PETROLEUM↗
DOE OSTI2020

Biopower: Impact of Biofuels Deployment to Replace Petroleum Liquids in Stationary Power Applications

Petroleum-based liquids are used in a portion of power generation applications in the United States, predominantly in the New England, Middle Atlantic, South Atlantic, and Pacific-Noncontiguous regions. Power plants that burn petroleum liquids, such as distillate or residual fuel oils, are generally used for short periods to accommodate peak electricity demands. The Energy Information Administration (EIA) estimated the U.S. consumption of petroleum liquids for electricity generation at 27 million barrels in 2018, representing a cost of $2.4 billion annually. This study assesses the potential to displace all or part of the petroleum liquids in U.S. power generation with biofuels. The biofuels for this application are assumed to be derived from terrestrial feedstocks, with conversion routes of both fast pyrolysis (bio-oil) and hydrothermal liquefaction (bio-crude). Regional models were used to assess the availability and cost of three different base materials: clean wood, forest residues, and corn stover; each was evaluated in the laboratory at small or experimental scales for conversion to bio-oil or bio-crude. The estimated biofuel production quantities depend on equivalent heating versus the current heavy fuel. In this report, the availability of each type of biomass for each section of the U.S. Census division is estimated using a conservative broker price (in each case) of $ 80 per dry tonne. The results show that the petroleum-liquid power generation in each of the Census Divisions could be supplied by one or more of the feedstocks evaluated. For all regions, clean wood supplies (only) could provide ample supply. For all but two regions (Middle Atlantic and New England), forest residues alone are sufficient. Finally, for all regions but three (Middle Atlantic, New England, and South Atlantic), corn stover alone is adequate. The Minimum Fuel Selling Price (MFSP) of bio-oil and bio-crude were also estimated for each feedstock type and Census Division. This analysis showed that fast pyrolysis bio-oil projections to be lower (14% on average) than current wholesale petroleum-based heating oil prices in each of the regions, assuming 100 dry tonnes/day processing capacity. However, bio-crude predictions were significantly higher (2X) in all cases. The effect of biorefinery size was also quantified. Based on the preliminary results in this study, it is apparent the biofuels could be an economical alternative for current petroleum liquids in U.S. power generation. However, additional research is needed to determine the necessary biofuel characteristics to support existing generation equipment. It is recommended that both power generation and biofuel production stakeholders to be engaged to outline the research and testing needed to identify the technical hurdles to enable the opportunity.

02 PETROLEUM↗
DOE OSTI2025

Creating Accurate Methane Emission Inventories through Data-Driven Airborne Survey Strategies

Because natural gas emits less carbon than other fossil fuels, it holds promise as a green energy transition fuel. However, the overall carbon footprint of natural gas is significantly elevated by methane emissions that occur during its production and transmission (Cusworth et al. 2022). Methane “super-emitters,” while comprising only about 1% of sites, are responsible for the majority of oil- and gas-sourced methane emissions, making their detection and mitigation critical in reducing the climate impact of natural gas and in meeting national and global sustainability goals (Sherwin et al. 2024). Yet, despite advancements in detection, significant uncertainties remain regarding the size, frequency, and duration distributions of methane emissions (e.g., Frankenberg et al. 2016, Cusworth et al. 2022, Chen, Sherwin et al. 2022, Conrad et al. 2023, Johnson et al. 2023, Sherwin et al. 2024) underscoring the need for comprehensive emissions inventories segmented by basin across the US. Airborne surveys are well-suited for collecting data to build these comprehensive, basin-level inventories because they allow for extensive spatial coverage, and have the spatial resolution, and the sensitivity to pinpoint individual methane sources. As remote sensing technologies enable rapid basin-scale surveys, it is imperative to establish scientifically and statistically robust standards to generate reliable and actionable emissions inventories. Recent work has shown that differences in airborne sampling strategies, detection technologies, and analysis can lead to large differences between survey conclusions if not correctly accounted for (Chen et al. 2024). This elevates the importance of incorporating proper sampling and analysis techniques when designing a methane emissions monitoring campaign to produce accurate results and facilitate cross-study comparisons. In this paper, we describe a survey strategy designed using the latest conclusions from the literature to align results from different aerial surveys. We identify several sampling and analysis principles, including large sample sizes, balanced sampling across oil and gas production, careful survey area definition, and a unified protocol for analysis, to be vital to producing an unbiased estimate of basin-scale emissions. We present results from a Department of Energy-funded project that deployed this survey strategy in two understudied oil and gas- producing regions in the United States: the Haynesville Basin in Texas and Louisiana, and the Woodford Shale in the Anadarko Basin in Oklahoma.

03 NATURAL GAS↗
DOE OSTI2020

A Rapid Sequential Separation Method for Determination of Actinides and TENORM in Fracking Wastes - 20223

With recent advances in unconventional drilling technology in the US and around the world, the risks of environmental contamination and exposure due to technologically enhanced naturally occurring radioactive materials (TENORM) from fracking wastes have also surfaced. Although the Permian Basin (southeastern New Mexico, western Texas) has long been a modest producer of oil, the advent of fracking technology a decade ago turned it into hot property for producers. A 2018 assessment of undiscovered, technically recoverable continuous oil and gas resources by the U.S. Geological Survey estimates an average 46.3 billion barrels of oil and 281 trillion cubic feet of gas. This is likely to increase the use of unconventional drilling and TENORM generation. TENORM concentrations in oil and gas exploration and production waste can be several hundred to several thousand times higher than background TENORM concentrations. Both the thorium and uranium decay chains contribute to airborne radionuclides arising from the radon gas escaping the ground and subsequently decaying as airborne particulates. Additionally, radon decay products {sup 210}Pb and {sup 210}Po can build up in scale on the internal surfaces of oil and gas handling pipes and in sludge in refineries, becoming potential inhalation and ingestion hazards for workers. Furthermore, southeastern NM is also home to world's only licensed and operating transuranic nuclear waste repository, the DoE's Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). Plutonium isotopes ({sup 239+240}Pu) and {sup 241}Am, are expected to account for more than 99% of the total radioactivity scheduled for disposal in the WIPP repository. Thus, an improved understanding of the environmental fate and transport of TENORM, liberated by unconventional drilling, is essential to assess how best to protect individuals and the environment. In this context, accurate measurement of TENORM and actinides in environmental and biological samples is essential. In this presentation, a new sequential method for the separation and pre-concentration of actinides (Pu, Am, Np) and TENORM (Po, U and Th) derived from oil and gas exploration is proposed. The TEVA method involves a rapid co-precipitation step to remove matrix interferences from the samples, followed by plutonium oxidation state adjustment to Pu (IV) and an incubation period of ∼ 1 hour at 50-60 deg. C to allow the resultant Po (II) to oxidize into Po(IV). The polonium, neptunium, thorium and plutonium are then separated on a TEVA column, while americium and uranium are separated on a TRU column. After separation, the alpha counting source was prepared by micro-precipitation with copper sulfide (CuS) for polonium and neodymium fluoride (NdF{sub 3}) for actinides. The efficiency and reliability of the procedures were tested by analyzing filter, drinking water and frack sand samples. The method is simple, robust and can be performed quickly with excellent removal of interferences, high chemical recovery and very good alpha peak resolution. (authors)

07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

Effects of soybean varieties on life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions of biodiesel and renewable diesel

This study presents a life-cycle analysis (LCA) of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of biodiesel (BD) and renewable diesel (RD) produced from soybean varieties with altered oil profiles and meal composition. The varieties evaluated include those with high oleic oil content (78% of oil being oleic oil vs. the current content of 25%), high lipid content (25% vs. the current content of 19%) or high protein content (45% vs. the current content of 35%). The results suggest that high-oleic soybean oil could reduce GHG emissions of RD by 1 g CO 2 e/MJ by reducing hydrogen consumption in the hydro-treating stage of RD production. With the default allocation method (mass-based allocation between oil and meal), changes in lipid and protein contents have negligible impacts on GHG emissions of BD/RD pathways. Since high-protein soybean meal has a higher nutrient value, we employed the market-based allocation for sensitivity analysis. Assuming a market price of $1.17/dry kg and an average of two substitute feeds with similar protein contents (corn gluten and fish meal), the allocation factor for soybean meal increases from 63 to 81%. Compared with the results for the case with commodity soybean using mass allocation, GHG emissions could be 1.9 and 1.8 g CO 2 e/MJ lower for BD and RD, respectively. In addition to product-level LCA, we employed a land-based LCA to evaluate the effect of soybean properties on product slates with the same land area and the associated displacement of conventional products. The results suggest that high-lipid soybeans may offer more GHG savings than other varieties as the higher BD/RD yield replaces more fossil diesel. © 2023 UChicago Argonne, LLC, Operator of Argonne National Laboratory and Northrup, Ag. Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining published by Society of Industrial Chemistry and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Textured ceramic membranes for desilting and deoiling of produced water in the Permian Basin

Oil production in the Permian Basin gives rise to large volumes of produced water contaminated by silt, emulsified oil, and additives used for enhanced oil recovery. There is intense interest in the design of membrane modules as sustainable alternatives for produced water treatment to enable the reuse of produced water for agricultural applications, injection into aquifers, and redeployment in oil recovery. Here, we report a hierarchically textured cement-based membrane exhibiting orthogonal wettability, specifically, superhydrophilic and underwater superoleophobic characteristics. The in situ formation of ettringite needles accompanied by embedding of glass spheres imbues multiscale texturation to stainless-steel mesh membranes, enabling the separation of silt and oil from produced water at high flux rates (1600 L h -1 ∙m -2 , at ca. 2.7 bar). Oil concentration is reduced as low as 1 ppb with an overall separation efficiency of 99.7% in singlepass filtration. The membranes show outstanding mechanical resilience and retention of performance across multiple cycles.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2023

Life-cycle analysis of recycling of post-use plastic to plastic via pyrolysis

Advanced recycling enables the application of post-use plastics (PUP) to produce valuable industrial chemicals and develop markets for recycled feedstocks. Pyrolysis is one of the most common advanced recycling technologies undergoing industrial-scale implementation for converting PUP. This paper presents a life cycle analysis (LCA) to assess greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, fossil energy, water consumption, and solid waste impacts of converting PUP into new plastics such as high-density and low-density polyethylene (HDPE and LDPE, respectively). Data was collected from eight plastic pyrolysis companies. This study addresses the impacts of pyrolysis plant size and maturity; two substitution rate (SR) cases of pyrolysis oil with fossil-derived feedstocks in steam crackers (5% and a 20% of pyrolysis oil SR); and potentially avoided emissions from traditional end-of-life (EOL) management. Because the conventional feedstock slate of steam crackers in the Unites States is comprised of 94% gases (a mix of ethane, propane, and butane) and 6% naphtha, the 5% SR case looked at polyethylene (PE) derived from 5% pyrolysis oil, 1% naphtha, and 94% gases; while the 20% SR looked at PE derived from 20% pyrolysis oil and 80% gases. Moreover, the results are presented from two perspectives: 1) steam crackers' and 2) plastic recyclers'. In the recyclers' perspective, the results for the 5% SR showed for each kg of PUP used there was a 23% and 18% decrease in GHG emissions for HDPE and LDPE respectively, while the 20% SR showed a 4% and 3% reduction in GHG emissions for HDPE and LDPE respectively compared to virgin plastic. The 20% SR has lower GHG emissions reductions because there is an added step of hydrotreating the pyrolysis oil to remove chlorine concentrations that is not included in the 5% SR scenario. Furthermore, the 5% SR removes most of the naphtha, a more carbon intense feedstock, and replaces it with PUP-based pyrolysis oil, a less carbon intense feedstock. GHG emissions for PUP pyrolysis could be further reduced by 50% and 131% in the United States and European Union respectively if the GHG emissions of current PUP incineration practices were considered as emission reductions credits.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2023

Walking the ‘design–build–test–learn’ cycle: flux analysis and genetic engineering reveal the pliability of plant central metabolism

Oilseeds are of great economic importance for food and animal feed and their contribution to renewable energy production. Soybean seeds (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) contain c. 40% protein, 20% oil, and 30% carbohydrate (Song et al., 2023). Due to the massive scale of soybean production worldwide, even small improvements in seed protein and oil content make economic sense (Song et al., 2023). Successful manipulation of seed composition largely depends on a thorough understanding of the processes and pathways involved in the biosynthesis of fatty acids and amino acids, which are the building blocks of lipids and proteins. Rational engineering of the synthesis of storage reserves, that is, the rerouting of metabolic flux in central metabolism, is difficult to accomplish due to the complexity of the central metabolic network, the intricate regulation of its enzymes at multiple levels, and the often-unpredictable effects of genetic manipulation (Sweetlove et al., 2017). Therefore, the advancement of our understanding of central metabolism and its control of carbon partitioning requires following an iterative ‘design–build–test–learn’ (DBTL) cycle (Lin & Eudes, 2020) where metabolic flux analysis and hypothesis testing by transgenic approaches are important components. Previous metabolic studies on soybeans using isotopic tracers and metabolic flux analysis have provided insight into how lipid and protein biosynthesis occurs simultaneously during seed development (Allen et al., 2009; Allen & Young, 2013; Kambhampati et al., 2021). In an article published in this issue of New Phytologist, Morley et al. (2023; 1834–1851) put the insights they have gained into the delivery of metabolic precursors and energy cofactors to oil synthesis to the test and arrive at a successful metabolic engineering design. They show that an increase in seed oil content in soybeans can be achieved by overexpression of malic enzyme (ME) during seed development. Malic enzyme refers to a class of decarboxylating malate dehydrogenase enzymes that oxidize malate with NAD + or NADP + as redox cofactor while generating pyruvate and CO 2 . Like higher plants in general, soybean has distinct NADH- or NADPH-producing ME isoforms localized to the cytosol, plastid, or mitochondria (Gerrard Wheeler et al., 2016). As Morley et al. show, an increase in seed oil can be achieved in particular when a NADP+-dependent enzyme isoform (EC 1.1.1.40) is overexpressed in the plastid. Given the complex compartmentalization of pyruvate, malate, and redox metabolism (Fig. 1), increased oil production appears to depend on additional pyruvate and reducing equivalents being produced in the same compartment where de novo fatty acid biosynthesis occurs: the plastid.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Novel, active, and uncultured hydrocarbon-degrading microbes in the ocean

ABSTRACT Given the vast quantity of oil and gas input to the marine environment annually, hydrocarbon degradation by marine microorganisms is an essential ecosystem service. Linkages between taxonomy and hydrocarbon degradation capabilities are largely based on cultivation studies, leaving a knowledge gap regarding the intrinsic ability of uncultured marine microbes to degrade hydrocarbons. To address this knowledge gap, metagenomic sequence data from the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill deep-sea plume was assembled to which metagenomic and metatranscriptomic reads were mapped. Assembly and binning produced new DWH metagenome-assembled genomes that were evaluated along with their close relatives, all of which are from the marine environment (38 total). These analyses revealed globally distributed hydrocarbon-degrading microbes with clade-specific substrate degradation potentials that have not been reported previously. For example, methane oxidation capabilities were identified in all Cycloclasticus . Furthermore, all Bermanella encoded and expressed genes for non-gaseous n -alkane degradation; however, DWH Bermanella encoded alkane hydroxylase, not alkane 1-monooxygenase. All but one previously unrecognized DWH plume member in the SAR324 and UBA11654 have the capacity for aromatic hydrocarbon degradation. In contrast, Colwellia were diverse in the hydrocarbon substrates they could degrade. All clades encoded nutrient acquisition strategies and response to cold temperatures, while sensory and acquisition capabilities were clade specific. These novel insights regarding hydrocarbon degradation by uncultured planktonic microbes provides missing data, allowing for better prediction of the fate of oil and gas when hydrocarbons are input to the ocean, leading to a greater understanding of the ecological consequences to the marine environment. IMPORTANCE Microbial degradation of hydrocarbons is a critically important process promoting ecosystem health, yet much of what is known about this process is based on physiological experiments with a few hydrocarbon substrates and cultured microbes. Thus, the ability to degrade the diversity of hydrocarbons that comprise oil and gas by microbes in the environment, particularly in the ocean, is not well characterized. Therefore, this study aimed to utilize non-cultivation-based ‘omics data to explore novel genomes of uncultured marine microbes involved in degradation of oil and gas. Analyses of newly assembled metagenomic data and previously existing genomes from other marine data sets, with metagenomic and metatranscriptomic read recruitment, revealed globally distributed hydrocarbon-degrading marine microbes with clade-specific substrate degradation potentials that have not been previously reported. This new understanding of oil and gas degradation by uncultured marine microbes suggested that the global ocean harbors a diversity of hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria, which can act as primary agents regulating ecosystem health.

Howe, Kathryn L.↗
DOE OSTI2021

Surfactant-Aided Low-Salinity Waterflooding for Low-Temperature Carbonate Reservoirs

Carbonate reservoirs tend to be oil-wet/mixed-wet and heterogeneous because of mineralogy and diagenesis. The objective of this study is to improve oil recovery in low-temperature dolomite reservoirs using low-salinity and surfactant-aided spontaneous imbibition. The low-salinity brine composition was optimized using ζ-potential measurements, contact-angle (CA) experiments, and a novel wettability-alteration measure. Significant wettability alteration was observed on dolomite rocks at a salinity of 2,500 ppm. We evaluated 37 surfactants by performing CA, interfacial-tension (IFT), and spontaneous-imbibition experiments. Here, three (quaternary ammonium) cationic and one (sulfonate) anionic surfactants showed significant wettability alteration and produced 43–63% of original oil in place (OOIP) by spontaneous imbibition. At a low temperature (35°C), oil recovery by low-salinity effect is small compared with that by wettability-altering surfactants. Coreflood tests were performed with a selected low-salinity cationic surfactant solution. A novel coreflood was proposed that modeled heterogeneity and dynamic imbibition into low-permeability regions. The results of the “heterogeneous” coreflood were consistent with that of spontaneous-imbibition tests. These experiments demonstrated that a combination of low-salinity brine and surfactants can make originally oil-wet dolomite rocks more water-wet and improve oil recovery from regions bypassed by waterflood at a low temperature of 35°C.

02 PETROLEUM↗
DOE OSTI2021

Wyoming CarbonSAFE: Advancing Commercialization of Low-Carbon Energy Technologies in Fossil-Rich Wyoming

Wyoming’s Powder River Basin (PRB) is the most prolific coal producer and exporter in the United States and the State of Wyoming’s largest oil-producing basin. In addition to being a leading energy producer, the PRB is the site of research programs whose aim is to develop and integrate low-carbon technologies into existing fossil fuel energy industries. Much of the PRB’s low-carbon research is focused around Dry Fork Station (DFS), which is the newest coal-fired power station in the western US. Currently, DFS hosts five carbon capture projects, including pilot-scale capture projects that utilize different capture technologies and a full front-end engineering and design (FEED) study, a commercial CO 2 pipeline for nearby CO 2 -enhanced oil recovery industry, and is also co-located with the Wyoming Integrated Test Center, which is a host facility for unconventional carbon utilization research (i.e. flue gas carbon-to-products innovations). DFS is also the host site for the Wyoming CarbonSAFE project. Wyoming CarbonSAFE, funded by the Department of Energy/National Energy Technology Laboratory, is a multi-phased program (currently in Phase II) whose core objective is developing and validating storage sites within a complex capable of storing 50 million metric tonnes of CO 2 over a 30 year project period using carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS). This paper will provide an overview of the project to-date, showing that CarbonSAFE goals are achievable with respect to geologic, environmental, regulatory, CO 2 source and economic conditions, and why the State of Wyoming offers one of the more favorable environments to advance the commercialization studies. In 2019, the project team designed and completed a ~10,000 foot stratigraphic test well just south of DFS. From this well, the team collected over 600 feet of core, fluid samples from target injection zones, and a full petrophysical log suite. In addition, legacy 2D seismic lines were acquired and a 3D seismic survey was acquired in the fall of 2020. The objective of these field activities has been to identify and characterize target storage reservoirs and associated caprock. This complex has several reservoirs that could meet commercial injection goals, and over 4000 feet of associated caprock. Simulations of site performance suggest that stacked injection provides the most effective storage strategy, and would necessitate several sites within the greater complex to meet final project injection goals. Other work within this project includes the development of a business-case around proximal fields with CO 2 -enhanced oil recovery potential and existing tax credits, assessment of regulatory conditions, including pore space ownership and Class VI injection well permitting requirements, implementation of a robust public outreach Electronic copy available at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3821220 GHGT-15 McLaughlin 2 program, and surface site characterization activities that have focused on environmental factors. In the PRB and at DFS, the State of Wyoming and other entities have made carbon management a priority of its future energy industry by providing a regulatory and business framework that is favorable to advancing these technologies. These endeavors will become more realistic with the successful implementation of Wyoming CarbonSAFE, and its ability to secure and validate commercial-scale CCUS at the center of Wyoming’s premier low-carbon research efforts.

McLaughlin, Fred↗