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At least 19 records

Application of a new hybrid particle swarm optimization-mixed kernels function-based support vector machine model for reservoir porosity prediction: A case study in Jacksonburg-Stringtown oil field, West Virginia, USA

Porosity is a fundamental property that characterizes the storage capability of fluid and gas-bearing formations in a reservoir. An accurate porosity value can be measured from core samples in the laboratory; however, core analysis is expensive and time consuming. Well-log data can be used to calculate porosity, but the availability of log suites is often limited in mature fields. Therefore, robust porosity prediction requires integration of core-measured porosity with available well-log suites to control for changes in lithology and fluid content. A support vector machine (SVM) model with mixed kernel function (MKF) is used to construct the relationship between limited conventional well-log suites and sparse core data. Porosity is the desired output, and two conventional well-log responses (gamma ray [GR] and bulk density) and three well-log-derived parameters (the slope of GR, the slope of density, and [Formula: see text]) are input parameters. A global stochastic searching algorithm, particle swarm optimization (PSO), is applied to improve the efficiency of locating the appropriate values of five control parameters in MKF-SVM model. The results of SVM with different traditional kernel functions were compared, and the MKF-SVM model provided an improvement over the traditional SVM model. To confirm the advantage of the hybrid PSO-MKF-SVM model, the results from three models: (1) radial basis function (RBF)-based least-squares SVM, (2) multilayer perceptron artificial neural network (ANN), and (3) RBF ANN, are compared with the result of the hybrid PSO-MKF-SVM model. The results indicate that the hybrid PSO-MKF-SVM model improves porosity prediction with the highest correlation coefficient ([Formula: see text] of 0.9560), the highest coefficient of determination ([Formula: see text] of 0.9140), the lowest root-mean-square error (1.6505), average absolute error value (1.4050), and maximum absolute error (2.717).

Geochemistry & Geophysics↗

Development of Enabling Scientific Tools to Characterize the Geologic Subsurface at Hanford

This final report to the Department of Energy provides a summary of activities conducted under our exploratory grant, funded through U.S. DOE Subsurface Biogeochemical Research Program in the category of enabling scientific tools, which covers the period from July 15, 2010 to July 14, 2013. The main goal of this exploratory project is to determine the parameters necessary to translate existing borehole log data into reservoir properties following scientifically sound petrophysical relationships. For this study, we focused on samples and Ge-based spectral gamma logging system (SGLS) data collected from wells located in the Hanford 300 Area. The main activities consisted of 1) the analysis of available core samples for a variety of mineralogical, chemical and physical; 2) evaluation of selected spectral gamma logs, environmental corrections, and calibration; 3) development of algorithms and a proposed workflow that permits translation of log responses into useful reservoir properties such as lithology, matrix density, porosity, and permeability. These techniques have been successfully employed in the petroleum industry; however, the approach is relatively new when applied to subsurface remediation. This exploratory project has been successful in meeting its stated objectives. We have demonstrated that our approach can lead to an improved interpretation of existing well log data. The algorithms we developed can utilize available log data, in particular gamma, and spectral gamma logs, and continued optimization will improve their application to ERSP goals of understanding subsurface properties.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Forest Structural Complexity and Biomass Predict First-Year Carbon Cycling Responses to Disturbance

The pre-disturbance vegetation characteristics that predict carbon (C) cycling responses to disturbance are not well known. To address this gap, we initiated the Forest Resilience Threshold Experiment, a manipulative study in which more than 3600 trees were stem girdled to achieve replicated factorial combinations of four levels (control, 45, 65, and 85% gross defoliation) of disturbance severity and two disturbance types (targeting upper or lower canopy strata). Applying a standardized stability framework in which initial C cycling resistance to disturbance was calculated as the first-year natural log response ratio of disturbance and control treatments, we investigated to what extent pre-disturbance levels of species diversity, aboveground woody biomass, leaf area index, and canopy rugosity—a measure of structural complexity—predict the initial responses of subcanopy light-saturated leaf CO 2 assimilation (A sat ), aboveground wood NPP (ANPP w ), and soil respiration (R s ) to phloem-disrupting disturbance. In the year following stem girdling, we found that above-ground C cycling processes, A sat and ANPP w , were highly resistant to increases in disturbance severity, while Rs resistance declined as severity increased. Disturbance type had no effect on first-year resistance. Pre-disturbance aboveground woody biomass, and canopy rugosity were positive predictors of ANPP w resistance and, conversely, negatively related to R s resistance. Subcanopy A sat resistance was not related to pre-disturbance vegetation characteristics. Stability of C uptake processes along with R s declines suggest the net C sink was sustained in the initial months following disturbance. Therefore, we conclude that biomass and complexity are significant, but not universal, predictors of initial C cycling resistance to disturbance. Moreover, our findings highlight the utility of standardized stability measures when comparing functional responses to disturbance.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Development of pulsed neutron uranium logging instrument

This article introduces a development of pulsed neutron uranium logging instrument. By analyzing the temporal distribution of epithermal neutrons generated from the thermal fission of {sup 235}U, we propose a new method with a uranium-bearing index to calculate the uranium content in the formation. An instrument employing a D-T neutron generator and two epithermal neutron detectors has been developed. The logging response is studied using Monte Carlo simulation and experiments in calibration wells. The simulation and experimental results show that the uranium-bearing index is linearly correlated with the uranium content, and the porosity and thermal neutron lifetime of the formation can be acquired simultaneously.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Is the assumption of normality or log-normality for continuous response data critical for benchmark dose estimation?

Continuous responses (e.g. body weight) are widely used in risk assessment for determining the benchmark dose (BMD) which is used to derive a U.S. EPA reference dose. One critical question that is not often addressed in dose–response assessments is whether to model the continuous data as normally or log-normally distributed. Additionally, if lognormality is assumed, and only summarized response data (i.e., mean ± standard deviation) are available as is usual in the peer-reviewed literature, the BMD can only be approximated. In this study, using the “hybrid” method and relative deviation approach, we first evaluate six representative continuous dose–response datasets reporting individual animal responses to investigate the impact on BMD/BMDL estimates of (1) the distribution assumption and (2) the use of summarized versus individual animal data when a log-normal distribution is assumed. We also conduct simulation studies evaluating model fits to various known distributions to investigate whether the distribution assumption has influence on BMD/BMDL estimates. Our results indicate that BMDs estimated using the hybrid method are more sensitive to the distribution assumption than counterpart BMDs estimated using the relative deviation approach. The choice of distribution assumption has limited impact on the BMD/BMDL estimates when the within dose-group variance is small, while the lognormality assumption is a better choice for relative deviation method when data are more skewed because of its appropriateness in describing the relationship between mean and standard deviation. Additionally, the results suggest that the use of summarized data versus individual response data to characterize log-normal distributions has minimal impact on BMD estimates. - Highlights: • We investigate to what extent the distribution assumption can affect BMD estimates. • Both real data analysis and simulation study are conducted. • BMDs estimated using hybrid method are more sensitive to distribution assumption. • Summarized continuous data are adequate for BMD estimation.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Coupling of an atmospheric pressure microplasma ionization source with an Orbitrap Fusion Lumos Tribrid 1M mass analyzer for ultra-high resolution isotopic analysis of uranium

The coupling of a combined atomic and molecular (CAM) ionization source, the liquid sampling-atmospheric pressure glow discharge (LS-APGD) microplasma to an Orbitrap Fusion Lumos Tribrid 1M mass spectrometer is described as a significant step towards the elimination of isobaric interferences in elemental/isotopic mass spectrometry. The developed setup permits broadband, elemental mass spectra to be easily acquired at a mass resolution (m/Δm) of 500 000. A new ion source housing and integrated control system provide enhanced stability and sensitivity of the microplasma ion source in comparison to the previous designs. Detailed evaluation of the ion sampling parameters provided insight into differences with other Orbitrap platforms leading to a 5-fold increase in resolution in elemental/isotopic analysis. The roles of data acquisition/ion processing parameters were evaluated with regards to the precision and accuracy of 235 U/ 238 U isotope ratios. Significantly, the precision of those measurements improves as a function of pre-set mass resolution up to a value of 1 000 000, where a precision of 0.086% RSD is obtained for uranium concentrations of 100 ng mL− 1 . Analytical response curves (log–log), acquired for the two uranium isotopes at a resolution of 120 000 were linear (R 2 = 0.9969) over more than 5 orders of magnitude, with limits of detection of 1 pg mL −1 for U. Based on 60 μL injection volumes, this represents a mass of 70 fg 235 U. These figures of merit satisfy International Target Values (ITVs) for Measurement Uncertainties in Safeguarding Nuclear Materials set by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Ultimately, and totally unique from beam-type instruments, the move to the higher-resolution Orbitrap platform provides all of the benefits of high mass resolution, with no penalties in sensitivity, precision, or dynamic range for uranium analysis.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Particle Collisions and Negative Nonlocal Response of Ballistic Electrons

An electric field that builds in the direction against current, known as negative nonlocal resistance, arises naturally in viscous flows and is thus often taken as a telltale of this regime. Here, we predict negative resistance for the ballistic regime, wherein the ee collision mean free path is greater than the length scale at which the system is being probed. Therefore, negative resistance alone does not provide strong evidence for the occurrence of the hydrodynamic regime; it must thus be demoted from the rank of irrefutable evidence to that of a mere forerunner. Furthermore, we find that negative response is log enhanced in the ballistic regime by the physics related to the seminal Dorfman-Cohen log divergence due to memory effects in the kinetics of dilute gases. The ballistic regime therefore offers a unique setting for exploring these interesting effects due to electron interactions.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Utah FORGE: Rock Properties

This is an Excel spreadsheet that contains rock properties from several wells in the Utah FORGE study area. This includes a map of the wells. Data is described in the Final Topical Report included in the resources below.

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗

Deep Learning-Assisted Real-Time Forward Modeling of Electromagnetic Logging in Complex Formations

Higher dimensional (i.e., 2-D and 3-D) modeling is indispensable to correctly evaluate the responses of electromagnetic logging tools in complex formation environments. However, limited by the high computational cost of rigorous modeling such as finite difference method and the finite element method, the real-time applications in the well logging industry primarily rely on the 1-D forward solver, which would result in erroneous formation evaluation for complex scenarios. As a result, aiming at realizing fast modeling for electromagnetic logging tools in complex formations, this paper proposes a general framework assisted by deep neural networks (DNNs). The framework consists of three modules: earth model classification, parameter extraction, and surrogate construction. Separate DNNs are trained and tested for different modules. The accuracy and efficiency of the DNN assisted fast modeling are validated by several experiments. Here, this study finds that the fast modeling assisted by DNNs is able to calculate the tool responses and reconstruct the subsurface formations in real-time.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Comparing capacity coefficient and dual task assessment of visual multitasking workload

Capacity coefficient analysis could offer a theoretically grounded alternative approach to subjective measures and dual task assessment of cognitive workload. Workload capacity or workload efficiency is a human information processing modeling construct defined as the amount of information that can be processed by the visual cognitive system given a specified of amount of time. In this paper, I explore the relationship between capacity coefficient analysis of workload efficiency and dual task response time measures. To capture multitasking performance, I examine how the relatively simple assumptions underlying the capacity construct generalize beyond the single visual decision making tasks. The fundamental tools for measuring workload efficiency are the integrated hazard and reverse hazard functions of response times, which are defined by log transforms of the response time distribution. These functions are used in the capacity coefficient analysis to provide a functional assessment of the amount of work completed by the cognitive system over the entire range of response times. For the study of visual multitasking, capacity coefficient analysis enables a comparison of visual information throughput as the number of tasks increases from one to two to any number of simultaneous tasks. I illustrate the use of capacity coefficients for visual multitasking on sample data from dynamic multitasking in the modified Multi-attribute Task Battery.

capacity coefficient↗

Improving magnitude and phase comparison metrics for frequency response functions using cross-correlation and log-frequency shifting

This paper provides a new method for matching dominant features of Frequency Response Functions (FRFs). In particular, this paper proposes a slicing and shifting method where the key features (in this case, resonant amplitudes) of a baseline FRF are compared with a similar FRF using cross-correlation and a Log-Frequency Shift (LFS). Here, the goal is to provide an alternative to classic point-to-point methods for FRF comparison and instead to match the dominant features of two FRFs in a way similar to visual inspection. This enables existing FRF comparison metrics to then be applied with greater fidelity. Additionally, this paper introduces the Phase Similarity Metric (PSM) for comparing phases of two FRFs and illustrates the improvement of using LFS for phase comparisons as well. This paper uses a cantilever beam experiment in multiple configurations to provide a benchmark case for FRF comparison improvements.

42 ENGINEERING↗

A method to improve the sensitivity of neutron porosity measurement based on D-T source

Compensated porosity logging tool utilizing deuterium-tritium (D-T) source shows a lower sensitivity to the variation of formation porosity compared with that adopting Am-Be source. In order to improve the sensitivity, the factors of an infinite homogeneous formation influencing slowing-down length and the near to far counts ratio are analyzed in this paper. Then Monte Carlo simulation method is used to build well logging models to study the responses of a neutron porosity logging tool to hydrogen index and formation density. It shows that in addition to hydrogen index, the variation of the density also has a great impact on slowing-down length and the ratio which reduces the response sensitivity to porosity. A new model depicts the relationship between the count ratio and porosity is proposed. Finally, when the model is used to process the measured ratio, the ratio shows improved dynamic range and sensitivity to porosity compared with the values without processing.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Species characterization and responses of subcortical insects to trap-logs and ethanol in a hardwood biomass plantation: Subcortical insects in hardwood plantations

1. We characterized subcortical insect assemblages in economically important eastern cottonwood (Populus deltoides Bartr.), sycamore (Platanus occidentalis L.) and sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua L.) plantations in the southeastern U.S.A. Furthermore, we compared insect responses between freshly-cut plant material by placing traps directly over cut hardwood logs (trap-logs), traps baited with ethanol lures and unbaited (control) traps. 2. We captured a total of 15 506 insects representing 127 species in four families in 2011 and 2013. Approximately 9% and 62% of total species and individuals, respectively, and 23% and 79% of total Scolytinae species and individuals, respectively, were non-native to North America. 3. We captured more Scolytinae using cottonwood trap-logs compared with control traps in both years, although this was the case with sycamore and sweetgum only in 2013. More woodborers were captured using cottonwood and sweetgum trap-logs compared with control traps in both years, although only with sycamore in 2013. 4. Ethanol was an effective lure for capturing non-native Scolytinae; however, not all non-native species were captured using ethanol lures. Ambrosiophilus atratus (Eichhoff) and Hypothenemus crudiae (Panzer) were captured with both trap-logs and control traps, whereas Coccotrypes distinctus (Motschulsky) and Xyleborus glabratus Eichhoff were only captured on trap-logs. 5. Indicator species analysis revealed that certain scolytines [e.g. Cnestus mutilates (Blandford) and Xylosandrus crassiusculus (Motschulsky)] showed significant associations with trap-logs or ethanol baits in poplar or sweetgum trap-logs. In general, the species composition of subcortical insects, especially woodboring insects, was distinct among the three tree species and between those associated with trap-logs and control traps.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

The Effect of Brine on the Electrical Properties of Methane Hydrate

Gas hydrates possess lower electrical conductivity (inverse of resistivity) than either seawater or ice, but higher than clastic silts and sands, such that electromagnetic methods can be employed to help identify their natural formation in marine and permafrost environments. Controlled laboratory studies offer a means to isolate and quantify the effects of changing individual components within gas-hydrate-bearing systems, in turn yielding insight into the behavior of natural systems. Here we investigate the electrical properties of polycrystalline methane hydrate with ≥25% gas-filled porosity and in mixture with brine. Initially, pure methane hydrate was synthesized from H2O ice and CH4 gas while undergoing electrical impedance measurement, then partially dissociated to assess the effects of pure pore water accumulation on electrical conductivity. Methane hydrate + brine mixtures were then formed by either adding NaCl (0.25–2.5 wt %) to high-purity ice or by using frozen seawater as a reactant. Conductivity was obtained from impedance measurements made in situ throughout synthesis while temperature cycled between +15 °C and -25 °C. Several possible conduction mechanisms were subsequently determined using equivalent circuit modeling. Samples with low NaCl concentration show a doping/impurity effect and a log linear conductivity response as a function of temperature. For higher salt content samples, conductivity increases exponentially with temperature and the log linear relationship no longer holds; instead, we observe phase changes within the samples that follow NaCl–H 2 O–CH 4 phase equilibrium predictions. Final samples were quenched in liquid nitrogen and imaged by cryogenic scanning electron microscopy (cryo-SEM) to assess grain-scale characteristics.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Monitoring CO 2 Storage at Cranfield, Mississippi with Time-Lapse Offset VSP – Using Integration and Modeling to Reduce Uncertainty

A time-lapse Offset Vertical Seismic Profile (OVSP) data set was acquired as part of a subsurface monitoring program for geologic sequestration of CO 2 . The storage site at Cranfield, near Natchez, Mississippi, is part of a detailed area study (DAS) site for geologic carbon sequestration operated by the U.S. Dept. of Energy’s Southeast Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership (SECARB). The DAS site includes three boreholes, an injection well and two monitoring wells. The project team selected the DAS site to examine CO 2 sequestration multiphase fluid flow and pressure at the interwell scale in a brine reservoir. The time-lapse (TL) OVSP was part of an integrated monitoring program that included well logs, crosswell seismic, electrical resistance tomography and 4D surface seismic. The goals of the OVSP were to detect the CO 2 induced change in seismic response, give information about the spatial distribution of CO 2 near the injection well and to help tie the high-resolution borehole monitoring to the 4D surface data. The VSP data were acquired in well CFU 31-F1, which is the ~3200 m deep CO 2 injection well at the DAS site. A preinjection survey was recorded in late 2009 with injection beginning in December 2009, and a post injection survey was conducted in Nov 2010 following injection of about 250 kT of CO 2 . The sensor array for both surveys was a 50-level, 3-component, Sercel MaxiWave system with 15 m (49 ft) spacing between levels. The source for both surveys was an accelerated weight drop, with different source trucks used for the two surveys. Consistent time-lapse processing was applied to both data sets. Time-lapse processing generated difference corridor stacks to investigate CO 2 induced reflection amplitude changes from each source point. Corridor stacks were used for amplitude analysis to maximize the signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) for each shot point. Spatial variation in reflectivity (used to ‘map’ the plume) was similar in magnitude to the corridor stacks but, due to relatively lower S/N, the results were less consistent and more sensitive to processing and therefore are not presented. We examined the overall time-lapse repeatability of the OVSP data using three methods, the NRMS and Predictability (Pred) measures of Kragh and Christie (2002) and the signal-to-distortion ratio (SDR) method of Cantillo (2011). Because time-lapse noise was comparable to the observed change, multiple methods were used to analyze data reliability. The reflections from the top and base reservoir were identified on the corridor stacks by correlation with a synthetic response generated from the well logs. A consistent change in the corridor stack amplitudes from pre- to post-CO 2 injection was found for both the top and base reservoir reflections on all ten shot locations analyzed. In addition to the well-log synthetic response, a finite-difference elastic wave propagation model was built based on rock/fluid properties obtained from well logs, with CO 2 induced changes guided by time-lapse crosswell seismic tomography (Ajo-Franklin, et al., 2013) acquired at the DAS site. Time-lapse seismic tomography indicated that two reservoir zones were affected by the flood. The modeling established that interpretation of the VSP trough and peak event amplitudes as reflectivity from the top and bottom of reservoir is appropriate even with possible tuning effects. Importantly, this top/base change gives confidence in an interpretation that these changes arise from within the reservoir, not from bounding lithology. The modeled time-lapse change and the observed field data change from 10 shotpoints are in agreement for both magnitude and polarity of amplitude change for top and base of reservoir. Therefore, we conclude the stored CO 2 has been successfully detected and, furthermore, the observed seismic reflection change can be applied to Cranfield’s 4D surface seismic for spatially delineating the CO 2 /brine interface.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Molecular mobility in glassy dispersions

Dielectric spectroscopy was used to characterize the structural relaxation in pharmaceutical dispersions containing nifedipine (NIF) and either poly(vinyl) pyrrolidone (PVP) or hydroxypropyl methylcellulose acetate succinate (HPMCAS). The shape of the dielectric response (permittivity versus log time) curve was observed to be independent of temperature. Thus, for the pure NIF as well as the dispersions, the validity of the time-temperature superposition principle was established. Furthermore, though the shape of the full dielectric response varied with polymer concentration, the regime related to the α- or structural relaxation was found to superimpose for the dispersions, though not with the response of the NIF itself. Hence, there is a limited time-temperature-concentration superposition for these systems as well. Therefore, in this polymer concentration range, calculation of long relaxation times in these glass-forming systems becomes possible. We found that strong drug-polymer hydrogen bonding interactions improved the physical stability (i.e., delayed crystallization) by reducing the molecular mobility. The strength of hydrogen bonding, structural relaxation time, and crystallization followed the order: NIF$-$PV P>NIF$-$HPMCAS>NIF. With an increase in polymer concentration, the relaxation times were longer indicating a decrease in molecular mobility. The temperature dependence of relaxation time, in other words fragility, was independent of polymer concentration. This is the first application of the superposition principle to characterize structural relaxation in glassy pharmaceutical dispersions.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗