Volume & Issue: Volume 8, Issue 1 - Serial Number 27, March 2024 
Petroleum Engineering

Effect of Operating Parameters on the Injection of Carbon Dioxide and Sour Gas as Cushion Gas in the Process of Underground Hydrogen Gas Storage

Pages 3-11

Mohammad Ramsari; Arezou Jafari; Hamed Namdar; Davood Khoozan; Aras Roomi

Abstract Research topic:
The disparity between supply and demand is one of the main obstacles in transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable energy. Underground hydrogen storage derived from renewable sources is a suitable method for storing energy from these sources. However, a portion of the stored gas remains in the reservoir as cushion gas, which can add to the operational costs. It is therefore recommended to replace this cushion gas with less expensive alternatives, such as CO2 or sour gas, to reduce these costs. Nevertheless, this replacement can affect the purity and recovery factor of hydrogen, which can be controlled by specific operating parameters. This study will investigate how these parameters can be adjusted to maintain high purity and recovery factor for stored hydrogen.
Research Method:
In this section, a model of a partially depleted gas reservoir was initially constructed using the commercial simulator CMG. Following validation, this model was employed to evaluate the desired parameters. For this purpose, approximately 50% of the reservoir was depleted initially, followed by the injection of the cushion gas for one year. Subsequently, the hydrogen storage process was conducted over a period of 10 years. This research investigates the impact of various parameters, including the duration and rate of hydrogen injection and production, the soaking time and duration of cushion gas injection, the utilization of sour gas as the cushion gas, and the concentration of H2S within it, on the purity and recovery factor of the produced hydrogen.
Main results:
The results showed that increasing the rate of hydrogen injection and production enhances its purity and recovery factor. Reducing the injection period while increasing the extraction period decreases purity but improves recovery, provided that the extraction period does not exceed the injection period. Extending the cushion gas injection time and the interval between injection and hydrogen storage supports the purity and recovery factor of hydrogen. Additionally, in the cushion gas composition, increasing the proportion of H2S above 70% in the sour gas mixture reduces hydrogen purity and recovery by approximately 2% and 3%, respectively, confirming the potential of H2S as a cushion gas.

filtration

Removal of Lead Metal Ion from Aqueous Solution with Fe3O4@SiO2 Core-Shell Magnetic Nanoadsorbent Functionalized with Polyvinyl Alcohol

Pages 12-25

Mohsen Esmaeilpour; Majid Ghahraman Afshar; Milad Kazemnejadi

Abstract Research subject: The presence of heavy metal ions in surface and underground water, followed by their infiltration into drinking water at high concentrations, poses irreparable risks to human health and the environment. In this context, solid-phase extraction (SPE) has recently been recognized as a routine and practical method for removing heavy metals from water and wastewater samples. Consequently, the development of selective adsorbents for application in the SPE method is of significant importance in environmental studies.
Research Approach: In the present study, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) molecules were functionalized onto Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ core-shell nanoparticles using cyanuric chloride and triethoxysilyl propylamine compounds. The synthesized nanoparticles were then employed as an effective adsorbent for the removal of Pb²⁺ ions from aqueous solutions. The structural characteristics, morphology, and particle size were analyzed using Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Furthermore, the key operational parameters affecting adsorption performance were evaluated to optimize the adsorption capacity for the effective removal of heavy metal contaminants. Main Results: The optimal adsorption capacity of 89% was achieved under the following conditions: pH 7, a contact time of 35 minutes, 32 mg of adsorbent in 50 mL of solution with an initial Pb²⁺ concentration of 72.52 mg/L (0.35 mmol/L), at ambient temperature. Additionally, the synthesized nanoadsorbent demonstrated recyclability for up to five adsorption-desorption cycles without a significant decline in functional efficiency.

drilling

Real-time Drilling Event Detection Based on Mud-logging data Using Long Short Term Memory Neural Networks

Pages 26-35

Mehran Badinloo; Jamal Farashiani; Davood Khoozan; Mehdi Mansoori; Vahid Daneshkhah

Abstract Research Subject:Drilling operations frequently encounter numerous challenges that can lead to significant financial, human, and environmental losses. Therefore, predicting potential problems before they occur and implementing necessary preventive measures is crucial to minimizing risks. In this context, this study investigates the impact of employing artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms to forecast drilling complications using real-time mud logging data collected from existing wells in an Iranian oilfield.
Research approach: A hybrid architecture combining Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) and Fully Connected neural networks was developed for the identification and detection of anomalies such as kicks and stuck pipe. Given the scarcity of these anomalies in the dataset, which could adversely affect model accuracy and performance, the Synthetic Minority Oversampling Technique (SMOTE) was applied to balance class distribution and enhance the overall effectiveness of the network. Furthermore, the influence of varying hyperparameters on reducing network error was systematically analyzed.
Main Results: Various network architectures and structures were examined. The experimental results indicated that the optimal model achieved an accuracy of 94.45% on the testing dataset with the following hyperparameters: a lookback of 7, a learning rate of 0.001, a dropout rate of 0.2, a batch size of 32, and a four-layer network architecture with 512, 256, and 256 units in the first, second, and third hidden layers, respectively. This configuration yielded higher accuracy and fewer false alarms in anomaly detection compared to other tested models. Based on the obtained results, this approach demonstrates significant potential for real-time anomaly detection in drilling operations.

Composite

Optimization of Gelatin/PEG Scaffold with Zn/Mg Doped Bioactive Ceramic Glass Using Response Surface Method (RSM)

Pages 36-50

Mania Chaychi; gita bagheri

Abstract Research subject: This study aims to improve the biocompatibility, bioactivity, and mechanical properties of gelatin-based composite scaffolds by coating them with polyethylene glycol (PEG) doped with bioactive glasses (BGs) containing zinc and magnesium.
Research approach: A response surface methodology (RSM) was used to model and evaluate the effects of two independent variables: the PEG/Gel weight ratio (X1) and the BG weight percentage (X2). The responses investigated included ultimate strength, Young's modulus, elongation at break, swelling percentage, erosion percentage, and moisture absorption percentage.
Main results: Optimal conditions were determined to obtain scaffolds with suitable mechanical strength, biocompatibility and degradability. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to obtain the best model describing the influence of each independent variable on the responses. The optimal scaffold formulation was selected based on software-defined parameters. The FTIR spectrum was used to analyze the functional groups present on the surface of the samples. The FTIR spectrum of the synthesized BGs showed a broad vibrational band in the range of 900 to 1100 cm-1, which is attributed to the asymmetric Si-O-Si stretching band. The FTIR spectrum of the PEG/Gel/BG composite confirmed the presence of BG in the scaffolds and the interaction between the polymer matrix and BG. Increasing the amount of BG relative to the polymer scaffold led to a decrease in pore size and consequently, a decrease in the scaffold's swelling percentage. The effect of varying the BG weight percentage on tensile strength was greater than that of the PEG/Gel weight ratio. The tensile strength increased significantly due to the good interaction between the polymer scaffold and BG, as well as the uniform dispersion of BG within the polymer matrix. SEM images indicated that cells penetrated well into the scaffolds and formed a suitable three-dimensional cellular network. Cytotoxicity, cell attachment and proliferation, and osteogenic differentiation were evaluated using the MTT test and by culturing MG-63 cells on the scaffold. Cell viability showed no significant difference between the tested and control samples.

membrane

Rheology and Chemorheology Behavior of Alumina/Polysaccharide Suspensions in Ceramic Membranes Production

Pages 51-57

ٍEbrahim Gholizadeh; Ali akbar babaluo

Abstract Research subject: Membranes and membrane processes have gained significant importance in recent decades, particularly in industries such as water treatment, oil processing, gas separation, and desalination. Among these, ceramic membranes are increasingly preferred due to their outstanding properties, including high mechanical, chemical, and thermal stability, suitable porosity, and high permeation flux. This study focuses on examining the characteristics of alumina ceramic suspensions used in the gel-casting method for fabricating ceramic membranes.
Research approach: This research investigates the influence of polysaccharide compounds as organic additives and binders in the fabrication of ceramic membranes. To optimize the microstructure, the study explores the rheological behavior and gelation time (chemo-rheology) of alumina ceramic powder–polysaccharide suspensions. Key parameters—including temperature, the presence or absence of ceramic powder, and the concentrations of cross-linking agent and binder—were systematically analyzed for their effects on gelation time. Additionally, the microstructure of the final membranes was evaluated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
Main results:The results demonstrated that the alumina–polysaccharide system, combined with an aldehyde-based cross-linking agent, is a promising approach for producing complex and robust ceramic green bodies. It was found that at ceramic powder loadings higher than 30 vol%, an increase in temperature by 5–10 °C, along with a two- to threefold increase in the contents of the polysaccharide binder and aldehyde-based cross-linking agent, significantly reduced the gelation time. These findings underscore the critical importance of precisely controlling parameters such as temperature and additive concentrations at a given ceramic powder loading to achieve optimal membrane properties.

Composite

Designing a Teriflunomide slow-release system based on a biodegradable composite scaffold poly (glycerin sebacic acid)-co-poly(ε-caprolactone-diol)

Pages 58-69

Hajar Ahmadi; Gita Bagheri

Abstract Research subject: The purpose of this research is to prepare three types of biodegradable scaffolds composed of polyglycerin, sebacic acid, and polycaprolactone diol, synthesized with varying molecular weights and polymer concentrations.
Research approach; Polycaprolactone diol (PCL-diol) with different molecular weights was synthesized via ring-opening polymerization. It was then reacted with sebacic acid and glycerol to enhance the hydrophilicity of the resulting polymers. The drug Teriflunomide was loaded into the system, and its release rate was investigated by immersion in a simulated body environment (phosphate buffer, pH = 7.4) using the dialysis bag method.
Main results: FTIR analysis confirmed the presence of ester, ether, and hydroxyl peaks in the structures of all three scaffolds: PGS–PCL-diol 200, PGS–PCL-diol 500, and PGS–PCL-diol 900. The thermal behavior of the scaffolds was characterized using TGA and DSC methods. Results indicated that the PGS–PCL-diol 900 scaffold experienced 15% more weight loss than the other two. The DMTA test showed that the glass transition temperature of PGS–PCL-diol 900 is higher than that of the other scaffolds, and it also demonstrated the highest network density. Degradability analysis revealed that the PGS–PCL-diol 500 scaffold exhibited the highest degradation rate, with 3.9% greater and faster degradation than the other two samples on the second day. SEM images showed that cells effectively penetrated the scaffolds, forming a well-structured three-dimensional network. The MTT test confirmed good cell attachment and scaffold adhesion. In this study, a composite scaffold with a three-dimensional structure was designed and produced in film form. It was cross-linked without any additives, and each analysis was conducted based on variations in polymer chain length and scaffold molecular weight.