We invited Colorado Researchers to display a poster during the 5th Annual 2015 Natural Gas Symposium, Fort Collins, CO
The symposium steering committee made up of former Colorado Governor, Bill Ritter, now Director of the Center for the New Energy Economy at CSU, and Dr. Bryan Willson, Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Executive Director of The Energy Institute, invited faculty, staff and students involved in energy or natural gas-related research to enter a poster at the 5th annual 2015 Natural Gas Symposium.
Cost: There was no cost to participate.
Details:
- Colorado researchers actively engaged in energy or natural gas-related work were invited to display their poster during the entire 1.5 day 2015 Natural Gas Symposium.
- A public reception was held on October 27, 2015 at the 2015 Natural Gas Symposium from 5:00-6:00pm MDT (complimentary appetizers served, cash bar). Since October 2011 that CSU has hosted this symposium, networking opportunities like this have resulted in small to large grants for various applied research projects between faculty, industry and other organizations.
- We invited posters conveying research that is underway, is just starting, a special class project, an outreach activity or whatever the researcher wanted to present relevant to the natural gas or energy industry and supply chains.
If you have questions, please contact Maury Dobbie (Symposium Chair) at 970-491-3788 or email [email protected]
The Energy Institute at Colorado State University hosted the 5th annual 2015 Natural Gas Symposium on October 27-28 on the Colorado State University campus located in Fort Collins, Colorado. For the past five years, Colorado State University has built a reputation for hosting a balanced symposium discussing all sides of the natural gas issue while remaining an “honest broker” of information and education.
Research Poster Submissions
Nielson, A., Stright, L., Hubbard, S. A., and Romans B. R.Using synthetic seismic models of channelized deep-water slope deposits to inform stratigraphic interpretation and reservoir modeling
Reservoir scale interpretation from seismic-reflection profiles of deep-water channels is inherently challenging due to sub-seismic scale nature of key stratigraphic surfaces. Forward seismic reflectivity modeling using synthetic seismic data generated from outcrop examples helps connect low resolution subsurface data and high-resolution outcrop data. Forward models of high resolution outcrop analog data can be used to guide subsurface well locations to mitigate exploration and production risk.
Restoration strategies that promote native plant communities and suppress non-native species invasion are important components of responsible natural gas development. In 2014, we implemented a study to investigate the effects of super absorbent polymers and drought on seeded native species and invasive cheatgrass, Bromus tectorum. Preliminary data indicate that native perennial plant density was lower under the drought treatments. No effects of SAPs or cheatgrass have been detected.
Title: The Hydraulic Fracturing (HF) Process: Real Concern or Misdirected Focus Concerning Threats to Drinking Water Supplies (DWS)
This poster illustrates that the real concern for impacts to potable aquifers and drinking water supplies (DWS) of a more widespread and long term nature will likely be from subsurface stray gas (methane) migration. Well design and construction leaving open annular intervals coupled with local geologic conditions (e.g. openly fractured bedrock extending to depths that exceed surface/intermediate casing depth requirements) may contribute to methane impacts to shallow aquifers as illustrated in this NE PA Marcellus example.
Subsurface stray gas is sourced from either 1) non-targeted gas bearing zones (show intervals) that were missed and left un-isolated by the cementing of open annular intervals or from some failure of a barrier (casing or cement) in the well construction that leads to annular overpressuring. Managing risk through detecting and monitoring annular overpressuring that documents stray gas migration potential should be the focus rather than subsurface migration of hydraulic fracturing fluids. Only limited pathways, largely via inter-wellbore communication from “frac hits” allow for frac chemical migration. However, little (if any) documentation exists for frac fluid subsurface migration to potable groundwater supplies under deeper fracing operations. Methane is buoyant, far more abundant, concentrated and mobile in response to subsurface pressure gradients than the dilute frack fluids introduced into the subsurface during the hydraulic fracturing “process”. While non-toxic, methane poses an explosion hazard in water supplies from either natural sources or resource development activities. It’s potency as a greenhouse gas when vented to the atmosphere in efforts to manage stray gas is also of concern.
Using motion-activated cameras coupled with GPS locations of radio-collared mule deer in the Piceance Basin of northwest Colorado, three research foci will be examined: 1) Carnivore community occupancy in relation to natural-gas development infrastructure, 2) Structuring of carnivore distributions by competitors and prey distributions, and 3) Predation risk of mule deer with respect to landscape features and mule deer distributions.
We coordinated different measurement techniques on well pads and gathering stations to perform facility level reconciliation between individual component measurements and down wind facility measurements. A contemporaneous mass balance of our study area was also performed using an aircraft to reconcile the basin with the roll up from individual facilities. Gathering lines, transmission stations and distribution systems in the study area were also measured and included in the roll up.