Monitoring and mitigating leaks, spills, emissions, and other hazards – geochemists study the groundwater and soil in areas of oil and gas activity to identify potential leaks and spills.Seismologists and engineers study the fractures and tiny earthquakes (microseisms) generated by hydraulic fracturing to monitor the progress of the operation, identify potential risks, and improve future operations.
Understanding and optimizing hydraulic fracturing – geophysicists and engineers study how fractures form during hydraulic fracturing, making the process more effective at extracting resources and improving understanding of the potential risks of contaminating groundwater or triggering earthquakes. Hydrogeologists analyze the risk of ground- and surface water contamination during the drilling and operation of the well, informing decisions about where to position a well and how to reduce the risk from surface and drilling operations. Geologists help to monitor the drilling by studying rock samples brought up to the surface during the drilling process and analyzing geophysical data obtained by instruments inside the well. Drilling safely and effectively – drilling and preparing a well for production is generally managed by engineers. Petroleum geologists work closely with petroleum engineers who must ultimately design how the well will be drilled and prepared for production. Paleontologists study fossils of ancient organisms, pollen grains, and more to help determine the age of rocks and how they formed. Geochemistry is used to study rock samples and fluids to better understand of the types and amounts of oil and gas present in the rocks. Structural geology is used to predict the folding, faulting, and fracturing of rocks in order to interpret the shape of the oil- and gas-rich zones, identify areas where oil and gas may have migrated along faults and fractures, and improve the design of hydraulic fracturing operations. These geoscientists use their knowledge of stratigraphy and sedimentary processes to predict the location and structure of oil- and gas-bearing rocks. Finding oil and gas – petroleum geoscientists ( geophysicists, geologists, and geochemists) work in multidisciplinary teams to decide where to perform seismic imaging (like an ultrasound of the Earth), collect and analyze seismic data, and analyze pre-existing drillhole data from wells to develop a detailed picture of the oil- or gas-rich rocks deep beneath the Earth’s surface. Without the work of geoscientists, we would have neither the energy system nor the environmental protections we benefit from today. Geoscience – the study of the Earth – underpins our understanding of the many intersections between petroleum and the environment, from the search for resources to the study of air pollutants. 
Mandler for AGI, 2018 Download Print Version Introduction Petroleum and the Environment, Part 24/24
0 kommentar(er)
