This report describes the technical progress on a project to design and construct a multichannel geophone array that improves tomographic imaging capabilities in both surface and underground mines. Especially important in the design of the array is sensor placement. One issue related to sensor placement is addressed in this report: the method for clamping the sensor once it is emplaced in the borehole. If the sensors (geophones) are not adequately coupled to the surrounding rock mass, the resulting data will be of very poor quality. Improved imaging capabilities will produce energy, environmental, and economic benefits by increasing exploration accuracy and reducing operating costs.

Efficient recovery of petroleum reserves from existing oil wells has been proven to be difficult due to the lack of robust instrumentation that can accurately and reliably monitor processes in the downhole environment. Commercially available sensors for measurement of pressure, temperature, and fluid flow exhibit shortened lifetimes in the harsh downhole conditions, which are characterized by high pressures (up to 20 kpsi), temperatures up to 250 C, and exposure to chemically reactive fluids. Development of robust sensors that deliver continuous, real-time data on reservoir performance and petroleum flow pathways will facilitate application of advanced recovery technologies, including horizontal and multilateral wells. This is the final report for the four-year program ''Optical Fiber Sensor Technologies for Efficient and Economical Oil Recovery'', funded by the National Petroleum Technology Office of the U.S. Department of Energy, and performed by the Center for Photonics Technology of the Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Virginia Tech from October 1, 1999 to March 31, 2003. The main objective of this research program was to develop cost-effective, reliable optical fiber sensor instrumentation for real-time monitoring of various key parameters crucial to efficient and economical oil production. During the program, optical fiber sensors were demonstrated for …

Previous work showed the correlation between bacterial biomass, population structure and the amount of lead, chromium and aromatic compounds present along a 21.6 m transect in which the concentrations of both heavy metals (Pb and Cr) and aromatic compounds varied 2-3 orders of magnitude. This work suggested that (a) biomass level was better correlated to the level of biodegradable organic C than the level of heavy metals, (b) microbial community composition differed between highly contaminated soils and uncontaminated ones, and (c) substantial microbial activity was found even in the highly contaminated soils. One confounding factor in these analyses was that the contaminated soils contained Pb, Cr, and aromatic hydrocarbons. Therefore, it was difficult to determine which factors were most important in the shifts of microbial community composition. Therefore, experiments were conducted in microcosms in which individual factors could be systematically varied. In this case, soils were used from the Seymour, IN site which had low levels of contamination, and the microbial community had little chance to adapt to heavy metals or aromatic compounds.

This Closure Report documents the activities undertaken to close Corrective Action Unit 335: Area 6 Injection Well and Drain Pit, according to the Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order. Corrective Action Unit 335 was closed in accordance with the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection-approved Corrective Action Plan for Corrective Action Unit 335.