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This SBIR project evaluated the potential to remediate geologic CO2 sequestration sites into useful methane gas fields by application of methanogenic bacteria. Such methanogens are present in a wide variety of natural environments, converting CO2 into CH4 under natural conditions. We conclude that the process is generally feasible to apply within many of the proposed CO2 storage reservoir settings. However, extensive further basic R&D still is needed to define the precise species, environments, nutrient growth accelerants, and economics of the methanogenic process. Consequently, the study team does not recommend Phase III commercial application of the technology at this early phase.

We report a method to determine the quantum detection efficiency and the absorbing layers on a front-illuminated charge-coupled device (CCD). The CCD under study, as part of a crystal spectrometer, measures intense continuum x-ray emission from a picosecond laser-produced plasma and spectrally resolves the Si K-edge x-ray absorption fine structure features due to the electrode gate structure of the device. The CCD response across the Si K-edge shows a large discontinuity as well as a number of oscillations that are identified individually and uniquely from Si, SiO{sub 2}, and Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} layers. From the spectral analysis of the structure and K-edge discontinuity, the active layer thickness and the different absorbing layers thickness can be determined precisely. A precise CCD detection model from 0.2-10 keV can be deduced from this highly sensitive technique.

The Unites States predicted 60% growth in energy demand by 2030 makes oil and natural gas primary target fuels for energy generation. The fact that the peak of oil production from shallow wells (< 5000 m) is about to be reached, thereby pushing the oil and natural gas industry into deeper wells. However, drilling to depths greater than 5000 m requires increasing the strength-to weight ratio of the drill pipe materials. Grade UD-165 is one of the ultra- high yield strength carbon steels developed for ultra deep drilling (UDD) activities. Drilling UDD wells exposes the drill pipes to Cl{sup -}, HCO{sub 3}{sup -}/CO{sub 3}{sup 2-}, and H{sub 2}S-containig corrosive environments (i.e., sour environments) at higher pressures and temperatures compared to those found in conventional wells. Because of the lack of synergism within the service environment, operational stresses can result in catastrophic brittle failures characteristic for environmentally assisted cracking (EAC). Approximately 75% of all drill string failures are caused by fatigue or corrosion fatigue. Since there is no literature data on the corrosion fatigue performance of UD-165 in sour environments, research was initiated to better clarify the fatigue crack growth (FCGR) behavior of this alloy in UDD environments. The FCGR behavior …