Guest lectures and seminars - Page 202
Environmental challenges related to hydrocarbon-based energy sources as well as resource constraints are the driving forces behind the R&D focus of StatoilHydro. In this presentation we will discuss availability of hydrocarbon energy sources and global energy demand. We will show how this motivates the research focus of StatoilHydro.
Ruben Schulkes is Chief Researcher Production Technology at StatoilHydro, Research Centre Porsgrunn, and is Professor II at the Mechanics Division
The mixing of temperature and pollutants in the ocean can be studied by examining how pairs of particles, deployed together, separate in time and space. Here we consider a recent field experiment in which 120 satellite-tracked surface drifters were deployed in pairs and triplets off the Norwegian coast. We discuss the observed dispersion, and how this can be rationalized within the framework of the theory of two-dimensional turbulence.
Joseph Lacasce is professor at the Department of Geosciences
Recent efforts to investigate a possible increased lifetime of old platforms have brought attention to some challenging hydrodynamic problems. Due to higher extreme waves and subsidence of seabed some of these platforms have become vulnerable to wave crests hitting the deck of the platform. Higher estimates of extreme wave crests may be due to better understanding of non-linear wave effects as well as including the uncertainty related to possible climate change effects. Due to complexity of deck geometry, CFD has been found necessary to predict wave impact loads. Numerical procedures to estimate extreme wave crests, obtain corresponding fluid particle kinematics and calculate impact loads will be presented.
Jørn Birknes is scientist at Det Norske Veritas
The word seismology is often associated with earthquakes. However, the tightly related term ``seismic'' comprises a valuable technology used extensively by the oil and gas industry in its exploration, development, and reservoir management operations. This talk will explain how marine seismic operations are carried out, and highlight some technological challenges that are faced. Special attention will be given to a factors like wave motion and turbulence, that add complexities to the operational environment. Such factors are challenging to handle from both a fluid dynamical and a signal-processing perspective.
Thomas Elboth is geophysicist at Fugro-Geoteam AS
The slow growth of a crack in windshield represents a mechano-chemical process: The stress at the tip of the fracture is not high enough to cause rapid fracture motion. Instead, fracture motion is determined by the diffusion of hydrogen to the crack tip, where it weakens the material, leading to crack tip propagation. The velocity of the fracture depends on the coupling between deformation, transport, and reactions. Similar coupled processes determine the rate of many reaction processes of geological relevance, such as weathering and carbonation during mineralogical CO2 sequestration. We have developed numerical model that allow us to address mechano-chemical processes during fluid infiltration. The model demonstrates that fracturing assisted reaction fronts in shrinking materials propagate with a constant velocity and width, and that the reaction rate in volume increasing reactions may be accelerated by feedback processes between fluid flow, mechanical deformation, and reactions.
Anders Malthe-Sørenssen is professor at the Department of Physics, working at the center for Physics of Geological Processes