Advanced Oil and Gas Exploration and Recovery

*I do not have the book, so I have provided student examples that have book info*
Using the readings you have done and your own experiences, discuss our book chapters ten, eleven and twelve on pages 114 to 151 and the related videos. Include a discussion of the new electricity generating company Innovation-T described in Introduction and Overview.
Each of our technologies has pros and cons. In this exercise, take each of our three technologies and first it. Then take that technology and examine what are the pros and cons? Note: Examine the pros and cons for people, companies, government, nature, etc.
Begin your Word paper by setting up the topics to be addressed.
Advanced Materials
- Definition
- Pros
- Cons
Advanced Oil and Gas Exploration and Recovery
- Definition
- Pros
- Cons
Renewable Energy
- Definition
- Pros
- Cons
Innovation-T - a new company creating a new type of energy
*I do not have the book, so I have provided student examples that have book info*
STUDENT EXAMPLE 1:
Advanced Materials
Definition
Advanced Materials are materials that are different from normal materials because they are better in areas such as strength, conductivity, healing or memory. Advanced materials self regulate by self healing, self cleaning, going back to their original shape, and turning themselves into energy. Nanomaterials are a part of advanced materials. Nanomaterials are materials with a size of less than 100 nanometers.
Pros
Nanomaterials can help turn saltwater into freshwater, which can help places where access to freshwater is limited.
Nanomaterials can also help create super batteries, which can let an electric car go 300 miles without recharging. This could also change the car industry because using nanomaterials, these electric cars would be able to charge quickly and last longer. This would eliminate a need for gas cars.
Nanomedicine could help deliver targeted drugs to the body for cancer patients.
Helps increase technology efficiency, for example an iPad today would be able to be folded/rolled up and stored for later use.
150 Billion to 500 billion dollar economic impact. It will be a growing industry and create more jobs in the STEM field.
Cons
Still at a basic level currently, not to an advanced level.
Has to depend on time now throughout the future in order to see its effectiveness.
Law/policy makers have not regulated this yet because it is still in the beginning stages and will need to be regulated in the future.
Advanced Oil and Gas Exploration and Recovery
Definition
There are certain reserves that oil cannot be extracted from using normal methods, and attempting to extract them has been hard to do because they are stuck in rocks or other matter. Hydraulic drilling has been a tool to extract oil/gas resources.
Pros
No more dependency on political relations with other countries for oil, countries can be self-sufficient in getting their own oil through these methods.
Technology to extract unconventional oil and gas is advancing as there is more demand for resources because of incomes rising. Due to this technology is increasing and advancing to a point where extracting unconventional oil and gas will be cost efficient and increase production.
Replacing diesel pumps with natural gas generators would decrease carbon dioxide emissions by up to 80%, making it more eco friendly as global warming and climate change has become more prevalent within the last couple of years.
95 billion to 480 billion in economic impact.
Cons
Natural gas cannot be freely traded like a commodity, so the availability and pricing would vary on region.
Needs a lot of resources in order to drill, like large amounts of water, and room for access roads.
Hydraulic fracturing has the potential to contaminate groundwater, pollute the air because of the equipment used, greenhouse gas emissions, and increased land use.
Renewable Energy
Definition
Energy resources that are eco friendly that also are sustainable and unlimited. It is a source of power that will go ever diminish or go away. Unlike oil, renewable energy such as wind and solar power are unlimited and can never run out. The earth has a limited amount of oil, so it is not renewable.
Pros
Wind turbines turn more than 45% of kinetic energy of wind into electricity.
Solar power can power a building or home.
Can help reduce the carbon emissions in the environment caused by nonrenewable sources of energy.
Better for the environment because toxic gasses are not being released.
There is potential for increased power in biofuels, which are organic materials such as corn. There is also an algae that can convert the CO2 in the air into energy, which can help reduce CO2 emissions and become a greener source of energy,
Cons
Solar power is not cost-competitive with fossil fuels on a global basis, it still costs more even though the cost has gone down over the past few years. $50 per MWh compared to solar power which is $150 per MWh.
More expensive to set up wind turbines in riverbeds or beneath the ocean.
Wind turbines also cost more than normal energy sources, they cost around $70 per MWh while a combination of electric and coal sources costs around $50 per MWh.
Wind turbines and solar panels take up a lot of room and space, so there would be a need for a lot of room to have them and there are a lot of places like cities that may not be able to have room for wind turbines.
Innovation-T - a new company creating a new type of energy
Innovation T has come up with a solution to everyday problems which are already affecting the environment. They have created ways to get renewable energy through wind turbines, magnetic motor generators and battery storage. Their wind turbines are efficient enough to the point where it can take in wind as low as 2mph, which would be helpful for places where there isn’t a lot of wind. They can produce a lot of energy but with little space, which would be helpful for urban areas and cities like Chicago by using the rooftops as a mini solar farm. They can produce a lot of organic produce in shipping container farms, which do not take up a lot of space. This again would be useful in urban cities where there isn’t a lot of room. I think that what Innovation T has done is great as it is providing greener alternatives to our everyday lives, but what would concern me is the cost. I know that Chicago isn’t really the greenest city and our city budget has not been doing so well, so I would hope that there would be some way for our city to fund this if it were to be implemented.
STUDENT EXAMPLE 2:
Advanced Material:
Definition- Advanced materials are altered and engineered materials that are made to be better than conventional materials and used in technology to help benefit society.
Pros- The biggest thing when looking at advanced materials is costs are much lower and the products that are made last longer. Entire systems are enhanced when using these materials. Self healing and medicine technology has been one of the biggest being affected by the use of advanced materials.
Cons- There aren't enough to be used as frequently as we would like as the quantity isn't there. Safety and regulations aren't as tested as regular materials where it can be risky to trust this new technology.
Advanced Oil and Gas Exploration and Recovery:
Definition- The extraction of crude oil or gas that can't be obtained by regular extraction. Using EOR can extract 30%-60% from the reservoir by using 3 different types of extraction, which are gas, thermal and chemical.
Pros- EOR has developed the technology to improve on the efficiency in which oil is extracted, the productivity, which is then better for the environment overall. The technology has also been used to pinpoint new resources that we might not have found without this technology.
Cons- The biggest con is that this technology is allowing for more and more reliance on the resources that are being fracked since they are so readily available, yet we only have a certain amount and as they run out we can't get more.
Renewable Energy:
Definition- Resources and energy that are produced by solar, wind and even water. Many times it is referred to as clean energy as it is produced naturally.
Pros- Wind turbines have been popping up everywhere and you see them more frequently as it is clean energy and doesn't produce any pollution as the world looks to be greener. Wind turbines also produce money for their area as Adair County was given $3.5 million in property taxes and $2 million going to the county.
Cons- Renewable energy is still expensive as it takes more to generate the energy. Yet as technology progresses there is hope to be more economical.
Innovation T:
Innovation T is a company that strives to provide the latest technology in energy that is good for the environment. They are in everything especially water as they are used for agriculture and how our goods are grown. They focus on finding new technologies and companies that are also striving for cleaner energy and even working with governments. Focusing on soil in which our crops are grown to yield more crops that have a longer shelf life as opposed to chemically grown crops.
Innovation T is also providing energy in gigawatts/megawatts for commercial use and even giving kilowatts for residential use. The technology and efficiency of this is saving 25%-30%. They are also even in air quality technology to create a pathogen free environmental system.
Resources:
- www(dot)innovationt(dot)com
- www(dot)cleangridalliance(dot)org
STUDENT EXAMPLE 3:
Advanced Materials
Definition: Advanced materials are materials that are literally advanced and the upgraded version. These materials have the ability to self-heal, self-clean and have great memory technology.
Pros: “Nanomedicine could be used to deliver targeted drugs to 20 million new cancer cases worldwide in 2025.” This is huge when thinking about the medical advances that can be made because of advanced material. With things being more durable and self-efficient this can also make the cost favorable in the long run.
Cons: The con on advanced material is that it is still in works therefore there is not enough supply not to mention because it is newer it is pretty costly and not as accessible.
Advanced Oil and Gas Exploration and Recovery
Definition: This allows for there to be a bigger amount of extraction of oil than the initial extraction and to be able to recover as well.
Pros: EOR is especially important because it has the ability to extract more than we have been able to in the past and overall having a better system for the environment.
Cons: Water is another big resource that is being used and there can be tradeoffs of using too much water in order to get more oil. With this happening at such a fast pace I think we can also run into the issue of running out.
Renewable Energy
Definition: Renewable energy is energy that can come resources such as bodies of water, solar and wind. It is energy that can be produced naturally.
Pros: This is a pro because we are receiving natural energy from our environment which is a lot cleaner and causes less pollution.
Cons: Although a lot of this might be better for the environment it can still come at a high cost because it is not as accessible.
Innovation-T - a new company creating a new type of energy
Definition: Innovation-T is a company working with advanced technology focused in the areas of clean energy, water, food and health. This company partners with other businesses and the government to develop these technologies.
STUDENT EXAMPLE 4:
Hello Class-
Advanced Materials
Definition
Several different types of materials are included in the category of advanced materials:
Nanomaterials -These materials are defined as material manipulated or used with features at less than 100 nanometers, or essentially molecular level. To put that in perspective, the average human hair is between 20,000 and 80,000 nanometers. In addition, the nanoparticles may have several characteristics of electromagnetism, thermal, or optical properties. Therefore, they required a complicated manufacturing process and are seldom produced in mass.
Green materials - These materials target environmental concerns. Materials that reduce CO2 emissions or require less energy during production fall into this category.
Self-healing materials: Materials that mimic biological systems' ability to repair avoid maintenance, like a type of concrete that could automatically repair cracks, is an example.
Piezoelectric materials -Material that turns pressure into energy is not new. However, researchers are looking to capture energy by adding piezoelectric material into clothing to create energy to power mobile internet devices, like cell phones.
Memory metals - This material reverts, or changes shape based on temperature and could be used as inexpensive robots because their shape and task could change based simply changing the temperature.
Advanced composites - These materials can build lighter and more robust parts for vehicles and offer the option to replace aluminum with lightweight carbon fiber.
Pros
Pharmaceutical companies are being to use nanoparticles for chemotherapy that targets only the cancer cells vs. traditional methods. In addition, some materials have increase conductivity and lower resistance, which could make computers faster and more energy efficient. The economic impact will be $150million to $500 million per year by 2025 due to growth.
Cons
The effects on health are unknown, and some studies suggest the inhaling loose nanoparticles causes damage similar to asbestos. In addition, nanoparticle drugs are predicted to be very expensive and would hurt insurance and health care costs. This will result in the need for workers to step up for new jobs. Also, the effects on the environment are unknown.
Advanced Oil and Gas Exploration and Recovery
Definition
Methods for accessing and gas and oil reserves that traditional methods cannot tap. Companies are now extracting fuel from shale and light-tight oil from organic material and limestone. Hydraulic fracturing (fracking) and horizontal drilling are the most common methods.
Pros
Earth has many untapped resources to support the increase in demand. The cost of energy has dropped as these new approaches provide additional resources. Significant fields for fracking and shale are located within the US, which reduces the need for foreign oil. Positive economic growth of the direct and indirect industries could reach as high as $460 billion annually.
Cons
The shift from OPEC to a local approach for production will have geopolitical effects and could severely reduce jobs in the middle east. In addition, both processes cause environmental harm, and fracking consumes and pollutes water.
Renewable Energy
Definition
Renewable energy is derived from a continuously replenished source, like the sun, moving water, wind, or oceanic heat. However, hydroelectric power from dams is not included as disruptive technology because significant advances are not expected.
Pros
Benefits are lower or no emissions from the energy source, almost unlimited capacity. Solar and wind energy could be used in developing countries without created additional pollution. There is the potential to produce localized energy for rural locations without access to a stable power grid.
Cons
Although some progress has been made, this technology is still expensive, and solar panels can be expensive and difficult to retrofit to an existing structure.
Innovation-T -
Innovation T is a technology company that is focused on providing environmentally friendly solutions for energy, water, health, food, and agriculture. The company strives to find more efficient and sustainable technologies by working with government, business, and individuals to develop technology solutions for specific needs. The company partners and distributes cutting edge energy technology that range from Gigawatts to small residential that are 25% cheaper to operate. The company also focuses on purification and desalination of water for agriculture and provide systems that add negative ions to water wells. Contaminate and salt bond with the negative icons, resulting in cleaner water and increased crop yields six to ten time.
Another way that Innovation T supports agriculture is providing nature soil additives to replace chemical fertilizers and increasing quality and yield. The company also supports food generation out of the field, too. Urban farming by using vertical farming in shipping container fitted with hydroponics produce organic food in smaller area, cheaper, with less water consumption, and closer to market. Using local wind turbine to power shipping container farms is one of example of these technologies working together.
Thanks for reading,
Barb