bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of periodic drought stress on photosynthesis changes in Haloxylon aphyllum
Authors: Arabzadeh Naser
Published: November 2013

Impact of periodic drought stress on photosynthesis changes was examined in branchlets of Haloxylon aphyllum. Parameters F0, Fm, Fv, and the amounts of chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b were the traits that were measured in this experiment. Drought stress factor was considered as lack of irrigation of potted-seedlings of two haloxylon species in periods 0, 2, 4, 6... 26 and 28 days, and each drought period were repeated 6 times. Analysis of variance showed that drought stress had significant impact on the parameters F0, Fm, Fv, Fv/Fm and t1/2 with 99% probability in the haloxylon. Drought stress intensity was significantly effective on the amount of both chlorophyll a and b and total chlorophyll at 99% level in Haloxylon aphyllum. Drought stress was extremely affected on values of chlorophyll a and b, and reduced them up to more than 50% compared to the control. The obtained data were reviewed within the format of a Randomized Complete Design. Analysis of data was made by using two-side variance analysis; and comparison of averages was made by using Duncan's test. Key words: Haloxylon, photosynthesis, stress, drought, fluorescence
Exploiting the potential of halophytes for third generation biofuel production
Authors: Khan Ajmal
Published: November 2013

Exploiting the potential of halophytes for third generation biofuel production M. Ajmal Khan Qatar Shell Professorial Chair for Sustainable Development and Professor, Department of International Affairs, College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University, PO Box 2713, Doha, Qatar Author for correspondence: ajmal.khan@qu.edu.qa ABSTRACT Increasing urbanization and industrial developments are accompanying intense utilization of fossil fuel such as petroleum and natural gas. Combustion of these conventional fuels causes environmental pollution especially the emission of green-house gases. Atmospheric concentrations of these green-house gases have increased substantially since the first industrial revolution. These green-house gases cause global warming which in turn is linked to many environmental problems such as sea-level rise and weather anomalies. As a result, researchers are looking for sustainable and environment-friendly energy alternatives. Biofuels - bioethanol and biodiesel from halophytes (naturally salt tolerant plants) may provide such an alternative. The argument used against bio-fuel crops that they are competing with human food resources, is not applicable to halophytes as they utilize saline resources which are considered as waste. Besides, the production of energy from plant biomass would be less detrimental to environment than conventional fossil fuels, as it would emit the same amount of CO2, which would have been fixed during photosynthesis. The potential of halophytes as a source of biofuel is now under investigation. We are reporting here an initial screening of coastal halophytes from Pakistan, which could be useful as bioethanol feedstock.
Conversion of carbon dioxide to useful fuels using photoelectrochemical technology
Authors: Han Dong Suk
Published: November 2013

Production and use of hydrocarbon energy result in enormous release of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere, eventually causing the global climate change. Furthermore, the world is now facing a dual energy challenge, which is to minimize use of fossil fuels to decrease the impact of CO2 on climate change while meeting the growing global energy demand. To solve these challenges, development of an innovative technology capable of reducing or reusing CO2 as well as producing environmental-benign and sustainable energy using renewable energy sources is urgently required. As such, a technology that can produce solar fuel energy using water oxidation and CO2 reduction that mimics natural photosynthesis has been attracting extensive interest (Figure 1). Many approaches for solar-driven fuel production using artificial photosynthesis have been suggested and developed. Among them, a promising one is to use semiconductor-based photoelectrochemistry (PEC) because there are much potential to meet the requirement for sustainable, selective, and efficient production of solar-driven fuels and the proton-coupled electron transfer to CO2 by enhancing light absorption, charge generation, and separation through construction of a junction between semiconductors. For CO2 reduction, bare and Cu-electrodeposited p-Si electrodes were immersed in 0.1 M borate (pH 9.2) or 0.1 M bicarbonate (pH 7.2) electrolytes, to which AM 1.5 light of 100 mW/cm2 (1 Sun) was irradiated. Chopped linear sweep voltammograms showed that the onset potential is anodically shifted by 0.5 V and the photocurrent is significantly enhanced by Cu deposition. To examine the competitive reaction between water reduction (hydrogen evolution) and CO2 reduction occurring on p-Si/Cu, three different gases (O2, N2, CO2) were purged into the bicarbonate electrolyte solution. The purged gases change little the onset potentials. A high photocurrent with N2 compared to O2 indicates that water reduction becomes a primary electron-quenching process in the absence of dissolved oxygen. At low potential range, CO2 is most effective whereas N2 becomes more effective with increasing the negative potentials. Because the two-electron reduction potentials of H2O (H2 evolution) and CO2 (CO evolution) are very similar (only ~100 mV difference), the high photocurrent with CO2 at low potential range implies that the CO evolution may be the primary process. Instead of p-Si, a novel photocathode, p-CuFeO2 was also synthesized and its PEC performance was tested. The onset potential was around -0.2 V vs. SCE and the photocurrent increased with increasing the film thickness. Due to its transparency, this photocathode can be coupled with other transparent photoanodes for CO2 conversion.
Remote gas detection system for identifying fugitive emissions
Authors: Abdel-Moati Hazem
Published: November 2013

Identifying fugitive emissions from large scale LNG and gas processing and handling facilities is a difficult time and resource intensive process. Because of the limitations of hand held gas detection devices, and the sheer size and complexity of these facilities, smaller leaks may go undetected for extended periods of time and unintended releases may occur when plant personnel are not present or the area monitored. While fugitive emissions are typically not of immediate safety and human health concern taken individually, reducing the total emissions from a large plant or a regional industry footprint could very well have an appreciable positive impact on the environment. ExxonMobil Research Qatar (EMRQ) has developed a Remote Gas Detection (RGD) system that integrates computer vision algorithms and infrared (IR) optical technology that can autonomously scan for and identify small leaks such as those associated with fugitive emissions. Efficient identification of these emission sources will lead to better control and maintenance activities. The RGD system utilizes a custom build component based IR camera and integrated cooler assembly, and a computer vision algorithm that analyses the video output from the IR imagers to determine the presence of hydrocarbon plumes. Most hydrocarbon plumes have strong absorption peaks in the narrow mid-wave IR region. The algorithm takes advantage of the difference in contrast between a hydrocarbon plume and the background in each pixel of an IR image and the temporal changes due to plume behavior for the analysis. The algorithm compares sequentially collected IR images and uses a multi-stage confirmation process to confirm the detection and has built-in multiple filters that mitigate interferences like steam, and other moving objects such as humans and trees. Early field tests indicate that a 4 lb/hr propane leak could be autonomously detected from a distance of up to 800 feet. Also, initial testing comparing the RGD system to point and path detectors showed that a 2 lb/hr propane leak was successfully detected from 60 feet using the RGD system but did not elicit any response from a point detector located downwind 18 feet away. Multiple deployment opportunities at process facilities are currently underway. Results from field testing at these process facilities will help researchers investigate the effect of temperate and harsh weather conditions, the effect of varying temperatures and gain a better understanding of equipment wear and tear, maintenance requirements and possible life expectancies. These data sets will produce an accurate assessment of the performance of the RGD system under actual working conditions and will be used to qualify the technology for widespread adoption within the industry.
Channel Coordination In Supply Chains Under Carbon Emission Considerations
Authors: Elomri Adel
Published: November 2013

An increasing number of firms are integrating carbon emission concerns into their operational decision-making. Some of these actions are motivated by individual initiatives towards corporate environmentalism. While some other are driven by environmental regulation pressures. Policies such as carbon caps under the Kyoto Protocol and carbon tax have been introduced in many countries as mechanisms to induce firms to adopt the low carbon society. In this setting, we present a model for analyzing the impact of carbon emission considerations on the coordination between two/or more different business entities. In the absence of carbon emission considerations, channel coordination has been widely studied in the supply chain management literature. It has been shown that both entities are often better off under the coordinated channel. Several mechanisms and contracts have been then studied to settle down such coordination under different scenarios. The purpose of this research is to investigate these traditional (cost driven) results under carbon emissions considerations. In other terms our objective is to illustrate how the incentives for the coordination are affected by the presence of carbon emission firms' concerns. In our initial analysis we consider traditional buyer-vendor coordination by associating carbon emission parameters with ordering and holding decision variables. We examine how the values of these parameters as well as the considered regulatory emission control policies affect cost and emissions. The corresponding carbon emissions are incorporated into the model through the consideration of various regulatory policies that include : (1) strict emission caps: both of the supplier and the buyer are subject to mandatory caps on the amount of carbon they emit, (2) carbon tax policy: the supplier and the buyer are taxed on the amount of emissions they emit and (3) cap and trade system: the supplier and the buyer are subject to carbon caps but are rewarded /penalized for emitting less/more than their caps. Under carbon emission considerations, the centralized solution remains profit-optimal but not necessarily emission-optimal. This means that the joint profit is often increased when the channel is coordinated. However, the amount of total carbon emissions may be higher than what could be emitted by the retailer and the supplier when they work individually. We identify conditions on cost and emission parameters under which the joint policy is both profit and emission optimal. We also show that the outcome of the coordination is very sensitive to the type of the regulatory policy, for instance some policies are providing greater incentives than others for coordination.
Smart grid opportunities for Qatar
Authors: Kezunovic Mladen
Published: November 2013

Smart Grid Opportunities for Qatar Summary Smart grid is defined as the next generation of the electricity grid that meets the following objectives (according to a recent NETL study funded by the DOE in the USA): * Enabling informed participation by customers * Accommodating all generation and storage options * Enabling new products, services, and markets * Providing the power quality for the range of needs in the 21st century economy * Optimizing asset utilization and operating efficiently * Addressing disturbances through automated prevention, containment, and restoration * Operating resiliently against all hazards. This paper will explore each of the above objectives focusing on some generic technical issues and challenges, as well as some specific circumstances defined by geopolitical and strategic Qatar enablers. The generic technical issues will focus on the technology, new applications and implementation issues related to smart grid solutions. The technology discussion will focus on advanced sensors, communications, data processing, and visualization solutions that are relevant to the new smart grid applications. Topics that will be discussed are big data and their role in smart grids, as well as the importance of cloud computing and pervasive web applications. Special attention will be placed on the issues of interoperability and standardization. The discussion of applications will be related to advancements in outage management, asset management and demand side management. The implementation issues will focus on the IT infrastructure, availability of good power system models, and future trends in EMS/DMS deployment. Special attention will be placed on the cyber-physical security and privacy issues in smart grid deployments. The specific Qatar circumstances that will be of interest are the ability to exploit the solar energy and to introduce large scale use of electrical vehicles, as well as an ability to provide hardened power grid for ultimate reliability and security of power supply to the end customers. Integration of such solutions into the existing power grid in Qatar will also be discussed. The research issues that need to be pursued to better understand circumstances of how to get the best use out of such advanced technologies will be the final point of the paper. The paper will end with some examples of smart cities developed around the world to offer an inspiration about possible smart grid projects in Qatar. Examples of recent developments in the USA, Europe and the Far East (Korea, Japan and China) will be mentioned as examples. The need to define unique Qatar approach to the smart grid development will be emphasized at the end.
Reduced switch count asymmetrical flying capacitor multi-level inverter for variable speed drives application
Authors: Iqbal Atif
Published: November 2013

This paper discusses a reduced switch count topology of multi-level three-phase voltage source inverter for variable speed drive applications. In the investigated topology, the number of power switching devices and the number of capacitor/neutral voltage clamping devices are drastically reduced when compared with the existing Neutral Point Clamped (NPC), Flying capacitor (FLC) and Cascaded H-bridge (CHB) multilevel solutions. The number of devices for different types of inverters are shown in Table 1. The number of devices is reduced more when number of output level is increased. The converter configuration is proposed in the literature for seven-level and thirty-one level single-phase output and named as asymmetrical flying capacitor or Packed U cell (PUC) inverter. The same concept is extended in this paper for three-phase output and for variable speed drives application. The emphasis is placed in the development of three-phase seven-level voltage source inverter with asymmetrical flying capacitor configuration. The number of power semiconductor switching devices used in the proposed topology is only 50% of the number used in conventional NPC/FLC/CHB. Hence there is a saving of 50% in number of devices. The proposed solution offers transformer-less topology with reduced dv/dt and reduced switching losses. Modeling, simulation, control and implementation is conducted and reported in this paper. The developed model is validated using Matlab/Simulink simulation and experimentally verified. Simple multiple carrier-based Pulse Width Modulation techniques (PWM) is employed. Unlike the NPC inverter, this topology does not require any clamping diodes and is also free from issues like neutral point fluctuations. A carrier based PWM technique combined with a PI controller for balancing of the capacitor's voltages is used for the control of the seven-level inverter. Here balancing is in the sense that the voltage across the clamping capacitor is to be maintained at 1/3rd of dc link voltage. The major disadvantage of the proposed topology is the requirement of isolated dc supplies. The problem may also arise in case of dc link voltage unbalance. The electric drive system employing the proposed inverter topology find application in high power ac drives such as in oil & gas industries, electric/hybrid electric vehicles, ship propulsion, traction etc.The proposed topology is shown in Fig. 1 and sample simulation result is presented in Fig. 2. The detailed results and theoretical analysis will be reported in the full paper. The results will also include the effect of unbalanced dc link voltage.
A wind turbine emulator system
Authors: Aggarwal Mahima
Published: November 2013

This paper aims to provide an in-depth overview of all the findings presented in recent research papers available on wind turbine emulation design methodologies. It discusses about the existing possibilities for developing the emulator and ultimately uses the suitable method for building a wind turbine emulator keeping all those issues discussed in previous research papers in mind. A wind emulator system is developed to investigate the wind energy generation system at laboratory scale i.e. instead to an actual wind turbine and generator, an emulator is built to emulate the identical characteristics. An emulator system consist of wind turbine model, wind generator model and control system. Maximum power point tracker is employed to extract maximum available power from the wind turbine. A study of the state-of-the-art indicates that most prior efforts involved maximum power point tracking (MPPT) control strategies, generator torque control, blade pitch control system and rotational speed control. This paper presents the maximum power point tracking process which tracks one maximum power point from turbine input, varying the ratio between the voltage and current delivered to get the most power out of it. Of all the MPPT algorithms, incremental resistance (INR) control algorithm with boost converter has been used for simulating the wind turbine system. The development of simulator involves simulation of the designed control system using MATLAB/SIMULINK software and then laboratory implementation. The model on SIMULINK consists of wind turbine module, wind alternator, MPPT controller circuit, PWM signal generator circuit, boost converter and resistive load. In laboratory implementation, a microcontroller will be used for wind turbine characterization, MPPT control and PWM signal generation for more efficient and lower cost system development. The proposed topology is shown in Figure. 1 and sample simulation result is presented in Figure. 2. The detailed results and theoretical analysis will be reported in the full paper.
Predicting offshore oil and gas pipelines condition
Authors: El-Abbasy Mohammed
Published: November 2013

Crude oil and gas products transported using pipelines systems is safe and economical all over the the world. Nonetheless, such pipelines can still be subject to various degrees of failure and degradation generating hazardous consequences and severe environmental damages. As a result, it is important for these pipelines to be effectively monitored and assessed for optimal operation. Many models have been developed to predict pipeline failures and conditions. However, most of these models were limited to use corrosion features as the only factor to assess the condition of pipelines which can lead to inaccurate condition prediction. Therefore, the main aim of this paper is to develop models that predict the condition of offshore oil and gas pipelines based on several other factors including corrosion. Regression analysis and artificial neural network (ANN) techniques were used to develop condition prediction models based on historical inspection data of three existing pipelines in Qatar. In addition, a condition assessment scale for pipelines was built based on experts' opinion. All necessary statistical diagnosis have been checked showing sound results for the developed models. The models have been validated and the results showed their robustness with an average validity percentage from 96 to 99%. The models are expected to help pipeline operators to assess and predict the condition of existing oil and gas pipelines and hence prioritize their inspections and rehabilitation planning.
Oil fingerprinting and its application in Qatar petroleum
Authors: Aldahik Ahmad
Published: November 2013

Petroleum Geochemistry is an established science to study the formation, migration, accumulation and alteration of petroleum. It is routinely applied to understand the exploration and recovery of oil and gas, both for "conventional" hydrocarbons as well as "unconventional" resources like shale gas. Due to its diverse origins and subsequent alteration processes during migration and accumulation processes, many hydrocarbons constitute of unique chemical components and markers that can be identified, a technique called Oil Fingerprinting. Routine applications of Oil Fingerprinting are: o solving reservoir production allocation o identify production from commingled reservoirs o connectivity/compartmentalization issues o identification of wellbore mechanical problems o characterization of reservoir bitumen and tar mats Qatar Petroleum Research and Technology Center (QPRTC) is in the process of establishing a state of the art geochemical laboratory to study and research Oil Fingerprinting applications. High Resolution Gas Chromatography (HRGC) is used to have a wide range (C1-C40) of chemical constituents of crude oil. The Multi Dimensional Gas Chromatography (MDGC) technique is used to separate a unique set of geochemical components sensitive for reservoir processes. QPRTC is now conducting research activities to support QP operations utilizing Oil Fingerprinting.
Identification of gender-associated molecular markers in the date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) genome
Authors: Torres Maria
Published: November 2013

Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) is one of the most distributed and well-adapted fruit crops in the Middle East, and plays an important role in the history and diet of the Arab world. Dates constitute the primary exportable agricultural product in Qatar and current efforts are being made to improve its production. Over the years, clonal propagation has been used to maintain selected varieties with desirable morphological traits, leading to the establishment of uniform palm orchards. This, however, significantly reduces genetic diversity among palm plantations, making them potentially more susceptible to pests and diseases. Although research on date palm has increased over the past years, the genetic markers responsible for desirable agricultural traits, such as fruit color, fruit size, ripening time and gender remain unknown. In commercial plantations, one hundred fruit bearing female trees can be pollinated with a single non-bearing male tree. Still, half of the date palm offspring that is planted is expected to be male individuals. One of the biggest challenges that date production encounters is that female trees can only be distinguished after flowering, which occurs five to eight years after planting. Previous cytological studies have suggested the presence of heteromorphic sex chromosomes in date palm, however enzymatic approaches intended to anticipate gender determination have been unsuccessful. The recent genome sequencing of P. dactylifera in WCMC-Q, allowed the identification of a gender-linked genomic region. This single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-rich region was shown to segregate with gender, and is predicted to extend to 24 scaffolds. Only a limited amount of information about this region is currently available, and this study proposes the use of a deep-sequencing approach to significantly improve the date palm genome assembly, with an emphasis on the male/female segregating region. A bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) library, with a 12x genome coverage and an average insert size of 125 Kb was constructed. BAC-end sequencing of at least 96 clones, associated with the polymorphic sex-linked region, will allow the generation of an optical and physical maps of the sex-determination region. This will be the first time that a full genetic map of a male/female region will be available for a plant. Our main goal is to ultimately generate molecular markers that have the potential to allow identification and selection of female trees before germination. Furthermore, standardization of this sequencing procedure, will also allow us to characterize other genomic regions associated with desirable commercial properties of these fruits. This in turn, will provide a valuable tool for the development of marker-assisted selection programs, for the improvement of date palm production.
Clean development mechanism: An efficient instrument to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and ensure sustainable development in the Middle East.
Authors: Piet Remi
Published: November 2013

The 18th Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention to Climate Change has taken place in December 2012 in Doha and brought some fruitful results in defining the future climate regime strategy. The parties acknowledged that, during the first phase of the implementation of Kyoto Protocol from 2008 to 2012, there had been a number of truly important achievements, in particular in setting up mechanisms aimed at the reduction of emissions locally and involving strong participation of the private sector. The lessons learned in the first phase of 2008-2012 provide valuable pointers for the future and will hopefully make an even stronger contribution to sustainable development in the years to come. This article offers an overview of the international climate policy framework and analysis of the probably most successful and promising instrument - clean development mechanism (CDM) - that has really boosted clean technology transfer, sustainable development and climate change awareness in the Middle East over the last 5 years. This article also reviews the implementation of several Global Environmental Fund (GEF) projects on renewable energy technologies diffusion in Tunisia, Egypt and other developing nations. It specifically addresses the inclusion of private actors (banking sector, equipment producers, private developers) throughout the definition phases and implementation of the projects. This paper analyzes the compatibility of the stakeholders' interests and the adaptation of public regulations and mechanisms in developing a fertile framework for the creation of private initiatives. The choice of cases allows for the study of the most relevant set of domestic parameters (such as legal, political and cultural variables) to unsure the capacity building and sustained contribution of private actors. The author worked for the United Nations Environment Programme during the development of the initiative and introduces in this paper a range of theoretical and analytic tools to underline the success and shortcomings of public-private partnerships in environmental technologies diffusion programs The article concludes by extracting the best practices that provide insights on how to develop similar projects within the GCC in general and Qatar in particular. Analyzing the shortcomings of some of the projects and the achievements of most, it will provide leads as to the establishment of a framework of public policies and program developments that could serve as a relevant foundation for the sustainable development of the country and the region.
Simulating the heat transfer process among geofluid and the surrounding in a geothermal production well in Qatar
Authors: Kharseh Mohamad
Published: November 2013

Geothermal energy has been a well known renewable sources for power production. Continuous non- stop of energy production along the year is the main aspect for a preferable way to generate power. As it is well known that geofluid is harvested from a production well which is used as the main input for the plant process. Consuming this geofluid for heat transfer process or by directly generating electricity in a steam turbine will relatively drop its temperature. Thus, geofluid is re-injected back to the well to regain the heat loss from the surroundings. The more the temperature of geofluid is, the better the power generation will be. Studying the heat transfer process occurring in a geothermal well is a vital need in such a plant to improve the geofluid temperature magnitude. This is applicable by using a highly sophisticated software "FLUENT GAMBIT" were a three dimensional model can be built by drawing it on "GAMBIT" and exporting the mesh to "FLUENT" for heat transfer process simulation. Dimensions such as the oil well diameter and the closed loop pipe where the geofluid flows must be known and obtained. The range of the surrounding reservoir temperature of the well is considered as well. This operation is highly recommended for whom is interested to know and innovate renewable resources such as geothermal energy for power generation. This is done by choosing the best material of the geofluid pipes that ease the heat transfer process as said before. Defining the optimal flow rate of the geofluid that helps in gaining the maximum heat from the well taking into account the porous medium where the heat flows from the reservoir to the well. Getting such a result through this study will increase the potential of hosting and implementing this renewable resource in Qatar and will cover most of the hidden obstacles that may face the researchers.
New record of a lizard species for Qatar: The Persian leaf-toed gecko, Hemidactylus persicus Anderson, 1872 (Gekkonidae)
Authors: Valdeón Aitor
Published: November 2013

We report here the discovery of a gecko species, the Persian leaf-toed gecko Hemidactylus persicus Anderson, 1872 (Gekkonidae) in Qatar that was found on Halul Island. According to the Qatar National Biodiversity Surveys and the available international literature H. persicus was not previously recorded in Qatar. Its known range covers the north east of the Arabian Peninsula, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and south western Asia. Our findings bridge the current geographic gap in the known distribution of the species from Saudi Arabia to Asia. We believe that the species could be also present in the Qatar peninsula. A thorough field survey is needed in order to map the range of this species in the State of Qatar.
Addressing two challenges of matrix acidizing in carbonate fields: High permeability contrasts and water mitigation
Authors: Gharbi Oussama
Published: November 2013

Context and objectives The dominant majority of the oil and gas reservoirs in the Middle East and in Qatar in particular are composed of carbonate porous media. Therefore, a better description of the heterogeneous carbonate porous media is a key challenge that will ultimately lead to efficiently unlock and develop new reserves. One of the main characteristics of carbonate rocks is their high reactivity in contact with hydrochloric acids. Therefore, matrix acidizing producer wells in carbonate formations is a common operational practice that helps to increase the permeability of the damaged or tight near wellbore region. One of the main objectives of matrix acid stimulation is to achieve a good zonal coverage with the acid, especially to stimulate hydrocarbon production from low permeability zones, especially in the presence of high permeability contrasts. However, field applications show that matrix acid stimulation leads often to an insufficient increase of permeability in the targeted region as well as an increase in water production from watered zones. Solution In this context, Qatar Petroleum and TOTAL are jointly investigating improved acid stimulation methodologies in carbonates. Within our testing facilities at Qatar Science and Technology Park (a member of the Qatar Foundation) and in liaison with TOTAL's research headquarters in France, we performed high pressure and temperature single and dual core flooding experiments over a range of four different carbonate rocks with different permeability and pore structures. Results Live and emulsified acids were used as well as Relative Permeability Modifiers (RPMs) and particle-laden diverters. Changes in permeability were measured in real time during the injection across the length of the cores. In addition, pre and post-injection micro-CT scanning allowed the visualization of different dissolution patterns (mainly dominant worm-holing). Changes in porosity induced by the chemical reactions were also deduced based on image analysis. We compared the response of different acid types and assess the impact of RPMs on brine and oil flow. Conclusions The test results will serve as a basis for elaborating new acid pumping sequences for well stimulation an also to benchmark different commercial and academic acid stimulation software. The results can be used to different applications such as carbon storage in heterogeneous carbonates.
The Leeward Coast of Qatar (Khor Al-Adaid ): A model for offshore wind-dominated progradation in an arid environment
Authors: Strohmenger Christian
Published: November 2013

The southeastern, leeward coast of Qatar presents a unique example of arid shoreline sedimentation patterns dominated by sand dune fields blown into the sea. The observed sediment dynamics, geospatial data, and facies patterns are analogous to aeolian reservoir systems in ancient rocks, like the Permo-Carboniferous Unayzah Formation of the Middle East or the Permian Rotliegend Formation of Northwest Europe. Oldest sediments exposed along the coastal plain are relicts of a Holocene sea-level highstand of approximately 2 to 4 meters above present day sea level. Oldest radiocarbon age dates reveal marine beaches and lagoonal deposits began forming 4000-6000 years before present. Unlike most coastal depositional systems, the beaches are sourced from onshore, aeolian sand dunes. The coast has prograded 5 to 10 kilometers during the Holocene. The Khor Al-Adid coast is subdivided into two, very distinct sedimentological provinces. The northern part of the coast is linear, reflecting a continuous source of aeolian sand. Back shore areas are only flooded seasonally. The southern coast is deeply embayed into a mosaic of restricted lagoons where stromatolites and evaporite flats are widespread. The embayment occurs in the shadow of the bedrock topographic highs that have diverted the aeolian sand supply to the coast. Most coastal plain is covered by 5 to 10 meters in relief (max 60 meters) dunes. In spite of their height and size, dunes are an ephemeral feature of the landscape. Only the basal 1 to 2 meters of a dune are preserved, where trapped by cementation in shallow, standing waters (lagoons, interdune floods). Lightly cemented erosional remnants of dune toesets are composed of unidirectional cross-bedded, tabular foresets with flat tops. They extend up to several kilometers, passing laterally in parallel and wavy laminated gypsum cemented sand. The embayed, southern area has a fairly uniform facies pattern, marked by shallow mesohaline lagoons separated from the open sea by ebb and flood deltas. The leeward side of the lagoon is marked by intertidal stromatolites. Remnants of former dunes form barriers, separating mesohaline from hypersaline lagoons. Hypersaline lagoons are marked by subtidal stromatolites that alternate with gypsum mush and rarely, salt flats. Some evaporite flats are relicts from previously active back barrier lagoons. Khor Al-Adaid sedimentation patterns reflect the interplay between sea level, physical and chemical depositional processes, and aeolian deflation. Understanding the interplay between these factors provides the basis for building more realistic geological models.
Public participation to discover marine snake biodiversity in Qatar
Authors: Castilla Aurora M
Published: November 2013

Surveying biodiversity is a very expensive and time consuming work particularly in the marine environment. This is why we have to find practical and efficient solutions to identify the species and their habitats in order to proceed with management and conservation plans. Very little information is available for marine snakes' biodiversity in the Gulf region, but particularly for Qatar where no biodiversity studies have been conducted to date. We have explored the presence of marine snakes in Qatar based on public information obtained from interviews done to people living in Qatar. We have interviewed 655 persons during January to May 2013 in different zones and ports of the State of Qatar, and from different countries, social sector, age and period of time living in Qatar. Most interviewed people were adults originally from 36 different countries; however, the majority was from India, Qatar and Nepal. Most of them were based in Qatar for only 1-2 years, while the rest were living in Qatar from few months to all their life. Only 16% of the persons interviewed (n= 102) have seen snakes in Qatar. Some snakes were observed near the Qatar coast and ports but most of them were seen offshore (89% of the observations). We have explored the potential diversity of marine snakes present in Qatar by showing to the interviewed persons a form with photos of 10 different species that have been reported to exist in Qatar. Most people have seen only one snake species, while two different species were seen by 25 persons and 3 species by 15 persons. The maximum number of marine snakes seen by the people has been four, and only 2% of the persons saw them. The snakes more frequently seen have been Lapemis curtus (18% of the observations), Leioselasma cyanocincta (13%) and Leioselasma spiralis (12%). In this study we have also examined if the probability to see a marine snake by the people is related to different variables, including the social sector (fisherman, sport clubs, general public), the study area (8 zones), the number of years living in Qatar, the age of the person (adult or young) and their nationality. The results have shown that most observations of sea snakes have been conducted offshore at traditional fishing areas around islands, while coastal records are limited to mangroves, ports and marinas. Most observations have been conducted by fisherman from India, by Qatari citizens working at the university and the Ministry of the Environment and by experts working in the environmental departments linked to petrol companies in Qatar. This abstract is a contribution for the Qatar Foundation Annual Research Conference (QF-ARC-2013).
Ex-situ conservation of some plant genetic resources from Qatari protectorates
Authors: Elazazi Elsayed
Published: November 2013

Abstract: Qatar biodiversity is under the pressure by the effects of environmental pollution, overgrazing, desertification as well as the climatic change. In order to rescue wild plant genetic resources of Qatar and in the line of Qatar Strategic action plan of Genetic resources, the present investigation aims at ex-situ conservation of some wild plant genetic resources from Rawdat Umm Al-Kharq. A total number of 17 accessions have collected from Rawdat Umm Al-Kharq, which represent 13 family and 16 Genus,17 Species, during the season of 2013 to target a fully maturated seeds, herbarium specimens and DNA samples. The collection missions follow the principals and guidelines of Plant genetic resources collections set by Biodiversity International and international gene banks. The collected materials are subjected to characterization, documentation and preservation process. According the international conservation rules, cleaning, drying, viability test, packaging and storing were applied for seeds. Highly seeds viability recorded with Cucumis prophetarum, Malva parviflora, and Salvia aegyptica. All information derived from conservation process was documented in the Biotechnology Center. Key words: Biodiversity, Plant Genetic Resources, gene bank, Conservation, Qatar.
Geothermal energy extraction from petroleum wells in Qatar
Authors: Ghoreishi Madiseh Seyed Ali
Published: November 2013

Petroleum wells that cease to produce oil/gas economically and dry holes are referred to as abandoned wells. An abandoned well is usually plugged with cement and can take anywhere from two days up to a few weeks to cure depending on the number of plugs in the well. Since plugging a well costs capital, most wells are abandoned at the lowest possible cost and with the minimum obligations set by regulation agencies. These wells can present enduring liabilities to petroleum companies and/or governments. However, the depth and abundance of abandoned petroleum wells make them an economically attractive source of geothermal energy. Geothermal energy harvested from an oil/gas well is a renewable energy source as long as it is extracted in a sustainable manner. The energy can be used to generate electricity, used directly for heating, incorporated into a water desalination process, or used by a heat pump for heating/cooling applications. In this paper we examine the possibility of extracting geothermal energy from abandoned oil/gas wells by studying the heat transfer in underground geothermal heat exchangers installed in these wells. A double-pipe (shell and tube) design configuration is chosen for the geothermal heat exchangers embedded inside a petroleum borehole. Using in-situ gathered information from some representative petroleum boreholes in the Gulf region, the effects of key parameters such as geothermal gradient, ground temperature values, and the flow inside of the tubes are evaluated. In order to provide a constant power production the inlet temperature it is proposed to adjust the temperature of the inlet fluid, so that that the difference between outlet and inlet temperatures is kept at a desirable value. Higher differences between inflow and outflow temperatures will result in a less sustainable load put on the in-situ geothermal energy. Adding insulation to certain sections of the designs can minimize the transfer of thermal energy from the fluid to the surroundings. Insulation can also limit the thermal loss between the inflow and outflow tubes in the shell and tube design. Minimizing the energy loss of these designs leads to an increase in the outlet temperature, meaning a higher grade of heat. The sustainability of long term geothermal heat extraction is a balance between the rate at which geothermal energy is extracted and the rate at which the ground formation can replace this heat. Higher outlet temperatures can lead to a larger amount of power generation, and a higher coefficient of performance for heat pump applications. It is found that Qatar's abandoned petroleum wells can be economically reused for the purpose of sustainable geothermal energy production.
Firewood: A Potential Resource Of Renewable Energy From Desert Environment
Authors: Al-Khalifah Nasser
Published: November 2013

Owing to the ever increasing oil and gas prices, wood, the oldest fuel known to human beings, is going to experience a renaissance. Plantation firewood is a potential renewable energy source as it can be readily regrown, especially with those species that will coppice from the cut stumps. A good quality firewood needs to possess maximum available heat, higher density, easy to split quality, ready to lit and with minimum water content. About 30% of the Arabian Peninsula is covered with sand in the form of sand dunes. Effective utilization of these comparatively non productive area for human welfare is of serious concern to the policy makers. To prevent land degradation, while meeting the people's demand for fuel wood and fodder, the vegetation consisting of indigenous species must be regenerated and maintained. Local multipurpose shrubs are important natural resources which help arid land populations to combat their major problems of shortage of food, fodder, fuel and various problems related to the harsh environmental conditions. They ameliorate the microclimate by reducing the temperature and potential evapotranspiration. Many of such plants restore and improve soil fertility, stabilize moving sands, and prevent the spread of drought and desertification. Over the past few decades, increasing emphasis has been placed on promoting fast growing multipurpose species that produce fuel-wood, timber, fodder, other forest byproducts, stabilizing sand dunes, and improving the environment as well. However, much of the emphasis on multipurpose trees has focused on exotic species, because their silviculture and propagation know-how is well known. There is an urgent need to find easy methods of propagating and regenerating natural plants to ensure the sustainability of indigenous species. This article explains the propagation techniques of three potential firewood plants that can be grown successfully in the deep sandy soils as well as wadi soils.
Bioaugmentation And Biostimulation Studies In The Bioremediation Of Crude Oil Contaminated Gcc Soils
Authors: Benyahia Farid
Published: November 2013

Bioaugmentation and biostimulation studies were carried out on crude oil contaminated GCC soils using a series of engineered biopile systems. The preliminary soil studies clearly showed the poor level of nutrients and low count of indigenous soil bacteria, thus justifying the addition of bacteria and soil nutrients The success towards design of bioremediation systems to treat crude oil contaminated soils crucially depends on the outcome of a series of staged experiments involving soil characterization, oil evaporation and effects of biological and chemical additives to the contaminated soils. The texture, chemical analysis and microbiological character of soils will dictate the level of humidification, biostimulation and bioaugmentation required. Biopile systems have been proved to be effective, controllable and environmentally friendly techniques to treat contaminated soils. Extensive laboratory tests have shown that such systems can be optimized for treatment efficiency and design cost. Ultimately, it is expected that the current landfarming practices would be phased out because of their poor treatment efficiency and displacement of part of the problem from soil to atmosphere. . The performance evaluation of the bioremediation biopile systems which included control systems with no bacteria and indigenous microorganisms, was based on CO2 evolution. The biopile systems bioaugmented and biostimulated showed superior bioremediation activity according to such performance criteria. This investigation has clearly shown the benefits of bioaugmentation and biostimulation in the bioremediation of crude oil contaminated desert soils. The addition of an anionic surfactant enhanced the bioavailability of nutrients and resulted in a faster response to the biological treatment of crude oil contaminated desert soil.