• Energy Research

The carbon dioxide sorption process at coal seams is very important for understanding the trapping mechanisms of carbon capture and storage. The gas retention capacity of coal seams can be estimated using indirect methods based on the adsorption/desorption isotherms obtained in the laboratory. However, the gas sorption capacity can be overestimated or underestimated depending on the sample preparation. This work evaluates different sample preparations and their theoretical adsorption capacity using coal samples from the Cambui coal field (Parana Basin), southern Brazil. Experiments using a thermogravimetric balance were done to calculate the theoretical adsorption capacity, while sample characterization was done through immediate analysis, elementary analysis, and mineralogical studies. The sample preparations used in this work were powder, pellets, and fragments. While the powder form presents an average behavior, without any experimental complication, the pellet is extremely sensitive to any variation in the sample preparation, such as fractures, and the fragment requires a much longer experiment time than the other sample preparations, being impracticable for some cases.

AbstractShale gas/oil currently are two of the most important unconventional energy resources. Their exploitation has caused an energy revolution in USA, and many countries are investing in it. Brazil has large areas covered with sedimentary basins, but little attention has been devoted to the study of shale containing oil and gas. The parameters analyzed and studied for geochemical data evaluation are: clay mineral identification, mineral matter analysis, elemental analysis (including total organic carbon, total carbon, H, N, and S), and the methane adsorption capacity of shale. Adsorption in Palermo Formation samples (depth 238.5 m) was 13.72 cm3 g−1 and for samples from Irati Formation (depth 218.45, 95.3, and 107.5 m) 11.73, 6.17, and 4.61 cm3 g−1.

Abstract There are still few initiatives studying applications for the classification of biodiesel derived from a mixture of raw materials, whether pure (B100) or mixed with diesel. The present study aims to conduct a preliminary assessment on the classification of pure biodiesel blends, and their mixtures with diesel at a proportion of 10%, based on FTIR spectroscopy and multivariate analysis. The work is contextualized around the monthly raw material consumption of Brazilian regions along a year. From this work, it is possible to verify that FTIR analysis, combined with multivariate methods, can be applied to classify both pure biodiesel blends and those mixed with diesel. The PCA showed great potential for recognizing the data patterns, while the HCA are able to discriminate the B100 blends from different Brazilian regions and cluster the samples according to the region biodiesel profile. For the B10 fuel blends, the OSC-PLS-DA achieved 100% sensitivity and specificity and can be applied for the classification procedure of biodiesel/diesel blends.

O presente capítulo faz uma introdução geral sobre o tema hidratos de gás naturais, i.e., que ocorrem nos sedimentos, apresentando os tipos existentes, como se formam, os principais gases envolvidos, a sua importância econômica e ambiental (incluindo mudança climática e como geohazards), além de suas ocorrências naturais no mundo. A seguir é apresentado um breve histórico dos estudos e da exploração de hidratos de gás no Brasil, seguido de uma descrição das ocorrências naturais confirmadas no país, no leque do Amazonas (Bacia da Foz do Amazonas) e no Cone de Rio Grande (Bacia de Pelotas). Por fim é apresentada uma breve comparação entre as duas ocorrências e uma discussão sobre o desenvolvimento futuro da exploração de hidratos de gás no país. This chapter starts with an introduction of the topic of natural gas hydrates, presenting the main existing types, how they form, the main gases involved in their formation, their economic and environmental (including climate change and as geohazards) importance, in addition to their worldwide natural occurrences. Also included is a brief history of the study and exploration of gas hydrates in Brazil, and a description of the two confirmed occurrences in the country: The Amazon fan (Foz do Amazonas basin) and the Rio Grande Cone (Pelotas Basin). The chapter ends with a brief comparison between the two occurrences and a discussion about the future development of the exploration for gas hydrates in the country. National audience