Browsing by Author "Rupp, John A."

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Assessment of the Quality of Indiana Coals for Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) Performance
(Indiana Geological & Water Survey, 2005) Drobniak, Agnieszka; Mastalerz, Maria; Rupp, John A.; Shaffer, Nelson R.
Assessment of the quality of Indiana coals for integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) performance-final report
(Indiana Geological & Water Survey, 2009) Drobniak, Agnieszka; Mastalerz, Maria; Rupp, John A.; Shaffer, Nelson R.
Assessment of the quality of Indiana coals for integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) performance–a preliminary report
(Indiana Geological & Water Survey, 2008) Drobniak, Agnieszka; Mastalerz, Maria; Rupp, John A.; Shaffer, Nelson R.
: Bringing a novel research into the classroom: Carbon sequestration as a new opportunity for science education
(2011-02) Medina, Cristian R.; Ellett, Kevin M.; Rupp, John A.; Steinmetz, John C.
Carbon sequestration technology is an emerging area of research that is rarely presented in the current middle and high school curriculum. This poster complements a concurrent lecture at HASTI (Kevin Ellet and Cristian Medina) and presents three objectives: (1) to introduce the topic of carbon sequestration as a promising area of research for the mitigation of global warming; (2) to show how this technology draws from different science disciplines (e.g. earth science, physics, chemistry, and mathematics) and thus offers new opportunities for science education; (3) to present skills study can learn by studying this technology, such as the use and display of quantitative data and the use of online resources to perform literature searches. This poster presents issues raised in the HASTI position paper “Science Institutions in Indiana: Global Perspectives” (http://www.hasti.org/paper1.html) and encourages discussion on how to maximize science learning in Indiana classrooms.
Carbon Dioxide Storage Capacity in the Upper Cambrian Basal Sandstone of the Midwest Region: A County-Based Analysis
(2009-09-20) Medina, Cristian R.; Rupp, John A.
Porosity values collected from core analyses and geophysical logs from the Upper Cambrian Mount Simon Sandstone in the Midwest Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership (MRCSP) region indicate a predictable decrease in porosity with depth that is best described by the relationship φ (d, in feet) = 16.36 * e-0.00012*d (r2=0.41). This relationship and the Mt. Simon’s thickness were used to calculate net porosity feet, which was incorporated into the methodology presented in the Carbon Sequestration Atlas of the United States and Canada for estimating the potential storage capacity of CO2 in deep saline aquifers. The variables that affect the volumetric calculations include: 1) the area that defines the region being assessed (county by county assessment in this study); 2) the mean porosity of the stratigraphic unit; 3) the gross thickness of the basal sandstone; and 4) the CO2 storage efficiency factor, which accounts for material properties, including reservoir continuity and effective porosity. We conducted a sensitivity analysis to create two scenarios for CO2 storage capacity, including efficiency factors of 0.01 and 0.04, respectively. To gain some insights into how applicable this methodology is, we compared the theoretical values of net porosity obtained from core analyses with those obtained from geophysical logs. This approach generated solutions for the spatial distribution of net porosity feet that facilitated the calculation of storage volume potential for each county within the region. The total storage capacity for the region, calculated using efficiency factors of 0.01 and 0.04, is estimated to be 37.8 and 151.2 billion metric tons of CO2 respectively. This is approximately 74 percent higher than the values of 21.7 and 86.9 billion metric tons of CO2 estimated by the MRCSP for the capacity of the Mount Simon Sandstone in the states of Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, and Ohio.
Characterization of Indiana coals for potential underground coal gasification, including subsidence risk and hydrology
(Indiana Geological & Water Survey, 2013) Drobniak, Agnieszka; Mastalerz, Maria; Parke, Mary; Rupp, John A.
Characterization of Indiana's Coal Resource: Availability of the Reserves, Physical and Chemical Properties of the Coal, and Present and Potential Uses
(Indiana Geological & Water Survey, 2004) Drobniak, Agnieszka; Mastalerz, Maria; Rupp, John A.; Shaffer, Nelson R.
Characterization of Indiana's Coal Resource—Availability of the Reserves, Physical and Chemical Properties of the Coal, and Present and Potential Uses
(Indiana Geological Survey, 2009) Mastalerz, Maria; Drobniak, Agnieszka; Rupp, John A.; Shaffer, Nelson R.
This publication provides a comprehensive summary of Indiana coal resources, coal characteristics, and current and potential use of Indiana coal. In addition to the previously evaluated resources of the Springfield, Danville, and the Seelyville coals, new GIS-based valuations are provided for the Hymera, Houchin Creek, Survant, and Colchester coals. The coal quality of major coal beds in Indiana is discussed and maps of sulfur, ash, and heating value are provided. Summaries of 35 trace elements are given and mercury, selenium, arsenic, and chlorine are discussed in more detail. Other aspects include coalbed methane potential, carbon dioxide sequestration, characteristics of limestone and dolomite for flue gas desulfurization, and the production and use of coal combustion products.
The coal availability study in Indiana: Alfordsville 7.5 minute quadrangle
(Indiana Geological & Water Survey, 1994) Conolly, Carol; Rupp, John A.; Cetin, Haluk
The Coal Availability Study in Indiana: Center Point 7.5 Minute Quadrangle
(Indiana Geological & Water Survey, 1995) Conolly, Carol; Rupp, John A.; Cetin, Haluk
Coal Reserve Assessment and Database Development of the Danville and Springfield Coal Members in Indiana: Final Report
(Indiana Geological Survey, 2001-01) Conolly, Carol L.; Rupp, John A.
This study assesses the coal resources of the Danville and Springfield Coal Members (Dugger and Petersburg Formations, respectively) in Indiana and provides new estimates of the tonnage of coal in the following categories as of January 1, 2000: original resources in place, resources remaining after mining, identified resources, demonstrated reserve base, accessible reserve base, and estimated recoverable reserves. In addition, the sulfur, heat, and ash content of the Danville and Springfield Coals were mapped in order to allocate indicated reserves, demonstrated reserve base, accessible reserve base, and estimated recoverable reserves according to specified categories of sulfur, heat, and ash content. The resources and reserves categories are defined based upon criteria for minimum coal thickness, overburden thickness, and reliability category. Three reliability categories are used to express the relative degree of geologic assurance or reliability of the resource estimate based upon the density of coal thickness data points that are used to derive the resource estimate. The reliability categories are: measured (0-0.5 miles from the data point), indicated (0.5-2.0 miles), and inferred (2.0-4.0 miles). The geologic and land use factors which limit the mining of the Danville and Springfield Coal were identified through interviews with geologists and mining engineers from companies mining these coals in Indiana and Illinois. These factors were mapped and then applied to the tonnage of demonstrated reserve base in order to calculate the tonnage of accessible reserve base. Recovery-rate factors for surface and underground mining (80% and 50%, respectively) were estimated using proprietary mine recovery rate data from mines operating in the Danville and Springfield Coals during the 1980s and 1990s. Estimated recoverable reserves were calculated by multiplying the accessible reserve base by these recovery-rate factors. The tonnage of original identified resources of Danville and Springfield Coal in Indiana is calculated to be 18.8 billion short tons (tonnage by coal bed is also provided in this report). Of the 18.8 billion short tons, 1.8 billion short tons have been removed by mining or lost in the mining process, thus leaving 17.0 billion short tons of remaining Danville and Springfield resources. Of the remaining resources, 16.4 billion short tons are demonstrated reserve base. Technological and land use restrictions remove 9.2 billion short tons of demonstrated reserve base from potential mining, thus leaving 7.2 billion short tons (38.2% of the original resources or 42.3% of the remaining resources) of accessible reserve base. Of the 7.2 billion short tons of accessible reserve base, 0.9 billion short tons (4.7% of the original resources or 12.3% of the total accessible reserve base) are estimated to be recoverable by surface mining, while 3.1 billion short tons (16.4% of the original resources or 43% of the total accessible reserve base) are estimated to be recoverable by underground mining.
Coal resources of Daviess County, Indiana: a GIS-based resource assessment
(Indiana Geological & Water Survey, 1994) Rupp, John A.; Callis, Joseph
Depth Relationships in Porosity and Permeability in the Mount Simon Sandstone (Basal Sand) of the Midwest Region: Applications for Carbon Sequestration
(2008-10) Medina, Cristian R.; Barnes, David A.; Rupp, John A.
Porosity and permeability values collected from core analyses in the Upper Cambrian Mount Simon sandstone indicate a predictable relationship with depth owing to diagenetic changes in the pore structure. This predictive relationship is useful for evaluating the geological carbon sequestration capacity in the Midwestern region. Porosity logs from wells in the study area provide additional sources of petrophysical data. The regional trend of decreasing porosity with depth is described by the equation: φ(d) = 16.36 * e-0.00012*d (r2=0.41), where φ equals porosity and d is depth in feet. The correlation between burial depth and porosity can help predict the petrophysical character of the Mount Simon sandstone in more deeply buried and largely undrilled portions of the basin. Understanding the relationship among porosity, permeability, and depth also provides information for use in numerical models that simulate supercritical carbon dioxide flow within the Mount Simon sandstone. The decrease of porosity and permeability with depth generally holds true on a basinwide scale. However, localized stratigraphic and spatial variations in sedimentary facies also affect reservoir quality. In some areas, we observed a reversal in the porosity/depth relationship. Careful documentation of the mineralogical and sedimentological characteristics of the reservoir are critical to the successful prediction of the petrophysical attributes of deep saline aquifer systems and how they perform at a given locality.
An estimate of carbon dioxide storage capacity in the Upper Cambrian basal sandstone of the Midwest region
(2009-05-04) Medina, Cristian R.; Rupp, John A.
Porosity values collected from core analyses and geophysical logs from the Upper Cambrian Mount Simon Sandstone in the western part of the Midwest Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership (MRCSP) region indicate a predictable decrease in porosity with depth. Using this relationship and the methodology of the Carbon Sequestration Atlas of the United States and Canada, we have estimated the potential geologic storage capacity of CO2 in this deep saline aquifer. The storage capacity is a function of the area being assessed, the porosity and gross thickness of the stratigraphic unit, and the CO2 storage efficiency factor, which accounts for reservoir continuity, effective porosity, and the level of certainty of characterization. Our calculations include different scenarios for CO2 storage capacity, which is highly sensitive to changes in the subsurface properties. The porosity and thickness of the deep saline aquifer were used to calculate net porosity feet by using the regional trend of decreasing porosity (φ) with depth relationship (d, in feet) [φ (d) = 16.36 * e-0.00012*d; r2=0.41]. To evaluate the applicability of this relationship, we compared the theoretical values of net porosity with those obtained from geophysical logs. This approach generates solutions of the spatial distribution of net porosity feet that can be used to calculate storage volume potential at specific localities. The summation of these locality-specific calculations is in agreement with the value of 86 billion metric tons of CO2 estimated by the MRCSP for the total capacity of the Mount Simon Sandstone in the region.
Geocellular Model Development for Simulation of CO2 Storage in the Arches Province and Southern Michigan of the Midwestern United States
(2011-05) Sminchak, Joel; Patterson, Kyle; Kelley, Stephen; Medina, Cristian; Rupp, John A.; Greb, Stephen
A geocellular model was developed for areas of the midwestern United States to facilitate numerical simulations on the injection of supercritical carbon dioxide into the Mount Simon Sandstone (Cambrian). These simulations are focused on evaluating the infrastructure necessary to implement large-scale CO2 storage in the region. The study area is located in southern Michigan and the Arches Province, which includes areas of northwestern to southeastern Indiana, north-central Kentucky, and western Ohio, where Paleozoic rocks form broad arch and platform structures. The main rock formation for potential CO2 storage in the study area is the Mount Simon Sandstone (Cambrian), which has been used as a repository for waste disposal for many decades. Geophysical well logs, deep injection operational data from wells, reservoir test results, and geotechnical core test data were collected for the Mount Simon Sandstone and the overlying Eau Claire Formation (Cambrian) confining layer. This study integrates these various types of data into a geocellular model. For example, reservoir permeability was estimated using reservoir test results obtained at injection well sites. In addition, geostatistical analysis was used to interpret spatial trends in parameters. The geocellular model includes parameters for numerical simulations, such as porosity and permeability distribution. Our model development improves the understanding of the nature of the Mount Simon Sandstone in the Arches Province, and will provide input for numerical simulations of large-scale CO2 injection in the region.
Geographic Information System (GIS) Development for Earth Resource Data Management on NSWC Crane
(Indiana Geological & Water Survey, 1994) Rupp, John A.; Smidchens, Zinta; Gray, Cassandra J.; Barry, Daniel O.
Geophysical properties of the basement rocks of Indiana
(Indiana Geological & Water Survey, 1993) Rudman, Albert J.; Rupp, John A.
"Measurements of the physical properties of the basement complex from well samples, cores, and geophysical logs of deep tests in Indiana, Illinois, and Ohio show : (1) density values from 2.57 to 2.81 gm/cm 3 for granites, 2.86 gm/cm 3 for basalt, and 2.70 to 2.90 gm/cm 3 for andesites; (2) low magnetic susceptibility for basement rocks (generally less than 0.001 emu), with the highest value 0.010 emu for a gabbro in LaGrange County, Ind.; (3) seismic velocities ranging from 14,113 to 18,868 ft/sec; and (4) apparent electrical resistivity of 7 to 1,000 ohm-meters for the logged intervals. Geophysical surveys of basement features depend in part on predicting contrasts in physical properties between the basement and the overlying Mount Simon Sandstone (Cambrian). Studies of electrical resistivity, porosity, velocity, and gamma-ray logs show that the contact between the Mount Simon Sandstone and the basement complex is a mappable horizon in the northern and eastern parts of Indiana. The density contrast between the Mount Simon Sandstone and the basement complex ranges from 0.1 to 0.2 gm/cm 3, and magnetic-susceptibility contrasts range from 0.0 to approximately 0.007 emu. These low contrasts indicate that only major topographic features on the basement are observable by gravity and magnetic surveys. Therefore, the principal sources of gravity and magnetic anomalies observed throughout the state are considered to the lithologic contrasts within the basement complex. If the sources of the anomalies are near the top of the basement complex, the basement structural configuration can be obtained by standard depth calculations. Velocity contrasts between the Mount Simon and the basement complex were used to generate synthetic seismograms that demonstrate that the contact is a seismically mappable horizon in selected areas."
Geothermal gradient distribution in Indiana
(Indiana Geological & Water Survey, 2003) Comer, John B.; Rupp, John A.; Foust, M.
Geothermal gradient distribution in Indiana
(Indiana Geological & Water Survey, 2003) Comer, John B.; Rupp, John A.; Foust, M.
A GIS-based evaluation of coalbed gas potential of the Seelyville Coal in Indiana. Final report to the United States Geological Survey
(Indiana Geological & Water Survey, 2002) Drobniak, Agnieszka; Eaton, Nathan K.; Mastalerz, Maria; Rupp, John A.