Abstract: Systems and methods for determining caprock integrity for geological sequestration of CO2, such as in above saline aquifers. The testing system for performing the method includes a core container in fluid communication with an upstream reservoir and an upstream pump, further in fluid communication with a downstream liquid reservoir and a downstream liquid pump, and further in fluid communication with a downstream gas reservoir and a downstream gas pump. The method includes determining transient hydraulic conductivity and hydraulic gradient of a caprock core sample using the testing system based on non-Darcy flow.

Abstract: A method includes performing, on a core sample obtained from a reservoir and positioned in a permeability measurement assembly that includes a flow inlet, a permeability operation by flowing a test fluid from the flow inlet and into the core sample and changing an effective stress acting on the core sample. The method also includes determining a natural logarithm of permeability of the core sample as a function of the effective stress, and determining, as a function of the natural logarithm of permeability of the core sample, an initial pore pressure of the reservoir.

Abstract: Wellbore treatment fluids are provided that include an aqueous component and an amphiphilic hyperbranched copolymer comprising the polymerized reaction product of at least a first monomer and a second monomer, where the first monomer comprises at least one surface reactive end group chosen from the group consisting of carboxylates, phosphonates, sulfonates, and zwitterions. Also provided are methods of modifying subsurface energy of a carbonate formation using the wellbore treatment fluids.

Abstract: A vehicle platoon incentive mechanism and system based on a double auction, a device, and a medium are provided. A highway system is conceived, where vehicles can be platooned and transmits their information to a controller. The controller searches for an optimal vehicle platoon to maximize a benefit of the vehicle platoon and redistribute the benefit among members in the vehicle platoon through a incentive mechanism to motivate a driver or a vehicle owner to form and maintain the optimal vehicle platoon. The incentive mechanism resolves a benefit conflict between vehicles through the benefit redistribution, thereby promoting formation of a stable and efficient vehicle platoon. The vehicle platoon incentive mechanism will make up for insufficient research on the vehicle platoon incentive mechanism. This mechanism can determine leader-follower positions and associated benefits, offering a potential solution to the instability in platooning behavior.

Abstract: A system for conditionally tracing an anonymous transaction is provided, and cryptography technology is used to add tags to transaction-related information, and relies on implicit tags to achieve transaction traceability. In addition, based on the secret sharing idea, the information of reconstructed users' real transactions is divided, and differentiated information reconstruction methods are used to reduce the probability of collusion attacks, prevent the full scope of supervision without restriction, and reduce the traceability cost.

Abstract: Techniques for determining properties of a rock sample include performing a plurality of series of permeability measurements of a rock sample with a permeability test assembly to derive permeability values, where each series includes permeability measurements of the rock sample at a respective, constant differential pressure between a particular confining pressure and a particular pore pressure; for each series of the plurality of series, performing a curve fit operation to determine a slope and an intercept of a curve associated with a selected Biot coefficient, the permeability values, and the particular pore pressures to generate a plurality of slope values and a plurality of intercept values; determining an effective stress coefficient of the rock sample; and determining an actual Biot coefficient of the rock sample.

Abstract: A diagnostic method and system for measuring potential and electric field of plasma are provided. According to operation parameters of a magnetic confinement fusion device and relevant parameter data of a plurality of candidate particle elements, signal-noise ratios are calculated. to select a neutral beam particle element. Beam trajectories varying in incident velocity, incident angle and sampling area are obtained by iterative calculation, and a preset parameter which enables the beam trajectories to pass through an entrance slit of an analyzer is obtained. A neutral beam that meets the preset parameter is injected into the plasma. An energy of the primary beam generated by collision ionization in a sampling area is measured, and potential of the sampling area is obtained according to law of conservation of energy. Sampling areas are detected to obtain potential spatial distribution of the plasma and a radial electric field, and the diagnostic is finished.

Abstract: A method includes identifying a wellbore that extends from a terranean surface and to a subterranean formation that includes a saline aquifer; injecting, through the wellbore, a predetermined volume of freshwater into a portion of the saline aquifer adjacent the wellbore to create a freshwater ring about the wellbore in the subterranean formation; and subsequent to injecting the predetermined volume of freshwater, injecting a carbon dioxide fluid, through the wellbore, and into the subterranean formation for sequestration.

Abstract: A method of analyzing a caprock of an aquifer includes determining, using a laboratory measurement device, a threshold hydraulic gradient of the caprock at which brine flows vertically in the caprock. The method further includes determining a breakthrough pressure of the caprock, wherein the breakthrough pressure reflects a difference between a CO2 pressure in the aquifer and a brine pressure in the caprock. The method further includes calculating, via a computing system that includes one or more hardware processors, an effective breakthrough pressure of the caprock based on the threshold hydraulic gradient and the breakthrough pressure, wherein the effective breakthrough pressure accounts for non-Darcy flow of the brine within the caprock.

Abstract: A method of externally sterilizing a drug delivery device utilizing Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) is provided, including placing the drug delivery device in a sterilization chamber, introducing into the chamber a dose of NO2 having a concentration of between about 2 and 20 milligrams per Liter by applying a vacuum level of between about 10 and 600 Torr and holding the vacuum level for a dwell time of between about 2 and 20 minutes, repeating the step of introducing into the chamber a dose of NO2 for a number of pulses between about 1 and 24, purging the sterilization chamber of at least substantially all of the NO2, and aerating the sterilization chamber.

Abstract: An angle grinder comprises a motor and an output member to which a grinding disc is attachable. The output member defines an output axis. A drive shaft is configured to transfer torque from the motor to the output member. A braking disc is coupled to the drive shaft and a braking pad is moveable in a direction transverse to the drive axis between a first braking pad position and a second braking pad position, in which the braking pad is not in contact with the braking disc. A biasing member biases the braking pad toward the first braking pad position and a trigger is pivotable about a trigger axis between a first trigger position and a second trigger position. In response to the trigger being pivoted from the first to the second trigger position, the braking pad is moved from the first to the second braking pad position.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for determining caprock integrity. The testing apparatus for performing the method including a core container in fluid communication with an upstream reservoir and an upstream pump, and further in fluid communication with a downstream reservoir and a downstream pump. The method including determining threshold hydraulic gradient of a caprock core sample using the testing apparatus.

Abstract: A method may include obtaining reservoir data, hydraulic fracturing data, and static wellbore data for a geological region of interest. The method may further include obtaining temporal production data for the geological region of interest. The temporal production data may include a predetermined production rate with respect to a predetermined period of time. The method may further include determining various temporal features based on the temporal production data and an extraction process. The extraction process may include a deconvolution function that separates a portion of the temporal features from the predetermined production rate. The method may further include determining, using a machine-learning model, predicted hydrocarbon-in-place (HIP) data for the geological region of interest using the reservoir data, the hydraulic fracturing data, the static wellbore data, and the temporal features. The method may further include transmitting a command to a well control system based on the predicted HIP data.

Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed. The methods may include obtaining, from a subterranean region of interest, a rock sample having a rock type and defining a sequence of pore pressure, confining stress (PPCS) pairs such that a sequence of effective stresses monotonically changes. The methods may further include determining a sequence of permeabilities by subjecting the rock sample to the sequence of PPCS pairs and determining a relationship between the sequence of PPCS pairs and the sequence of permeabilities. The methods may further still include determining a parameter using the relationship and a permeability model, where the permeability model includes the parameter and determining an in situ permeability for an in situ rock in the subterranean region of interest using, at least in part, the parameter and the permeability model, where the in situ rock is of the rock type.

Abstract: Wellbore treatment fluids are provided that include an aqueous component and an amphiphilic hyperbranched copolymer comprising the polymerized reaction product of at least a first monomer and a second monomer, where the first monomer comprises at least one surface reactive end group chosen from the group consisting of carboxylates, phosphonates, sulfonates, and zwitterions. Also provided are methods of modifying subsurface energy of a carbonate formation using the wellbore treatment fluids.

Abstract: A method and a system for predicting well production of a reservoir using machine learning models and algorithms is disclosed. The method includes obtaining a training data set for training a machine learning (ML) model and selecting an artificial neural network model structure, the model structure including a number of layers and a number of nodes of each layer. Further, the method includes generating a plurality of individually trained ML models and calculating a model performance of each trained model by evaluating a difference between a model prediction and a well performance data. The plurality of top-ranked individually trained ML models is constrained using one or multiple known physical rules. A plurality of individual predicted well production data is generated using the geological, the completion, and the petrophysical data of interest and a final predicted well production data is generating based on the plurality of individual predicted well production data.

Abstract: A method for protecting location privacy in mobile payment is provided. A decentralized coin mixing idea is introduced into mobile payment, and an anonymous transaction model and a reputation evaluation model are constructed. A user reputation evaluation scheme is designed, and a reputation value of a user is measured based on historical behavior of the user. An anonymous transaction scheme based on reputation evaluation and a double auction is designed, and a functional relationship between the reputation value of the user and an auction bid is established. Candidate collaborative users who meet a reputation requirement, a privacy requirement and a bid standard of a requesting user are selected through a double auction, to construct an anonymous set. The anonymous set is inserted between the user and a merchant to cut off a direct transaction association between the user and the merchant to protect the location privacy of mobile payment users.

Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed. The methods may include determining a first sequence of permeabilities by subjecting a rock sample to a first sequence of confining stress, axial stress, pore pressure (CSASPP) triplets and determining a first rock parameter using the first sequence of permeabilities, the first sequence of CSASPP triplets, and a first permeability model. The methods may further include determining a second sequence of permeabilities by subjecting the rock sample to a second sequence of CSASPP triplets and determining a second rock parameter using the second sequence of permeabilities, the second sequence of CSASPP triplets, and the first permeability model. The method may still further include determining an in situ permeability for an in situ rock based on an initial permeability, a second stress sensitivity parameter, a first stress sensitivity parameter, a confining stress value, axial stress values, a pore pressure value, and a second permeability model.

Abstract: An injection device is provided, including a syringe having a barrel and a flange and a backstop configured to be coupled with the syringe adjacent to the flange. The backstop includes an inner surface generally extending around at least a portion of the syringe, wherein the inner surface includes at least one protrusion extending away from the inner surface and configured to engage the flange and/or the barrel to permit or promote airflow through a space between the inner surface and the syringe.