Iranian Journal of Oil and Gas Science and Technology

Abstract Process pipelines are essential for operations, but their failures can have severe consequences. This study investigates and analyzes the consequence modeling of the pipeline corridor located in southern Iran. It also determines the restricted and impacted areas around the pipelines using PHAST software. The consequence modeling of the main scenarios, including flammable and toxic gas dispersion, fire, and explosion, is analyzed. According to the results, the restricted and impacted areas around the pipelines are 426.9 meters and 454.3 meters for section 1, and 648 meters and 802 meters for section 2, respectively.

Following the results, preventive and mitigative measures are recommended to lower risks. Multiple strategies should be employed to reduce the risks associated with the pipelines. Some strategies aim to decrease the frequency of incidents, while others focus on reducing the impacts and consequences of leakage, rupture, or any other type of containment failure.

Abstract Accurate detection of marine oil spills in Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery remains a major challenge. Mineral oil and naturally occurring biogenic slicks often produce nearly identical signatures in SAR imagery, despite their fundamentally different environmental implications. This review critically evaluates the physical processes governing SAR-based oil spill detection and asks whether secondary dielectric and polarimetric effects can overcome the inherent limitations of single-channel intensity data.

The analysis reveals two key findings. First, while wave damping ensures high contrast under optimal wind conditions (3–10 m/s), secondary dielectric effects only emerge in thick emulsions (>0.4 mm). These conditions are rarely encountered in operational scenarios. Second, instrument noise floors (NESZ) severely compromise polarimetric retrievals, limiting their reliability.

Together, these findings provide a practical framework for interpreting SAR imagery. They also guide the integration of AI-driven classification with multi-sensor fusion (X-, C-, and L-band) to reduce false alarm rates in operational monitoring systems.

Abstract This study investigated the corrosion inhibition robustness of an eco-friendly garlic corrosion inhibitor (GCI) for X70 carbon steel in simulated sour oilfield water saturated with hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) environment. The functional groups o GCI were identified using a Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) technique, confirming the presence of alcohols, phenols, amines, carbonyls, and sulfur-containing compounds, which contribute to adsorption and protective layer formation on the steel surface. The inhibition performance was assessed using the WLM technique, potentiodynamic polarization, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). At the optimal GCI concentration of 200 mg L⁻¹, the inhibition efficiencies determined by weight-loss, polarization, and EIS measurements were 73.9%, 93.9%, and 96.3%, respectively. The differences among these values are attributed to the distinct principles of the techniques: WLM analysis represents cumulative material loss during immersion, whereas polarization and EIS characterize the electrochemical response of the steel–solution interface. Increasing the inhibitor concentration to 500 mg L⁻¹ produced only marginal improvements in the electrochemical efficiencies, reaching 94.0% by polarization and 96.4% by EIS. More importantly, the potentiodynamic polarization and EIS analyses revealed a mixed-type inhibition mechanism and the formation of a protective film with high polarization resistance. Surface analyses by the SEM and EDX techniques demonstrated the development of a relatively homogeneous organic layer enriched with nitrogen and sulfur, effectively preventing localized corrosion. On the whole, the acquired outcomes demonstrated that GCI is a promising green corrosion inhibitor for corrosion retardation of metals in sour environments, offering an eco-friendly alternative to conventional chemical inhibitors.

Abstract Commercial halloysite nanotubes were incorporated into ZSM-5 synthesis gels prepared either without an organic structure-directing agent or with tetrapropylammonium bromide (TPABr). After ammonium exchange, the supports were shaped with 30 wt% boehmite and impregnated with nominal 6 wt% Ni and 12 wt% Mo. The final catalysts were examined by XRD, ICP-OES, N₂ physisorption, FTIR, SEM, TEM, and NH₃-TPD, and were evaluated in dedicated 24 h fixed-bed hydrodesulfurization runs using real heavy naphtha (2500 ppmw S) and heavy gas oil (5000 ppmw S). ICP-OES gave comparable metal contents for NiMo/H-Z5-TF-Al and NiMo/H-Z5-T-Al. The TPABr-assisted catalyst developed a BET area of 99.28 m² g⁻¹ and a total pore volume of 0.180 cm³ g⁻¹, compared with 19.33 m² g⁻¹ and 0.046 cm³ g⁻¹ for the template-free formulation. Total NH₃ desorption increased from 0.1957 to 0.2355 mmol g⁻¹. Under the selected operating points, sulfur removal over the template-free and TPABr-assisted catalysts reached 91.5 and 94.3% for heavy naphtha and 87.2 and 90.1% for heavy gas oil, respectively. The TPABr-assisted formulation attained the higher removal at lower selected temperature and pressure for both feeds, whereas the template-free route retained substantial conversion without an organic structure-directing agent. The results connect synthesis route, boehmite-shaped texture, acidity-related capacity, and attainable HDS response for two refinery streams.

Abstract Efficient CO₂ capture in bubble columns requires both chemical affinity and effective gas–liquid transfer. This study evaluates a graphene oxide (GO) nanocomposite modified with monoethanolamine (MEA) and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) (F-GO) in a bubble-column reactor. XRD, FTIR, Raman, SEM, EDS, and XPS observations are discussed as evidence consistent with structural and chemical modification, with individual spectral features interpreted cautiously. Spectroscopy was used to characterize representative materials, whereas absorbent loading was evaluated independently using CO₂ absorption performance. The reported Raman ratios indicate changes in disorder and graphitic response and are discussed in the characterization results. Performance metrics included CO₂ solubility (X_CO₂), the overall gas-phase mass-transfer coefficient (K_G), t₉₀, and the dimensionless Bubble number (B_u). At 5.0 wt.% solvent and 0.02 wt.% F-GO, the reported maximum X_CO₂ was 5.8 × 10⁻⁴ mol cm⁻³ atm⁻¹ at Q = 2.5 L/min; E_X was approximately 1.65 at Q = 4.5 L/min and approximately 1.60 at Q = 4.5 L/min, while E_K reached approximately 2.0 at Q = 4.5 L/min. MEA-related functionality and CTAB-supported dispersion/interfacial effects are interpretations consistent with the available characterization and performance observations, not independently proven molecular mechanisms. Further validation, regeneration, stability, and scale-up studies are needed.

Abstract While supercritical carbon dioxide (CO2) flooding yields microscopic displacement efficiencies exceeding 90%through oil swelling, viscosity reduction, and interfacial tension (IFT) minimization, field-scale recovery in heterogeneous carbonates is severely compromised by macroscopic flow instabilities. In fractured and low-permeability carbonate systems, unfavorable end-point mobility ratios (M^∘>10), gravity segregation (N_g>1), and high fracture-to-matrix permeability contrasts (k_f/k_m>10^3) induce severe viscous fingering and premature gas breakthrough, frequently restricting volumetric sweep efficiency (E_V) to under 35%. Following PRISMA systematic review guidelines across 185 peer-reviewed studies and historical field datasets (1972–2024), this review delivers an integrated, multi-scale critical analysis contrasting microscopic phase behavior with field-scale conformance limitations. We establish a quantitative, multi-criteria performance benchmarking of the three primary mobility-control strategies water-alternating-gas (WAG), CO2 foam, and direct CO2 thickeners evaluated across mobility reduction factor (MRF), deep-reservoir propagation, and injectivity penalties. Key findings reveal that while WAG achieves modest mobility control (MRF≈2"-" 5), it remains vulnerable to severe gravitational override and fracture bypassing. Conversely, nanoparticle-stabilized foams exhibit superior conformance (MRF>50) in discrete fracture networks, maintaining thermodynamic and lamellae stability under extreme conditions ("TDS">150,000" ppm" , T>90^∘ "C" ) where conventional surfactants precipitate. Direct thickeners, although improving viscosity up to 40-fold, face commercial deployment barriers due to severe near-wellbore injectivity losses and prohibitive chemical costs (10"-" 25× WAG). Finally, translated to complex Middle Eastern carbonates (Asmari and Sarvak formations), we define geomechanically constrained operational envelopes, demonstrating that injection overpressures must be strictly throttled (ΔP<6"-" 8" MPa" ) to avert brittle caprock slip while maintaining bottom-hole pressure below the asphaltene onset envelope (2.5"-" 8.5" wt" % asphaltene). This review provides an actionable operational roadmap for transitioning from empirical injection schemes to dynamic conformance engineering in fractured carbonate reservoirs.