Browsing by Author "King, Carey Wayne, 1974-"
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Item At-risk wastewater pipeline identification due to flooding(2016-05) Abbott, Kristin Whitley; Faust, Kasey M.; King, Carey Wayne, 1974-; Kreitler, CharlesCorrosion is a risk to all ferrous pipelines, and the impact of moisture from major flood events in potentially corrosive soils upon the corrosion of sensitive pipeline materials has not yet been thoroughly studied. Rapidly accelerated corrosion from flooding can cause a pipeline break and lead to environmental hazards. This research seeks to quantify the risk of wastewater pipeline components to fracturing and damage from flooding to inform decision-makers. The corrosion risk to Austin Water Utility’s aged ferrous wastewater pipelines from surrounding soil through flooding is analyzed by establishing the relationships among pipeline material, age, and the surrounding soil type. First, aged ferrous wastewater pipelines in the network were isolated. Then, the Web Soil Survey from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) for Travis County and FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM) were overlaid on the selected pipelines. USGS soil data was used to locate potentially corrosive soils surrounding the pipelines. Third, FIRM flood zones were overlaid on the selected soil and pipelines in order to examine the relationship between soil type, moisture, and increased corrosion potential. Three different flood zones were evaluated. The analysis shows a total of 386 pipelines, or 27.99 miles of pipelines, were identified to be at-risk.Item Direct-energy energy return on investment and carbon cost shares for selected countries and the world 1960-2010(2015-05) Donovan, Alyssa Kathleen; King, Carey Wayne, 1974-; Pierce, Suzanne Alise, 1969-In this thesis I focus on EROI[subscript direct] and carbon cost shares supplemented to global energy cost shares. This thesis builds off the work done by Maxwell (2013) and King (2015-submitted) in analyzing the potential for contemporary energy sources and carbon expenditures to reach some threshold value that acts as a constraint towards continued global economic growth. I calculate two metrics EROI[subscript direct] and the carbon cost share from data for 44 countries and an associated 44-country 'global' aggregate for 1960-2010. I additionally calculate projected estimates for carbon cost shares for 2015-2050. I compare our results to historical EROI[subscript direct+indirect] values for global energy sources, historical values for global energy cost shares, and estimations for expenditures for risk-aversion climate payments and abatement policies. I argue (1) that recent history suggests an increasing importance of indirect inputs re: efficiency of energy and (2) that carbon costs are relevant to the discussion of economic growth thresholds and hold the potential for a significant fraction (~1-4%) of global GDP until 2050.Item Eagle Ford shale : evaluation of companies and well productivity(2016-08) Chavez Urbina, Grecia Alexandra; King, Carey Wayne, 1974-; Lake, Larry W.Unconventional resources, particularly shale reservoirs, are a significant component in oil and gas production in the United States as they represent (as of May 2015) 48 and 58 percent, respectively, of the total oil and gas produced. However, there has been a deceleration on oil and gas production in general because of low market prices. The drastic decline in oil and gas prices that started in 2014 has companies struggling to continue their operations, resulting in negative financial outcomes for 2015 for most companies. The present work examines the financial results of three companies, EOG Resources, Pioneer Natural Resources, and Chesapeake Energy, along with their particular well productivity using the Logistic Growth model to forecast production in one of the most prolific shale plays in the United States, the Eagle Ford. This work also examines the economic feasibility of drilling new wells when oil prices are low using a discounted cash flow model for each company. The financial analysis shows that from the three companies, Pioneer Natural Resources has the best financial results; its high cash-flow-to-debt ratio, and low debt and debt-to-equity ratios make it an attractive company to invest in. In contrast, Chesapeake has the worst results which represents high risk for investors, and EOG has moderate results that still make it a good company to invest in. The discounted cash flow model demonstrate that under the cost assumptions and estimated production used in this work, EOG gets the best results from their wells located in the Eagle Ford with break-even prices bordering the 40 $/bbl compared to the other companies with break-even prices above 87 $/bbl for Pioneer and 89 $/bbl for Chesapeake. From the discounted cash flow model, it can also be concluded that none of the companies in the analysis is expected to gain revenue from drilling new wells if oil prices are under 40 $/bbl, and that companies that are quick to respond to the low prices by reducing their drilling and completion costs can significantly improve their well economics.Item Energy analysis of sweet sorghum ethanol using a bottom-up energy return ratio matrix approach(2015-12) Veracruz, John A.; King, Carey Wayne, 1974-; O'Rear, Jerry; Bermann, CelioBetween 2012 and 2013 the world increased biofuel consumption by 6.1% and if forecasts hold, according to the International Energy Agency, by 2050 27% of the world’s transport energy will come from biofuels. Rather than succumb to a shortage of corn, alternative feedstocks must gain the same traction corn has gained within the ethanol production industry. When considering an alternative feedstock what must also be considered it is that energy output from ethanol production exceeds the energy needed to produce one liter of alcohol. With origins traced back to Africa, sweet sorghum, or Sorghum bicolor(L) Moench, has gained traction as a viable ethanol feedstock due to the plant’s ability to reach a harvest maturity in as little as four months. With similarities to that of sugarcane, sweet sorghum’s stalk contains a relatively balanced amount of both insoluble and soluble carbohydrates. Although sweet sorghum will flourish with the appropriate amount of water, its drought resistance provides versatility other ethanol feedstocks do not possess. However, lower inputs, drought resistance, and the ability to grow on fallow land are all meaningless if growers miss a relatively short harvesting window, or even worse, allow fermentable sugars to decay by not expediting fermentation. If sweet sorghum ethanol is to displace any amount of corn and prove its feedstock viability, its energy balance must show more energy is output than is input. By using a bottom-up matrix based approach using energy return ratios (ERRs), a product’s system may be evaluated to determine its usefulness to society. The Brandt et al. framework requires the creation of two matrices; a technology matrix, A, and an intervention matrix, B. Devising information from these matrices requires the use of three main vectors which serve as the foundation for calculating the desired ERR. Using this method in conjunction with four ERRs allows the study of energy processes used to create inputs for sweet sorghum pathways and possibly allude to how this energy is used to eliminate waste or improve efficiency through cleaner energy sources.Item Energy intensity ratios as net energy measures for selected countries 1978-2010(2013-12) Maxwell, John Paul; King, Carey Wayne, 1974-; Zarnikau, Jay William, 1959-Stated simply, this thesis focuses on the relationship between energy and the economy. Using the foundation of King 2010, this analysis expands the scholarship from a U.S. focus to perform Energy Intensity Ratio analysis on forty-four countries for the time period 1978-2010. There are four fuels examined: coal, natural gas, crude oil and electricity. Using both the price and expenditures based Energy Intensity Ratio methods, outputs for each fuel in any applicable sector was determined. In addition, this work compiles an estimate of the total energy expenditures for the majority of the world. By examining the overall expenditures of gross domestic product spent on energy, the data showed two points in time where energy appears to become a constraint on growth. Though this thesis does not answer the question directly as to whether an increase in energy expenditures “causes” an increase in economic growth, or whether an increase in economic growth “causes” an increase in energy expenditures, the research shows that vi there may be a “threshold” effect whereby as energy expenditures become a greater share of output, the ability of economic growth to take place is affected.Item An energy return on investment for a geothermal power plant on the Texas Gulf Coast(2013-05) Kampa, Kyle Benjamin; King, Carey Wayne, 1974-This thesis examines the energy return on investment (EROI) of a model 3 MW hybrid gas-geothermal plant on the Texas Gulf Coast. The model plant uses a design similar to the DOE Pleasant Bayou No. 2 test geothermal plant, and uses a gas engine to harness entrained methane and an Organic Rankine Cycle turbine to harness thermal energy from hot brines. The indirect energy cost was calculated using the Carnegie Mellon University Economic Input-Output Life Environmental Life Cycle Analysis (EIO-LCA) model. The EROI of the plant using the 1997 EIO-LCA energy data is 12.40, and the EROI of the plant using 2002 EIO-LCA energy data is 14.18. Sensitivity analysis was run to determine how the plant parameters affect the EROI. A literature review of the EROI of different power sources shows that the EROI of the hybrid geothermal plant is greater than the EROI of flash steam geothermal and solar, but is lower than the EROI of dry steam geothermal, wind power, nuclear, coal, gas, and hydroelectric plants. An analysis of the EROI to financial return on investment (FROI) shows that the FROI for a hybrid geothermal plant could be competitive with wind and solar as a viable renewable resource in the Texas electricity market.Item Feasibility of brackish water desalination as an alternative water supply in the Barton Springs/ Edwards Aquifer conservation district(2015-05) Barraza, Alan; King, Carey Wayne, 1974-; Kreitler, Charles W.Growing demands for water across the State of Texas has prompted many entities to take into consideration alternative means of obtaining water. The Edwards Aquifer within the Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District (BSEACD) has long been an invaluable and reliable resource in providing high quality water at a low cost. The continued population growth within the BSEACD along with continued drought conditions have strained the resource to the point of having restrictions being placed on production. These restrictions are in response to the potential impact of over-pumping water wells, water quality, springflow, and endangered species. At current permitted pumping, even with all curtailments allowed by statutory authority and current rules, the BSEACD cannot meet Desired Future Conditions during an ongoing drought of record. Within the boundaries of the BSEACD, there exist opportunities for groundwater production in the brackish portion of the Edwards and Trinity aquifers. This paper presents the economic feasibility of undertaking a brackish groundwater desalination project in the saline portion of the Edwards aquifer and also considers technical and regulatory obstacles. It is based upon a model that incorporates prevailing market and hydrogeologic conditions within Central Texas and the BSEACD, such as total dissolved solids content, brackish well depth, concentrate well depth, capital and operational costs of desalination facilities, electricity demands and costs, and water costs into its calculation. Results from this study indicate a reverse osmosis desalination project between the modeled range of 1.25 MGD to 12.5 MGD would be economically feasible. At 2.76 MGD the water would cost $748 per acre foot ($2.30 per 1,000 gal) to produce and gradually decreases in cost as the size of the facility increases due to economics of scale. At approximately 10 MGD of desired daily product generation the optimal price of $648 per acre-foot ($1.99 per 1,000 gal) is reached. While a desalination project within the BSEACD may be economically feasible, there are technical and regulatory obstacles that must be overcome before such project can take commence.Item Food expenditure measures to supplement net energy ratios for selected countries 1961-2011(2014-08) McGuirk, George Brennan; King, Carey Wayne, 1974-; Webber, Michael E., 1971-This thesis focuses on the relationship between food expenditures and the economy. In analogous fashion to Maxwell 2013 which calculated energy expenditures as a percentage of national and global gross domestic product (GDP), this thesis examined three available food expenditure datasets to study the relationship between food expenditures as a percentage of GDP and economic growth. The analysis calculated two metrics, Primary Consumption Expenditures and Final Consumption Expenditures which were used to compare the available datasets and create a more robust hybrid dataset containing data for 178 countries with an average time span of 40 years that was used to study the relationship between global economic growth and food expenditures. Historical evidence does not suggest that food has imposed a limit on economic growth; however, recent trends over the past decade associated with biofuel production suggest the global economy has entered a new era with rapidly rising food prices and expenditures. As food resources continue to be used as industrial energy inputs, it is critical to include food expenditures in further analysis of potential impacts energy expenditures may have on economic growth.Item Hydrologic impacts of biofuel expansion in the Ivinhema basin, Brazil(2015-05) Libra, Jesse Madden; King, Carey Wayne, 1974-; McKinney, DaeneBrazil produces approximately a quarter of the world's yearly ethanol demand, making it a global leader in biofuel production. The repercussions for local water resources in areas of intensive biofuel expansion, however, remain uncertain. The purpose of this study is to assess the effects of various land-use scenarios on water sustainability in Brazil, specifically the Ivinhema basin. This basin, located in Southern Mato Grosso do Sul, has experienced extensive sugarcane expansion since the mid-1990s – a trend that is expected to continue in the short to medium term. To achieve the goals of the study, I used the Stockholm Environment Institutes' Water Evaluation and Planning software (WEAP), specifically, the Soil Moisture Method, to model hydrologic processes in the Ivinhema basin from 1990-2013. The study has two parts. The first part focuses on model calibration in a data poor environment. To circumvent poor data quality, I examined the effects on model accuracy of a number data processing methods for land-use, precipitation, and ethanol production data. A total of 8 different calibration scenarios were run using these different data inputs, which I evaluated for accuracy using Nash-Sutcliffe Model Efficiency coefficients. Those producing the best results were used as a baseline for part two. The second part of the study uses the baseline model developed in part one to investigate the crop yield and stream flow effects under three different irrigation and ethanol production scenarios. Water consumption for the ethanol production process has little impact on stream flows, with daily demand peaking at 0.7 percent of baseline flows. Irrigation, however, massively reduces flows -- when irrigation is limited to only sugarcane, flow reductions of over 60 percent only occurs on 1.98 percent of days, while reductions of up to 100 percent during the dry season. Despite these large flow reductions, sugarcane yield increase from irrigation was only 7-14 percent over the study period.Item Integrated open source life cycle assessment of electricity generation technologies(2015-12) Seshadri, Kiran Kalkunte; King, Carey Wayne, 1974-; Bickel, J Eric; Carbajales-Dale, MichaelEnergy return ratios help understand the influence of energy on the growth, structure and organization of societies. Energy return ratios also help assess the likelihood of new technologies in terms of sustainability and their influence on economic growth. Net energy analysis is part of Life Cycle Assessment and calculates Energy return ratios of energy systems. In this thesis, we have created LCA models for multiple electricity technologies using data from (Hertwich et al. 2015). The LCA models are integrated to create a system-scale LCA model. Energy return ratios for all the models are calculated using the LCA models representing electricity generation technologies and for the integrated LCA model. We have developed a scalable, object oriented, open source methodology that allows for expansion of the integrated system-scale LCA model and also enable creation and analysis of any other LCA model.Item Relating energy use to economic complexity(2015-05) Bond, Stephen Richard; King, Carey Wayne, 1974-Energy is a fundamental requirement for the development of any complex human system. One prevalent view suggests that societal development is a direct result of increased energy use, such that progress occurs mainly during times when a surplus of energy is available. Alternately, anthropologist Joseph Tainter posits that human systems increase in complexity as a means of solving social problems, which requires additional energy use. Tainter's theory, since it implies compulsory increases in resource use, has significant implications for long-term economic sustainability. This thesis is an attempt to provide support, or show a lack thereof, for Tainter's theory. To accomplish this, the concept of entropy, in the context of information theory, is used as an indicator of economic complexity. Economic input-output tables for 40 countries from the World Input Output Database are used to calculate these metrics, on an annual basis between 1995 and 2011. Several model boundaries, on both the global and country scales, are used to select the data for these calculations. The results are compared to energy consumption and production data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. This thesis presents the results of this comparison in the context of quantifying Tainter's theory of the linkage between energy and complexity.