Academic literature on the topic 'Natural gas Environmental aspects Australia'

Biosecurity tools are a key aspect of an effective biosecurity system, however, existing surveillance and monitoring programs are often expensive, resource intense, reliant on special expertise, long-term and deliver variable results. Advances in innovation and technology provide opportunity to improve program efficiency, reliability and cost-effectiveness. Chevron Australia developed and deployed tools to help monitor and identify non-indigenous species on Barrow Island, a Class A Nature Reserve and home to the Gorgon Natural Gas Project, operated by Chevron Australia and a joint venture of the Australian subsidiaries of Chevron (47.3%), ExxonMobil (25%), Shell (25%), Osaka Gas (1.25%), Tokyo Gas (1%) and JERA (0.417%). Tools include: The PAWS® (Print Acquisition for Wildlife Sensors) pest identification sensor pad and PAWS® live capture devices for rodent detection and monitoring, EARS (Environmental Acoustic Recognition Sensor) devices that record the male Asian house gecko’s call and can be adapted to incorporate other species if required, LAMP (Loop Mediated Isothermal Amplification) assay to identify Asian house gecko scats or tissue samples with an in situ molecular tool, Gecko identification application (app) enabling the workforce to participate in citizen science programs. These technological advances have helped to improve surveillance and biosecurity programs on Barrow Island, realising benefits including: longer monitoring periods for lower costs, resulting in greater confidence in surveillance outcomes, in situ diagnostics providing more rapid identification to enact an immediate response; deployment of live capture devices, reducing non-target captures (consequently, a more ethical tool); wider workforce participation. While these innovative tools target species likely to threaten Barrow Island’s unique biodiversity, the technology can be adapted for other environmental monitoring programs.

Abstract Over the past three decades, an increasing trend has been observed in research related to the consideration of human factors instead of solely based on the traditional aspects of project and operations management. However, much of the research done to date on human aspects has been conducted in developed countries in Europe, America and Australia, leaving developing countries, especially those in Africa, deprived of similar research. The purpose of the paper is to bridge this gap in knowledge by comparing the soft factors in the two contexts in order to provide an understanding of whether they have the same level of importance, regardless of their differences in economic, social and environmental aspects. The authors used semi-structured interviews to identify the critical soft factors for optimum performance of maintenance operations at a natural gas processing plant in Tanzania. The uncovered soft factors included top management engagement and oversight, trainings, ergonomics, collaboration, safety and security, recognition programs, and education and career growth. There was a high degree of conformity between the soft factors uncovered in the Tanzanian context and those in other African countries and other developing countries around the world. However, there was also conformity between the soft factors uncovered in developing and developed countries, which only differed in the level of the emphasis they placed on implementation.

The Chevron-operated Gorgon Project is located off the northwest coast of Western Australia and encompasses a number of mega-projects including an all-subsea upstream development of the Greater Gorgon gas fields, a greenfield gas processing facility including a 15MTPA liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant and a 300TJ/d domestic gas plant, and the world’s largest commercial scale carbon dioxide injection project. Due to its sheer size, scale and complexity, in addition to a number of unique characteristics, the Gorgon Project has required an extraordinary level of project execution planning. One aspect is the processing plant’s location on Barrow Island—a remote Class A nature reserve. Core to the project’s planning and success is a meticulous and robust environmental management system designed to protect Barrow Island’s unique flora and fauna. This includes stringent environmental measures such as limits on worker population and movement, quarantine requirements for all personnel, and materials and work adjustments for seasonal flora and fauna life cycles. The project’s scope of work is also being executed from three centres: LNG facilities centered in London, infrastructure centered in Perth and construction operations centered in London, Perth and Barrow Island (according to the phase and priorities of the project). This paper explores the following factors: the remote location of the gas fields; cohabiting industry with Barrow Island; minimising environmental impacts using efficient construction management methods such as modularisation; and working together as one team across multiple locations and time zones to demonstrate how the extraordinary can be achieved.

The advantages of offshore floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) production include reduced environmental footprints and potential reduced costs for remote and marginal field development. Moving a conventional land-based LNG plant offshore, however, does not come without its fair share of challenges. Ensuring operability—and hence availability—is one of those challenges. While offshore natural gas process technology selection is largely dictated by limited deck space and high safety focus, a crucial aspect in the design and operation of any of the equipment onboard an FLNG facility is the motion characteristics of the hull in the metocean environment. In fact, hull motions affect the performance of the LNG storage tanks, cargo offloading systems, module structural connections, and nearly every single piece of topsides equipment. Determining the required performance of the hull, however, involves an iterative process between the design of topsides equipment and the configuration of the hull. On one hand, the hull is optimised to minimise its responses to the operating environment and to best suit any operational limitations of process systems and equipment. On the other hand, the process systems and equipment are modified to perform under greater hull motions. The cryogenic transfer of LNG between an offshore floating production facility and its designated LNG carriers is one of the weakest links in the total chain of offshore floating LNG development. It involves two floating systems, working in close proximity, in the dynamic offshore environment. The operability of this greatly affects the availability for LNG offloading and overall delivery. The purpose of this paper is to review the operability aspects of an FLNG project, particularly those affected by hull motions. State-of-the-art operability design and assessment methods will be discussed, including outcomes of some of the dedicated research and development programs that have made FLNG a foreseeable reality for Australian and worldwide offshore natural gas projects and prospects.

Underground gas storage is becoming increasingly important in Australia with the discovery of significant gas reserves, mostly in places distant from the expanding markets for gas.Gas has been stored in the offshore Barracouta Field since 1971 and storage projects are either being considered or underway in New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory.Although not a great deal of attention has been paid to the legal, tax and administrative aspects of underground gas storage, the position is likely to change the more it becomes apparent that such storage is commercially and technically viable.The applicable legal regime will depend on the location of the storage. Offshore gas storage on the continental shelf beyond the coastal waters of a state is subject to Commonwealth jurisdiction. In state coastal waters, it is subject to state laws. Onshore, it is subject to the jurisdiction of the state or territory in which the storage occurs.Offshore beyond state coastal waters the Australian government has sovereign rights over the continental shelf for the purposes of exploring the continental shelf and exploiting its natural resources.There are a number of legal uncertainties which arise from gas storage which will be of concern to financiers as well as gas storers. With certain exceptions, there is doubt as to ownership of stored gas, and the right to inject and store gas. The right of withdrawal however would appear to fall under the right which normally exists under a production lease to 'mine' petroleum, or to conduct 'petroleum mining operations'. Except in Victoria, and to a significantly lesser extent South Australia, there is very little legislative guidance on the topic and related issues.The question whether stored gas is trading stock is the subject of Income Tax Ruling 2190 of 10 September 1985. This puts at rest, in practical terms, in any event, some of the doubts which existed as to the characterisation for income tax purposes of gas stored near the place of original extraction — the ruling concluded that 'reinjected processed gas should not be treated as trading stock for income tax purposes'.It is concluded that there is a good case for those Australian jurisdictions in which gas storage is occurring, or is about to occur, to provide legislation to eliminate the uncertainties.

This paper presents the highlights of development activity of 2004 for the petroleum industry within Australia. In the face of declining oil production within Australia there were few new oil field developments in 2004 (Exeter- Mutineer; Jingemia). The start up of liquids stripping at Bayu-Undan in the Timor Sea and other gas/condensate fields such as Apache’s Linda, however, helped to arrest the declining trend. The first oil fields that define a new oil province in the Exmouth Sub-basin were the subject of extensive appraisal programs and Woodside gave the green light for start of the A$1.48 billion Enfield development.The story for natural gas in 2004 is somewhat more buoyant with several developments in domestic supply around Australia, including coal seam methane (CSM) production on-stream on the east coast. The national pipeline grid extended with the opening of the A$500 million SEAgas pipeline between Port Campbell and Adelaide. Minerva gas production followed at the end of the year, leading the way for the approval of gas developments at Thylacine- Geographe (A$1.1 billion) and Casino (A$200 million) in the Otway Basin. The Yolla gas production platform was installed on site in the Bass Basin. Apache and Santos signed an agreement to supply gas from John Brookes, offshore Carnarvon Basin, and Woodside looked to Blacktip, in the Bonaparte, to supply gas to the Northern Territory.2004 was a cornerstone year for LNG. A new carrier was delivered to the NWS Joint Venture and gas flowed from the fourth LNG train for the first time. Deliveries under new contracts started to Japan and Korea and a major contract for supply was signed with China. Other potential LNG projects began significant appraisal programs at fields such as Scarborough on the NWS.

The injection of green hydrogen and biomethane is currently seen as the next step towards the decarbonization of the gas sector in several countries. However, the introduction of these gases in existent infrastructure has energetic, material and operational implications that should be carefully looked at. With regard to a fully blown green gas grid, transport and distribution will require adaptations. Furthermore, the adequate performance of end-use equipment connected to the grid must be accounted for. In this paper, a technical analysis of the energetic, material and operational aspects of hydrogen and biomethane introduction in natural gas infrastructure is performed. Impacts on gas transmission and distribution are evaluated and an interchangeability analysis, supported by one-dimensional Cantera simulations, is conducted. Existing gas infrastructure seems to be generally fit for the introduction of hydrogen and biomethane. Hydrogen content up to 20% by volume appears to be possible to accommodate in current infrastructure with only minor technical modifications. However, at the Distribution System Operator (DSO) level, the introduction of gas quality tracking systems will be required due to the distributed injection nature of hydrogen and biomethane. The different tolerances for hydrogen blending of consumers, depending on end-use equipment, may be critical during the transition period to a 100% green gas grid as there is a risk of pushing consumers off the grid.

Storm water sediment runoff from disturbed landscapes has the potential to impair aquatic environments. Small construction sites of 1-5 acres in the United States are currently regulated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency to minimize storm water runoff damages to the environment. Gas well construction sites are similar to other construction sites in how the landscape is altered, but are not similarly regulated. This study identified sediment runoff from gas well development sites by collecting it in traps and weirs, and by measuring sediment debris lobes. Sediment primarily consisted of silt and clay sized particles. Sediments from two gas well sites formed five debris lobes that ranged in size from 325 to 3,290 square feet. Sediment loadings estimated from the debris lobes averaged 57.1 tons per year/acre. Future studies should focus on further quantification of sediment movement off of gas well sites and identify effective erosion control methods.

The subject of this thesis is the development of alternative approaches to environmental management and mine closure plans using case examples of the Big Bell/Cue Mining District and as a working example, an area of unconfined washout of historical gold-mine process tailings located in this arid inland region of Western Australia. This is considered appropriate in the light of the social and political thrust for industry to develop simultaneously positive economic, social and environmental outcomes from their activities. The Big Bell mining operation ceased mining in June 2003 and the Mine Closure Plan reflected a classical approach of minimization of public liability and strict compliance with legislative requirements. During the life of the modern mine the approach to rehabilitation was similarly classical in its approach It is intended for this document to inform the mining industry using the case example of the now closed Big Bell Mine as to how greater long-term outcomes may have been achieved for the State and the region for the future. This thesis specifically investigates alternative ways to approach rehabilitation in arid areas of Western Australia using the washout area as an example and trial area. This thesis has approached the issue by addressing the quantification of what has occurred through the gathering of baseline data of the case study area and then by the implementation of a series of relevant trials to identify appropriate eco-functional process-sensitive methods for rehabilitation as an alternative to current industry practice. Trials investigating the use of "retention banks" and "clay/seed balls" and the use of ex-mine milling waste carbon were conducted to investigate relevant possible techniques suitable for arid mine-site waste dump rehabilitation. Data analysis indicated that the main reason for the high level of degradation within the case study area is due to the smothering effect of the fine clayey tails cover and due to acidity of the tailings. A detailed examination of 92 soil samples found water infiltration of tails-washed areas as half that of control areas. Acidity of alluvium has declined from pH 5.2 to 3.8. The acidity has penetrated at depth to hardpan. Trials were commenced to rehabilitate the area using a combination of earthworks (retention banks and· scarification), pH- adjustment (using ex-mill carbon and crushed lime), and the use of native seed pelletised into clay-balls. The introduction of ex-mill carbon was shown to be effective in ameliorating pH in the tails wash area and improving its capacity to regenerate. Considering it is a widely available waste product with the gold mining industry it should be seriously considered in its application for rehabilitation purposes, and specifically in areas affected by severe acidification and desertification particularly by mismanaged tailings with pyrite content. The use of clay balls should also be subjected to further investigation. It is at least equal to the traditional use of raw seed and fertilizer with immediate and abundant rainfall. As this almost never occurs, it should prove to be superior, in delivering higher rates of viability for seed used. The thesis then attempts to integrate this study within the context of the wider issues of environmental management, specifically the best practice of mine closure plans and the adoption of sustainable economic, social and environmental outcomes from mining as an integral part of responsible operational environmental management plans. The thesis argues that the environmental management planning and specifically the Mine Closure Plan should not waste the myriad of opportunities that are the by-product of mining for the long-term sustainable benefit of the wider region. It is argued that if mining companies are serious about sustainability, then they cannot continue with short-term cycles of mining and closure. However to be realistic it will take concerted willingness from all stakeholders to pursue these outcomes. While a given mining operation can offer extensive resources and assets to support this approach the commercial and legislative pressures of core mining activities necessarily mean that mines are in fact encouraged to simply return the environment back to as natural state after operations are complete. Invariably this means hundreds of millions of dollars of infrastructure are levelled and scrapped to avoid all future liability, whilst the potential for sustainable outcomes is essentially ignored. The same Government that enforces the Mining Act and has a State Sustainability Strategy imposes the conditions which create unimaginative classical mine closure plans. Government, industry and the residents of regions must work together to seriously develop sustainable outcomes to mining.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2012.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: World crude oil demand and production is set to increase in the long term and is projected to increase from 82 barrels per day in 2007 to an estimated 104 million barrels per day in 2030 according to the International Energy Agency. The environmental challenges posed by the current and projected increased future fuel use, with specific reference to air, aquatic and terrestrial impact, are driving producers and legislators to change fuel specifications and consequently fuel properties to be less harmful to the environment. Traditionally transportation fuels are produced through crude oil refining but in South Africa more than one third of the liquid fuels are produced synthetically through catalytic conversion of gassified coal via the Fischer-Tropsch process by Sasol. Diesel from syncrude is referred to as synthetic diesel and the refiner must blend various hydrocarbon streams, effectively tailoring the diesel to its final composition. Biodiesel from renewable sources like vegetable oils is considered environmentally more acceptable than petrodiesel because of its high biodegradability in the environment, lower sulphur and aromatic hydrocarbon content as well as lowered particulate content in the exhaust emissions. The present research was aimed at evaluating whether the composition of diesels derived from different feed stocks, that included coal, natural gas, crude oil and soybean oil, would influence its biodegradability and ecotoxicity. Acute aquatic tests that included freshwater fish, crustaceans, algae and marine bacteria were used to determine the acute toxicity of diesels. In addition, quantitative structure activity relationship models were used to estimate the biodegradation and ecotoxicity properties of the diesels in an attempt to develop a cost effective tool to determine those properties. The results indicated that the 2-D GC technique quantitatively and qualitatively identified the hydrocarbon constituents in the diesels. The relevance of using the 2-D GC technique was in identifying and quantifying the hydrocarbon breakdown products and being used in a mass balance to confirm the potential biological breakdown processes of the materials used in the present study. The differences in theoretical oxygen demand (ThOD) of the different experimental diesel blends using various blending materials and biodiesel, emphasised and confirmed the importance of calculating the ThOD for the respective blending materials when measuring the biodegradation rates. Furthermore, the biodegradation hierarchy of Pitter and Chudoba (1990) in order of decreasing biodegradability: alkanes > branched alkanes > cyclo-alkanes > aromatic hydrocarbons, could be expanded to include FAME: FAME > alkanes > branched alkanes > cyclo-alkanes > aromatic hydrocarbons. The biochemical pathways identified for the biodegradation of all the diesels was enzyme-enhanced β-oxidation. The present research also indicated that biodiesel addition to crude-derived diesels to increase the density to within the current required specifications for diesels cannot be a reality in SA because of the underdeveloped biodiesel industry. To increase the density by using biodiesel to within the specification for GTL diesel, more than 27% biodiesel would be required, which is currently is not achievable from an economic perspective as well as governmental national strategy perspective. The addition of biodiesel as lubricity enhancer seems more plausible, because less than 5% would be required for petrodiesels. The results on the ecotoxicity of the diesels and diesel blends demonstrated a general lack of acute toxic effect, especially for the fish and crustaceans used during the present study. Although algal and bacterial tests showed an effect at most of the WAF loading rates, none were high enough to enable the calculation of a median effect loading rate (EL50). QSAR‟s, like EPI Suite, together with prediction models, like the Fisk Ecotoxicity Estimation Model, can be used to screen for ecotoxicity and biodegradability of hydrocarbons found in Petrodiesels. It was less applicable for the prediction of biodiesel constituents. The use of different cut-off values for the constituents of biodiesel could be developed in future research. The use of this combination enabled the present research into the potential toxicity of hydrocarbon mixtures to be conducted, especially since tests on individual constituents are impractical. QSAR‟s may provide a relatively cost-effective way to screen for potential environmental acceptability of such mixtures. The contributors to the toxicity of mixtures of hydrocarbons found in diesels were evaluated and it appears that paraffins contribute more to the overall toxicity than previously thought and aromatics less. By putting well-defined policies and incentives in place, a robust biodiesel industry could be created that will enable SA to contribute to the mitigation of the threat of climate change, to become less dependent on foreign oil and to develop rural agriculture. The key to energy security is not one solution to South Africa‟s energy needs, but a multifaceted approach to the complex subject of sustainable energy security. The end of the hydrocarbon era of energy is not in sight, at least for the near future, but soon even hydrocarbon energy in the form of coal and crude oil will have to be re-evaluated as SA‟s major energy resource for economic and energy security. In SA the potential of developing natural gas resources through fracking, nuclear, solar, wind, biological and even wastes to energy processes as well as better energy efficiency, in a balanced and diverse energy portfolio, could pave the way toward energy security in the long run.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Ru-olie aanvraag en produksie wêreldwyd is besig om toe te neem en die Internasionale Energie Agentskap projekteer dat wêreld ru-olie verbruik sal toeneem van 82 vate per dag in 2007 tot „n beraamde 104 vate per dag in 2030. Die omgewings uitdagings wat huidige en toekomstige toename in brandstof verbruik, spesifiek die impak op lug gehalte, water- en grond, mag hê, is dryfvere vir produseerders en reguleerders om brandstof spesifikasies te verander om minder omgewings impak te veroorsaak. Brandstof vir vervoer doeleindes word oor die algemeen van ru-olie gemaak, maar in Suid Afrika word ongeveer „n derde van die vloeibare brandtof gemaak deur middel van gekatiliseerde omskakeling van vergasde steenkool via die Fischer-Tropsch proses by Sasol. Diesel wat uit sintetiese ru-olie gemaak is, is sinteties en die raffineerder moet verskillende koolwaterstof strome meng om „n finale produk te lewer. Biodiesel wat uit hernubare hulpbronne soos plant-olies en diervet gemaak word, kan oorweeg word vir die vervaardiging van meer omgewings aanvaarbare brandstof met laer swael en aromatiese koolwaterstof inhoud en ook minder partikel inhoud in die uitlaatgas. Die huidige navorsing het beoog om te evalueer of die samestelling van diesels wat vervaardig is uit verskillende hulpbronne, wat steenkool, aardgas, ru-olie en sojaboon olie ingesluit het, die biodegradeerbaarheid en ekotoksisiteit kan beïnvloed. Akute akwatiese toetse wat varswater vis, krustaseë, alge en marine bakterieë ingesluit het, was aangewend om die akute toksisiteit van die diesels te bepaal. Kwantitatiewe struktuur aktiwiteit verwantskaps modelle is ook gebruik om die biodegradeerbaarheid en ekotoksisiteits eienskappe van die diesels te beraam om vas te stel of 'n bekostigbare alternatief beskikbaar is om daardie eienskappe te bepaal. Die resultate het aangedui dat die 2D GC tegniek kwantitatief en kwalitatief gebruik kan word om die koolwaterstowwe in die diesels te identifiseer. Die benutting van die 2D GC tegnieke is egter om die koolwaterstof afbraak produkte te identifiseer en ook om die massa balans gedurende die biodegradering te bevestig. Die verskil in teoretiese suurstof aanvraag van die verskillende diesels het die belangrikheid daarvan blemtoon en bevestig om die teoretiese suurstof aanvraag korrek te bereken en sodoende die biodegradasie korrek te bepaal. Verder kan die biodegradasie hierargie van Pitter en Chudoba (1990) volgens afnemende biodegradasie: alkane > vertakte alkane > siklo-alkane > aromatiese koolwaterstowwe, uitgebrei word om vetsuur-metielesters in te sluit: vetsuur-metielesters > alkane > vertakte alkane > siklo-alkane > aromatiese koolwaterstowwe. Die biochemiese roetes wat geïdentifiseer is vir die biodegradasie van die diesels, was ensiem-verbeterde β-oksidasie. Die huidige navorsing het ook aangedui dat biodiesel toevoeging tot ru-olie vervaardigde diesel om die digtheid te verhoog to binne huidige spesifikasies is nog nie lewensvatbaar in Suid Afrika nie as gevolg van die onderontwikkelde biodiesel industrie. Om die digtheid te verhoog met biodiesel tot binne spesifikasie verg meer as 27% biodiesel en is huidiglik nie haalbaar vanuit 'n ekonomiese persketief en ook nie vanuit 'n regerings nasionale strategie perspektief nie. Die toevoeging van biodiesel as lubrisiteits vervetering blyk meer van toepassing te wees aangesien minder as 5% biodiesel toevoeging benodig sou wees. Die resultate van die ekotoksisiteits toetse het 'n algemene gebrek aan akute toksisiteits effek aangedui, veral vir vis en skaaldiere wat in die huidige studie gebruik is. Howel alge en bakteriële toetse daarop gedui het dat 'n toksiese effek wel aanwesig was, was dit gering en kon die median effektiewe ladings koers (EL50) nie bepaal word nie. QSARs, soos Epi Suite, tesame met voospellings modelle, soos die Fisk Ecotoxicity Estimation Model, kan gebruik word om ekotoksisiteit en biodegradeerbaarheid van koolwaterstowwe in petrodiesels te beraam, alhoewel dit minder van toepassing was op biodiesel. Die gebruik van ander afsny waardes spesifiek vir biodiesel kan oorweeg word in toekomstige navorsing. Die molecules wat bygedra het tot die toksisiteit van die koolwaterstof mengsels was geëvalueeren daar is gevind dat die paraffiniese molekules meer begedra het tot die totale toksisiteit en die aromate minder. Deur goed gedefinieerde beleid en aansporings meganismes inplek te sit, kan 'n biodiesel industrie in SA geskep word wat SA sal help om by te dra tot die bekamping van klimaats vendering en sodoende minder afhanklik te wees van buitelandse olie en ook landbou in SA te bevorder. Die sluetel tot energie sekuriteit is nie een oplossing vir SA se energie aanvraag nie, maar eerder 'n veelsydige benadering tot die komplekse onderwerp van volhoubare energie sekuriteit. Die einde van koolwaterstof energie is nog nie in sig nie, ten miste nie in die nabye toekoms nie, maar binnekort sal selfs koolwaterstof energie in die vorm van steenkool en ru-olie heroorweeg moet word as SA se hoof energie hulpbronne vir ekonomiese en energie sekuriteit. In SA moet die potensiaal van natuurlike gas ontginning deur middel van hidrauliese breking, kernkrag, wind energie, biologiese energie en selfs afval tot energie prosesse bestudeer word, so-ook beter energie doeltreffendheid om sodoende 'n gebalansweerde energie portefuelje te skep wat die weg sal baan na energie sekuriteit op die lang termyn.

The differential role that airborne particulate matter (PM) size fractions, sources, and components play in producing adverse health effects is not fully understood. Specific gaps include the role of PM generated by traffic and the effects of PMs generated by natural sources. Source specific air pollution epidemiological research still lacks integration in the risk assessment process, a fundamental tool to inform policy makers and the public about the current situation or the impact of future or past air pollution policies. This thesis addresses both these gaps. To explore the effects of PM from different sources, we investigated the association between different PM size fractions and mortality in Barcelona, Spain and used PM chemical composition data to help determine the different sources and components linked to toxicity. To illustrate that local air pollution risk assessments are useful tools in evidence-based public health, we estimated the health and economic benefits that would result from different scenario of improved air quality in the Barcelona metropolitan area and in two communities of Southern California. These case studies include new methods to integrate into the risk assessment process the recent epidemiological evidence related to the effects of traffic exposure.This thesis contributes to a better understanding of the link between particulate matter size fraction, sources, and components and health effects, and to improve air pollution health impact assessment methods. Both contributions have important implications for public health and air pollution public policy.
El papel diferencial en que las diferentes fracciones de partículas en suspensión en el aire (PMs), sus fuentes y componentes producen efectos adversos para la salud no está completamente entendido. Las lagunas actuales incluyen el papel de las PMs generadas por el tráfico y los efectos de las PMs generadas por fuentes naturales. La investigación epidemiológica relacionada con fuentes todavía falta ser integrada en el proceso de evaluación de impacto, una herramienta fundamental para informar a los tomadores de decisiones y el público sobre la situación actual o el impacto de futuras o pasadas políticas de contaminación atmosférica. Esta tesis trata estas áreas. Para explorar el papel de las PMs generadas por diferentes fuentes, se ha investigado la asociación entre diferentes fracciones de PMs y mortalidad en Barcelona (España) y se ha usado datos de composición química de PMs para identificar las fuentes y los componentes relacionados con la toxicidad. Para ilustrar que las evaluaciones de impacto a nivel local son herramientas útiles en salud pública, se ha estimado el beneficio en salud y económico que resultaría de diferentes escenarios de mejora de la calidad del aire en el área metropolitana de Barcelona y en dos comunidades de California del Sur. Estos estudios de casos incluyen nuevos métodos para integrar en las evaluaciones de impacto las nuevas evidencias epidemiológicas que relacionan la exposición al tráfico con los efectos en salud. Esta tesis contribuye a un mayor entendimiento del vínculo entre las fracciones de PM, sus fuentes y componentes y los efectos en salud así como a la mejora de los métodos de las evaluaciones de impacto. Estas contribuciones tienen importantes implicaciones para la salud pública y las políticas públicas de contaminación atmosférica.

In order to better understand runoff characteristics from natural gas well sites in north central Texas, the City of Denton, with assistance through an EPA funded 104b3 Water Quality Cooperative Agreement, monitored storm water runoff from local natural gas well sites. Storm water runoff was found to contain high concentrations of total suspended solids (TSS). Observed TSS concentrations resulted in sediment loading rates that are similar to those observed from typical construction activities. Petroleum hydrocarbons, in contrast, were rarely detected in runoff samples. Heavy metals were detected in concentrations similar to those observed in typical urban runoff. However, the concentrations observed at the gas well sites were higher than those measured at nearby reference sites. Storm water runoff data collected from these sites were used to evaluate the effectiveness of the water erosion prediction project (WEPP) model for predicting runoff and sediment from these sites. Runoff and sediment predictions were adequate; however, rainfall simulation experiments were used to further characterize the portion of the site where drilling and extraction operations are performed, referred to as the "pad site." These experiments were used to develop specific pad site erosion parameters for the WEPP model. Finally, version 2 of the revised universal soil loss equation (RUSLE 2.0) was used to evaluate the efficiency of best management practices (BMPs) for natural gas well sites. BMP efficiency ratings, which ranged from 52 to 93%, were also evaluated in the context of site management goals and implementation cost, demonstrating a practical approach for managing soil loss and understanding the importance of selecting appropriate site-specific BMPs.

Farmers in Australia and elsewhere face the challenge of remaining profitable whilst dealing with adverse structural arrangements and public expectations to better manage environmental degradation. This thesis draws on arguments that dominant paradigms in agricultural science and environmental management have often been ineffective in addressing these apparently competing demands and appear poorly suited to ‘messy’ situations characterized by uncertainty and complexity, and in which diverse stakeholders are motivated by varying goals and values. Engaging with such situations requires a philosophy and methodology that accepts a multiplicity of perspectives and which seeks to learn about and reflect upon novel ways of thinking and acting. Among the underlying ideas that have shaped this project is the importance of recognising the assumptions and commitments that researchers bring to their practice in order that traditions are not uncritically reproduced and that the products of our thinking are not reified. Regarding farming as less a set of technical practices and more as a human activity taking place within broader economic, social, cultural and ecological contexts, I sought to engage a group of farmers in southern Western Australia in a process of taking action to address an issue of common concern that would help them to live and farm well in their district. My role as both researcher and facilitator of conversations was driven by a commitment to dialogue as a process of meaning making and relationship building. Together we explored some of the broader contexts within which the narrower conceptions of economic and ecological problems are often uncritically placed. Taking concrete action together however proved beyond the scope of my research. The challenge of feeding ourselves while better caring for the land and each other will require imaginative as well as technical resources. To this end I have also sought to sketch out some of the creative possibilities contained within the health metaphor as it is applied to soil, arguing that its use as a proxy for quality or condition fails to utilize its disruptive potential.

Environmentalists see the protest against the Jabiluka uranium mine in Australia's Northern Territory as an example of positive green-black relations. The formation of an alliance between Aboriginal owners and greens to protest against the mine resulted in a lengthy campaign that included maintaining a camp near the leasesite and organising a long series of mass protest actions in a remote location over an extended period from March to October 1998. However, some tensions between greens and the traditional Aboriginal owners became evident as the campaign went on. This thesis traces the origins of these tensions to past conflicts between environmentalists and Aboriginal people and shows that they are largely related to their conflicting perceptions of the environment. Those perceptions arise from different knowledge systems and are encapsulated in the terms 'wilderness' and 'country', used to describe the physical world by environmentalists and Aboriginal owners respectively. I discuss the attitudes towards the environment that accompany those perceptions and consider the way they were manifest in some of the tensions that arose at Jabiluka. The close relationship between influential strands of environmentalism and Western science is a related source of conflict. My analysis of that relationship shows that environmentalism, via 'green science' is more closely aligned with the developmentalist worldview than the Aboriginal worldview. The thesis is an analytical reflection upon the Jabiluka Protesters' Camp based on the personal experience I gained from my fieldwork there and informed by the literature of feminism, ecofeminism, social constructionism and anthropology. I discuss the manifestations of ecofeminism I observed at Jabiluka. I argue that the Jabiluka Protesters' Camp functioned successfully because it utilised ecofeminist principles and practices, that as a consequence the relationship between greens and blacks has been strengthened and therefore that ecofeminism can continue to have a positive effect on those relations in the future.

Emissions of air pollutants from non-conventional sources have been on the rise in the North Texas area over the past decade. These include primary pollutants such as volatile organic compound (VOC) and oxides of nitrogen (NOx) which also act as precursors in the formation of ozone. Most of these have been attributed to a significant increase in oil and gas production activities since 2000 within the Barnett Shale region adjacent to the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex region. In this study, air quality concentrations measured at the Denton Airport and Dallas Hinton monitoring sites operated by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) were evaluated. VOC concentration data from canister-based sampling along with continuous measurement of oxides of nitrogen (NOx), ozone (O3), particulate matter (PM2.5), and meteorological conditions at these two sites spanning from 2000 through 2014 were employed in this study. The Dallas site is located within the urban core of one of the fastest growing cities in the United States, while the Denton site is an exurban site with rural characteristics to it. The Denton Airport site was influenced by natural gas pads surrounding it while there are very few natural gas production facilities within close proximity to the Dallas Hinton site. As of 2013, there were 1362 gas pads within a 10 mile radius to the Denton Airport site but there were only 2 within a 10 mile radius to Dallas Hinton site. The Dallas site displayed higher concentrations of NOx and much lower concentrations of VOC than the Denton site. Extremely high levels of VOC measured at the Denton site corresponded with the increase in oil and gas production activities in close proximity to the monitoring site. Ethane and propane are two major contributors to the measured VOC concentration, suggesting the influence of fugitive emissions of natural gas. In Dallas, the mean and maximum values of ozone had decreased since 2000 by about 2% and 25%, respectively. Similarly NOx decreased by 50% and 18% in the mean and maximum values. However, the mean VOC value showed a 21% decrease while the maximum value increased by about 46%. In Denton, the change in percentage of ozone and NOx were similar to Dallas but the mean VOC concentration increased by about 620% while the max value increased 1960%. Source apportionment analysis confirmed the findings by identifying the production of natural gas to be the primary source of VOC emissions in Denton, while traffic sources were more influential near the Dallas site. In light of the recent proposal by EPA to revise the ozone standard, the influence of these new unconventional sources should be further evaluated.

Natural gas flaring from oil production is a pervasive yet understudied environmental issue. Recently available satellite imagery of gas flares has increased public awareness and concern over the severity and ubiquity of the problem. In the US, the relatively recent combination of hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling sparked the shale boom, leading to hundreds of thousands of wells being drilled within a decade, often in close proximity to residential populations. A major oil state that has emerged from the shale boom is North Dakota. In 2014, state regulators introduced a policy to limit the percentage of produced gas that oil-extracting companies are allowed to flare. Like many other places where flaring takes place, flared volumes are reported by oil companies themselves. What was the effect of North Dakota’s regulation on gas flaring according to self-reported and satellite data? What was the effect of the regulation on self-reporting behavior? In such a tight oil setting, how well does the prevailing satellite product used to monitor gas flares perform? This dissertation uses new data and methodologies from several disciplines to study these important questions around gas flaring. The results find that the predominant satellite product does not perform well in the on-shore oil production context. While regulation has reduced flaring in a major oil state, the reduction is smaller than thought because of underreporting by oil well operators. Further, the underreporting is associated with political economy and corporate culture factors.

AbstractPart of the rationale behind the introduction of the term cisgenesis was the expectation that due to the “more natural” character of the genetic modification, cisgenic plants would be socially more acceptable than transgenic ones. This chapter assesses whether this expectation was justified. It thereby addresses three arenas of social acceptability: public perception, consumer preferences, and legal regulation. Discussing and comparing recent studies from four geographical areas across the globe—Europe, North America, Japan, and Australia and New Zealand—the chapter shows that the expectation was justified, and that cisgenic plants are treated as being more acceptable than other forms of genetic modification. Yet, there are considerable differences across the three arenas of social acceptability. In Australia, Canada, and the United States of America, the legal regulation of cisgenic plants is less restrictive than in Europe, Japan, and New Zealand. Also, the public perceptions are rather diverse across these countries, as are the factors that are deemed most influential in informing public opinion and consumer decisions. While people in North America appear to be most interested in individual benefits of the products (improved quality, health aspects), Europeans are more likely to accept cisgenic plants and derived products if they have a proven environmental benefit. In New Zealand, in contrast, the potential impact of cisgenic plants on other, more or less related markets, like meat export and tourism, is heavily debated. We conclude with some remarks about a possible new arrangement between science and policy that may come about with a new, or homogenized, international regulatory regime.

Scholarship about the role of managed systems when considering the impacts of climate change, the environmental problem arising from polluting-resource use, the economic aspects of strategies to slow climate change, and the connection between climate change and economic growth has increased and consolidated, especially in recent years. The main objective of this chapter is to explore and describe the effects of climate policy on greenhouse gas emissions, the societal aspects of climate change, the technology-based determinants of green growth, and the productivity impacts of environmental quality. The results of the current chapter converge with prior research on the harmful results of climate change, reduced use of polluting inputs as a consequence of environmental policy, the prevailing governmental policies for fighting global warming, and measures to mitigate the temperature increase by reducing CO2 emissions.

Microturbine generators have shown good perspectives for small scale distributed generation. In Brazil, the Thermal Systems Study Group of Federal School of Engineering of Itajuba´, sponsored by the CEMIG (Electrical Utility of Minas Gerais), is developing a project about experimental evaluation of microturbines systems. The objective of this paper is to evaluate the cost of generating electricity with microturbines and show the emissions range of microturbines operating with natural gas. The cost of the microturbine generators as well as the cost of the electricity and natural gas in Brazil at this moment and the projection for the future were considered.

In a coking plant in which coal tar is processed coke oven gas occurs as a waste product. Coke oven gas can be used as an alternative fuel for a gas turbine, instead of natural gas, if it meets the local environmental regulations. As a result of higher flame temperature of coke oven gas caused by the hydrogen content, the NOx emission of a gas turbine burning coke oven gas is higher than in case of natural gas. In Germany a 10 MW gas fired gas turbine has to meet a NOx emission limit of 150 mg/Nm3 @ 15% O2 dry. To reach this goal in case of MS 3002, which is installed in the coking plant as reported in previous ASME paper, steam injection is necessary. NOx- and CO-emissions of a gas turbine are difficult to be predicted by calculation, therefore measurements had to be done to see how good the predictions were, that were made in face of the local regulations. This paper deals with the NOx- and CO-emissions of a coke oven gas fired gas turbine with and without steam injection in difference to natural gas fired gas turbine. It shows also significantly lower CO2-emissions, because coke oven gas contains less hydrocarbon which is a great benefit for the greenhouse problem. It illustrates the effect of power augmentation and discusses the different thermal efficiency with steam injection. This paper gives a short glance to the effects which influence the emissions, so that the specific problems caused by burning coke oven gas can be understood.

Freight rail carriers have been continuously challenged to reduce costs and comply with increasingly stringent environmental standards, into a continuously competing and environmentally driven industry. In this context, current availability and relative abundance of clean and low cost non conventional gas reserves have aroused a comprehensive reevaluation of rail industry into fuel option, especially where freight rail are strongly diesel based. Countries in which rail sector is required to play an important role in transport matrix, where fuel expenditures currently accounts for a significant share of operational costs, like Australia, Brazil, United States and other continental countries, can be seen as strong candidates to adopt fuel alternatives to diesel fueled freight railways. Moreover, from an environmental perspective, the use of alternative fuels (like natural gas) for locomotive traction may allow rail freight carriers to comply with emission standards into a less technologically complex and costly way. In this context, liquefied natural gas (LNG) fueled freight locomotives are seen as a strong potential near-term driver for natural gas use in rail sector, with its intrinsic cost and environmental benefits and with the potential to revolutionize rail industry much like the transition from steam to diesel experienced into the fifties, as well as the more recent advent of use of alternating current diesel-electric locomotives. LNG rail fueled approach has been focused on both retrofitting existing locomotive diesel engines, as well as on original manufactured engines. Given the lower polluting potential of natural gas heavy engines, when compared to diesel counterparts, LNG locomotives can be used to comply with increasingly restrictive Particulate Matter (PM) and Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) emission standards with less technological complexity (engine design and aftertreatment hardware) and their intrinsic lower associated costs. Prior to commercial operation of LNG locomotives, there are some technical, operational and economic hurdles that need to be addressed, i.e. : i) locomotive engine and fuel tender car technological maturity and reliability improvement; ii) regulation improvement, basically focused on operational safety and interchange operations; iii) current and long term diesel - gas price differential, a decisive driver, and, finally, iv) LNG infrastructure requirements (fueling facilities, locomotives and tender car specifications). This work involved an extensive research into already published works to present an overview of LNG use in freight rail industry into a technical, operational and economical perspective, followed by a critical evaluation of its potential into some relevant freight rail markets, such as United States, Brazil and Australia, as well as some European non electrified rail freight lines.

The Cooper/Eromanga Basin is in central Australia and has been the focal point for oil and gas exploration and development in South Australia since the first commercial hydrocarbon discovery in 1963. In the years and decades following, thousands of subsequent wells have been drilled. The CE Basin spans across four states and territories covering an area ~35,000km2. The concentration of South Australian wells is situated in the Northeast of the state and sparsely concentrated in a 300km × 500km area (Figure 1) with the wells in this area being the focus of this research study. Well decommissioning commonly referred to as Plug and Abandonment (P&A) aims to restore the natural integrity of geological formations that existed prior to drilling. It is a mandatory requirement for all wells and must account for the effects of any foreseeable chemical and geological processes from an eternal standpoint. The minimum requirement for abandonment of the South Australian wells is governed by Objective 6 Cooper Basin State Environmental Objectives (SEO): Drilling, Completions and Well Operations, November 2015 guidelines, which provides the compliance criteria for appropriate barrier installation and verification. Well complexity is determined by the difficulty in achieving this minimum compliance requirement based on available data of well conditions, simplified in the form of a risk code.

Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) is an important component in meeting the future energy needs of the United States and other industrialized countries. The ability to locate (produce), process, liquefy, transport, and re-gasify stranded natural gas is vital to maintaining a stable long-term natural gas supply necessary for sustained economic growth [1]. Two of the key components in this supply chain are the vaporization of the LNG at the import terminal and the peak shaver trains that liquefy pipe line natural gas, store it and then vaporize the liquid to feed the gas to the pipe line when additional flow is required. This paper outlines a novel approach incorporating a traditional fired heater with waste heat recovery to vaporize LNG at an import terminal or peak shaver train while maintaining a high thermal efficiency. A comparison is made between the new technology and more conventional methods, with emphasis on emissions. Some of the advantages and disadvantages associated with the design and implementation of these systems are explored in this presentation. As a fundamental cannon of ethics, engineers are obligated to address the most efficient and responsible use of resources. The environmental impact of supplying the necessary natural gas energy to industry and consumers is significant. This paper addresses these aspects as considered during the development of the alternative LNG vaporization technology.

Novia Scotia, a province of about one million people, is located on the east coast of Canada. With the discovery of large natural gas reserves off the Scotian Shelf, offshore production platforms, undersea and onshore pipelines have been constructed to link the find with major markets in Boston by the end of 1999. The onshore pipeline through the province will allow a distribution system to be developed. This natural gas system will be the largest Greenfield development seen in North America for many years. A billion-dollar expenditure is proposed to establish a local distribution company, which would construct and maintain around 8,000 kilometres of distribution and lateral pipelines in the province. An integral part of this program involves the provision of local benefits through hiring and purchasing of goods and services. This paper describes aspects of the construction program and benefits plan proposed during the regulatory hearings in order to illustrate the methods used to ensure that the objectives of accessing the majority of Nova Scotians in a seven year planning horizon will be met. The varied landscapes to be crossed and specialized construction techniques to meet those challenges are discussed. The mechanisms in place to ensure maximum benefit for Nova Scotians are also discussed. Up-to-date information will be presented to demonstrate how the benefits plan is being implemented. The successes of the benefits plan for the distribution utility and the other local megaproject in the province (Sable Offshore Energy) are compared. Conclusions will be drawn regarding successful strategies for implementing benefits plans related to large energy projects.

Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America (NGPL), a subsidiary of Kinder Morgan, Inc., has been monitoring their pipeline system for the presence and severity of stress corrosion cracking (SCC) for more than thirty years. With the identification of near neutral pH SCC (also called low pH SCC) on this system, over the past five years NGPL has implemented a comprehensive SCC integrity management plan (IMP). Through their SCC IMP, NGPL has been finding and eliminating near critical near neutral pH SCC and other defects from their system, while using data from the program to obtain a better understanding of the relationship of SCC to existing pipe and environmental conditions. NGPL transports commercial quality natural gas to the Chicago area through a multi-line system that originates in various North American supply regions. The system right-of-way encompasses most of the American mid-west and crosses many physiographic areas. The pipelines have varying grades, diameters, and wall thicknesses, and were constructed at different times. Overall there are approximately 10,000 miles (16,000 kilometers) of pipeline that fall within the current NGPL SCC IMP. The primary purpose of this paper is to relate some of our experience with SCC on our system and describe the some of the innovative technical aspects of the existing in-house SCC IMP. This paper outlines some historical examples of the NGPL methodology for detecting near neutral pH SCC in pipeline steels using two or more separate pipeline investigation techniques. The basic steps of SCC direct assessment (DA) are described, as well as the process of integrating the predictive SCC model with in-line inspection (ILI) low level analysis signatures to determine the extent and severity of near neutral pH SCC on the NGPL pipeline system.

Access to electricity is a key necessity in today’s World for economic growth and improvements in quality of life. However, the global challenge is addressing the so-called Energy Trilemma: how to provide secure, affordable electricity while minimizing the impact of power generation on the environment. The rapid growth in power generation from intermittent renewable sources, such as wind and photovoltaics, to address the environmental aspect has created additional challenges to meet the security of supply and affordable electricity aspects of this trilemma. Fossil fuels play a major role in supporting intermittent renewable power generation, rapidly providing the security of supply needed and ensuring grid stability. Globally diesel or other fuel oils are frequently used as the primary fuel or back-up fuel for fossil-fueled power generation plants at all scales, from a few kiloWatts to hundreds of MegaWatts, and helps provide millions of people with secure electricity supplies. But diesel is a high polluting fuel, emitting high levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) per unit of fuel input compared to natural gas, as well as high levels of combustion contaminants that are potentially hazardous to the local environment and human health. Additionally, diesel can be a high cost fuel in many countries, with imports consuming significant portions of sometimes scarce foreign currency reserves. Most observers consider that natural gas is the ‘fuel of choice’ for fossil power generation due to its reduced CO2 emissions compared to coal and diesel. However, access to gas supplies cannot be guaranteed even with the increased availability of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG). Additionally where natural gas is available, operators may opt for an interruptible gas supply contract which offers a lower tariff than a firm gas supply contract, therefore there is a need for a back-up fuel to ensure continuous power supplies. While traditionally diesel or Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) has been used as fuel where gas is not available or as a back-up fuel, propane offers a cleaner and potentially lower cost alternative. This paper compares the potential economic, operational and environmental benefits of using propane as a fuel for gas turbine-based power plants or cogeneration plants.

Abstract This paper discusses several different approaches to increase the energy efficiency and decrease the environmental impact of space-conditioning systems. The use of microchannel components and hydronic coupling is presented as a method to drastically reduce the size and refrigerant inventories of the refrigerant-carrying components of vapor-compression heat pumps. Design aspects of heat pumps using carbon dioxide, a natural refrigerant with minimal environmental impact, are discussed, and novel component geometries that offer compactness are presented. The advantages of absorption heat pumps using waste heat and natural gas are discussed, and innovative component designs are presented. It is believed that these innovations will hasten the commercialization of these environmentally benign alternatives to CFC- and HCFC-based vapor-compression systems. The environmental benefits of waste heat-driven absorption chillers are quantified in terms of the energy savings, greenhouse gas emission reductions, and installed electric power reductions. Ground coupling of these heat pumps is also discussed, with specific examples of the performance improvement over similar air-coupled heat pumps.

The Grimsel Test Site owned and operated by Nagra is located in the Swiss Alps (www.grimsel.com). The sixth Phase of investigations was started in 2003 with a ten-year planning horizon. With the investigations and projects of Phase VI the focus is shifted more towards projects assessing perturbation effects of repository implementation and projects evaluating and demonstrating engineering and operational aspects of the repository system. More than 17 international partners participate in the various projects, which form the basic organisational ‘elements’ of Phase VI, each one further structured in field-testing, laboratory studies, design and modelling tasks, as appropriate. Each project phase is planned with a duration of 3 to 5 years, to facilitate all practical and administrative aspects, ensuring flexibility for updating the overall plan with the recent findings. Scientific and engineering interaction among the different projects is ensured via the annual international meeting and ad-hoc meetings, as appropriate. As Phase VI approaches its mid-term point, a review of the accomplishments to date is performed to provide a sound basis for the detailed planning of the next steps. The accomplishments to date are described and assessed below; the opportunities with the on-going projects as well as new projects – currently under discussion – are also presented and discussed. The on-going projects include: studies of the long-term diffusion with emphasis on the processes in the rock matrix (LTD); colloid studies under in-situ generation conditions and migration velocities closer to velocities expected in an actual repository site (CFM); studies of the long-term cement interactions with natural systems (LCS); evaluation of full-scale engineered systems under simulated heat production and long-term natural saturation (NF-Pro/FEBEX); gas migration through engineered barrier systems (GMT); emplacement of shotcrete low-pH plug (ESDRED/Module IV); test and evaluation of monitoring systems (TEM). In addition, various shorter term projects assessing, for example, new geophysical investigation tools, wireless transmission, testing new tools and training for in-situ tracer transport studies have been performed and/or are planned for the near future.

Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR) and other in-situ and remote sensing dielectric methods for determining the soil water content had become standard in both research and practice in the last two decades. Limitations of existing dielectric methods in some soils, and introduction of new agricultural measurement devices or approaches based on soil dielectric properties mandate improved understanding of the relationship between the measured effective permittivity (dielectric constant) and the soil water content. Mounting evidence indicates that consideration must be given not only to the volume fractions of soil constituents, as most mixing models assume, but also to soil attributes and ambient temperature in order to reduce errors in interpreting measured effective permittivities. The major objective of the present research project was to investigate the effects of the soil geometrical attributes and interfacial processes (bound water) on the effective permittivity of the soil, and to develop a theoretical frame for improved, soil-specific effective permittivity- water content calibration curves, which are based on easily attainable soil properties. After initializing the experimental investigation of the effective permittivity - water content relationship, we realized that the first step for water content determination by the Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR) method, namely, the TDR measurement of the soil effective permittivity still requires standardization and improvement, and we also made more efforts than originally planned towards this objective. The findings of the BARD project, related to these two consequential steps involved in TDR measurement of the soil water content, are expected to improve the accuracy of soil water content determination by existing in-situ and remote sensing dielectric methods and to help evaluate new water content sensors based on soil electrical properties. A more precise water content determination is expected to result in reduced irrigation levels, a matter which is beneficial first to American and Israeli farmers, and also to hydrologists and environmentalists dealing with production and assessment of contamination hazards of this progressively more precious natural resource. The improved understanding of the way the soil geometrical attributes affect its effective permittivity is expected to contribute to our understanding and predicting capability of other, related soil transport properties such as electrical and thermal conductivity, and diffusion coefficients of solutes and gas molecules. In addition, to the originally planned research activities we also investigated other related problems and made many contributions of short and longer terms benefits. These efforts include: Developing a method and a special TDR probe for using TDR systems to determine also the soil's matric potential; Developing a methodology for utilizing the thermodielectric effect, namely, the variation of the soil's effective permittivity with temperature, to evaluate its specific surface area; Developing a simple method for characterizing particle shape by measuring the repose angle of a granular material avalanching in water; Measurements and characterization of the pore scale, saturation degree - dependent anisotropy factor for electrical and hydraulic conductivities; Studying the dielectric properties of cereal grains towards improved determination of their water content. A reliable evaluation of the soil textural attributes (e.g. the specific surface area mentioned above) and its water content is essential for intensive irrigation and fertilization processes and within extensive precision agriculture management. The findings of the present research project are expected to improve the determination of cereal grain water content by on-line dielectric methods. A precise evaluation of grain water content is essential for pricing and evaluation of drying-before-storage requirements, issues involving energy savings and commercial aspects of major economic importance to the American agriculture. The results and methodologies developed within the above mentioned side studies are expected to be beneficial to also other industrial and environmental practices requiring the water content determination and characterization of granular materials.