ALBERT

Description: Global population projections foresee the biggest increase to occur in Africa with most of the available uncultivated land to ensure food security remaining on the continent. Simultaneously, greenhouse gas emissions are expected to rise due to ongoing land use change, industrialisation, and transport amongst other reasons with Africa becoming a major emitter of greenhouse gases globally. However, distinct knowledge on greenhouse gas emissions sources and sinks as well as their variability remains largely unknown caused by its vast size and diversity and an according lack of observations across the continent. Thus, an environmental research infrastructure—as being setup in other regions—is more needed than ever. Here, we present the results of a design study that developed a blueprint for establishing such an environmental research infrastructure in Africa. The blueprint comprises an inventory of already existing observations, the spatial disaggregation of locations that will enable to reduce the uncertainty in climate forcing’s in Africa and globally as well as an overall estimated cost for such an endeavour of about 550 M€ over the next 30 years. We further highlight the importance of the development of an e-infrastructure, the necessity for capacity development and the inclusion of all stakeholders to ensure African ownership.

Description: The Black Sea has undergone several limnic and marine stages due to fluctuations in the global sea level. The exchange of saline water from the Mediterranean Sea to the Black Sea through the Bosporus Strait was interrupted when the sea level dropped below the Bosporus sill. This induced limnic conditions, while marine conditions were established after the reconnection to saline Mediterranean seawater. Extended river fan systems developed during sea level low-stands, providing large amounts of organic material being buried by rapid sedimentation on the slopes of the Black Sea margins. The biogenic degradation of this material produces most of the methane gas expelled into the anoxic water column today. This largely happens by ubiquitous cold vents at ~700 m water depth (i.e. at the stability boundary of methane hydrates) and by mud volcanoes in ~2000 m water depth. A significant amount of gas is expected to accumulate in the sediment within the methane hydrate stability zone. However, bottom-simulating reflectors, the seismic indicator for gas hydrates, are not found everywhere along the margin. Recent analyses of the Danube and Dniepr fans have revealed a discontinuous gas hydrate formation in an area with no active seeps, while areas of active seepage located in the vicinity of BSR reflections held no gas hydrates. In addition, the ongoing diffusion of salt into the uppermost Black Sea sediment pore space since the last glacial maximum further reduces the volume of the gas hydrate stability zone. Estimates of the total amount of gas stored in gas hydrates therefore require a detailed structural analysis prior to regional- or basin-scale modelling attempts.

Description: It is a good method to utilize the grain size distribution curves and cumulative frequency curves of marine or river sediments to estimate the hydrodynamic conditions, transportation processes and sedimentary environment. However, researchers can only rely on Excel or Grapher to plot the curves one by one at the present day. The manual plotting procedures are complicated, and calculating the truncation points is time-consuming. To solve the aforementioned problems, we have developed a software tool to plot cumulative frequency curves and calculate the values of truncation points automatically. The software has the ability to plot curves of hundreds of samples accurately and rapidly, promoting researchers to analyze transport mechanisms and hydrodynamic environments. And it is convenient to apply the software to compare the processes of transportation and deposition between different samples.

Description: Marine electromagnetic methods provide useful and independent measures for the identification and quantification of submarine gas hydrates. The resistivity of seafloor sediments, drawn from area-wide electromagnetic data, mainly depends on the sediment porosity and the nature of the pore fluid. Gas hydrates and free gas are both electrically resistive. The replacement of saline water, thus conductive pore water with resistive gas hydrate or free gas, increases the sediment resistivity and can be used to provide accurate saturation estimates if the background lithology is known. While seismic methods are predominantly used to study the distribution of submarine gas hydrates, a growing number of global field studies have demonstrated that the joint interpretation of marine seismic and electromagnetic methods improves the evaluation of submarine gas hydrate targets. This article discusses the relationship between resistivity and free gas/gas hydrate saturation levels, how the resistivity of the sediment may be measured and summarizes the status and results of current and past field studies.

Description: 〈p〉The invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces has led to sharp rises in gas prices in Europe and around the world with real concerns about the possible curtailment of gas flows from Russia to Europe. Pipeline imports from Russia began falling in the last quarter of 2021 and declined even further in January and most […]〈/p〉 〈p〉The post 〈a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.oxfordenergy.org/publications/ukraine-invasion-what-this-means-for-the-european-gas-markets/"〉Ukraine Invasion: What This Means for the European Gas Market〈/a〉 appeared first on 〈a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.oxfordenergy.org/"〉Oxford Institute for Energy Studies〈/a〉.〈/p〉

Description: 〈p〉In late 2021, China experienced a severe electricity supply crisis that affected 20 provinces. Industrial activity was curtailed, and even households suffered prolonged outages in some areas. The country is no stranger to periodic energy supply shortages and in many outages in the past, the principal causes involved either poor policy coordination or a clash […]〈/p〉 〈p〉The post 〈a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.oxfordenergy.org/publications/oxford-energy-forum-the-2021-energy-crisis-implications-for-chinas-energy-market-and-policies/"〉Oxford Energy Forum – The 2021 energy crisis: Implications for China’s energy market and policies – Issue 131〈/a〉 appeared first on 〈a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.oxfordenergy.org/"〉Oxford Institute for Energy Studies〈/a〉.〈/p〉

Description: 〈p〉Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, energy markets are in turmoil. Oil and gas prices are rising and exhibiting high volatility as the markets grapple with the impact of sanctions and the prospect of reduced flows from Russia . China is heavily exposed to Russian commodity exports and to global markets. The […]〈/p〉 〈p〉The post 〈a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.oxfordenergy.org/publications/the-russian-invasion-of-ukraine-and-chinas-energy-markets/"〉The Russian invasion of Ukraine and China’s energy markets〈/a〉 appeared first on 〈a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.oxfordenergy.org/"〉Oxford Institute for Energy Studies〈/a〉.〈/p〉

Description: 〈p〉In this podcast, James Henderson talks to Anouk Honoré about her forthcoming article “Demand-side factors behind the historical gas price rally in Europe in 2021”. This article is part of a trilogy entitled “A Series of Unfortunate Events” that analyses the main supply and demand factors in the European gas market(s) that contributed to rising gas prices since summer […]〈/p〉 〈p〉The post 〈a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.oxfordenergy.org/publications/oxford-energy-podcast-a-series-of-unfortunate-events-demand-side-factors-in-the-european-gas-price-rally-in-2021/"〉Oxford Energy Podcast – A Series of Unfortunate Events:​ Demand-Side Factors in the European Gas Price Rally ​in 2021〈/a〉 appeared first on 〈a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.oxfordenergy.org/"〉Oxford Institute for Energy Studies〈/a〉.〈/p〉 〈div class="enclosure"〉〈p class="enclosure-content"〉〈audio preload="none" src="https://a9w7k6q9.stackpathcdn.com/wpcms/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Podcast-132-EU-Gas-Demand.mp3" controls="controls"〉〈/audio〉 〈a download="" href="https://a9w7k6q9.stackpathcdn.com/wpcms/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Podcast-132-EU-Gas-Demand.mp3"〉💾〈/a〉〈/p〉〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉In this latest OIES podcast James Henderson talks to Mike Fulwood and Jack Sharples about their latest research on the possible impact of an interruption of Russian gas supplies to Europe. After a quick update on current gas prices Jack Sharples reviews the current state of gas supply to Europe, looking at flows in 2021 […]〈/p〉 〈p〉The post 〈a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.oxfordenergy.org/publications/oxford-energy-podcast-the-russian-invasion-of-ukraine-implications-for-the-european-gas-market/"〉Oxford Energy Podcast – The Russian invasion of Ukraine – implications for the European gas market〈/a〉 appeared first on 〈a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.oxfordenergy.org/"〉Oxford Institute for Energy Studies〈/a〉.〈/p〉 〈div class="enclosure"〉〈p class="enclosure-content"〉〈audio preload="none" src="https://a9w7k6q9.stackpathcdn.com/wpcms/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Podcast-135-The-Russian-invasion-of-Ukraine-–-implications-for-the-European-gas-market.mp3" controls="controls"〉〈/audio〉 〈a download="" href="https://a9w7k6q9.stackpathcdn.com/wpcms/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Podcast-135-The-Russian-invasion-of-Ukraine-–-implications-for-the-European-gas-market.mp3"〉💾〈/a〉〈/p〉〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉This month’s OIES Oil Monthly Special Issue assesses the implications of the Ukraine war on our short-term oil market outlook for market balances and prices to 2023. The analysis considers two scenarios. A Reference case in which self-sanctioning measures and obstacles in redirecting Russian crude flows due to financing and shipping constraints results in a […]〈/p〉 〈p〉The post 〈a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.oxfordenergy.org/publications/oies-oil-monthly-issue-12/"〉OIES Oil Monthly – Special Issue 12〈/a〉 appeared first on 〈a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.oxfordenergy.org/"〉Oxford Institute for Energy Studies〈/a〉.〈/p〉