The escalating generation of industrial waste alongside the growing demand for high-performance, environmentally sustainable drilling fluids presents critical challenges to the oil and gas sector. Conventional drilling fluid additives are predominantly synthesized from virgin materials, contributing to resource depletion and environmental burden. Objectives: This study pioneers a circular economy approach by synthesizing silica nanoparticles (SiO2NPS) and alumina nanoparticles (Al2O3NPs) entirely from locally sourced industrial waste — bentonite clay and aluminum scrap, respectively — and evaluating their performance as functional additives in water-based drilling fluids (WBDFs). Novelty: To the best of our knowledge, this represents the first integrated investigation combining simultaneous waste-derived synthesis of both SiO₂ and Al₂O₃ NPs with comprehensive drilling fluid performance assessment under both LTLP and HTHP conditions, within a unified circular economy framework. Methodology: The synthesized nanomaterials were thoroughly characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Five nanoparticle concentrations (0.5–4.0 wt%) were screened, with 3 wt% identified as optimal. Rheological parameters, filtration characteristics, and shale inhibition capacity were then evaluated under low-temperature low-pressure (LTLP) and high-temperature high-pressure (HTHP) conditions. Key Results: At the optimal concentration of 3 wt%, silica nanoparticles reduced filtrate volume by 40% under LTLP and 38.6% under HTHP conditions, while increasing yield point by 75% and reducing plastic viscosity by 17.4%. Alumina nanoparticles achieved comparable, yet slightly lower, improvements. Shale swelling was suppressed by 60.7% (SiO2NPS) and 57.1% (Al2O3NPs) over 24 h, and the coefficient of friction was reduced by 34.4% and 25.0%, respectively. Conclusions: This work validates the technical and environmental viability of waste-derived nanomaterials as high-performance, eco-friendly WBDF additives, providing a sustainable pathway for improving drilling efficiency and wellbore stability in challenging shale formations while simultaneously contributing to industrial waste valorization.
The global food supply heavily depends on utilizing fertilizers to meet production goals. The adverse impacts of traditional fertilization practices on the environment have necessitated the exploration of new alternatives in the form of smart fertilizer technologies (SFTs). This review seeks to categorize SFTs, which are slow and controlled-release Fertilizers (SCRFs), nano fertilizers, and biological fertilizers, and describes their operational principles. It examines the environmental implications of conventional fertilizers and outlines the attributes of SFTs that effectively address these concerns. The findings demonstrate a pronounced environmental advantage of SFTs, including enhanced crop yields, minimized nutrient loss, improved nut
... Show MoreIn this work, the design and implementation of a smart energy metering system has been developed. This system consists of two parts: billing center and a set of distributed smart energy meters. The function of smart energy meter is measuring and calculating the cost of consumed energy according to a multi-tariff scheme. This can be effectively solving the problem of stressing the electrical grid and rising consumer awareness. Moreover, smart energy meter decreases technical losses by improving power factor. The function of the billing center is to issue a consumer bill and contributes in locating the irregularities on the electrical grid (non-technical losses). Moreover, it sends the switch off command in case of the consumer bill is not
... Show MoreActivated carbon (AC) is a highly important adsorbent material, as it is a solid form of pure carbon that boasts a porous structure and a large surface area, making it effective for capturing pollutants. Thanks to its exceptional features, AC is widely used for purifying water that is contaminated with odors and removing dyes in a cost-effective manner. A variety of carbonic materials have been employed to prepare AC, and this study aimed to evaluate the suitability of utilizing waste mango and avocado seeds for this purpose, followed by testing their efficacy in removing dye from aqueous solutions. The results indicate that using waste mango and avocado as AC is technically feasible, achieving dye removal percentages of 98% and 93%,
... Show MoreThe availability of low- cost adsorbent namely Al-Khriet ( a substance found in the legs of Typha Domingensis) as an agricultural waste material, for the removal of lead and cadmium from aqueous solution was investigated. In the batch tests experimental parameters were studied, including adsorbent dosage between (0.2-1) g, initial metal ions concentration between (50-200) ppm (single and binary) and contact time (1/2-6) h. The removal percentage of each ion onto Al-Khriet reached equilibrium in about 4 hours. The highest adsorption capacity was for lead (96%) while for cadmium it was (90%) with 50 ppm ions concentration, 1 g dosage of adsorbent and pH 5.5. Adsorption capacity in the binary mixture were reduce at about 8% for lead a
... Show MoreSummary The paper proposes a small custom CNN for classifying solid waste into four classes: aluminum, cardboard, plastic, and glass. It is designed for real-time use on limited hardware such as a Raspberry Pi or Jetson.
Preserving the Past and Building the Future: A Sustainable Urban Plan for Mosul, Iraq
Terahertz (THz) technology, which uses radiation lying between microwave and infrared in the electromagnetic spectrum, could revolutionize digital agriculture through terahertz’s ability to assess agricultural materials accurately and non-destructively. The review discusses notable developments in THz applications to digital agriculture: real-time crop monitoring, nutrient and disease detection, soil moisture and contaminant analysis, and supply chain traceability. The developments have emerged from studies in time-domain spectroscopy, imaging, machine learning (ML), and blockchain integration. Despite the promising advances in THz agricultural applications, limitations remain, such as limited penetration depth, high system costs, and ope
... Show MoreIn recent years, the steady stream of artificial intelligence into economic systems has become a torrent. It is changing how we generate wealth and grow anew. Manufacturing, finance, health care energy, agriculture and education are just a few of the areas where AI may result in dramatic increases in productivity as well as innovation and sustainability. Predictive analytics, AI, robotics and natural language processing have significantly contributed in the improvement of resource allocation mechanisms and decision making as well as reaching SDGs. The concept of Artificial Humanity is also introduced in the paper. It shows how AI could become a global cognitive network to foster knowledge. By comparison and references of the literature, thi
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