Towards Unlocking Insights from Logbooks Using AI

Electronic logbooks contain valuable information about activities and events concerning their associated particle accelerator facilities. However, the highly technical nature of logbook entries can hinder their usability and automation. As natural language processing (NLP) continues advancing, it offers opportunities to address various challenges that logbooks present. This work explores jointly testing a tailored Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) model for enhancing the usability of particle accelerator logbooks at institutes like DESY, BESSY, Fermilab, BNL, SLAC, LBNL, and CERN. The RAG model uses a corpus built on logbook contributions and aims to unlock insights from these logbooks by leveraging retrieval over facility datasets, including discussion about potential multimodal sources. Our goals are to increase the FAIR-ness (findability, accessibility, interoperability, and reusability) of logbooks by exploiting their information content to streamline everyday use, enable macro-analysis for root cause analysis, and facilitate problem-solving automation.Comment: 5 pages, 1 figure, 15th International Particle Accelerator Conferenc

Direct measurements from shut-in and other abandoned wells in the Permian Basin of Texas indicate some wells are a major source of methane emissions and produced water

Abstract Oil and gas production wells are a major anthropogenic source of the greenhouse gas methane (CH4) in the United States. Oil and gas production rates from these wells fluctuate due to changes in demand, and is expected to decline over the coming decades to centuries due to the transition to renewable energy. The CH4 emissions profile from wells that are ‘shut-in’ to accommodate changes in demand has not been previously measured, and thus it is unclear whether reduced demand will actually result in reduced CH4 emissions from oil and gas production. Here we present the results of a measurement campaign of CH4 emissions from shut-in and other non-producing oil wells in the Permian Basin, Texas, the largest oil production basin on Earth. All the wells we measured were conventionally drilled oil wells, and we did not measure CH4 emissions from any shut-in unconventional wells. We found that, of 37 wells measured, two-thirds had an emission rate of less than 1 g CH4 hr−1, with the remaining seven wells ranging from 1.3 to 132.0 g CH4 hr−1. The average CH4 emission rate from all wells was 6.2 g CH4 hr−1, lower than previous measurements of CH4 emissions from active conventional wells in the Permian Basin (∼400 g CH4 hr−1) (Robertson et al (2020 Environ. Sci. Technol. 54 13926–34)). Some shut-in wells could be a substantial source of CH4 emissions if this category is not subject to leak detection and repair regulations. We also found five orphaned wells that were a source of produced water to the surface, sometimes in very large quantities (1000s of liters per minute), with evidence for emissions of CH4, hydrogen sulfide, brine, and possibly other hazardous chemicals such as oil residue. Future work should further characterize the impacts of shut-in and orphaned wells on greenhouse gas emissions, water quality and human health.</jats:p

Methane Emissions from Abandoned Conventional Oil Wells in Ohio\u27s Wayne National Forest

By Jacob Hoschouer, Environmental Studies Advisor: Amy Townsend-Small Presentation ID: AM_ATRIUM07 Abstract: Abandoned conventional oil wells (ACOWs) are a possible source of fugitive methane (CH4) and volatile organic carbon (VOC) emissions due to leaks in their infrastructure. CH4 has a greater global warming potential when compared to carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. Previous work has shown that unplugged wells in the Appalachian basin are likely the largest emitters in the United States among this source, as this is the oldest oil and gas drilling region on Earth. There are an unknown number of ACOWs in eastern Ohio. Our study area encompassed the Athens, Ironton and Marietta sections of the Wayne National Forest. These ACOWs drill dates range from the early 1930s to the late 1960s, provided that the information is listed in the well permits. Some wells were made with wooden well casings while others had broken well casing infrastructure. To find natural gas (NG) leaks, abandoned wells were screened using a Gas Rover around the well casings, fittings or valves. CH4 fluxes were measured using a Hi-Flow Sampler and VOC fluxes were calculated using canister samples taken from the outlet of the Hi-Flow Sampler. We found emission rates of all gases followed a skewed distribution where a few sites were responsible for most of the emissions. We also conducted follow-up testing over two years on one well which was previously measured and found to be the highest emitting abandoned well in the United States

The Influence of Physical Activities on Cognitive Performance

By Alec Hoschouer, Health Sciences; Brennan Bollmer, Health Sciences Advisor: Susan Kotowski Presentation ID: AM_B31 Abstract: Research has shown that aerobic exercise has a positive correlation with improved brain function in modes such as decision making, working memory and overall cognitive performance. These claims are made due to findings of increased basal ganglia and hippocampal volume in students after completing exercise. The hippocampus and basal ganglia in the brain are areas of major importance for brain function and behavior. Our study hopes to give evidence to the connection between overall cardiovascular fitness and academic achievement. This particular project aimed to show that improved cardiovascular fitness through routine exercise can increase academic performance not only immediately after exercise but also continuously throughout one\u27s life. The population used in this study consisted of individuals 18 years or older. Participants in the study underwent a baseline multiplication timed math test. Following this, the participants were asked to complete various 8 minute exercise routines, consisting of an aerobic treadmill walk/run, resistance weight exercise of bench press and squatting, and a meditation exercise of a beginner\u27s yoga video. After the completion of each of these exercise routines the participant was asked to give their rating of perceived exertion, while also completing a similar multiplication time test. After the completion of all exercise routines, with one exercise routine limit a day, the scores and completion times of the math tests were analyzed to determine the effect that each form of exercise had on the cognitive abilities of the participant

Visitors' Perception of Belonging at Museums Victoria

Museums have expanded their role in society beyond education and are seeking to foster a sense of belonging for their visitors; however, visitors do not recognize this expanded role. Our team worked with Museums Victoria to identify steps they can take to make visitors aware that its museums contribute to a sense of belonging. To accomplish this task, we collected eighty surveys at each of the three museums: Melbourne Museum, Scienceworks, and Immigration Museum. These surveys consisted of statement-rating questions and open-ended follow-up questions. We found that belonging is a condition of a visitor's experience. Though it does not take center stage, belonging allows visitors to connect to something bigger and to expand their minds, resulting in a sense of well-being that is a byproduct of their visit