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TUAT team develops more efficient method to recover heavy oil using novel chemical flooding

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By making use of a previously undesired side effect in oil recovery, researchers at Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology (TUAT) have developed a method that yields up to 20% more heavy oil than traditional methods. Generally, less than 10% of heavy oil may be produced from reservoirs by natural flow after drilling the well.

Oil 243
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Li-ion battery waste used in biodiesel production from discarded vegetable oil

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Brazilian researchers have demonstrated a new chemical approach for producing biodiesel from domestic cooking oil waste by using lithium hydroxide mixed with either sodium hydroxides or potassium hydroxides as catalysts. Author Gilberto Maia de Brito said green engineering can yield solutions for a variety of problems at the same time.

Waste 186
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UK, Iran team develops new materials to improve enhanced oil recovery

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A new class of materials which are suitable agents for displacing oil in enhanced oil recovery operations has been developed by scientists at Swansea University (UK) and scientists at Islamic Azad University in Iran. Barron reported their find in the ACS journal Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research. —Prof.

Iran 150
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Novozymes launches commercial enzyme technology to convert waste oils into biodiesel

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Biodiesel producers can thereby use cooking oil or other lower grade oils as biodiesel feedstock, reducing their raw material costs. Growing demand for vegetable oil in the food industry has resulted in increased prices, causing biodiesel producers to search for alternative—and more sustainable—feedstocks.

Waste 225
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Synthetic biology startup Lygos closes $13M Series A to target oil-based specialty chemical industry

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Lygos produces high-value specialty chemical traditionally produced in oil-based petrochemical processes in a process that commercially proven, acid-tolerant yeast and domestic sugars instead of petroleum, and has pioneered the world’s first bio-based production of malonic acid (a C3-dicarboxylic acid). Earlier post.). Source: Lygos.

Oil 150
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Alberta Innovates & NRCan awarding $26.2M to three oil sands clean tech projects; industry kicking in $43.3M

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Alberta Innovates has teamed up with Natural Resources (NRCan) and industry partners to take three clean oil sands technologies to commercial demonstration. This announcement is a result of NRCan’s Oil and Gas Clean Tech Program. Cenovus Energy will test an oil sands extraction technology using a solvent-driven process.

Oil-Sands 150
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New Federal-Mogul Powertrain high thermal conductivity seats and guides keep engine valves cooler; improved combustion, lower emissions

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The extreme valve temperatures experienced on today’s highly boosted downsized engines can lead to reduced valve fatigue life and critical valve guide and stem seal temperatures, resulting in the need for expensive valve steel alloys. A combination of HTC and TIM technologies reduced peak inlet valve head temperatures by between 26 and 32°C.

Engine 150