Summary Mineral precipitation (scale) can significantly hinder production in petroleum reservoirs... more Summary Mineral precipitation (scale) can significantly hinder production in petroleum reservoirs. This includes steam-assisted-gravity-drainage (SAGD) operations used for bitumen recovery in the Athabasca oil-sand region (AOSR) of northeastern Alberta, Canada. We explored whether select geochemical and isotope tracers (δ2H, δ18O, δ11B, δ34S, δ13C, 87Sr/86Sr) in SAGD-water sources can help to improve the understanding of the dynamics of reservoir fluids and their mixing in SAGD operations that might contribute toward scale precipitation. Pore water, bottom-formation water, steam condensate, and returned emulsions (produced bitumen and water) were sampled from an SAGD reservoir in northeastern Alberta and analyzed for geochemical and isotopic parameters. The results obtained indicate distinct Na and Cl concentrations and δ18O and δ2H values for these fluid sources. Significant differences in δ13CDIC, δ11B, and δ34S values and 87Sr/86Sr ratios were observed between bottom-formation wa...
Sustainable groundwater management strategies in water-scarce countries need to guide future deci... more Sustainable groundwater management strategies in water-scarce countries need to guide future decision-making processes pragmatically, by simultaneously considering local needs, environmental problems and economic development. The socio-hydrogeological approach named ‘Bir Al-Nas’ has been tested in the Grombalia region (Cap Bon Peninsula, Tunisia), to evaluate the effectiveness of complementing hydrogeochemical and hydrogeological investigations with the social dimension of the issue at stake (which, in this case, is the identification of groundwater pollution sources). Within this approach, the social appraisal, performed through social network analysis and public engagement of water end-users, allowed hydrogeologists to get acquainted with the institutional dimension of local groundwater management, identifying issues, potential gaps (such as weak knowledge transfer among concerned stakeholders), and the key actors likely to support the implementation of the new science-based management practices resulting from the ongoing hydrogeological investigation. Results, hence, go beyond the specific relevance for the Grombaila basin, showing the effectiveness of the proposed approach and the importance of including social assessment in any given hydrogeological research aimed at supporting local development through groundwater protection measures.RésuméLes futurs processus de prise de décision ont besoin d’être guidés par des stratégies de gestion durable des eaux souterraines dans les pays à faibles ressources en eau, en considérant simultanément les besoins locaux, les problèmes environnementaux et le développement économique. L’approche socio-hydrogéologique nommée « Bir Al-Nas » a été testée dans la région de Grombalia (Péninsule du cap Bon, Tunisie) afin d’évaluer l’efficacité de la complémentarité des études hydrogéologiques et hydrogéochimiques avec la dimension sociale de l’enjeu (qui, dans ce cas, est l’identification des sources de pollution des eaux souterraines). Dans le cadre de cette approche, l’évaluation sociale est effectuée par une analyse du réseau social et de l’engagement public des utilisateurs finaux de l’eau. Elle a permis aux hydrogéologues de connaître la dimension institutionnelle de la gestion locale des eaux souterraines, d’identifier les sujets à enjeux, les potentiels écarts (tels que les faiblesses de transfert de connaissance parmi les acteurs concernés) et les acteurs clés susceptibles de soutenir la mise en œuvre de nouvelles pratiques de gestion fondées scientifiquement et résultant des études hydrogéologiques en cours. Les résultats vont par conséquent au-delà de la pertinence spécifique pour le bassin de Grombalia. Ils montrent l’efficacité de l’approche proposée et l’importance d’inclure l’évaluation sociale dans toute recherche hydrogéologique ayant pour objectif de soutenir le développement local par des mesures de protection des eaux souterraines.ResumenLas estrategias de gestión sostenible del agua subterránea en los países con escasez de agua deben orientar los procesos de toma de decisiones en el futuro de forma pragmática, considerando simultáneamente las necesidades locales, los problemas ambientales y el desarrollo económico. En la región de Grombalia (Península de Cap Bon, Túnez) se ha puesto a prueba el enfoque socio-hidrogeológico denominado ‘Bir Al-Nas’, para evaluar la eficacia de complementar las investigaciones hidrogeoquímicas e hidrogeológicas con la dimensión social de la cuestión de interés (en este caso, es la identificación de las fuentes de contaminación del agua subterránea). Dentro de este enfoque, la evaluación social, realizada a través del análisis de la red social y el compromiso público de los usuarios finales del agua, permitió a los hidrogeólogos familiarizarse con la dimensión institucional de la gestión local del agua subterránea, identificando problemas, brechas potenciales (como una débil transferencia de conocimiento entre las partes interesadas) y los actores clave que probablemente apoyen la implementación de las nuevas prácticas científicas de manejo basadas en los resultados de la investigación hidrogeológica en curso. Los resultados, por lo tanto, van más allá de la relevancia específica para la cuenca de Grombaila, mostrando la efectividad del enfoque propuesto y la importancia de incluir a la evaluación social en cualquier investigación hidrogeológica destinada a apoyar el desarrollo local a través de medidas de protección del agua subterránea.摘要缺水国家的可持续地下水管理策略需要同时考虑当地需求、环境问题和经济发展来指引未来决策过程。在古兰巴利耶地区试验了被称为“Bir Al-Nas”的社会-水文地质方法,以评估在社会问题(在本研究案例中,问题就是地下水污染源的确定)岌岌可危的情况下补充水文化学调查和水文地质调查的有效性。在这个方法中,通过社会网络分析进行的社会评估及水最终用户的公共参与可以使水文地质工作者认识当地地下水管理的组织层面、需确定的问题、潜在的差距(如相关的利害关系人)及关键的活动者有可能支持在进行的水文地质调查中实施基于新科学的管理实践。因此,结果超出了古兰巴利耶流域特定的相关性,显示出了所提出方法的有效性及在任何旨在通过地下水保护措施支持当地发展的特定水文地质研究中的重要性。RiassuntoNei Paesi caratterizzati da problemi di scarsità idrica è necessario che le strategie di gestione sostenibile delle acque sotterranee influenzino i processi…
The distributions of (238)U and (234)U in groundwater from the "Jeffara aquifer&quot... more The distributions of (238)U and (234)U in groundwater from the "Jeffara aquifer" were studied by using alpha spectrometric methods. The concentration ranges of (238)U and (234)U/(238)U activity ratios were 1.34 +/- 0.17 to 3.43 +/- 0.38 ppb, and 1.43 +/- 0.23 to 1.82 +/- 0.27 respectively. Variations in concentrations can be related not only to lithostratigraphic formations but also to different origins of groundwater. U content of Jeffara are found very similar to those of Continental Intercalaire aquifer in both El Hamma and Chenchou regions, indicating that the Continental Intercalaire is the dominant source of the groundwater.
... ISSN 0262-6667. Résumé, In the Merguellil valley (central Tunisia), the El Haouareb Dam is co... more ... ISSN 0262-6667. Résumé, In the Merguellil valley (central Tunisia), the El Haouareb Dam is constructed over a karstic sill. Its construction completely changed the surface water and groundwater flows. ... Fax: +591 2 22 58 46 cecilia.gonzalez@ird.fr. Autres centres IRD. ...
Summary : In the Plio-quaternary aquifer of the eastern coast of cap Bon (Tunisia), the groundwat... more Summary : In the Plio-quaternary aquifer of the eastern coast of cap Bon (Tunisia), the groundwater quality is deteriorating. Different methods using geochemistry (ions Na + , Cl − , Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ , Br − ) and isotopes ( 18 O, 2 H) are compared with the hydrodynamic information to ...
Rivista Italiana Di Paleontologia E Stratigrafia, 2019
Four sediment cores, drilled at Younga and Ouadrane Sebkhas (Hachichina wetland), were selected f... more Four sediment cores, drilled at Younga and Ouadrane Sebkhas (Hachichina wetland), were selected for micropalaeontological, sedimentological, geochronological and geochemical investigation coupled to hierarchical cluster and correspondence analysis. Our research aimed at reconstructing the past biodiversity, the Holocene palaeoenvironmental evolution and the responsible forcing. Subsurface sediments record four major phases: i) the first one is characterized by poorly to very poorly sorted silts, the dominance of the lagoonal/estuarine ostracod and the lagoonal/marine foraminifera and high values of terrestrial geochemical element ratios, such as K/Al and Fe/Al, which indicate an estuarine lagoon; ii) two major marine transgressions, TR1 and TR2, allowing the settlement of widely opened lagoons towards 7160-8680 and 5070-5520 cal yr BP, are marked by the enhancement of the marine/brackish ostracods and marine foraminifera, the improvement of species number, individuals number and H a...
Summary Mineral precipitation (scale) can significantly hinder production in petroleum reservoirs... more Summary Mineral precipitation (scale) can significantly hinder production in petroleum reservoirs. This includes steam-assisted-gravity-drainage (SAGD) operations used for bitumen recovery in the Athabasca oil-sand region (AOSR) of northeastern Alberta, Canada. We explored whether select geochemical and isotope tracers (δ2H, δ18O, δ11B, δ34S, δ13C, 87Sr/86Sr) in SAGD-water sources can help to improve the understanding of the dynamics of reservoir fluids and their mixing in SAGD operations that might contribute toward scale precipitation. Pore water, bottom-formation water, steam condensate, and returned emulsions (produced bitumen and water) were sampled from an SAGD reservoir in northeastern Alberta and analyzed for geochemical and isotopic parameters. The results obtained indicate distinct Na and Cl concentrations and δ18O and δ2H values for these fluid sources. Significant differences in δ13CDIC, δ11B, and δ34S values and 87Sr/86Sr ratios were observed between bottom-formation wa...
Sustainable groundwater management strategies in water-scarce countries need to guide future deci... more Sustainable groundwater management strategies in water-scarce countries need to guide future decision-making processes pragmatically, by simultaneously considering local needs, environmental problems and economic development. The socio-hydrogeological approach named ‘Bir Al-Nas’ has been tested in the Grombalia region (Cap Bon Peninsula, Tunisia), to evaluate the effectiveness of complementing hydrogeochemical and hydrogeological investigations with the social dimension of the issue at stake (which, in this case, is the identification of groundwater pollution sources). Within this approach, the social appraisal, performed through social network analysis and public engagement of water end-users, allowed hydrogeologists to get acquainted with the institutional dimension of local groundwater management, identifying issues, potential gaps (such as weak knowledge transfer among concerned stakeholders), and the key actors likely to support the implementation of the new science-based management practices resulting from the ongoing hydrogeological investigation. Results, hence, go beyond the specific relevance for the Grombaila basin, showing the effectiveness of the proposed approach and the importance of including social assessment in any given hydrogeological research aimed at supporting local development through groundwater protection measures.RésuméLes futurs processus de prise de décision ont besoin d’être guidés par des stratégies de gestion durable des eaux souterraines dans les pays à faibles ressources en eau, en considérant simultanément les besoins locaux, les problèmes environnementaux et le développement économique. L’approche socio-hydrogéologique nommée « Bir Al-Nas » a été testée dans la région de Grombalia (Péninsule du cap Bon, Tunisie) afin d’évaluer l’efficacité de la complémentarité des études hydrogéologiques et hydrogéochimiques avec la dimension sociale de l’enjeu (qui, dans ce cas, est l’identification des sources de pollution des eaux souterraines). Dans le cadre de cette approche, l’évaluation sociale est effectuée par une analyse du réseau social et de l’engagement public des utilisateurs finaux de l’eau. Elle a permis aux hydrogéologues de connaître la dimension institutionnelle de la gestion locale des eaux souterraines, d’identifier les sujets à enjeux, les potentiels écarts (tels que les faiblesses de transfert de connaissance parmi les acteurs concernés) et les acteurs clés susceptibles de soutenir la mise en œuvre de nouvelles pratiques de gestion fondées scientifiquement et résultant des études hydrogéologiques en cours. Les résultats vont par conséquent au-delà de la pertinence spécifique pour le bassin de Grombalia. Ils montrent l’efficacité de l’approche proposée et l’importance d’inclure l’évaluation sociale dans toute recherche hydrogéologique ayant pour objectif de soutenir le développement local par des mesures de protection des eaux souterraines.ResumenLas estrategias de gestión sostenible del agua subterránea en los países con escasez de agua deben orientar los procesos de toma de decisiones en el futuro de forma pragmática, considerando simultáneamente las necesidades locales, los problemas ambientales y el desarrollo económico. En la región de Grombalia (Península de Cap Bon, Túnez) se ha puesto a prueba el enfoque socio-hidrogeológico denominado ‘Bir Al-Nas’, para evaluar la eficacia de complementar las investigaciones hidrogeoquímicas e hidrogeológicas con la dimensión social de la cuestión de interés (en este caso, es la identificación de las fuentes de contaminación del agua subterránea). Dentro de este enfoque, la evaluación social, realizada a través del análisis de la red social y el compromiso público de los usuarios finales del agua, permitió a los hidrogeólogos familiarizarse con la dimensión institucional de la gestión local del agua subterránea, identificando problemas, brechas potenciales (como una débil transferencia de conocimiento entre las partes interesadas) y los actores clave que probablemente apoyen la implementación de las nuevas prácticas científicas de manejo basadas en los resultados de la investigación hidrogeológica en curso. Los resultados, por lo tanto, van más allá de la relevancia específica para la cuenca de Grombaila, mostrando la efectividad del enfoque propuesto y la importancia de incluir a la evaluación social en cualquier investigación hidrogeológica destinada a apoyar el desarrollo local a través de medidas de protección del agua subterránea.摘要缺水国家的可持续地下水管理策略需要同时考虑当地需求、环境问题和经济发展来指引未来决策过程。在古兰巴利耶地区试验了被称为“Bir Al-Nas”的社会-水文地质方法,以评估在社会问题(在本研究案例中,问题就是地下水污染源的确定)岌岌可危的情况下补充水文化学调查和水文地质调查的有效性。在这个方法中,通过社会网络分析进行的社会评估及水最终用户的公共参与可以使水文地质工作者认识当地地下水管理的组织层面、需确定的问题、潜在的差距(如相关的利害关系人)及关键的活动者有可能支持在进行的水文地质调查中实施基于新科学的管理实践。因此,结果超出了古兰巴利耶流域特定的相关性,显示出了所提出方法的有效性及在任何旨在通过地下水保护措施支持当地发展的特定水文地质研究中的重要性。RiassuntoNei Paesi caratterizzati da problemi di scarsità idrica è necessario che le strategie di gestione sostenibile delle acque sotterranee influenzino i processi…
The distributions of (238)U and (234)U in groundwater from the "Jeffara aquifer&quot... more The distributions of (238)U and (234)U in groundwater from the "Jeffara aquifer" were studied by using alpha spectrometric methods. The concentration ranges of (238)U and (234)U/(238)U activity ratios were 1.34 +/- 0.17 to 3.43 +/- 0.38 ppb, and 1.43 +/- 0.23 to 1.82 +/- 0.27 respectively. Variations in concentrations can be related not only to lithostratigraphic formations but also to different origins of groundwater. U content of Jeffara are found very similar to those of Continental Intercalaire aquifer in both El Hamma and Chenchou regions, indicating that the Continental Intercalaire is the dominant source of the groundwater.
... ISSN 0262-6667. Résumé, In the Merguellil valley (central Tunisia), the El Haouareb Dam is co... more ... ISSN 0262-6667. Résumé, In the Merguellil valley (central Tunisia), the El Haouareb Dam is constructed over a karstic sill. Its construction completely changed the surface water and groundwater flows. ... Fax: +591 2 22 58 46 cecilia.gonzalez@ird.fr. Autres centres IRD. ...
Summary : In the Plio-quaternary aquifer of the eastern coast of cap Bon (Tunisia), the groundwat... more Summary : In the Plio-quaternary aquifer of the eastern coast of cap Bon (Tunisia), the groundwater quality is deteriorating. Different methods using geochemistry (ions Na + , Cl − , Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ , Br − ) and isotopes ( 18 O, 2 H) are compared with the hydrodynamic information to ...
Rivista Italiana Di Paleontologia E Stratigrafia, 2019
Four sediment cores, drilled at Younga and Ouadrane Sebkhas (Hachichina wetland), were selected f... more Four sediment cores, drilled at Younga and Ouadrane Sebkhas (Hachichina wetland), were selected for micropalaeontological, sedimentological, geochronological and geochemical investigation coupled to hierarchical cluster and correspondence analysis. Our research aimed at reconstructing the past biodiversity, the Holocene palaeoenvironmental evolution and the responsible forcing. Subsurface sediments record four major phases: i) the first one is characterized by poorly to very poorly sorted silts, the dominance of the lagoonal/estuarine ostracod and the lagoonal/marine foraminifera and high values of terrestrial geochemical element ratios, such as K/Al and Fe/Al, which indicate an estuarine lagoon; ii) two major marine transgressions, TR1 and TR2, allowing the settlement of widely opened lagoons towards 7160-8680 and 5070-5520 cal yr BP, are marked by the enhancement of the marine/brackish ostracods and marine foraminifera, the improvement of species number, individuals number and H a...
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