Other News from Our Academicians

Interpretation of the Results of Deep Geothermal Drilling Projects at Gediz Graben 

Assist. Professor Fatma Gülmez  of  Department of Geological Engineering and her colleagues' research benefit academia and industry by interpreting the results of deep geothermal drilling projects within the context of regional geology.

The study published by Dr. Fatma Gülmez from Geological Engineering Department and her colleagues including Hatice Ünal Ercan, Nalan Lom, Gönenç Göçmengil, and Emre Damcı, highlights the importance of collaboration between industry and academia. Their study which interprets the results of deep geothermal drilling projects carried out by a national company (Özmen Holding) within the context of regional geology, is an important example of the mutual benefits of such partnerships between academia and industry.

For more details and for news of the paper recently published in the International Journal of Earth Sciences, please visit the Think GeoEnergy website: https://www.thinkgeoenergy.com/geothermal-wells-shed-light-on-the-geology-of-the-gediz-graben-in-turkiye/

Prof. Dr. Tuncay Taymaz from the Department of Geophysical Engineering has been invited as the Plenary Keynote Speaker by United Nations – Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO)

Prof. Dr. Taymaz gave a speech on the devastating earthquake doublet occurred on 6 February 2023 with moment magnitudes of Mw 7.9 and Mw 7.7 along the East Anatolian Fault (EAF) and Sürgü-Çardak Fault (SCF) in this event.

Further information about the event and the talk can be seen from the following links and the abstract.

https://www.ctbto.org/news-and-events/events/snt2023

https://conferences.ctbto.org/event/23/

https://conferences.ctbto.org/event/23/search?q=Taymaz

https://conferences.ctbto.org/event/23/attachments/2141/3607/Panel_EQ_Turkiye_Syria.pdf

I4.2-897 – Cascading Multi-Segment Faults Triggered by Supershear Rupture During the 2023 SE Türkiye Earthquake Doublet: A Giant Jigsaw Puzzle Mobilized

Author: Tuncay Taymaz - Istanbul Technical University

21 June 2023 17:00 @ Festsaal

CTBT: Science and Technology Conference 2023 - SnT2023

Abstract: A devastating earthquake doublet occurred on 6 February 2023 with moment magnitudes of Mw 7.9 and Mw 7.7 along the East Anatolian Fault (EAF) and Sürgü-Çardak Fault (SCF), respectively. The 2023 earthquake sequence resulted in catastrophic human life and economic loss, and caused majör impacts to infrastructure throughout south-east Türkiye and north-west Syria. The kinematics of ruptures for the doublet were complex involving multi-scale cascading rupture growth across the hybrid fault segments. We find that the first earthquake (Mw 7.9) nucleated on a previously unmapped fault, Nurdağı-Pazarcık segment, before transitioning to the EAF leading to supershear bilateral ruptures on the initial branch, Pazarcık and Erkenek segments and subsh segment. The dynamic stress of the leading branch rupture impulsively triggered the EAF segments accelerating the following bilateral supershear rupture of the second earthquake (Mw 7.7) along the curved fragments of the SCF with dominant westward rupture directivity, and stopping instantly at geometric barriers at both ends of the fault. Hence, the geometry and pre-stress level of multiple segments heightened the diverse rupture characteristics of the 2023 south-east Türkiye earthquake doublet, contributing to the strong ground shaking and associated devastation and amplified the ground shaking intensity.

Investigation of High-Efficiency Recovery of Rare Earth Elements from Permanent Magnetic Materials”, Granted Support from BAP-General Research Project

A project lead by Assoc. Prof. Birgül Benli from the Department of Mineral Processing Engineering was granted support from BAP-General Research Project, titled: Investigation of High-Efficiency Recovery of Rare Earth Elements from Permanent Magnetic Materials using Deep Eutectic Solvents and Eutectic Freezing Crystallization (Project ID: 45070).

The Project focuses on an eco-friendly dissolution technology using deep eutectic solvents to recycle scrap magnets from electric and hybrid vehicles containing REEs (Rare Earth Elements). The subsequent eutectic freezing crystallization aims to recover REEs in high purity. With approximately 3 kg of NdFeB magnets in each new electric or hybrid vehicle, our goal is to minimize environmental impact during magnet recycling, utilizing eco-friendly solvents and technologies for a high-value secondary source.

In the project, Assist. Prof. Fatma Elif Genceli Güner and Ph.D. (c)  Ayşe Gül Okumuş Ermiş from the Department of Chemical Engineering, along with M.Sc. (c) Ali Cemal Tanrıkulu and undergraduate student Mert Sarıkaya, are also contributing as researchers.

Guest Editorship

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Emre Artun of the Department of Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering  acted as one of the guest editors of  a special issue entitled “Intelligent and Fuzzy Systems for Petroleum Science, Engineering and Green Transition Applications in the Petroleum Industry” published at the Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering Energies, Frontiers in Earth Science. 

New Patent Awarded

Our faculty member Prof. Dr. Sedat İnan of the Department of Geological Engineering has been granted the US patent on his work related to Oil API determination of reservoir rocks by oxidation. More information on this technique can be found  as follows:

Oil API determination of reservoir rocks by oxidation

US Patent number: 11639921

Inventors: Sebastian Robert Glynn Henderson, Sedat İnan

A method of determining an API gravity of a crude oil is provided. The method includes obtaining a reservoir sample containing the crude oil and heating the sample to a first temperature using an oxidative testing apparatus. The sample is then heated to a second temperature, which is greater than the first temperature, over a period using a fixed heating rate. The rate of carbon dioxide emission from the sample is detected during the period of heating to the second temperature. The peak rate of carbon dioxide emission from the sample is then determined and the peak carbon dioxide emission temperature associated with the peak rate of carbon dioxide emission is also determined. The API gravity of the crude oil in the reservoir sample is determined using an empirical correlation between API gravity and the peak carbon dioxide emission temperature associated with the fixed heating rate.

The Department of Geophysical Engineering has Contributed to Polar Sciences Encyclopedia Published by TUBITAK with hree Articles

“Energy Source Gas Hydrates”, “Exploration of Gas Hydrates” and “Production of Gas Hydrates” articles in the 3-volume Polar sciences encyclopedia published by TÜBİTAK were written by Prof. Dr. Neslihan Ocakoğlu Gökaşan and Prof. Dr. Doğa Doğan from the Department of Geophysical Engineering. These articles consisting of the research and introduction of gas hydrates, known as the energy source of the future in the poles, with geophysical methods, will open a new horizon in earth sciences.

Articles can be found from the following links:

https://ansiklopedi.tubitak.gov.tr/kutup/ansiklopedi/enerji-kaynagi-gaz-hidratlar

https://ansiklopedi.tubitak.gov.tr/kutup/ansiklopedi/gaz-hidratlarin-aranmasi

https://ansiklopedi.tubitak.gov.tr/kutup/ansiklopedi/gaz-hidratlarin-uretimi

EGU 2023 "Anisotropy from shell to core: Observations, models and implications" session for the eighth time with the contributions of the ITU

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tuna Eken from the Department of Geophysical Engineering acted eight times as a co-convener in a co-organized Seismology-Geodynamic section entitled “Anisotropy from crust to core: Observations, models and implications” during European Geosciences Union General Assembly (EGU-2023). The EGU General Assembly 2023, The EGU23 General Assembly welcomed 18,831 registered attendees, of which 15,453 made their way to Vienna from 107 countries and 3,378 joined online from 105 countries. It was a great success with 16,357 presentations given in 938 sessions. Thereby, 57% of the abstracts were identified as contributions from Early Career Scientists (ECS).

Our contribution to the Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University, Çaycuma Vocational High School, Mining and Mineral Extraction Department

Prof. Dr. Gürşat Altun and Assist. Prof. Dr. İ. Metin Mıhçakan from the Department of Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering has served as a consultant for the "Planning and Implementation of Infrastructure and Academic Activity Process of 'Offshore Drilling Technology Programme' and 'Seabed Applications Technology Programme'" (from the 1^st of January to 31^st of Çaycuma) given running under Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University, Çaycuma Vocational High School, Mining and Mineral Extraction Department.