Books by James G. (CD-WINC Speight

Tackling one of the most controversial subjects of our time, one of the world's foremost environmental and petroleum engineers explores the potential causes and ramifications of global climate change. For too many years climate change (also referred to as global warming) has been assigned predominantly to the emissions of carbon dioxide through the combustion of fossil fuels. It must never be forgotten or ignored, however, that the Earth has been constantly changing since its formation and has gone through different eras like glaciations, among others. These changes need thousands of years to be made visible, and are likely still continuing, given the increase in the average temperature of the Earth since the pre-industrial period (provided that the measurements of past climatic temperatures are accurate and beyond reproach). It follows that the warming trend that has occurred over the past 100 years is very likely to have some origins in natural events as well as in human activity. The precise contributions of natural effects and anthropogenic effects on the climate are not known, but it is accurate to conclude that many factors continue to influence climate. Whether or not human activities have become a dominant force in the changing climate and are responsible for most of the warming observed is still open to question. When studying the climate system of the Earth, an area of common confusion is whether climate scientists agree or disagree as to whether or not climate change is happening, or if it is happening, whether or not humans are the primary cause. There are a variety of reasons for this, but a majority of scientists who study climate and publish in peer-reviewed journals agree that human activity is causing the warming of the Earth. The purpose of this book is to weigh all of these various data points and, in a scientific and unemotional way, arrive at likely conclusions regarding global climate change. Whether human activity is the main driver behind our current changes in climate, one thing is certain: Climate change is happening, and we all need to make informed, rather than emotional, decisions. This breakthrough new volume: Lays the groundwork for understanding the potential causes of global climate change Offers a thorough and comprehensive description of the Earth's climate system, from geological, topographical, atmospheric, and other points of view Thoroughly covers the history of global climate changes, from the Earth's beginnings to the present time, giving the reader a full view of the Earth's climatic past Deconstructs myths that are prevalent and deeply rooted in current thought and reconstructs logical solutions Is a valuable resource for engineers, scientists, and students

The most complete and up-to-date handbook on power generation from coal, this book covers all of today's new, cleaner methods for creating electricity from coal, the environmental challenges and concerns involved in its production, and developing technologies.

A comprehensive resource to the origin, properties, and analysis of natural gas and its constituentsHandbook of Natural Gas Analysis is a comprehensive guide that includes information on the origin and analysis of natural gas, the standard test methods, and procedures that help with the predictability of gas composition and behavior during gas cleaning operations and use. The author--a noted expert on the topic--also explores the properties and behavior of the various components of natural gas and gas condensate.All chapters are written as stand-alone chapters and they cover a wealth of topics including history and uses; origin and production; composition and properties; recovery, storage, and transportation; properties and analysis of gas stream and gas condensate. The text is designed to help with the identification of quality criteria appropriate analysis and testing that fall under the umbrella of ASTM International. ASTM is an organization that is recognized globally across borders, disciplines and industries and works to improve performance in manufacturing and materials and products. This important guide:* Contains detailed information on natural gas and its constituents* Offers an analysis of methane, gas hydrates, ethane, propane, butane, and gas condensate* Includes information on the behavior of natural gas to aid in the planning for recovery, storage, transportation, and use* Covers the test methods that are applicable to natural gas and its constituents* Written in accessible and easy-to-understand termsWritten for scientists, engineers, analytical chemists who work with natural gas as well as other scientists and engineers in the industry, Handbook of Natural Gas Analysis offers a guide to the analysis, standard test methods, and procedures that aid in the predictability of gas composition and behavior during gas cleaning operations and use.

Providing reader with the necessary information about testing and analyzing coal, this book relays the advantages and limitations in understanding the quality and performance of coal. It explains the meaning of test results and how these results can predict coal behavior and its corresponding environmental impact during use.

Introduces the reader to the production of the products in a refinery* Introduces the reader to the types of test methods applied to petroleum products, including the need for specifications* Provides detailed explanations for accurately analyzing and characterizing modern petroleum products* Rewritten to include new and evolving test methods* Updates on the evolving test methods and new test methods as well as the various environmental regulations are presented

It is the continuous reports of unethical behavior in the form of data manipulation, cheating, plagiarism, and other forms of unacceptable behavior that draw attention to the issues of misconduct.

The most comprehensive and thorough reference work available for petroleum engineers of all levels. Finally, there is a one-stop reference book for the petroleum engineer which offers practical, easy-to-understand responses to complicated technical questions. This is a must-have for any engineer or non-engineer working in the petroleum industry, anyone studying petroleum engineering, or any reference library. Written by one of the most well-known and prolific petroleum engineering writers who has ever lived, this modern classic is sure to become a staple of any engineer's library and a handy reference in the field. Whether open on your desk, on the hood of your truck at the well, or on an offshore platform, this is the only book available that covers the petroleum engineer's rules of thumb that have been compiled over decades. Some of these "rules," until now, have been "unspoken but everyone knows," while others are meant to help guide the engineer through some of the more recent breakthroughs in the industry's technology, such as hydraulic fracturing and enhanced oil recovery. The book covers every aspect of crude oil, natural gas, refining, recovery, and any other area of petroleum engineering that is useful for the engineer to know or to be able to refer to, offering practical solutions to everyday engineering problems and a comprehensive reference work that will stand the test of time and provide aid to its readers. If there is only one reference work you buy in petroleum engineering, this is it. Rules of Thumb for Petroleum Engineers: An instant classic, covering every possible aspect of petroleum engineering with a view toward offering the engineer or student the most thorough reference available today Covers all aspects of petroleum engineering, both basic and advanced topics, from the molecular structure of crude oil to the most sophisticated refining techniques Presents all of the hot-button issues of our time, including hydraulic fracturing ("fracking"), enhanced oil recovery, directional drilling, and more Includes all aspects of gas engineering as well, from the chemistry of natural gas and its refining to gasification, one of the most important topics in the industry

Biomass is a renewable resource whose utilization has received great attention due to environmental considerations and the increasing demands of energy worldwide. This volume discusses the environmental impacts and social concerns of energy production in its various forms, offering comprehensive coverage of the many available biofuels.

Presents an up-to-date description of current and new hydraulic fracturing processes* Details Emerging Technologies such as Fracture Treatment Design, Open Hole Fracturing, Screenless Completions, Sand Control, Fracturing Completions and Productivity* Covers Environmental Impact issues including Geological Disturbance; Chemicals used in Fracturing; General Chemicals; Toxic Chemicals; and Air, Water, Land, and Health impacts* Provides many process diagrams as well as tables of feedstocks and their respective products

With petroleum-related spills, explosions, and health issues in the headlines almost every day, the issue of remediation of petroleum and petroleum products is taking on increasing importance, for the survival of our environment, our planet, and our future.

The perfect primer for both the layperson and the engineer, for the new hire and the old hand, describing, in easy-to-understand language, one of the biggest and most lucrative industries in the world. There is only one substance known to mankind that can cause wars, influence global economies, and make entire countries rich: petroleum.

Gasification is one of the most important advancements that has ever occurred in energy production. Using this technology, for example, coal can be gasified into a product that has roughly half the carbon footprint of coal. On a large scale, gasification could be considered a revolutionary development, not only prolonging the life of carbon-based fuels, but making them "greener" and cleaner. As long as much of the world still depends on fossil fuels, gasification will be an environmentally friendlier choice for energy production.But gasification is not just used for fossil fuels. Waste products that would normally be dumped into landfills or otherwise disposed of can be converted into energy through the process of gasification. The same is true of biofeedstocks and other types of feedstocks, thus making another argument for the widespread use of gasification.The Handbook of Gasification Technology covers all aspects of the gasification, in a "one-stop shop," from the basic science of gasification and why it is needed to the energy sources, processes, chemicals, materials, and machinery used in the technology. Whether a veteran engineer or scientist using it as a reference or a professor using it as a textbook, this outstanding new volume is a must-have for any library.

Dealing with the various aspects of petroleum analysis, this book provides an explanation of the necessary standard tests that are applicable to feedstocks. The topics include: chemical composition; physical, thermal, electrical, and optical property testing methods; spectroscopic, chemical, and fractionation methods; molecular weight; and more.