PAGE 6A
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2012
SCIENCE
Storage testing for CO2
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
TREVOR GRAFF
tgraff@kansan.com
GRAPHIC BY TREVOR GRAFF
To many western Kansans, sites like the Berecox rig site 25 miles northwest of Liberal, Kan. aren't unusual. Thanks to a research partnership between Bereco, the Department of Energy and the Kansas Geological Survey, it could be one of the first sites used for carbon dioxide (CO2) sequestration in the state.
The drilling of the 7,500-foot well in Cutter field began Aug. 1. The research group, lead by KGS geologists Lynn Watney and Jason Rush, is attempting to investigate the use of CO2 in enhanced drilling practices and the storage of CO2 in underground saline reservoirs.
University of Kansas graduate student Christa Jackson is a member of the team working to collect this data. Jackson said she mixes the test samples with reservoir core fluids and submits them to temperatures near 50 degrees Celsius
"Regardless of where the CO2 comes from, our perspective is to get ready for the large-scale use of CO2 for the oil fields as well as examining the saline aquifers for storage," Watney said. "This would be very useful should we have caps on emissions from sources like power plants and ethanol plants that could be taken from the atmosphere and stored."
and pressures between 2,000 and 2,500 psi.
"I'm looking for what kind of reactions will take place," Jackson said. "By mixing the core fluids and the rock together and by adding the CO2 to these experiments, we can see what minerals dissolve and what minerals precipitate."
Jackson said the goal in her work is to make sure that CO2 doesn't breach the field.
The DOE's National Energy
Technology Laboratory provided nearly $21.5 million for the project. The remaining funds come from a cost-share agreement among the KGS and its partners in the energy industry.
"What the DOE is, in effect, saying is today we may not need to dispose of CO2 because the economic and political considerations don't exist," Wreath said. "But that may happen in the future. What we're going to do now, when we have
some time to figure it out properly is basic research to see if the deep Arbuckle formation in Kansas is a safe place to dispose of CO2."
Edited by Lauren Shelly
CULTURE
JESSICA MITCHELL/KANSAN
Elizabeth Ernst reigns as princess at the Renaissance Festival on Saturday, Sept. 8 in Bonner Springs. This year is the Renaissance Festival's 36th anniversary.
Renaissance Festival prevails
JESSICA MITCHELL jmitchell@kansan.com
As the Kansas City Renaissance Festival continues its annual season in Bonner Springs, attendees are transported back in time with an array of activities and performances.
The festival, now in its 36th year, has added new attractions while keeping old favorites.
"We are sort of challenged with the idea of coming up with something that is new but that is also 500 years old," said Will Peterson, marketing coordinator for the Kansas City Renaissance Festival. "This year we are anticipating a big turnout for our maveraid."
The mermaid, captured by pirates in the Atlantic, is housed in a tank of water filled with shells that she hands to onlookers. The festival has also added a secret garden, fairy forest, barbarian battles and a royal pub crawl.
With all the festivities looking to be perfected, the jobs of the crew are not a single-season ordeal.
we have a full-time staff year-round, from marketing to getting the site ready," Peterson said. "It is quite a bit of preparation. We've got to figure out scheduling and figure out all the new things we are going to do every year."
The performers also have duties outside of the festival season
Peterson said the Conservatory is an academy teaching everything from a British accent, to interacting with patrons, to staying in and developing characters. Two Kansas students, Elizabeth Ernst and Erika O'Shea, have made their way through the academy and are now festival royalty.
Ernst, princess Eitz of England, has been visiting the festival for seven years and has taken a liking to her newfound royal blood.
whether it be casting, auditioning or attending acting classes through the Canterbury Conservatory.
"It's a very good opportunity to step out of other responsibilities
"I do believe my favorite part about being a princess is seeing the look in the little children's eyes as we crown them," O'Shea said. "They get to join us in all of our games, and playing with them is the most marvelous thing."
According to O'Shea, princess Thea of Denmark, she has been royalty all her life but a temporary resident of Canterbury for three seasons.
as well as instruct others on proper manners and discourse.
for awhile and make people happy," she said. "It is rather remarkable to see a little girl's face when she meets a princess."
The princesses take part in four performances throughout the day
The festival is open weekends from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Oct. 14. Tickets are $19.95 at the gate. The weekend of Sept. 29 has been dubbed Lawrence weekend. Attendees get a discount with a valid form of Lawrence residency or with KU Student ID. The themes vary from weekend to weekend and can be found on the website.
For more information or to buy tickets, check out www.krenfest. com.
Edited by Ryan McCarthy
LAWRENCE
Vinyl records to be sold at benefit sale
The For Your EARS Only event will be hosting its annual benefit sale this weekend at the Douglas County Fairgrounds.
Discounted vinyl records and other audio equipment will be sold to raise funds for Audio-Reader, a reading and information service for the blind and print-disabled. Admission for Friday, Sept. 14 is $10 at the door or $7 if purchased in advance from Audio-Reader, and the event runs from 6 to 9 p.m. Admission for Saturday will be free and will run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Those who attend on Friday will receive first access to inventory, free food and prizes.
Audio-Reader offers daily readings of newspapers, magazines and best-selling books on the radio
and internet 24 hours a day. The services are provided free of charge to those in Kansas and western Missouri areas.
Where: Douglas County Fairgrounds, Building 21 South
The intersection of Crestine Drive and Irving Hill Road will be closed for repairs from Monday, Sept. 17, through Monday, Oct. 15. A north-south detour will be located through the Lied Center parking lot, and an east-west detour will travel through the parking lots at Nichols Hall.
Purpose of the event: To raise funds for Audio-Reader, a reading and information service for the blind and print-disabled. We serve thousands of individuals in Kansas, Missouri and beyond.
West Campus road repairs, closures begin next week
Goal: To raise more than $15,000.
Cost of Event: For Friday night, admission is $7 in advance and $10 at the door. Advance tickets can be purchased at Audio-Reader until 5 p.m. on Friday. Saturday is free admission day.
— Dane Vedder
CONSTRUCTION
Drivers are urged to be cautious and travel slowly through
the detours and construction area. Drivers are also encouraged to use alternate routes when possible.
Buildings south of and along Irving Hill Road will be accessible via Iowa Street to 19th Street to Constant Avenue. Drivers can access buildings north of Irving Hill Road by Iowa Street to Bob Billings Parkway to Crestline Drive. The Lied Center and the Dole Institute for Politics can be reached via either of the alternate routes.
Hannah Barling
JESSICA MITCHELL/KANSAN
Erika O'Shea smiles for the crowd at the Renissance Festival in Bonner Springs on Saturday, Sept. 8. "I do believe my favorite part about being a princess is looking the look in the little children's eyes as we crown them," O'Shea said.