bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Motivation for Using Information Technology
Authors: de Souza Dias Donaldo
Published: May 2011

Data gathered from MBA students, undergraduate students in business administration and school students were utilized to test the motivation for using microcomputers. Three motivators were investigated: perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and perceived enjoyment. The results suggest that school students have greater enjoyment in using microcomputers than MBA and undergraduate students do, and that undergraduate students in business administration have the greatest perception of the usefulness of microcomputers.
Critical Strategies for Information Systems Development Projects
Authors: Kim Chung , Peterson Dane , Chin Jerry , Barrier Tonya
Published: May 2011

Despite enormous progress in the methodologies and technologies used in the development and implementation of Information Systems (IS), IS failure continues to plague the efforts of many companies. According to a recent report, up to 90 percent of all IS projects fail to achieve their goals, 80 percent are late and over-budget, and 40 percent are abandoned (Clegg et al., 1997). Since information systems are becoming increasing critical for the strategic operations of organizations, the high rate of failure for IS projects is of great concern to both organizational management and IS professionals. Developing and implementing successful international IS have proven to be even more difficult due to such factors as the diversity and disagreement among the participants (Mantelaers & Van Den Berg, 2000). However, with an increasing number of firms expanding into international markets, the need to develop and implement IS which cross national boundaries and span diverse cultures is rapidly growing (Palvia, 1998). Adding to the importance of developing successful international IS is the realization that they constitute an essential tool for assisting organizations in coping with the increased competition associated with global markets. Thus, there is an urgent need to acquire knowledge about whether the factors found to be critical for developing successful IS in one country are also applicable to developing international IS involving countries with different cultural norms.
Towards User-Oriented Control of End-User Computing in Large Organizations
Authors: McBride Neil , Wood-Harper A. Trevor
Published: May 2011

Control is a major issue in end-user computing. The migration of responsibility, resources and authority from IT departments to user departments is frequently seen as a loss of power by the IT departments and an erosion of cost control by senior management. Reactions to this situation tend to focus on technology and formal control mechanisms. This paper contrasts such an IT-oriented view with a proposed, alternative user-oriented view. An IT-oriented view of EUC focuses on the problems it causes, the technology it requires, the methods that should be used and the means of limiting, controlling and standardizing. An user-oriented view of EUC focuses on the problems it solves, the user’s task and the organizational environment. The paper advocates a shift in EUC research away from the technology and the IT issues towards the political, social and cultural issues associated with the users. EUC problems are, in the main, organizational problems requiring a research approach which addresses dynamic issues emerging over a period of time. As a basis for such research, the paper proposes a dynamic model for EUC in which the progression of EUC within an organization is visualized as a series of inference loops.
A Distributed Cognition Analysis of Mobile CSCW
Authors: Wiberg Mikael , Gronlund Ake
Published: May 2011

We use a distributed cognition perspective to analyse mobile CSCW (computer supported co-operative work) among service technicians at a telecom operator. We focus on three aspects, the physical conditions for the interaction, the knowledge necessary for the management of the interaction, and the technology (cognitive tools) that can support the interaction.
Internet Privacy
Authors: Dhillon Gurpreet S. , Moores Trevor T.
Published: May 2011

The phenomenal growth in Internet commerce in recent years has brought privacy concerns to the fore. Although privacy as a concept has been well understood with respect to brick and motor businesses, there is limited research in identifying major issues of concern related to Internet privacy. This paper systematically identifies the major Internet privacy concerns. Data for the study was collected through two panels and subjective evaluation.
A New Approach to Evaluating Business Ethics
Authors: Mahmood Mo Adam , Sullivan Gary L. , Tung Ray-Lin
Published: May 2011

Stimulated by recent high-profile incidents, concerns about business ethics have increased over the last decade. In response, research has focused on developing theoretical and empirical frameworks to understand ethical decision making. So far, empirical studies have used traditional quantitative tools, such as regression or multiple discriminant analysis (MDA), in ethics research. More advanced tools are needed. In this exploratory research, a new approach to classifying, categorizing and analyzing ethical decision situations is presented. A comparative performance analysis of artificial neural networks, MDA and chance showed that artificial neural networks predict better in both training and testing phases. While some limitations of this approach were noted, in the field of business ethics, such networks are promising as an alternative to traditional analytic tools like MDA.
Ethical Issues in Software Engineering Revisited
Authors: Salehnia Ali , Pournaghshband Hassan
Published: May 2011

The process of software development is usually described in terms of a progression from the project planning to the final code, passing through intermediate stages such as requirement analysis, system design, coding, system testing, and maintenance. One important aspect of these requirements concerns the reliability of the software. The use of computers for life-critical systems demands extremely high reliability of the computing functions as a whole. The consequences of negative results from unreliable systems and software are becoming public knowledge every day. Since these situations create a negative image for computer professionals and since these episodes create an environment of nontrust for the discipline, a good look at the ethical issues in software engineering is necessary. In this chapter, we look at each of the software engineering steps and the important aspect of their reliability and safety in the analysis, design, and implementation of software. We also examine the ethical aspects of the software and system development.
Kierkegaard and the Internet
Authors: Ward Andrew , Prosser Brian
Published: May 2011

In the last decade of the twentieth century, with the advent of computers networked through Internet Service Providers and the declining cost of such computers, the traditional topography of secondary and post-secondary education has begun to change. Where before students were required to travel to a geographically central location in order to receive instruction, this is often no longer the case. In this connection, Todd Oppenheimer writes in The Atlantic Monthly that one of the principal arguments used to justify increasing the presence of computer technology in educational settings is that “[W]ork with computers – particularly using the Internet – brings students valuable connections with teachers, other schools and students, and a wide network of professionals around the globe.”1 This shift from the traditional to the “virtual” classroom2 has been welcomed by many. As Gary Goettling writes, “[D]istance learning is offered by hundreds, if not thousands, of colleges and universities around the world, along with a rapidly growing number of corporate and private entities.”3 Goettling’s statement echoes an earlier claim by the University of Idaho School of Engineering that one of the advantages of using computers in distance education is that they “increase access. Local, regional, and national networks link resources and individuals, wherever they might be.”4
Virtual Transactional and Relational Exchanges
Authors: Gaudes Andrew , Brabston Mary
Published: May 2011

The transactional and relational components of virtual organizing are evaluated and compared against the transactional and relational exchange-enabling characteristics of various forms of information technology. The findings suggest that further examination of this linkage in relation to organizational performance outcomes would be beneficial.
From Lackey to Leader
Authors: Croud Jennifer , Manning Michael , Schmidt Janine
Published: May 2011

Today hybrid libraries extend beyond physical walls. Librarians organise and facilitate access to information whether it is from print collections or new digital sources. To complement information management skills and technical expertise, they have developed strategies that lead their clients into effective access to, and use of, information. Librarians are now teachers, research partners, and web designers. Through partnerships with faculty, and by fostering the integration of information skills into the curriculum, they are contributing to the teaching, learning and research processes. Librarians in the digital age are people of intellectual flexibility, who embrace change and constantly update their knowledge and skills. They are people-oriented and able to interact closely with their clients. This paper discusses the evolution of librarians in the age of the Internet, with specific reference to the roles of librarians at the University of Queensland Library.
Business Process Reengineering is not just for Businesses but is also for Governments
Authors: Periasamy K. Pelly
Published: May 2011

Business Process Reengineering (BPR) has been hailed as a cure for many of the woes in today’s organizations. Many organizations have embarked on BPR but the results have been mixed. Failure is not uncommon but this does not appear to have affected the BPR drive to achieve dramatic improvements in organizational performance. The pragmatic goal-driven approaches adopted by corporations and other businesses position them advantageously in their BPR pursuits. But what about public bodies with their bureaucratic baggage? Is BPR relevant to them? If relevant, is it feasible in the public sector, particularly the public sector of developing nations which tend to have bigger baggage? This chapter draws on the experience of Singapore to suggest strategies for reengineering practice in the public sector of developing countries and other nations.
Evaluating Organizational Patterns for Supporting Business Knowledge Management
Authors: Brash Danny , Prekas Nikos , Grosz Georges , Semmak Farida
Published: May 2011

One approach to managing business knowledge is to generalize problems and solutions within the context they appear, to enable reuse. We have applied a pattern framework adopted from software development, in a project for managing business knowledge. The pattern development process has included the evaluation of the suitability of “candidate” patterns. We present criteria for considering and measuring suitability, since not all knowledge is suitable for reuse.
Social and Cultural Barriers for Knowledge Databases in Professional Service Firms
Authors: Disterer Georg
Published: May 2011

Professional Service Firms (PSF), where professionals (consultants, lawyers, accountants, auditors, tax advisors, engineers ...) work, are interested in knowledge management, because their business is heavily dependent from the knowledge of their employees. Core asset is their ability to solve complex problems through creative and innovative solutions, the basis for this is their employees’ knowledge. Therefore, PSF are on the forefront of knowledge management. Experiences show that Information Technology (IT) is only one dimension of knowledge management, more important are social, cultural, and organizational dimensions.1
Identifying the Contribution of IT/IS Infrastructure to Manufacturing Agility
Authors: Coronado Mondragon Adrian E. , Sarhadi Mansoor , Millar Colin
Published: May 2011

Competitive environments are driving manufacturing organisations to react quickly to unpredictable changes and customer opportunities. To face these new challenges, manufacturing organisations require the support of information technology/systems in their operations. An information technology/systems infrastructure capable of coping with these changes is in part responsible for determining the level of contribution of information systems applications. Seven key characteristics of IT/IS-containing infrastructure were investigated in a survey. The application of factor analysis showed three main factors associated to IT/IS infrastructure. A series of attributes were associated to the identified characteristics of IT/IS for agility, enabling the development of a cascade-like model to facilitate the evaluation of IT/IS with special emphasis on infrastructure.
Defining Meaningful Measures of IT Productivity with the Balanced Scorecard
Authors: Eickelmann Nancy
Published: May 2011

The accurate and timely measurement of an organisation’s information technology (IT) productivity is a critical tool to control the strategic and operational aspects of any firm. This chapter describes the validation and integration of productivity measures through the application of the Balanced Scorecard. Developing measures of IT productivity that are not skewed by methodological or data collection anomalies, shifting usage of communication and work-flow channels, negated utility of knowledge management, quality versus quantity trade-offs, and differences in individual skill levels and performance is difficult yet essential. The Balanced Scorecard as a strategic measurement framework is applied to assist in determining the appropriate matching of what we intend to measure and to what we assign numerical values.
Exploring the Role of Expectations in Defining Stakeholders' Evaluations of IS Quality
Authors: Wilkin Carla , Hewett Bill , Carr Rodney
Published: May 2011

Adding to the debate regarding use of the disconfirmation approach in assessment of IS effectiveness, this chapter explores the role that expectations play in defining stakeholders’ evaluations. A trial was conducted with a diverse group of participants in a tertiary institution where each was required to complete two questionnaires that were derived from the SERVQUAL instrument. The first comprised statements pertaining solely to perceptions, while the second, administered a short interval later, contained both expectation and perception statements. Since expectations appear to have some impact, what this paper has done is raise a number of questions requiring further exploration.
Evaluating Evolutionary Information Systems
Authors: Patel Nandish V.
Published: May 2011

Until the beginning of the 1990s, information systems (IS) were generally viewed as largely a support for business activity and were justified using cost accounting techniques. A proposed system would be developed if it could be shown that it would reduce operating costs or result in other productivity increases. No consideration was given to other benefits of an intangible or even strategic nature. As the deployment of information technology (IT) spread from operational to tactical support, the need to assess or evaluate its contribution to organisational performance and organisational reconfiguration attracted researchers’ interests. Yet the same genre of cost accounting based evaluation techniques were used.
A Framework to Evaluate the Informatization Level
Authors: Lim Soo Kyoung
Published: May 2011

As information and communication technologies have rapidly developed in the 1990s, enormous changes have taken place everywhere. At work environment, these have been newer tools for increasing organizational productivity, and these are transforming organizations to the degree that Taylorism once did (Davenport, 1998). These trends have spread over various fields of society, and have over countries caused economical and cultural innovation and reformation. These phenomena can be summarized as informatization. Informatization is defined as “converting the main goods and energy of a social economy to information through the revolution of high data communication technology and utilizing information produced by gathering, processing and distributing data within the vast fields of the society” (National Computerization Agency [NCA], 1997).
Strategic Human Resource Allocation for an Internal Labor Market
Authors: Geerlings Wilfred S.J. , Verbraeck Alexander , van Beusekom Jon , de Groot Ron P.T. , Damen Gino
Published: May 2011

Every organization needs a staff appropriate for its tasks in order to accomplish its business objectives, both now and in the future. To gain insight into the quality and number of staff needed in the future, human resource forecasting models are being used. This chapter addresses the design of a simulation model for human resources forecasting, which is being developed for the Chief of Naval Personnel, Royal Netherlands Navy. The aim is to provide the Director of Naval Manpower Planning with tools that give insight into the effects of strategic decisions on personnel buildup, and the effects of changes in personnel on reaching the organization’s business objectives.
Workhorse Rigs", Tailor-made for Production Drilling at Existing Mature
Authors: Eikill Geir Ove
Published: May 2011

1 Introduction:

Oil production from the Norwegian Continental Shelf is declining, and it is the production of gas that keeps the number of oil equivalents up. To make the reduction in production curve as low as possible in the years ahead, it is essential to drain the existing fields in an optimal and cost-effective manner. New discoveries will also have to be exploited faster than before - at a lower cost. The cost of drilling offshore wells on the Norwegian continental shelf has increased far more than the general price inflation in mainland Norway.

New wells and field developments may not be economically attractive due to the accelerated costs and increased competition for capital in the market. The golden age of the giant fields offshore Norway is most likely history, and the remaining known reserves and discoveries are less accessible and of less volume. This fact makes it even more important to be as cost effective as possible in recovering these resources in a commercially interesting manner. Cost-, and drilling efficiency are key issues to make the depletion curves as gradual as possible in the next few decades on the Norwegian continental shelf. Production drilling efficiency with focus on Completion and well interventions are essential factors in keeping the recovery rate from existing fields as high as possible, and must have high focus in the industry in the years to come.

There is a shortage of mature Drilling and Completion rig design Concepts tailor-made for mid water (100-500m) for operation on the NCS, hence Statoil has decided to develop a new Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit (MODU) concept, " CAT D??, which we believe will be a " Workhorse rig??, tailor-made for Production Drilling in cold climatic-, mid water conditions on marginal- and existing mature fields on the NCS.

The future on the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS) will consist of mature- and marginal fields where the hydrocarbons are found in smaller structures. This will require lower development costs by changing from customization to standardization of MODU concepts.
Roncador P-52 Hybrid Riser Review: Key Concepts, Construction and Installation Challenges
Authors: Mello Vinicius Costa , Lacerda Vitor Tiago , da Paixao Marcelo Monteiro , Ferreira Claudio Violante , Morais Marcos G.G.
Published: May 2011

The first Petrobras Hybrid Riser was installed in Campos Basin and is part of the Roncador P-52 oil export system. This system, which connects the SS platform P-52 (1800m water depth) to the fixed unit PRA-1 (100m water depth), is in operation since November 2007 comprises an 18 in diameter flowline and the Free Standing Hybrid Riser (FSHR). The FSHR is composed by a grouted foundation, 1500m of rigid steel riser, a near surface Buoyancy Can and a flexible jumper connecting the top of rigid riser to the platform. The basic design evolved almost until installation, in October 2007, due to engineering, construction and supplier restrictions.

Key concepts of design and main considerations that led to this Hybrid Riser final design are reviewed. Moreover, this paper presents some of the aspects of construction and installation that influenced the implementation and some of the lessons learned are discussed. The Riser foundation and flexible jumper were free issued by Petrobras to Contractor and some of the interfaces over the design are addressed as well.

This paper points out some of the key issues to be taken into consideration to improve the design of future projects and presents some important lessons learned that can be used for further studies in ultra deepwater large diameter Hybrid Risers.

Introduction

In November 2007 the first Petrobras' Hybrid Riser, part of P-52's oil export system - also known as PDET Profundo A project, started operating in Roncador field in Campos Basin, Brazil. The system has been operating successfully over the past years proving the efficiency of the concept. This riser concept allows for a more compact subsea arrangement compared to Steel Catenary Riser (SCR) as it was the case of P-52' FSHR which was installed nearly 300m from the platform. Some other advantages were also pointed out in Sertã et al (2001) and include:Loads: FPU motions are transferred to the Flexible Jumper and not to the main catenary (in case of SCR).Reduced Loads on the FPU: the loads come uniquely from the weight of the catenary flexible jumper and are shared between the buoyancy can and the FPU.

Installation with Pipelay Vessel: The installation can be done by standard pipelay vessels with standard laying methods (J-Lay, Reel-Lay or S-Lay) depending on the specific design restrictions which, in this case, were suitable only to J-Lay method.

Improved Installation Schedule: It does not depend on the FPU schedule. The installation campaign can start with much anticipation to the platform's arrival.

Suitable for Ultra Deepwater: In certain situations like water depths beyond 2000m it may be impractical to have a flexible riser (or bundle). This was the case with P-52 where the concept was installed in depths of 1800m.
A Simple Model for Hydrodynamic Slug Flow
Authors: Danielson Thomas John
Published: May 2011

Hydrodynamic slug flow is the prevailing flow regime in oil production, yet industry still lacks a comprehensive model, based on first principles, which fully describes hydrodynamic slug flow. This paper describes a very simple, time-dependent, two-phase (gas-liquid) model which is capable of producing hydrodynamic slugging from first principles.

The new method can be applied for evaluation of slugging potential for oil pipelines. The model is capable of producing slug lengths and frequencies, as well as slug hold-ups. The model has been compared to the published Prudhoe Bay field data gathered by Brill et al. The model has been able to predict the transition from homogeneous to slug flow, and also give information about slug lengths and frequencies.

Such a simple model could be a very excellent jumping off point for building more complex models capable of predicting slug distributions from first principles, without any need for additional user input. No such model currently exists.

Theoretical Background

While hydrodynamic slug flow is an inherently transient phenomenon, it has historically been modeled as a ‘pseudo steady-state’ which ignores the fundamentally transient nature of the flow. Even in instances where the individual slugs are introduced and tracked in a Lagrangian frame (so-called ‘slug tracking’)1, the results have been somewhat disappointing, in that the ultimate slug distributions are heavily influenced by user input. This paper examines another approach - where the fundamental transient nature of hydrodynamic slug flow is accounted for in the model.

In order to formulate a model for slug flow, we must first develop a ‘point model’ for an individual pipeline segment, or computational cell, in a pipeline. This pipeline segment must then be joined with other pipeline segments upstream and downstream of it to form a ‘steady-state’ model for the pipeline. Lastly, these steady-state solutions must be implemented into a transient scheme; a proper model of hydrodynamic slug flow absolutely requires that slugging not be treated as a pseudo-steady-state, but as an inherently transient phenonenon.
Lessons Learned on the Design and Construction of Hybrid Riser Towers
Authors: Saint-Marcoux Jean-Francois , Legras Jean-Luc
Published: May 2011

Compliant Risers cover many different types of risers. Even among self-standing compliant risers, different architectures are possible. Nevertheless the paper will concentrate on bundle Hybrid Riser Towers (bundle-HRT).

The paper will describe the several choices to be made for the design of a bundle-HRT. The selection is driven by the functional requirements, but also through the lessons learned and through reliability.

Then the paper will review the various components of the bundle-HRT (Foundation, Lower Termination Assembly, Bundle, Upper Termination Assembly, Buoyancy Tank, Jumpers), and describe how each component incorporates the particular requirements of the project. Finally the paper will detail how the lessons learned on previous projects have been systematically introduced in the design of the following generation.

1.0 General Evolution of Hybrid Riser Towers

The use of Hybrid Riser Towers now spreads over three decades. Early patents were filed in the late seventies (Panicker 1980). Research was conducted in particular by Mobil Corporation alone and then in cooperation with Institut Francais du Petrole -IFP - (Goodfellow Associates 1990). The first actual projects were carried out in the late eighties and early nineties in the Gulf of Mexico, first for Green Canyon 29 (Fisher 1988), then for Garden Banks 388 (Fisher 1995). The unit build for GC 29 was recovered, refurbished, extended, and reused for GB 388. Clearly drilling risers design was the blue-print of early hybrid riser designs. In particular the risers were jointed with threaded connection and were installed by semi-submersible drilling rigs.
A New High-Strength, Corrosion-Resistant Alloy for Oil and Gas Applications
Authors: Pike Lee , Manning Paul , Hibner Edward
Published: May 2011

The C-22HS® alloy (UNS N07022) was introduced recently for applications requiring both corrosion resistance and high strength. Being a C-type alloy (Ni-Cr-Mo), the new material has excellent resistance to uniform and localized corrosion in both reducing and oxidizing acids. However, the alloy is capable of being age-hardened to effectively double the yield strength over standard C-22® alloy (UNS NO6022) and other C-type alloys. Recently, the N07022 alloy has generated interest in the oil & gas industry due to its resistance to sour gas environments. In this paper, properties of the new alloy relevant to the oil and gas industry are presented. Efforts in developing alternate processing routes for alloy N07022 for very high strength applications are detailed. Alloy N07022 is being balloted for inclusion in NACE International Materials Requirement MR0175/ISO 15156 at NACE Level VII (the highest severity) with data showing resistance to element sulfur in the severe sour brine oil patch environment. This material has also been shown to be resistant to hydrogen embrittlement in oil patch and other severe environments, exhibiting potential for corrosion immunity. An important feature of the N07022 alloy in the age-hardened condition is that the alloy retains excellent corrosion resistance. The high strength of N07022 alloy is imparted through the formation of Long Range Ordering (LRO) domains of Ni2(Cr, Mo) which develop during a two-step age-hardening treatment given to the alloy in the fully annealed condition. In standard N07022 alloy, the formation of the LRO domains results in a near doubling of the room temperature yield strength up to values around 100 ksi. The two-step age-hardening treatment is 1300°F/16h/furnace cool to 1125°F/32h/air cool. The yield strengths of the annealed and age-hardened bars ranged from 114 to 126 ksi, the as-cold worked bars ranged from 191 to 205 ksi, and the cold-worked + age-hardened bars ranged from 199 to 206 ksi. In these material conditions, N07022 also exhibits excellent ductility and Charpy-V-Notch fracture toughness in the tested range of from -320ºF to +450ºF.
Design of the World's Deepest Hybrid Riser System for the Cascade & Chinook Development
Authors: Song Ruxin , Streit Pascal
Published: May 2011

With the successful deployment of the five Cascade & Chinook free standing hybrid risers (FSHRs) in the Gulf of Mexico at a water depth of 8,250 ft in year 2010, hybrid riser technology is adopted for deepwater development worldwide. It is basically a combination of steel and flexible risers with utilization of their advantages and hence offers unique features. The Cascade & Chinook FSHRs set a few new world records such as the deepest installed hybrid risers, first disconnectable hybrid risers, first hybrid riser in severe environmental conditions in the GoM, first hybrid riser designed to accommodate two floater concepts. Compared to other installed hybrid risers worldwide, the Cascade & Chinook FSHRs posed more technical challenges and hence required more engineering effort to come up with robust engineering solutions.

This paper addresses the engineering challenges and solutions associated with the detail design of the Cascade & Chinook FSHR system including global configuration, material selection and sizing, component design, global and local analysis, and qualification testing. A brief description of the Cascade & Chinook hybrid riser system is given first together with the highlights of the technical challenges. Secondly, factors affecting the global configuration and local component design are identified and evaluated. The logical procedure for design and analysis of deepwater FSHRs is discussed and presented in more detail. Thirdly, focus is given to the global response analysis including strength and fatigue as well as local finite element analysis of components such as the taper stress joint, buoyancy can, riser top, lower assembly and foundation pile. Discussion is also given to the relationship between engineering design, fabrication and installation, which is of particular interest for this type of riser. And in conclusion, some important lessons learnt from the execution of the Cascade & Chinook FSHR engineering are summarized.

1. INTRODUCTION

In recent years, exploration and production activities have increased dramatically in deep and ultra-deep water, nearly tripling the water depth of production facilities in the last decade or so. The targeted water depths for oil and gas developments in areas such as the Gulf of Mexico (GoM), West of Africa (WoA), and Brazil are increasing every year.

Among the field proven riser concepts shown in Figure 1-1, hybrid risers offer certain unique advantages [Ref. 4] over other concepts such as steel catenary risers (SCRs), top tension risers (TTRs) and flexible risers (FRs) for specific applications.
Installing the World's Deepest FSHR's, for the GOM Cascade & Chinook Development
Authors: Reitze Gordon , Mandeville Richard John Reginald , Streit Pascal
Published: May 2011

Building on Technip's successful installation of Brazil's first FSHR for Petrobras's PDET development, Technip undertook the challenge to design, engineer, install and pre-commission the 5 deepest FSHR's installed on behalf of Petrobras for their Cascade & Chinook development in the Gulf of Mexico.

The Cascade and Chinook fields are located in the Walker Ridge Area of the US Gulf of Mexico approximately 180 miles off the south coast of Louisiana. Water depths in the fields range from 2,485m to 2,698m.

The project was carried out successfully with an impeccable safety record of over 1 million manhours worked without a lost time incident and all within a compact period of 28 months from contract award to completion.

Success was owed to the tight meshing of schedules and management of complementary capabilities between the 3 principle installation vessels, each of which were key to the whole offshore operation. Technip's deepwater pipelay vessel " Deep Blue?? served as the fabrication vessel for the rigid reeled riser stems while Technip's construction vessel " Deep Pioneer?? carried out the pull-down operation and provided construction support. Jumbo Offshore, as main installation subcontractor, provided the " Fairplayer?? HLV for lifting and lowering the assembled Buoyancy Cans and risers.

This paper will present a general overview of Technip's unique FSHR system installation methods and outlines some of the particular challenges that the Installation Team had to respond to including:Optimizing FSHR foundation pile and pile top design to accommodate the FSHR anchoring system and pull-down system within a single unit.Development of installation methods to optimize schedule synchronization between 3 tightly linked installation vessels.Minimizing the duration of weather sensitive activities to maximize the weather operability windows considering the low frequency of suitable weather conditions in the GOM during the required Installation period (November-January).Installing Riser strings and supporting Buoyancy Cans each with a combined weight in air of almost 800te utilizing moderate lift capacity DP vessels.Offshore pre-commissioning of 4 insulated and 1 non-insulated dynamic FSHR with each riser exceeding 1¼ miles in length.

Introduction

In October 2007, Petrobras America Inc (PAI) awarded Technip an EPCI Contract to Engineer, Procure, Construct and Install 5 Free Standing Hybrid Riser Systems for the Cascade & Chinook fields in the Gulf of Mexico. These would be the deepest production risers in the world.

PAI's development plan is based on a phased development concept and in the initial phases production from both fields will be tied back to a disconnectable turret buoy moored Floating Production Storage and Offloading vessel (FPSO).
Topsides Facilities Design and Module-to-Vessel Interface
Authors: Chen Jay , Hartman Chris , Margo Bryan , Owen Tony
Published: May 2011

The Helix Producer I (HP-1) is an oil and natural gas production facility on a full DP vessel. The HP-1 was designed to be positioned in the Gulf of Mexico Green Canyon Block 237. The topsides structure and facilities for the HP-1 were designed by Oil Field Development Engineering, LLC (OFD). The facilities are configured in ten (10) modules, three (3) piperack sections, and two (2) platform cranes.

The available space on the vessel deck led to a very compact facility layout, much more restricted than that of a typical FPSO. No production equipment or fluid storage could be included in the hull. Therefore, the production, utility, and piperack modules were heavily-loaded, multi-level structures with relatively small footprints. Equipment was stacked on multiple levels with some equipment set on the vessel deck level. This created considerable challenges for structural design, such as dealing with high roll and pitch accelerations, managing fatigue-sensitive connections, managing the highly fluid nature of the facilities and hull design development, and transferring highly concentrated loads to the hull. Fixed supports were strategically located to secure the modules to the hull. Most of the supports, however, are sliding supports that allow the module structures to breathe with the vessels' hogging and sagging.

This paper will address the unique aspects of the facility layout and structural design of the modules and module foundations. The innovative and highly adaptable design helped to make the Helix Producer I a very successful and readily deployable production solution.

Introduction

The Helix Producer I (HP-1) is a floating oil and natural gas production facility that is supported on a ship-shaped vessel. The HP-1 was designed to be positioned in the Gulf of Mexico Green Canyon Block 237 to produce oil and gas from the existing Typhoon, Boris, and Little Burn fields. The topsides structure and facilities for the HP-1 were designed by Oil Field Development Engineering, LLC (OFD) in the form of modular structures that could be installed and hooked up when the supporting vessel was ready. Each module supports a logical grouping of equipment, usually from the same process system. This grouping minimized the interconnections between modules and the commissioning and testing that was required during integration.

This paper describes the topsides facilities and structural configuration. It also provides some of the details and insights of the design process, such as how the design objectives were accomplished and how the various project constraints and engineering problems were solved in order to help make this milestone project successful.
New Certification Procedures For Offshore Mooring Fiber Ropes
Authors: Hogsaet Ingrid Skutle , Ahjem Vidar , Paulsen Tone Julseth
Published: May 2011

This paper describes recent changes to procedures for certification of synthetic-fiber deepwater mooring lines. Requirements are introduced for certification of yarns with a fit-for-service approach. Approval programs for Manufacturers have been requested by industry; these now form part of the procedures for end-product certification. The changes are discussed, together with the practical implications to the industry of the three documents DNV-OS-E303 and approval programs 321 & 322.

The documents discussed in this paper cover approval of manufacturers for load-bearing yarns, approval of manufacturers of offshore-mooring fiber ropes, and the certification of actual deliveries. Further use of the documents can be as basis for specifying mooring lines, contractual agreement between purchaser and supplier, and in connection with manufacturing and documentation independently of certification.

The main change compared to the previous issue of DNV-OS-E303 is that material requirements to load-bearing yarns have been introduced. The material requirements to delivery yarns are included in the update of DNV-OS-E303, whilst the requirements for approval of the manufacturers of yarns and ropes are introduced in the two new documents, approval programs 321 & 322. Materials that may be used under these procedures are expanded to include aramid and HMPE. Other materials can also be covered. Failure modes for different yarns are taken into account and the in-service condition assessment is gone more thoroughly into. The documentation requirements for mobile and long-term moorings are split in two, which reduces the requirements to mobile moorings. The scope of testing of subropes and full ropes are split accordingly and requirements to TTR- or creep testing have been added. Requirements to termination hardware have been reformulated, and the scope of survey for rope manufacturing has been specified in a similar way as for offshore mooring chain.

The new documents will impact the certification process for the industry in several ways. The amount of documentation to be submitted for each delivery is substantially reduced. With the introduction of material requirements and approval programs for manufacturers the focus on the right rope for the application has been emphasized.

Introduction

For certification of synthetic-fiber ropes for deepwater mooring under the auspices of Det Norske Veritas (DNV), the requirements can now be found in three documents, each covering important steps in the process of obtaining complete end-product certification:DNV-OS-E303 " Offshore Mooring Fibre Ropes??, October 2010.Standard for Certification No. 2.9, Approval Programme No. 321 " Offshore Mooring Fibre Ropes??, Nov. 2010.Standard for Certification No. 2.9, Approval Programme No. 322 " Yarns for Offshore Mooring Fibre Ropes??, November 2010.
GIS Development for Geophysical and Geotechnical Data Integration: Application to West Africa Geohazard Assessment
Authors: Dan-Unterseh Gabriela , Courtaud Jacqueline , McNeill Aline , Blancat Emilie
Published: May 2011

During the last decade, a large amount of data has been collected for a field development project, located in a challenging geological area, deepwater offshore West Africa. It was necessary to create a database including these different data types, which represents the purpose of the work presented here. In order to integrate, visualize and query this database for the project needs (geohazard assessment, layout optimisation, etc), ESRI ArcGIS was selected as the appropriate analysis tool. The aim of this paper is twofold: to explain how the data was organized into an efficient GIS project and to highlight its principal applications. Firstly, the GIS project is organized into several thematic geodatabases. Each geodatabase corresponds to a field survey and its internal organization resulted from a complex approach. A geodatabase includes several feature datasets, which, in turn are composed of multiple feature classes. An attribute table with enhanced information was created for every data type. This offers a solution for data query using spatial analysis and map algebra. Secondly, the data visualization and integration allows the identification of possible geohazards and, further, their possible impact on the field development. The advantage of this GIS project is that it can be used in all the steps of the field development. This can help decision making related to the optimization of the field layout and the definition of targets for future site investigations. Moreover, the interface being user-friendly; it can be manipulated even by non-specialist project users. In conclusion, this GIS project is being considered as a reference for future projects dealing with wide diversity and large amount of data.

Introduction

During the last decades, oil and gas industry targets moved from shallow to deepwater challenging environments. Consequently, the planned infrastructures are often located in geohazard-prone areas. This is the case of the study area, located on the continental slope offshore West Africa.

In order for the seabed and sub-seabed field infrastructures to be safely installed in this complex geological environment, desk top studies, various reconnaissance surveys and specific studies have been performed over a period of 10 years. Consequently, the associated large amount of data provided by different contractors needed to be integrated and visualized, taking into account the variable data formats and geodetic parameters.

The Geographic Information System (GIS) globally recognized as the most efficient tool for data compilation, organization, management and integration (Noll IV et al., 2010; Varnell et al., 2010; Turner and Bell, 2010) was selected as the appropriate tool for this study. Figure 1 portrays a typical programme of an offshore development and the relationship between data gathering and GIS construction.
Shallow Hazard Seismic Cube: A Decision Pathway For The Optimization Of The Processing Sequence
Authors: Saint-Andre Cyril , Cauquil Eric Charles , Paternoster Benoit
Published: May 2011

Introduction

Shallow geological hazards possibly affecting drilling, platforms anchoring, and subsurface installations are a major threat lurking in the shallow zone below the seabed. These hazards could appear in different forms such as fault scarps, gas hydrates, gas-charged sediments, pockmarks, buried channels, abnormally pressured sands, and reefs.

The detection and interpretation of these shallow located multiform hazards requires high-resolution, fit for purpose 3D seismic data. Since Kerry Campbell in a 1999 TLE article stated that, "Clearly, the most reliable technical approach to minimize geo hazards risk would be to use 3D exploration seismic data for a preliminary geo hazard assessment...." the use of exploration and reservoir oriented 3D seismic have been accepted among the shallow hazards specialists. Nowadays their use appears completely mandatory as Nader C. Dutta & al. stated in their TLE special section article in 2010, " We think that the use of 3D seismic data could be and should be a standard practice….??

The production of shallow hazard dedicated seismic volumes (later called SHAZ cubes) by enhancement of classical exploration or reservoir 3D seismic raw data through specialized processing flows is now well controlled and accepted by the industry. These specific flows could greatly improve the added value that could be extracted from exploration and high resolution reservoir 3D volumes acquired with classical acquisition designs.

We present a decision pathway for the optimization of the processing sequence for SHAZ cube production. Three different processing flows are proposed, relying on the full exploration processing sequence. Pro's and con's of each flow are discussed in terms of result quality, turnaround and cost.

This embedded SHAZ cube production approach yields first of all to a better quality output products but also allows a regional scale interpretation, reducing " rush-hush?? situations frequently associated to localized so-called short offset cubes and to cost saving.

Discussion:

Exploration and reservoir oriented 3D surveys allows the production of 3D cubes (SHAZ) through specific Short-offset processing. Such dedicated SHAZ cubes are instrumental to shallow geological hazard interpretation and evaluation and they lead to a better assessment of related risk for E&P activities. SHAZ cubes are deemed a mandatory tool for assessing the sea bottom and subsurface conditions at large scale. Early availability of these specialized datasets are always welcome by interpreters in order to have a broader view of the potential hazards at a local and regional scale.

An efficient way to produce efficiently regional SHAZ cubes will be implemented by systematically including the production of such cube in any given new processing or reprocessing project. Derogations to this rule will be granted if such validated fit for purpose recent dataset is already available for the designated area.
Design of Deepwater Tower Riser for West Africa Application
Authors: Cao Jing
Published: May 2011

As one of the field proven riser concepts, tower riser is a popular concept in particular for deepwater application in the West of Africa (WoA). This paper addresses on the design exercise of a deepwater tower riser in WoA. A brief presentation of deepwater hybrid riser history and evaluation is given first. Secondly, design basis for the tower riser study is described. Thirdly, design of the tower riser has been focused on including logistical design procedure, major design issues, and critical factors affecting the design, global configuration design, connection design, and local component design. To verify the design and to provide input for local component sizing, global analysis was performed and results were presented as the fourth part of this paper using riser tool and ABAQUS. Lastly, conclusions are drawn from this study and recommendations are made.

1. INTRODUCTION

In recent years, exploration and production activities have increased dramatically in deep and ultra-deep water. The targeted water depths for oil and gas developments in areas such as the Gulf of Mexico (GoM), West of Africa (WoA), and Brazil are increasing every year.

As one of the key elements in offshore infrastructure, deepwater riser technology plays an important role in offshore development. Among the field proven riser concepts, which include steel catenary risers (SCRs), top tension risers (TTRs), flexible risers (FRs), and hybrid risers (HRs) as shown in Figure 1-1, hybrid risers offer unique advantages over other concepts for specific applications and requirements. Even though hybrid riser concept initiated and started in the GoM, its popularity in deepwater development starts in the WoA with the deployment of the Girassol tower riser followed by Kizomba single line hybrid riser, Greater Plutonio tower riser, etc.