bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Thermoplastic microfluidic bioreactors with integrated electrodes to study tumor treating fields on yeast cells
Authors: Gencturk Elif , Ulgen Kutlu O. , Mutlu Senol
Published: May 2020

Tumor-treating fields (TTFields) are alternating electrical fields of intermediate frequency and low intensity that can slow or inhibit tumor growth by disrupting mitosis division of cancerous cells through cell cycle proteins. In this work, for the first time, an in-house fabricated cyclo-olefin polymer made microfluidic bioreactors are integrated with Cr/Au interdigitated electrodes to test TTFields on yeast cells with fluorescent protein:Nop56 gene. A small gap between electrodes (50 μm) allows small voltages (<150 mV) to be applied on the cells; hence, uninsulated gold electrodes are used in the non-faradaic region without causing any electrochemical reaction at the electrode-medium interface. Electrochemical modeling as well as impedance characterization and analysis of the electrodes are done using four different cell nutrient media. The experiments with yeast cells are done with 150 mV, 150 kHz and 30 mV, 200 kHz sinusoidal signals to generate electrical field magnitudes of 6.58 V/cm and 1.33 V/cm, respectively. In the high electrical field experiment, the cells go through electroporation. In the experiment with the low electrical field magnitude for TTFields, the cells have prolonged mitosis from typical 80–90 min to 200–300 min. Our results confirm the validity of the electrochemical model and the importance of applying a correct magnitude of the electrical field. Compared to the so far reported alternatives with insulated electrodes, the here developed thermoplastic microfluidic bioreactors with uninsulated electrodes provide a new, versatile, and durable platform for in vitro cell studies toward the improvement of anti-cancer therapies including personalized treatment.
Conformance control for production optimisation using polymer nanocomposite hydrogels
Authors: Rudd Reza M. , Saeedi Ali , Wood Colin D.
Published: May 2020

Conformance control is a major challenge in hydrocarbon recovery operations. One of the effective technologies for improving the conformance of a flood front and modifying the injected fluid profile is the application of polymer hydrogels. In this technique, polymer hydrogels are prepared as gel particles, which are injected into the reservoir to block-off preferential flow paths and thief zones, such as fractures and high permeability zones. Subsequently, the fluid injected as part of oil recovery operation would be directed and forced to pass through low permeable zones and sweep more hydrocarbon mass towards the production wells. Depending on the situation, this technology can result in a considerable incremental hydrocarbon recovery from a reservoir. In the present research, nanotechnology was combined with polymer engineering to develop a novel polymer nanocomposite hydrogel with supreme properties, as confirmed using advanced rheological characterisation. Subsequently, the performance of the newly developed nanocomposite hydrogel was tested using a specially designed core flooding setup and procedure. The core flooding results showed that the application of this novel hydrogel could increase the oil recovery by up to 16% under laboratory conditions.
Impact of the stress state and the natural network of fractures/faults on the efficiency of hydraulic fracturing operations in the Goldwyer Shale Formation
Authors: Mandal Partha Pratim , Rezaee Reza , Sarout Joel
Published: May 2020

Cost-effective hydrocarbon production from low-permeability unconventional reservoirs requires multi-stage hydraulic fracturing (HF) operations. Each HF stage aims to generate the most spatially extended fracture network, giving access to the largest volume of reservoir possible (stimulated volume) and allowing hydrocarbons to flow towards the wellbore. The size of the stimulated volume, and therefore, the efficiency of any given HF stage, is governed by the rock’s deformational behaviour and presence of pre-existing natural fractures/faults. Naturally elevated pore pressures at depth not only help to reduce the injection energy required to generate hydraulic fractures but can also induce slip along pre-existing fractures/faults, and therefore, enhance production rates. Here we analyse borehole image, density, resistivity and sonic logs available from a vertical exploration well in the Goldwyer Shale Formation (Canning Basin) to (i) characterise the pre-existing network of natural fractures; and (ii) estimate the in-situ pore pressure and stress state at depth. The aim of such an analysis is to evaluate the possibility of fracture/fault reactivation (slip) during and following HF operations. Based on this analysis, we found that an increase in the formation's pore pressure by only a few MPa (typically ~5–10 MPa) could lead to slip along pre-existing fractures/faults, provided they are favourably oriented with respect to the prevalent stress field for future production. We also found that slip along the horizontal or sub-horizontal bedding of the Goldwyer Formation is unlikely in view of the prevalent strike-slip faulting regime, unless an extremely large overpressure exists within the reservoir.
Shaping the decommissioning landscape of tomorrow
Authors: Taylor Andrew
Published: May 2020

Associated with the growth of Australia’s oil and gas industry over the past 40 years, our oceans currently host oil and gas production and transportation infrastructure that will cost ~AU$30 billion to decommission. National Energy Resources Australia (NERA) is one of six industry growth centres (IGC) funded by the Australian Government. NERA is investigating opportunities for transforming the way that Australia manages its upcoming decommissioning activities. In 2019, NERA undertook a series of stakeholder consultations to refresh our understanding of Australia’s decommissioning outlook. Feedback was received through more than 20 interviews and follow-up surveys with the service sector, operators, research organisations, regulators and consultants. This paper highlights the outcomes of this review and NERA’s view on opportunities to position Australia favourably to manage decommissioning in a way that maximises benefits.
Outcome focused: how to deliver value in a field (re)development. A case study from the Cooper–Eromanga Basin, South Australia
Authors: Molyneux S. J. , Wu H. F. , Delaney S. , Gongora A.
Published: May 2020

The share of global hydrocarbon production from ‘aging’ assets is increasing, whereas global demand for energy continues to increase at 1–2% per year (IEA 2019). In 2018, the International Energy Agency estimated the global average production decline at 4% per annum (Gould and McGlade 2018). Production from many of Australia’s established basins, such as the Cooper–Eromanga basin and the North West Shelf, is dominated by aging assets. To arrest this decline, actions must be taken to meet global demand for oil and gas, sustain production and underpin shareholder expectations of a return on their investment. Arresting field decline is a multifaceted problem. A single fix, whether technological or operational, will not maximise production or asset value. Any project to arrest field decline, grow production or (re)develop a field must be considered in its entirety, as an integrated system, by a multidisciplinary team. In addition, and critical to success, the required outcome must be clearly established and committed to by field owners, consultants and staff assigned to the project. This paper demonstrates how using a committed, outcome-focused approach, an integrated project team identified field redevelopment opportunities that significantly increased estimated ultimate recovery in an aging oilfield (that had already produced more than 70–80% of the developed resource) in the Cooper–Eromanga basin, South Australia. Factors critical to success were: (1) a commitment to look at all aspects of the field, from geology and geophysics, through the completion, well and field performance and operational infrastructure to identify development opportunities; (2) an ability to be agile, cycling quickly through the workflow as new information became available; (3) dedicated resources, clear communication and a commitment to integrated work across consultant and staff resources; and (4) management support.
The Paleozoic prospectivity of the Browse Basin, Australia
Authors: Amiribesheli Said , Thorp Joshua , Davies Julia
Published: May 2020

Most of the discovered hydrocarbons in the Browse Basin occurred within the Mesozoic intervals, while deeper Paleozoic sequences have been seldom explored. Lack of Paleozoic exploration in the Browse Basin has been attributed to the lack of well penetrations, poor understanding of the petroleum systems and paucity of seismic data. The onshore Canning Basin with several commercial fields and discoveries is the most appropriate analogue for understanding the Paleozoic sequences in the region. With the integration of geophysical data (i.e. gravity, magnetic and seismic), well data and geology, the Paleozoic prospectivity of the Browse Basin can be further enlightened. Modern long offset (8 m) Vampire 2D seismic data were acquired by Searcher to address some of the complex challenges in the Browse Basin. Reservoir quality of the Brewster Formation, volcanic discrimination within the Plover Formation and identification of deeper Triassic and Paleozoic plays are some examples of these challenges in the Browse Basin. Recently Searcher reprocessed this regionally important Vampire 2D seismic dataset that ties to 60 wells. The broadband pre-stack depth migration reprocessed data were inverted to extract three petro-elastic properties of acoustic impedance, Vp/Vs and density by three-term amplitude versus offset inversion algorithm to improve imaging of deeper plays and delineate reservoir properties. This paper discusses how several potential Paleozoic reservoir-seal pairs can be identified in the Browse Basin by utilising the integration of Vampire 2D seismic data, quantitative interpretation products, regional geology and knowledge of the Canning Basin’s fields and discoveries. Previously there was little exploration of Paleozoic plays because they could not be imaged on seismic data. The potential Paleozoic reservoirs identified in this study include Permo-Carboniferous subcrop, Carboniferous-Devonian anticline and Carboniferous-Devonian rollover plays.
Changes in multi-phase flow properties of carbonate porous media during CO2 injection
Authors: Seyyedi Mojtaba , Giwelli Ausama , White Cameron , Esteban Lionel , Verrall Michael , Clennell Ben
Published: May 2020

Impacts of fluid–rock geochemical reactions occurring during CO2 injection into underground formations, including CO2 geosequestration, on porosity and single-phase permeability are well documented. However, their impacts on pore structure and multi-phase flow behaviour of porous media and, therefore, on CO2 injectivity and residual trapping potential, are yet unknown. We found that CO2-saturated brine–rock interactions in a carbonate rock led to a decrease in the sweep efficiency of the non-wetting phase (gas) during primary drainage. Furthermore, they led to an increase in the relative permeability of the non-wetting phase, a decrease in the relative permeability of the wetting phase (brine) and a reduction in the residual trapping potential of the non-wetting phase. The impacts of reactions on pore structure shifted the relative permeability cross-point towards more water-wet condition. Finally, calcite dissolution caused a reduction in capillary pressure of the used carbonate rock. For CO2 underground injection applications, such changes in relative permeabilities, residual trapping potential of the non-wetting phase (CO2) and capillary pressure would reduce the CO2 storage capacity and increase the risk of CO2 leakage.
Wettability measurements on two sandstones: an experimental investigation before and after CO2 flooding
Authors: Fauziah Cut Aja , Al-Khdheeawi Emad A. , Barifcani Ahmed , Iglauer Stefan
Published: May 2020

Wettability of rock–fluid systems is an important for controlling the carbon dioxide (CO2) movement and the capacities of CO2 geological trapping mechanisms. Although contact angle measurement is considered a potentially scalable parameter for evaluation of the wettability characteristics, there are still large uncertainties associated with the contact angle measurement for CO2–brine–rock systems. Thus, this study experimentally examined the wettability, before and after flooding, of two different samples of sandstone: Berea and Bandera grey sandstones. For both samples, several sets of flooding of brine (5 wt % NaCl + 1 wt % KCl in deionised water), CO2-saturated (live) brine and supercritical CO2 were performed. The contact angle measurements were conducted for the CO2–sandstone system at two different reservoir pressures (10 and 15 MPa) and at a reservoir temperature of 323 K. The results showed that both the advancing and receding contact angles of the sandstone samples after flooding were higher than that measured before flooding (i.e. after CO2 injection the sandstones became more CO2-wet). Moreover, the Bandera grey samples had higher contact angles than Berea sandstone. Thus, we conclude that CO2 flooding altered the sandstone wettability to be more CO2-wet, and Berea sandstone had a higher CO2 storage capacity than Bandera grey sandstone.
The Lesueur Formation storage complex in South Western Australia: safe, secure long-term storage of CO2
Authors: Van Gent Dominique , Sharma Sandeep , Hortle Allison , Stalker Linda
Published: May 2020

Carbon capture, utilisation and storage remain critical components of a decarbonised future. The West Australian Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety with research partners CSIRO, Curtin University and the University of Western Australia, have assessed the suitability of storing carbon dioxide in the deep saline aquifers of the Triassic Lesueur Formation (Southern Perth Basin) through the South West Hub Carbon Storage Project (SW Hub). The SW Hub has now concluded its acquisition of pre-competitive data and research. Extensive evaluation and multiple peer reviews by industry concluded that the site is ready for the next stage of characterisation – drilling and testing to confirm or refine the predictions for a suitable commercial-scale geological storage site, enabling acreage release for commercial exploration and appraisal leading to a storage licence. The data package includes extensive geological and dynamic modelling, providing confidence in the storage complex. Four wells have been drilled and multiple seismic data acquisition surveys (including 115 km2 3D seismic) are supported by four generations of reservoir models of increasing complexity built over the last decade of investigations. The site is unique in that there is no regional shale layer above the reservoir to provide a conventional seal for injected carbon dioxide. Results indicate that secure storage is obtained via vertical trapping across the extensive storage formation thickness; if proven, this mechanism can increase storage options around the world. This paper discusses the significance of the site, the geological setting, technical workflow, monitoring strategy and community and stakeholder management activities undertaken.
The scalability challenge: pathways to future decarbonisation and the impact on the oil and gas industry
Authors: Thompson Gavin
Published: May 2020

How will the global energy system move sharply towards a pathway compatible with the goals of the Paris Agreement by 2030? Despite great efforts on cost reductions in renewables, alternative technologies, advanced transportation and supportive government policies, progress to date is not enough. The challenge is now one of scalability. Although some technologies required for a 2°C future are economic and proven, many others are not. Optimists look at the cost of solar and wind and say we have all we need to achieve our targets. The reality is that significant additional investment is needed to get them to material scale, globally. And too often huge challenges are downplayed in sectors beyond power and transport, including industry, aviation, shipping, heating and agriculture. Given the criticality of climate change, these multiple challenges must now be addressed. Consequently, any accelerated pace of decarbonisation represents an existential challenge to the oil and gas industry, including in Australia. If companies are to remain investible through the long term, all will need to transition to business models that are aligned with the goals of the Paris Agreement. This paper considers what the path to decarbonisation could look like and how oil and gas companies must respond in order to prosper through the energy transition.
Innovative digital inspection methodology
Authors: Anderson Stephen A
Published: May 2020

The paper describes an innovative digital inspection methodology that combines 3D laser scanning, metrology and advanced non-destructive testing data that is merged in 3D space to provide a digital record of the condition and mechanical integrity of critical assets. This advanced inspection method supports condition-based maintenance programs and digital twin models to determine future equipment condition, work scope and inspection schedules, while maintaining a digital record throughout the equipment lifecycle. Testing of the methodology includes 3D scanning of drill platforms, baseline scanning of blowout preventers and sheaves, for quality purposes, and the use of augmented reality for viewing scans. Phased array testing has been conducted on sub-components such as slew ring bolting. Data are combined into digital reports that show 3D images of the equipment with precise dimensional data and identified inspection areas. Such reports can be combined with digital twin models to confirm integrity of the equipment for certificate of conformance and baseline data for future integrity comparisons as equipment ages. This innovative inspection methodology will set a new standard for how equipment data are captured, stored and represented. The process provides a range of benefits for OEMs, drilling contractors and operators alike, including digital quality programs to baseline new equipment condition and compare with design parameters, delivering condition and integrity assessments of critical equipment items in-situ or on deck, providing a consistent methodology for inspection and dimensional control of operational equipment items, and providing precise equipment data that can complement digital twin and real time monitoring programs.
The CSIRO In-Situ Laboratory in South Western Australia: a field laboratory for de-risking carbon storage
Authors: Michael Karsten , Ricard Ludovic , Stalker Linda , Hortle Allison , Avijegon Arsham
Published: May 2020

The oil and gas industry in Western Australia will need to address their carbon emissions in response to the state government’s aspiration of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The geological storage of carbon dioxide is a proven technology and an option for reducing emissions. Storage operations would need to provide adequate monitoring systems in compliance with yet to be defined regulations and to assure the public that potential leakage could be confidently detected, managed and remediated. The In-Situ Laboratory in the south-west of Western Australia was established as a research field site to support low emissions technology development and provides a unique field site for controlled CO2 release experiments in a fault zone and testing of monitoring technologies between 400 m depth and the ground surface. A first test injection of 38 tonnes of food-grade gaseous CO2 in 2019 demonstrated the ability to detect less than 10 tonnes of CO2 with fibre optic sensing and borehole seismic testing. Results from the previous test and future experiments will help to improve the sensitivity of monitoring technologies and could contribute to defining adequate monitoring requirements for carbon storage regulations.
Shaping the future workforce for the oil and gas sector
Authors: Andrews Juliet , Rolland Louise , Cotton Tony
Published: May 2020

Four broad trends are shaping the workforce of the future: demography, social changes, economic forces and technology. The first two mean that the workforce is much more diverse than before, both in its capabilities and its expectations. The economic forces will affect the nature of business and the organisation of work and how the workforce interacts with work. Technological changes mean that the nature of work is changing, and the workforce will have to adapt to meet the new ways of work and changing needs of industry. Although some have assumed that this will lead to a loss of jobs, more sophisticated analysis shows that many jobs will, in fact, be enhanced or redesigned as a result of the opportunities that technology brings. This paper focuses on our recent research into the changing nature of work and our recent work mapping the effect of technology on the mining industry. This mapping will provide insights into how technology has shaped the skills needed in the industry into the future and how organisations need to respond, including implications for leadership, training and work design. Our aim is to deliver a compelling case for acting now to prepare the oil and gas workforce, and to highlight the talent strategies the sector and its members should prioritise in response.
Investigating the potential human health impacts of coal seam gas development at a study site in the Surat Basin in southern Queensland
Authors: Huddlestone-Holmes Cameron R , Rigby Siobhan , Van Niekerk Sean , Mackie Rachel , Walton Andrea
Published: May 2020

This paper reports on an ongoing study of the potential human health impacts of coal seam gas (CSG) development at a study site in the Surat Basin in Queensland. This study follows the methodology established in GISERA’s human health effects of CSG activity study design project and focuses on potential physical (dust, noise, light) and chemical stressors. The study will focus on an area bounded by the Warrego Highway to north, between Chinchilla and Miles, extending south towards Tara. This area contains a diverse range of CSG activities involving two operators, over 2300 wells, 70 water storage ponds, four water treatment plants and over 20 gas treatment or compression stations. The area has a range of land uses with low to moderate population densities. These activities have been characterised to determine the physical and chemical stressors present and an exposure pathway assessment is being conducted to determine whether any of the stressors identified have a complete exposure pathway to humans. This assessment considers controls and other strategies already in place to mitigate and alleviate the impacts of stressors. The project involves a high degree of engagement with stakeholders, including the local community, industry and government, with the aim of ensuring the research is independent and trustworthy. The results of this research will assist government and industry in the regulation and conduct of CSG activities by providing an evidence base on potential health impacts, allowing the development of risk mitigation actions to reduce the potential for human health impacts, should any be identified.
Protecting past, present and progress: the reality of coexistence with National and World Heritage properties
Authors: Thomas Daniel
Published: May 2020

Murujuga, also known as the Dampier Archipelago, is a highly significant cultural landscape rich in Aboriginal cultural heritage, particularly rock engravings known as petroglyphs. In 2007, part of this landscape was included on the National Heritage List, and in 2018 the process towards World Heritage Listing began. Murujuga has also been home to industry for over half a century, including Woodside-operated natural gas processing operations since the 1980s. The effects of development on heritage and the need to mitigate damage are long-standing subjects of discussion internationally. This paper outlines how Woodside seeks to ensure the coexistence of its operations and Murujuga’s cultural landscape, and examines the less frequently considered effects of coexistence on industry, both positive and negative. The largest benefits of coexistence arise from the formalisation and enumeration of heritage values, allowing targeted management with a values-driven approach, stakeholder identification, impact assessment and collaboration. The greatest difficulties arise from regulation, activism and heightened reputational risks, but this paper also identifies certain structures that come with heritage listing that can be used to mitigate these challenges.
Learnings from recent offshore project proposal submissions
Authors: Kerp Naomi L. , Weller Claire
Published: May 2020

The offshore project proposal (OPP) process was introduced in 2014 as part of the streamlining of regulatory processes under the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 and Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 to provide for offshore petroleum developments to be assessed early in the project lifecycle. The OPP process involves the assessment of environmental impacts and risks of petroleum activities conducted over the life of an offshore project by the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEMA). An OPP for an offshore project must be accepted by NOPSEMA before a titleholder can submit environment plans for activities that make up the offshore project. Although the OPP process is not new, it has proven complex to navigate, with four revisions to the OPP contents requirements guideline published by NOPSEMA since inception, and only three OPPs reaching the public consultation stage to date. An OPP is required to describe the offshore project; describe the environment that may be affected by the project; set out environmental performance outcomes for the project; describe feasible alternatives to the project or its activities; and evaluate environmental impacts and risks of the project. This paper provides insight to the OPP drafting, submission and assessment process, with shared key learnings based on actual examples of OPP submissions made. In particular, we will focus on the crucial elements that haven proven to make an OPP submission effective, including project aspect scoping, understanding relationships between aspects and receptors, building flexibility within set project boundaries and demonstrating acceptability.
Deploying hydrocarbon monitoring technologies in the 2019 NOFO oil-on-water field exercise
Authors: Qi Xiubin , Mainson Mederic , Crooke Emma , Hay Ian , Ross Andrew , Irving Paul
Published: May 2020

The Norwegian Clean Seas Association for Operating Companies (NOFO), conducts an annual oil-on-water exercise (OOW), which allows oil to be released to open waters. This exercise provides a precious opportunity for testing and validation of oil spill response technologies in a real spill situation. CSIRO was invited by the Norwegian Meteorological Institute (MET) to join the 2019 NOFO OOW monitoring campaign and provide in situ measurement of oil in water with our CSIRO-developed monitoring equipment (the Oil Fish and the Water Column Profiler) to validate oil migration models. This is the first time an Australian organisation has participated in this internationally recognised field event. The monitoring campaign involved participation of researchers from eight organisations and the utilisation of over 10 different monitoring technologies. The present paper will present CSIRO field experience about participating in the exercise, the monitoring activities undertaken and results, and discusses the applicability of knowledge obtained to environmental and oil-exploration monitoring surveys in Australian waters.
The digital worker: how technology is enhancing safety and productivity in the field
Authors: Taylor Kate , Walker Trevor
Published: May 2020

The Australian workplace is currently in a state of evolution, from the physical space workers occupy to a way of working and interacting in which we are constantly connected. Technology is becoming cost-effective, making it more affordable at all workforce levels; businesses are investing in enterprise-grade solutions that are transforming both daily activities and long-term asset management strategies. To continue to drive the safety, productivity and cost improvements that our globally competitive market demands, we need to constantly assess technology solutions from outside the industry and adapt them to enhance our service delivery within the oil and gas industry. One such opportunity is the development and use of smartwatches within major hazard facilities. Through in-field trials, work crews are equipped with smartwatches that monitor health and well-being, alerting the worker if their risk of injury becomes elevated. These wearables also provide employees with efficient and effective accounting of personnel with their location in the case of emergency and provide opportunities for improved communication and productivity outcomes. Billions of dollars have been spent developing Australia’s oil and gas infrastructure. Ongoing operations and maintenance of these assets (and possible future expansions) remain labour intensive. With Australia’s comparatively high labour costs and the remoteness of both offshore and onshore resources, we cannot afford to hold back investment in our human assets, to gain deeper insights and optimise health and performance, as we have done in the case of our operating assets and equipment.
Lowering the cost of funds for exploration: the case for tax-based equity financing incentives
Authors: Wee Kenneth
Published: May 2020

Exploring for, and discovering, new oil and gas resources is essential to an oil and gas company’s ability to replenish and enhance its reserves base. With rising future demand for clean, sustainable and affordable energy sources and the important role and contribution of the Australian petroleum industry in the evolving global energy mix, continual investment in exploration activity will be the key to unlocking the prospectivity of undeveloped acreage, particularly in frontier areas. However, exploration is inherently risky and costly. Companies constantly compete for scarce capital to provide the necessary funding to undertake exploration activities. Financial capacity underwrites the ability to bid for exploration acreage by offering commensurate work program commitments. For junior explorers in the early exploration stage, liquidity constraints can mean that the covenants, collateral security requirements and periodic servicing obligations associated with raising debt financing are prohibitive. Equity investors, on the other hand, typically demand a higher return on capital. A fresh policy approach to encouraging petroleum exploration in Australia should be considered by government to incentivise the providers of equity capital to risk money for exploration ventures. This paper considers three models that are used internationally: (1) flow-through shares, (2) worthless stock deductions and (3) notional interest deductions for equity financing. This paper provides a comparative in-principle analysis of each model and offers some suggestions on how these models may be adapted to an Australian context and embedded into the existing taxation system.
Elastic waves in porous media saturated with non-wetting fluid
Authors: Li Jimmy X. , Rezaee Reza , Müller Tobias M. , Sarmadivaleh Mohammad
Published: May 2020

Elastic waves have widely been used as a non-destructive probing method in oilfield exploration and development, and the most well-known applications are in seismic exploration and borehole sonic logging. For waves in porous media, it is popular to use the Biot theory, which incorporates the wave-induced global flow, accounting for the frictional attenuation. The Biot theory assumes that the fluid is wetting to the solid matrix. However, the fluid is not always wetting the rock in real reservoirs. It was previously revealed that a non-wetting fluid parcel tends to slip on the solid wall pore boundary where the intermolecular potential between the fluid and solid wall is weaker than in wetting fluid conditions. This particular slippage feature means that the coupling relationship between the fluid and solid frame and frictional dissipation is likely to be very different between non-wetting and wetting fluid situations. We characterise this wave-induced slippage using an apparent viscosity for the non-wetting fluid within the thin viscous boundary layer. This apparent viscosity is smaller than the viscosity of the bulk fluid. We demonstrate that the slip correction affects the dynamic permeability and dynamic tortuosity and results in slippage/wettability dependent phase velocities and attenuation of the fully fluid-saturated rock.
Earthquake risk management for oil and gas infrastructure in the north west of Australia
Authors: Banimahd Meysam , Tyler Steve , Kuo Matthew , Chow Fiona
Published: May 2020

The July 2019 magnitude 6.6 earthquake 200 km offshore from Broome is a recent reminder of the significant risk that earthquakes pose to oil and gas infrastructure in Australia. Unlike tropical cyclones, there are no reliable methods for predicting the timing, location and magnitude of imminent earthquakes. Appropriate risk management is therefore required, together with the implementation of emergency response and integrity management procedures, to manage the potential impacts to health, safety, process safety, the environment and production. Given the concentration of oil and gas infrastructure in the north west of Australia, a collaborative approach is advantageous for earthquake risk management and emergency response measures. This paper shares Woodside’s earthquake risk and integrity management procedures with the aim of enabling appropriate quality and consistency throughout the industry. The paper reviews state-of-the-art international practice in earthquake risk management for critical infrastructure from design to operation. Applicable seismic design criteria, likely failure modes and performance requirements are also described. Woodside’s real-time earthquake alert and integrity management systems are presented. Recommendations are made on best practice for earthquake risk management in the region and areas for further collaboration and improvement within the industry.
A new generation of catalyst deactivation, removal and loading technology in the liquefied natural gas industry
Authors: Draca Marko L. , Tyszta Stephanie
Published: May 2020

In 2019, Santos applied an innovative, world first technology for catalyst changeout at Gladstone Liquefied Natural Gas (GLNG) Plant which eliminated 900 crane lifts, reduced confined space entry work by 145 h and reduced catalyst loading duration compared with traditional methods. Removing and replacing adsorbent media or catalyst in the LNG industry is a high risk activity that often drives the critical path of shutdown events. Traditional methods require confined space entry in an inert environment, with a worker required to manipulate a vacuum hose or loading sock while wearing an air supplied mask inside a vessel. Air temperatures inside can exceed 40°C and the risk of trapped pockets of hydrocarbons is difficult to eliminate. For the GLNG Train 1 2019 Major Shutdown, Santos awarded the catalyst changeout scope to EnerMech to deliver on innovations designed to eliminate the key risks of traditional media changeout operations. New technologies, techniques and processes for the decontamination, unloading and loading of adsorbent media were developed to mitigate the risks of traditional media handling through; (1) Ensuring adsorbent media is hydrocarbon free and deactivated before unloading; (2) Waste minimisation during decontamination of the media; (3) Effective remote unloading of adsorbent media; (4) Predictable outcomes through immunity to adverse weather conditions; (5) Limited cranes, flow bins or bulk bags required for loading; (6) Continuous adsorbent media fill at high rates; (7) Ability to maintain media moisture content during loading; (8) Flexibility and scalability in vessel loading; (9) Minimise media attrition through reduced media handling; (10) Significant safety benefits through the elimination of inert entry; and (11) Effective environmental and schedule upsides. The paper details the actual performance data of the technology as delivered at the GLNG Train 1 Shutdown.
Building an innovation culture and digital skills
Authors: Kalms Shelley
Published: May 2020

Woodside is a leading natural gas producer in Australia, operating 6% of the global supply of liquefied natural gas (LNG). From the first LNG plant in the Southern Hemisphere to the largest not-normally-crewed offshore platform, innovation is part of the company’s DNA. Now, Woodside is leading the industry’s digital transformation through an approach of ‘think big, prototype small and scale fast’ that puts people and company strategy firmly at the centre. This paper focuses on the importance of building trust and investing in people to establish a culture where digital transformation initiatives are adopted and can endure.
Strategies for obtaining ecological data to enhance decommissioning assessments
Authors: van Elden Sean , Tothill Thomas , Meeuwig Jessica J.
Published: May 2020

Many offshore oil and gas platforms around the globe are reaching their end-of-life and will require decommissioning in the next few decades. Knowledge on the ecology of offshore platforms and their ecological role within a regional context in Australia is limited and the subsequent consequences of decommissioning remain poorly understood. Remotely operated vehicle (ROV) video is often collected during standard industry operations and may provide insight into the marine life associating with offshore platforms; however, the utility of this video for scientific purposes remains unclear. We propose a standardised method of analysing this large database of archival ROV footage with specific interest in analysing the vertical distribution of fish species. Baited remote underwater video systems (BRUVS) are a widely used tool for studying marine faunal communities, and we demonstrate the value of BRUVS for understanding the regional ecology around offshore platforms. A combination of BRUVS and ROV data can be used to determine the relative ecological value of offshore platforms within a regional context. The Wandoo oil platform on Australia’s North West Shelf was used as a case study to test these proposed methods by assessing demersal and pelagic fish populations both on and around the Wandoo platform and various natural habitats in the region.
PESA Australian exploration review 2019
Authors: Cockerill Ian
Published: May 2020

Australia has continued its recent run of exploration success by yielding a series of impressive discoveries in 2019, despite a contraction in exploration activity. In 2019, Australian explorers were rewarded with six conventional onshore discoveries and three offshore discoveries, while only drilling 20 exploration wells. The exploration drilling highlights were the discoveries in the Vulcan Sub-basin (Bratwurst and Orchid) and the North Perth Basin (Beharra Springs Deep and West Erregulla). 2019 also saw successful appraisal drilling on the Dorado and Corvus discoveries as well as renewed exploration efforts in the Beetaloo Sub-basin unconventional plays. The exploration farm-in deals of note were Santos farming into Armour’s South Nicholson Basin acreage and Conoco farming into 3D Oil’s Otway Basin acreage. Australia is set for an exciting year of exploration with further drilling planned in the North Perth Basin and other high impact exploration wells on the North West Shelf. In a positive sign for future exploration, 13 new offshore permits were awarded with committed work programs or cash bids totalling AU$223 million. This is the first uptick in offshore permit awards since 2010.
PESA Australian business environment review 2019
Authors: Molyneux Simon
Published: May 2020

This Petroleum Exploration Society of Australia review looks at the major issues that impacted the Australian petroleum business environment in 2019. While the petroleum business in 2020 has been combating an oil price slump and a global economic slowdown driven by the COVID-19 pandemic, 2019 will be remembered as a pivotal year in the petroleum industry. At a global level, climate change moved centre-stage with global protests, extensive media coverage and clear commitments from global players in the resource industry to become net-zero emitters of carbon. Oil prices averaged US$64/barrel for Brent, liquefied natural gas (LNG) prices fell and global CO2 emissions from power generation were flat for the first time. In Australia, petroleum production also increased, driven by LNG production, and Australia became the world’s largest producer of LNG, the world’s largest CO2 injection plant became operational and the regulatory system was tested by current operations and future drilling. Meanwhile, society’s relationship with the petroleum industry was reframed with the linking of extensive bushfires to climate change. This paper will describe each of these issues and frame the issues facing the industry in 2020 and beyond.
PESA year in review 2019 – development and production
Authors: Quinn Matthew
Published: May 2020

Australia’s production has been steadily increasing since 2013 with the main contributors being the large liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects. The North Carnarvon Basin accounted for over half of Australian production in 2019, dominated by North West Shelf LNG, Gorgon, Wheatstone and Pluto. Just under a quarter of production was from the Bowen-Surat Basin, with the highest producing project being the Condabri, Talinga and Orana cluster of coal seam assets. The next most prolific basin was the Browse Basin at just over 10%, with Prelude and Ichthys, followed by the Gippsland at 7%. During the year, the Greater Enfield Project, in the North Carnarvon Basin, was brought onstream, which involved a 30-km tie-in of the Laverda and Cimatti fields to the Ngujima-Yin floating production, storage and offloading vessel at the Vincent Field via sub-sea pipelines. Also brought into production during 2019 was the Roma North and Project Atlas, Bowen-Surat Basin, coal bed methane projects. Gas from Roma North is exclusively contracted to the Gladstone LNG consortium while Project Atlas gas will be supplied to domestic customers.
Effect of controlling future rate of inbreeding on expected genetic gain and genetic variability in small livestock populations
Authors: Mwangi S. I. , Muasya T. K. , Ilatsia E. D. , Kahi A. K.
Published: May 2020

Context
In the present study we assessed the use of average relationship as a means to control future rates of inbreeding in small cattle closed nucleus and its effect on genetic gain for milk yield as a means of managing genetic variability in livestock improvement programs.

Aim
The aim was to strike an ideal balance between genetic gain and loss of genetic variability for Sahiwal population.

Methods
A total of 8452 milk yield records of Sahiwal cows from National Sahiwal Stud, Kenya, were used to estimate breeding values and 19315 records used to estimate average relatedness of all individuals. The estimated breeding values and genetic relationships were then used to optimise individual genetic contributions between the best two males and the top 210 females in 2000–2008-year group, as well as between the best four, six and eight males and top, 420, 630 and 840 females based on estimated breeding values for lactation milk yield. Weights on genetic merit and average relationship considered in this study were (1, 0), (1, −300), (1, −500), (1, −1000) and (0, −1).

Key results
When the best sires were selected and used for mating disregarding average relationship with their mates i.e. (0, –1), genetic gain of up to 213 kg was realised accompanied by a rate of inbreeding per generation of 4%. Restricting average relationship alone i.e. (0, –1), resulted in a future rate of inbreeding of 1.6% and average merit of 154 when top two sires were used for breeding. At the same restriction level but using eight top sires, the rate of inbreeding per generation was 0.9% accompanied by an average merit of 128.2 kg. Controlling average relationship between mates resulted in increased genetic variability i.e. lower rate of inbreeding though average merit declined.

Conclusion
A rate of inbreeding per generation of <1% is required for a population to maintain its long-term viability. For this level to be attained, the size of the breeding population should be increased from the current two sires vs 210 dams to eight sires vs 840 dams.

Implications
Practical implications for closed nucleus programs such as the Sahiwal program in Kenya should include expanding the nucleus to comprise other institutional and privately-owned herds.
Counting and measuring in Mẽbengokre and the count/mass distinction
Authors: Salanova Andrés Pablo
Published: May 2020

Though there is no formal differentiation between count and mass nouns in Mẽbengokre, a Jê language from central
Brazil, a contrast can be seen in the coercion that numerals and some quantifiers induce in mass nouns. This coercion, that leads
to both a type of and unit of readings, is the only type of discretization of mass concepts that
can be done within a noun phrase in the language, as measure classifiers do not exist, something that we argue for in some
detail.
Complex collaborations
Authors: Drugan Joanna
Published: May 2020

Interpreting and translation are increasingly provided in the public sector via large-scale outsourced framework
contracts (Moorkens 2017). In the UK, one of the largest recent framework agreements
for interpreting and translation was introduced between 2016 and 2017 in critical contexts for justice, including the Home Office,
the Ministry of Justice and the police. These agreements involve new types of collaboration between new partners and agents in the
delivery of interpreting and translation, who each have different aims, expectations, standards and working methods. This
contribution examines these emerging complex collaborations, and is the result of a rare type of complex collaboration between
academic researchers, framework contract-holders and managers, interpreters and translators, language service providers,
professional associations, and users of translation and interpreting services, within the Transnational Organised Crime and
Translation (TOCAT) project.

The article reports on original research conducted during the TOCAT project, and outlines and evaluates some
novel, complex and ethically challenging ‘translaborations’ in police settings. The collaborations discussed are complex because
of the range of parties and actors involved and because of the challenging content and settings in which the police rely on
interpreting and translation. ‘Translaboration’ is used here to encompass multiple evolving collaborations between different
providers and users of interpreting and translation, policy makers, trainers and researchers. Important questions of translation
quality and ethics in the management of large-scale framework contexts for public service delivery are raised.