bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Role of Effective Communication on Economic Development
Authors: Dinçer Hasan , Aracı Emrecan
Published: April 2019

The process of financial liberalization draws attention as a process that took place after the 1980s and led by the strong countries, in order to overcome the narrowing in the economies of the world countries which have become polarized because of the Second World War and the Cold War period immediately following the Second World War. In this chapter, firstly, the definition of the financial liberalization period and the effects according to the countries are examined, while the risk and crisis issues are also evaluated. Economic and political crises that have occurred in Turkey after the financial liberalization process in ongoing part of the study also were assessed by considering the effects on the economy. In this context, the economic and political crisis in Turkey are analyzed as to their effects on the country's economic performance. Accordingly, every 10 years, an economic and political crisis in Turkey took place. The country's economy is affected negatively in the macro-frame.
The Periods of Crisis in the Ownership of the Media of Large Enterprises in Turkey
Authors: Gezmen Basak , Eken Ihsan
Published: April 2019

Like every giant holding, large enterprises in the media may also face crisis in certain periods. This chapter will evaluate Dogan-Group and its publications in the context of the media industry in Turkey and will analyze the tax crisis the group in question experienced in 2009. In order to ensure an objective perspective in the research, the authors chose to examine the publications of newspapers which are thought to represent three different ideologies in Turkey. In this context, to ensure the objective approach in this study the 42 news reports published between February 2009 and September 2009, newspapers that are thought to have different viewpoints in Turkey, such as Sabah, Cumhuriyet, YeniSafak, and the so-called “flagship” of the group, Hurriyet Newspapers, have been investigated using content analysis. The time interval was chosen in accordance with the tax penalty. Content analysis method will be used in this study, and in this context, how much space the newspapers allocated to the crisis, their ways of handling the crisis, and the language they used when handling the crisis will be examined.
A Review of the Literature on IFRS Adoption From the Perspective of the Value Relevance
Authors: Ertuğrul Melik
Published: April 2019

International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS)-based financial reporting has become widespread all around the world especially after its mandatory adoption in the European Union in 2005. There are several objectives of IFRS-based financial reporting, all of which depends on the idea of a single set of high-quality standards as frequently highlighted by promoters of IFRS. This literature review depicts a comprehensive picture of the archival research on the impact of IFRS-based reporting on capital markets from the perspective of the value relevance (VR) concept. First, the VR concept, as well as models employed to measure the VR, are described. Afterwards, selected studies of the archival research are grouped, summarized, and discussed. Finally, archival research is methodologically analyzed by considering different dimensions. All in all, this literature review provides information on IFRS adoption from the perspective of the VR.
Numerical Study of Material Degradation of a Silicone Cross-Shaped Specimen Using a Thermodynamically Consistent Mooney-Rivlin Material Model
Authors: Jerábek Róbert , Écsi Ladislav
Published: April 2019

At present multiplicative plasticity theories are used to model material degradation of hyperelastic materials within the framework of finite-strain elastoplasticity. The theories assume that the intermediate configuration of the body is unstressed and that such multiaxially stretched bodies do not have compatible unstressed configurations. As a result, there does not exist a motion whose material gradient could define the plastic deformation gradient. The assumption is however not consistent with the theory of nonlinear continuum mechanics and the related theories are not continuum based. In this paper material degradation of a silicone cross-shaped specimen in biaxial tension is studied using a thermodynamically consistent Mooney-Rivlin material model. The material model is based on the first nonlinear continuum theory of finite deformations of elastoplastic media which allows for the development of objective and thermodynamically consistent material models within the framework of finite-strain elastoplasticity. Such material models are independent of the model description and the particularities of the model formulation and moreover they can relate the internal power density of the model to the internal power density of the specimen coming from the tensile test of the modelled material. In this paper a few analysis results are presented and briefly discussed.
Design of an Inertial Measuring Unit for Control of Robotic Devices
Authors: Škultéty Emil , Pivarčiová Elena , Karrach Ladislav
Published: April 2019

Industrial robots are increasingly used to automate technological processes, such as machining, welding, paint coating, assembly, etc. Automation rationalizes material flows, integrates production facilities and reduces the need for manufacturing inventory, provides cost savings for human maintenance. Technology development and growing competition have an influence on production growth and increase of product quality, and thus the new possibilities in innovation of industrial robot are searched for. One of the possibilities is applying of an inertial navigation system into robot control. This article focuses on new trends in manufacturing technology: design of Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) for a robotic application control. The Arduino platform is used for the IMU as a hardware solution. The advantage of this platform is low cost and wide range of sensors and devices that are compatible with this platform. For scanning, the MEMS sensor MPU6050 is used, which includes a 3-axis gyroscope and an accelerometer in one chip. New trends in manufacturing facilities, especially robotics innovation and automation, will enable the productivity to grow in production processes.
Effect of Carbon Source Injection Rate on CNT Film via Floating Catalyst CVD Method
Authors: Nur Izzaiti Ibrahim , Ismayadi Ismail , Shuhazly Mamat Md. , Lyana Adnan Noor
Published: April 2019

A floating catalyst CVD system was utilized to synthesis CNT film. The morphological of the synthesized CNT film was characterized using field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) and high resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM). While, graphitization and crystallinity of CNT film was determined by thermogravimetric analysis and Raman spectroscopy. The injection rate of carbon source was the main variable parameter in this work shown great contribution influencing morphological structure of materials. A suitable optimization parametric study of injection rate was determined. This work shows an overview of synthesis CNT film using floating catalyst and the effect of injection carbon source solution on properties of CNT film which is useful for future work.
Effect Grinding of Graphite on Structural and Morphological Characteristics of Carbon Nanotubes Grown by Microwave Oven
Authors: Algadri Natheer A. , Hassan Zainuriah , Ibrahim Kamarulazizi , Bououdina Mohamed
Published: April 2019

The influence of graphite grinding time on the formation of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), is investigated. Graphite with different grinding time is used for the growth of CNTs by a cost-effective method using a microwave oven. The samples produced using the different grinding time contain nanotubes with an average diameter in the range 31–50 nm as observed by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). The lowest intensity ratio of D and G bands (ID/IG) and full width at half maximum of G as identified by Raman spectroscopy for grinding time 20 minute indicates the improved crystallinity of CNTs.
Growth Temperature Dependence of Sol-Gel Spin Coated Indium Nitride Thin Films
Authors: Lee Zhi Yin , Ng Sha Shiong , Yam Fong Kwong , Hassan Zainuriah
Published: April 2019

The study highlights the effects of growth temperatures ranging from 500 to 650 °C on the properties of indium nitride (InN) thin films prepared by sol-gel spin coating method followed by nitridation, also, the growth mechanism was studied in depth. The findings revealed that the InN crystal growth was promoted at the growth temperature of 600 °C, by which the crystalline quality of the deposited thin films was improved and the densely packed InN grains were formed. However, thermal decomposition of InN was observed at increasing temperature to 650 °C. Apart from that, the infrared (IR) reflectance measurement shows the presence of transverse and longitudinal-optical phonon modes of wurtzite structure InN. These vibrational modes were found to be slightly shifted from the theoretical values as a result of the incorporation of oxygen contamination in the deposited thin films.
Hydrothermal Reconstructing Routes of Alkali-Free ZnAl Layered Double Hydroxide: A Characterisation Study
Authors: Tajuddin N.A , Saleh Rozaina , Manayil J.C. , Isaacs M. , Parlett C.M.A. , Lee A.F. , Wilson K.
Published: April 2019

A facile, rapid, and noninvasive method for reconstructing ZnAl layered double hydroxide (LDH) is reported. ZnAl LDH series were synthesized at different Zn2+/Al3+ atomic ratio (1.5-4) via an alkali-free method and reconstructed under hydrothermal route (HTM) for the first time. Fresh Zn/Al LDHs were activated at 300°C and reconstructed under hydrothermal process. A better insight and correlation study between the physiochemical properties of reconstructed ZnAl LDH in terms of their crystallinity, surface area and basicity also will be gained here. BET surface area of rehydrated samples increased up to 355 m2/g (Zn:Al ratio 3:1). CO2-TPD probed high number of basic sites density (0.1 mmol/g).
Growth of ZnO Microstructure on Porous Silicon
Authors: Rosli Nurizati , Halim Mohd Mahadi , Hashim M. Roslan
Published: April 2019

In this study, Zinc Oxide (ZnO) microstructures were grown on porous silicon (PS) using chemical bath deposition (CBD) method by varying the growth time. The field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) revealed the morphology and sized of ZnO. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectra indicate the high quality growth of ZnO on PS surface. Raman analyses revealed the peaks shift of E2(High), characterized wurtzite lattice and indicates good crystallinity of ZnO.
Unsteady Boundary Layer Flow of Sphere Filled with Nanofluid in the Present of Magnetic Fields
Authors: Bin Ismail Mohamad Alif , Mohammad Nurul Farahain , Shafie Sharidan
Published: April 2019

The development of boundary layer flow problem which is involve of nanofluid for improve thermal efficiency in many applications is gaining momentum as most of base fluid are not very good thermal conductor. The enhancement of thermal conductivity can be improving when the magnetic fields is presented. Also, by using this material may encountered another problem such as separation flow. This research is study about magnetic fields effect on unsteady mixed convection flow on nanofluid past a sphere with heat flux as its boundary condition. This problem will consider its mathematical model where it can help to predict the solution in experimental method. The mathematical method that being used is Keller-box because of its ability to solve non-linear equation. The nanoparticles that being choose are copper and titanium oxide with water as based fluid. There will have three equation which is mass, momentum, and energy equation. All equations are transform into non-similarity ordinary differential equations by using appropriate variables. The effect of magnetic parameter on velocity and temperature profiles as well as skin friction and Nusselt number are studied. The results show that volume fraction affected the heat-transfer rate, and skin friction coefficient. This study also shows that magnetic parameter affected the separation times which is decelerated the flow.
Effect of Template Deposition Method on Formation of AuNPs in Memory Devices Application
Authors: Ng Soo Ai , Khairunisak Abdul Razak , Cheong Kuan Yew , Aw Kean C.
Published: April 2019

AuNPs were prepared by using a sacrificial hydrothermal method on Aluminum (Al) /(polymethylsilsesquioxane) PMSSQ / (Silicon) Si substrate. The Al layer was the sacrificial template dissolved in precursor during hydrothermal reaction. The effect of deposition method for Al template on AuNP formation was investigated. Two deposition methods (sputtering and thermal evaporation) of Al template were varied for preparing template. The properties of formed AuNPs were studied using field-emission scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffractometer. PMSSQ was spin-coated on the produced AuNPs in order to investigate the memory properties, which were then characterized by using a semiconductor characterization system. The sample grown hydrothermally on sputtered Al template exhibited excellent memory properties with the lowest turn “ON” voltage at 2.4 V in I-V characteristics and 34 charges were stored per AuNP in C-V measurement. Therefore, isolate and uniform of AuNPs distribution are crucial for excellent memory properties of devices.
Non-Intrusive Monitoring of Subsea Boosting Systems
Authors: Abrahamsen Jens , Sæther Frank Tore , Haugen Svein Arild , Bentsen Stian , Villanger Yngve , Økland Ole
Published: April 2019

Critical rotating machinery topside is monitored by sensors providing detailed information on the mechanical condition. Early signs of abnormalities can be detected and corrected. This is contrary to subsea pumps where only a very small percentage of the installed base is monitored. This is due to the lack of availability of qualified proximity probes for subsea pumps, although this has started to be addressed for recent applications. Furthermore, sensors inside the machine add complexity, failure modes and cost, while benefits are limited as repair requires the machine to be recovered to the surface. Consequently, a run to failure philosophy is applied.

With sensors being omitted because of cost and risk, the operator often operates in an uncomfortable "blind" mode. With no information on remaining life time and the risk of a creeping failure underway, the only mitigation is to accept the cost for a spare pump and IMR vessel ready for a replacement at minimum notice.

By applying an array of sensing elements, the presented condition monitoring system measures and analyses the acoustic and electric field generated by a subsea pump. The sensor system operates completely independently, can be installed and replaced without interfering with the pump and will also provide monitoring of components adjacent to the pump. The level of precision provided is not designed for detailing a repair plan (e.g. defining the position of balance weights), however it is fully adequate for early detection of a fault under development and will help guide the operator to maximize remaining lifetime by tuning the process parameters.

Using data acquired over a 10 year period, we will demonstrate how the system has successfully been used to monitor the health status of two different subsea pumps. Both pumps were eventually damaged, and we will investigate how the system provided the operator with a warning 6-8 weeks before the pump had to be stopped.
Review of Technology Status and Challenges Associated with Ultra Deep Water Developments
Authors: Singhal Gaurav , Dibua Odion , Murray Daniel , Culembourg Laurent , Erb Paul , Wensel Eric , Makogon Taras
Published: April 2019

A review of current technology limits and challenges that exist for surface facilities (topsides and hull), subsea and flow assurance aspects for ultra deepwater developments (>3,000m or 10,000ft) is presented. Gap assessments are performed to identify components that require development and / or qualification at greater water depths than their current design / qualification depth. Technology readiness level (TRL) is presented for assessment of existing technologies. A summary of current confidence level for various components of a field development (i.e. subsea, topsides, hull, mooring, risers) is also provided. Given the current state of the industry, the paper also addresses project economics, risks and uncertainties when evaluating opportunities in such water depths.
Deepwater Opportunities Extra Long Oil Tiebacks Developments
Authors: Gassert Michael , Calabrese Vito , Paccagnella Giorgio , Fazio Andrea , Galisai Nicola , Argento Francesco , Castellitto Tommaso , Magi Stefano , Citi Gianfederico , Infusino Lorenzo , Rollo Fabrizio
Published: April 2019

The scope of the paper is to further present and discuss, in continuation of OTC-28839-MS paper, the results of our technology development program regarding very long oil tiebacks architectures (50-100km) and enabling technologies. It is arrived the time when long tieback solutions are considered for real development projects. The paper will describe how those technological solutions compare with more conventional development schemes in concept selection phases and how our Operating Company is getting prepared for potential implementation.

The paper will review key enabling technologies, together with their readiness level and discuss drivers for integration and operation. Sizing references will be presented as a result of Front End Engineering and Design activities developed for real project development opportunities. Technical performances will be discussed and technical-economic indicators will be provided. Risks during development and production will be analyzed and mitigation will be evaluated.

A combination of heated high thermal performance flowlines, subsea multiphase boosting, subsea power management, innovative preservation procedures, newest subsea production components together with a reliable integrated control system and digital technologies are the key enablers of a very long tieback solution that may work as kind of highways to bring back production of a whole area to a production hub. Technically the way to go and the gap to cross appear manageable in mid to short terms opening new opportunities for deepwater asset development.

It appears now possible to reduce deepwater development costs by increasing the distance between new assets and existing production hubs, shallow water areas or even connecting those assets to shore.
Critical Areas to be Aware of for Efficient Floater Operations throughout the Lifecycle of the Asset
Authors: Takei Jamaludin bin , Thavaratnam Dyala Kumar
Published: April 2019

This paper investigates the critical areas at every stage in the lifecycle of the floater that may have been overlooked by classification bodies as well as owners and operators. These areas result in compromise of safety, integrity and operational capability leading to direct costs and opportunity loss costs, from cost for revenue deferment, repairs, third party engagement and risking the reputation and integrity of the COMPANY. The findings reveal the primary cause of breach in critical areas is the lack of a check and balance mechanism that should be imposed by owners and operators of the floaters to Classification deliverables instead of completely depending on Classification Society. Certain optional certification by Classification Society should be made mandatory to avoid such failures.

Based on research and analysis of past floaters’ failures, a set of floaters’ integrity and assurance guideline should be developed and adopted by owners and operators to ensure safety, integrity and operational capability is always maintained and continuously monitored throughout the lifecycle of the Asset. Investigation on a number of case studies was conducted by collecting various data at all phases of the project (i.e. development, front end engineering, detail engineering, construction, transport and installation, hook up and commissioning, operation and maintenance, and decommissioning and demobilization & preservation).

This paper emphasizes the need for Classification Society, owners and operators to conduct mandatory internal reviews, as a form of check and balance to avoid instances of overlooked critical areas. Ensure cohesive decision making by classification society, owners and operators of floaters to circumvent instances of overlooking the identified critical areas resulting in hazardous work environment and revenue deferment that have caused operators to be accountable and owners to be responsible. The Floaters’ Integrity and Assurance Guideline should provide an accountable process for all phases of the project throughout the life cycle of the asset.
Assessing Hydrate Formation in a Gas Condensate Subsea Tieback Using a Transient Hydrate Simulation Tool
Authors: Wang Yan , Rivero Lourdes M , Palermo Thierry , Koh Carolyn A , Zerpa Luis E
Published: April 2019

Current oil prices have shifted the offshore flow assurance philosophy from "hydrate avoidance" to "hydrate management". In order to manage hydrate formation in the pipeline, not only do we need to have a good understanding of the hydrate formation process, but also a comprehensive hydrate formation predictive tool is necessary. In this work, a transient hydrate simulation tool coupled with a multiphase flow simulator, which predicts the hydrate formation rate and amount to determine hydrate slurry transportability, is applied to assess the hydrate formation risk in an offshore gas condensate subsea tieback under design stage. A simulation model is developed using the geometry, fluid properties and predicted production data from this field. This gas condensate field has an offshore separator that connects to a subsea production line. After separation, gas and liquids are transported by export lines. In this study, the hydrate formation in the production and the liquid export lines was estimated using the transient hydrate simulation tool. Simulation studies were performed to assess the hydrate plugging risk at both steady state and transient operations considering different water cuts. This simulation tool has been demonstrated to be useful in modeling hydrate management during subsea pipeline design and optimization, and can provide guidelines for safe and cost-effective hydrate management in the field.
A Detailed Look into the 2017 SNAME OC-8 Comparative Wind Load Study
Authors: Berto Kevin , Hodapp David , Falzarano Jeffrey
Published: April 2019

This paper documents the results from the 2017 Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME) OC-8 Panel Comparative Wind Load Study. Initial unpublished results were presented at a one-day panel at the 2017 SNAME Maritime Convention; however, the final results are brought together for the first time in this paper.

A blind, comparative study was organized through the SNAME OC-8 Panel in 2017 to assess the relative accuracy and repeatability of existing wind load estimation methods. Twenty-five companies and organizations throughout the world participated in this study, which encompassed three available wind load estimation methods: empirical building block procedures, wind tunnel testing, and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). To permit an ‘apples-to-apples’ comparison, the same representative semisubmersible design was used by all participants, including a single physical model shipped consecutively to each of the five wind tunnel facilities participating in the study.

The most significant finding from the study is the remarkably low variability in wind tunnel and CFD results relative to the empirical building block method incorporated in the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), classification rules, and industry codes for stability calculations. Moreover, only wind tunnel and CFD results were able to accurately quantify the contribution of a lifting force and its effect on the overturning moment. The lessons learned from the comparative study will be incorporated into a long-awaited revision to SNAME's wind tunnel testing guideline, and has inspired the development of a new industry guideline which will broadly address wind load estimation methods in design, including the use of CFD throughout the design spiral.
A Counter-Current Heat-Exchange Reactor for the Thermal Stimulation of Gas Hydrate and Petroleum Reservoirs
Authors: Schicks Judith Maria , Spangenberg Erik , Giese Ronny , Luzi-Helbing Manja , Priegnitz Mike , Heeschen Katja U. , Strauch Bettina , Schrötter Jörg , Kück Jochem , Töpfer Martin , Klump Jens , Thaler Jan , Abendroth Sven
Published: April 2019

At the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences we have developed a safe and efficient method which allows for the decomposition of gas hydrates by the supply of heat inside the reservoir. The heat is generated in situ by a catalytic combustion of methane in a counter-current heat-exchange reactor. The reactor that Rudy Rogers, Professor Emeritus in Chemical Engineering at Mississippi State University, referred to as the "Schicks Combustor" is placed in a borehole in such way that the hot reaction zone is situated in the area of the hydrate layer.

The counter-current heat-exchange reactor developed at GFZ generates heat via a flameless catalytic oxidation of methane at a noble metal catalyst. The system is closed i.e. there is no contact of the reactants, catalyst and environment. For safety reasons, methane and air are fed separately through a tube-in-tube arrangement into the mixing chamber. Due to its cooling effect and for safety reasons air instead of pure oxygen is used. From the mixing chamber the gas mixture arrives in defined quantities on the catalyst bed, where methane and oxygen are converted into carbon dioxide and water. The hot product gases release their heat via an aluminum foam to the outer wall of the reactor and then to the environment. Simultaneously, the incoming gases are preheated. The reaction runs stable and autonomous between 673 and 823 K.

The counter-current heat-exchange reactor was designed as a lab reactor and a borehole tool. The lab reactor was tested in a reservoir simulator to investigate the heat transfer into gas hydrate bearing sediments. Therefore methane hydrate was generated in the LArge Reservoir Simulator (LARS), an autoclave with a volume of 425 L. In a test with 80% hydrate saturation, the reservoir simulator warmed up within 12 hours after the ignition of the catalyst to such an extent that the temperature of the complete sample was above the dissociation temperature of the previously formed methane hydrate which dissociated completely and methane could therefore be produced. During this test, only 15% of the produced CH4 was consumed to generate the energy needed for the thermal dissociation of the hydrates. The experience with the laboratory reactor served as basis for the design of a borehole tool which is suitable for the application in natural gas hydrate reservoirs. The borehole tool has a total length of 5120 mm, an outer diameter of 90 mm and weighs ca. 100 kg. First results from field tests at the continental deep drilling site KTB in Windischeschenbach, Germany, confirm that the borehole tool reliably produces heat at depth.
Systems Engineering and Industry Standards in the Age of Digital Technology
Authors: McAfoos Robert , Stout Kerry , Climacosa Rey
Published: April 2019

Results of a pilot project conducted in partnership with the American Petroleum Institute (API) and the International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE) are presented. The pilot examines potential business efficiencies and compliance improvements from the implementation of a structured data approach to the management and verification of requirements specified in API standards. It further explores an approach for developing digital requirements from published standards owned and maintained by international Standards Development Organizations (SDOs). SDOs create and maintain their standards based on a process which relies on consensus from technical experts throughout the world. This process encourages wide spread adoption resulting in improvements to both safety and reliability across the applicable industry. The project explored approaches to guide technical consensus committees in the structure and realization of their standards such that they more directly support the digital transformation.
Slug Induced Vibrations Modelling
Authors: Le Prin Kevin , Minguez Matthieu , Liné Alain
Published: April 2019

In this paper, the authors present an alternative methodology to improve (or at least to reduce) the uncertainty level within the prediction of the life time of subsea structures. The focus is made on rigid spool & jumper (or any piping system) prone to internal intermittent multiphase flow (currently named slug flow) and any potential Flow-Induced Vibrations (FIV) phenomenon. As it will be more exhaustively detailed here below, the proposed modelling aims at recovering at the best both (i) the multiphase flow kinematics (i.e. both gas pocket & liquid slug) to be expected in the flow loop and (ii) the resulting loads seen by the structure. The considered multiphase flow solver is based on the well-known Unit Cell Model (UCM, refer to Nicklin et al. (1962), Wallis (1969)) and coupled with usual commercial Finite Element (FE) solvers to recover the expected vibratory levels within the mechanical system.

With rigorous purpose, a step-by-step validation process is presented within this paper to progressively validate the different step changes in regard to the current Best Practices (as e.g. reminded by Payne (2015) or Ancian (2016)). Both Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model and experimental database, as extracted from the literature, have been considered to assess the ability of the proposed methodology to recover the expected multiphase flow kinematics and the loads induced by a Taylor bubble flowing within a rigid spool. Once validated, the multiphase flow solver has been coupled to a Finite Element (FE) model to properly assess the Flow-Induced Vibrations (FIV) of the spool resulting from such intermittent slugging solicitations. As here below underlined, the presented comparisons with the Industry Standards suggest (i) the need to challenge the recommended practices to ensure safe and reliable design and (ii) to properly manage the safety Design Fatigue Factor (DFF) to be considered within engineering phases.
Qualification and Case Studies Subsea Chemical Storage and Injection Unit
Authors: Schroeder Art J , Gay Tom A , Chitwood James E , York Matt , Alexander Ben , Holtz Todd
Published: April 2019

This paper summarizes results and lessons learned from qualification of a full scale subsea chemical storage and injection system. It also presents compelling findings from case studies that demonstrate the system can deliver significant savings compared to host platform chemical storage and umbilical delivery. Successful deployment of this new technology will initially provide, in brownfield applications, a very attractive alternative to an umbilical replacement, particularly later in field life when production rates and percent oil tend to be much lower, where economics may all together preclude installing a new umbilical and result in pre-mature field abandonment. The need for umbilical replacement might be triggered by a number of situations such as umbilical tube plugging or damage, or changing production composition requiring additional/different chemical treatments. In greenfield applications remote chemical storage and injection will greatly facilitate development of hundreds of smaller deepwater resources and billions of barrels of oil equivalent (BOE) by enabling safe, cost-effective long distance tie-backs to existing infrastructure out of traditional reach of umbilicals. Current shallow water deployment case studies indicate that transferring chemical storage and injection equipment weight from host facility deck to subsea and eliminating the need for on-deck personnel to maintain equipment generates positive economics and help achieve industry objects of ‘de-manning’ offshore facilities.
Upgrading and Conversion Opportunities for Floating Offshore Units
Authors: van Wijngaarden A. Martijn , Daniels Nick
Published: April 2019

Offshore energy market conditions change rapidly, with consequential demand changes for installation equipment, floating units and support vessels. Newbuilding requires a substantial investment and often takes (too) much time to obtain maximum benefit from an emerging opportunity. Upgrading or conversion of an existing unit can be a good alternative.

There are eight different hull types to choose from for floating offshore units. The most common vessel type is the ship-shaped monohull. Within the large pool of existing merchant and offshore vessels, both new and ageing, there are many suitable candidates for upgrades and conversions. Such a new lease of life expands their operational and economical portfolio and serves the offshore industry in reaching spectacular advances in transport, construction and installation performance.

When upgrading or converting existing units multiple tiers of capability increase are distinguished. Each tier brings increasing complexity, risks and re-building costs. Options range from life extension and modernization of an older vessel, temporary conversion, capacity upgrade, adding functions, changing the present function, to ultimately the complete transformation of an older merchant cargo vessel into a brand new offshore unit. Major vessel conversions can be competitive with newbuilding options, provided that such a complex conversion project is prepared and managed well.

New insights into the market drivers for upgrading and conversion of floating offshore assets are provided. The broad range of offshore vessel modifications presented is an industry first. Some remarkable examples of capacity upgrades, double conversions and complete vessel makeovers are presented.
Subsea Long-Distance Tie-Back
Authors: Wiles Douglas Peter , Widjaja Ervina , Davalath Janardhan
Published: April 2019

Subsea deep-water oil and gas developments are characterized by the need for long term planning and large capital allocation with delayed returns. Reduced time to first oil dramatically improves field economics and enables the efficient application of capital. Shorter project durations can be achieved by implementing a phased approach to field development. Phased developments allow for reduced upfront Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) and moderate returns, followed by the future investment from earned revenues to expand the field. The result can be dramatically improved capital efficiency, substantially reduced financial exposure and maximized utilization of common production facilities across the life of the field. Each subsequent phase can become technically more challenging, as offsets become longer, and reservoir properties begin to differ from those of the initial production fluids. This paper provides an overview of the technologies that can be deployed for such a phased development approach, ultimately enabling the economic exploitation of long tie-backs and discusses the status of the required technologies.
The Potential for Offshore Industry to Enable Discovery of Paleo-Landscapes and Evidence for Early People: Past Present and an Optimistic Future
Authors: Faught Michael Kent , Joy Shawn
Published: April 2019

Pre-contact period submerged landscape archaeology in the United States has been driven and improved by the efforts of cultural resource managers (CRM). While academic organizations in the US have conducted submerged landscapes archaeology, the objective of this paper is to show how CRM projects on the Atlantic outer continental shelf (OCS) and in the Gulf of Mexico have expanded our understanding of principles and methods for mapping and evaluating submerged pre-contact period archaeological sites.

Basically, there are two distinct kinds of submerged cultural resources that are considered by US legislation. These are historic shipwrecks or downed aircraft and pre-contact period archaeological sites. The Secretary of the Interior's qualifications for archaeologists conducting required surveys distinguish between these two kinds of archaeologists - historic and pre-contact. Methods and principles for shipwreck archaeology have been developed and practiced since the 1960s. Survey and analysis for drowned pre-contact sites on the other hand, are recent subjects for marine-focused geoarchaeologists. Geoarchaeologists are uniquely qualified to understand details of local antecedent (pre-transgression) geology, local pre-contact archaeology, and dynamic local sea level rise details necessary for predictive modeling of any particular submerged paleolandscape.

This paper will discuss how a survey for submerged pre-contact sites involves acoustic data and paleolandscape reconstruction techniques, determination of what culture group may have occupied those landscapes, and how details of sea-level rise affected that paleolandscape setting. In addition Phase II operations are necessary to test sub-bottom targets. These include coring and diver dredging operations. These methods and novel techniques for perceiving sites and reconstructing past landscapes will be described. We will show the benefits of following Bureau of Ocean and Energy Management (BOEM) guidelines within state waters as well as federal, and in the process of working offshore to reconstruct culture histories, it may come to pass that offshore industries will be a major contributor.
Prediction of the Aqueous Stability Limit of Surfactant EOR Formulations
Authors: Chang Leonard Yujya , Pope Gary Arnold
Published: April 2019

A new structure-property model was developed to predict the aqueous stability limit of chemical EOR formulations from the surfactant and co-solvent structures. The coacervation of aqueous solutions is modeled in a way that is similar to that of phase transitions for microemulsions but excluding the effect of oil. In addition to modeling the effects of surfactant structure, co-solvent partitioning and structure, and the interactions of divalent cations with anionic head groups, the effect of polymer concentration and the interactions of surfactant lipophiles were modeled. A new aqueous stability dataset consisting of 858 aqueous stability experiments with various combinations of 121 surfactants (internal olefin sulfonates, alkylbenzene sulfonates, alcohol alkoxy sulfate, and alcohol alkoxy carboxylate) and 19 co-solvents (alcohols and alcohol alkoxylates) was used for model development and cross validation. The structures of the surfactants and co-solvents in the new dataset include variations in the type of hydrophobe (carbon number, degree of branching, polydispersity, and aromaticity), number of alkoxylate groups (propylene oxide and ethylene oxide), and the type of head group. The structure-property models for the optimum salinity and optimum solubilization ratio (Chang et al., 2019) can be used with the new structure-property model for the aqueous stability limit to provide a useful guide to experimental testing programs for the development of chemical formulations for enhanced oil recovery and other similar applications requiring both low interfacial tension and aqueous stability.
Machine Learning and Quantitative Ground Models for Improving Offshore Wind Site Characterization
Authors: Sauvin Guillaume , Vanneste Maarten , Vardy Mark E. , Klinkvort Rasmus T. , Carl Fredrik Forsberg
Published: April 2019

Quantitative integrated ground models are a requirement for proper cost optimal site characterization, for offshore renewables, coastal activities and O&G projects. Geotechnical analyses and interpretations often rely on isolated 1D boreholes. On the other hand, geophysical data are collected in 2D lines and/or 3D volumes. Geophysical data therefore provides the natural link to re-populate geotechnical properties found in the 1D boreholes onto a larger area and thereby build a consistent and robust ground model. The geophysical data can be used to estimate geotechnical data and, as of today, there are a few methods available that can reliably map the dynamic properties from the seismic data (stratigraphic information, P-wave velocities, amplitudes, and their attributes) into geotechnical or geomechanical properties, particularly for shallow sub-surface depth. Being able to predict soil properties away from boreholes is important, as often the field layout changes during the development phase, and hence, information at the specific foundation locations may not be readily available.

We have developed a workflow to build quantitative ground models following three approaches: (i) a geometric model in which the seismic data interpretations guide the prediction of geotechnical properties; (ii) a geostatistical approach in which in addition to the structural constraints, we used the seismic velocities to guide the prediction; and (iii) a multi-attribute regression using an artificial neural network (ANN). We apply it to a set of publically available data from the Holland Kust Zuid wind farm site in the Dutch sector of the North Sea. The result of the workflow yields maps or sub-volumes of geotechnical or geomechanical properties across the development site that can be used in further planning or engineering design.

In this study, we use the tip resistance from a CPT as an example. The tip resistance derived using all methods generally give good results. Validation against randomly selected CPT shows good correlation between predicted and measured tip resistance. The ANN performs better than the geostatistical approach. However, these two approaches require good data quality and a rather large dataset to be effective. Therefore, using a global dataset not restricted to the Holland Kust Zuid site may improve the prediction. Moreover, using existing empirical correlation and calibration through laboratory testing or by training another ANN model, the geotechnical stiffness/strength parameters such as angle of friction or undrained shear strength could be derived.

The next step is to use the results and their uncertainty into a cost assessment for the given foundation concepts.
Engineering Data Management Using Artificial Intelligence
Authors: Mahasivabhattu Kalicharan , Bandi Deepti , Singh Shubham Kumar , Kumar Pankaj
Published: April 2019

A lot of data in the engineering world exists in the form of paper drawings and documents. Technically, these are considered as "unstructured data [1]"as it is difficult to extract content from the drawings using traditional programs as compared to data stored in databases. These drawings are often used for design and maintenance activities in both greenfield and brownfield projects. Today, digital is a key enabler in oil and gas to increase workforce efficiency. Hence there is a growing need to get the dumb drawings digitized. However, the only means of converting these drawings into digital format is to manually re-draw them.

With the emergence of technologies like Computer Vision, Optical Character Recognition(OCR) and Natural Language Processing(NLP), we no longer need to depend on human cognitive capabilities to process information from a drawing. Artificial Intelligence(AI) systems can be trained to recognize the visual content in drawings and provide a simplified context. AI based algorithms can read a scanned Process and Instrumentation Diagram (P&ID) to recognize the graphical content of the drawing like instruments, tags, pipelines, text etc. The information extract that AI generates from a dumb drawing can later be passed to an automation script to create a new digital version.

This paper emphasizes the use of Artificial Intelligence in processing a scanned drawing and automatically redraw it on a digital platform. Adapting this approach can bring considerable advantage in the pursuit of going digital.
Maximizing Tax Incentives for Offshore Exploration and Production Efforts Following the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017
Authors: Riebe Craig S , Sanchez Amanda R , Windhorst J Blake
Published: April 2019

The tax changes introduced under the newly-enacted Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the "Act") are complex, but various provisions can be leveraged to produce direct financial benefits for innovative companies in the energy industry. Cutting edge technologies and innovations related to offshore renewable energy, robotics, automation, oilfield digitalization, geotechnical engineering, and other technical areas are critical to the growth of the energy industry. Understanding how the new provisions interrelate is essential to maximizing the Act's valuable tax incentives for offshore exploration and production companies in the United States.

The Act maintains the permanency of the Research and Development Tax Credit in § 41 of the Internal Revenue Code ("IRC"), reduces the corporate tax rate from 35% to 21%, eliminates the alternative minimum tax for certain entities, limits the net operating loss deduction to 80% of taxable income, and repeals the existing carryback and carryforward provisions under IRC § 172. This paper will discuss the legal implications of the new Act and provide methods and tax strategies that will directly impact energy companies’ return on investment and strengthen offshore exploration and production efforts.

Perhaps most notably, since the Research and Development Tax Credit ("RTC") remains permanent, companies in the industry may recover qualified research expenditures related to the development of new or improved products, processes, formulas, inventions, techniques, and software. The RTC is a highly valuable incentive that directly impacts a company's tax liability both at the federal level and in certain states. Because of the reduced corporate tax rate, the changes related to net operating losses, and the elimination of the alternative minimum tax for certain entities, this credit provides a powerful incentive for many energy companies. In addition, since the Act will soon require taxpayers to capitalize and amortize expenditures related to qualified research conducted outside of the United States over a period of 15 years, companies performing critical research in the United States may soon be able to realize an additional current year deduction if certain expenditures are characterized differently under IRC § 162. Creating a tax strategy that incorporates the RTC and related provisions in the Act may result in a valuable benefit to energy clients creating and utilizing intellectual property throughout the world.
Kinetic Behavior of CH-Hydrate Formation in a Sandy Medium Induced by a Multi-Stage Cooling Process
Authors: Yin Zhenyuan , Moridis George , Chong Zheng Rong , Linga Praveen
Published: April 2019

Methane hydrates (MHs) have been considered as the future clean energy resource because of the vast resource volume and the capability to store methane effectively. To synthesize MH-bearing samples in laboratory for analysis of the thermophysical/geomechanical properties and the formation/dissociation behavior is important because of the scarcity of obtaining naturally-occurring MH cores. With the aim to achieve maximum uniformity in the MH-bearing samples, we designed experiment involving a three- stage cooling process to induce MH formation in the sandy medium under an excess-water condition. The experimental measured P and T were used to estimate the phase saturations of all phases (aqueous, gas and hydrate) over time based on a pore-volume balance method. In the absence of direct visualization capability, we further analyzed the experimental results through numerical simulation to derive the spatial distributions of all phases in the sample. Heterogeneity was identified because of the heat inflow from the surrounding resulting from the imperfect insulation of the reactor. We reached the conclusion that creating homogeneous MH-bearing samples in laboratory is extremely challenging and may not be possible. Our results offer explanations for MH formation at preferential locations and shed light on alternative innovative designs of experimental apparatus or cooling processes (with increased number of cooling steps and longer duration) to create uniform MH-bearing core samples.