bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Eating Disorders in children and adolescents with Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes: prevalence, risk factors, warning signs.
Authors: Racicka Ewa , Bryńska Anita
Published: October 2015

Cukrzyca wiąże się ze zwiększonym ryzykiem występowania problemów z odżywianiem, różnych w zależności od typu cukrzycy. Zespół napadowego objadania się występuje częściej u pacjentów z cukrzycą typu 2. Z kolei intencjonalne pomijanie dawek insuliny w celu uzyskania spadku masy ciała występuje głównie wśród chorych z cukrzycą typu 1, choć u niektórych osób z cukrzycą typu 2 można również odnotować pomijanie dawek doustnych leków przeciwcukrzycowych. Do czynników ryzyka rozwoju zaburzeń odżywiania w przypadku pacjentów z cukrzycą należą: wiek, płeć żeńska, wyższa masa ciała, niezadowolenie z wyglądu własnego ciała, stosowanie w przeszłości różnych diet, dodatni wywiad w kierunku depresji. Słaba kontrola glikemii, nawracające epizody kwasicy ketonowej, czy też nawracająca hipoglikemia, wtórna do intencjonalnego przedawkowania insuliny, nie zgłaszanie się na kontrolne wizyty lekarskie, manipulowanie posiłkami oraz obniżona samoocena powinny wzbudzać niepokój. Konsekwencją zaburzeń odżywiania lub nieprawidłowych wzorców odżywiania u osób z cukrzycą jest słaba kontrola glikemii, a co za tym idzie większe ryzyko rozwoju powikłań tj. nefropatii, retinopatii czy przedwczesnego zgonu.
Impact of Point-of-Care Implementation in Pharmacist-Run Anticoagulation Clinics within a Community-Owned Health System: A Two-Year Retrospective Analysis
Authors: Challen Laura , Agbahiwe Sylvester , Cantieri Tara , Olivetti Jessica Garcia , Mbah Theophilus , Mendoza-Becerra Yvonne , Munoz Cesar , Nguyen Michelle , Partee Katashia , Lal Lincy , Thomas Jocelyn , Green Monica
Published: October 2015

Background

Point-of-care (POC) testing devices allow laboratory monitoring to be performed in various settings and accessed immediately.

Objective

To evaluate the outcomes of monitoring anticoagulation patients in pharmacistmanaged, multicenter clinics utilizing i-STAT POC machines.

Methods

This study was a retrospective, multicenter chart review of 150 patients before and after implementation of the POC intervention for anticoagulation monitoring. Data collected included international normalized ratio (INR) results, indication for warfarin, minor and major bleeds, thromboembolic events, emergency room (ER) visits, and hospitalizations before and after i-STAT POC implementation.

Results

The time in therapeutic INR range (TTR) was significantly higher after i-STAT POC implementation than before implementation (60.4% ± 21.2% and 52.5% ± 21.5%, respectively; P = .0001). There were no reports of major bleeding during the study period. Twenty-three minor bleeds were reported after i-STAT POC implementation compared to 19 events before implementation ( P < .0001). One thromboembolic event was reported after i-STAT POC implementation. There was a significant difference in the number of hospitalizations before i-STAT POC implementation as opposed to after implementation (2 and 0, respectively; P < .0001). There was also a significant increase in ER visits after i-STAT POC implementation ( P < .0001).

Conclusion

The results of the study indicate improvement in TTR in pharmacist-managed anticoagulation clinics by 7.8%. Although the use of the i-STAT POC machine detected an increase in minor bleeds, thromboembolic events, and ER visits, there was a decrease in hospitalization. The outcomes of this multicenter study indicate that implementation on this scale provides improvement in regard to safety and cost.
Effects of radiation and triaxiality of triangular equilibrium points in elliptical restricted three body problem
Authors: Narayan Ashutosh , Pandey Krishna Kumar , Shrivastava Sandip Kumar
Published: October 2015

This paper studies effects of the triaxiality and radiation pressure of both the primaries on the stability of the infinitesimal motion about triangular equilibrium points in the elliptical restricted three body problem(ER3BP), assuming that the bigger and the smaller primaries are triaxial and the source of radiation as well. It is observed that the motion around these points is stable under certain condition with respect to the radiation pressure and oblate triaxiality. The critical mass ratio depends on the radiation pressure, triaxiality, semi -major axis and eccentricity of the orbits. It is further analyzed that an increase in any of these parameters has destabilizing effects on the orbits of the infinitesimal.
On Valid Signals in Joint Schemes for the Process Mean and Variance
Authors: Ralha Tânia , Morais Manuel Cabral , Oliveira M. Rosário
Published: October 2015

Joint schemes for the process mean and the variance are essential to determine if unusual
variation in the location and spread of a quality characteristic occurred.
This paper comprises a systematic study on the phenomena of misleading, unambiguous and simultaneous signals while dealing with Shewhart and EWMA joint schemes for the process mean and the variance of a normally distributed quality characteristic.
Examples have been added to illustrate how the R statistical software can be used to assess the performance of joint schemes in practice, namely when it comes to the occurrence of those valid signals.
Role of the teneurins, teneurin C-terminal associated peptides (TCAP) in reproduction: clinical perspectives
Authors: Lovejoy David A. , Pavlović Téa
Published: October 2015

In humans, the teneurin gene family consists of four highly conserved paralogous genes that are the result of early vertebrate gene duplications arising from a gene introduced into multicellular organisms from a bacterial ancestor. In vertebrates and humans, the teneurins have become integrated into a number of critical physiological systems including several aspects of reproductive physiology. Structurally complex, these genes possess a sequence in their terminal exon that encodes for a bioactive peptide sequence termed the ‘teneurin C-terminal associated peptide’ (TCAP). The teneurin/TCAP protein forms an intercellular adhesive unit with its receptor, latrophilin, an Adhesion family G-protein coupled receptor. It is present in numerous cell types and has been implicated in gamete migration and gonadal morphology. Moreover, TCAP is highly effective at reducing the corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) stress response. As a result, TCAP may also play a role in regulating the stress-associated inhibition of reproduction. In addition, the teneurins and TCAP have been implicated in tumorigenesis associated with reproductive tissues. Therefore, the teneurin/TCAP system may offer clinicians a novel biomarker system upon which to diagnose some reproductive pathologies.
Analysis of Compressor Surge in a Military Turbojet Engine: A Case Study
Authors: Mishra R. K. , Bhat R. Raghavendra , Chandel Sunil
Published: October 2015

A case of compressor surge with bang noise during takeoff roll is investigated and presented in this paper. Fatigue failure of compressor rotor blades during takeoff is found to disturb the aerodynamics of compressor flow causing the surge. Based on evidences, failure of rotor blades and compressor surge due to over-speed and foreign object debris is ruled out. The paper presents the methodology adopted for the investigation and also suggests remedial measures necessary to prevent such incidents.
Explorations of Crystalline Effects on 4-(Benzyloxy)Benzaldehyde Properties
Authors: Harismah Kun , Ozkendir O. Murat , Mirzaei Mahmoud
Published: October 2015

The properties of 4-(benzyloxy)benzaldehyde (BBA), as a pharmaceutically important compound, have been investigated through the density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The properties of original crystalline and optimised gaseous structures have been evaluated to recognise the crystalline effects. In addition to the structural properties, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) properties have also been evaluated for both investigated systems to better detect the effects in atomic levels. The results indicated that the structural shape of BBA is significantly changed in the optimised gaseous system, showing significant crystalline effects on the geometrical positions. Moreover, the magnitudes for energies and dipole moments indicate notable effects on the electronic properties. The evaluated NMR properties also show that the atoms of aromatic systems detect significant changes more than the atoms of aliphatic systems in the investigated BBA. And finally, the oxygen bridge atom plays a dominant role in combining two benzene rings of BBA.
In Memoriam doctor Hernando de Macedo Ruiz (1925-2015)
Authors: Franke Irma
Published: October 2015

Celso Hernando De Macedo Ruiz nació en Lima el 16 de marzo de 1925 en la familia formada por don Celso De Macedo Pastor y doña Aurora Ruiz de De Macedo. Fue el mayor de tres hermanos, dos de los cuales, Humfredo y Elia, le sobreviven. Fue nieto del médico Dr. Carlos Molares Macedo, segundo Director del Museo de Historia Natural (1938 a 1946) y también catedrático de Biología General en la Facultad de Ciencias de la Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos (Aguilar 1998b).
Biodiversidad de la zona reservada Sierra del Divisor (Perú): una visión desde los mamíferos pequeños
Authors: Medina César E. , López Evaristo , Pino Kateryn , Pari Alexander , Zeballos Horacio
Published: October 2015

En el presente trabajo se documenta la diversidad de mamíferos pequeños en la Zona Reservada Sierra del Divisor (ZRSD). Se evaluaron seis localidades entre 2011 y 2013 utilizando técnicas de captura estándar (trampas Víctor, Tomahawk, Pitfall y redes de niebla). Se registró un total de 67 especies (cinco marsupiales, 10 roedores y 52 murciélagos), 32 de las cuales son nuevos registros para la ZRSD y dos son especies de roedores raras y endémicas del Perú, la “rata acuática peruana” Neusticomys peruviensis (Cricetidae: Ichthyomyini) y el “Ratón acuático de Ucayali” Amphinectomys savamis (Cricetidae: Oryzomyini). El marsupial Marmosops bishopi; los roedores Neacomys minutus, Euryoryzomys macconnelli, Scolomys melanops y Proechimys kulinae; y los murciélagos Artibeus planirostris y Rhinophylla pumilio fueron las especies más abundantes. Nuestros hallazgos demuestran la importancia de la re-categorización de la Zona Reservada al estatus de Parque Nacional, como una contribución significativa para la conservación de los mamíferos del Perú.
Hubungan Antara Fakta Norma, Moral, dan Doktrin Hukum Dalam Pertimbangan Putusan Hakim
Authors: Maggalatung A Salman
Published: October 2015

Abstract: The Correlation among Facts, Norms, Moral and Legal Doctrine in Consideration of a Judge's Decision. A judge must be able to explore and understand the legal values ​​that live in the community, maintain their independence, applying legal norms with high moral, ethical and adhere to a code of professional conduct, attention to doctrine and the views of legal experts in making a decision. This research aims to identify and analyze the correlation between facts, norms, moral and legal doctrine in consideration of a judge's decision. In addition to knowing the scope of the relationship between the existing facts, norms should be used as the base, and how much influence a judge moral (law enforcement) in the decision and determination of the law. This study uses a qualitative-analysis-normative juridical and sociological-empirical. Abstrak: Hubungan Antara Fakta, Norma, Moral, dan Doktrin Hukum Dalam Pertimbangan Putusan Hakim. Seorang hakim harus mampu menggali dan memahami nilai-nilai hukum yang hidup dalam masyarakat, menjaga kemandiriannya, menerapkan norma hukum dengan moralitas yang tinggi, mematuhi etika dan kode etik profesi, memperhatikan doktrin dan pandanganpandangan para Ahli hukum dalam pengambilan sebuah putusan. Penulisan bertujuan untuk mengetahui dan menganalisis hubungan antara fakta, norma, moral, dan doktrin hukum dalam pertimbangan sebuah putusan hakim. Ruang lingkup tulisan ini meliputi hubungan antara fakta-fakta yang ada, norma-norma yang patut dijadikan dasar, dan seberapa besar pengaruh moral seorang hakim dalam pengambilan dan penetapan hukum. Metode yang digunakan kualitatifanalisis dengan pendekatan yuridis-normatif dan sosiologis-empiris. DOI: 10.15408/jch.v1i2.1462
Derivation of Candidate Clinical Decision Rules to Identify Infants at Risk for Central Apnea
Authors: Walsh Paul , Cunningham Pádraig , Merchant Sabrina , Walker Nicholas , Heffner Jacquelyn , Shanholtzer Lucas , Rothenberg Stephen J.
Published: October 2015

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:

Central apnea complicates, and may be the presenting complaint in, bronchiolitis. Our objective was to prospectively derive candidate clinical decision rules (CDRs) to identify infants in the emergency department (ED) who are at risk for central apnea.

METHODS:

We conducted a prospective observational study over 8 years. The primary outcome was central apnea subsequent to the initial ED visit. Infants were enrolled if they presented with central apnea or bronchiolitis. We excluded infants with obstructive apnea, neonatal jaundice, trauma, or suspected sepsis. We developed 3 candidate CDRs by using 3 techniques: (1) Poisson regression clustered on the individual, (2) classification and regression tree analysis (CART), and (3) a random forest (RF).

RESULTS:

We analyzed 990 ED visits for 892 infants. Central apnea subsequently occurred in the hospital in 41 (5%) patients. Parental report of apnea, previous history of apnea, congenital heart disease, birth weight ≤2.5 kg, lower weight, and age ≤6 weeks all identified a group at high risk for subsequent central apnea. All CDRs and RFs were 100% sensitive (95% confidence interval [CI] 91%–100%) and had a negative predictive value of 100% (95% CI 99%–100%) for the subsequent apnea. Specificity ranged from 61% to 65% (95% CI 58%–68%) for CDRs based on Poisson models; 65% to 77% (95% CI 62%–90%) for CART; and 81% to 91% (95% CI 78%–92%) for RF models.

CONCLUSIONS:

All candidate CDRs had a negative predictive value of 100% for subsequent central apnea.
New composite leading indicator of the Hungarian business cycle
Authors: Tkáčová Andrea , Siničáková Marianna
Published: October 2015

The objective of the paper is to create a composite leading indicator (CLI) for monitoring and predicting Hungarian business cycles. We compare the existing CLI applied by the OECD and Eurostat with our own CLI. According to our findings, our CLI forecasts the evolution of a referential series more precisely than the CLIs developed by the OECD and Eurostat. Nevertheless, from our point of view, the application of all existing CLIs at the same time can be appropriate. Consequently, the number of false signals should be reduced. The CLIs allow us to receive the first rough preliminary estimations of an economic cycle, in our case, the Hungarian one.
Validation through numerical simulations of the design procedure for bolted beam-to-column connections with haunches
Authors: Maris Cosmin , Vulcu Cristian , Stratan Aurel , Dubina Dan
Published: October 2015

The current paper presents the outcomes of an extensive pre-test numerical investigation program carried out with the aim to validate the design procedure for bolted beamto- column connections with haunches. In the first part of the paper, a description is made with regard to the analytical procedure that was used for the design of full strength and rigid joints. The results from the pre-test numerical simulations are further presented for each beam-to-column joint assembly, in terms of overall response (moment-rotation curve, failure mechanism), as well as local response, particularly the behavior of joint components (stress distribution, plastic strain, force level in the preloaded bolts). Finite element simulations highlighted that plastic deformations occurred in the beam close to the end of the haunch. In addition, minor plastic deformations were observed in the bolts close to the beam flange in tension, and therefore also higher force levels compared to the computed design capacity. As a result, the design procedure was adjusted with the aim of keeping the non-dissipative components of the joints in the elastic range. Additional information is presented with regard to the position of the plastic hinge, the effect of preloaded bolts, the distribution of forces in bolt rows and the change of the lever arm due to the presence of the haunch in compression zone. The main conclusions of the study are finally presented.
Metodyczne aspekty pomiaru zjawiska urban sprawl
Authors: Lityński Piotr
Published: October 2015

The purpose of the article is to identify the various sorts of urban sprawl and to present methods of measuring this phenomenon. The article reviews the subject literature, giving it a theoretical-methodological character. Among the leading theoretical concepts involved in measuring the phenomena, there are three basic methods, which are based on indicators that refer to the different ways of building area. The first method is based on density, scatter, aesthetics, ecology and accessibility. The second approach uses the indicators of growth rates, density, spatial geometry, accessibility, and aesthetic measures. The third approach identifies types of sprawl through the indicators of density, continuity, concentration, clustering, centrality, nuclearity, mixed use and proximity. An important feature of the third approach is experience gained from foreign studies in the implementation of this method. In addition, this method presents the methodology and characteristics of the many sorts of sprawl, which can be applied to the conditions prevailing in Poland.
El consentimiento informado en sentencia del Tribunal Constitucional Español 37/2011 de 28 de marzo
Authors: González-Torre Angel Pelayo
Published: October 2015

El Tribunal Constitucional considera incluido dentro del derecho fundamental a la integridad física y moral del art. 15 una facultad de oposición a la asistencia médica, de manera que el derecho se viola cuando se impone a una persona asistencia médica contra su voluntad. Que el artículo 15 no aluda al consentimiento informado no implica que este instituto quede fuera de la previsión constitucional, de manera que la garantía de la efectividad del derecho a la integridad personal implica en el ámbito médico que cualquier actuación que afecte a la integridad personal ha de ser consentida por el sujeto o estar constitucionalmente justificada. En este campo el derecho a la información alcanza una relevancia que hace que su omisión o defectuosa realización pueda suponer una lesión del derecho fundamental. Este derecho no puede verse limitado de manera injustificada como consecuencia de una situación de enfermedad, ya que este derecho es distinto del derecho a la salud y del derecho a la vida.
Judicialização da saúde em Minas Gerais: novas estratégias de enfrentamento: a criação do Núcleo de Atendimento à Judicialização da Saúde
Authors: Araújo Aline Fernanda da Silva
Published: October 2015

São apresentados e avaliados os resultados iniciais da nova estratégia implementada pela Secretaria da Saúde do Estado de Minas Gerais, Brasil, (SES MG) no enfrentamento da judicialização da saúde com a criação do Núcleo de Atendimento a Judicialização da Saúde, de modo a partilhar as experiências vividas, colaborando com outras localidades que porventura estejam passando por situação semelhante. A metodologia utilizada foi o PDCA – Act-Plan-Control-Do, ferramenta de gestão utilizada para definir necessidades e criar planos de ação e processos de trabalho, além de permitir o acompanhamento de resultados e correções necessárias, tudo visando a melhoria contínua dos processos de produção do cuidado em saúde. Trata-se de pesquisa-ação com participação governamental intersetorial, envolvendo a SES MG e a Advocacia Geral do Estado (AGE), onde os trabalhadores foram também pesquisadores. O resultado obtido foi a criação do Núcleo de Atendimento a Judicialização da Saúde, permitindo a responsabilização única e inequívoca pelo cumprimento das ordens judiciais dentro da SES, melhor fluxo de informações entre a SES e a AGE, diminuição do número de penalidades aplicadas ao erário público e aos gestores, além de propiciar o levantamento de dados úteis ao mapeamento e definição do perfil das demandas e seus autores. Conclui-se, nesta fase inicial pós criação do Núcleo, que sua existência será de grande valia para aprimorar as atividades de cumprimento de ordens judiciais, honrando princípios básicos da Administração Pública como eficiência e transparência, obtendo-se, como consequência direta, mais transparência e eficiência e menores danos econômicos ao erário.
CATEGORIA FUNDANTE DO SER SOCIAL
Authors: Lopes Ângelo Germano , Da Silva Viana Jacirene
Published: October 2015

Este artigo analisa o trabalho como categoria fundante do ser social, parte da era terceária até a contemporaneidade, tendo como pressuposto o processo evolutivo do homem desde seu aparecimento, passando pela transformação do macaco em homem, modos de relação e trocas, até sua complexização social após as revoluções industriais.
A PROJEÇÃO DE PODER DO BRASIL NO ATLÂNTICO SUL
Authors: Nunes Sousa Yolanda
Published: October 2015

Desde o final da Segunda Guerra Mundial, com a crescente descoberta por parte dos Estados de riquezas no fundo dos oceanos, a questão marítima passou a fazer parte da agenda da maioria dos países, demandando um ornamento jurídico que regulamentasse essas questões e que atendesse ao desejo de ampliar suas soberanias além dos limites terrestres. O presente trabalho analisa a posição brasileira diante dessas questões e como o Atlântico Sul tornou-se parte importante da agenda estratégica, principalmente após a descoberta da camada pré-sal. O Estado brasileiro tem procurado reforçar sua presença no Atlântico Sul através de diversos mecanismos, sejam eles de ordem militar, diplomática, econômica ou político-estratégica, investindo no desenvolvimento de novas tecnologias e também na área de pesquisa sobre os fundos marinhos como forma de reconhecimento de nossas riquezas.
UMA LEITURA DE “AS LÍNGUAS NA AMAZÔNIA E SUA HISTÓRIA SOCIAL”, DE JOSÉ RIBAMAR BESSA FREIRE
Authors: Ribeiro Teles Tayson
Published: October 2015

O presente trabalho tem o desiderato de analisar de forma percuciente a obra “As línguas na Amazônia e sua história social”, a qual se constitui como um capítulo do livro “Rio Babel: a história das línguas na Amazônia”, de José Ribamar Bessa Freire. No que atine à metodologia de pesquisa, optou-se pela tipologia da fonte de pesquisa bibliográfica e pelo método indutivo. Basicamente, a discussão proposta é pertinente saber qual a visão que José Ribamar Bessa Freire tem a respeito das línguas amazônidas3 e sua história social. A conclusão a que se pode chegar é a de que a história social das línguas amazônidas possui elevada relevância na medida em que busca explicações de como e por que, ao longo do tempo, algumas variedades linguísticas se difundiram geograficamente ou socialmente, enquanto outras simplesmente desapareceram. Desse modus, verificar-se-á que as línguas amazônidas (indígenas) tiveram entronada colaboração no processo de forjamento do atual vernáculo nacional.
RODOVIAS NA AMAZÔNIA: O PROJETO DE ENTRECORTAR O TERRITÓRIO ATRAVÉS DA PERIMETRAL NORTE BR-210
Authors: Oliveira Neto Thiago
Published: October 2015

Este artigo aborda o contexto geopolítico acerta do projeto rodoviário de entrecortar a faixa de fronteira setentrional por meio de uma rede física estruturada pelo Estado Nacional, com objetivo de realizar uma integração territorial. Neste sentido, este estudo reforça seu valor haja vista a necessidade de fazer um resgate histórico referente ao projeto de integração da Amazônia por intermédio das redes físicas, com destaque para a rodovia Perimetral Norte que circundaria uma parcela significativa das fronteiras situadas no setentrião do Brasil.
RESPONSABILIDADE CIVIL PÓS-CONSUMO
Authors: Andrade Costa Bruno César
Published: October 2015

LEMOS, Patrícia Faga Iglesias. Resíduos sólidos e responsabilidade civil pós-consumo. 3. ed. São Paulo: Revista dos Tribunais, 2014.
From Petroleum Engineer to CEO: The Success Story of an M&A Market Leader - Mark E. Ellis, Chairman, President, and CEO, Linn Energy
Authors: Cronlund Jenny , Ellis Mark E.
Published: October 2015

TWA Interview

You started out as a petroleum engineering student and now have been the chief executive officer (CEO) of Linn Energy since 2010. How did you get to where you are today?

My dad was a petroleum engineer from Texas A&M University. I knew I wanted to pursue engineering, and A&M was the obvious choice. I would not say that when I graduated my goal was to be a CEO of a publicly traded company. Somewhere in that first 6–10 years, I realized I liked being in leadership and would like to develop a career to run a publicly traded company. With that in mind, I took a lot of rotational jobs in different functions to give me a breadth of understanding of the whole industry. Not only did I work in engineering, but also in marketing and transactional activities, so I could understand the business aspects of how assets fit within certain companies and strategies.

In how many companies have you worked so far in your career? What lessons did you take from them?

I have worked for five companies. You learn so much by going to different companies and really engaging in their cultures. You pick up on different leadership styles; different things that work in different organizations. At some point in your career, you try to take the best of all of them and create the culture that you think is the best culture for an organization. I realized that people are what make an organization run. You need great assets to be successful, but the assets do not run themselves—they are only as good as the people you have managing them.

To focus a group of people on a common outcome, it is critical to set strategic goals, and make sure the organization is aligned in achieving those goals, ensuring everyone understands how they add value to the organization and feels they are important to the organization. At Linn, we devote the time necessary to make sure that everyone understands where they add value. A lot of our time in leadership is spent doing face time out in the field. I visit every location in the organization at least once a year, and I try to have a personal connection with everyone. It is not easy to do, but I think it is important.
Diversity and Inclusion: A Young Professional’s Tools for Success
Authors: Shanahan Betty , Dalrymple Lori , Caligari Ruben
Published: October 2015

Soft Skills

From the exploration and production of oil and gas to the ultimate distribution of petroleum-based products to customers, the oil and gas industry is global and multidisciplinary. The global nature of the industry is reflected in the membership of SPE: Professional members of SPE live in 147 countries, and a review of the student membership suggests that the Society will become even more diverse in the years to come.

Given that mergers and acquisitions are the global climate in the industry today, as a young professional, how do you feel about change? Do you feel confident that your job is secure and you have room for growth, or are you worried? It is inevitable that change will be part of your future in this industry, and soft skills hold the key in helping you successfully navigate it.

If you imagine yourself standing in front of a pyramid face (Fig. 1), there is something that you cannot see—the third corner at the back of the pyramid. But without it the pyramid cannot stand. Such is the role that soft skills play in career success.

Take the case of a major professional sports team with highly paid players. They all want to win, but sometimes they let their own importance get in the way of the team’s success. Diversity is having a team of players, each with his or her own unique level of physical capabilities and experiences. Inclusion is all of the team members, including the star players, accepting the talents, strengths, and experiences of others, along with the insight of the coach, to move the team to a higher level of excellence.

Embracing Diversity and Inclusion

Diversity and the ability to accept, adapt, and change with the global climate of the industry is a gift that not every person possesses. To appreciate a gift, you have to understand how valuable it is to you. In a 2014 Ernst & Young series called “The DNA of the COO: Time to claim the spotlight,” a report titled “An oil and gas sector perspective” states that mergers and acquisitions are on the rise as oil and gas companies seek to divest noncore assets.

Three-quarters of the chief operating officers polled for the report said that highly developed leadership qualities and interpersonal skills are the most crucial attributes to success, while 60% emphasized communication and influencing skills. These are professional people in charge of the operations of major oil and gas companies who cited soft skills as a large percentage of the most important attributes they needed to be successful.
How SPE’s Competency Management Tool Can Help Boost Your Career Development
Authors: de Almeida Tiago
Published: October 2015

SPE 101

If you are a recent graduate trying to find a spot in the sun, or a young professional working hard to establish yourself in the industry, it is essential for you to define and follow an individual development plan that will steer you toward your professional goals.

To help you with that, SPE, in partnership with International Human Resource Development Corp., has recently developed the SPE Competency Management Tool (CMT). The CMT is an online platform that allows each member to not only assess his or her competency levels in detail, but also guides them in addressing any competency gaps.

Since its launch at the 2014 SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, the number of members using the tool has continued to increase, and as of May 2015, the tool had 1,431 registered users.

To explain how the CMT can help young professionals in their career development, TWA editors interviewed SPE’s assistant director for global training programs, Ken Leonard, who worked with the SPE Global Training Committee to develop and implement the tool.

Who is the CMT built for?

CMT is intended for members interested in assessing their current skills against the SPE competency models for any of the 22 technical jobs covered. Since there are two career levels for each job (entry-level and first supervisory level), we expect many users to be earlier in their career. However, anyone making a job change or wishing to get an idea of how they compare to the rigorous SPE standards can gain value from the tool.

What disciplines does the tool cover? Does SPE plan to expand the number of competency models in the future?

The current competency models cover all the SPE technical disciplines. We took 22 job descriptions and developed 25 to 30 competencies for each job, with four skill levels—awareness, basic application, skillful application, and mastery. We have plans to enhance the tool this year by adding more jobs from operating companies as well as jobs from the service company sector and for graduating engineers.
Reservoir Characterization and Coupled Reservoir-Geomechanical Simulation of CBM Using GSI - Case Studies
Authors: Deisman Nathan , Chalaturnyk Richard J. , Campbell Ryan , Virues Claudio
Published: October 2015

A hydro-geomechanical coalbed methane reservoir characterization workflow is reviewed and applied to three field cases from the same coalseam formation. The workflow begins from core sample characterization and ends at reservoir performance. A core sample and geophysical logging rock mass characterization approach using the newly adopted Geological Strength Index (GSI) is used. GSI was developed for Civil Engineering tunneling projects to characterize fractured rock masses and is adopted here with new functions to related GSI to observed Young's modulus and then included for permeability changes during production.

The GSI characterization is applied to three separate reservoir geomechanical simulation models with separate and distinct production profiles. Reservoir and geomechanical data to populate the models comes from three sources: Nexen, the University of Alberta, and the Alberta Energy Regulator. The significance of this study is to investigate the influence of geomechanics on well productivity for fractured reservoirs using a common geological parameter which relates fracture intensity to mechanical properties.
Draw-Down Management Leads to Better Productivity in Reservoirs with Pressure-Dependent Permeability - or Does It?
Authors: Tabatabaie S. Hamed , Pooladi-Darvish Mehran , Mattar Louis
Published: October 2015

In certain production scenarios of multi-fractured unconventional wells, it appears that there exists the unexpected possibility that increasing the well's flowing pressure (decreasing the drawdown) can result in improved productivity and in larger Estimated Ultimate Recovery (EUR). This has been attributed to the pressure- dependence of permeability. This consideration provided the motivation for this study, namely to understand under what conditions pressure-dependent permeability affects the recovery and production performance.

The effect of pressure-dependent permeability is frequently modelled using the function: k(p)=kieγ(p−pi), where, γ is the pressure-dependent permeability coefficient. Production at constant flowing pressure is studied for linear-flow geometry of systems with pressure-dependent permeability, representing matrix flow into a stimulated-reservoir volume (SRV) and/or a finite conductivity fracture.

It is shown that when the permeability is a function of the pressure in the reservoir, the production rate increases continuously as the drawdown is increased, and no reversal of productivity is observed. However, when the fracture conductivity is a function of the well flowing pressure, there will be an operating point beyond which a reversal of production behavior is observed, and the production rate decreases as the drawdown is increased.

Steady-state and transient models are developed to explore the conditions that lead to such a reversal. A numerical simulator is used to generate the behaviour of a system in which the fracture conductivity varies with respect to the flowing pressure. It demonstrates that the path of the producing pressure can be optimized so that oil recovery is maximized.
Evaluation of Chlorine Dioxide as an Oxidative Biocide for Hydraulic Fracturing in Western Canada
Authors: Malcolm Adam C. , Dempster Steve P. , Chandler Brett , Setiawan Stephanie
Published: October 2015

Effective microbiological control is a vital component of a successful fracturing stimulation. As the development of tight gas, shale and other unconventional resources increased, innovative hydraulic-fracture designs including linear gel, slickwater and hybrid treatments have grown in popularity. These designs often require significant volumes of water that originate from rivers, lakes and ponds as well as produced and flowback water. Frequently, these sources are infested with aerobic and anaerobic bacteria that can lead to degradation of fracturing chemicals, microbially influenced corrosion, hydrogen sulfide generation and other production problems.

Control of bacterial growth may be accomplished through the use of biocides. Glutaraldehyde and quaternary ammonium-based surfactants are two of the most prevalent chemistries used in Canadian fracture fluids. Because of the inherent toxicity of biocide additives, the primary goal is to design a program that minimizes chemical usage while matching the total demand necessary to control and manage bacteria. Controlling bacteria means not only an effective kill at the surface before use, but also maintaining this control long term while the fracturing fluids are in contact with the reservoir. Oxidative biocides are an attractive treatment option because of the rapid kinetics of disinfection, the ability to provide excellent control of bacteria populations and the short residual lifetimes that do not persist in the flowback beyond a few days or hours. In addition, oxidizing biocides enable a concomitant reduction in the quantity of preservative biocides required to achieve long-term control.

This paper reviews the efficacy of a chlorine dioxide-based biocide program used in hydraulic fracturing in central Alberta, Canada. The results of the bacteria enumerated from job site samples are presented, along with application methodologies and program design. It was observed that chlorine dioxide combined with a low concentration of preservative biocide can provide enhanced efficacy and reduce total chemical demand compared to conventional biocide treatments.

Chlorine dioxide is approved for use as a biocide for hydraulic fracturing by the Canadian Pest Management Regulatory Authority (PMRA). Chlorine dioxide provides new opportunities to build more efficient hydraulic fracturing biocide programs.
Achieving Zonal Isolation by Using New-Generation Mud Removal Chemistry and Design Methodology to Displace Non-Aqueous Drilling Fluid
Authors: Taoutaou Salim , Goh Soo Hui , Bermea Jorge Andres , Vinaipanit Manavit , McClure Jason
Published: October 2015

The criteria for success of any primary cementing job is achieving permanent zonal isolation. Incomplete mud removal will affect the zonal isolation in several different ways and may lead to the development of a communication channel in the annulus and subsequently jeopardize the well integrity.

Nonaqueous fluids (NAF) are incompatible with cement slurries; the quality of the cement placement and set properties will be strongly affected by the presence of the NAF residue down hole. Although this problem can be mitigated through the addition of various chemicals providing compatibility, mud-thinning, reduction of the interfacial tension, and water-wetting functions, the current surfactants and solvents on the market have limited application in terms of temperature and type of drilling fluids. In addition, the current API/ISO testing protocols are generic and results are not reproducible. Recently, improved laboratory procedures have been proposed and these improved experimental methods were used on more than 200 surfactants and solvents. A screening process helped in selecting the optimum chemistry as a function of the conditions (type of base oil, salinity, temperature). This enabled developing design guidelines to select an optimized tensioactive package comprising a limited number of chemicals, from which field users would select the ones to combine for their applications.

The new tensioactive package was used successfully in two field trial wells in the 7-in. liner sections in a mature development field offshore Thailand. After a thorough comparison between the currently used package and the new one, the laboratory results using the field mud show superior cleaning results and efficiency with the new chemical package.

The zonal isolation was confirmed using an ultrasonic imager logging tool. After the two successful field trials, the tensioactive package was selected as the spacer of choice for a critical new development field campaign offshore Thailand in which zonal isolation between production zones was critical for selective production from each of the zones separately.

This paper will describe the newly improved laboratory methodology and selection criteria of the new tensioactive products and provide a detailed case history of the application in the development campaign, including the design, execution and evaluation of the job.
Geomechanical Assessment Aids Successful Coiled Tubing Drilling (CTD) of Horizontal Wells Through Depleted Reservoirs Interbedded With Weak Formations in the D18 Field
Authors: Chatterjee Avirup , He Wei , Rahman Khalil , Pozdnyshev Maxim , Wei Ooi Zhon , Hamzah Nurul Ezalina
Published: October 2015

Reservoirs in the D-18 fields, offshore Sarawak, Malaysia, are a combination of structurally and stratigraphically trapped sand bodies. Potential hydrocarbons are accumulated in the stacked sand bodies separated by weaker sealing shale bodies and regional coal seams. The fields have significantly depleted pressure following several years of production from different reservoir levels.

Reservoir pressure depletion results in a lower fracture gradient and a narrower drilling mud window. While a lower mud weight is necessary to drill through heavily depleted sands, the lower mud weight may result in excessive wellbore failure in normally pressured, weak formations. A geomechanical assessment is performed to aid coiled tubing horizontal drilling in the depleted reservoirs, which are interbedded with normal-pressure, weak shaly formations.

A geomechanical model was developed using available data from offset wells. A stress path factor is estimated to model the fracture gradient decrease from production-induced depletion. A safe mud window is optimized using the reduced fracture gradient in depleted sands and the hole collapse pressure in the normal-pressure weak shales. The operational mud window is optimized for hole size and annulus. The wells were drilled successfully using the recommended mud windows, without losses into the depleted sands or hole collapse in weak, normal-pressure formations.

The paper presents the workflow for geomechanical model building incorporating the depletion effect, the safe coiled tubing drilling (CTD) program design assessing various risks and highlights various CTD operational issues and the lessons learned.
Analogy Between the Producing Shale Oil and Gas Plays Formations of Mexico and the USA
Authors: Almarza T. , Garza D. , Romero M.
Published: October 2015

Unconventional reservoirs (UNC) are considered those that do not produce at economic flow rates and cannot be cost-effectively produced without applying stimulation, fracturing, and recovery. They are located in predominantly extensive regional accumulations, which, in most cases, is independent of the stratigraphic and structural traps. This requires using special technology for extraction, either by its oil properties or the characteristics of the rock that contains it.

Today, these reservoirs represent an interesting source of income, because many of them are found in deposits that were considered to be exhausted or non-economic by traditional recovery methods, and it is estimated that they are present in large volumes. The recently exploited shale plays are typically constituted by a matrix of very fine grain rock (size clay, shale or marl might be), with varying proportions of clay, silica, and carbonate, which act as source rock, and reservoir seals at the same time. They have very low permeability and often require massive stimulation to produce hydrocarbon.

Generally, resource shale reservoirs must meet a series of requirements to make them economically viable. These conditions are: Organic richness (> 2% COT for shale gas and shale oil variable)Thermal maturity (> 0.7% Ro)Thickness (> 30 m) and areal extentAdsorption capacity (mainly in shale gas)Fracturability (clay content < 40%)OverpressureDepthSurface facilities
Novel Approach for the Optimal Evaluation and Fracture Design of Shale Oil Horizontal Wells in Mexico
Authors: Garza D. , Almarza T. J. , Medina E. , Romero M. A.
Published: October 2015

As the development of hydrocarbon from shale resources increases exponentially globally, it is essential to have a clear understanding of the key variables for evaluating shale reservoirs and to define the best methods for effectively stimulating wells. However, this is not easy considering that each tool has both advantages and drawbacks with respect to technical, methodological, and economic matters. That is why, for shale projects, it is necessary to know the vital variables to optimize the collection of information, costs, and, of course, the validity of final results and interpretations.

For initial characterization, reference information from previously fractured horizontal wells in the same formation should be considered and a holistic approach using characterization from petro-physical, geomechanical, mineralogy, and geochemical analysis should be considered during the determination of the best zones to be fractured. Analysis and use of diagnostic fracture injection testing (DFIT) and minifrac testing is also to be reviewed for the final calibration of fracture models before execution of the operation. Interpretation of micro-seismic monitoring during fracturing has great importance for obtaining models to optimize completions of wells and the development of a reservoir after an initial approach.

This work analyzes and evaluates different sources of information and studies performed. Several factors and effects during the design stage are presented, such as using regional stress studies to estimate possible interference between the fracture stages and its effect on final fracture space determination.

All in all, using this information is recommended for the initial approach during fracture design for the first wells in a new formation, proving to be a novel methodology to optimize and accelerate the development of a basin that can be applied later to following wells, helping save both time and resources.
Drilling Evolution in Changning Shale Gas Block of Central China
Authors: Chen Z. Y. , Moh T. C. , Phan V. C. , Li W. , Liu D. , Wang R. G. , Lim J. M. , Li W. J. , Huang B.
Published: October 2015

Changning shale gas block is located in the southern part of the Sichuan basin. It is one of the first pilot experimental shale gas blocks in China. The paper will elaborate the drilling challenges in the field and the overall drilling performance with conventional approaches. In 2014, new drilling tools and methods were tried and applied. These significantly improved the performance, further elevating the drilling speed to a new level.

The paper will review the drilling performance of horizontal wells completed previously in the field. It will focus on demonstrating formation characteristics, well trajectory and geometry design, drill bit and directional bottomhole assembly (BHA). One of the biggest challenges is the hard rock on top of the shale formation that constrains the drilling speed, especially when designing the curve interval at the hard rock. By analyzing the drilling challenges, a new drilling system and method were introduced to the project in 2014 to combat the challenges. It has been proven successfully with actual drilling data.

Initially, as a pilot project, conventional motor technology was applied to six horizontal wells in Changning block. The average well drilling cycle was approximately 66 days for 1000 m of lateral section. The main challenge with motor drilling was high drag at the curve and lateral due to extreme friction as high mud weight was applied to balance the formation stability. This resulted in a poor on- bottom penetration rate during sliding mode. Directional work at the hard rock formation posed an additional challenge. In early 2014, a hybrid high-build-rate rotary system was applied to deepen the kickoff point and avoid the steering work in the hard zone. Air drilling was used to drill vertically across the hard rock. A power rotary steering system was also implemented to further improve the drilling speed in the lateral section. The combination of technical approaches led to significant drilling improvement. The rate of penetration (ROP) on bottom at the curve section has improved 200% over conventional drilling. The well drilling cycle was cut in half, which was considered as a breakthrough achievement in the field.

With the application of hybrid high-build-rate rotary steering system, the new well design can be executed. Air drilling is chosen to drill through the hard rock in the shortest distance. Using the power rotary steering system for the lateral further promotes the drilling performance to a new level.