bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Can IDEXX Angio Detect™ accurately detect canine Angiostrongylosis?
Authors: Weir Natashia , Ireland Jo
Published: December 2021

PICO question

In dogs, is IDEXX Angio Detect™ as accurate as Baermann coprology when diagnosing Angiostrongylus vasorum infection?

 

Clinical bottom line

Category of research question

Diagnosis

The number and type of study designs reviewed

Eight papers were critically reviewed: three diagnostic accuracy studies, two cross-sectional studies (one of which also included a retrospective case series), one cohort study, one case-control study, and one case series

Strength of evidence

Weak

Outcomes reported

Angio Detect™ (IDEXX) was shown to have low-moderate sensitivity and high specificity in comparison to Baermann coprology. Occasionally, false-negative results occurred with Angio Detect™ when compared to Baermann coprology. This was thought to be due to antigen-antibody complex formation. Positive Angio Detect™ assays were obtained in both symptomatic and asymptomatic canine patients. In an experimental setting, Angio Detect™ was shown to obtain a positive result five weeks post-inoculation

Conclusion

There is weak evidence supporting Angio Detect™ as a highly specific and moderately sensitive diagnostic test when compared to Baermann coprology

 

How to apply this evidence in practice

The application of evidence into practice should take into account multiple factors, not limited to: individual clinical expertise, patient’s circumstances and owners’ values, country, location or clinic where you work, the individual case in front of you, the availability of therapies and resources.

Knowledge Summaries are a resource to help reinforce or inform decision making. They do not override the responsibility or judgement of the practitioner to do what is best for the animal in their care.
Coexistence D’un Lymphome Lymphocytique Et D’une Leucémie Myéloïde Chronique: A Propos De Deux Observations Au Togo
Authors: Essohana Padaro , Hèzouwè Magnang , Yao Layibo , Irénée Kueviakoe , Koffi Mawussi , Ahoefa Vovor
Published: December 2021

Les auteurs rapportent deux cas de lymphomes lymphocytiques associés à une leucémie myéloïde chronique (LMC) au Togo. La première association est une coexistence simultanée d’une LMC avec présence du transcrit de fusion bcr-abl chez une patiente de 32 ans, au stade myélocytaire chronique, avec une polyadénopathie ayant nécessité une biopsie ganglionnaire qui a conclu à un lymphome lymphocytique. Le deuxième cas est une succession à 6 ans 5 mois d’intervalle, chez un patient de 30 ans, d’une LMC avec présence du bcr-abl et d’un chromosome Philadelphie et d’un lymphome lymphocytique. Ces deux cas sont rapprochés des associations d’hémopathies myéloïdes et lymphoïdes, aiguës ou chroniques. Différentes hypothèses pathogéniques sont passées en revue : responsabilité de la chimiothérapie mais le diagnostic est parfois simultané ; implication des oncogènes cellulaires ; plus vraisemblablement anomalie clonale de la cellule souche hématopoïétique s’exprimant de façon séquentielle ou simultanée sur les deux lignées filles. A notre connaissance, il s’agit des premières descriptions en Afrique subsaharienne.
A Multi-Phase Assessment of the Effects of COVID-19 on Food Systems and Rural Livelihoods in Kenya
Authors: Olwande John , Ayieko Miltone , Mukundi John , Odhiambo Nicholas
Published: December 2021

Kenya confirmed its first case of COVID-19 on 12 March 2020. Like many governments across the world, the Kenyan government implemented various measures aimed at slowing down local spread of the virus and cushioning the population against the negative economic effects of the pandemic and the associated policy restrictions. International organisations and researchers postulated that the measures would negatively affect economic activities and livelihoods, with undesirable implications for poverty and food insecurity. Particularly vulnerable would be populations in developing countries such as Kenya, where many people depend on food systems for their livelihoods, and the majority of those are smallholder farmers who often have low economic power. The objective of this rapid assessment was to investigate the impact of COVID-19 on the food system and the sub-set of the population largely dependent on agriculture in Kenya to inform actions that can assure protection of rural livelihoods and continued access to adequate and affordable food of acceptable quality to the population. This report presents results of that rapid assessment.
Glimpses of Fiscal States in Sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Moore Mick
Published: December 2021

There is a widespread perception that taxing in sub-Saharan Africa has been and remains fraught with problems or government failure. This is not generally true. For more than a century, colonial administrations and independent states have steadily developed the capacity to routinely collect more substantial revenues than one might expect in a low-income region. The two main historical dimensions of this collection capacity were (a) powerful, centralized bureaucracies focused on achieving revenue collection targets and (b) large, taxable international trade sectors. In recent decades, those centralized bureaucracies have to some extent been reformed such that in structure and procedure they resemble more closely tax administrations in OECD countries. More strikingly, nearly all states have adopted VAT and found it to be a very powerful revenue collection instrument. However, the tax share of GDP has been broadly constant for several decades, and it will be hard to increase it. It is difficult for African governments to effectively tax transnational corporations, especially in the mining and energy sectors, which are of growing importance. Tax administrations continue to approach richer Africans with a light touch, and to exaggerate the potential for taxing small-scale (‘informal’) enterprises. The revenue operations of sub-national governments are often opaque. Ordinary people often pay large sums in ‘informal taxes’ that are generally regressive in impact. And the standard direction of travel in the reform of tax policy and administration is not appropriate to those large areas, especially in the Sahel, that are afflicted by internal and cross-border armed conflicts.
Armed Groups and Mining
Authors: Bolton Laura
Published: December 2021

The relationship between armed groups and mining is complex. Reports of armed interference in mining are provided by the United Nations (UN) Group of Experts on the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and reported in the literature, including which groups have been found to operate in which areas. Academic analysis finds the presence of industrial mining companies reinforces the power of politico-military entrepreneurs. This rapid review found a relatively large body of literature on the issue of armed groups and mining. Articles are a mix of academic literature and agency report prioritised based on relevance to the question, date, and location. The complexity of the issue requires broader investigation than is possible within the scope of a K4D helpdesk.
Deformation of a pipeline element under cyclic loading by internal pressure
Authors: Borodii Mykhailo , Strzhalo Volodymyr , Adamchuk Mikhailo , Yaskovets Zahar , Skakun S. , Potapov I.
Published: December 2021

An experimental study of the strain of a rectilinear segment of a pipeline Du 200 made of steel 20 under cyclic loading by internal pressure was carry out. The tests were performed on a pneumohydraulic stand under conditions of flat stress, normal temperatures, and load cycle asymmetry with registration of circular and axial elastic-plastic strain. The aim of the work was to test an experimental technique for studying the effect of ratcheting (unilateral accumulation of plastic deformations) on real structural elements when changing the modes of cyclic loading. According to the results of the study, curves of cyclic deformation (ratcheting) of the pipe in the circular and axial direction on the basis 100 cycles were obtained.
Higher Education in The Republic of Serbia from the perspective of the European Educational Area
Authors: Pjević Miloš , Tanović Ljubodrag
Published: December 2021

Process of accession of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Serbia to the Bologna Process was requiring realistic solution while concurrently was nurturing both the existing national education system and appreciation of oversea. After fifteen years of EHEA, still there have been significant differences between national and European education. Implementation of European experiences and harmonization of national with the European Education requires dealing with many issues both at the state level and at the level of Universities and Faculties. In the paper it is presented an analysis of the situation of HEIs in Serbia in comparison with the EHEA in terms of the number of students, the number of HEIs, teaching staff, allocations (costs) per student and the impact of the Covid19 pandemic
Equations of motion of masses of the Chelomey pendulum model
Authors: Kryshchuk N. , Tsybenko A. , Lavrenko Y. , Oleshchuk A. A.
Published: December 2021

Abstract. To verify the provisions stated by V.I. Bogomolov, B.I. Puzanov. and Linevich E.I. about the possibility of performing over-unit work by inertial forces, a closed mechanical system in the form of kinematically connected rotating masses is proposed for consideration. The research aimed, within the framework of Newtonian mechanics, to study the fulfillment of the laws of conservation of momentum, angular momentum and energy, to establish the possibility of performing work by inertial forces (centrifugal and Coriolis), to assess the change in kinetic parameters using the example of the Chelomey pendulum model. For the complex radial-circular motion of the masses of the Chelomey pendulum model, resolving equations are obtained. To verify the analytical calculations, algorithms for numerical solutions of the above problems have been developed and implemented in the MathCAD software package.
Use of the toolholder with the oriented stiffness for ultrasonic turning
Authors: Shevchenko Oleksandr , Manzyuk Serhiy
Published: December 2021

An effective way of processing difficult-to-machine materials is ultrasonic cutting, which is carried out by applying ultrasonic vibrations to the movement of the cutter and contributes to a significant reduction in cutting force and increase processing productivity. The article presents the results of research on the efficiency of using a new device for ultrasonic cutting with an electrostrictive vibrating drive. The source of ultrasonic vibrations is an electrostrictive vibratory drive, which provides oscillations in the range of 10 - 20 kHz with amplitude of 10 - 15 microns. Experimental studies have confirmed the effectiveness of the proposed design of the toolholder to transmit the wave of ultrasonic vibrations almost perpendicular to the axis of the vibratory drive, which allows you to unload the vibrating drive from the cutting force and use vibration pulses only to deform elastic elements by the amplitude of ultrasonic vibrations. The device provides conditions for processing of difficult-to-process materials, allows increasing accuracy of processing of details, to reduce roughness of the processed surfaces and to increase productivity of processing.
The extraction of informative vibration components of bearings by different adaptive methods
Authors: Mykhalkiv Serhii
Published: December 2021

It was suggested to select the best adaptive method after proper comparative researches, for the extraction of informative vibration components of bearings. The description and drawbacks of empirical mode decomposition method were presented, and the properties of improved ensemble empirical mode decomposition method and complete ensemble empirical mode decomposition with adaptive noise method were highlighted. A simulated additive signal contained impulse, modulation components and two sinusoids. The extracted intrinsic mode functions were the decomposition results of the first two adaptive methods, which failed to separate impulse and modulation components. Meanwhile, the intrinsic mode functions of the third adaptive method had separately impulse and modulation components, and the method proved to be effective in the separation of the vibration components during the vibrodiagnostics of bearings and gearboxes of the industrial equipment.
Influence of angle of laying of layers of composite material on the basis of carbon on its mechanical characteristics at pure tension
Authors: Musiienko Olga , Pham Quan , Tymoshenko Oleksandr , Koval Viktor
Published: December 2021

The paper presents the results of experimental studies to determine the mechanical characteristics (Poisson's ratio, modulus of elasticity, tensile strength) of carbon-based composite materials with different compositions according to the number of layers and the direction of the fibers in it. A mathematical model is proposed, which allows, in the first approximation, to determine the main mechanical characteristics of the composite material and takes into account its structure (the maximum number of layers of composite material, which was considered in this work - 7). The parameters of the model were determined by the conducted regression analysis. The results of analytical calculation according to the proposed model are compared with the experimentally obtained values of mechanical characteristics. It is shown that the maximum error does not exceed 12%.
Influence of preliminary thermomechanical load on the integrity of the vessel of Ukrainian nuclear reactors in case of accidents of "large" and "small" leak
Authors: Ishchenko Oleksii
Published: December 2021

In works of extending lifetime of WWER-type reactors, it is necessary to obtain the brittle fracture resistance (BF) of the reactor pressure vessel (RPV). Implementation calculations for brittle fracture resistance is regulated by the technical PNAE of Ukraine. The objective of these calculations is to prevent catastrophic brittle destruction of the reactor pressure vessel, pipelines and pressure vessels from the existence crack-like defects for all operating regimes, including emergency situations (ES). The paper considers the most dangerous postulated emergency situation in operation is "large" and "small" leak in the RPV NPP. Calculations with Warm Pre-Stressing effect (WPS) of the RPV for the most dangerous scenarios have been presented, and an assessment of the brittle strength of RPV NPP is taking into account with WPS. The results of studies with factor of brittle strength safety are also presented without taking into account the Warm Pre-Stressing, comparing with the existing method for accounting this type of load.
Development of the basic provisions of designing manipulators of mobile robots of special purpose, adapted for robots with dangerous objects
Authors: Yurchyshyn Oksana , Strutinsky Vasyl , Kravets Oleksandr
Published: December 2021

The concept of development of the theory of design of mobile robots for special purposes has been developed. The influence of road conditions on the accuracy of manipulators has been established. Parameters of static and dynamic characteristics of mobile robots are substantiated by means of mathematical modeling. On this basis, Recommendations have been developed, which develop the main provisions of the theory of designing manipulators of mobile robots for special purposes, adapted to work with hazardous objects.
Calculation of elements of machine-building structures on vibration strength
Authors: Babenko Andrii , Boronko Oleg , Trubachev Serhiy , Lavrenko Yaroslav
Published: December 2021

A method and an automated system for calculating structural elements for vibration strength have been developed. The calculation algorithms are based on a new method of forming Rayleigh-type functionals and minimizing them by the coordinate descent method. The use of the coordinate descent method avoids the problems associated with the formation, storage and operation of global matrices of stiffness and mass. This makes it possible to solve large-scale problems using only the operational memory of the PC. The developed approach allows to solve problems on own and forced fluctuations. The software is formed on a modular basis, which allows you to improve and expand this package of applications. The software has been tested on a large number of test and application tasks. The proposed calculation method and the developed automated system were implemented in engineering practice.
System engineering of preliminary initiation for projects of cooperative production of science-intensive machine building
Authors: Krivova Svitlana , Zubanjov О.
Published: December 2021

A feature of science-intensive machine building is the use of a cooperative production model. The importance of correct formation of data and requirements at the earliest stages of cooperative projects of scienceintensive machine building is noted. An upper-level decision-making model and algorithm for determining optimal conditions of mutual cooperation in cooperative projects of science-intensive machine building are proposed.
Modern processes and technologies of cold gas dynamic spraying of products agricultural equipment
Authors: Veselovska N. , Iskovich-Lototsky R.
Published: December 2021

Modern equipment of processing industry, animal husbandry, bioenergy complexes is used for processing, storage or transportation of aggressive substances. Functional coatings made of inert materials do not enter into any chemical reactions with food, processed products, livestock waste, acids and other aggressive media. There is a question of protection of the equipment of the processing industry, animal husbandry, bioenergy complexes from aggressive environments by application of processes of a cold gas-dynamic spraying. This is an urgent problem for the development of protective technologies and appropriate equipment for the implementation of the process of creating functional coatings
European Union Building Strategic Value Chains: the Case of Battery Industry
Authors: Nevskaya A.
Published: December 2021

The article analyzes the EU’s experience in transformation of its industrial policy, which is designed to help the EU to overcome the gap with competitors in technology and innovation, as well as to set new standards for the functioning of industrial sectors in the conditions of greening and digitalization. The basic principles of building the strategic value chains are considered. The method of lifecycle analysis is used, as well as the theoretical basis of research on economic policy in new industries. Among the main principles on which support measures for new industries are based, we highlight the desire to ensure the legal and regulatory dominance of the EU, the desire for maximum transparency of business processes, the emphasis on the complex systemic effect for the entire European economy. The analysis of new projects implemented in the EU is conducted using the empirical base from the battery industry. The analysis includes the new instruments of industrial policy – Important Projects of the Common European Interest and others. An attempt has been made to assess the effectiveness of these mechanisms. It has been shown that the value-added chain of automotive batteries currently being built in the EU is not fully European, and dependence on suppliers of raw materials and services from third countries persists. The EU production spots are concentrated mostly in the middle parts of the value chain – like cell production and battery assembly. This configuration allows for regulatory opportunities in the industry, giving an advantage to European companies with extensive experience in measuring and reducing the climate footprint of their products. There are prerequisites for the involvement of a large number of small business players in the new chains and an increased diffusion of innovation. In addition, the EU is successfully addressing the challenge of demonstrating the potential of its Green Deal and increasing consumer confidence in new products.
Environmental Dimesion of the COVID-19 Pandemic: New Chance for Green Economy
Authors: Rovinskaya T.
Published: December 2021

The article investigates the changes in environment that occurred in response to economic processes during the COVID‑19 pandemic (2019–2021), and related transformation of socio-political attitudes towards Green Policy and Green Economy. From the environmentalistic point of view, the pandemic played a twofold role. On the one part, it allowed the nature to “take a break” from an excessive anthropogenic pressure on the atmosphere and hydrosphere, and once again mobilized the humanity to reconsider the principles of interaction with the environment. On the other part, different types of pollution (daily and medical waste, plastic) increased dramatically; funding of international and national environmental programs was cut due to the economic recession worldwide. Nevertheless, the multidimensional crisis caused by the pandemic gave a new chance to the Green Economy. The most influential states of the world (the EU countries, USA, China and Russia) actively implement the Green Economy instruments at the state level. This process incorporates all economy sectors: finances, energy, industry, transport, agriculture and other. The European Union which had taken this path before the pandemic started is in an advanced position. At the same time, the foundations of the future environment-oriented economic policy are already enshrined in official documents (strategies, action plans, legislative acts, etc.) adopted by the leading nations thus far. Noteworthy is that the COVID‑19 crisis has updated the green political and economic agenda globally, regardless of differences between the states, which verifies the importance and necessity of agreeing a conceptually new approach to interaction with the environment in the short and long term.
Prospects of Joseph Biden’s East Asian Policy
Authors: Boldyrev V.
Published: December 2021

The article provides a forecast of a potential Joseph Biden’s East Asian policy. The forecast is prepared using the recently developed indirect coding language (ICL), which allows to interpret any state as a system and to build models based on official strategic documents. Through this approach, governmental strategies and official documents accepted as the ones can be translated into specific codes, which are connected to particular subsystems characterizing different aspects of a state’s development. The dynamic character of the model is provided by a temporal approach. The author analyses the Interim National Security Strategic Guidance using the ICL to build a model matching the interpretation of the global and regional development by J. Biden and his administration. Dynamically J. Biden’s policy inherits basic goals of Donald Trump’s in general or partly. Substantial changes of priorities can only be observed in food-agricultural, ecological-environmental and military subsystems. It allows forecasting that in general the 46th president will follow major directions of his predecessor’s policy. ICL-modeling of the J. Biden’s interpretation of East Asia allows forecasting the next basic parameters of probable future US policy in the region. First, the Chinese vector will be its core while all other priorities will be regarded as subordinate with an exception to counteracting the regional threats posed by North Korea. Second, policy toward China as a complicated threat will create a dividing line in several dimensions between United States and its allies and partners on the one hand and PRC and its partners on the other hand. It will affect such fields as economy, trade, technology, energy industry, raw materials, environment and ecology, military development, law, civil and humanitarian affairs. The dividing line will acquire global character because the US will be pursuing their policy priorities in the relations with the Indo-Pacific allies and partners as well as NATO ones, as the Pacific region recently becomes more important. Third, there is less and less space for the US and China cooperation. In the nearest future, it is likely to be limited to the climate change problem, health and nuclear non-proliferation.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION – KEY PREREQUISITE FOR SUSTAINABLE TOURISM ON THE MEDITERRANEAN
Authors: Jovičić Dobrica , Ivanović Vanja
Published: December 2021

The Mediterranean is grown up as one of the most developed tourist regions on the Earth, but development of mass tourism brought to the big saturation of space, causing environmental problems. As a consequence, today the Mediterranean is faced with a great challenge: how to preserve natural and cultural values as a basis for tourism industry and, in the same time, to keep high reputation on the globalized tourist market. In this work are analyzed the environmental effects of tourism and problems aggravating the concept of the sustainable development. There are also shown the key measures, that can enable development of tourism on a sustainable basis. Particular attention is dedicated to institutional and organizational factors having a crucial role in defining guidelines related to protection and sustainable usage of the Mediterranean Sea with its coastal area.
De Rerum (incerta) Natura. A Tentative Approach to the Concept of Quantum-like
Authors: FACCO ENRICO , Fracas Fabio
Published: December 2021

In recent years, the term quantum-like has been increasingly used in different disciplines, including neurosciences, psychological and socio-economical disciplines, claiming that some investigated phenomena show “something” in common with quantum processes and, therefore, they can be modeled using a sort of quantum formalism. Therefore, the increasing use of the term quantum-like calls for defining and sharing its meaning in order to properly adopt it and avoid possible misuse. In our opinion, the concept of quantum-like may be successfully applied to macroscopic phenomena and empirical sciences other than physics when at least two conditions are satisfied: a) the behavior of the investigated phenomena show logical analogies with quantum ones; b) it is possible to find a criterion of truth based on an experiential/scientific approach applied to a probabilistic model of description of the phenomena. This is only a first, small step in the approach to the concept of quantum-like, hopefully helpful to promote further discussion and achieve a better definition.
Constitutionalisation of Environmental Protection in Poland
Authors: Rakoczy Bartosz
Published: December 2021

This article aims, on the one hand, to analyse how the constitutionalisation of environmental protection in Poland has developed and, on the other hand, to review the currently adopted constitutional solutions regarding environmental protection. After briefly describing the term ‘constitutionalisation’, the author presents the constitutional development of Poland, with a special emphasis put on provisions regarding environmental protection. The detailed analysis of provisions is followed by the conclusions.
Transformation Management Office as a Vehicle to Accelerate Digital Transformation
Authors: Al Blooshi Khaled , Mohammed Hassan , Al Awadhi Khalid Yousef , Carreiras Pedro , Al Mansoori Maitha Harahish , Al Ameri Waad , Al Houqani Mouza Sulaiman , ALwedami Amal , Saleh Rasha Humaid , Alsaeedi Ayesha Ahmed , Al Hemeiri Ayesha
Published: December 2021

ADNOC has identified digital technology as a key enabler of sustainable value creation as it delivers its 2030 smart growth strategy. The Transformation Management Office (TMO) has been established to accelerate delivery of ADNOC's digital transformation, actively manage its digital portfolio, build digital capabilities, lead the digital empowerment of local talent and institute a ‘new way to operate’. By doing so, it supports ADNOC's ambition to be a data-driven organization, adopting new ways of working, and delivering greater value, while adapting swiftly to competitive threats to its core business.

ADNOC's digital transformation is changing the way the organization operates. The adoption of digital technologies, including big data, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning and robotics will optimize production, improve efficiency, reduce risk and de-risk multibillion dollar projects. To achieve this requires a change of company culture across the full value chain. The decision to establish the Transformation Management Office was a recognition that ADNOC must evolve to meet the realities of the new energy era by adopting advanced digital technologies to ensure we remain resilient and agile, by making the most of our resources, enhancing our performance, empowering our people and delivering greater value for our shareholders, Abu Dhabi and the UAE.
Experimental Investigation of Hydrocarbon Gas Huff-N-Puff Injection into the Live-Oil Window of Eagle Ford
Authors: Tsau Jyun-Syung , Fu Qinwen , Barati Reza Ghahfarokhi , Zaghloul J. , Baldwin A. , Bradford K. , Nicoud B. , Mohrbacher J. D.
Published: December 2021

The hydrocarbon gas huff and puff (HnP) technique has been used to improve oil production in unconventional oil reservoirs where excess capacity of produced gas is available and hydrocarbon prices are in a range to result in an economically viable case. Eagle Ford (EF) is one of the largest unconventional oil plays in the United State where HnP has been applied for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) at reservoirs within various oil windows. Our previously published Huff-n-puff results on dead oil with produced gas from Eagle Ford (EF) showed the recovery factor of hydrocarbon varying from 40 to 58%. The objective of this paper is to extend the experiments to live oil with EF core plugs to investigate the mechanisms of HnP which are affected by the composition of injected gas and resident oil, injection and soaking time as well as injection/depletion pressure gradient.

Eagle Ford live oil and natural gas produced from the target area were used for HnP tests. Four representative core plugs were used with the tests conducted at reservoir conditions (125 °C and 3,500 psi).

The live oil experiments with four reservoir core plugs showed an improvement in oil recovery with recovery factor (RF) varying from 19.5 to 33 % in six cycles of HnP, whereas the primary depletion on the same core plug showed RF below 11 %. A lower recovery factor of HnP from live oil saturated core in this study was observed as compared to dead oil saturated core reported in a previous publication. It is attributed to a lesser diffusion effect on mass transfer between injected gas and resident oil when the core is saturated with live oil. This behavior is displayed by the pressure decline curve during the first soaking period. A sharper diffusion pressure decline occurred in the dead oil saturated core plug where a higher concentration gradient between injected gas and resident oil drives a faster gas transport into the oil due to the molecular diffusion during the soaking period.
Stratigraphic Trap Potential in the Middle East – Examples from the Mesozoic
Authors: Gravestock Christopher , Bromhead Alex , Simmons Mike , Van Buchem Frans , Davies Roger
Published: December 2021

The Mesozoic stratigraphy of the Middle East is endowed with multiple world-class, economically significant petroleum systems. Since the first discovery of a major oilfield in an anticline structure in 1908 (Masjed-e-Suleyman, Iran), exploration and production in the Middle East has been largely focussed on relatively low-risk, large structural traps. However, across the Arabian Plate, unexplored structural traps at similar scales are becoming scarce. Therefore, in this mature petroleum province, attention must now focus on identifying the presence of subtle stratigraphic traps, especially within the hydrocarbon-rich Mesozoic stratigraphy. In order to locate and evaluate subtle stratigraphic traps, we have applied sequence stratigraphic principles across the Mesozoic strata of the Arabian Plate. This approach provides a regional, robust age-based framework which reduces lithostratigraphic uncertainty across international boundaries and offers predictive capabilities in the identification and extent of stratigraphic plays. Herein, we focus on three intervals of Mesozoic stratigraphy, namely Triassic, Middle-Late Jurassic and middle Cretaceous strata, in which regional sequence stratigraphic based correlations have identified stratigraphic trap potential. Each of these stratigraphic intervals are associated with the following stratigraphic traps:Triassic: Sub-crop traps associated with a base Jurassic regional unconformity and intra-Triassic unconformities. Onlap geometries associated with differential topography on the Arabian Plate.Middle-Late Jurassic: Pure stratigraphic trap geometries associated with basin margin progradation and pinch-out plays either side of the Rimthan Arch related to late Oxfordian/early Kimmeridgian sea-level fall.Middle Cretaceous: Sub-crop potential beneath the regional mid-Turonian unconformity, basin margin progradation and stratigraphic pinch-out geometries associated with onlap onto basin margins.

This regional sequence stratigraphic approach highlights the remaining exploration and production opportunities within these hydrocarbon-rich stratigraphic intervals.
Carbon Steel X65QS Pipeline Qualification for Extreme Sour Service a Global Approach: Line Pipe, Welding, Eca Methodology and Diyab Pipeline Case Study
Authors: Luc Lam-Thanh , Saad Hamdi , Tanios Matta , Aamer Dr. Al Bannay , Sirsimth Meer Mumtaz Ali Imtiaz , Antoine Remy , Florian Thebault , Laurent Ladeuille
Published: December 2021

In the wake of failures of large diameter pipelines made from plates using the Thermo-Mechanically Controlled Process (TMCP), the suitability of carbon steel material for sour environments where the H2S partial pressure is largely over 1 bar has been questioned. Understanding that seamless quench and tempered material are not prone to the same phenomenon as large diameter TMCP pipes, it has been decided to ensure the integrity of the DIYAB pipeline by qualification using the actual production environment pH=3.5 at 24°C and 6.84 bar H2S plus 6.84 bar CO2.

The global approach includes the qualification to sour service resistance under 6.84bar H2S of the base material and the welds without post weld heat treatment. Fracture toughness tests under 6.84bar H2S were also conducted, and the results fed into an Engineering Criticality Assessment (ECA) to define the Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) acceptance criteria. The NDT tools were selected for their ability to detect the critical flaws and validated. The global approach methodology and results are presented.
Robust Well Placement Optimization Through Universal Trace Kriging with Adaptive Sampling
Authors: Stabile Carlo Cristiano , Barbiero Marco , Fighera Giorgio , Dovera Laura
Published: December 2021

Optimizing well locations for a green field is critical to mitigate development risks. Performing such workflows with reservoir simulations is very challenging due to the huge computational cost. Proxy models can instead provide accurate estimates at a fraction of the computing time. This study presents an application of new generation functional proxies to optimize the well locations in a real oil field with respect to the actualized oil production on all the different geological realizations.

Proxies are built with the Universal Trace Kriging and are functional in time allowing to actualize oil flows over the asset lifetime. Proxies are trained on the reservoir simulations using randomly sampled well locations. Two proxies are created for a pessimistic model (P10) and a mid-case model (P50) to capture the geological uncertainties. The optimization step uses the Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm, with discounted oil productions of the two proxies, as objective functions. An adaptive approach was employed: optimized points found from a first optimization were used to re-train the proxy models and a second run of optimization was performed.

The methodology was applied on a real oil reservoir to optimize the location of four vertical production wells and compared against reference locations. 111 geological realizations were available, in which one relevant uncertainty is the presence of possible compartments. The decision space represented by the horizontal translation vectors for each well was sampled using Plackett-Burman and Latin-Hypercube designs. A first application produced a proxy with poor predictive quality. Redrawing the areas to avoid overlaps and to confine the decision space of each well in one compartment, improved the quality. This suggests that the proxy predictive ability deteriorates in presence of highly non-linear responses caused by sealing faults or by well interchanging positions. We then followed a 2-step adaptive approach: a first optimization was performed and the resulting Pareto front was validated with reservoir simulations; to further improve the proxy quality in this region of the decision space, the validated Pareto front points were added to the initial dataset to retrain the proxy and consequently rerun the optimization. The final well locations were validated on all 111 realizations with reservoir simulations and resulted in an overall increase of the discounted production of about 5% compared to the reference development strategy.

The adaptive approach, combined with functional proxy, proved to be successful in improving the workflow by purposefully increasing the training set samples with data points able to enhance the optimization step effectiveness. Each optimization run performed relies on about 1 million proxy evaluations which required negligible computational time. The same workflow carried out with standard reservoir simulations would have been practically unfeasible.
Resilience Control Room Operator During Pandemic Covid-19
Authors: All Dhanhani Salem , Novendri Ivan
Published: December 2021

The control room acts as a central nervous system facility. This is where important decisions, using complex systems, are made every day. The actions of control room operators have a direct impact on uptime, production yields, quality, and industrial plant safety. In addition, long working hours per shift result in fatigue, irregularity of circadian rhythms and sleep cycles, and decreased cognitive performance at the end of day and night shifts. Fatigue causes decreased alertness, attention span, poor memory, and concentration and affect other mental factors.

ADNOC Gas Processing established Fatigue Risk Management Taskforce (FRMT) to adapt practices to the specific conditions and create a safer working environment, leading to happier and healthier employees and an overall community. In industries that run continuous and heavy-duty plants such as Oil, gas, and petrochemical, shift work ensures production flow. After the outbreak of Covid-19, business needs to adapt quickly so that their activities can run. The finding suggests that the workers' cognitive performance is reduced, shown by the increase of triggered alarm by the average of 14.39% higher than before the outbreak of Covid-19. However, with the ability to adapt and implement control and monitoring measures, the number of alarm rate gradually decreased. The study framework was proven to be a valuable tool that decision-makers can use, especially to measure the performance of control room workers and their psychological fatigue affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Laboratory Evaluation Experiment for Adaptability Analysis of Nitrogen Injection in Yanchang Oil Field
Authors: Gao Jiaxi , Yao Yuedong , Bao He , Shen Jinjiang
Published: December 2021

Yanchang Oilfield conducts systematic research on nitrogen injection to enhance oil recovery. Through the research of this project, the energy supplement method of horizontal wells suitable for the study area is determined, and its injection system and process parameters are optimized and determined.

The optimal energy replenishment method selected by the mine field test achieves the following economic and technical indicators: Provide a nitrogen suitability evaluation plan; Complete the nitrogen flooding matching process design of the target well; Complete the design of the injection-production plan for the target well; Compare with other energy supplement methods.

Through the analysis of two supplementary energy methods of water injection and gas injection in indoor and similar reservoirs, the following understandings have been obtained: (1) Nitrogen is insoluble in water, slightly soluble in oil, good swelling, large elastic energy, is an inert gas, exists widely in the atmosphere, inexhaustible, inexhaustible, has a wide range of sources. (2) the recovery rate of nitrogen flooding is significantly higher than that of water flooding. (3) The field test results of water injection and nitrogen test in similar reservoirs show that the supplementary formation energy of nitrogen injection is suitable for the later development of Chang 64 and Chang 71 in the Haobasi oil field. (4) Compared with deep ultra-low permeability reservoirs, it is more economical to use nitrogen to supplement formation energy and change oil. The rate is higher.

From the above analysis, it can be seen that the supplementary energy of Chang 64 and Chang 71 reservoirs in the Haobasi oil area should be nitrogen injection as the main supplement, and water injection as a supplement. Gas/water alternate injection is used to adjust the gas injection profile to slow down the escape of injected nitrogen. . Although water injection supplements the formation energy with greater uncertainty, it can be used as a technical means of fluidity control in the gas injection process and is relatively economical.
Multihazard Risk Aggregation Approach for Quantitative Risk Assessment of Upstream Oil and Gas Facilities
Authors: Decarli Luca , Crivellari Anna , La Rosa Laura , Zio Enrico , Di Maio Francesco , Scapinello Oscar , Martinoia Luca
Published: December 2021

For the design and operation of Oil and Gas (O&G) facilities, a Quantitative Risk Assessment (QRA) should be performed to quantify the risk of major accidents due to multiple hazards and sources at the plant level, thus allowing the effective identification and allocation of safety barriers. In this work, a novel approach for the multi-hazard and multi-source aggregation of risks is proposed, accounting for the uncertainties typically unexpressed in a conventional QRA (both on the frequency and severity of the accidental scenarios). The multi-hazard risk assessment framework proposed is applied to assess the Location-Specific Individual Risk (LSIR) for a representative Upstream O&G plant (case study), using a model based on multistate Bayesian Networks (BNs) for different functional units, each one undergoing an initiating event of Loss Of Primary Containment (LOPC). Estimates of frequency and severity for each possible accident scenario are aggregated to eventually calculate the overall LSIR. Moreover, LSIR's confidence intervals are provided to describe the uncertainty associated to the estimates, and the frequency and severity contributions to risk are derived for targeted prioritization of the safety barriers in view of the risk reduction.
Drilling Efficiently, Durably and Consistently Through Cherts and Conglomerates with PDC Bits is Possible
Authors: Reboul Sebastien , Elabassi Emad Ahmed , Tejedor Miguel Angel , Hafez Kareem , Cuillier Bruno , Addae Daniel , Yari Nina , Kapitaniak Marcin , Vaziri Hamaneh Seyed Vahid , Wiercigroch Marian
Published: December 2021

Drilling into harsh environment with heterogeneous formations including chert or conglomerate is usually a boundary that can't be crossed with standard PDC bit technology. This paper will show how an innovative PDC cutter shape combined with a novel 3D approach of cutting structure design have withstood this challenge and successfully replaced 16-in. traditional roller cone application in United Arab Emirates by the latest PDC technology delivering an average 35% improvement on Rate Of Penetration (ROP) while continuously drilling to Total Depth (TD) on each section.

When drilling chert or conglomerate type of formation with a PDC drill bit, uneven load per cutters is detrimental to their integrity and results in short runs or brutal stop in the drilling operation triggering a trip for drill bit change. The new technology shown in this paper includes a unique hybrid combination of cutter shapes with a design arrangement of the cutting structure to allow for the pre-fracturing of any hard formation heterogeneity by 3D shaped cutters while standard cutters ensure a high level of cutting efficiency through their shearing action. This innovative concept has been intensively tested in the lab through single cutter and full bit scale drilling testing. In addition, in-house 3D bit simulation software has been used to optimize the cutting structure and assure performance within a wide range of drilling scenarios.

Based on these simulations, an optimized design was manufactured for 16-in. directional applications usually tackled by roller cone drill bits and known for having heterogeneous cherty formations to drill throughout the end of the 5,000 ft section. Simulation results helped to validate the unique shaped cutters placement on the cutting structure to maximize the pre-fracturing effect. This design was run on Rotary Steerable System (RSS) and Positive Displacement Motor (PDM) assemblies and successfully drilled 5 wells in a challenging field of the United Arab Emirates offshore operations. 100% successful rate to reach TD in one run was achieved while increasing drastically the average ROP of the section by at least 35%. Moreover, the unique design configuration allowed to better control the directional behavior of the drill string, which resulted in a significant reduction in the overall cost per foot.

A new boundary has been breached in several wells of a complex 16-in. chert and conglomerate application in the United Arab Emirates thanks to a years-long effort combining an innovative cutter technology, an optimized bit design process including a state-of-the-art 3D simulation software with lab and field experimental testing campaigns. By looking at the micro level structure of the rock destruction mechanism, a huge improvement has been obtained at the macro level of drilling operation economics.