bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Three-year outcome following neonatal encephalopathy in a high-survival cohort
Authors: Tsuda Kennosuke , Shibasaki Jun , Isayama Tetsuya , Takeuchi Akihito , Mukai Takeo , Sugiyama Yuichiro , Ioroi Tomoaki , Takahashi Akihito , Yutaka Nanae , Iwata Sachiko , Nabetani Makoto , Iwata Osuke
Published: May 2022

This study investigated the 3-year clinical outcomes in relation to the severity of encephalopathy in high-survival infants who underwent therapeutic hypothermia. This retrospective observational study was conducted in level II/III neonatal intensive care units in Japan. The nationwide cohort included 474 infants registered in the Baby Cooling Registry of Japan between January 2012 and December 2016. Clinical characteristics, mortality rate and severe neurological impairment at age 3 years were evaluated. Of the infants, 48 (10.4%), 291 (63.1%) and 122 (26.5%) had mild, moderate and severe encephalopathy, respectively, upon admission. By age 3, 53 (11.2%) infants died, whereas 110 (26.1%) developed major disabilities. The mild group survived up to age 3. In the moderate group, 13 (4.5%) died and 44 (15.8%) developed major disabilities. In the severe group, 39 (32.0%) died by age 3. Adverse outcomes were observed in 100 (82.0%) infants. Mortality was relatively low in all subgroups, but the incidence of major disabilities was relatively high in the severe group. The relatively low mortality and high morbidity may be due to Japanese social and ethical norms, which rarely encourage the withdrawal of intensive life support. Cultural and ethical backgrounds may need to be considered when assessing the effect of therapeutic interventions.
An innovative antenna array with high inter element isolation for sub-6 GHz 5G MIMO communication systems
Authors: Alibakhshikenari Mohammad , Virdee Bal S. , Benetatos Harry , Ali Esraa Mousa , Soruri Mohammad , Dalarsson Mariana , Naser-Moghadasi Mohammad , See Chan Hwang , Pietrenko-Dabrowska Anna , Koziel Slawomir , Szczepanski Stanislaw , Limiti Ernesto
Published: May 2022

A novel technique is shown to improve the isolation between radiators in antenna arrays. The proposed technique suppresses the surface-wave propagation and reduces substrate loss thereby enhancing the overall performance of the array. This is achieved without affecting the antenna’s footprint. The proposed approach is demonstrated on a four-element array for 5G MIMO applications. Each radiating element in the array is constituted from a 3 × 3 matrix of interconnected resonant elements. The technique involves (1) incorporating matching stubs within the resonant elements, (2) framing each of the four-radiating elements inside a dot-wall, and (3) defecting the ground plane with dielectric slots that are aligned under the dot-walls. Results show that with the proposed approach the impedance bandwidth of the array is increased by 58.82% and the improvement in the average isolation between antennas #1&2, #1&3, #1&4 are 8 dB, 14 dB, 16 dB, and 13 dB, respectively. Moreover, improvement in the antenna gain is 4.2% and the total radiation efficiency is 23.53%. These results confirm the efficacy of the technique. The agreement between the simulated and measured results is excellent. Furthermore, the manufacture of the antenna array using the proposed approach is relatively straightforward and cost effective.
Bisphosphorylation of anhydrides – convenient access to bisphosphonates with a P–O–C–P motif
Authors: Zhang Xin-Yue , Li Qi-Wei , Yue Hui-Qi , Wu Zi-Qian , Li Ji , Li Ming , Lu Lu , Yang Shang-Dong , Yang Bin
Published: May 2022

A convenient and practical strategy for the synthesis of P–O–C–P motif containing bisphosphonates.
Designed assembly of heterometallic zeolite-like framework materials from two different supertetrahedral metal clusters
Authors: Peng Shuang , Li Yan , Ge Rui , Chen Wen-Xin , Wang Tian-Yu , Li Xin-Xiong , Zheng Shou-Tian
Published: May 2022

By using two different supertetrahedral clusters as secondary building units, two new heterometallic zeolite-like frameworks were first made, demonstrating a feasible strategy for the synthesis of new functional framework materials.
Bisstibane–distibane conversionviaconsecutive single-electron oxidation and reduction reaction
Authors: Gehlhaar Alexander , Weinert Hanns Micha , Wölper Christoph , Semleit Nina , Haberhauer Gebhard , Schulz Stephan
Published: May 2022

Single electron oxidation of (Trip2Sb)2Naph (1) gave [(Trip2Sb)(TripSb)Naph][BArF] (3), which is reduced which KC8to distibane (TripSb)2Naph (4).
Quantitative reversible one pot interconversion of three crystalline polymorphs by ball mill grinding
Authors: Belenguer Ana M. , Lampronti Giulio I. , Michalchuk Adam A. L. , Emmerling Franziska , Sanders Jeremy K. M.
Published: May 2022

We demonstrate here using a disulfide system the first example of reversible, selective, and quantitative transformation between three crystalline polymorphs by ball mill grinding.
Study of optical emission spectroscopy using modified Boltzmann plot in dual-frequency synchronized pulsed capacitively coupled discharges with DC bias at low-pressure in Ar/O2/C4F8 plasma etching process
Authors: Sahu Bibhuti Bhusan , Nakane Kazuya , Ishikawa Kenji , Sekine Makoto , Tsutsumi Takayoshi , Gohira Taku , Ohya Yoshinobu , Ohno Noriyasu , Hori Masaru
Published: May 2022

A modified Boltzmann equation using the corona model was used to study the plasma characteristics of a pulse plasma etching process.
Ultrahigh stable covalent organic framework-derived carbon–nitrogen-supported palladium nanoparticles for highly efficient electrocatalytic methanol and ethanol oxidation reactions
Authors: Xiao Shun , Zhu Lihua , Osman Sameh M. , Feng Yingliang , Zhang Sifan , Li Guoda , Zeng Shenyou , Luque Rafael , Chen Bing Hui
Published: May 2022

COF-derived nitrogen-doped-carbon structure supported palladium catalysts exhibited excellent EOR and MOR activities, much higher than those of commercial Pd/C, with good catalytic stability.
Carbon-based electrically conductive materials for bone repair and regeneration
Authors: Arambula-Maldonado Rebeca , Mequanint Kibret
Published: May 2022

Electrically conductive bone scaffolds composed of carbon-based conductive materials are proposed as promising biomaterials for bone tissue engineering solutions.
Synthesis of mono- and polyfunctional organosilicon derivatives of polyhedral carboranes for the preparation of hybrid polymer materials
Authors: Minyaylo E. O. , Kudryavtseva A. I. , Zubova V. Y. , Anisimov A. A. , Zaitsev A. V. , Ol'shevskaya V. A. , Dolgushin F. M. , Peregudov A. S. , Muzafarov A. M.
Published: May 2022

A series of mono- and polyfunctional carborane organosilicon derivatives were prepared with good yields based on the hydrosilylation reactions of allylcarboranes with hydride-containing organosilicon compounds such as tetramethyldisiloxane, decamethylpentasiloxane and triethoxysilane in the presence of Karstedt's catalyst.
Palladium(ii) and platinum(ii) complexes with ONN donor pincer ligand: synthesis, characterization and in vitro cytotoxicity study
Authors: Bera Biswajit , Mondal Sanchaita , Gharami Saswati , Naskar Rahul , Das Saha Krishna , Mondal Tapan K.
Published: May 2022

New Pd(ii) and Pt(ii) complexes with ONN donor pincer ligand are synthesized. Antiproliferative activity of the complexes is explored towards HCT116, HepG2, MCF-7 and A549 cell lines.
Neat synthesis of isothiazole compounds, and studies on their synthetic applications and photophysical properties
Authors: Bera Anirban , Patra Prasanta , Azad Abulkalam , Ali Sk Asraf , Manna Susanta Kumar , Saha Amit , Samanta Shubhankar
Published: May 2022

Ammonium thiocyanate-promoted simple, rapid and eco-friendly neat synthesis of isothiazoles is developed for the first time.
Supercapacitance in graphene oxide materials modified with tetrapyrrole dyes: a mechanistic study
Authors: Suchecki Maciej , Klejna Sylwia , Marciszko-Wiąckowska Marianna , Bednarski Waldemar , Rosiak Natalia , Lewandowska Kornelia , Szaciłowski Konrad
Published: May 2022

The global increase in mobile technology usage has created a need for better energy storage systems.
Co3Mo3N as an alternative for noble-metal catalysts in hydrodeoxygenation of methyl palmitate to diesel range hydrocarbons
Authors: Wang Jiequan , Chen Xiao , Chen Xiaozhen , Zhao Chenxi , Ling Yu , Liang Changhai
Published: May 2022

The Co3Mo3N catalyst exhibited high efficiency in the hydrodeoxygenation of fatty esters through regulating and optimizing the fine structure and electronic coordination environment.
A quorum-based fluorescent probe for imaging pathogenic bacteria
Authors: Shrivastava Sajal , Arya Rekha , Kim Kyeong Kyu , Lee Nae-Eung
Published: May 2022

A new quorum sensing-based imaging was developed to detect active infections caused by multiple drug-resistant S. aureus. This method can be efficiently translated to detect other pathogenic bacteria and extended to imaging with other modalities.
Hemostatic biomaterials to halt non-compressible hemorrhage
Authors: Jiang Shuaibing , Liu Shiyu , Lau Sum , Li Jianyu
Published: May 2022

This review covers the design principles of hemostatic biomaterials based on biochemical and mechanical mechanisms, and discusses the remaining challenges and immediate opportunities to manage non-compressible hemorrhage with biomaterials.
A simple and generic post-treatment strategy for highly efficient Cr3+-activated broadband NIR emitting phosphors for high-power NIR light sources
Authors: Zheng Zhi-Hang , Liu Bo-Mei , Zhou Zhi , Ma Chong-Geng , Wang Jing
Published: May 2022

A simple and generic post-treatment strategy is reported to improve the luminescence efficiency of Cr3+-activated NIR-emitting phosphors.
Correction: The effect of molecular aggregation of thermally activated delayed fluorescence sensitizers for hyperfluorescence in organic light-emitting diodes
Authors: Park Eun Young , Park Ji Hyun , Kim Yun-Hi , Suh Min Chul
Published: May 2022

Correction for ‘The effect of molecular aggregation of thermally activated delayed fluorescence sensitizers for hyperfluorescence in organic light-emitting diodes’ by Eun Young Park et al., J. Mater. Chem. C, 2022, 10, 4705–4716, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/D1TC04712D.
Chine : le plus grand et le plus rapide programme nucléaire du monde
Authors: d’Aletto Tony
Published: May 2022

La Chine s’est dotée d’une industrie nucléaire performante au service de ses ambitions climatiques, économiques et stratégiques. Avec 21 réacteurs mis en service ces cinq dernières années, un effort important de R&D et des premiers projets à l’export, la Chine mise sur le nucléaire avec de grandes ambitions.
Nucléaire civil : un réel engouement à travers le monde
Authors: Le Gros Gaïc
Published: May 2022

Plusieurs pays sont actuellement en train de construire leur première centrale nucléaire tandis que d’autres souhaiteraient le faire. Que ce soit pour la petite ou la forte puissance, l’intérêt pour le nucléaire touche de plus en plus de pays.
Le nucléaire dans les différentes taxonomies mondiales
Authors: Hanine Ilyas
Published: May 2022

À l’instar de l’Union européenne, de nombreuses autres puissances, comme la Chine et la Russie, ont développé ou sont en train de développer leur propre taxonomie. Elles sont destinées à flécher les investissements vers les projets durables. À travers l’exemple de cinq pays, décryptons la place qu’y occupe le nucléaire.
An artificial intelligence difficulty scoring system for stone removal during ERCP: a prospective validation
Authors: Huang Li , Xu Youming , Chen Jie , Liu Feng , Wu Deqing , Zhou Wei , Wu Lianlian , Pang Tingting , Huang Xu , Zhang Kuo , Yu Honggang
Published: May 2022

Background A computer-assisted (CAD) system was developed to assess, score, and classify the technical difficulty of common bile duct (CBD) stone removal during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). The efficacy of the CAD system was subsequently assessed through a multicenter, prospective, observational study.

Method All patients who met the inclusion criteria were included. Based on cholangiogram images, the CAD system analyzed the level of difficulty of stone removal and classified it into “difficult” and “easy” groups. Subsequently, differences in clinical endpoints, including attempts at stone extraction, stone extraction time, total operation time, and stone clearance rates were compared between the two groups.

Results 173 patients with CBD stones from three hospitals were included in the study. The group classified as difficult by CAD had more extraction attempts (7.20 vs. 4.20, P < 0.001), more frequent machine lithotripsy (30.4 % vs. 7.1 %, P < 0.001), longer stone extraction time (16.59 vs. 7.69 minutes, P < 0.001), lower single-session stone clearance rate (73.9 % vs. 94.5 %, P < 0.001), and lower total stone clearance rate (89.1 % vs. 97.6 %, P = 0.019) compared with the group classified as easy by CAD.

Conclusion The CAD system effectively assessed and classified the degree of technical difficulty in endoscopic stone extraction during ERCP. In addition, it automatically provided a quantitative evaluation of CBD and stones, which in turn could help endoscopists to apply suitable procedures and interventional methods to minimize the possible risks associated with endoscopic stone removal.
3D flow field measurements outside nanopores
Authors: Mc Hugh Jeffrey , Thorneywork Alice L. , Andresen Kurt , Keyser Ulrich F.
Published: May 2022

We demonstrate a non-stereoscopic, video-based particle tracking system with optical tweezers to study fluid flow in 3D in the vicinity of glass nanopores. In particular, we used the quadrant interpolation algorithm to extend our video-based particle tracking to displacements out of the trapping plane of the tweezers. This permitted the study of flow from nanopores oriented at an angle to the trapping plane, enabling the mounting of nanopores on a micromanipulator with which it was then possible to automate the mapping procedure. Mapping of the voltage driven flow in 3D volumes outside nanopores revealed polarity dependent flow fields. This is in agreement with the model of voltage driven flow in conical nanopores depending on the interaction of distinct flows within the nanopore and along the outer walls.
Broadband polarization insensitivity and high detection efficiency in high-fill-factor superconducting microwire single-photon detectors
Authors: Reddy Dileep V. , Otrooshi Negar , Nam Sae Woo , Mirin Richard P. , Verma Varun B.
Published: May 2022

Single-photon detection via absorption in current-biased nanoscale superconducting structures has become a preferred technology in quantum optics and related fields. Single-mode fiber packaged devices have seen new records set in detection efficiency, timing jitter, recovery times, and the largest sustainable count rates. The popular approaches to decreasing polarization sensitivity have resorted to the deposition of a high-index dielectric layer in between the nanowires or the introduction of geometrically symmetric nanowire meanders, such as spirals and fractals, in the active area. The former method yields limited success, while constraints on bending radii, and by extension fill factors in the latter limits their maximum efficiency. The discovery of single-photon sensitivity in micrometer-scale superconducting wires enables novel meander patterns with no effective upper limit on the fill factor. This work demonstrates simultaneous low-polarization sensitivity (1.02 ± 0.008) and high detection efficiency (>91.8% to better than one standard deviation at 2 × 105 counts/s) across a 40 nm bandwidth centered at 1550 nm in 0.51 μm wide microwire devices made of silicon-rich tungsten silicide, sporting a new candelabra-style meander pattern with a fill factor of 0.91 in the active area. These devices boasted efficiencies of 96.5%–96.9% ± 0.5% at 1 × 105 counts/s for 1550 nm light.
Gate-controlled polarization-resolving mid-infrared detection at metal–graphene junctions
Authors: Semkin Valentin , Mylnikov Dmitry , Titova Elena , Zhukov Sergey , Svintsov Dmitry
Published: May 2022

The ability to resolve the polarization of light with on-chip devices represents an urgent problem in optoelectronics. The detectors with polarization resolution demonstrated so far mostly require multiple oriented detectors or movable external polarizers. Here, we experimentally demonstrate the feasibility to resolve the polarization of mid-infrared light with a single chemical-vapor-deposited graphene-channel device with dissimilar metal contacts. This possibility stems from an unusual dependence of photoresponse at graphene–metal junctions on gate voltage and polarization angle. Namely, there exist certain gate voltages providing the polarization-insensitive signal; operation at these voltages can be used for power calibration of the detector. At other gate voltages, the detector features very strong polarization sensitivity, with the ratio of signals for two orthogonal polarizations reaching ∼10. Operation at these voltages can provide information about polarization angles, after the power calibration. We show that such unusual gate- and polarization-dependence of photosignal can appear upon competition of isotropic and anisotropic photovoltage generation pathways and discuss the possible physical candidates.
Fluctuations in the spectrum of non-Hermitian i.i.d. matrices
Authors: Cipolloni Giorgio
Published: May 2022

We consider large non-Hermitian random matrices X with independent identically distributed real or complex entries. In this paper, we review recent results about the eigenvalues of X: (i) universality of local eigenvalue statistics close to the edge of the spectrum of X [Cipolloni et al., “Edge universality for non-Hermitian random matrices,” Probab. Theory Relat. Fields 179, 1–28 (2021)], which is the non-Hermitian analog of the celebrated Tracy–Widom universality; (ii) central limit theorem for linear eigenvalue statistics of macroscopic test functions having 2 + ϵ derivatives [Cipolloni et al., “Central limit theorem for linear eigenvalue statistics of non-Hermitian random matrices,” Commun. Pure Appl. Math. (published online) (2021) and Cipolloni et al., “Fluctuation around the circular law for random matrices with real entries,” Electron. J. Probab. 26, 1–61 (2021)]. The main novel ingredients in the proof of these results are local laws for products of two resolvents of the Hermitization of X at two different spectral parameters, coupling of weakly dependent Dyson Brownian motions, and the lower tail estimate for the smallest singular value of X − z in the transitional regime |z| ≈ 1 [Cipolloni et al., “Optimal lower bound on the least singular value of the shifted Ginibre ensemble,” Probab. Math. Phys. 1, 101–146 (2020)].
Mathematical model of wave diffraction for symmetrically arranged breakwaters
Authors: Zhang Hong-Sheng , Zhou Pei-xin , Hong Guang-Wen
Published: May 2022

Wave diffraction is a typical problem that is encountered in breakwater construction because knowledge of diffraction behavior has important application in the design and location of breakwaters. With the rapid development of harbor, more and more unconventional layout forms of breakwaters are often encountered in actual engineering. Therefore, this paper introduces a mathematical model of regular waves diffracted by symmetrically arranged rigid and thin breakwaters with a gap, using the conformal transformation method and Green's function method; an appropriate numerical method is described to obtain the approximate analytical solutions. Wave diffraction coefficients were calculated for cases involving different incident angles of the waves, different gap widths, and the included angles between two breakwaters, and the diffraction coefficient diagrams were plotted. The results of the present mathematical model were compared with the those of previous analytical solutions. It was found that the variation trends of the present results are consistent with those of previous studies, which proves the correctness of the model. The influence of the included angle between two breakwaters on the distribution of diffraction coefficients was also analyzed. The mathematical model is unity of the Penny and Price's [“Part I. The diffraction theory of sea waves and the shelter afforded by breakwaters,” Philos. Trans. R. Soc. London 244, 236–253 (1952)] and Kirby et al.'s (1994) [“Parabolic approximations for water waves in conformal coordinate systems,” Coastal Eng. 23, 185–213 (1994)] models; it effectively overcomes the insufficient accuracy of the superposition method for cases involving oblique incidence or gap widths of less than one wavelength. Furthermore, Lamb's [Hydrodynamics, 6th ed. (Cambridge University Press, 1932), p. 305] solution is reproduced when the ratio of the gap width to the wavelength is very small.
Radiation hardness of InWZnO thin film as resistive switching layer
Authors: Hsu Chih-Chieh , Ruan Dun-Bao , Liao Kuei-Shu Chang , Gan Kai-Jhih , Sze Simon M. , Liu Po-Tsun
Published: May 2022

In this study, the effect of radiation on an amorphous semiconductor InWZnO (IWZO) thin film has been investigated. From the x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy in-depth analysis, most of the oxygen vacancies in pristine IWZO films are located at the bottom of the film. As the radiation dose increases, the proportion of oxygen vacancies at the bottom of the film increases. However, the top of the IWZO film is hardly affected by the radiation dose. In addition, the resistive switching behavior of an IWZO memristor under irradiation has also been investigated. A forming process and a bipolar I–V curve of the IWZO memristor vary with the radiation dose. The high resistance state of the memristor is significantly degraded at a radiation dose of 1000 krad, which is due to the more defects in the IWZO film. The retention time of the IWZO memristor is up to 104 s at 85 °C with 100 krad. The damaged site in the IWZO film is observed and fabricated into memristors under radiation. The IWZO film as the resistive switching layer exhibits great potential in harsh environments such as polar regions, space technology, nuclear military, and medical imaging.
Simulating the charging of cylindrical electrolyte-filled pores with the modified Poisson–Nernst–Planck equations
Authors: Yang Jie , Janssen Mathijs , Lian Cheng , van Roij René
Published: May 2022

Understanding how electrolyte-filled porous electrodes respond to an applied potential is important to many electrochemical technologies. Here, we consider a model supercapacitor of two blocking cylindrical pores on either side of a cylindrical electrolyte reservoir. A stepwise potential difference 2Φ between the pores drives ionic fluxes in the setup, which we study through the modified Poisson–Nernst–Planck equations, solved with finite elements. We focus our discussion on the dominant timescales with which the pores charge and how these timescales depend on three dimensionless numbers. Next to the dimensionless applied potential Φ, we consider the ratio R/Rb of the pore’s resistance R to the bulk reservoir resistance Rb and the ratio rp/λ of the pore radius rp to the Debye length λ. We compare our data to theoretical predictions by Aslyamov and Janssen (Φ), Posey and Morozumi (R/Rb), and Henrique, Zuk, and Gupta (rp/λ). Through our numerical approach, we delineate the validity of these theories and the assumptions on which they were based.
Persistent opioid use after hospital discharge in Australia: a systematic review
Authors: Suckling Benita , Pattullo Champika , Liu Shania , James Prudence , Donovan Peter , Patanwala Asad , Penm Jonathan
Published: May 2022

Objective This systematic review identified studies that provided an estimate of persistent opioid use following patient discharge from hospital settings in Australia. Methods A literature search was performed on 5 December 2020, with no date restrictions to identify studies that reported a rate of persistent opioid use following patient discharge from Australian Hospitals. The search strategy combined all terms relating to the themes ‘hospital patients’, ‘prescribing’, ‘opioids’ and ‘Australia’. Studies that dealt solely with cancer, palliative care or addiction medicine were excluded. The databases searched in this review were Embase, PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts. Studies were assessed for bias using the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale and considered against international literature. Results In total, 13 publications are included for final analysis in this review. Of these, 11 articles relate to post-surgical opioid use. With one exception, studies were of a ‘good’ quality. Methods of data collection in included studies were a mixture of those conducting follow up of patients directly over time and those utilising dispensing databases. Persistent opioid use among surgical patients generally ranged from 3.9 to 10.5% at between 2 and 4 months after discharge. Conclusions How rates of persistent opioid use following hospital encounters in Australia are established, and how long after discharge rates are reported, is heterogeneous. Literature primarily relates to post-surgical patients, with very few studies investigating other settings such as encounters with the emergency department.
Design for decommissioning – focusing on preventative strategies and beneficial impact assessment for managing offshore infrastructure
Authors: Duguid Alison J. , Geneve Leanne , Nelson Nick
Published: May 2022

Offshore oil and gas infrastructure removal can have significant impact to newly developed ecological services, human safety, fuel consumption emissions and unrecoverable costs. Through Net Environmental Benefit Analysis-Comparative Assessments (NEBA-CA) it is evident that in situ alternatives can alleviate some of these impacts. In situ management of infrastructure is currently restricted by state, commonwealth and international legislation in Australia resulting in the base-case of full removal often being favoured. The default to full removal is often due to areas of uncertainty such as long-term infrastructure stability, polymer and material degradation, intergenerational eco-toxicological impact and commercial fisheries risks. This paper will present front-end design alternatives to address these areas of uncertainty and provide a more robust justification for leaving infrastructure in place post decommissioning.
Integrity considerations for dehydration of carbon dioxide
Authors: Weiter Ross
Published: May 2022

Carbon capture, sequestration, and utilisation is widely considered to be one of the key enablers to decarbonising the economy. Transportation of carbon dioxide (CO2) is a key focal area in any carbon capture and storage project. While dehydration of natural gas for transportation is well understood and regulated, the same cannot be said for CO2. This is due to its immaturity relative to natural gas and due to properties of CO2 being radically different to those of hydrocarbons. One of those physical properties is the ability of CO2 to saturate with water. Excessive water in CO2 transportation and injection systems can cause integrity and operability problems such as corrosion, blockages from hydrates and water ice, and slugging due to liquid water dropout. Contaminants present in the CO2 stream such as methanol and hydrogen can also have a significant impact on the phase envelope. Therefore, to mitigate these issues, dehydration specifications need to be selected based on phase envelopes and other important project parameters such as corrosion, ambient temperatures, and hydrate formation. For every individual project, a selection needs to be made to determine the applicable CO2 dehydration specification, considering both the normal and transient operating conditions. Based on the selected specification, the most suitable method for implementing dehydration should be selected, along with the optimum location of the dehydration equipment in the multi-stage pressure-boosting plant. This study explores these challenges and presents a methodology for overcoming them.
The impact of new supply from the Perth Basin on the supply of natural gas in Western Australia
Authors: Molyneux Simon , Glass Frank , Storey Martin , Wu Hong Feng , Walton William
Published: May 2022

The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) forecasts demand for natural gas (gas) in Western Australia will remain steady through the 2020s, but that the local production will drop below anticipated demand in the mid-2020s and again from 2030 onwards. If this situation eventuates, lack of gas production will impact the competitiveness of WA’s energy-consuming industries. This paper demonstrates that the Perth Basin has the potential to meet this supply–demand gap and augment existing sources of gas over the next 20+ years. A subsurface-led assessment of the Perth Basin’s Reserves, Contingent Resources and Prospective Resources incorporating all recent exploration well results shows that the unrisked resource potential of the Perth Basin is 7052 bcfe (7.475 PJ) 1 with production potential up to 1100 TJ/day. The basis for these estimates will be illustrated with examples, alongside a discussion of the variables that affect the resource assessment, the impact of capacity constraints on the timing of development of Perth Basin gas, and the dynamics of the WA gas market.
Quantifying the reduction of rehabilitation needs and safety risks in the use of innovative well and flowline decommissioning tools
Authors: Lindsay Geoff
Published: May 2022

This paper identifies, measures and demonstrates both the reduction in safety risk and in Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) factors, associated with the traditional cut and cap methods for gas/oil wells and flowlines compared to new innovative internal cutting methods. In 2017 Summit Canada recognised the need to improve the safety of personnel in the oil and gas fields of Canada, during decommisioning of both wellheads and flowlines. The traditionally established method was to excavate a bellhole around the infrastructure and to subsequently cut the wellhead or flowline at 1.5 m below ground level using an oxy-torch. This usually involved an individual standing on a step ladder under a suspended load in an excavation which was often a confined space, not adequately benched or sloped. Comparative data from 5 years of North American and 2 years of Australian experience in decommissioning old wells using internal cuts as opposed to the excavation method are used in the study. The safety risk associated with each method can generally be quantified and given a Hazard Ranking established from crew sizes, kilometres driven and work methods undertaken. Similarly, the ESG factors associated with each method can be quantified in terms of area of disturbance, as well as landholder inconvenience and emissions resulting from number of trucks and personnel movements. A significant reduction in safety risk was the key finding, with the silver lining of also reducing the ESG impacts of gas well and flowline decommissioning activities.
Examining the challenges and opportunities for Australia as an LNG producer against the backdrop of rising domestic renewables output and global interest in ‘carbon-neutral’ LNG
Authors: Lee Rou Urn , Chua Joey
Published: May 2022

A massive global exporter of natural resources, Australia took the crown as the world’s top LNG producer at the end of 2018 and cemented its position in the following years with a slew of new LNG projects. But burgeoning LNG production in rival countries such as Qatar and the US in recent years has put the three countries neck and neck. As a party to the Paris Agreement which advocates climate change, Australia has held fast to its commitment of reducing carbon emissions by increasing the output of renewables such as solar, wind and hydro amid declining domestic gas production. At the same time, the country has attempted to up its ‘carbon-neutral’ LNG offerings in response to a global shift towards decarbonisation and net-zero targets. But what do all these mean for the LNG producing country? Could a rise in renewables output inevitably sound the death knell for the country’s LNG industry, which relies on gas for feedstock? Where does Australia stand in comparison with other countries, particularly Qatar and the US, when it comes to producing ‘carbon-neutral’ LNG? This paper will examine what the recent increase in renewables output in Australia to all-time highs and growing global interest in ‘carbon-neutral’ LNG mean for Australia as an LNG producer, delving particularly into the challenges and opportunities that accompany these developments for the country.
A time series analysis of exploration in the North West Shelf
Authors: Inggrid Maria Irene , Braim Michael , Kumar Munish
Published: May 2022

The North West Shelf (NWS) of Australia has seen a stellar increase in oil and gas discoveries, from less than 30 just 50 years ago to more than 180 today. It also hosts the ‘NWS Project’, Australia’s largest resource development project involving petroleum extraction, offshore production platforms, LNG processing plant, and LNG export hub, contributing to over 50% of Australia’s LNG export in 2020. In the last decade, discoveries have slowed down, with only four discoveries since 2010. Here, we undertook a data-driven analysis of which factors contributed to this ‘NWS boom and bust’. We noted numerous factors, the most important ones being technology and economic drivers. We arrived at this conclusion by building a time series and correlating key exploration activities to the number of discoveries and oil price. We found that (a) exploration steadily increased from the late 1960s due to 2D seismic, which coincided with oil price surge, (b) improved computational capacity spurred 3D seismic acquisition in 1981, boosting discoveries, and (c) 3D seismic acquisition in frontier areas began in the late 2000s, with the rate of discoveries flattening in 2010 as drilling became more challenging. We observed large areas of undrilled acreage covered by 3D seismic with plans for future seismic acquisition despite some of these areas equating to expensive wells and higher risks. With further work on existing 3D seismic coupled with insights from upcoming acquisitions, we would be able to develop a better subsurface understanding of these frontier basins and apply the knowledge to petroleum exploration as well as emerging energy economies like geothermal and carbon capture and storage (CCS).
The story of Esso Australia’s push to explore the frontier Gippsland Basin with the ultra-deep water Sculpin-1 exploration well
Authors: Spencer Steven
Published: May 2022

In late 2018, Esso Australia embarked on the drilling of Sculpin-1. Drilled in 2278 m of water, this is Australia’s deepest water exploration well and the first ultra-deep water well in the Gippsland Basin. Drilling of this well was the culmination of a bold exploration campaign in the VIC/P70 permit at the southeastern margin of the prolific hydrocarbon producing Gippsland Basin, which also saw the drilling of Baldfish-1 and Hairtail-1 in 2018. An east coast gas market with a high demand for additional gas resources combined with Esso Australia’s renewed technical focus on the deep and ultra-deep water sectors of the VIC/P70 exploration permit led to the identification of the Sculpin prospect, a stratigraphic lead premised on a late Cretaceous deep water reservoir system flowing into the south east Gippsland Basin depocentre from southern hinterlands. Technical analysis including integrated seismic toolkits, spectral decomposition and colour-blend imaging, rock properties and amplitude versus offset/direct hydrocarbon indicator modelling were key to Esso’s decision to test the new play with the Sculpin-1 well. Although the well did not encounter hydrocarbons, it did provide insights into reservoir quality, source and migration in the previously untested southeastern margin of the basin.
Supporting energy transition as a service contractor
Authors: Francis David , Chable Marc , Campbell Matthew , Blewett Anne-Marie
Published: May 2022

Service contractors are heavily engaged in the energy transition and decarbonisation process, designing and executing capital projects and asset upgrades that will sustain the new look economy. The next question is what can service contractors do to directly contribute to a reduction in carbon emissions and fossil fuel use? This review will examine the impact of updating our service delivery to drive down energy consumption and emissions, and plan for a future where renewable energy can power the field services we provide. Upstream Production Solutions (Upstream PS) has started on our journey of monitoring the greenhouse gas emissions for our business as per AS ISO 14064, and while we are below the 50 kt threshold for a registered reporting entity as per the Australian National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act 2007, the increased awareness has helped us identify key areas where we can make positive changes in our business and directly contribute to emissions reduction: development of fit for purpose company standards; optimised selection of mobile fleet; improved planning and scheduling leading to reduced kilometres driven and emissions; and incorporating low-emissions technology options into our services. Upstream PS will share our progress as we pursue practical improvements while maintaining, and even improving, the delivery of our services.
The Petrel Sub-basin: a world-class CO
Authors: Johnstone Rosie , Stalker Linda
Published: May 2022

In 2021, the Australian Government announced a round of offshore greenhouse gas acreage release, including an area where research by Shell/CSIRO in 2016/2017 indicated close to 1 Gt carbon dioxide storage potential within the Mesozoic sediments of the Sandpiper, Elang and Plover Formations of the Petrel Sub-basin. The joint Shell/CSIRO study assessed key containment issues (legacy wells, potentially conductive faults, top seal extent) and storage formation connectivity. To study containment risk, CSIRO assessed a single injection well scenario and concluded that injection of up to 20 MTPA would not create geomechanical failure. Based on these findings, a ~5000 km2 area of interest southeast of the Petrel Field was proposed as suitable for injection in the Plover/Elang formations. The Shell team constructed topographical dynamic models at five potential locations. Three further models were built to simulate a base case and two end-member scenarios: (1) high permeability (leak point risk) and (2) low-pressure dissipation (top seal risk). The study showed that the development of two injector wells at one of the locations could safely and conservatively store 149 Mt, injected over a period of 30 years. Similar capacity is expected at four out of the five locations identified within the investigated area. Expansion to >2 injection wells per location, additional injection into the Sandpiper Formation and expansion to the west of the initially mapped focus area all point to achievable gigatonne storage potential. The joint study significantly expanded the understanding of the storage capacity, with recommendations for further data acquisition in both greenhouse gas (GHG) permits (GHG21-1 and GHG21-2).
Developing an in-depth understanding of PFAS to deliver an effective remediation strategy
Authors: Turner Lucas , Prismall David
Published: May 2022

Esso Australia Resources Pty Ltd and BHP Petroleum (Bass Strait) Pty Ltd own a range of offshore and onshore hydrocarbon production facilities, which have been operated by Esso Australia Pty Ltd (Esso) for over 50 years. The Longford Fire Training Ground (FTG) is located adjacent to the Longford Plants and has been utilised by Esso for many years to train personnel in practical hydrocarbon firefighting skills, including applying firefighting foams to extinguish liquid hydrocarbon pool fires. In line with historical standard oil-field practices, per and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) containing firefighting foams were used at the Longford FTG. In response to the reported use of these foams and the potential for contamination associated with historical site operations, the Longford premises were the subject of recent environmental audit and clean-up plans with oversight by an EPA Victoria auditor. Esso engaged a broad range of experts to complete the environmental investigation and develop a remediation action plan that complied with the PFAS National Environmental Management Plan. Key aspects of this project included: understanding the location and setting, with respect to geological conditions and groundwater impacts; development of remediation objectives and strategy; identification of practical remediation methods including short-term and longer-term measures to mitigate priority PFAS sources within the FTG; and a planning framework for future management of the premises. This paper shares how a responsible operator applies a disciplined and scientifically based environmental approach to further the state of knowledge on practical PFAS remediation methods and achieve a sustainable environmental outcome in the communities that they operate in.
Techno-economic evaluation of blue hydrogen production with carbon capture and storage for onshore Eastern Australia
Authors: Lacey Devin A. , Zukowski Kelly J. , Owen J. Gregory , MacDonald Trisha S.
Published: May 2022

This techno-economic assessment models the feasibility of a greenfield blue hydrogen development with production capacity of 400 tons of hydrogen per day (TH2/day). At an assumed 85% CO2 recovery rate, the 400 TH2/day production scale equates to a need for approximately 1.241 million tons of CO2 per year (MtCO2/year) of subsurface CO2 storage capacity over an assumed project life of 25 years (approximately 31 Mt of total CO2 sequestered). The blue hydrogen production technology applied to the assessment is a Steam Methane Reformer (SMR) with two points of CO2 recovery (pre-combustion process stream amine scrubbing and post-combustion flue gas capture). The remaining key scope components are the CO2 compression and dehydration system, 65 km of CO2 distribution pipeline and a CO2 injection and storage hub comprised of three injection wells, three deep observation wells and three groundwater monitoring wells. The study includes the screening process applied to identify five high-grade depleted gas reservoirs in the Cooper Basin that are the CO2 storage candidates, and which ultimately define the project location. The economic evaluation of the project includes the definition of cost and operations estimates to determine a mean project case and then applies a Palisade @Risk probabilistic distribution model to key project inputs as to risk the project under various scenarios. The analysis concludes that the economic viability of large-scale, greenfield blue hydrogen projects in Australia is highly dependent on hydrogen sale price, Australian Carbon Credit Unit (ACCU) value, wholesale natural gas prices and capital cost efficiency.
Strategic decision making for late-life assets
Authors: Mendoza Luis , Coopersmith Ellen , Sikorski Adrian
Published: May 2022

Aging assets late in their cumulative production cycle are increasingly common in the upstream oil and gas industry. Capturing the remaining value from these and extending their life to maximise remaining value prior to abandonment comes with a different set of challenges from the early development phase. The aim of the paper is to showcase how oil and gas companies can structure their strategic planning and decision making in relation to aging assets, identify and evaluate a spectrum of life extending operating strategies, and compare them to cessation of production, incorporating key risks, and uncertainties. Using structured decision techniques, insights about alternative late-life strategies can be gained. This information is essential to decision makers facing the common dilemma of ‘extend or end’ for assets where the bulk of the value has already been captured. We will introduce the fundamentals of Decision Quality and use them to evaluate some of the key engineering aspects associated with late-life asset management. We will showcase an example drawn from consulting for clients in Europe. The worked example addresses the following questions: How can I push the cessation of production date into the future? Does deferring abandonment justify running at a loss for a while? Are incremental investments justified given the remaining field life? How do I determine which options to pursue and develop a viable business case? How do I manage the uncertainties that might offer opportunity or catch me out?
Honey, I shrunk the boat? Uncrewed subsea inspections leveraging remote operations technology
Authors: Zhao Yating , Ulyett Paul
Published: May 2022

Between May and November 2021, Woodside, in collaboration with Fugro, completed multiple, world-first, fully uncrewed inspection campaigns of trunklines and subsea infrastructure in the North West Shelf, all utilising a surface vessel and underwater robot (ROV), remotely operated via beyond-line-of-sight satellite communications architecture. Similar work is traditionally performed by a Multipurpose Support Vessel (MPSV) with >50 people onboard, consuming >20 m3/day fuel during transits. Transition to uncrewed remote operations technology has enabled the use of a much smaller (12 m) vessel, removing health and safety risk associated with offshore crew, and with <0.2 m3/day fuel consumption during transit. High-resolution hull and ROV-mounted multi-beam data, ROV-mounted laser point cloud data, ultra-high-definition images and videos and Cathodic Protection (CP) field gradient data were all successfully collected, and operations were completed from the busy Dampier Port with no incidents. Delivery of this landmark achievement was enabled by a multi-year staged technology plan in collaboration with Woodside’s subsea Inspection, Maintenance and Repair (IMR) contractor, Fugro, including establishment of a dedicated remote operations centre based at International Communications Facility. Extensive stakeholder engagement was performed internally and with external regulatory bodies to ensure that all risks were captured, understood and managed so that all parties were aligned on implementation of the novel approach. Application of this technology is forecast to transform the costs of IMR operations vs traditional methods, effectively eliminate carbon emissions and offshore personnel exposure hours, and create opportunities for a more diverse workforce in the sector.
Gold (hydrogen) rush: risks and uncertainties in exploring for naturally occurring hydrogen
Authors: Stalker Linda , Talukder Asrar , Strand Julian , Josh Matthew , Faiz Mohinudeen
Published: May 2022

Interest in hydrogen (H2) energy has exploded in the last few years. Much of the interest comes from transitioning to a decarbonised energy future, through the use of renewables, to convert hydrogen-rich materials (methane, water) to pure hydrogen gas streams. Each of these methods have their own challenges, such as the need for carbon capture and storage to manage carbon emissions or perspectives on the use of fresh water. At the same time as this engineered approach to generating hydrogen, there has been a quiet but exponential upsurge in research surrounding the origins and fate of naturally occurring hydrogen. Sometimes referred to as ‘gold’ or ‘white’ hydrogen, geological forms of hydrogen have been recognised for thousands of years. While already present as H2, hydrogen may exist with other gases, such as methane, helium, hydrogen sulfide and/or nitrogen. But is it real? Is it volumetrically significant, discoverable, predictable or exploitable? Early work suggests that we can begin to characterise potential sources of hydrogen, the depth ranges they may be generated from, the migration mechanisms that are relevant, and how they might be retained or lost in relation to the discovery and exploitation of this gas. However, existing publicly available data is constrained by a lack of analysis and limited evidence. While there are increased reports of seeps containing hydrogen, there is an absence of evidence of more significant finds and a lack of major analogues and case studies to date. We explore these risks and uncertainties and provide a roadmap for reducing the evidence gap.