bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
SPE Strong: Strengthening Our Core: Strengthening the Quality of SPE’s Technical Content
Authors: Noonan Shauna 
Published: November 2019

President's column
Our Society has a wealth of technical content, and it is rapidly growing. The value of that technical content derives from the quality of it. Having high-quality content will continue to strengthen SPE’s professional reputation, which is critical when entering new and emerging markets, attracting new members, and, most importantly, maintaining and engaging our current members and corporate sponsors. Our technical content that is consumed daily by our members is also the source of knowledge for the incoming generation, and we need to ensure that it is of the highest quality for our future innovators and leaders to excel.
To strengthen the quality of SPE’s technical content, I have outlined the following objectives:
1) Increase the awareness and use of all the tools and methods provided to authors to create high-quality papers
2) Educate program committees about their roles and responsibilities toward working with authors to ensure technical quality
3) Establish methods by which to track technical quality within SPE’s published and presented content
4) Support and develop a better process for formal peer review.
When I started as a professional member, there was a strong sense of pride around getting an abstract selected and having the final paper worthy of the SPE logo appearing on it. Companies took pride in having their employees become authors and got very involved in the writing of the manuscript, as their name would also appear on it. Some of the more involved companies garnered an industry reputation of publishing very high-quality papers, and those presentation rooms would be standing room only as a result.• As SPE has expanded the number of conferences globally, more members have the opportunity to have their work included as an SPE paper.
I remember submitting my first abstract and getting it accepted. This was in 1997, and it was for a section event that had papered proceedings: The Gulf Coast Section Electric Submersible Pump Workshop. When I informed my management at Chevron that I had an accepted abstract, they rallied mentors to guide me as I wrote the technical paper. They wanted to ensure that the final manuscript was a good one because not only was my name on it, so was theirs. There was a lot of work put into that paper and many rehearsals for the presentation itself. It was a huge learning experience for me not only writing the paper but also enduring the critiques of my peers/mentors, but the result was a paper that I was proud to have my name on and the confidence to present it.•
Since my first paper in 1997, SPE membership and events that offer a call for papers have grown substantially. As global membership has increased dramatically, the number of papers from SPE conferences has more than doubled.
Comments: Environmental Headwinds
Authors: Donnelly John 
Published: November 2019

Editor's column
Sustainability and environmental issues played a key part in the content at two of SPE’s recent major conferences. Offshore Europe was held in Aberdeen in September and the Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition (ATCE) took place for the first time in Canada in late September-early•October.
Days before the ATCE conference began, activists held rallies around the world, including in Canada, demanding action on climate change, and the issue has risen to the forefront of political campaigns in Europe and the US. Three presidential candidates in the US have promised to “ban” hydraulic fracturing for environmental reasons if elected, although not offering specifics. At the United Nation’s climate change summit in September, more than 100 international banks pledged to decrease investment in the oil and gas sector because of the issue. The bankers promised to support full implementation of the Paris climate agreement and increase investments in renewables in lieu of hydrocarbons.
The oil and gas industry is paying attention, as government and financial scrutiny of it increases and as public momentum for environmental regulation grows. But the scrutiny comes at a time when global energy consumption also is increasing, particularly in developing counties. Even with increased support for renewable forms of energy, oil and gas will play a major role in meeting world demand for years to come.
At the same time the climate summit was taking place, the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative (OGCI)—a CEO-led group representing international and national oil companies—met in New York and announced further plans to accelerate the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and support the goals of the Paris agreement. The group outlined a proposal to encourage investment in carbon capture and storage, and reported progress toward its goal of reducing industry methane emissions.
OGCI said its member companies met its “methane intensity target” by cutting intensity 9% in 2018. It is now working to reduce carbon intensity in upstream operations by 2025. Members of the OGCI include ExxonMobil, Chevron, Shell, BP, Total, Equinor, Occidental, Eni, Repsol, Saudi Aramco, Petrobras, and CNPC.
Both individual companies and other organizations are also taking steps to reduce the industry’s environmental footprint. During the Offshore Europe conference, The Oil & Gas Technology Centre announced it will create with industry a Net Zero Solution Centre to accelerate the development and deployment of technologies to de carbonize offshore operations and develop the UK continental shelf as the first global net zero oil and gas basin. The center is backed by several companies, including BP, Shell, Total, and Equinor.
Much of the industry’s response hangs on the viability of carbon capture, utilization, and storage. The International Energy Agency describes it as one of the only technology solutions that can significantly reduce emissions across key industries. An article beginning on page 24 of this issue outlines the industry’s progress in this initiative and the challenges to be met.
Surface Treatment Improves Flow Assurance and Throughput in Corroded Pipe
Authors: Feder Judy 
Published: November 2019

This article, written by JPT Technology Editor Judy Feder, contains highlights of paper SPE 193109, “Flow Assurance and Improved Pipeline Efficiency Through Use of Low Surface Roughness Treatment,” by Matthew Nakatsuka, Vinod Veedu, Erika Brown, Sumil Thapa, and Ganesh Arumugam, Oceanit, prepared for the 2018 Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference, 12–15 November, Abu•Dhabi. The paper has not been peer reviewed.
This paper describes a material designed to interact specifically with highly corroded and weathered pipe to enable in-place application and refurbishment. The material is applied extremely thinly on the pipeline interior, such that it might be considered a surface treatment, yet it is designed for permanence and for strong adhesion to even severely corroded surfaces. The water- and oil-compatible, chemically resistant material shows extreme resistance to corrosion, particle abrasion, and delamination under operational conditions, and is designed to reduce surface roughness by several orders of magnitude. The study of the practical effects of using a low-surface-energy, low-surface-roughness coating that can be applied effectively to severely corroded pipelines with a minimum of surface preparation demonstrates how material breakthroughs can allow for revitalization of previously mature intervention techniques.
Introduction
Improving flow efficiency within transport pipeline systems has always been an appealing and seemingly straightforward method of reducing operating expenses, improving product throughput, and significantly reducing the risk of catastrophic pipeline failure. It is believed universally by pipeline operators that regular cleaning by mechanical and chemical pigging; adoption of preventative methods such as application of factory-applied, internally applied flow coats; or pipelines made of corrosion-resistant-alloy (CRA) materials would improve pipeline performance demonstrably. In practice, however, such innovations have been relegated to niche application because of two inherent fundamental constraints placed upon most major transport pipelines: They must operate continuously to turn a profit, and they are judged on delivering the minimum required flow at the lowest operating and capital investment.
These two principles have led to a general practice of resorting to mitigation measures once corrosion or adhered deposits become a problem that cannot be addressed easily. It is common to hear of operators waiting more than 30 years between interventions. Periodic maintenance techniques, such as introducing wire-brush pigs to mechanically dislodge such internal deposits, can result in impressive initial returns—reportedly more than $1•million per annum, and 5% improved throughput. However, these benefits are decidedly temporary because the treatments do not provide permanent protection against further corrosion or deposit, and much of the benefit is derived from the macroscopic effect of widening the cross-sectional area of the pipeline.
Software System Enables Effective Flow-Assurance Management
Authors: Carpenter Chris 
Published: November 2019

This article, written by JPT Technology Editor Chris Carpenter, contains highlights of paper SPE 191951, “A Smart Software System for Flow-Assurance Management,” by Akanksha Jain, SPE, Nilay Patel, SPE, Paul Hammonds, and Shirish Pandey, Cairn Oil and Gas, prepared for the 2018 SPE Asia Pacific Oil and Gas Conference and Exhibition, Brisbane, Australia, 23–25 October. The paper has not been peer reviewed.
Access to real-time production and injection data is of great benefit to the production optimization engineer. This paper describes a smart management system used for retrieving and evaluating all flow-assurance-related data for more than 700 of the operator’s onshore and offshore wells. The paper discusses system architecture, interface details, design, functionality, visualization, application, and benefits.
Introduction
Cairn Oil and Gas is the operator of three major blocks currently producing in India: Block RJ-ON-90/1 (Rajas-than), CB/OS-2 (Cambay Basin), and PKGM-1 (Ravva) constituting more than 700 wells, operated on behalf of its joint venture partners. These wells are either self-flowing or use a variety of•• artificial-lift systems. Waterflooding provides pressure maintenance in most fields. Injectivity of water injectors is, therefore, critical in maintaining levels of water injection required to achieve the stipulated recovery factor. Formation fluids have physical and chemical properties that have posed several flow-assurance challenges over time with regard to outflow performance and processing in surface facilities. These flow-assurance issues include inorganic scaling, organic scaling, corrosion, sand production, injectivity decline, and injector conformance, all of which can affect productivity and injectivity of the fields and thus lead to relatively inefficient waterflood.
The Challenge
Various software products are currently in use for management of operations requiring production- and injection-enhancement treatments in different fields. To ensure that wells are operating optimally, an integrated approach combining robust monitoring and data analysis of parameters affecting well performance is ideal. This was previously achieved through the cumbersome process of data retrieval from different sources, which was then compiled in different Excel spreadsheets. This time-consuming process delayed analysis and permitted errors in data input. As the importance of improving the quality of data management and analysis became clear, the need arose for automation of flow-assurance management across all assets.
The platform described in this paper was intended to help design, evaluate, and monitor all chemical-intervention jobs, and monitor corrosion levels and scale-inhibitor squeeze performance by incorporating data from various sources within the production system. The analysis of the data enabled by this fully automated Web-based software helps in the execution of cost-effective treatments and well-production optimization. The same software system is also being used for well-integrity management for•all assets.
Application of Artificial Intelligence Methods to Underground Gas Storage Control
Authors: Kuk Edyta 
Published: November 2019

Abstract
The idea of this paper is to improve the techno-economic efficiency of underground gas storage by automatic determination of its optimal control using novel IT methods. Modeling of storage dynamics with the use of reservoir simulators causes that its control optimization is a black-box problem with a high evaluation time. As a result, the applicability of traditional optimal control methods is limited what makes the optimization of underground gas storage control a complex and complicated problem. An alternative solution is to use artificial intelligence methods, which have a great potential in solving complex engineering problems. Hence, a novel control optimization algorithm that provides a self-improving automatic control of the underground gas storage has been created in this work. It is based on the artificial intelligence combined with control theory and reservoir simulation.
The aim of this work is to determine such control of underground gas storage, which maximizes the total amount of energy that can be obtained from gas extracted during the production cycle. The original solution proposed in this paper is to use the coupling of a parameterized decision tree with the optimization tool and the reservoir simulator. Storage control defined on the basis of a decision tree allows its unambiguous physical interpretation, while tree parameterization consisting in replacing the limit values assigned to the tree branches by parameters allows optimization of decision conditions. Due to the high reservoir simulation evaluation time the innovative machine-learning type optimization method intended for problems whose computational cost is large was used to optimize the tree parameters. This method is learned which parameter values have a better chance of improving the quality of the solution on the basis of the results collected during optimization. The combination of the optimization tool and the reservoir simulator has been implemented with the use of the Python programming language. While internal programming in the reservoir simulator allowed direct declaration of the parameterized decision tree in the simulation input file. Hence the created algorithm enables full automation of the underground gas storage optimal control determination.
This paper presents the detailed explanation of the developed algorithm and includes its exemplary application which illustrates its effectiveness. The obtained results indicate that the proposed algorithm determines underground gas storage control that maximizes its energetic efficiency and allows to achieve additional financial income without any extra investment because only wells control is changed.
Genome sequence of the model rice variety KitaakeX
Authors: Jain Rashmi , Jenkins Jerry , Shu Shengqiang , Chern Mawsheng , Martin Joel A. , Copetti Dario , Duong Phat Q. , Pham Nikki T. , Kudrna David A. , Talag Jayson , Schackwitz Wendy S. , Lipzen Anna M. , Dilworth David , Bauer Diane , Grimwood Jane , Nelson Catherine R. , Xing Feng , Xie Weibo , Barry Kerrie W. , Wing Rod A. , Schmutz Jeremy , Li Guotian , Ronald Pamela C. 
Published: November 2019

Abstract
Background: The availability of thousands of complete rice genome sequences from diverse varieties and accessions has laid the foundation for in-depth exploration of the rice genome. One drawback to these collections is that most of these rice varieties have long life cycles, and/or low transformation efficiencies, which limits their usefulness as model organisms for functional genomics studies. In contrast, the rice variety Kitaake has a rapid life cycle (9 weeks seed to seed) and is easy to propagate. For these reasons, Kitaake has emerged as a model for studies of diverse monocotyledonous species. Results: Here, we report the de novo genome sequencing and analysis of Oryza sativa ssp. japonica variety KitaakeX, a Kitaake plant carrying the rice XA21 immune receptor. Our KitaakeX sequence assembly contains 377.6 Mb, consisting of 33 scaffolds (476 contigs) with a contig N50 of 1.4 Mb. Complementing the assembly are detailed gene annotations of 35,594 protein coding genes. We identified 331,335 genomic variations between KitaakeX and Nipponbare (ssp. japonica), and 2,785,991 variations between KitaakeX and Zhenshan97 (ssp. indica). We also compared Kitaake resequencing reads to the KitaakeX assembly and identified 219 small variations. The high-quality genome of the model rice plant KitaakeX will accelerate rice functional genomics. Conclusions: The high quality, de novo assembly of the KitaakeX genome will serve as a useful reference genome for rice and will accelerate functional genomics studies of rice and other species.
The Burden Of Unrecognized Chronic Kidney Disease In Patients With Type 2 Diabetes At A County Hospital Clinic In Kenya: Implications To Care And Need For Screening
Authors: Otieno Frederick C. F. , Ogola Elijah N , Kimando Mercy W , Mutai Ken K 
Published: November 2019

Abstract
Background : Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) in patients with type 2 diabetes enhances the risk of cardiovascular events and a strong predictor of progression to end-stage kidney disease. Early diagnosis is encouraged for referral to specialist kidney care for active management that would optimize outcomes including forestalling progression to end-stage kidney disease. This study was conducted in a regional public health facility in Central Kenya with a high prevalence of type 2 diabetes. It was aimed at determining the burden of undiagnosed chronic kidney disease in their clinic of ambulatory patients with type 2 diabetes who dwell mainly in the rural area. Methods : A cross-sectional study was conducted at the out-patient of Nyeri County hospital. A total of 385 patients were enrolled over five months. Informed consent was obtained and clinical evaluation was done, a spot sample of urine obtained for albuminuria and venous blood drawn for HbA1c, Lipids and serum creatinine. Estimated GFR (eGFR) was calculated using the Cockroft-Gault equation. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) was classified on KDIGO scale. Albuminuria was reported as either positive or negative. Main outcomes measure: Estimated Glomerular filtration rate and albuminuria as markers of chronic kidney disease. Results : A total of 385 participants were included in the study, 252 (65.5%) were females. There were 39.0 % (95%CI 34.3-44.2) patients in CKD/KDIGO stages 3, 4 and 5 and 32.7% (95%CI, 27.8-37.4) had Albuminuria. The risk factors that were significantly associated with chronic kidney disease/KDIGO stages 3, 4 and 5 were: age >50years, long duration with diabetes >5years and hypertension. Employment and paradoxically, obesity reduced the odds of having CKD, probably as markers of better socio-economic status. Conclusion : Previously unrecognized CKD of KDIGO stages 3,4 and 5 occurred in over thirty percent of the study patients. They were at high risk of progression to end-stage kidney disease and cardiovascular events. The risk factors of hypertension, age above 50, long duration of diabetes should help identify those at high risk of developing CKD, for screening and linkage to care. The imperative of screening for chronic kidney disease is availing care in publicly-funded hospitals.
A National Survey of Private-Sector Outpatient Care of Sick Infants and Young Children in Nepal
Authors: Ban Bharat , Hodgins Steve , Thapa Pranita , Thapa Surakschha , Joshi Deepak , Dhungana Adhish , KC Anjana , Guenther Tanya , Adhikari Shilu , Scudder Elaine , Ram Pavani 
Published: November 2019

Abstract
Background: Previous research has documented that across South Asia, as well as in some countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, the private sector is the primary source of outpatient care for sick infants and children and, in many settings, informal providers play a bigger role than credentialed health professionals (particularly for the poorer segments of the population). This is the case in Nepal. This study sought to characterize medicine shop-based service providers in rural areas and small urban centers in Nepal, their role in the care and treatment of sick infants and children (with a particular focus on infants aged <2 months), and the quality of the care provided. A secondary objective was to characterize availability and quality of such care provided by physicians in these settings. Methods: A nationally representative sample of medicine shops was drawn, in rural settings and small urban centers in Nepal, from 25 of the 75 districts in Nepal, using multi-stage cluster methodology, with a final sample of 501 shops and 82 physician-run clinics. Face-to-face interviews were conducted. Results: Most medicine shops outside urban areas were not registered with the Department of Drug Administration (DDA). Most functioned as de facto clinics, with credentialed paramedical workers (having 2-3 years of training) diagnosing patients and making treatment decisions. Such a role falls outside their formally sanctioned scope of practice. Quality of care problems were identified among medicine shop-based providers and physicians, including over-use of antibiotics for treating diarrhea, inaccurate weighing technique to determine antibiotic dose, and inappropriate use of injectable steroids for treating potentially severe infections in young infants. Conclusions : Medicine shop-based practitioners in Nepal represent a particular type of informal provider; although most have recognized paramedical credentials, they offer services falling outside their formal scope of practice. Nevertheless, given the large proportion of the population served by these practitioners, engagement to strengthen quality of care by these providers and referral to the formal health sector is warranted.
Short-term Outcomes of Robotic- versus Laparoscopic-Assisted Total Gastrectomy for Advanced Gastric Cancer: A Propensity Score Matching Study
Authors: Yang Changdong , Shi Yan , Xie Shaohui , Chen Jun , Zhao Yongliang , Qian Feng , Hao Yingxue , Tang Bo , Yu Pei-Wu 
Published: November 2019

Abstract
Background Few studies have been designed to evaluate the short-term outcomes for advanced gastric cancer (AGC) between robotic-assisted total gastrectomy (RATG) and laparoscopy-assisted total gastrectomy (LATG) alone. The purpose of this study was to assess short-term outcomes of RATG compared with LATG for AGC.Methods We retrospectively evaluated 116 and 244 patients who underwent RATG or LATG respectively. Besides, we performed a propensity score matching (PSM) analysis between RATG and LATG for clinicopathological characteristics to reduce bias and compared short-term surgical outcomes.Results After PSM, the RTAG group had longer mean operation time (291.09±58.41 vs. 271.99±48.41min, p=0.007), less intraoperative bleeding (151.98±92.83 vs. 172.59±97.01ml, p=0.032) and more N2 tier RLNs (9.33±5.46 vs. 7.50±3.86, p=0.018) than the LATG group. Besides, the total RLNs of RATG was at the brink of significance compared to LATG (35.09±12.93 vs.32.34±12.05, p=0.062). However, no significant differences were found between the two groups in terms of length of incision, proximal resection margin, distal resection margin, postoperative hospital stay. The conversion rate was 4.92% and 8.61% in the RATG and LATG groups, respectively, with no significant difference. The ratio of splenectomy was 1.7% and 0.4% respectively. There was no significant difference in overall complication rate between RATG and LATG groups before PSM (24.1% vs. 28.7%; p=0.341) and after PSM (24.1% vs. 33.6%; p=0.102). The grade II complications accounted for most of all complications in the two cohorts both before and after PSM.Conclusion This study demonstrates that RATG is comparable to LATG in terms of short-term surgical outcomes.