bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Integration of Lwd and Geochemistry from Cuttings Measurements for Well Placement Based on Real Time Diagenesis Characterization
Authors: Camilo Mejia , Giorgio Nardi , Iain Drew 
Published: April 2018

Abstract
Field development of a reservoir generally involves the drilling of extended reach wells for maximum hydrocarbon exposure and productivity. In a conventional reservoir, porous and permeable formations support fluid movement under the influence of a drive mechanism (generally water or gas) and wells are normally positioned high up in the structure for maximum recovery. In contrast, an unconventional reservoir is typically heterogeneous with hydrocarbons trapped within diagenetic horizons that may lie anywhere within the structure.
The challenge in an unconventional reservoir is to identify a productive zone where heterogeneity exists at a microscale which is beyond the resolution and visibility of traditional LWD and wireline sensors. These properties could be identified directly from core samples in a laboratory environment but repetitive coring in an extended reach well is unfeasible. However the advent of portable micro-scale measurements (x-ray diffraction XRD, x-ray fluorescence XRF, pyrolysis, scanning electron microscopy SEM and nuclear magnetic resonance NMR, total organic content) has made it possible to obtain core quality measurements from drilled cuttings at the wellsite.
By combining LWD and advanced cuttings analysis at the wellsite a unique solution is provided for the unconventional reservoir challenge. LWD provides larger scale stratigraphic positioning, boundary monitoring and reservoir model updating, while cuttings analysis provides confirmation that the wellbore is being drilled and tracked within the correct target layer.
In the described example we demonstrate the practical application of this approach in a limestone reservoir with considerable heterogeneity. Comprehensive data from the pilot well (including core) was combined to generate an earth model. Detailed core analysis including; elemental, chemostratigraphy, mineralogy, petrology, total organic carbon, density, porosity and permeability, was then used to identify the target zone.
LWD azimuthal resistivity was used to steer and land the wellbore within the reservoir and then to monitor distance-to-bed boundary for the cap rock. With the reservoir formation possessing low natural radioactivity and low contrast resistivity, advanced cuttings analysis enabled steering decisions to be made based on microscale variables including elemental abundance and elemental ratios such as As:Cr, Mg:Mn, SiO2:Al2O3, and Ga:Rb. The well was successfully drilled and positioned within the target layer for maximum recovery.
Restricted fluid mobility and constrained drive mechanisms within unconventional reservoirs result in recovery factors being much lower than for a conventional case. Secondary or tertiary recovery suddenly becomes comparable to the primary recovery. Micro-scale information required for an enhanced recovery strategy is already provided by the advanced cuttings analysis acquired during the drilling of the initial well.
The Giant Lula Field: World's Largest Oil Production in Ultra-Deep Water Under a Fast-Track Development
Authors: Rosa Marcelo Becher , Cavalcante José Sérgio de Araújo , Miyakawa Tetsuo Mineiro , Freitas Luiz Carlos Soares de 
Published: April 2018

Abstract
Slightly more than 10 years after its discovery, Lula Field has the world's largest oil production in ultra-deep waters. This impressive goal was achieved through a robust reservoir-oriented strategy to minimize risks and maximize value during the fast-track development of this giant field. The strategy used in the development of the Lula Field, which aims at attaining a recoverable oil volume of billions of barrels, is described in this work. The methodology applied encompasses four steps. The first step consists on performing an adequate data acquisition during exploratory and early development phases. The acquired data guided the second step, which is the implementation of pilot projects to gather important dynamic information and to anticipate profits. The third step is the deployment of definitive production systems based on robust drainage strategies, built under different reservoir scenarios. The fourth step is production management through the application of innovative technologies in ultra-deep offshore environment, such as water alternating gas (WAG) wells, 4D seismic monitoring, and massive use of intelligent completion. Seismic data and special processing enabled the identification and characterization of the reservoirs located under a thick saline formation. The drilling of reservoir data acquisition wells along with extended well tests was important to appraise critical reservoir regions and to verify communication between different reservoir zones. Extensive fluid sampling and advanced thermodynamic modeling allowed the understanding of Lula Fields complex fluids. Two pilot projects were positioned over 20 km apart from each other on this extensive reservoir, allowing interference tests between the pilots and new drilled wells. Afterwards, eight following production systems were conceived using previously acquired data and flexibilities to accomplish modifications into the project based on new information acquired during the drilling campaign. An example of this flexibility strategy was the empowerment of the reservoir team to propose a specific well drilling sequence and schedule. This allowed the use of newly obtained information from one well to the next, even in a fast track development scenario, in order to optimize productivity and sweep of the reservoir. At last, the reservoir management has already presented promising results related to the control of injected and produced fluids in FPSOs with longer production history. The steps herein presented allowed the successful development of Lula Field, which has nowadays seven FPSOs producing around 800 kbpd. The most recent FPSO started operation in May 2017 and is still ramping up. Together with the remaining FPSOs to be deployed, it is expected that Lula Field will reach a peak of production of around 1 million bpd. Such production levels were never achieved before in a single ultra-deep water field.
Effective Asset Integrity in a $50 a Barrel World
Authors: Wilson Mark , McCready Dallas 
Published: April 2018

Abstract
With current market conditions keeping the price of oil below $100 a barrel for the foreseeable future, offshore asset owners and operators have become increasingly focused on cost reductions for maintenance and inspection. In turn, the emphasis on cost reductions has presented an even bigger challenge: ensuring that asset integrity is maintained at satisfactory levels that reduce the risk of safety while still benefiting from cost savings.
Traditional methods of inspection and maintenance offered at a lower cost has proven to be the wrong solution as the value in these services has been significantly reduced. By implementing disruptive inspection and maintenance technologies, asset integrity can be effectively managed in a way that is safer and provides better data than traditional methods; all while providing long-term cost savings by minimizing POB (personnel on-board) and reducing major maintenance.
These technologies and methods include: Utilization of high definition cameras, laser scanners and ROVs (remote operated vehicles) for tank inspections which significantly reduces, and in many cases, eliminates the need for personnel entry into tanks (i.e. cargo oil, ballast water, potable water tanks).Hot-tapping into live sea water systems and hull plating (while vessels are still in operation) in order to deploy cameras, pipe plugs and anodes which eliminate or significantly reduce the need for divers or ROVs (remote operated vehicles) in the following applications: external hull bottom surveys, isolation valve repair, and ICCP (impressed current cathodic protection) anode maintenance.Utilization of ROVs and crawlers with cleaning and measuring tools (callipers, photogrammetry tools) for class required mooring chain inspections which eliminates the use of divers.Utilization of non-evasive tools such as Real Time Radiography, Digital Radiography and Backscatter Computed Tomography to inspect composite wrap repairs and corrosion under insulation for insulated piping and pressure systems, eliminating the requirement to removal & reinstallation of insulation.
Thermoplastic Composite Riser Development for Ultradeep Water
Authors: Smits Alexander , Neto Teofilo Barbosa , Boer Henk de 
Published: April 2018

Abstract
Thermoplastic composite pipes (TCP) is a fully bonded pipe structure with a solid wall construction constituted from a single polymer material reinforced with embedded (melt-fused) fibre reinforcements. DNV GL published in December 2015, the new Recommended Practice DNVGL-RP-F119, intended for the design and qualification of Thermoplastic Composite Pipes in offshore applications. This paper describes Airborne Oil & Gas approach to qualifying its ultradeep water TCP products to the new standard.
Because of its intrinsic properties, including being lightweight, spoolable, and collapse and corrosion resistant, TCP is very much suited for riser applications. After applications such as a 1" high pressure methanol injection jumper in the North Sea, a 6" flowline for hydrocarbon conveyance off the coast of Sarawak, Malaysia, and a 2" gas lift line in the North Sea, Airborne Oil & Gas has now started the development of TCP for high pressure high temperature dynamic production riser applications.
A typical offshore Brazil pre-salt field ultradeep water design premise has been used to assess the feasibility of 6" and 8" free hanging TCP Risers. This was done in close cooperation with a major operator in Brazil and SURF contractor. Global, installation and local analyses of the TCP Riser system have shown the feasibility of installation as well as operations in a free hanging catenary configuration throughout the 30 years’ service life.
After technical feasibility had been demonstrated, a detailed business case study was performed in order to quantify the potential CAPEX savings that TCP technology can bring compared to the low lazy wave systems currently installed in pre-salt fields, offshore Brazil. Considerable savings are expected, especially on pipe procurement costs. Further savings on OPEX are also expected and are related to corrosion and biocide inhibition operations.
Informal financial transactions and monetary policy in low-income countries: Interpolated informal credit and interest rates in Malawi
Authors: Ngalawa Harold 
Published: April 2018

Background: Official monetary data usually exclude informal financial transactions although the informal financial sector (IFS) forms a large part of the financial sector in low-income countries. Aim and setting: Excluding informal financial transactions in official monetary data, however, underestimates the volume of financial transactions and incorrectly presents the cost of credit, bringing into question the accuracy of expected effects of monetary policy on economic activity. Methods: Using IFS data for Malawi constructed from two survey data sets, indigenous knowledge and elements of Friedman’s data interpolation technique, this study employs innovation accounting in a structural vector autoregressive model to compare monetary policy outcomes when IFS data are taken into account and when they are not. Results: The study finds evidence that in certain instances, the formal and informal financial sectors complement each other. For example, it is observed that the rate of inflation as well as output increase following a rise in either formal financial sector (FFS) or IFS lending. Further investigation reveals that in other cases, the FFS and IFS work in conflict with each other. Demonstrating this point, the study finds that a rise in FFS interest rates is followed by a decline in FFS lending while IFS lending does not respond significantly and the response of FFS and IFS loans combined is insignificant. When IFS interest rates are raised, total loans decline significantly. Conclusion: The study, therefore, concludes that exclusion of IFS transactions from official monetary data has the potential to frustrate monetary policy through wrong inferences on the impact of monetary policy on economic activity.
Psychological Capital: Convergent and discriminant validity of a reconfigured measure
Authors: Grobler Anton , Joubert Yvonne T. 
Published: April 2018

Background: Although attention has been given to the importance of positivity in the workplace, it has only recently been proposed as a new way in which to focus on organisational behaviour. The psychological resources which meet the criteria for positive organisational behaviour best are hope, self-efficacy, optimism and resilience. Aim: The purpose of this study was to investigate the construct validity of the Psychological Capital Questionnaire (PCQ), with specific reference to its psychometric properties. Setting: The sample included a total of 1749 respondents, 60 each from 30 organisations in South Africa. Methods: A multi-factorial model was statistically explored and confirmed (with exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis, respectively). Results: The results support the original conceptualisation and empirically-confirmed factorial composition of Psychological Capital (PsyCap) by four elements, namely Hope, Optimism, Resilience and Self-efficacy. However, the study yielded a three-factor solution, with Hope and Optimism as a combined factor and Resilience and Self-efficacy made up of a reconfigured set of substantively justifiable items (three of the original 24 items were found not to be suitable). The three reconfigured factors showed good psychometric properties, good fit (in support of construct validity) and acceptable levels of convergent and discriminant validity. Recommendations were made for further studies. Conclusion: Based on the results obtained, it seems that the PCQ is a suitable (valid and reliable) instrument for measuring PsyCap. This study could thus serve as a reference for the accurate measurement of PsyCap.
The relationship between remuneration and financial performance for companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange
Authors: Kirsten Elize , Du Toit Elda 
Published: April 2018

Background: The executive directors of a company are the agents of the shareholders and should manage the company in the best interest of the shareholders, not only for personal gain. It is therefore important for companies to ensure that they implement remuneration policies which will result in motivated employees who will execute decisions and actions which are in the best interest of the shareholders. However, it is widely acknowledged that the relationship between company performance and executive remuneration is weak. This implies that executives are still rewarded excessive remuneration regardless of the performance of their companies. Aim: The purpose of this study was to determine whether a relationship exists between the performance-based remuneration of executive directors and the financial performance of South African companies. Setting: The study was conducted in South Africa, specifically on companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. Methods: The study design was quantitative and made use of a Pearson correlation and generalised least squares regression with bootstrapping at a 95% confidence interval to analyse the relationship between executive director remuneration and the financial performance of 42 companies in the consumer goods and services industry of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) from 2006 to 2015. Results: The study established that the remuneration policies in place for South African executive directors within the consumer goods and services industry seem to be affected by the share price of the company. Conclusion: In the South African environment, executive director remuneration is thus not directly related to profitability or company size, as was the case in some earlier studies. The link between executive director remuneration and share performance may be an indication that remuneration policies are based on the share price and are thus directly connected to the principle of shareholder wealth maximisation.
Tales of the unexpected: Integrating career shocks in the contemporary careers literature
Authors: Akkermans Jos , Seibert Scott E. , Mol Stefan T. 
Published: April 2018

Orientation: This article addresses the interplay between individual agency and contextual factors in contemporary career development processes. In light of the prominence of the former in the contemporary scholarly debate, we present a case for a more comprehensive approach by heeding the latter as well. Research purpose: The main aim of this article was to provide a definition and conceptualisation of career shocks, as well as an agenda for future research on this topic. Motivation for the study: Most of the contemporary careers literature has overemphasised the role of individual agency in career development. While certainly important, we argue that we also need to address the role of context – in this case, career shocks – in order to gain a fuller appreciation of career development processes. Main conclusions and implications: We provide a definition of career shocks based on the existing literature related to chance events and turnover. In addition, we provide an overview of attributes of career shocks, potentially valuable theoretical perspectives and key issues for future research. Contribution: This article brings together several existing streams of literature related to career shocks and provides an integrative definition and conceptualisation. We hope that this will ignite future research on an important but often overlooked topic.
Hairy Apes and Quare Fellows: The Legacy of Eugene O'Neill in the Work of Brendan Behan
Authors: McMahon Deirdre 
Published: April 2018

Abstract
Brendan Behan (1923–64) was part of a Dublin theater community that grew up with the plays of Eugene O'Neill on its doorstep, and the impact was significant. As John P. Harrington notes, when the Dublin Drama League produced O'Neill's Emperor Jones in 1927, Denis Johnston described it as “the first true invasion of the modern into the national theatre [of Ireland].” By immersing himself into Dublin's modernist theater culture during his early years, Behan fed his interest in the avant-garde, which resulted in The Quare Fellow, a play that has some remarkable thematic and formal similarities to O'Neill's The Hairy Ape. Each writer emerged from fringe theater, and each turned to European expressionism to challenge issues around social justice and equality. This article surveys O'Neill's significance in the Dublin of Behan's youth, considers the sociopolitical affinities between the writers, and analyzes the theatrical aesthetics of each in their respective plays The Hairy Ape and The Quare Fellow.
Analysis of the VIDAS® Staph Enterotoxin III (SET3) for Detection of Staphylococcal Enterotoxins G, H, and I in Foods
Authors: Hait Jennifer M , Nguyen Angela T , Tallent Sandra M 
Published: April 2018

Abstract
Background: Staphylococcal food poisoning (SFP) frequently causes illnesses worldwide. SFP occurs from the ingestion of staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs) preformed in foods by enterotoxigenic strains of Staphylococcus species, primarily S. aureus. SEG, SEH, and SEI induce emesis and have been implicated in outbreaks. Immunological-based methods are deemed the most practical methods for the routine analysis of SEs in foods given their ease of use, sensitivity, specificity, and commercial availability. These kits are routinely used to test for SEA-SEE. However, only recently has a kit been developed to detect SEG, SEH, and SEI. Objective: Our research examined the performance of the novel VIDAS® Staph Enterotoxin III (SET3) for the detection of staphylococcal enterotoxins SEG, SEH, and SEI in foods. Methods: Here we assess the sensitivity and specificity of SET3 using duplicate test portions of six foods at varying concentrations of inclusivity and exclusivity inocula: pure SEG, SEH, SEI, S. aureus strain extracts positive for seg, seh, and sei, as well as SEA, SEB, SEC, SED, and SEE. Results: The overall detection limit was less than 2.09 ng/mL for foods inoculated with SEG, SEH, and SEI, with no cross reactivity observed. Highlights: Integrating concurrent testing to detect the presence of SEA–SEE and SEG–SEI utilizing the SET3 along with the VIDAS SET2, Ridascreen® SET total, or other comparable kits will be instrumental for the future food assessments in our laboratory and may become the new standard for SE analysis of foods.
Determination of Alkaloids in Mitragyna speciosa (Kratom) Raw Materials and Dietary Supplements by HPLC-UV: Single-Laboratory Validation, First Action 2017.14
Authors: Mudge Elizabeth M , Brown Paula N 
Published: April 2018

Abstract
The AOAC Expert Review Panel (ERP) approved a method for the quantitation of alkaloids in Mitragyna speciosa for consideration as First Action Official MethodSM status. The previously published method summarized a single-laboratory validation of two alkaloids, mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine, in raw materials and finished products. The methods performance was compared with the AOAC Standard Method Performance Requirement 2015.008. With repeatability precision (RSDr) ranging from 0.51 to 0.95% and recoveries from 93.6 to 98.9% in the different product matrices, the ERP adopted the method and provided recommendations for achieving Final Action status.
Turning Delay Stochastic User Equilibrium Model based on the Weibull Distribution
Authors: Chen Jing , Xu Wenqiang , Peng Weimin , Xing Baixi 
Published: April 2018

With the continuous expansion of urban scales and the constant growth of traffic demands, it has become important to accurately predict the distribution of traffic flow so as to relieve the traffic jams and lower the energy consumption. This research mainly focuses on the distribution problem of traffic flow in the urban traffic network. A minimization program has been provided as an alternative formulation for the turning delay stochastic user equilibrium problem. The paper derives the Weibull distribution-based node-link random loading mechanism of turning delay for direct calculation of link and turning flows that are consistent with thepath flow, thus avoiding the enumeration of turning paths. Numerical examples are provided to illustrate the turning delay stochastic user equilibrium (SUE) model and the nodelink- based algorithm. The experiment demonstrates that the present method can reflect the relative performance of link and turning costs well, while presenting its advantages in the simulation of large-scale turning delay flow ssignment.