bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Subsea Water Treatment Pilot Testing at the Ekofisk Field in the North Sea
Authors: Dirdal Eirik 
Published: April 2019

A new subsea water treatment system for injection water has been developed and has undergone several phases of testing. A full-scale water treatment module has been built and is currently being tested at the Ekofisk field offshore Norway to determine its viability under North Sea field conditions.
A hybrid configuration approach is used, as the test is based on utilizing existing infrastructure to minimize project cost. The subsea water treatment system was therefore installed next to a fixed platform and connected to topsides through a flexible hose for water supply and an umbilical for power and communication of the subsea water treatment module. The disinfected water is lifted to the platform deck through a retrieveable lift pump, and the treated water is then analyzed before injection into the reservoir through a high-pressure pump and converted production well.
The primary objective with the test is to replicate the results from a similar full-scale version that was tested in sheltered environments in a fjord on the Norwegian west coast, which would verify the water treatment module's performance and reliability through seasonal variations and thereby demonstrate its ability to deliver injection water of a quality in real offshore conditions.
The secondary objective is related to Ekofisk requirements and reservoir related impacts of injecting water treated by this new submerged water treatment technology. The results from this test will not become available until second half of 2019.
The commissioning phase has been completed, and the results achieved so far are within expectations, with high disinfection capabilities and equipment regularity. The particle content in the water was generally higher than previous inshore testing, which was not a surprise due to the harsh environment and relatively shallow water (∼70m) in the Ekofisk Area.
The project has recently moved into the longterm testing phase. The results from this phase will become available second half of 2019.
Optimizing Seawater Treatment Operations with Condition Monitoring Software
Authors: Wilcox Austin , Mikkelsen Rene , Lian Pei Ling Esther 
Published: April 2019

Abstract
In an effort to maximize the value of the Enhanced Oil Recovery(EOR) process, a condition monitoring software program aims to optimize Seawater Treatment system performance and maintenance efforts. By collecting digital inputs from sensors, instruments and controllers on the platform or vessel, you can monitor system behavior and use application expertise and data science to characterize the operational conditions which enable operators to reduce their operating costs and maximize production.
Combining unparalleled process expertise with data science and software development team, a system-wide view of the Seawater Treatment (SWT) process is produced. Using current and historical data from SWT operations, ingesting into an IOT platform and, utilizing custom software program, provide full visualization of the system performance and condition monitoring of critical components within the system. One example is monitoring the sulphate removal unit (SRU) and predicting fouling types of the membranes. With this enhanced view of performance and predictive analysis, you can reduce the need for offshore supervision and troubleshooting efforts and can prevent repeat failures and unplanned downtime.
Using the SRU as an example, the Seawater Treatment software program enables early stage detection of membrane fouling which allows the operator to proactively implement a fouling mitigation program. By detecting the fouling early, the operator can optimize the cleaning in place (CIP) sequences, perform timely CIP and chemical dosing to extend the life of the membranes and prevent unnecessary downtime and prevent permanent membrane damage. It has been observed through historical data that operators can save a significant amount of money per year on membrane life, downtime reduction and production penalty prevention. There are additional potential savings by using an optimized chemical injection program to manage and prevent biogrowth/scale formation in the system.
To address the operator's need of optimizing Seawater Treatment and other topside process equipment, a suite of process specific software applications can be fully integrated into a digital platform, providing a framework that easily can be tailored to customer's needs to include additional features if required. Combining a comprehensive selection of wellstream processing technologies with deep understanding of fluids behavior and proven track record of digitalization, operational issues can now be uncovered and solved. This is different from typical remote monitoring initiatives in that it applies proven machine learning and predictive analytics frameworks to detect patterns and traces from the captured data to provide the earliest possible detection of future issues and provide proactive recommendations to prevent disruption to operations.
Impacts of Fiscal Systems on Oil Projects Valuation
Authors: Dambros Lucchesi Rodrigo 
Published: April 2019

Abstract
Despite increasing demand for cleaner energy around the world, oil is still the main global energy source and this scenario will not change in the short term. Together with natural gas, they supply 57% of world primary energy demand (BP, 2018). Therefore, if a country wants to benefit from having its hydrocarbon reserves developed to generate wealth, it is crucial to enable economic conditions for such. This study aims to show the impact that distinct fiscal systems adopted by each country can have on the valuation of an oil field and its commercial feasibility, from an international oil company perspective. Fiscal terms define, among other things, how revenue from oil production is shared between operators and the host country. To investigate such topic, a deepwater offshore oil development project was valuated using discounted cash flow method. Sixteen scenarios were created, considering a combination of four distinct field sizes under four fiscal systems, selected from some of the world's top oil producing countries. For each scenario, internal rate of return (IRR), which indicates the project's economic return for the operator, and government take (GT), which indicates how much of the oil revenue is directed for the host country, were calculated. Findings show very distinct results in each scenario, with IRR for operators ranging between 8 and 21% and government take between 57% and 84%. Considering that project returns should always be higher than a company's capital cost, in some scenarios the discovery would not be declared commercial. Results also show that, in general, large oil development projects in countries with tax/royalty system present a higher return for the operators, while production-sharing contracts tend to generate a higher government take. This shows that the same oil field, under same geological conditions, can offer very different economic returns to the operators and host governments, depending on the fiscal system in place. In some cases, the fiscal system has such an impact on the economic feasibility of the project, that it may even prevent the discovery to be declared as commercial and, therefore, not be developed and booked as proven reserves. The main takeaway of this study is that understanding fiscal systems is an essential tool for operators to properly evaluate its projects and one of the most important features governments can adjust to attract private investment to their oil industries.
Operational Adoption Challenges to USV/ROV Services
Authors: Moles Peter , Ladreux Mathieu , Karl Larry 
Published: April 2019

Abstract
A fully unmanned surface vessel/remotely operated vehicle (USV/ROV) system—controlled remotely from shore and providing inspection and light intervention services—could deliver many benefits during offshore operations including increased safety, cost effectiveness, and data quality. Development of an unmanned solution also faces many challenges in ensuring the system's fitness for purpose. System developers must address a range of inter-related issues including system reliability; operational risks and mitigations; monitoring and analyzing performance of key hardware system; safety policies; determination of required level of control for the many activities and failsafe functionalities; potential regulatory requirements; and a path to adoption that satisfies all stakeholders.
Solutions to the challenges of unmanned operations must consider the operational philosophies, governance policies and risk tolerance of the many stakeholders because acceptance of such solutions are not always straightforward. Many of the component technologies of the unmanned system are available and proven, but new solutions also need to be developed. ROVs piloted from onshore control centers and operations by unmanned surface vessels are not uncommon today. With no personnel on board to resolve problems, reliability must be increased from current levels, failsafe autonomy and increased ROV/USV functionality must be included in the USV/ROV system. The system's design also must provide for safe transfer of people from a manned vessel to the USV in the event that troubleshooting and more extensive maintenance are required.
This paper reviews these challenges based on performing a series of traditional analyses: concept of operation reviews defined key operational functions; hazard analyses identified potential failure modes and their respective mitigation; reliability assessments to understand the current level of reliability for USV and ROV systems and requirements for multi-day missions; current and pending regulations were reviewed to identify their impact on technical specifications and operational procedures.
Riser Gas Equilibrium for Oil Based Muds with MPD Considerations
Authors: Nwaka Nnamdi , Chen Yuanhang , Williams Wesley 
Published: April 2019

Abstract
The offshore drilling industry has been seeking to more realistically simulate gas-in-riser events, to optimize mitigation methods and justify the adoption of new pressure control equipment. This paper presents an improved model to describe gas in riser events with direct application to oil-based muds (OBM), with which most of the gas-in-riser events take place.
A mathematical model is developed and used to describe the behavior of gas influx migrating or being circulated out in a marine riser in an OBM. The release of dissolved gas in OBM is thus factored in and assumed instantaneous. Bubbly flow is assumed for the contaminated mud and simulations are performed for different choke openings as in Managed Pressure Drilling (MPD) applications and with different booster pump circulation rates. The contaminated mud section is discretized both in time and space to ensure that pressure and pressure dependent parameters are accurately quantified.
Results clearly show that the severity of the rapid unloading process can be overestimated when a water-based mud scenario is assumed. The severity of rapid unloading and the depth of the riser equilibrium point during the circulation of the influx out of the riser are seen to be of little dependence on the time at which the backpressure is initiated but with very high dependence on the magnitude of the backpressure and the circulation rates. Severity of rapid unloading increases with the circulation rate. If the gas is allowed to migrate without circulation, backpressure application would have a much greater effect on the unloading results.
The concept of riser equilibrium has been thus far developed in the context of water-based muds. This paper considers only OBMs where most of the events take place.
Dynamic properties of offshore sands
Authors: Zuccarino Lorenzo , Morandi Daniela Ausilia , Ottonello Luca 
Published: April 2019

Abstract
This paper examines shear modulus degradation and damping for offshore sands. The work is based on an extensive database of dynamic soil properties for undisturbed and reconstituted granular samples from offshore sites worldwide. The data set consists of direct measurements obtained from advanced laboratory tests (resonant columns). Data considered in this paper includes a wide range of granular marine sediments. The effects of soil properties such as confining pressure and fines content on the dynamic parameters are described and guidance on interpretation and applicability is provided.
A new calibrated model is proposed to evaluate normalized shear modulus reduction and damping ratio curves as a function of shear strain of marine sands. The proposed relationship can be used for a wide range of granular soil conditions for direct use in routine offshore dynamic engineering analyses and, in particular, in non-linear site response analysis.
Submerged Archaeological Resources: Sound, Software and Three Inch Pipes - A Recipe for Finding Submerged Prehistoric Archaeological Sites?
Authors: Ervan Garrison G 
Published: April 2019

Abstract

Objectives/Scope
1. Review the effectiveness of existing technology for identifying and characterizing submerged and buried prehistoric archaeological sites.2. Critique and suggest changes to existing technology to improve the effectiveness for the identification and characterization of submerged prehistoric archaeological sites.3. Examine the "why" this is important to offshore technology regulation and management.

Methods, Procedures, Process
The process can easily be paraphrased as "sound, software, and three inch pipes" - the sound being the pulse from sonar or sub-bottom instruments, the software being the methods by which those pulses are processed and display, and the three-inch pipes, of course, denoting the coring tubes used to sample targets identified in using sound and software. In fairness to the methods discussed herein, their application has been, at best, uneven. The use of the first two technologies - sound/acoustic and post-processing software programs have been in regular use by geophysical contractors. The latter technology - sediment coring - has been utilized far less.

Results, Observations, Conclusions
How effective has this methodology proven to be over the past thirty years? That is open to some debate and this paper will examine some reasons why this is so and suggest some possible alternatives. The overarching goal of this paper is to push beyond this methodology to potentially more effective technologies or at least improved usage of the current technology.

Novel/Additive Information
Submerged prehistoric archaeological sites are "hard problems" in terms of their discovery and characterization. Compared to submerged historic archaeological sites - primarily shipwrecks - those are "easy." This comparison of the use and effectiveness of technology is novel and additive.
Synthesis of Disruptive Technologies Leads to Design of Flowable Sensors for Reservoir Monitoring, Passively Retrievable Through Carrier Buoyancy
Authors: Chen Ting , Shenoy Ram , Roy Indranil , Zhou Jing 
Published: April 2019

Abstract
Technology gaps in measuring wellbore parameters and providing the results at surface without using wireline (Production Logging) or slick-line, without using mud-pulse, electromagnetic or acoustic telemetry, or pre-installed or permanently installed downhole sensors remain an area to be bridged.
Our ability to engineer light-weight, high-strength, highly-reactive (dissolvable) or corrosion-resistant, nanostructured-alloys and intelligent micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) devices have enabled design of buoyant sensors having thin (millimetric) wall, capable of withstanding 20,000 psi or more differential pressure. These sensors measure and record a complete set of the client’s required wellbore parameters (e.g., Pressure, Temperature, Depth, Casing collars, Flow-rate across perforations or in wellbore, Water cut, Dissolved O2, etc.). These devices are deployed, either nested in an outer shell of salinity independent water reactive alloy to abet pump down to depth or weighed down by a sinker of dissolvable alloy. These devices are free-flowing within a wellbore so that they can be placed downhole to required depth for a specific time, after which the outer shell dissolves or the sinker weight falls, releasing the inner gauge. The now buoyant device flows back to surface with produced fluids where they make their presence known by sonic or inductive signaling.
Our company was founded to take advantage of these disruptive innovations in materials science and sensors and synthesis of these technologies to provide superior performance products for both deep-water domains and the multistage stimulation (MSS) market.
In this article we address two of our key inventions. First, the development of miniature, self-contained, battery powered, free-flowing sensor devices for reservoir monitoring, passively retrievable through carrier buoyancy. A subset of this game changing approach, to economize operations is, "Measuring in- situ pressure, temperature, and subsequent production during MSS". Second, we present a mechanism to assess susceptibility of oilfield alloys, especially in live reservoir fluids at the production zone. This encompasses a retrievable sensor device to assess environmental effects on materials at target zone in wellbore during production or shut in, can be deployed anywhere from production zone to bubble point, to surface separator. It facilitates testing not in a simulated autoclave environment at surface, but downhole, at the zone of interest.
From Watt-Scale to Megawatt-Scale: Advances in Wave Energy Technologies for Offshore Applications
Authors: Lamb Bradford Storrs , Lesemann Arvid Reenstjerna 
Published: April 2019

Abstract
Potential applications for wave energy cover the spectrum from powering watt-scale maritime sensors to generating electricity at megawatt-scale. These applications include energy generation for: ocean observation, communications, autonomous underwater vehicles recharging, isolated community grids, aquaculture, underwater data centers, seawater desalination, ocean mining, disaster relief and recovery, and utility grids. Much of the focus to date has been on utility-scale systems for grid-connected applications. However, despite the effort to develop viable technologies and the attractiveness of the resource, wave energy has yet to achieve status as a mainstream renewable resource.
According to REN21, 150 GW of wind and solar was installed last year, but in spite of this growth, wind and solar do not present a universal solution to our renewable energy needs. Without significant amounts of cost-effective storage to smooth and shift energy supplies, the intermittency of wind and solar leave gaps that must be filled with other, new renewable resources that are widespread, energy dense and close to the load. These issues are exacerbated in a maritime environment where wind and solar are not technically viable in many cases.
Energy from marine hydrokinetic sources—mainly ocean waves, currents, and tides—will help fill the gap that wind and solar can’’t. Our oceans are the largest battery of stored energy on the planet; capable of providing 200% of our current global electricity supply & 30% of US demand (load). Wave energy, in particular, possesses the desirable characteristics of a new mainstream renewable, with nearly 7x the amount of tidal resource available globally. However, all marine energy resources present inhospitable operating environments, with a need to balance the competing interests of affordability on a local basis, acceptability of the system by the various stakeholders, and availability of the generation system on a consistent and reliable basis. While federally-funded wave energy research and development has been underway for over a decade, recent advances in wave energy technology present the opportunity to breakthrough these constraints and provide dependable, cost-effective energy.
These advances also bring forward several potential market applications of interest to the maritime community, specifically low-power autonomous systems for maritime sensing, monitoring and communications payloads and utility-scale systems for provision of megawatt-scale energy. Potential customers of these systems—such as defense and security agencies, and oil&gas, industrial, aquaculture and telecommunications companies—need consistent and reliable energy storage and generation that reduces their cost of ownership for their current battery, solar or liquid fuel energy sources and/or enables operating capabilities and location persistence that is not currently available.
Successfully Increasing Production of a Mature Offshore Heavy Oil Reservoir by Water Flooding Conformance
Authors: He Yifan , Luo Xianbo , Shi Hongfu 
Published: April 2019

Abstract
Q oilfield is a typical fluvial reservoir, which is located in the middle of Bohai Bay. Lower member of Ming (Nm) formation and upper member of Guantao (Ng) formation of Neogene are the main oil-bearing strata, with buried depth -950m ~ -1430m, and developed fluvial sedimentary sandstone reservoir. The lower member of Minghuazhen formation developed meandering river deposit, and sandbody was mainly composed of complex meandering. Guantao formation developed braided river deposit. Each oil group has a good vertical superposition, which shows high porosity and high permeability (average 3000mD), but the oil viscosity of each oil group is quite different (from 22mPa s~260mPa s).
Manuscript Title: Installing Offshore Wind Turbine Foundations Quieter: A Performance Overview of the First Full-Scale Demonstration of the AdBm Underwater Noise Abatement System
Authors: Elzinga Jesper , Mesu Arjen , van Eekelen Erik , Wochner Mark , Jansen Erwin , Nijhof Marten 
Published: April 2019

Abstract
Offshore wind is a quickly-emerging market resulting from the worldwide transition towards renewable energies. Whilst this transition has countless environmental benefits, the negative aspects pertaining to underwater noise generated during wind park construction are coming under increased public scrutiny. A number of countries have responded to this environmental and social concern by establishing underwater noise regulations. Construction using current piling techniques often requires the use of underwater noise mitigation systems to meet these legislative requirements. These systems can be applied at the piling source, near pile or far from pile. Under the Underwater Noise Abatement System (UNAS) program, partially sponsored by the Dutch government’s ‘Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend Nederland’ (RVO), a new noise mitigation system has been tested. The UNAS consortium consists of three partners: Van Oord Offshore Wind Projects, AdBm Technologies, and TNO (Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research). The noise mitigation system, here after referred to as NMS, consists of a slatted system containing Helmholtz resonators which is deployed around a monopile in a similar method to venetian blinds. Scaled tests of the NMS at Butendiek and Luchterduinen Offshore Wind Parks showed potential for full-scale deployment. The full-scale test of the NMS was executed in the fall of 2018. A configuration where the vertical spacing of the slats was 0.67 m yielded a 7 to 8 dB SEL re 1 μPa2s reduction compared to the unmitigated scenario, while combining the NMS with a big bubble curtain (BBC) resulted in a 14 to 15 dB SEL reduction compared to the unmitigated situation. This reduction range, as well as a smooth offshore operational performance, puts the NMS in line with other near pile mitigation systems. Deployment of the NMS appears a feasible option to ensure underwater noise compliance in various nation’s legislation.