bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Energy 360: Invited Perspective: Making Decisions 2.0
Authors: Haldorsen Helge Hove , Leach Patrick 
Published: February 2016

President's column
What is more integral to the exploration and production (E&P) business than making decisions? In many ways it is the essence of business. Every day we have to choose between “rocks and hard places.” If you get it right, you are a genius. If you get it wrong, there is usually a good reason why, like a “perfect storm” suddenly conspiring to invalidate the assumptions underpinning your decision or perhaps an “unknown unknown.” Nassim Taleb’s book Fooled By Randomness: The Hidden Role of Chance in Life and in the Markets suggests there may not always be a brilliant strategy and excellent decisions behind business success.
Most companies today have formal devil’s advocates (risk councils, peer reviews, controllers) trying to pick apart decisions and recommendations, trying to make sure only good decisions are allowed to be made. In addition, most companies have introduced formal “decision gate processes” for material (investment) decisions. According to Independent Project Analysis (IPA) these decision improvement measures really have not improved things appreciably. The expected case never happens and the decision maker is usually handed actual outcomes that are inferior to what was presented as expected in the decision support package.
More and more, it is not just about making the most money. Every company has corporate values against which all decisions must be tested and the “triple bottom line” (at least) makes it necessary to factor in many other elements. I sat down with an expert in the field of making decisions Patrick Leach, chief executive officer of Decision Strategies, to get his perspective on the 2.0 of making good decisions in 2015—something every SPE member would like to do well—at work and at home.
Reviving Europe's Largest Onshore Field
Authors: Jacobs Trent 
Published: February 2016

Albania Onshore Oil Field
Europe’s largest onshore oil field, the Patos-Marinza in southern Albania, has been given a new lease on life after seeing production soar from 600 B/D just over a decade ago to more than 20,000 B/D this year. The field’s sole operator, Canadian-based Banker’s Petroleum, set up shop in the country in 2004 and has also more than doubled the estimated reserves from 98 million BOE to 220 million BOE. The Patos-Marinza, which holds an estimated 5 billion bbl of oil in place, has undergone a transformation from a heavily polluted oil field with outdated technology to one that exemplifies modern operations and environmental practices.
Chris Thompson, a production engineering manager at Banker’s, said the company has deployed a number of strategies to achieve its production goals. They include the wholesale replacement of existing artificial lift systems, infill drilling with horizontal wells, and the recent initiation of enhanced oil recovery (EOR) pilot programs using polymer and waterflooding. “With the way the field is set up, there seems to be unlimited opportunities,” Thompson said.
From the onset, Banker’s strategy has centered on introducing Albania to heavy oil engineering expertise and modern technologies from Alberta, Canada. Though similar in some ways, there are plenty of differences between the two areas that make the Patos-Marinza a much different operating environment.
For starters, the gravity of the oil is as low as 4 °API and an average of 8 °API. In Canada, oil this heavy would require the use of steam to get flowing. But because the Albanian reservoir is deeper, the higher pressures and temperatures allow the viscous oil to flow on its own into the wellstream.
By using pad drilling, Banker’s is able to tap into multiple horizons at different depths with as few as one and in some cases more than 20 horizontal wells from a single site. Depths for the horizontal wells range from approximately 1,100 m in the shallow end of the field to 1,600 m in the deeper part and have an average lateral section of approximately 600 m in length. The target formations are made up of unconsolidated sands that allow the oil to migrate into the wellstream. This means that unlike a tight shale resource play, in this field hydraulic fracturing is not needed to stimulate the reservoir.
And since the European oilfield service market is not set up to support onshore heavy oil development, Banker’s imports most of its equipment from Canada, which can take months in some cases. So to avoid project delays, the company has made supply chain operations a big focus of its strategy.
Abu Dhabi Unveils Its R&D Ambitions
Authors: Henni Abdelghani 
Published: February 2016

ADNOC R&D
For Abu Dhabi, research and development (R&D) provides an opportunity to facilitate the country’s transition from a hydrocarbon-based economy to a knowledge-based one and Abu Dhabi’s decision makers know that partnership and collaboration between companies and academia is key to R&D success. To enable that process, the government launched two major institutes for conducting research that emphasizes local energy issues—the Petroleum Institute University and Research Center in 2001, and the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar) in 2006. This was followed by the inauguration of the Takreer Research Centre with a focus on the refining sector in 2009.
Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) and its subsidiaries have launched a program to become a leader in R&D projects of local interest, such as CO2 enhanced oil recovery (EOR), clean technologies, and a goal of a 70% enhanced recovery rate, which has not been achieved anywhere in the world, in addition to improving safety and efficiency. So far, ADNOC has created a new R&D department adopting a clearer definition of its goals and activities.
In addition, the company sees 2015 as the year to reap the benefits from its ongoing R&D activities, despite the fall in oil prices. “Starting from 2015, ADNOC and its subsidiaries will start producing 2% of its output (70,000– 80,000 BOPD) using the research it conducted over the last 10 years,” said Ali Rashid Al Jarwan, chief executive officer of the Abu Dhabi Marine Operating Company, in his opening speech during the third Abu Dhabi International Research & Development Academic Conference & Exhibition.
Wireless Simultaneous Acquisition and Analysis of Dynamometer and Fluid-Level Data
Authors: Carpenter Chris 
Published: February 2016

This article, written by JPT Technology Editor Chris Carpenter, contains highlights of paper SPE 165023, “Wireless Simultaneous Acquisition and Analysis of Dynamometer and Fluid-Level Data for Real-Time Monitoring of Well Performance,” by James N. McCoy and Dieter Joseph Becker, Echometer Company; Gustavo Fernandez, Upco de Venezuela; and Anthony L. Podio, The University of Texas at Austin, prepared for the 2013 SPE Artificial Lift Conference—Americas, Cartagena, Colombia, 21–22 May. The paper has not been peer reviewed.
Real-time analysis and visualization of the performance of a rod-pumped well are achieved by use of multiple small and compact wireless sensors that simultaneously transmit acquired data to a digital laptop manager that integrates the measurements, displays performance graphs, and provides advanced tools for analysis and troubleshooting of the pumping system. The paper describes the hardware and user interface, the procedures for installation and acquisition, and several examples of field data and well-performance analysis for a variety of rod-pumping installations.
Introduction
The new generation of software and hardware discussed in this paper takes advantage of the tremendous increase in laptop processing speed, memory size, and screen resolution to generate in real time a quantitative visualization of the downhole rod-pumping operation, plunger motion, valve action, and fluid flow. This animation is presented simultaneously with the corresponding fluid distribution in the wellbore obtained from the acoustic fluid-level survey to let the user see the complete performance of the well and lift system without having to interpret the conventional dynamometer card or fluid-level record for the majority of monitored wells (Fig. 1).
Hardware
The preferred configuration of the system includes a wireless base station connected to the universal serial bus (USB) port of a laptop computer that communicates with multiple wireless sensors and manages data transfer and communications. Fig. 2 shows the base station with two radio antennae next to the wireless polished-rod transducer (PRT). Included in the base station is a global- positioning-system (GPS) chip that monitors the base station’s present location. The current location coordinates of the base station are used by the software to access and interrogate the database that contains information about the wells and other assets and to indicate to the user his or her current position in relation to nearby wells or facilities.
Derisking a Heavy-Oil Development: A Case Study of the Bentley Field
Authors: Carpenter Chris 
Published: February 2016

This article, written by JPT Technology Editor Chris Carpenter, contains highlights of paper SPE 172858, “Derisking a Heavy-Oil Development—A Case Study of the Bentley Field, UKCS Block 9/3b,” by B.H. Brennan, SPE, C. Lucas-Clements, S. Kew, SPE, and P.F. Dempsey, SPE, Xcite Energy Resources, prepared for the 2014 SPE International Heavy Oil Conference and Exhibition, Kuwait City, Kuwait, 8–10 December. The paper has not been peer reviewed.
An appraisal program involving the Bentley field located on the UK continental shelf has addressed the key technical concerns associated with developing viscous crude in an offshore environment. The program demonstrates how sustainable commercial flow rates can be achieved through the selection of a suitable completion design—including a downhole electrical submersible pump (ESP) and a downhole diluent-injection strategy—and through keeping within an appropriate operating-pressure and -temperature envelope.
The Bentley Field
The Bentley field, located in Block 9/3b in 110 m of water, contains approximately 900 million STB in place of heavy (10 to 12 °API) viscous (1,500-cp) crude. The field exhibits four-way dip closed at the uppermost Palaeocene, lowermost Eocene, and Dornoch sandstone level and covers an area of approximately 16×5 km at a depth of approximately 1.1-km true vertical depth subsea. The reservoir is high porosity (33%), with net-/gross-pay ratio of 90%, and with ultrahigh apparent horizontal permeabilities approaching 50 darcies on the basis of flow-test measurements, but consistent with unconsolidated sand.
Following an extensive appraisal program, a development was planned of which 257 million STB of 2P reserves is estimated to be recovered over a 35-year production period. In addition, it is estimated that 48 million STB of 2C contingent resources could be extracted commercially beyond the end of the currently planned facility life.
Derisking the Field
When the operator acquired the license, it was already known, on the basis of recovered samples, that the crude was heavy and viscous, but the full nature of the crude and its flow properties were poorly understood. The Bentley structure is a giant field, approaching 1 billion bbl in place. All wells had demonstrated excellent reservoir quality with high net/ gross, and there was therefore reasonable confidence in reservoir connectivity and volume. It had been demonstrated that the field had a large underlying aquifer with thickness greater than 400 ft. In summary, although there was reasonable confidence in the geological description of the field, it was clear that, before development sanction, a number of uncertainties remained.
Bacteriological Quality Assessment of Raw Beef Sold in Sylhet Sadar
Authors: Jahan Farhana , Mahbub-E-Elahi A T M , Siddique A B 
Published: February 2016

This study was conducted to assess the bacteriological quality of fresh raw beef sold in different markets of Sylhet Sadar. A total of seventy five (75) fresh raw beef samples were randomly collected from seven major markets (Shibgonj, Mirabazar, Kazitula, Ambarkhana, Madina market, Bandar bazar and Sheikh ghat) of Sylhet Sadar. Total Viable Count of the samples ranged between 2.5 × 105 to 2.25 × 108cfu/g. Acceptability for consumption of these samples as satisfactory, acceptable and rejected were 40, 32 and 28%, respectively. A total of 115 bacterial isolates of 5 genera were identified including gram negative Escherichia coli [15(10%)], Salmonella spp. [20(13.33%)], Klebsiella spp. [30(20%)], Enterobacter spp. [10(6.67%)] and gram positive Staphylococcus spp. [40(26.67%)]. The presence of these organisms in fresh meat from conventional beef is alarming.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/agric.v13i2.26654The Agriculturists 2015; 13(2) 09-16
Initial [18F]FDG PET/CT in high-risk DTC patients
Authors: Binse Ina , Bockisch Andreas , Rosenbaum-Krumme Sandra , Ruhlmann Marcus 
Published: February 2016

SummaryIn a previous paper, we published the impact of initial [18F]FDG PET/CT (FDG-PET/CT) in high-risk patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) and described the changes in therapy management. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the prognostic impact of the initial FDG-PET/CT on a patient’s follow-up over three years and the rate of complete remission. Patients, methods: This study included 109 DTC patients who underwent radioiodine treatment (RIT), including posttherapeutic whole-body scintigraphy with FDG-PET/CT and a follow-up over three years. The follow-up included high-resolution sonography of the neck and determination of serum Tg as well as Tg antibodies every six months. The results of initial FDG-PET/CT and whole-body scintigraphy were compared with the status after three years of follow-up. Results: 24/109 patients (22%) presented FDG-positive lesions, 22/109 patients (20%) only iodine-positive lesions, and 63/109 patients (58%) neither FDG-positive nor iodine-positive lesions. After three years, 83/109 patients (76%) revealed full remission, 15/109 patients (14%) tumour persistence and 11/109 patients (10%) a progressive disease. The negative predictive value (NPV) was calculated for patients without FDG-positive lesions (NPV 85%) and patients without any lesions (NPV 91%) regarding full remission in the follow-up. Conclusion: FDG-PET/CT has a high NPV (85% to 91%) in DTC patients regarding recurrence-free follow-up after three years. The change in patient management in patients with iodine-negative lesions can lead to a higher rate of full remissions in the follow-up after additional surgery. Therefore, FDG-PET/ CT should be performed in all high-risk DTC patients in the context of the first RIT to improve patient management and risk stratification.
ESTIMATING LONG GRB JET OPENING ANGLES AND REST-FRAME ENERGETICS
Authors: Goldstein Adam , Connaughton Valerie , Briggs Michael S. , Burns Eric 
Published: February 2016

ABSTRACT
We present a method to estimate the jet opening angles of long duration gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) using the prompt gamma-ray energetics and an inversion of the Ghirlanda relation, which is a correlation between the time-integrated peak energy of the GRB prompt spectrum and the collimation-corrected energy in gamma-rays. The derived jet opening angles using this method and detailed assumptions match well with the corresponding inferred jet opening angles obtained when a break in the afterglow is observed. Furthermore, using a model of the predicted long GRB redshift probability distribution observable by the Fermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor (GBM), we estimate the probability distributions for the jet opening angle and rest-frame energetics for a large sample of GBM GRBs for which the redshifts have not been observed. Previous studies have only used a handful of GRBs to estimate these properties due to the paucity of observed afterglow jet breaks, spectroscopic redshifts, and comprehensive prompt gamma-ray observations, and we potentially expand the number of GRBs that can be used in this analysis by more than an order of magnitude. In this analysis, we also present an inferred distribution of jet breaks which indicates that a large fraction of jet breaks are not observable with current instrumentation and observing strategies. We present simple parameterizations for the jet angle, energetics, and jet break distributions so that they may be used in future studies.
MEASUREMENTS OF WATER SURFACE SNOW LINES IN CLASSICAL PROTOPLANETARY DISKS
Authors: Blevins Sandra M. , Pontoppidan Klaus M. , Banzatti Andrea , Zhang Ke , Najita Joan R. , Carr John S. , Salyk Colette , Blake Geoffrey A. 
Published: February 2016

ABSTRACT
We present deep Herschel-PACS spectroscopy of far-infrared water lines from a sample of four protoplanetary disks around solar-mass stars, selected to have strong water emission at mid-infrared wavelengths. By combining the new Herschel spectra with archival Spitzer-IRS spectroscopy, we retrieve a parameterized radial surface water vapor distribution from 0.1 to 100 au using two-dimensional dust and line radiative transfer modeling. The surface water distribution is modeled with a step model composed of a constant inner and outer relative water abundance and a critical radius at which the surface water abundance is allowed to change. We find that the four disks have critical radii of ∼3–11 au, at which the surface water abundance decreases by at least 5 orders of magnitude. The measured values for the critical radius are consistently smaller than the location of the surface snow line, as predicted by the observed spectral energy distribution. This suggests that the sharp drop-off of the surface water abundance is not solely due to the local gas-solid balance, but may also be driven by the deactivation of gas-phase chemical pathways to water below 300 K. Assuming a canonical gas-to-dust ratio of 100, as well as coupled gas and dust temperatures T
gas = T
dust, the best-fit inner water abundances become implausibly high (0.01–1.0

). Conversely, a model in which the gas and dust temperatures are decoupled leads to canonical inner-disk water abundances of

, while retaining gas-to-dust ratios of 100. That is, the evidence for gas–dust decoupling in disk surfaces is stronger than for enhanced gas-to-dust ratios.
HEATING OF THE WARM IONIZED MEDIUM BY LOW-ENERGY COSMIC RAYS
Authors: Walker Mark A. 
Published: February 2016

ABSTRACT
In light of evidence for a high ionization rate due to low-energy cosmic rays (LECR) in diffuse molecular gas in the solar neighborhood, we evaluate their heat input to the warm ionized medium (WIM). LECR are much more effective at heating plasma than they are at heating neutrals. We show that the upper end of the measured ionization rates corresponds to a local LECR heating rate sufficient to maintain the WIM against radiative cooling, independent of the nature of the ionizing particles or the detailed shape of their spectrum. Elsewhere in the Galaxy the LECR heating rates may be higher than those measured locally. In particular, higher fluxes of LECR have been suggested for the inner Galactic disk, based on the observed hard X-ray emission, with correspondingly larger heating rates implied for the WIM. We conclude that LECR play an important and perhaps dominant role in the thermal balance of the WIM.
FIRST OBSERVATIONAL SUPPORT FOR OVERLAPPING REIONIZED BUBBLES GENERATED BY A GALAXY OVERDENSITY
Authors: Castellano M. , Dayal P. , Pentericci L. , Fontana A. , Hutter A. , Brammer G. , Merlin E. , Grazian A. , Pilo S. , Amorin R. , Cristiani S. , Dickinson M. , Ferrara A. , Gallerani S. , Giallongo E. , Giavalisco M. , Guaita L. , Koekemoer A. , Maiolino R. , Paris D. , Santini P. , Vallini L. , Vanzella E. , Wagg J. 
Published: February 2016

ABSTRACT
We present an analysis of deep Hubble Space Telescope (HST) multi-band imaging of the BDF field specifically designed to identify faint companions around two of the few Lyα emitting galaxies spectroscopically confirmed at z ∼ 7. Although separated by only 4.4 proper Mpc these galaxies cannot generate H ii regions large enough to explain the visibility of their Lyα lines, thus requiring a population of fainter ionizing sources in their vicinity. We use deep HST and VLT-Hawk-I data to select z ∼ 7 Lyman break galaxies around the emitters. We select six new robust z ∼ 7 LBGs at Y ∼ 26.5–27.5 whose average spectral energy distribution is consistent with the objects being at the redshift of the close-by Lyα emitters. The resulting number density of z ∼ 7 LBGs in the BDF field is a factor of approximately three to four higher than expected in random pointings of the same size. We compare these findings with cosmological hydrodynamic plus radiative transfer simulations of a universe with a half neutral IGM: we find that indeed Lyα emitter pairs are only found in completely ionized regions characterized by significant LBG overdensities. Our findings match the theoretical prediction that the first ionization fronts are generated within significant galaxy overdensities and support a scenario where faint, “normal” star-forming galaxies are responsible for reionization.
Efficacy and Safety of Subcutaneous and Intravenous Loading Dose Regimens of Secukinumab in Patients with Active Rheumatoid Arthritis: Results from a Randomized Phase II Study
Authors: Tlustochowicz Witold , Rahman Proton , Seriolo Bruno , Krammer Gerhard , Porter Brian , Widmer Albert , Richards Hanno B. 
Published: February 2016

Objective.To evaluate the efficacy and safety of secukinumab, a fully human antiinterleukin-17A monoclonal antibody, administered with an intravenous (IV) or subcutaneous (SC) loading regimen versus placebo, in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA).Methods.In this phase II, double-blind, double-dummy, 52-week study (ClinicalTrials.govNCT01359943), 221 patients with inadequate response to methotrexate were randomized (2:2:1) to secukinumab, IV loading 10 mg/kg at baseline, Weeks 2 and 4, then SC 150 mg every 4 weeks (n = 88); secukinumab SC loading 150 mg once weekly for 5 weeks, then every 4 weeks (n = 89); or a matching placebo (followed by secukinumab 150 mg every 4 weeks starting Week 16; n = 44). The primary endpoint was superior efficacy of pooled secukinumab versus placebo using American College of Rheumatology 20% response (ACR20) at Week 12.Results.The primary efficacy endpoint was not met: ACR20 response at Week 12 was 49.2% for pooled secukinumab versus 40.9% for placebo (p = 0.3559). These variables improved significantly with pooled secukinumab versus placebo at Week 12 (all p < 0.05): the 28-joint Disease Activity Score (DAS28), patient’s and physician’s global assessment of disease activity, patient’s assessment of RA pain, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels. Results of continuous efficacy outcomes were similar between the IV and SC loading regimens. The most frequent adverse events were infections, with similar rates across secukinumab and placebo.Conclusion.Although the primary endpoint (ACR20) was not met, secukinumab demonstrated improved efficacy in reducing disease activity over placebo as measured by DAS28 and other secondary endpoints.