bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Making the Most of Probabilistic Marine Forecasts on Timescales of Days, Weeks and Months Ahead
Authors: Steele Edward , Neal Robert , Bunney Christopher , Evans Benjamin , Fournier Nicolas , Gill Philip , Mylne Kenneth , Saulter Andrew 
Published: April 2017

Abstract
Marine forecasts are essential to operational planning, with decisions able to be guided by a host of different weather products spanning a period of days, weeks and even months ahead. The correct selection and subsequent application of these different types of weather products has the potential to save many thousands of dollars per day in operational downtime, however this is only possible when the science underpinning these marine forecasts is properly understood by the user. In the current economic context, this is especially relevant to the offshore industry – whose use of forecasting technology is traditionally very conservative, and therefore whose planning is often more reactive – allowing large savings (e.g. mobilization / demobilisation costs) if robust decisions are made as early as possible. Two established methods for the interpretation of probabilistic data based on cost-loss and weather regime analysis are described and applied to ocean wave forecasting. It is suggested the selection of methods will be dependant on the timescales of interest, with the cost-loss analysis optimised for supporting decisions at timescales on days to weeks ahead and the weather regime analysis optimized for supporting decisions at timescales of weeks to months ahead. The application of these methods are illustrated from the point of view of a North Sea asset manager planning the mobilization of equipment / personnel under conditions of calm weather, and the protection of equipment / personnel under conditions of severe weather. For such a user, efficient operational planning will be best supported by the use of marine forecasts across all such timescales, from days to months ahead. It is intended that this will enable more informed decision-making, and help reduce operational costs, by promoting increased confidence in longer-range forecasts than are typically used by the offshore oil & gas and marine renewable energy sector.
Decommissioning: A Call for a New Approach
Authors: Ars Francois , Rios Renato 
Published: April 2017

Abstract
As the one sure thing in the life of a human being is death, the only one sure thing for an oil or/and gas well is the operator's compliance to its permanent plugging and abandonment. Around the world, regulators are tightening rules and controls that are not necessarily being reflected in the budgets allocated for decommissioning. Coupled with a low oil price, this insidious issue has the potential to weight on several operators’ end-of-lease capital of expenditures and shareholders expectations.
The complexity of dismantling offshore production and well infrastructures in the oil and gas industry has substantial potential impacts to health, safety and the environment. In fact, each well is a potential path to bring polluting fluids to water and surface. Furthermore, Plug and Abandon responsibilities and liabilities do not necessarily end with the operator lease, carrying a major overburden if not done right.
The lack of offshore installation's standardization of the past decades tends to be confused as a reason to think that each decommissioning job is different. However, if more knowledge is built and shared across the industry, it is possible that the sump costs of abandoning can be minimized altogether while best practices for permanent isolation are implemented. This paper is a call for a new approach of total sharing well abandonment and installation decommissioning practices moderated by an independent third party. This third party will provide with access to specialized technologies, engineering and compliance certifications to current industry standards to governmental regulations. This will help achieve the most cost-efficient solution for the industry.
Digitizing Flexible Riser Annulus Testing by Automated Portable Test Equipment
Authors: Amundsen Torbjørn , Nilsen-Aas Christoffer , Kanestrøm Øystein , Tveit Øyvind 
Published: April 2017

Abstract
Automation of testing of flexible risers and the subsequent capture of the results into a data reservoir, will improve integrity management, reduce maintenance costs, and increase operational safety. Overall, data quality, quantity, consistency and immediacy are much improved, hence providing a more reliable basis for predictive analyses.
With more than 3000 flexible risers in operation worldwide one of the most common methods to verify the integrity of the flexible risers is to perform annulus volume testing on a regular basis to assess:
– Integrity of the outer sheath – Annulus vent port flow – Liquid filling of the annulus
Based on annulus vent gas monitoring technology designed for permanent installation offshore, an automated portable unit has been developed. By using predictive analyses, it is now possible to give feedback to the user if the results are within the expected range so that mitigating actions can be taken immediately. By automating and digitizing the required testing of flexible risers, service personnel are not required to follow the equipment which is beneficial in remote locations. Automated processes also make it easier to ensure consistent test methods.
The main objectives of this paper are to;
– Show that automated equipment can perform the annulus volume testing without mobilizing personnel from shore – Demonstrate that it is possible to predict the expected development of the riser condition by digitizing data from thousands of annuli test results.
Two major oil companies have tested the automated portable inspection unit offshore on North Sea installations, with good results.
Enabling Drilling Operations Using Structured Data and Measured Response
Authors: Holden Harald , Marre Ignacio , Holm Heidi Gryteland , Næss Randi 
Published: April 2017

Abstract
The scope of this paper is to show how digitized, structured data, as a combination of design data, operational data, riser analyses and measured riser response can be used to enable drilling operations on a subsea exploration with well challenging soil or/and harsh environmental conditions.
The structural integrity of the well foundation and soil support has been verified by combining the structured data obtained from measurements with the design information. A sensor system has been fitted to the riser and BOP on mobile drilling units to monitor soil and structural integrity. The combination of pre-operational assessments and monitoring during operations has been carried out for 7 consecutive drilling campaigns, with two different semi-submersible drilling rigs. The work presented in this paper will give a comparison between the measured response and the up-front design analysis, and show show to combine the design information with operational data and measured response to enable future operations.
During the design phase of a subsea exploration well a wide range of design assumptions must be considered. The range in high and low estimates for parameters such as soil support or riser and BOP mass and damping forces may be considerable. In general conservative parameters must be selected, leading to worst case scenarios, which again may lead to limited operational windows, introduce high cost mitigating actions or in worst case prevent operations from being carried out.
This paper will present the benefit of using actual measured response and operational parameters back into the design loop when planning upcoming drilling campaigns. Structured operational data and measured response is used to improve analysis models; which lead to reduced conservatism. For cases of re-entry on an existing exploration well with heavier equipment, the measured soil support can be used to rule out some worst-case scenarios, and enable the upcoming operation. A case example of an exploration campaign enabled by the design loop will be shown.
Comparative Economic and Technical Evaluation of AG FLNG with One vs. Two Trains of Liquefaction Cycles
Authors: Nguyen Xuan Chi , Regt Ceed de , Mihaeye Komla , Kim Mungyu , Kim Munsung , Yoo Donghoon , Lee Charles , Lee Daniel , Kumar Balesh , Kim Junghoon 
Published: April 2017

Abstract
This study presents a methodology based on the Life Cycle Cost (LCC) to define the optimum yearly Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) production of a Floating LNG (FLNG) based on the proven gas reserve of an Associated Gas (AG) Field.
This methodology developed specifically for these specific FLNG Concepts can be extrapolated to other type of FLNGs such as full-fledged FLNGs.
For this purpose, several FLNG concepts of Associated Gas (AG) FLNGs are compared. A previous study presented to the OMAE under OMAE2016 – 55152 is used to develop variations based on the same concept with one liquefaction train and two liquefaction trains for both nitrogen refrigerant and Single Mixed Refrigerant (SMR) concepts. These concepts are defined as follows: Case A-1: 1 liquefaction train - nitrogen used as refrigerantCase A-2: 2 liquefaction trains - nitrogen used as refrigerantCase B-1: 1 liquefaction train - SMR used as refrigerantCase B-2: 2 liquefaction trains - SMR used as refrigerant
These FLNG concepts are designed to monetize associated gas from existing offshore fields located within convenient distance of an existing LNG plant or port with LNG storage facility.
The economic model assesses the LCC using Net Present Value (NPV) for both cases. The LCC and Internal Rate of Return (IRR) show that each concept has its own merits depending on gas reserve and production profile. The study provides details on areas of applications for each FLNG concept and how it is influenced by key parameters such as reserve size, production profile, discount rate, estimation accuracy, and development phase.
Based on this, the study provides guidance for the selection of the optimum LNG production capacity for an associated gas production profile with reserves from 0.5 TCF to 1.5 TCF.
Impact of H2S Consumption and Anti-H2S Layer on Flexible Pipe Design
Authors: Vidigal J. , Taravel-Condat C. , Meira J. , de La Tour P. 
Published: April 2017

The trend for deep water flexible pipes, leading to high mechanical loads, requires using high strength steel grades which may present limitations in annulus environment. To address this issue, two R&D programs have been conducted: the first one consisted to calculate more realistic H2S content in the annulus considering its consumption by corrosion process. The second one consisted in using a polymeric layer which prevents H2S permeation from the bore to the annulus.Realistic case studies, representative of the different offshore development regions, originally designed using sour service steel grades with low mechanical resistance, have been optimized considering the H2S consumption by corrosion process in the annulus and the anti-H2S layer to allow the utilization of high strength sweet service steel grades, aiming at a cost reduction. Additionally, the utilization of technologies recently qualified or under development, such as new steel grades with improved mechanical resistance enabled for sour service applications using the two available solutions, is proposed to obtain a further optimization.Optimized designs are presented for each case study, along with the respective performances against the most relevant flexible pipe failure modes and cost impact. Furthermore, the maximum allowable H2S levels have also been assessed, extending the limits of each solution. By considering the H2S consumption by corrosion process in the annulus, the utilization of high strength sour service steel grades allows to decrease the cross section of the steel layers or the number of armour layers, leading to a weight reduction which is directly converted into cost saving. Regarding the anti-H2S layer, the complete elimination of H2S in the annulus makes possible the use of sweet service steel grades for sour fluid applications, being for extreme sour environments the only feasible solution.The precise assessment and control of H2S content in the flexible annulus, enable to deliver optimized designs for sour fluid applications with a significant impact on CAPEX and furthermore open frontiers for ultra-deep water even for extremely sour fluid applications.
Tapping into Your Current Data Reserves
Authors: Mowrer Matthew , Roberts Benjamin , Paula Henrique 
Published: April 2017

Abstract
Data analytics and Big Data have revolutionized many industries, especially where minor efficiencies result in significant cost savings. While Big Data is very important, this paper emphasizes use of low cost tools and techniques to provide valuable insight into data that organizations are already collecting.
Organizations spend extensive effort collecting and managing data to support operational and business functions. These functions involve specific stakeholders making specific decisions within a specific timeframe. Within highly-mature functions, data is collected and processed to provide information, knowledge, and insight to its stakeholders; however, these functions are often siloed, limiting the utility (and sometimes visibility) of the data across the organization.
An organization's data is a valuable asset. For limited additional effort, analysts can leverage this asset to provide unique insight. This paper explains tools and techniques that organizations can use to creatively capitalize on untapped potential. Broadly, the approach includes:
Visualizing existing data to improve understanding - In recent years, data visualization software has become much more powerful, inexpensive, and easy to implement for generating and sharing results. Employing intuitive visualization enables analysts to consider multiple dimensions of an issue simultaneously to identify findings and anomalies. Identifying potential applications - By interacting with intuitive data visualizations, analysts can think creatively about use of data beyond its intended uses and posit questions for further exploration. Establishing context within and across datasets – Analysts can define relationships across datasets and analyze them collectively. Correlation analysis across datasets can reveal hidden relationships. Expanding or contracting the analysis time horizon of data can also bring trends to light. Depending on the application, analysts can build data-driven predictive models to simulate various scenarios to improve confidence in decision-making processes.
This approach represents a philosophical change from "Is the data sufficient to answer a given question?" to "What questions can the given data answer?" This approach encourages exploration to reduce the opportunity cost of untapped data. This paper will illustrate this approach through a case studies using publicly-available offshore production and platform data.
The Impact of Lubrication on Safety
Authors: Donlon Andrew 
Published: April 2017

Abstract
Maintaining a safe offshore operating environment is becoming increasingly difficult, as producers are pushing their equipment harder to achieve their productivity goals. In this context, maintaining the required safety environment requires a robust lubrication program that can protect equipment from extreme operating conditions and maximize that equipment's availability, thus reducing the need for human-machine interaction (HMI) and enhancing the safety of maintenance personnel.
This paper will provide guidance on how operators can maintain a high standard of operational safety in the face of the ever-increasing complexity and challenging conditions of offshore operating environments. The paper will outline how producers can design a robust lubrication approach - incorporating key lubricant technology considerations and expert technical services to help enhance the reliability and availability of their equipment.
First, the paper will highlight what producers should look for in lubricant formulation. While synthetic lubricants are well understood to be the best performing lubricants, performance among synthetics can vary depending on formulation. And, while some operators may be hesitant to adopt synthetic lubricants due to traditional preferences or cost considerations, this paper will provide a data- based argument for why synthetic lubricants are a must for any best-in-class safety program.
In addition to lubricant technologies, producers must also have the right equipment maintenance processes in place to identify and respond to equipment performance issues before they become a problem. The most important of these services is used oil analysis. This paper will briefly highlight the value of this service and outline specific considerations to help operators optimize their oil analysis programs.
Backed by insights and data from laboratory testing and real-world performance, offshore professionals will be provided with the latest information and best practices they need to further optimize their maintenance program as they work to deliver a best-in-class safety environment for their workers.
Enabling Materials and Corrosion Technologies for Optimizing Offshore Developments
Authors: Wright Eric J. 
Published: April 2017

Abstract
Designing and maintaining systems integrity throughout the life-cycle of oil and gas operations is key to the overall success of these developments. The current industry fiscal environment creates an increased emphasis on meeting this objective with both improved capital efficiency and operating performance. Related to these drivers, materials and fabrication costs represent a high proportion of the capital expenditures of upstream oil and gas developments. In addition, corrosion control, monitoring and inspections related to systems’ integrity represent significant operating expenses. This reality provides real opportunity to positively influence projects’ life-cycle economics by the qualification of improved materials, fabrication and corrosion technologies. An additional incentive is that material and corrosion control performance requirements continually increase because of more demanding designs requiring higher-strength, higher-temperature materials, long-life coatings and highly efficient corrosion inhibitors for carbon steel. In such cases, the technology qualification may be enabling for a project conceptual design or specific component design currently outside common industry practice. There are practical barriers to the qualification and application of new technologies, specifically related to the associated qualification costs and also potential implementation schedule risks. The illustrations discussed demonstrate that careful integration of technology qualification into the overall project lifecycle can address these barriers and enable substantial economic benefits while maintaining high integrity. A key success factor is that the technology should be qualified to commercial standards in terms of availability, reliability and implementation. Illustrative examples are briefly described for oil offloading lines, full wellstream pipelines and well completions that show the important role that technology qualification plays in the success of upstream projects.
Case Study: Fast Track Tieback Using Standardized Retrievable Modules For Subsea Enhanced Production Throughout Field Life
Authors: Donald Ian , Hudson Adam , Bryce Tom 
Published: April 2017

Abstract
This paper describes a case study in the Gulf of Mexico, which demonstrates how new patented flow access technology was successfully used for the first time by an Operator and was one of the contributing factors to the tieback being able to achieve discovery to first oil in 11 months – a record for the Operator.
The paper demonstrates how the Enpro Subsea's Flow Access Modules (FAM) enabled the Operator to use an existing standard stock tree tying back to a spare slot on an existing subsea manifold, by removing intervention engineering for enhanced recovery solutions ‘off the tree’. This decoupling enabled concurrent engineering tasks and therefore de-risked and reduced the critical path of project schedule. As an added benefit, the Operator realized added flexibility and benefits that the FAM technology provides for the asset life of field.
The paper will showcase how, despite the Operator having existing tree and manifold from two different OEM vendors with different flowline connector types, the integration of the flow access hubs at either end of the flowline allowed a range of enhanced production solutions to be fitted at various locations throughout the life of field.
This enhanced production solution gives Operators many operational and commercial benefits due to the flexibility it provides.
In addition to faster delivery and lower cost constraints; the project also required:
Retrievable multiphase metering (with water and sand detection); plus Methanol injection (for potential flow assurance issues); plus Automated flow isolation valve (used for long shutdowns); plus Fluid intervention for flowline hydrate remediation; plus Fluid intervention for reservoir stimulation.
Other enhanced recovery solutions enabled by the flow access technology, but not included in the scope of this case study, include:
Fluid Sampling Multiphase Pumping HIPPs Secondary Well Control.
The paper will showcase how all five solutions were successfully delivered and installed subsea. On the world stage, this parallel flow path technology represents a global opportunity for enhanced production from both brownfield and greenfield assets.
The results in the paper will:
Explain how the flow access technology and intervention hubs were able to reduce risk and length of delivery schedule. Provide a comparison with the traditional flow access methods, and outline the major benefits for industry of this technology. Describe how Operators can gain access to a full suite of enhanced production strategies through the life of field for new and mature assets.
cMIST™: Novel, Compact Dehydration System for Reducing Size and Weight
Authors: Ramkumar Shwetha , Grave Edward J , Larnholm Per-Reidar , Thierens Danny 
Published: April 2017

The natural gas industry is increasingly pursuing compact and lower weight processing technology for offshore, onshore, remote, and challenged gas processing. Increased modularity of process equipment and process intensification require innovative solutions. ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company (EMURC) has developed and qualified a new inline dehydration technology meant to replace conventional TEG tower and associated separator vessels to meet pipeline dewpoint specifications. Compact Mass transfer and Inline Separation Technology (cMIST™) achieves this goal with significant reductions in weight and footprint.
The cMIST™ dehydration system relies on state-of-the-art technological advances in contacting and inline separation to achieve pipeline specification dry gas and/or prevent hydrate formation. It includes a novel droplet generator which creates small, well-dispersed droplets with a high surface area for absorption followed by an inline separator. EMURC has completed the technical qualification for the cMIST™ dehydration system and effective December 1st 2016, this system has been exclusively licensed to Sulzer for global deployment in offshore and onshore facilities.
The cMIST™dehydration system was demonstrated using a skid-mounted test unit in the Woodford trend area of Oklahoma, USA at an XTO Energy production facility. It was tested under a range of field conditions to examine the dehydration capacity, operability, and reliability of the technology and it achieved pipeline specification over a range of process conditions and during sustained operation.
The cMIST™ dehydration system enables 50% dehydration system weight reduction and 50 - 80% absorber footprint reduction along with significant capital cost savings. The technology is highly modular to allow for simple transportation into remote, challenged, or offshore environments and provide installation configuration flexibility.