bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Integrated Operational Planning (POI) as a Holistic System to Reduce Environmental, Social and Operative Negative Impacts in the Oil and Gas Industry
Authors: Méndez-García M. Á. , Chávez-Suárez J. L. , Rojas-Palma J.. , Fuentes-Durán M. A. , Martínez-Cedillo A. R. , Del Busto-Pinzon A. M. 
Published: June 2015

Abstract
Reducing environmental impact in oil and gas operations is one of the most important aspects for PEMEX Exploration and Production. The onshore oil field developments in Mexico are mainly located in environmentally protected areas, which has made that the aforementioned developments have delays, affecting the production programs. As a solution to this problematic, an informatic web portal has been created for the purpose of cover all the variables that affect the oil field developments, including government licenses, social claims, geographic reliefs and environmental protected areas. This system contains multiples geographical and subsurface layers where the protected areas can be delimited, allowing the correct positioning for drilling locations as well as areas to construct the separation facilities and paths for pipelines.
Additionally, the POI system include a traffic light monitoring system to evaluate the status of the process to obtain government licenses, location and facilities construction or pipe settings. These statuses are linked to the rig schedule in order to know the time window between the start drilling date and the end of the location construction, alerting to the board of directors that may exist some operative problems that has not been solved by that time and it is necessary their intervention.
The reservoir targets are a very important variable to consider in the POI process since constructing many locations for each well is almost impossible. Almost in every oil field development, several wells are drilled from one or two location directionally; however, the displacement distance is a constraint to bear in mind. Using the POI portal web is achievable to interact from the surface to the subsurface optimizing the location place and reducing the wells displacement.
Interacting with multiple layers gives a wide description of the variables that are involved in the onshore oil field developments; traffic light assessment alerting about the status of the project and integrating surface and subsurface variables in one system has allowed PEMEX E&P reduce time and costs moreover to accomplish with the evaluation programs. POI process is an essential requirement to every new onshore oil field development in PEMEX E&P.
Building Competencies for HSE Function Employees - One Step in Career Development
Authors: Acosta S. P. , White R. L. 
Published: June 2015

Abstract
High-impact incidents across the oil and gas industry have demonstrated the fundamental need to ensure competency of personnel working with safety critical equipment or performing safety critical operations. The initial requirement for competencies focused on operational employees. Due to the fundamental role that the HSE function plays in supporting sustainable HSE strategies, the industry now expects HSE function employees to be included in competency programs to ensure consistent availability of expertise on HSE technical matters.
Career development programs are often focused on disciplines directly involved with “front line operations” such as engineers, geologists, and operators. In many cases, standardized competencies and skills have not been defined for HSE function employees. Consequently, it can be challenging to evaluate HSE technical and behavioral competencies as part of development plan discussions for HSE professionals. Furthermore, career development discussions are frequently based purely on geographic needs, thereby creating inconsistencies in skill levels for the different HSE positions across the organization.
This paper discusses a process to determine the required technical and non-technical skills and knowledge that are based on company and industry needs, and determine how those skills are analyzed against the level of proficiency expected by the function. This process establishes critical factors for success to enable the organization's HSE function to improve as a whole through enhanced knowledge, skills, and abilities for the HSE staff. A standardized program for the HSE function fosters better overall performance through the availability of consistently competent and knowledgeable HSE resources to support operational efforts.
Effectiveness Assessment of Mitigation Measures in Sensitive Biological Areas During 3D Seismic Survey in Tropical Forests
Authors: Caro K.. , Centty O.. , Alvarez A.. , Watson A.. , Vasquez M.. , Garcia A.. , Ahumada C.. , Videla C.. 
Published: June 2015

Abstract
Tropical forests are megadiverse ecosystems with a high degree of complexity. Inside them, may be recognized areas where the important resources are concentrated for populations of wild fauna inhabiting them. Those areas called BSA (biological sensitive areas) attract a great quantity and diversity of species, and include among others, the salt and clay licks, baths/watering holes, feeders and nesting zones.
During the activities of seismic 3D, are established mitigation measures such as offset displacements applied near the BSAs; and although these management practices are divulged, currently there is scarce information regarding the efficiency of these; as well as the effects of the seismic on the wild fauna population. The necessity of extending the knowledge there is on these aspects is the basis of the importance of this work.
The study consisted in the follow up through the use of trap cameras of a population of Leopardus pardalis (ocelot) using as biological indicators: abundance and spacial distribution of the specie, and also the monitoring of the frequency of use of five SBAs (two salt or clay licks, two roads and a watering hole), which were selected according to their size, frequency of use and distance from the seismic lines. The studied area had a scope of approximately 35,8 Km2, inside the zone of 3D seismic acquisition (210 Km2); in this zone was distributed a grid with 23 stations with trap cameras (separated with a distance between 900 -1300 m), as well as 5 stations in the BSAs selected. The trap cameras were located at a height between 25-45cm, operating 24 hours and being reviewed in average every 10 days. The study period include the phases: before (control), during (phases of topography, drilling and registry), and after the seismic activity (abandonment).
The data obtained applies to the minimization of impacts on the biodiversity in 3D seismic explorations, serving as support to improve environmental practices of the sector as well as the main aspects to be taken into consideration for success. The resulting information also contributes to the knowledge of the biological diversity of one of the most remote zones and with high exploration and production of hydrocarbons activities.
Addressing the Challenge: Improving Methods for the Mitigation of Environmental and Biodiversity Impacts on 3D Seismic Survey in Tropical Forests
Authors: Watson A. A. , Changano H.. , Galindo D.. , Gutierrez F.. , Vasquez M.. , Ahumada C.. , Videla C.. 
Published: June 2015

Abstract
For more than twenty years, Seismic surveys have been changing both in the incorporation of environmental and biodiversity criteria as well as in its implementation and performance indicators. The 3D seismic survey in the block 57 located in the tropical Andes, lower basin of the Urubamba river, has incorporated new techniques to minimize direct, secondary and cumulative impacts, focusing on each phase of the exploratory project. The technology used for data acquisition was made through the Geospace Seismic Recorder (GSX), which is a cableless seismic acquisition system that does not need a white house in seismic lines. This made possible the reduction of flying hours to transport materials, as well as a lower fuel consumption and clearing areas of flying camps and drop zones.
The effluent treatment was one of the greatest challenges, due to the environmental standards set for dumping. In the base camp, additionally to the implementation of a wastewater treatment plant(conventionally used in other projects), it was necessary to complement it with previous processes by the use of equalization tanks and with subsequent processes using sedimentation cameras, flocculation and high rate filtration. During the topography and advanced studies, each group was assistedwith specialized personnel for the identification of Biologically Sensitive Areas (BSA) as well as forest survey prior to deforestation. In spite of the difficulty of the terrain and the predominance of the bamboo (Guadua spp.), seismic lines had a maximum width of 1.5 meters andrespected trees of more than 10 cm DBH. Biologically Sensitive Areas (BSA) were identified and avoided in the flying camps, heliports, seismics lines and drop zones.
Abandonment activities considered primarily the natural regeneration of the forest. Residual wood from deforestation and flying camps were chopped on average of 0.3 × 0.45 × 0.20 meters in order to promote its decomposition. In addition, compacted soil was loosed on the areas intervened. The use of similar species that were reported in the forestry survey was also considered. For this purpose a greenhouse with 230 seedlings on average was installed in each camp from the beginning until the abandonment, and certified seed of native forest species: Amasisa (Erythrina ulei), Huairuro (Ormosia coccinea), Pachaco (Parkia multijuga), Bolaina (Guazuma crinita) Copaiba (Copaifera paupera) was also used. In the case of drop zones located in lines nearby, samples were used to the area.
Distinguishing Natural vs. Anthropogenic Methane in Groundwater in a Shale Gas Basin
Authors: Connor J. A. , Molofsky L. J. , Richardson S. D. , Bianchi-Mosquera G.. 
Published: June 2015

Abstract
The presence of methane in groundwater in areas where shale gas resources are being developed has at times been incorrectly attributed to hydraulic fracturing activities, often due to the difficulty in distinguishing anthropogenic methane from methane naturally present in groundwater. This presentation will summarize the results of a study for development of forensic tools to distinguish natural from anthropogenic methane in the Marcellus Shale area.
Analytical data for more than a thousand pre-drill water samples from the Marcellus Shale area has been reviewed and evaluated statistically to investigate potential correlations with observed methane concentrations in groundwater. Results of the study indicated that natural methane concentrations could be correlated to several natural environmental factors, including the ionic composition of the groundwater and the topographic location of the water well. In combination with other lines of evidence, these parameters can be used to distinguish natural from anthropogenic methane.
Distinguishing natural from anthropogenic sources of methane in groundwater is particularly important because residential groundwater wells are used for water supply in many areas where hydraulic fracturing is used to stimulate shale gas production. In fact, the preoccupation with impacts to groundwater from hydraulic fracturing activities is not limited to the U.S., as the issue is being frequently raised in other regions with great shale gas potential, such as Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, and the European Union. The findings of the study provide a framework that can be applied at other site to assess the potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing to groundwater resources.
Environmental Issues and Answers Related to Shale Gas Development
Authors: Connor J. A. , Molofsky L. J. , Richardson S. D. , Bianchi-Mosquera G. C. 
Published: June 2015

Abstract
In the past decade, new advances in hydraulic fracturing techniques, in combination with horizontal drilling, have dramatically increased the production of natural gas from tight shale deposits that were previously considered uneconomical to produce. Today, over 1 million oil and gas wells have been hydraulically fractured in the United States, many in areas without a long history of oil and gas development. The lack of existing oil and gas related infrastructure in these areas has presented new challenges for water supply and wastewater disposal. This paper reviews key environmental issues associated with shale gas development and provides an overview of how these issues are currently being addressed by industry and regulatory stakeholders in the United States.
Environmental concerns related to shale gas development that are addressed in our evaluation include: Impacts to groundwater qualityWater usageProper disposal of flowback waterAir quality impactsSeismic EventsImpacts of trucking and other transportation
Although significant public and regulatory concern has been expressed regarding the potential effects of the hydraulic fracturing process on water resources, micro-seismic mapping and empirical data show that the transport of fracturing fluids or gases through hydraulically induced fractures into shallow drinking water aquifers has not occurred. Rather, in the rare cases when such water quality impacts do occur, they are very localized and are more commonly related to cement integrity problems or casing leaks in the vertical wellbore of shale gas wells.
The increased focus on shale gas development has resulted in more environmentally-friendly operations. Specifically, sustainability and water management tools are being implemented successfully by many operators to ensure that potential environmental impacts are being mitigated upfront as part of the planning process. Knowledge of previous technical challenges and the techniques for the implementation of sustainable processes will be important tools for stakeholders in areas where shale gas development is in its early stages, such as Argentina, Mexico, and Colombia.
Investigation of Acid-Induced Emulsion and Asphaltene Precipitation in Low Permeability Carbonate Reservoirs
Authors: AlMubarak Tariq , AlKhaldi Mohammed , AlMubarak Majed , Rafie Majid , Al-Ibrahim Hussain , AlBokhari Nooreddeen 
Published: June 2015

Abstract
The increasing demand for energy has extended the development horizon towards relatively tighter formations all over the world. In Saudi Arabia, hydrochloric and organic acids have been extensively used to enhance well productivity or injectivity in low permeability formations. However, the use of these acids was associated with severe formation damage, which is attributed to acid/oil emulsions and/or asphaltene precipitation in some of the low permeability carbonate reservoirs. Consequently, a detailed study on different factors that influence the acid/oil emulsion and asphaltene precipitation mechanism was carried out for these reservoirs. Several compatibility studies were conducted using representative crude samples and different acid systems such as HCl and formic acid. The experiments were conducted at various temperatures up to 240°F using HP/HT aging cell for both live and spent acid samples, where some of the experiments included anti-sludge, iron control and demulsifier chemical additives. In addition, another set of experiments was performed in the presence of ferric ions (Fe3+). The total iron concentration in these experiments varied between 0-1,000 ppm.
The results obtained from this study have revealed that the acid systems were not compatible with several representative oil field samples. The amount of asphaltene precipitation and the stability of formed emulsions increased significantly in the presence of ferric ions. Several wells have already been acidized and damaged prior to initiating this study. This paper discusses different tests conducted to identify, quantify and treat acid-oil emulsions/asphaltene precipitation in tight carbonate reservoirs. It also provides details of a special solvent treatment fluid recommended to revive dead wells which were damaged by acid-induced emulsion and asphaltene precipitation.
An energy-based method to calculate streamwise density variations in snow avalanches
Authors: Buser Othmar , Bartelt Perry 
Published: June 2015

AbstractSnow avalanches are gravity-driven flows consisting of hard snow/ice particles. Depending on the snow quality, particularly temperature, avalanches exhibit different flow regimes, varying from dense flowing avalanches to highly disperse, mixed flowing-powder avalanches. In this paper we investigate how particle interactions lead to streamwise density variations, and therefore an understanding of why avalanches exhibit different flow types. A basic feature of our model is to distinguish between the velocity of the avalanche in the mean, downslope direction and the velocity fluctuations around the mean, associated with random particle movements. The mechanical energy associated with the velocity fluctuations is not entirely kinetic, as particle movements in the slope-perpendicular direction are inhibited by the hard boundary at the bottom giving rise to a change in flow height and therefore change in flow density. However, this volume expansion cannot occur without raising the center of mass of the particle ensemble, i.e. an acceleration, which, in turn, exerts a pressure on the bottom, the so-called dispersive pressure. As soon as the volume no longer expands, the dispersive pressure vanishes and the pressure returns to the hydrostatic pressure. Different streamwise density distributions, and therefore different avalanche flow regimes, are possible.
Les recherches collaboratives : enjeux et perspectives
Authors: Vinatier Isabelle , Morrissette Joëlle 
Published: June 2015

La note de synthèse donne un aperçu des fondements des recherches collaboratives, de leurs développements actuels, de leurs disséminations et enfin de leurs enjeux. Les auteurs se reconnaissent tous dans l’horizon de sens ouvert par le pragmatisme de Dewey et reprennent à leur compte une conception du fonctionnement des groupes humains que Lewin, à qui l’on doit le concept de « recherche-action », fonde sur la tolérance et la démocratie. Encore marginales en France elles jouissent d’une popularité certaine au Québec. Leur accréditation par les organismes internationaux leur attribue un potentiel de développement des professionnalités individuelles et collectives et les considère comme un levier de développement des organisations apprenantes. Dans un premier temps, l’identification des problématiques et des enjeux qui caractérisent les recherches collaboratives permet la mise en relief des tensions qui les traversent. Dans un deuxième temps, en référence aux travaux de Lenoir (2012), sont évoqués les marqueurs et tendances qui permettent de situer la notion de recherche collaborative entre celle de recherche-action et celle de recherche partenariale. Enfin, dans une perspective épistémologique, sont discutés les rapports entre chercheurs et professionnels de même que se trouve questionné le type de savoirs qui peut être produit par ces recherches.
Incorporating Shrub and Snag Specific LiDAR Data into GAP Wildlife Models
Authors: Lorenz Teresa J , Vierling Kerri T , Vogeler Jody , Lonneker Jeffrey , Aycrigg Jocelyn 
Published: June 2015

Abstract
The U.S. Geological Survey’s Gap Analysis Program (hereafter, GAP) is a nationally based program that uses land cover, vertebrate distributions, and land ownership to identify locations where gaps in conservation coverage exist, and GAP products are commonly used by government agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and private citizens. The GAP land-cover designations are based on satellite-derived data, and although these data are widely available, these data do not capture the 3-dimensional vegetation architecture that may be important in describing vertebrate distributions. To date, no studies have examined how the inclusion of snag- or shrub-specific Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data might influence GAP model performance. The objectives of this paper were 1) to assess the performance of the National GAP models and Northwest GAP models with independently collected field data, and 2) to assess whether the inclusion of 3-dimensional vegetation data from LiDAR improved the performance of National GAP and Northwest GAP models. We included only two parameters from the LiDAR data: presence or absence of shrubs and presence or absence of snags ≥25 cm diameter at breast height. We surveyed for birds at&gt;150 points in a 20,000-ha coniferous forest in northern Idaho and used data for eight shrub- and cavity-nesting species for validation purposes. On a guild level, National GAP models performed only marginally better than Northwest GAP models in correct classification rate, and LiDAR data did not improve vertebrate distribution models. At the scale used in this study, GAP models had poor predictive power and this is important for managers interested in using GAP models for species distributions at scales similar to ours, such as a small park or preserve &lt;200 km2 in size. Additionally, because the inclusion of LiDAR data did not consistently affect the performance of GAP models, future studies might consider whether LiDAR data affect GAP model performance by examining 1) different spatial scales, 2) different LiDAR metrics, and/or 3) species-specific habitat relationships not currently available in GAP models.
Pakistan Strives to be Nuclear Power: Changed Security Environment in South Asia
Authors: Musarrat Razia 
Published: June 2015

Pakistan and India have remained arch rivals since their inception in 1947 fought three major wars with issue of Kashmir as their main bone of contention. Due to its size and population India always had an edge on Pakistan. Pakistan only measure for its territorial integrity was to have a strong deterrence which it achieved in the form of its nuclear weapons. India left Pakistan with no choice. Analytical technique is used while conducting this research for proving that nuclear deterrence was the only way for putting a leash on Indian aggression and constant threat. * Updated and revised
Recorrido por el patrimonio geológico y minero del Bajo Aragón, desde La Venta de la Pintada a Los Olmos, Alcorisa y Alcañíz
Authors: Mata Perelló Josep Maria , Sanz Balagué Joaquim , Pocoví Juan Andrés , Vilaltella Jaume 
Published: June 2015

En esta ocasión se realizará un itinerario localizado en un área totalmente situada en la comarca del Bajo Aragón, desde principio a fin, entre las localidades de la Mata de los Olmos, los Olmos, Alcorisa, Calanda y Alcañíz (la capital administrativa de esta comarca). Por otra parte, el recorrido se centrará en un principio en el Sistema Ibérico (entre la Venta de la Pintada), para entrar después en la Depresión Geológica del Ebro, que ya no se abandonará hasta el fin del recorrido. En el primer tramo se Irán encontrando diferentes afloramientos de los materiales mesozoicos y de los materiales cenozoicos. En el primer caso, nos encontraremos fundamentalmente con afloramientos de los materiales del Jurásico y sobretodo del Cretácico, fundamentalmente del Albiense. Precisamente, algunas de las diferentes paradas del recorrido las efectuaremos en los afloramientos de la Formación Utrillas y otros en los de la Formación Escucha. Por lo que concierne a los afloramientos de los materiales cenozoicos, cabe señalar que en su mayoría pertenecen al Oligoceno, el cual recubre parte de las formaciones mesozoicas mencionadas anteriormente.