bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Improving the Estimation of the Chance of Success of a 4D Seismic Project Based on Representative Models
Authors: Ferreira Carla Janaina , Davolio Alessandra , Schiozer Denis J. 
Published: May 2015

Abstract
Reservoir monitoring has constantly used 4D seismic data and has become an important tool for reservoir management. However, from the economic perspective, the information is only valuable if it influences decisions. It is necessary to decide if the acquisition of new information will be useful for field management. Thus, a methodology was developed to estimate the chance of success of a 4D seismic project. The methodology is an iterative process; it quantifies the increase of the project's value through the optimization of the production strategy for several reservoir models. As the number of reservoir scenarios representing the problem can be high, the optimization process can be time consuming. Therefore, the selection of representative models is an important step of the methodology. The present study discusses the impact of the number of representative models on the expected value of information (EVOI) and chance of success results. The chance of success methodology was applied to a synthetic model to validate the results and show its benefits. The selection of the representative models was based on production and economic results from the reservoir scenarios. Five evaluations were performed; each one considers a different number of representative models. The expected value of information and chance of success varies depending on the number of representative models. However, the EVOI and chance of success results obtained stabilize as the number of representative models increases. The methodology estimates the variation of the expected benefits due to the acquisition of 4D seismic data. The results obtained support the decision-making process, making the methodology an important tool for reservoir management. The decision-making process must consider the current uncertain scenario, the engineering and geophysical studies and also the economic aspect. Measuring and, especially, predicting the economic impact of new information is complex. Thus, the chance of success methodology is a tool to assist the decision maker in the evaluation of new 4D seismic projects.
Application of Low Salinity Water Injection in Heavy Oil Carbonate Reservoirs
Authors: Sánchez-Rodríguez José , Gachuz-Muro Heron , Sohrabi Mehran 
Published: May 2015

Abstract
Low Salinity Water Injection (LSWI) has received much attention recently as an Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) technique. Extensive research programs have been launched to investigate and identify positive effects of LSWI on oil recovery. Experiments have been performed on different formations and crude oils in order to identify the cause of wettability alteration, which is considered as the main reason for the observed additional oil recovery. The majority of the studies reported in the literature have been performed on light oils showing positive results, which represent a significant opportunity for these reservoirs. However, application of LSWI in heavy oils has received much less attention and poses a big challenge, especially in carbonate heavy oil reservoirs.
Carbonate reservoirs are generally much more complex than their sandstone counterparts. Further difficulties arise when the reservoir is naturally fractured. These features as well as the oil-wet or mixed-wet conditions that dominate carbonate formations usually result in low recovery factors. The available data suggest that the ultimate recovery factor from these reservoirs is low and in the range of 25 to 45%, depending on the applied method. Although the most widely used method for heavy oil recovery is the thermal processes, non-thermal processes such as gas injection and smart fluids are gaining increasingly more interest amongst operators.
In this paper, we present the results of an integrated experimental and simulation study performed in order to explore the potential of using low salinity water as an injection fluid for secondary and tertiary oil recovery from heavy oil carbonate reservoirs. Coreflood experiments were performed to derive measured relative permeability curves. This data were then used to numerically simulate the injection of low salinity water. A systematic sensitivity analysis was then performed to investigate the impact of reservoir parameters on the performance of LSWI in these reservoirs. The parameters considered included: reservoir thickness, well spacing, permeability, heterogeneity, and reservoir pressure. The numerical simulation results confirmed the high potential of LSWI for recovering heavy oils. Oil recoveries of up to 70% (OOIP) were predicted when LSWI was used as secondary recovery, which was consistent with the results from laboratory experiments. On the other hand, high salinity water injection just recovered less than 35%. LSWI as a tertiary recovery method also demonstrated high oil recovery which improves the economics of field applications of waterflooding as less water needs to be injected in the field for achieving the same oil recovery factor when low salinity water is used compared to high salinity water.
An Investigation of Fluid Leak-off Due to Osmotic and Capillary Effects and Its Impact on Micro-Fracture Generation during Hydraulic Fracturing Stimulation of Gas Shale
Authors: Wang Junjian , Rahman Sheik S 
Published: May 2015

Abstract
The fluid leak-off into the shale matrix during hydraulic fracture treatment has been a critical issue in determining fracture geometry. Furthermore, fluid intake also affects mechanical properties of the surrounding rock matrix which in turn affects fracture propagation. Conventional approaches for the prediction of leak-off have been inadequate as several important phenomena are ignored. In this paper the osmotic and capillary effects on fluid leak-off during shale gas reservoir stimulation are considered. A simplified structure is used to depict the complex pore network in shales. Different interactive forces involved in fluid displacement are taken into account in the mathematical formulation of the model. The proposed numerial model is used to study the amount of fluidfluid leak-off and the consequent pressure increase due to gas entrapment as well as potential influence of increase in pore pressure on the generation of micro-fractures are discussed.
The simulation results show excellent agreement with the previous experimental observations, and indicate that the water leak-off greatly depends on composition of shale matrix and concentration of different components of the fracture fluid. Clay minerals for example, are naturally prone to water invasion and draw water faster than other hydrophilic minerals and organic matter because of their osmotic effect. Furthermore, the invaded water significantly increases the pore pressure within the shale matrix due to gas entrapment. This leads to a strong non-linear relationship between fluid leak-off and the square root of time. An increase of pore pressure also results in a decrease in effective stress which leads to the generation of tension and shear micro-fractures in shale matrix. These Physical alterations increase the complexity of hydraulic fractures.
This study emphasizes the significance of osmotic and capillary effects as well as gas entrapment on hydraulic fracturing treatment of shale gas reservoirs. Moreover, the new leak-off model can be applied to investigate fracture propagation behaviour in shale gas reservoir.
Petrophysical Evaluation Of Water Flooding In Bohai Bay Fresh Water Reservoirs - A Case Study
Authors: Li Xingli , Li Ting , Lu Yunlong , Lv Hongzhi , Cui Yunjiang , Qi Yi 
Published: May 2015

Abstract
Water flooding evaluation in development wells is one of the biggest technical challenges in Bohai Bay. Due to the extremely low salinity of formation and injected water, resistivity contrast between hydrocarbon and water sands is low. Moreover, the clay mineral in the rock matrix increases overall conductivity and can lead to misinterpretation of water saturation.
In this report, we present a case study of water flooding evaluation with LWD logs using a novel approach. The distinguishing features of this approach are: 1. It removes the clay effect on porosity and resistivity measurements; 2. It computes an irreducible water saturation to assess what fraction of the pore fluid is movable. The key enabling technology in this approach is LWD nuclear capture spectroscopy. The most valuable inputs provided by spectroscopy are the matrix responses and rock lithology dry weights, particularly the clay. The following are the steps of our workflow: Derive matrix density and matrix neutron from the element logs and compute matrix-adjusted porosity.Derive clay dry weight from element logs and compute modern day water saturation Swi with a shaly sand conductivity equation.Compute irreducible water saturation Swi from rock lithology.For oil zones with original water at irreducible level, the water flooding in modern day can simply be estimated from Sw – Swi.
Included in this case study are 6 development wells in Bohai Bay logged with LWD natural GR, caliper, neutron-density, propagation resistivity and capture spectroscopy. We used the proposed approach to evaluate water flooding in these wells and our results are consistent with production data.
History Matching for Steam Drive Heavy Oil Reservoirs Using Ensemble Based Techniques - A synthetic Wafra Oil Field Case Study
Authors: Katterbauer Klemens 
Published: May 2015

Abstract
Heavy oil recovery has been a major focus in the oil and gas industry to counter the rapid depletion of conventional reservoirs. Various techniques for enhancing the recovery of heavy oil were developed and pilot-tested, having shown that steam drive techniques prove in most circumstances to be most economical and successful. The Wafra field in Saudi Arabia is at the forefront of utilizing steam recovery for carbonate heavy oil reservoirs in the Middle East and has led to considerable recovery of heavy oil resources. With growing injection volumes, tracking the steam evolution within the reservoir and characterizing the formation, especially in terms of porosity and permeability, have been key objectives for sound economic decisions and enhanced production forecasts. We have developed an integrated reservoir history matching framework using ensemble based techniques integrating cross-well seismic data for enhancing reservoir characterization and improving history matches. Examining the performance on a synthetic field study of the Wafra field, we could demonstrate the improved characterization of the reservoir formation, determine more accurately steam chambers and enhance forecasts of the reservoir's recovery potential. The results demonstrate the potential of the integration of full-waveform seismic data for steam drive reservoir characterization and increasing recovery efficiency.
Comparison of CFD simulations with experimental data for a tanker model advancing in waves
Authors: Orihara Hideo 
Published: May 2015

ABSTRACTIn this paper, CFD simulation results for a tanker model are compared with experimental data over a range of wave conditions to verify a capability to predict the sea-keeping performance of practical hull forms. CFD simulations are conducted using WISDAM-X code which is capable of unsteady RANS calculations in arbitrary wave conditions. Comparisons are made of unsteady surface pressures, added resistance and ship motions in regular waves for cases of fully-loaded and ballast conditions of a large tanker model. It is shown that the simulation results agree fairly well with the experimental data, and that WISDAM-X code can predict sea-keeping performance of practical hull forms.
<i>In vitro</i> and <i>in vivo</i> evaluation of antitumor activity of methanolic extract of <i>Argyreia nervosa</i> leaves on Ehrlich ascites carcinoma
Authors: Sharma Bhawna , Dhamija Isha , Kumar Sandeep , Chaudhary Hema 
Published: May 2015

<p>The herb of importance like <em>Argyreia nervosa</em> has shown wide range of pharmacological activities. Its methanolic extract of <em>A. nervosa</em> has been explored against Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) induced liquid and solid tumor in mice. Liquid and solid tumors were induced by intraperitoneal and subcutaneous transplantation of EAC cells in Balb/C mice. Significant and dose dependant results are observed when the mice are sacrificed on 15<sup>th</sup> day for estimation of tumor proliferation, hematological, biochemical and hepatic antioxidant parameters. Mean survival time (days) was increased to 36.5 from 20.5 extract treated mice. The extract also showed a decrease (p&lt;0.001) in body weight and percentage reduction in tumor volume respectively when it was evaluated in solid tumor induced mice for a period of 30 days. From the result it was concluded that the extract has as a potent antitumor activity and that is comparable to 5-fluorouracil.</p><p> </p>
Alpha EEG Frontal Asymmetries during Audiovisual Perception in Cochlear Implant Users
Authors: Maglione A. G. , Scorpecci A. , Malerba P. , Marsella P. , Giannantonio S. , Colosimo A. , Babiloni F. , Vecchiato G. 
Published: May 2015

SummaryObjectives: The aim of the present study is to investigate the variations of the electroencephalographic (EEG) alpha rhythm in order to measure the appreciation of bilateral and unilateral young cochlear implant users during the observation of a musical cartoon. The cartoon has been modified for the generation of three experimental conditions: one with the original audio, another one with a distorted sound and, finally, a mute version.Methods: The EEG data have been recorded during the observation of the cartoons in the three experimental conditions. The frontal alpha EEG imbalance has been calculated as a measure of motivation and pleasantness to be compared across experimental populations and conditions.Results: The EEG frontal imbalance of the alpha rhythm showed significant variations during the perception of the different cartoons. In particular, the pattern of activation of normal-hearing children is very similar to the one elicited by the bilateral implanted patients. On the other hand, results related to the unilateral subjects do not present significant variations of the imbalance index across the three cartoons.Conclusion: The presented results suggest that the unilateral patients could not appreciate the difference in the audio format as well as bilaterally implanted and normal hearing subjects. The frontal alpha EEG imbalance is a useful tool to detect the differences in the appreciation of audiovisual stimuli in cochlear implant patients.
Detection and genotyping of Leptospira spp. from the kidneys of a seemingly healthy pig slaughtered for human consumption
Authors: Verma Ashutosh , Soto Esteban , Illanes Oscar , Ghosh Souvik , Fuentealba Carmen 
Published: May 2015

Introduction: Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease caused by pathogenic Leptospira spp. Leptospirosis is maintained in an environment due to chronic kidney infection of a wide variety of domestic, peridomestic and wild reservoir mammals. In this study the role of pigs in maintenance of leptospires on the Caribbean island of St. Kitts was investigated. Methodology: The condemned kidneys of 60 pigs slaughtered at a St. Kitts abattoir were screened by a quantitative-PCR for the presence of Leptospira spp. Positive samples were genotyped using a six-gene based multilocus sequence typing scheme. Results: Leptospiral DNA was detected in the kidneys of one of the 60 pigs. Multilocus sequence typing identified the infecting species to be L. interrogans. Conclusions: Detection of this zoonotic pathogen in the kidneys of a seemingly healthy pig raises concerns regarding the subclinical carriers of the disease among the island’s swine population.
New data on recently described rodent species Paulina's Limestone Rat Saxatilomys paulinae Musser, Smith, Robinson &amp; Lunde, 2005 (Mammalia: Rodentia)
Authors: Nguyen Nghia , Nguyen Dang , Ngo Tuong , Nguyen Duy 
Published: May 2015

Paulina's Limestone Rat Saxatilomys paulinae Musser et al., 2005 was first discovered by Musser et al. (2005) based on specimens from the Khammouane Limestone National Biodiversity Conservation Area (NBCA) in Khammouane Province in central Lao People's Democratic Republic (PDR). This tower karst landscape is part of the Central Indochina Limestone massif, which extends eastward into north-central Vietnam in Quang Binh and Quang Tri Provinces.
In April 2014, we conducted a rodent survey and collected four (4) whole specimens of Saxatilomys paulinae in Quang Binh province. This is the first record of Saxatilomys paulinae in Vietnam. External and craniodental characteristics of all specimens clearly exhibit the characters of Saxatilomys paulinae as described in Musser et al. (2005)​. The rats are of medium size (HB: 160.3 ± 2.03 mm, T: 192.3 ± 6.69 mm) with some specific morpological characteristics. The external and craniodental measurement of the specimens from Vietnam tend to be larger than those of specimens from Lao. However, this needs to be verified by more studies in future. The habitat of Saxatilomys paulinae in Vietnam is characterized by complicated terrain comprising low karst towers (around 400 m) with steep slopes covered under limestone humid evergreen forest. The forest has been affected by selected timber logging in the past, but still has a complex 4-layer structure. The population of Saxatilomys paulinae in Vietnam is threatened by rodent trapping/snaring and habitat disturbance. More status surveys should be conducted to assess the species distributional range and its population status for undertaking relevant conservation measures.
Sensational Subjects
Authors: Jervis John 
Published: May 2015

Under what conditions does ‘sensation’ become ‘sensational’?
By the early nineteenth century murder had become the staple of the sensationalizing popular press, and gruesome descriptions were deployed to make a direct impact on the ‘sensations’ of the reader. Later, concern with the thrills, spills, and shocks of modern life was being articulated in the language of sensation, and media sensationalism was already being seen both as contributing to this process and as magnifying its impact, just as sensation was, in turn, taken up by literature, art and film. Finally, it seems as though the dramatization of these experiences in an era of media panics over terrorism, paedophilia, etc, has taken an overtly melodramatic form, in which battles of good and evil play out across the landscapes of our lives.
Sensational Subjects develops an innovative, interdisciplinary approach to exploring these themes, their impact and their implications for understanding the modern world.
Between Levinas and Lacan
Authors: Ruti Mari 
Published: May 2015

Levinas and Lacan, two giants of contemporary theory, represent schools of thought that seem poles apart. In this major new work, Mari Ruti charts the ethical terrain between them.
At first glance, Levinansian and Lacanian approaches may seem more or less incompatible, and in many ways they are, particularly in their understanding of the self-other relationship. For both Levinas and Lacan, the subject’s relationship to the other is primary in the sense that the subject, literally, does not exist without the other, but they see the challenge of ethics quite differently: while Levinas laments our failure to adequately meet the ethical demand arising from the other, Lacan laments the consequences of our failure to adequately escape the forms this demand frequently takes.
Although this book outlines the major differences between Levinas and Judith Butler on the one hand and Lacan, Slavoj Žižek, and Alain Badiou on the other, Ruti proposes that underneath these differences one can discern a shared concern with the thorny relationship between the singularity of experience and the universality of ethics.
Between Levinas and Lacan is an important new book for anyone interested in contemporary theory, ethics, psychoanalysis, and feminist and queer theory.
High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Treatment in Refractory Glaucoma Patients: Results at 1 Year of Prospective Clinical Study
Authors: Melamed Shlomo , Goldenfeld Modi , Cotlear Daniel , Skaat Alon , Moroz Iris 
Published: May 2015

Purpose To evaluate the safety and efficacy of the ultrasonic circular cyclo-coagulation procedure using high-intensity focused ultrasound by a miniaturized annular device containing 6 piezoceramic transducers in patients with refractory glaucoma. Methods This was a prospective interventional noncomparative study of 20 eyes of 20 patients with refractory glaucoma. All eyes were treated with 6 activated transducers operating at 21 MHz. Ultrasound biomicroscopy and a complete ophthalmic examination were performed before the procedure and at 1 day, 1 week, and 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after the procedure. Primary outcomes were surgical success (defined as intraocular pressure (IOP) reduction from baseline ≥20% and IOP >5 mm Hg) at the last follow-up visit. Secondary outcomes were mean IOP at each follow-up visit compared to baseline, medication use, complications, and re-interventions. Results Intraocular pressure was significantly reduced (p<0.01) from a mean preoperative value of 36.4 ± 5.7 mm Hg to a mean postoperative value of 22.5 ± 10.3 mm Hg at 12 months. Four patients needed to be re-treated. The mean IOP reduction achieved was 38%. Surgical success was achieved in 13 of 20 eyes (65%). No major intraoperative or postoperative complications occurred. Conclusions Ultrasonic circular cyclo-coagulation using high-intensity focused ultrasound delivered by a circular miniaturized device containing 6 piezoceramic transducers is an effective and well-tolerated method to reduce IOP in patients with refractory glaucoma.
Hydropolish: A Controlled Trial on a Technique to Eradicate Residual Cortical Lens Fibers in Phacoemulsification Cataract Surgery
Authors: Wang Sarah B. , Quah Xhian M. , Amjadi Shahriar , Tong Jessica , Francis Ian C. 
Published: May 2015

Purpose To assess the efficacy and safety of a noncontact, fluid-based capsular polishing technique (hydropolish) to remove residual cortical fibers (RCFs) and epithelial cells from the posterior and equatorial capsule in phacoemulsification cataract surgery. Methods Hydropolish involved manual irrigation of the posterior and equatorial capsule after irrigation/aspiration, using a 27-G hydrodissection cannula. This prospective, consecutive, single surgeon controlled trial was conducted at a dedicated ophthalmic surgery center in Sydney, Australia, between December 20, 2006, and July 14, 2010. Single eyes of consecutive patients underwent cataract surgery without use of hydropolish (control group), while those on or after July 21, 2010, underwent hydropolish (intervention group). Corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) up to 1 month postoperatively, surgical complications, and hydropolish time were documented. Results A total of 1531 eyes were included in this study (hydropolish n = 682; control n = 849). After adjusting for age, sex, and nuclear sclerosis grade, no significant difference was found between hydropolish and control groups when preoperative CDVA was compared against postoperative CDVA at 1 day, 1 week, and 1 month (p>0.05). Conclusions Hydropolish is a rapid and safe technique that can remove RCFs from the posterior and equatorial capsule in phacoemulsification cataract surgery. It does not compromise postoperative CDVA.