bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Vehicular GPRS and Journey Management System in Latin America
Authors: Mora Luis Alberto , Geromin Ariadna Natalia , Kanhan Beatriz 
Published: July 2010

Abstract
The main risk associated with our operations is the large number of journeys that we must make. The combination of geography, weather, size of equipment, road conditions, driving hours, and lack of public safe driving education factors increase the probability of a vehicular incident with serious consequences.
In Latin America, we have implemented a real-time tracking system for our vehicles linked to the journey management system for all journeys. This global positioning system works in conjunction with local cellular networks, enabling the transmission and visualization through a Web-based computer interface in real time for all units. Company managers and supervisors can monitor these vehicles on their own computers in real time, including information about the movement, position, speed, status of the backup battery, and the journey schedule, including the names of the vehicle driver and passengers, as well as information about the hazardous materials that the vehicle may be carrying. Consequently, an outstanding supervision plan is in place with the information necessary to take appropriate action in the event of unexpected occurrences.
The short term benefits that we are already observing are the corrections of the deviations of the driving policy related to speeding and proper journey management. As a result of the supervision enabled by this system, corrective actions have been implemented.
The long-term benefits include behavioral changes related to driving habits, better use of the vehicle (avoiding personal use of official vehicles), possible location information in case of a theft, and reduced time required to activate the emergency plan in the event of an accident.
Challenges in the Operation of a Large Gas Treatment Plant to High Environmental Standards in West Norway
Authors: Silverstone Mark , Roebuck Keith , Lauvstad Bjørn , Edvardsson Trym 
Published: July 2010

Abstract
The Ormen Lange gas processing facility at Nyhamna in Norway treats gas and condensate produced from the Ormen Lange gas field in the Norwegian Sea. Condensate is exported from the plant via tanker, while gas is exported via subsea pipeline to the UK where it fills 20% of UK natural gas needs. From the start, the intention was to build and operate a plant with minimal impact to the sensitive coastal environment in which it is located. With few exceptions, with respect to discharges and emissions, noise, light, emergency planning, risk management and environmental monitoring, the plant has operated from start-up well within compliance with the very detailed and demanding environmental requirements relative to any comparable facility in a highly regulated industry.
Subsea completed wells at a seawater depth of 850m produce to the plant onshore via a 120km pipeline. Slug catchers at the plant reduce the velocity of the flow and begin separation of gas, condensate and water. Further processing includes the reclaiming of mono-ethylene glycol, treatment to meet gas export specification, recompression of the gas to the export pipeline and transfer of the condensate to ships. Concurrent with operations, research and development of new technology to enhance production from the field is carried out at the onshore site.
The plant operates without the need for operation of the flare or pilot except under emergency conditions. Process water is treated in a bioreactor to meet strict discharge specifications in a populated, coastal area. Apart from the use of diesel to test emergency fire pumps and electricity from the hydro-electric powered national grid, the majority of the plant's energy needs are provided by heat generated by burning less than 0.5 percent of the incoming gas to the plant.
This paper describes the environmental standards governing operation of the Nyhamna plant and the challenges encountered in achieving compliance with these standards. These include technological challenges to measure, monitor and minimize discharges and emissions, studies on possible impacts on the varied marine and terrestrial environments and ongoing efforts to increase energy efficiency of plant operations.
Improving Waste Injection Service Quality Through the Development and Application of Technical Standards and Competence Based Training
Authors: Wilkinson Antony P. , Walker Kirsty , McEwen Greg , Woolsey Gary , Sanderson Iain 
Published: July 2010

Abstract
This paper presents a new approach to improving service quality by measuring the effectiveness of training in improving behavioural competency using both qualitative and quantitative techniques. The result is improved waste injection operational service quality to both internal and external clients.
A new company high-pressure pumping standard and competence-based training programme (competence: defined by ISO 10015 as the ‘application of knowledge, skills, and behaviours in performance’) has been developed by subject matter experts using a collaborative approach incorporating best industry practice and operational lessons learned. Implementation of the standard required the development of competence-based training, given that personnel competency is a key component in the delivery of service quality excellence.
The training involves the use of computer-based awareness training, computer-based simulator, and operation of actual workplace equipment. Trainees are assessed when performing task-based operational activities conducted by assessors (skills) in combination with successful completion of examination (knowledge) with training evaluation via subjective trainee feedback.
The successful completion of an examination and tasks under controlled training conditions alone cannot measure whether (behavioural) change has been embedded into workplace operations. Quantitative data has been gathered from trainees by examination before and after delivery of training to determine knowledge improvement. Qualitative data has been collated from trainees and workplace supervisors detailing the increase in competence through the improved knowledge, skills and behaviours gained from training and subsequent application in a workplace environment. An analysis of data and the application of this approach demonstrate the value of this process in enabling the Company to focus resources most effectively on service quality.
Designing the Ideal Offshore Platform Methane Mitigation Strategy
Authors: Bylin Carey , Schaffer Zachary , Goel Vivek , Robinson Donald , do N. Campos Alexandre , Borensztein Fernando 
Published: July 2010

Abstract

Description of the Proposed Paper:
Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas and the primary component of natural gas and minimizing methane emissions creates both environmental and commercial benefits. Offshore production platform air emissions have been studied and characterized in detail by the U.S. Minerals Management Service (MMS)1, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Natural Gas STAR Program has gathered information on methane emission reduction technologies and practices applicable to these facilities. This paper analyzes and summarizes methane emission volumes and sources from offshore production platforms, outlines mitigation technologies and practices, and provides a methodology for conducting full cost-benefit economic analyses to prioritize mitigation actions to yield the maximum environmental benefits at the lowest cost. The information presented can help companies better understand emissions from their offshore facilities and provide guidance they can use to optimize their own operations.

Application:
Worldwide offshore oil and gas production operators can use this approach to improve their current methane emissions inventories and identify mitigation technologies and practices that could be used to reduce emissions at existing facilities or be considered in the design of new platforms as a way to minimize or prevent potential methane emissions.

Results, Observations, and Conclusions:
MMS provides a significant body of knowledge about overall operations and methane emissions from offshore oil and natural gas production platforms. New research and data gathering was utilized to develop a comprehensive analysis of methane emissions from individual platform operations. In doing so, this information was synthesized for the first time in a comprehensive way to identify mitigation technologies and practices that could be applied to the most significant emission sources. Marginal abatement cost curve analyses were then developed to prioritize mitigation actions. This analysis indicated that up to 85% of an individual platform's methane emissions can be reduced cost-effectively through replacement of centrifugal compressor wet seals with dry seals; routing vent sources such as storage tanks, dehydrators, and pig launcher to a vapor recovery system; and implementing a directed inspection and maintenance program to target fugitive emissions.

Significance of Subject Matter:
Optimizing platform design to reduce methane emissions contributes climate change benefits, given methane's role as a greenhouse gas, and also enhances operational safety on offshore platforms. These pillars of environmental and safety benefits, along with economic benefits of conserving and utilizing a valuable clean energy source, contribute to overarching principles of corporate social responsibility.
Identifying and Developing Local Capacity Building Initiatives – Best Practices in Education and Innovative Supplier Development
Authors: Bordmann Vincent , Obembe Olubunmi , Longuet Laurent 
Published: July 2010

Abstract
With Host Countries stepping up their demands and expectations in terms of local content, identifying and developing local capacity building initiatives becomes paramount for IOC/NOCs. This paper presents a process for identifying and developing local content initiatives, in order to achieve challenging local content development objectives and hence increase the acceptability of IOC/NOC operators.
Local content –aimed at enhancing skills, developing suppliers and infrastructures of Host Countries in connection with oil & gas field development and production projects –now occupies a predominant place in the oil & gas producing countries.
In a competitive context, local content becomes an important - not to say essential - criterion in securing new permit awards or obtaining approval for oil & gas field development plans. It appears paramount to build up a strong industrial fabric and have qualified manpower and contractors. It is all the more important that after the appraisal-development phases, the operator then requires skilled local / national personnel to produce the oil and/or gas fields for a several decades.
This paper describes the process and illustrates it with case studies, i.e. best practices in identifying and developing local capacity building initiatives. These case studies mainly highlight education initiatives and innovative supplier development initiatives, the latter being suppliers of goods but also suppliers of highly technical services like front end engineering and design.
This paper is based on best practices applied in the category of Corporate Social Responsibility. Illustrative data include case studies and lessons learnt from local capacity building initiatives implemented in various countries, mainly on the African continent (Nigeria), in Asia (Indonesia) and also worldwide through a specific higher education initiative.
The main application of the information provided in this paper is to help IOC/NOC operators to build local content development initiatives, in both education and supplier development.
Leading Safely: Development Of A Safety Leadership Tool For Senior Managers
Authors: Roger I. , Flin R. , Mearns K. , Hetherington C. 
Published: July 2010

Abstract
Senior managers significantly influence organisational outcomes and play a pivotal role in shaping organisational culture. This research focuses on the mechanisms by which senior managers can effectively promote organisational safety, including a proactive safety culture. This paper, informed by research for a doctoral thesis sponsored by the Energy Institute, presents preliminary data on the background research for the development of a tool (i.e. questionnaire; non-technical skill taxonomy/ checklist) designed to help senior managers assess their safety leadership strengths and weaknesses. The development process is based on task-analysis methods, including a systematic literature review of safety leadership literature, as well as exploratory interviews with subject matter experts. The systematic literature review highlighted the importance of senior managers’ active involvement in safety activities, integrated approach to safety management, continuous and open communication with the workforce, consistent prioritisation of safety and consistent support for safety. Additionally a number of safety benefits are associated with senior managerial demonstration of high risk awareness, low fatalism, high safety priority, personal concern and transformational leadership.
The Impact of REACH on the E&P Industry: a Service Company's Perspective
Authors: Galvan Joanne , Smith Chioma 
Published: July 2010

Abstract
REACH (Registration, Evaluation, and Authorization of CHemicals) has a far reaching impact on all aspects of a major service company's business. Although the REACH regulation is primarily focused on HS&E issues, it also has a significant global industry influence on economic issues (pricing, sourcing, financial), research, IT and management systems. This paper presents a survey of organizations affected by REACH inside and outside the EU. It outlines implementation strategies, required resources and relationships with other registration schemes such as OCNS. The paper gives an insight into the REACH implementation challenges such as pre-registration/registration preparation work and the various steps taken to integrate the new regulation.
The paper presents the current status of industry progress and a view of the upcoming regulatory challenges associated with REACH. It can also be used by the regulatory authorities as a yardstick for assessment of the level of preparedness and impact of REACH regulations on our industry.
Statistical data is provided based on industry feedback and experiences of REACH implementation. The results show the impact of REACH not only from an EU perspective but also the effects on the global market. Of the companies surveyed, more than 75% have been significantly impacted by REACH and have taken proactive steps to fully integrate the requirements of the legislation into all aspects of their business.
This paper serves as an assessment of the degree of implementation of the REACH regulation and the subsequent effects on the E&P industry. Information is provided on the global industry trend towards introducing environmentally friendly while economically viable products and services.
Water Availability Study and Projection of Future Scenarios in the Reconcavo Norte and Inhambupe Basins (Bahia)
Authors: Peres Antonio Luiz , Bessa Eduardo Marinho , de Freitas Ana Luíza , Vaz Regina Célia , de Azevedo Caroline Todt 
Published: July 2010

Abstract
In the industrial segment worldwide, the oil industry is an intensive water user. Some Company Units develop their activities in regions where the water demand is progressively increasing, due to the economic and population growth. For this reason, there is a need to know the current situation of the surface and underground water availability in these regions, especially in those places where there is a high rate of water usage, and also know the support capacity of the water body for receiving and disposing of the effluents, and, from that, build future scenarios of the evolution of these parameters (demand and availability).
This study will technically support the Company to establish and/or update its corporate guidelines concerning the expansion of its activities and the rationalization of water use (surface and/or underground) in its operating units in the State of Bahia.
The scope of this study encompasses:
The river basins of Recôncavo Norte and Inhambupe for assessing surface waters and; The aquifers present in the sedimentary Basins of Recôncavo Norte for assessing underground waters.
The research and studies are carried out in three areas identified as the centres of Company’ activities in the State of Bahia, which are:
São Francisco do Conde, Candeias and Madre de Deus: where the Madre de Deus Waterway Terminal and the Landulpho Alves Refinery are located; Camaçari Petrochemical Centre: where the Nitrogen Fertilizer Factory of Bahia and Camaçari Fuel Distribution Base are located; Area of operation of the Operational Units of the State of Bahia, where Company’ Exploration and Production units are located.
The most important result of this study is the building of short, medium and long term scenarios (5, 10, 15 and 20 years) of the hydric availability for capture of water and disposal of effluents. These scenarios will be built taking into account federal, regional and local laws on the discharge of effluents and management of hydric resources, the population growth forecast, the socioeconomic situation of the surrounding population, the government plans for potential hydric resources, the criteria of the existing Basin committees and, in the absence of these, the criteria proposed by the hydric resources management government agencies.
This study has a special significance for two reasons:
Making a complete assessment of the current conditions of the surface and underground water availability in an integrated way, taking into account their interactions; Its conception being the result of the integrated action of three business areas operating in the region (Refining, Transport and E & P), with interest in the data to be obtained and the probable scenarios created to guide its water management programs and investment in new rational water usage technologies.
Application of Biodegradation Testing in Brazil
Authors: Kraus Leila A. , Rabke Stephen , Reynier Marcia V. , Cunha Priscilla M. , Euzébio Viviane L. , França Jose 
Published: July 2010

Abstract
Biodegradation has been recognized as an important element of natural attenuation of increased organic loading at the seafloor from non-aqueous drilling fluids (NAF) that are associated with drill cuttings discharge. While recognized as an important characteristic of advanced NAF design, measurement of biodegradation properties of base fluids used in NAF presents a technical and regulatory challenge as applied to certain environments. In order to meet this challenge, modification of a standardized anaerobic biodegradation test has been pursued in Brazil with the goal of developing an ecologically relevant and repeatable test that can differentiate between the various NAF technologies. This paper will review the progress to date in developing this biodegradation test for use in Brazil. In particular, the sediment, which is used as the bacteria inoculums, will be compared and contrasted with other natural sediments that have successfully been used in this type of test.
Learning's from Applying the API Process Safety Incidents (PSI) Metric to Upstream Operations
Authors: Kehn David , Wischmeier Ben 
Published: July 2010

Abstract
Catastrophic incidents in the oil and gas industry have the potential to result in serious injury or death to the workers, the public and/or harm to the environment. The desirability of "dual assurance" lagging and leading process safety metrics was strongly communicated in the BP US Refineries Independent Safety Review Panel ("Baker Panel")i and the U.S. Chemical Safety Board iirecommendations on the 2005 BP Texas City refinery explosion. The objectives of industry metrics were to provide an indicator to monitor performance and to set process safety performance targets, drive continuous improvement, and provide a mechanism for useful industry benchmarking.
The significant industry guidance for process safety performance monitoring includes:
UK Health and Safety Executive: "Step-by-Step Guide to Developing Process Safety Performance Indicators, HSG254", Sudbury, Suffolk, UK, 2006 [Ref. iii] Center for Chemical Process Safety (CCPS): "Process Safety Leading and Lagging Metrics", American Institute of Chemical Engineers, New York, 2008 [Ref. iv] American Petroleum Institute: "API Guide to Report Process Safety Incidents, Version 1.2", Washington, D.C. 2008 [Ref. v] International Association of Oil & Gas Producers (OGP): "Asset Integrity – the key to managing major incident risks", Report 415, London, UK, 2008 [Ref. vi]
In 2007, one company (the "Company") globally adopted a Loss Of Containment (LOC) metric and an enhanced vapor release metric titled Inadvertent Release of Hazardous Vapor/gas (IRHV) based upon the thresholds and definitions within API Guide [Ref. v]. API Guide [Ref. v] was primarily written to facilitate benchmarking of process safety performance among refineries and petrochemical plants.
HSE Management Tools for Contractors
Authors: Espinosa Beatriz Nassur , Azevedo Ricardo Santos , Turazzi Ernani , Glitz Alexandre Guilherme , Veloso Luiz Eduardo , de Lacerda Milton Carneiro , Bonaldo Nívea Cristina 
Published: July 2010

Abstract
An integrated energy company, which operates in Brazil and in 27 different countries, which produces 2.4 million boed and with 55800 employees depends upon contractors for a wide range of its activities. Successful completion of contractor work is highly conditioned to an integrated Environment Health and Safety (EHS) management. In 2001 the Company started reformulating its HSE Management System and set 15 Corporate Guidelines. One of these Guidelines is related to acquisition of services, which has a very important role for HSE performance, because of the large number of contractors. This guideline is subdivided into requirements that include HSE aspects in all stages of the contracting process, in a structured and integrated manner. These stages start with the specification of HSE requirements that count with the inclusion of the companies in the vendor list, depending on the risk involved in the scope to be executed, until the final evaluation of the contract.
The inclusion of new HSE requirements in its contracting process has contributed to the improvement of the quality of HSE management system and performance of Brazilian and International companies with which it deals. It is worth mentioning that the Company influences, direct or indirectly, about 30000 companies. Since 2001, five annual meetings involving the President, the Board of Directors and contracted companies’ leaders were held to spread HSE policies and guidelines and communicate the new requirements. Each annual meeting involved the participation of the leaders of the 500 main contractors.
With this process the Company expects to expand HSE value involving contractors; standardize relationship with contractors; improve HSE performance and reduce losses caused by incidents.
The workforce Lost Time Injuries Frequency in 2008 was 0.59 (per million hours worked), almost 5 times less than 2001 and below the industry average. The Fatal Accident Rate (per 100 million hours worked) was 6 times smaller in the same period. In the last 7 years, oil spills were substantially reduced reaching during this period a maximum of 530 m3, one of the lowest records of the oil industry.
The inclusion of the new requirements promoted the implementation of a structured HSE Management System by the contracted companies, resulting in a higher commitment to social and environmental responsibility and significant results related to accident prevention in these companies.