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Relationships between drilling parameters and the uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) of rocks are typically established through measurement while drilling (MWD) by analyzing either drilling speed or specific energy. This study enhances the commonly utilized specific energy formula by considering the frictional dissipation energy of the drill bit, along with the initial thrust and torque exerted by the drilling machines. A novel specific energy index, ηp, optimized for rotary drilling applications, was introduced. The modified expressions significantly mitigate the impact of variations in drilling parameters on the specific energy. Employing the concept of a minimum specific energy coefficient, a model was developed that directly relates drilling parameters to the UCS of rocks. An iterative solution method for determining the minimum specific energy coefficient was provided. Extensive MWD tests on intact granite samples, conducted on a specially developed indoor drilling test platform, facilitated the calibration of the minimum specific energy coefficient. The model's efficacy in UCS estimation was further validated through additional MWD tests on sandstone and limestone. For sandstone, the model's estimated UCS showed a relative error (RE) ranging from 0.62% to 21.22%, a mean relative error of 11.7%, and a maximum absolute error of 9.75 MPa. Limestone tests revealed an RE range of 1.99%–12.86%, with absolute errors between 2.53 and 16.4 MPa. The UCSs of sandstone and limestone were estimated to lie between 39.65 and 55.71 MPa and 113.29 and 143.90 MPa, respectively, demonstrating close alignment with the results of uniaxial compressive strength tests and confirming the model's accuracy and reliability for UCS prediction using MWD data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid and partial acquisition are features of rock drilling for obtaining rock properties. Most previous research has primarily concentrated on how to quickly obtain rock mechanics parameters, with limited emphasis on extracting rock parameter fields, particularly in three dimensions. This study attempted to develop a numerical integrated method to extract 3D parameter fields of rocks based on a newly developed digital-controlled drilling platform. The importance of incorporating a damage model for accurate simulations of rock drilling through finite element analysis (FEA) was investigated. By calibrating damage parameters through uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) and Brazilian tensile strength (BTS) tests, these parameters can be considered constants in rock drilling simulations across various rock types. The accuracy of rock parameters estimated by the proposed method and the derived analytical model were further demonstrated through comparison with the corresponding standard tests. Furthermore, the 3D parameter field of rocks was obtained by integrating a deep learning method and micro-CT technology. The numerical prediction illustrated the advantages of acquiring a rock parameter field in achieving more accurate simulations of the rock failure process. Besides, our solution can also provide support for the parameter selection of numerical models considering spatial variability for natural rocks. Highlights: A digital-controlled equipment for rock drilling was developed. Equations were derived for extracting rock parameters through the drilling data. A deep learning method was developed to reproduce the three-dimensional parameter field of rocks. The significance of considering the realistic rock parameter field was numerically demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Environmental & Social Management Journal / Revista de Gestão Social e Ambiental is the property of Environmental & Social Management Journal and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Design for inefficient well sidetracking of Bohai oilfield increased greatly recent years. Optimize sidetracking programs and reduce costs is important. Trajectory and window sidetracking tools were optimizing chosen for middle depth sidetracking to reduce costs. Horizontal casing well could solve mudstone and water contain problems for same layer sidetracking. For open hole completion well, window sidetracking costs lower for drilling platform working, and open hole sidetracking is suitable for workover rig. One to one design method for inefficient well sidetracking could reduce costs efficiently, good application results have been obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thousands of offshore oil and gas platforms have been installed worldwide and are known to act as artificial reefs. Many platforms are nearing the end of their operational lives and will soon require decommissioning, but uncertainty remains about the impacts of these structures, and their removal, on the environment. Fish aggregate at platforms, but little is known about the extent of these effects in the North Sea and the causes of variability in these associations. Here, an uncrewed surface vessel (USV) was used to collect fisheries acoustic data on distributions of schooling and non-schooling fish around six oil platforms, collecting data within tens of metres of four of the surveyed platforms. In areas with more platforms, more non-schooling fish were found, and the probability of detecting fish schools was higher. Interplatform variability was found in trends in non-schooling fish density with increasing distance from platform, but the relationship was found to be strongest and most negative at the larger platforms. These findings may influence future management decisions around the decommissioning of these platforms, particularly if some structure is to be left in place to maximize the potential benefits associated with these artificial reef effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses an observation of killer whales harassing humpback whales in offshore Brazilian waters. The observation took place in August 2023 and involved killer whales chasing and surrounding the humpback whales, with instances of physical contact. The behavior suggests that the killer whales may be targeting the humpback whales as prey. While fatal attacks are rare, there have been reports of such attacks in different regions of the world. The article also mentions that killer whales generally target smaller or younger whales during attacks. The observations provide new insights into the interactions between killer whales and humpback whales in the region, but it is unclear if these interactions have increased or are being recorded more frequently due to improved technology. This collection of scientific articles explores various aspects of killer whale interactions with other marine species in different regions, providing valuable insights into their behavior and ecological implications. These findings contribute to our understanding of the complex relationships between marine species and can inform conservation efforts. [Extracted from the article]

Extensive research has been conducted on the flow control of bluff bodies to address negative impacts such as vibration, acoustic noise, and resonance caused by wake flow. The circular cylinder, due to its simple geometry, is frequently studied as a bluff body and is utilized in various engineering applications including cooling system pipes, electrical pylons, industrial flue systems, overpasses, satellite antennas, electrical cables, and marine drilling platforms. In this investigation, a perforated splitter plate was strategically positioned at different downstream locations to manage the wake flow of the cylinder. The experiments were conducted in a sophisticated, closed-loop water channel at the Fluid Mechanics Laboratory of Cukurova University, providing a controlled environment for precise flow analysis. To measure the instantaneous velocity vector field in the wake region of the cylinder at a Reynolds number (Re) of 5000 (based on the cylinder diameter, D), particle image velocimetry (PIV) was employed. Three different permeability values for the splitter plate (e=0.30, 0.50, 0.70) and three lengths (ls*=1, ls*=2, ls*=3) were tested, maintaining a constant gap (G/D=1) between the splitter plate's leading edge and the cylinder surface. The splitter plates were aligned with the flow direction (θ=0°). The permeable separator plates minimize the interaction of boundary layers formed around the cylinder, enhancing their effect in downstream regions where shear layer interaction is more pronounced. Consequently, this results in reduced fluctuations and a more stabilized wake flow downstream of the cylinder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: High internal phase emulsions (HIPEs) are unique emulsion systems that transform liquid oil into solid‐like fats, thus avoiding the use of saturated fat and leading to a healthier and more sustainable food system for consumers. HIPEs with oil volume fraction (ϕ) of 75–85% were fabricated with mung bean protein isolate (MPI) under different pH shift treatments at 1.0% concentration through the one‐step method. In the present study, we investigated the physical properties, microstructures, processing properties, storage stability and rheological properties of HIPEs. RESULTS: The results suggested that the properties of MPI under different pH shift treatments were improved to different degrees, stabilizing HIPEs (ϕ = 75–85%) with various processability to meet food processing needs. Under alkali shift treatment conditions, the particle size of MPI was significantly reduced with better solubility. Moreover, the exposure of hydrophobic groups increased the surface hydrophobicity of MPI, awarding MPI better emulsifying properties, which could stabilize the HIPEs with higher oil phase fraction. In addition, the MPI under pH 12 shift treatment (MPI‐12) had the best oil‐carrying ability to form the stable HIPEs with oil volume fraction (ϕ) up to 85%, which was the highest oil phase in preparing the HIPEs using plant protein solely at a low concentration under neutral conditions. CONCLUSION: A series of stable HIPEs with different processing properties was simply and feasibly fabricated and these are of great potential in applying edible HIPEs. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In many arid shrubland lands around the world, such as the Monte Desert of Argentina, ecological restoration efforts often prioritize direct seeding or outplantings. Another restorative intervention with lower costs, such as assisted natural regeneration (ANR) through soil tillage, are poorly studied and implemented. In this context, we selected 16 abandoned petroleum drilling platforms that were scarified with furrows to evaluate the natural establishment of vegetation. An equal number of neighboring sites were chosen as ecological reference sites. Five years after scarification, an analysis was conducted on the similarity, richness, diversity of species, plant coverage, density, and soil in soil‐scarified petroleum drilling platforms and ecological reference sites. Similarity, diversity, plant coverage, and density were low between degraded and reference sites. However, 40% of the total species found in the ecological reference colonized one or more of the degraded sites studied. The species found in degraded sites belonged to various life forms (shrubs, perennial, and annual herbs). Additionally, the colonization exhibited notable differences with the typical succession sequence of pioneer, intermediate, and mature species. Many of them were considered typical of climax states in previous studies, such as the case of Larrea divaricata and Larrea cuneifolia. The discussion addresses the succession process in arid lands and highlights the importance of considering ANR with more emphasis on restoration efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jet fires are the second most common fire scenario after spill fires. This type of fire is characteristic of gas and gas–oil fires occurring on oil platforms and gas production and processing plants. The consequences of such fires are characterized by high material damage; this is associated with extensive networks of technological communications, since there is a high density of technological facilities and installations in the territory where these fires occur. At such facilities, there is a large number of steel structures, which under the action of high temperature quickly lose their strength and deform. To protect steel structures in the oil and gas industry, fire protection is used, which consists of different types: boards in the form of flat plates, plasters, and epoxy paints. This paper compares three types of fire protection materials for steel structures under jet fire: board fireproofing, plaster composition, and epoxy coating. When comparing the efficiency in jet fire, cement boards were found to be the best. However, despite the better fire protection efficiency, their low application is expected due to their massiveness and the high cost of such protection and the difficulty of installation. Nevertheless, the development of fire depends on the place of its origin, the size of the initial fire zone, and the stability and massiveness of the metal elements of the vessel structure or the structure of the boards on which the equipment can be placed. Therefore, it is necessary to take these factors into account when selecting fire protection and to apply it depending on the required fire resistance limits of structures, which should be determined depending on the fire development scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, aging offshore oil and gas (O&G) platforms face resource depletion, and regulations often demand platform removal through decommissioning. In the North Sea, >€90 billion will be needed for decommissioning by 2060. However, the influence of O&G platforms on fish communities is poorly understood. This challenges predictions of possible fisheries scenarios associated with different decommissioning options. Here, we examined the role that North Sea platforms played on fish communities. We explored patterns of fish abundance and body size variation along transects from O&G platforms comparing catch per unit effort data. Fish abundance was positively associated with O&G platforms. Atlantic cod, plaice, saithe, and mackerel were most abundant near platforms. Similarly, larger Atlantic cod were near the O&G platforms. Our study provided information for decision‐making regarding platform decommissioning scenarios by evidencing O&G platform habitat provisioning for various commercial fish species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is currently a rising interest in reusing and repurposing offshore facilities through decommissioning; however, major challenges arise, such as size, weight, sea depth, planned use, and location. This article aims to discuss the philosophy that needs to be adopted for field redevelopment, particularly when existing platforms must be preserved and integrated into new greenfield facilities. The article also discusses the concept of weight shedding during the decommissioning of offshore facilities to either extend the life of existing platforms or provide clear space for new equipment to be installed by removing unnecessary components and structures. The above aspects of decommissioning are investigated through the redevelopment of a case study of a mature offshore oil field located in shallow water. The study indicated that weight shedding presents a favourable method for decommissioning offshore installations and can effectively lower expenses, minimise environmental consequences, and optimise the use of resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Offshore oil and gas platforms support abundant reef fish and are popular fishing sites for recreational anglers. However, the rapid decommissioning and removal of active platforms have decreased such fishing opportunities in the Gulf of Mexico, raising concerns about fisheries impacts. Conversely, planned offshore energy structures like wind turbines may offer similar habitats and fishing sites. To inform spatial planning for marine energy infrastructure in the context of recreational fisheries, we created models of fish communities associated with oil and gas platforms using existing abundance data. We employed Random Forest analysis to predict the presence‐absence and abundance of Red Snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) and Greater Amberjack (Seriola dumerili) at platforms using 47 environmental and platform variables. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling on Bray−Curtis dissimilarities explored fish species composition among 37 species. Results showed variability in Red Snapper and Greater Amberjack incidence/abundance from shore to shelf‐edge, not attributed to surrounding habitat or climatological oceanographic variables. Incidence models were more robust than abundance models. Fish species composition was significantly influenced by location gradient, with less impact from other habitat features. Our findings guide selecting areas for artificial structures to enhance angler opportunities and maintain fish diversity, but identifying the drivers of finer scale abundance variation will require further sampling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydraulic technology with smaller sizes and higher reliability trends, including fault prediction and intelligent control, requires high-performance temperature and pressure-integrated sensors. Current designs rely on planar wafer- or chip-level integration, which is limited by pressure range, chip size, and low reliability. We propose a small-size temperature/high-pressure integrated sensor via the flip-chip technique. The pressure and temperature units are arranged vertically, and the sensing signals of the two units are integrated into one plane through silicon vias and gold–gold bonding, reducing the lateral size and improving the efficiency of signal transmission. The flip-chip technique ensures a reliable electrical connection. A square diaphragm with rounded corners is designed and optimised with simulation to sense high pressure based on the piezoresistive effect. The temperature sensing unit with a thin-film platinum resistor measures temperature and provides back-end high-precision compensation, which will improve the precision of the pressure unit. The integrated chip is fabricated by MEMS technology and packaged to fabricate the extremely small integrated sensor. The integrated sensor is characterised, and the pressure sensor exhibits a sensitivity and sensitivity drift of 7.97 mV/MPa and −0.19% FS in the range of 0–20 MPa and −40 to 120 °C. The linearity, hysteresis, repeatability, accuracy, basic error, and zero-time drift are 0.16% FS, 0.04% FS, 0.06% FS, 0.18% FS, ±0.23% FS and 0.04% FS, respectively. The measurement error of the temperature sensor and temperature coefficient of resistance is less than ±1 °C and 3142.997 ppm/°C, respectively. The integrated sensor has broad applicability in fault diagnosis and safety monitoring of high-end equipment such as automobile detection, industrial equipment, and oil drilling platforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the methodology developed for underwater measurements using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) technique, aimed at determining the resistance of an epoxy coating applied in seawater to the legs of an oil production platform. Performing such underwater tests in an offshore environment was technically challenging. The results of measurements obtained on the platform were confronted with comparative results obtained in the laboratory, where the properties of the coating applied in water collected from the Baltic Sea (thickness, hardness, adhesion, and electrical resistance) were examined. This made it possible to conclude about the correctness of the paint coating application by divers on the legs of the platform. The single-layer epoxy coating applied by brush to the platform legs had a resistance above 10 kΩ∙cm2 and thus met the assumed minimum resistance of the protective coating cooperating with cathodic protection as the anti-corrosion protection system of the platform legs. The synergy of these two technologies ensures full protection of offshore structures against corrosion. Measurements of the potential of the platform legs confirmed this. Before painting, the potential value at a depth of 0–15 m was 310 ÷ 320 mV versus the zinc reference electrode, while after painting the potential value decreased to 220 ÷ 240 mV, which means that the effect of full cathodic protection was achieved and the platform legs were protected from corrosion. The developed methodology for underwater EIS measurements on the high seas can be applied to any underwater metal structure to assess the quality of protective coatings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shared manufacturing is a new business form that focuses on all aspects of production and manufacturing, mainly relying on the shared manufacturing platform to achieve the optimal allocation of idle resources. For enterprises, in the process of deciding to lease idle resources, the pricing and advertising investment efficiency of the shared manufacturing platform is a valuable research issue. The shared manufacturing model in this paper consists of one manufacturer and one shared manufacturing platform, which will invest in cooperative advertising while the shared manufacturing process is completed. The cooperative advertising involves four models: the traditional cooperation model, the cost-sharing contract model, the revenue-sharing contract model, and the bilateral cost-sharing contract model. We investigate the impact of some key parameters on the prices and profits of the manufacturer and the shared manufacturing platform based on the differential game. The numerical examples demonstrate the viability of the model. Finally, we provide suggestions based on the decision-making of the manufacturer and the shared manufacturing platform under different cooperative advertising models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The abrasive waterjet machining process was introduced in the 1980s as a new cutting tool; the process has the ability to cut almost any material. Currently, the AWJ process is used in many world-class factories, producing parts for use in daily life. A description of this process and its influencing parameters are first presented in this paper, along with process models for the AWJ tool itself and also for the jet–material interaction. The AWJ material removal process occurs through the high-velocity impact of abrasive particles, whose tips micromachine the material at the microscopic scale, with no thermal or mechanical adverse effects. The macro-characteristics of the cut surface, such as its taper, trailback, and waviness, are discussed, along with methods of improving the geometrical accuracy of the cut parts using these attributes. For example, dynamic angular compensation is used to correct for the taper and undercut in shape cutting. The surface finish is controlled by the cutting speed, hydraulic, and abrasive parameters using software and process models built into the controllers of CNC machines. In addition to shape cutting, edge trimming is presented, with a focus on the carbon fiber composites used in aircraft and automotive structures, where special AWJ tools and manipulators are used. Examples of the precision cutting of microelectronic and solar cell parts are discussed to describe the special techniques that are used, such as machine vision and vacuum-assist, which have been found to be essential to the integrity and accuracy of cut parts. The use of the AWJ machining process was extended to other applications, such as drilling, boring, milling, turning, and surface modification, which are presented in this paper as actual industrial applications. To demonstrate the versatility of the AWJ machining process, the data in this paper were selected to cover a wide range of materials, such as metal, glass, composites, and ceramics, and also a wide range of thicknesses, from 1 mm to 600 mm. The trends of Industry 4.0 and 5.0, AI, and IoT are also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To design and operate various equipment of the solids control system in offshore drilling platforms, it is important to establish how the moisture content influences the characteristics of drilled cuttings to form packed beds and flow over solid surfaces. The current study comprehensively analyzes how moisture content, primarily composed of water and representing waterbased muds (WBMs), influences the bed packing properties and drilled cuttings' flowability. The particle aggregation/disaggregation dynamics, loose and tapped bulk densities and porosities, compaction dynamics of packed beds, Hausner ratio, and angle of repose of drilled cuttings with ten distinct moisture contents (1.4--44.0 wt%) were analyzed. It was noticed that the increment of moisture content up to 15.2% promoted the formation of looser interparticle structures. However, these structures were steadier, showing greater difficulty flowing and releasing air/liquid. The continuous increment of moisture content beyond 15.2% promoted a complete change in the material behavior. The interparticle structures became denser. The material could flow and release air/liquid more easily. In addition, it was possible to establish a classification of the different behaviors of drilled cuttings according to the moisture content. Predictive models were proposed to describe the influence of the moisture content on the bed packing and flowability properties of drilled cuttings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Entorno Geográfico is the property of Universidad del Valle and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Corporations deliberately attempt to shape social norms through advertising, publicity, and political contributions. This paper considers the threat of corporations' accidental influence on social norms and expectations. When corporations have accidents, we frequently focus on direct harms: an oil platform may catch fire and explode, leading to environmental and human losses. These accidents may also impact social norms, though. If users stay with a dominant social networking firm despite repeated data privacy breaches, for example, people might come to accept a lack of data privacy. Dominant firms may inadvertently facilitate rapid reshaping of societal expectations. Judicial recognition of this threat can pave the way for more stable law that provides opportunity for more organic societal development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of renewable sources for energy production has assumed a vital role in recent years, particularly with regard to the preservation of energy supplies and the environment. In this regard, municipal green waste (MGW) can be a potential renewable energy source if it is integrated with emerging technology, like pyrolysis. Therefore, this study aimed at investigating the effect of residence time and particle size on the yield and composition of oil derived from MGW using fast pyrolysis in an auger reactor. The residence time and particle size were varied from 1 min to 4 min and 1 mm to 10 mm, respectively, while keeping the temperature constant at 500 °C. At a residence time of 3 min, a 2 mm particle size provided the highest bio-oil yield (39.86%). At this experimental setting, biochar yield of 27.16% and syngas yield of 32.98% were obtained. The characterization of produced bio-oil revealed that a total of nine functional groups were present in the bio-oil. The phenols were highest in amount, followed by aromatics and ketones. The increase in residence time decreased the amount of acidic compounds present in the bio-oil. The water content was decreased by ~11% and the calorific value was increased by ~6% with the increase in particle size from 1 mm to 10 mm. Other properties, such as viscosity, density, cetane number, and flash point, did not change significantly with the change in experimental conditions. With a calorific value of 25+ MJ/kg, although the bio-oil produced from MGW can be used for heating (such as in boilers and furnaces), the use of MGW bio-oil in engines requires appropriate upgrading through procedures like hydrodeoxygenation, catalytic cracking, esterification, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Featured Application: By implementing optimized interventions, erosion wear can be effectively mitigated, ensuring the long-term structural integrity of piping systems in non-conventional oil plants and promoting safe overall plant operation. These interventions represent a significant leap forward in erosion wear management, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and innovation within the realm of oil plant operations. Erosion in piping structures poses a significant challenge for oil industries as the conveyance of solid particles leads to operational malfunctions and structural failures affecting the overall oil plant operation. Conventional oil recovery methods have historically dominated, while in response to the challenges imposed by declining conventional oil production, the global shift towards non-conventional methods necessitates a reevaluation of erosion mitigation strategies due to increased piping infrastructure. Therefore, in this study research has been conducted to reduce erosion and optimize the piping structure. Variables impacting the erosion in piping were investigated from the literature, and simulation cases were made based on the impacted variables. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFDs) analysis was performed using the Discrete Phase Model (DPM) to determine the erosion wear rate in each simulation case; based on the CFD results, variables with low Turbulent Dissipation Rates (TDRs) and Erosion Rates (ERs) were determined, and the optimized piping structure was designed. As a result, the optimized piping structure showed an 80% reduction in the turbulent dissipation rate and a 99.2% decrease in the erosion wear rate. These findings highlight a substantial improvement in erosion control, ensuring the safety and longevity of piping structures in oil plant operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porous materials are commonly employed to combat marine pollution by absorbing oil. However, the release of microplastics or nanoparticles from their synthetic components further exacerbates environmental concerns. In this study, a sustainable and reusable pollen sponge derived from eco‐friendly pollen grains and fabricated using a directional freeze‐drying method is introduced for the first time. These grains undergo a defatting process followed by a controlled hydrolysis process, transforming them into a pollen microgel made of sporopollenin, the primary constituent of a pollen grain's outer layer. The directional freeze‐drying technique is used to fabricate porous structures with controlled orientation using the pollen microgel. The application of a chemical vapor deposition with dodecyltrimethoxysilane (DDTS) grants sponge hydrophobic properties, making it ideal for selective oil absorption. This modified pollen sponge boasts superior absorption capacities (15–59 times its weight) compared to most natural sponges. Additionally, its excellent durability and ability to recover up to 65% of deformation even after 60% strain compression are remarkable with the silanization process tripling the recoverability of pollen sponges. Remarkably, the silanized directional pollen sponge (SDPS) retains this resilience after 100 compression cycles. Therefore, the SDPS emerges as an eco‐conscious solution for repeated and selective oil absorption tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large-scale photovoltaic (PV) electricity production plants rely on reliable operation and maintenance (O&M) systems, often operated by means of supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) platforms aimed at limiting, as much as possible, the intrinsic volatility of this energy resource. The current trend is to develop SCADAs that achieve the finest possible control of the system components to efficiently and effectively cope with possible energy delivery problems. In this study, we investigated an innovative design of an IoT-based SCADA specifically tailored for large PV systems in which data transmission overheads are reduced by adopting lightweight protocols, and reliable data storage is achieved by means of hybrid solutions that allow the storage of historical data, enabling accurate performance analysis and predictive maintenance protocols. The proposed solution relies on an architecture where independent functional microservices handle specific tasks, ensuring scalability and fault tolerance. The technical approaches for IoT-SCADA connectivity are herein described in detail, comparing different possible technical choices. The proposed IoT-based SCADA is based on edge computing for latency reduction and to enhance real-time decision making, enabling scalability, and centralized management while leveraging cloud services. The resulting hybrid solutions that combine edge and cloud resources offer a balance between responsiveness and scalability. Finally, in the study, a blockchain solution was taken into account to certify energy data, ensuring traceability, security, and reliability in commercial transactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To guarantee that the cement sheath has a sealing effect, it is best to replace the drilling fluid entirely and fill the annulus with cement slurry throughout the cementing process. A significant driving power and high stability at the interface between the cement slurry and drilling fluid are often necessary for achieving a high displacement efficiency. It is important that a comprehensive theoretical characterization is established on the thickness and location of drilling fluid retention and the conditions to prevent the formation of drilling fluid retention. In this study, firstly, the characteristics of annulus fluid shear stress distribution are analyzed by establishing the differential equation of shear stress distribution. Subsequently, the calculation model of the drilling fluid retention layer's thickness is constructed. Subsequently, the impact of cement slurry and drilling fluid properties, eccentricity of the casing, and additional variables on the annular wall's drilling fluid retention thickness are scrutinized. The quantitative conditions for preventing drilling fluid retention are also analyzed (i.e., Equation (23)). Based on the newly developed model, a case study is conducted to show the significance of the new model. This offers a theoretical foundation for enhancing cement injection displacement efficiency and cementing performance optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drilling technology is a crucial manufacturing process in the application of servo drive control systems in the machining industry. Traditional position and velocity control can easily lead to repeated processing or damage to the drill bit. In this study, a method was proposed for achieving two-axis drilling control by combining torque and velocity estimation. The classical Luenberger observer is employed for measuring torque and velocity feedback. However, it cannot effectively solve the issue of encoder feedback quantization, and its performance is suboptimal for nonlinear systems. Therefore, we propose an adaptive fuzzy observer method to improve the Luenberger observer's adaptability and control robustness to nonlinear systems. This technology helps with the estimation and control of velocity and torque in practical drilling platforms. Simultaneously, an adaptive fuzzy observer is employed for the feed motor to enhance positioning accuracy. The primary contribution of this study is the effective estimation of torque and velocity using adaptive fuzzy observer technology. It also improves drilling efficiency and precision through torque control and velocity control while reducing the cost and complexity of the control system. The research shows that, compared to traditional drilling technology, the adaptive fuzzy observer control method can cut costs and enhance machining accuracy, and compared with traditional driving and control methods, it can meet 8.7% energy saving requirement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thousands of offshore oil and gas platforms have been installed throughout the world's oceans and more structures are being installed as part of the transition to renewable energy. These structures increase the availability of ecological niches by providing hard substrate in midwater and complex 3D habitat on the seafloor. This can lead to 'hotspots' of biodiversity, or increased densities of flora and fauna, which potentially spill over into the local area. However, the distances over which these higher densities extend (the 'range of influence') can be highly variable. Fish aggregate at such structures, but the range of influence and any implications for wider fish populations, are unclear. We investigated the relationship between fish and platform areal densities using high resolution fisheries acoustic data. Data were collected in the waters surrounding the vessel exclusions zones around 16 oil and gas platforms in the North Sea, and throughout the wider area. We estimated densities of schooling fish using echo-integration, and densities of non-schooling fish using echo-counting. At 10 platforms, non-schooling fish densities were elevated near the platform relative to background levels in the equivalent wider area. The range of influence, defined here as the range to which fish densities were elevated above background, varied from 0.8 to 23 km. In areas of high platform density, fish schools were encountered more often, and non-schooling fish densities were higher, when controlling for other sources of environmental variation. This is the first time such long-range effects have been identified; previously, ranges of influence have been reported in the order of just 10s-100s of metres. These findings suggest that the environmental impact of these structures may extend further than previously thought, which may be relevant in the context of upcoming management decisions around the decommissioning of these structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the heat dissipation mechanism of the insulation layer and other plane insulation layers in the polar drilling rig system. Combining the basic theory of heat transfer with the environmental requirements of polar drilling operations and the characteristics of polar drilling processes, we analyze the factors that affect the insulation effect of the drilling rig system. These factors include the thermal conductivity of the insulation material, the thickness of the insulation layer, ambient temperature, and wind speed. We optimize the thermal insulation material of the polar drilling rig system using a steady-state method to measure solid thermal conductivity. By analyzing the distribution of temperature in space after heating, we optimize the distribution and air outlet angle of the heater using Fluent hydrodynamics software. The results demonstrate that under polar conditions, polyisocyanurate with stable thermodynamic properties is selected as the thermal insulation material. The selection of thermal insulation material and thickness significantly affects the thermal insulation effect of the system but has little effect on its heating effect. Moreover, when the air outlet angle of the heater is set to 32.5°, the heating efficiency of the system can be effectively improved. According to heat transfer equations and heat balance theory, we determine that the heating power required for the system to reach 5°C is close to numerical simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wave-induced seabed liquefaction significantly jeopardizes the stability of marine structures and the safety of human life. Susceptibility assessment is key to enabling spatial predictions and establishing a solid foundation for effective risk analysis and management. However, the current research encounters various challenges, involving an incomplete evaluation system, poor applicability of methods, and insufficient databases. These issues collectively hinder the accuracy of susceptibility assessments, undermining their utility in engineering projects. To address these challenges, a susceptibility assessment method with the safety factor was developed as the key assessment parameter, allowing for a comprehensive susceptibility assessment across the silt-dominated nearshore environment using Empirical Bayesian Kriging (EBK). The safety factor is determined by combining the cyclic stress ratio (CSR) and the cyclic resistance ratio (CRR), which characterize wave loadings and sediment properties in the study area, respectively. This method was applied in the Chengdao region of the Yellow River Estuary, China, a typical silt-dominated nearshore environment where wave-induced liquefaction events have been reported as being responsible for multiple oil platform and pipeline accidents. By collecting the regional wave and seabed sediment data from cores spanning from 1998 to 2017, the safety factors were calculated, and a zonal map depicting the susceptibility assessment of wave-induced seabed liquefaction was created. This study can serve as a valuable reference for the construction and maintenance of marine engineering in liquefaction-prone areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploring the influencing factors of public data value of construction projects is conducive to the public data services of government departments. Aiming at the construction pollution supervision process under the platform governance model, the influencing factors of the public data value of construction projects were analyzed. The interpretation structure model of the influencing factors was constructed to reveal the effects of data quality, platform scalability, data production cost, and policy support. The research results show that appropriate fiscal subsidies and policy inclination play a fundamental role; the quality of uploaded data is noteworthy for subsequent data processing and data opening; data production cost and platform scalability directly affect data value, the development of the platform will attract more participants, and reasonable cost control and improving data production efficiency are indispensable. This paper provides theoretical support for the exploration of data value and the path of platform governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Arafura and Timor Seas (ATS) region is highly productive and rich in marine resources. With the growing population and economic progress of the region, diverse sources of pollution, including nutrients, oil spills, marine debris, and pesticides, among others have become major concerns. This paper focuses on oil spills from offshore rigs and marine debris, such as plastics and derelict fishing gears, as primary regional concerns. As demonstrated by the historic Montara Wellhead Platform Incident of 2009, an oil spill seriously threatens the region. The once called Joint Petroleum Development Area is analyzed as an oil pollution hotspot in the region. Marine debris, including shoreline and ocean debris (particularly fishing-related debris), is analyzed through various reports and historic vessel traffic data. As a result, the Aru Sea is identified as a seafloor debris hotspot. The lack of scientific data on shoreline debris limits specific hotspot identification, but this study recognizes an increasing trend of marine debris beached on the shores of the ATS countries. The study results emphasize the need to ratify the International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-operation 1990 by the ATS countries, and recommend establishing a regional platform for oil spill preparedness and creating a regional marine debris monitoring program. Collaboration with regional organizations for capacity building on marine debris and oil spill response is also suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Iraq, an extensive network of pipelines is of vital importance for the transportation of hydrocarbon products, drinking water, and crude oil through the pipelines. The underground infrastructures experience corrosion processes, which therefore requires keeping up with the application of protective measures. This is a simulation survey that takes into account the cathodic protection optimization to reduce such hazards. Employing the Wenner four-terminal method enabled assessment of elements that affect cathodic protection such as environmental factors and soil resistivity across selected sites for the surveys. Soil pH ranges within the range of 7-8, together with anode voltage and current readings were the basis of the simulation models. These models played a crucial role in predicting the best anode locations, operating voltages and currents for various conditions and by comparing the results with empirical data from field experiments it is easy to evaluate the results. The analysis of rectifier voltage, the number of anodes, the anode resistance, and the pipeline current led to the production of the most cost-efficient designs for pipeline protection. Thus, as a result, a segment at station number 2 requires 2.5A current for its protection over the same length and a segment at station number 4 needs 12A current for its protection. Through the integration of simulation outcomes with the field observation the study highlights the accuracy and efficiency of the modeled cathodic protection systems that substantiate their fundamental role in the sustainable management of the pipeline. The results reached in this study add a great deal to this body of knowledge on the subject of subterranean structure preservation, showing this paradigm for the design and optimization of cathodic protection systems against corrosion and erosion which ensures the durability and reliability of pipeline networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work presents a production management platform developed to minimize the costs of the capacity charge, part of the electricity bill associated with the cost of maintaining grid capacity during periods of high, fluctuating loads. After a summary of the regulatory solutions on the capacity market in Poland, a capacity charge management system is presented, specifically designed for production facilities within the Energy-Intensive Industry sector. The proposed platform combines hardware data collection, a simulation tool analyzing the electrical energy demand profile to predict the future impact on the capacity charge, and a cloud-based user interface providing real-time recommendations to the plant operators regarding the corrective actions needed to minimize the cost of operation. It was pilot tested in collaboration with a large production facility in Poland, for which the capacity charge was among the main components of the electricity distribution costs. Pilot tests were conducted in the period from January 2022 to September 2023. The tested platform allowed us to shorten the time span of elevated capacity charges from 33% in the year 2022 to only 7% in the year 2023. It also reduced the benchmark capacity charge indicator by more than 11%, from 4.02% to −7.56%, over the duration of the experiments. This improvement was achieved without major changes to the organization and planning of the work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine high-end equipment reflects a country's comprehensive national strength. The safety assessment of it is very important to avoid accident either from human or facility factors. Attribute structure and assessment approach are two key points in the safety assessment of marine high-end equipment. In this paper, we construct a hierarchical attribute structure based on literature review and text mining of reports and news. The hierarchical attribute structure includes human, equipment, environment and management level. The correlations among these attributes are analyzed. The assessment standards of attributes are described in details. Different evaluation grades associated with attributes are transformed to a unified one by the given rules. As for the assessment approach, the evidential reasoning approach is applied for uncertain information fusion. Group analytical hierarchical process is used to generate attribute weights from a group of experts, where process aggregation method and result aggregation method are combined in a comprehensive way. The importance of expert is computed by the uncertainty measure of expert's subjective judgment. A drilling platform is finally assessed by the proposed attribute structure and assessment approach to illustrate the effectiveness of the assessment framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the well logging requirements of horizontal stripper wells, the flow characteristics of the oil-water two-phase flow in the invisible horizontal tri-electrode capacitive sensor (HTCS) measurement pipeline are studied. First, an experimental device and a numerical validation model of a horizontal 20 mm glass pipeline are established to study the flow characteristics of the oil-water two-phase flow. Then, the flow characteristics of the horizontal oil-water two-phase flow in the measurement pipeline under different horizontal inclination angles are studied and the flow patterns and inclination angles suitable for the new tri-electrode capacitive sensor are discussed. Finally, using the horizontal oil-water two-phase flow loop platform of the largest oil and gas testing center in China, the dynamic response of the new capacitive sensor is studied under different inclination angles, flow rates, and water-cut conditions, and the dynamic response law is analyzed based on the simulation results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The International Ocean Drilling Programme (IODP) is a long-standing international collaboration that supports scientific knowledge of Earth's interior through ocean drilling. As the current phase, the International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP), comes to an end in 2024, a new program called IODP3 will be established by the European Consortium for Ocean Research Drilling (ECORD) and Japan. IODP3 will continue to address important questions in Earth, ocean, environmental, and life sciences through research expeditions and projects based on subseafloor data and samples. The program will operate with transparency, international collaboration, and a focus on scientific excellence. It will prioritize diversity and provide open access to samples and data. The program aims to continue scientific ocean drilling beyond 2024. [Extracted from the article]

The problem of hydrate formation and its attendant plugging effect on pipelines has remained a major challenge that the oil and gas industries are faced with during production. This problem is simply an issue affecting the oil and gas facilities both at drilling and production systems. As a result of this millions of dollars have been invested in remedial and preventive operations, therefore necessitating an in-depth study on the preventive methods. This study determines and validates existing postulations on favourable conditions at which hydrates form in transmission lines in a sampled Well-X, located in the Atlantic region. Measurements and experimentations were meticulously carried out on the sampled Well-X using methane gas and water at various conditions of pressure and temperature to determine the hydrate formation induction time using a stirred reactor. The result obtained in this study shows that the induction time at which hydrate starts to form in Well-X is at a pressure of 160 bar and temperature of 4°C. The obtained result confirms a pressure of 160 bar as against pressures of 120 bar and 135 bar and a temperature of 4°C as against 6°C as the induction time of hydrate formation. From the obtained result in this study, it is concluded that there is a need for a concerted effort to maintain stable pressure and temperature conditions of the flow systems. This study recommends that adequate provisions for an efficient flow assurance system with precise inhibitors in the right concentration and quality to mitigate the effects of hydrate should be made. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional technologies of oil production on the land and the sea shelf have low coefficient of oil recovery, thus cause a huge loss to environment to what become frequent oil spills testify worldwide. In article the innovative way of development of oil fields allowing to increase significantly oil recovery by means of artificially created gravitational mode is described and also completely to exclude environmental pollution when developing offshore fields thanks to oil production by a dense grid of wells which are drilled from horizontal wells. In comparison with usual ways of oil production on the shelf, such as development, from bulk islands, oil platforms and platforms, this way has a number of technological and economic advantages. Experience of application of similar technologies around the world is considered. For comparison outputs of wells and capital expenditure on the example of oil fields Kyrykmyltyk and Kashagan in Kazakhstan are counted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to realize autonomy and intelligence for situation awareness, this paper proposes an intelligent situation awareness model based on fractional dimension information mining and multidimensional information reconstruction. First, some new concepts are proposed, the spatial situation perception is established by 3D reconstruction of the input fusion information, 4D reconstruction completes the situation comprehension and 5D reconstruction seeks the situation prediction. The three‐level situation estimation model is optimized to a more robust flexible model. Combined with the database system, the reasoning learning mechanism, and the diversified human‐machine interface concept, a basic framework of intelligent situation awareness is constructed. Second, the basic process of intelligent situation awareness is provided. Third, based on the flexible configuration method of the situation awareness system and the concept of unmanned weight determination for the situation awareness agents, an efficiency measurement model for the intelligent situation awareness model is also constructed, and an evaluation method for the consistency of multinode intelligent situation awareness is also provided. Fourth, the paper gives a typical electromagnetic situation estimation example for a drilling platform to explain and validate the concepts. Finally, several suggestions are put forward for the next construction of an intelligent situation awareness system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]