Disposable fiber optics telemetry for measuring while drilling

The project addressed the need of the oil and gas industry for real-time information about the drilling process and the formations being drilled. An ideal system would allow measuring while drilling (MWD) and would transmit data to the surface immediately at a rate high enough to support video or televiewer systems. A proposed solution was to use an optical fiber as a link between the surface and the instrumentation package. We explored the use of a disposable MWD telemetry cable, drawing on the technology developed for missile guidance which deploys miles of fiber from a small spool at missile speeds approaching half the speed of sound. Emphasis In was on the questions of survivability of the unarmored fiber in the drill string environment and deployability. Laboratory and field testing showed the concept worked under realistic conditions; a field demonstration transmitted data at 10 kilobits per second from a depth of 3500 feet

An evaluation of flowmeters for the detection of kicks and lost circulation during drilling

An independent evaluation of current industry standard and state-of-the-art drilling fluid inflow and outflow meters was conducted during the drilling of a geothermal exploratory well. Four different types of fluid inflow meters and three different types of fluid outflow meters were tested and evaluated during actual drilling operations. The tested drilling fluid inflow meters included conventional pump stroke counters, rotary pump speed counters, magnetic flow meters, and a Doppler ultrasonic flow meter. On the return flow line, a standard paddle meter, an acoustic level meter, and a prototype rolling float meter were evaluated to measure drilling fluid outflow rates. The prototype outflow meter utilizes a rolling float which rides on the surface of the flow thereby measuring the fluid height in the pipe. Both the prototype meter and the conventional paddle meter were also extensively tested under a variety of drilling conditions in a full-scale laboratory test facility. The meters were evaluated and compared on the basis of reliability and accuracy, and the results are presented in the paper

Experimental investigation on the effect of wear flat inclination on the cutting response of a blunt tool in rock cutting

A vast majority of experimental researches focuses on the cutting action of a sharp cutter, while there has been limited experimental work devoted to the study of the contact process at the wear flat-rock interface. The specific objective of this study is to determine the effect of the wear flat inclination angle ( β ) with respect to the cutter velocity vector ( vv ) on both the contact stress ( σ ) and friction coefficient ( μ ) mobilized at the wear flat-rock interface. An extensive and comprehensive set of cutting experiments was carried out on thirteen different sedimentary quarry rock samples using a state-of-the-art rock cutting equipment. A unique cutter holder was purposely designed and manufactured along with a precise experimental protocol implemented in order to change the back rake angle and therefore the inclination β by steps of 0.10∘ . The experimental observations confirm the existence of three regimes of frictional contact (identified as elastic, elasto-plastic and plastic) for all rock samples. Further, the results suggest that the scaled contact stress is predominantly controlled by a dimensionless number η=E∗tanβq with E∗ the plane strain elastic modulus and q the rock strength

Controlled Release of Octreotide and Assessment of Peptide Acylation from Poly(D,L-lactide-co-hydroxymethyl glycolide) Compared to PLGA Microspheres

# The Author(s) 2011. This article is published with open access at Springerlink.com Purpose To investigate the in vitro release of octreotide acetate, a somatostatin agonist, from microspheres based on a hydrophilic polyester, poly(D,L-lactide-co-hydroxymethyl glycolide) (PLHMGA). Methods Spherical and non-porous octreotide-loaded PLHMGA microspheres (12 to 16 μm) and loading efficiency of 60–70% were prepared by a solvent evaporation. Octreotide release profiles were compared with commercial PLGA formulation (Sandostatin LAR ®); possible peptide modification with lactic, glycolic and hydroxymethyl glycolic acid units was monitored. Results PLHMGA microspheres showed burst release (~20%) followed by sustained release for 20–60 days, depending on the hydrophilicity of the polymer. Percentage of released loaded peptide was high (70–90%);>60 % of released peptide was native octreotide. PLGA microspheres did not show peptide release for the first 10 days, after which it was released in a sustained manner over the next 90 days;>75 % of released peptides were acylated adducts. Conclusions PLHMGA microspheres are promising controlled systems for peptides with excellent control over release kinetics. Moreover, substantially less peptide modification occurred in PLHMGA than in PLGA microspheres. KEY WORDS acylation. aliphatic polyester. controlle

Expanding ocean protection and peace: a window for science diplomacy in the Gulf.

The ecological state of the Persian or Arabian Gulf (hereafter 'Gulf') is in sharp decline. Calls for comprehensive ecosystem-based management approaches and transboundary conservation have gone largely unanswered, despite mounting marine threats made worse by climate change. The region's long-standing political tensions add additional complexity, especially now as some Gulf countries will soon adopt ambitious goals to protect their marine environments as part of new global environmental commitments. The recent interest in global commitments comes at a time when diplomatic relations among all Gulf countries are improving. There is a window of opportunity for Gulf countries to meet global marine biodiversity conservation commitments, but only if scientists engage in peer-to-peer diplomacy to build trust, share knowledge and strategize marine conservation options across boundaries. The Gulf region needs more ocean diplomacy and coordination; just as critically, it needs actors at its science-policy interface to find better ways of adapting cooperative models to fit its unique marine environment, political context and culture. We propose a practical agenda for scientist-led diplomacy in the short term and lines of research from which to draw (e.g. co-production, knowledge exchange) to better design future science diplomacy practices and processes suited to the Gulf's setting.We acknowledge support from the Smithson Fellowship (C.M.F.)

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

PDC (polycrystalline diamond compact) bit research at Sandia National Laboratories

From the beginning of the geothermal development program, Sandia has performed and supported research into polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) bits. These bits are attractive because they are intrinsically efficient in their cutting action (shearing, rather than crushing) and they have no moving parts (eliminating the problems of high-temperature lubricants, bearings, and seals.) This report is a summary description of the analytical and experimental work done by Sandia and our contractors. It describes analysis and laboratory tests of individual cutters and complete bits, as well as full-scale field tests of prototype and commercial bits. The report includes a bibliography of documents giving more detailed information on these topics. 26 refs