Pressure-driven steady-state simulation of oilfield infrastructure

IFP is developing through TINA research Project (Transient Integrated Network Analysis) and in partnership with Total, a new generation of simulation tool for flow assurance studies. This integrated multiphase production software will be able to perform multiphase simulations from the wellbore to the surface facilities. Some steady state simulation tools are used at the early stages of a study for conceptual design, detailed engineering and at the initializing steps of dynamic simulations, then dynamic simulation tools are used for evaluating and better understanding the transient behaviour of the system. The purpose of this paper is to define, in a CAPE-OPEN compliant environment, a strategy to solve steady-state oil & gas problems, i.e. pure simulation and design problems in a context of hydrocarbon production and transport from wellbore to surface facilities. Usually, a deep water production system produces a main field and sometimes it can be linked to satellite fields. The infrastructure of the system is mainly composed by subsea wellhead clusters, chokes, production lines, risers and separating units. The first stage of this study includes the use of the process simulator ProSimPlus™ in a pressure driven environment (pressure equality is assumed at each manifold of the flowsheet) to solve simulation and design problems in two classical cases: flowsheet without recycle, recycle of gas from the separator’s head to the riser (gas-lift). These two basic infrastructures are concerned with the life cycle of an production system; the first case corresponds to the beginning of a field exploitation, the second one to the case of the activation of “non-eruptive” wells with riser head pressure constraint. For each case, various strategies are exploited: • flowrates/pressure strategy in which design variables (chokes (valves) opening, flowrates or well pressure) should be adjusted to verify pressure equality in each manifold and a fixed Riser’s head pressure constraint. • Pressures/pressure strategy in which only the well flowrates are free variables, for the same set of constraints. In a second step of this study, the ProSimPlus SPEC module (design specification and recycle solver) is made CAPE-OPEN compliant and integrated in an INDISS™ environment. INDISS™ is the simulation platform chosen by TINA to provide a consistent set of data and model along the production flow from wellbore to export facilities and to solve a great number of problems form the simplest (design studies) to the more complex (shut-down, restart) oil & gas simulation. In conclusion, this study pointed out two major elements: classical CAPE tools are able to solve efficiently, in a context of pressure-driven flowsheets, steady-state simulation encountered in oil & gas production problems and the CAPE-OPEN standards are the best way to “plug and play” a software component from a process simulator (i.e. ProSimPlus™) to another one (i.e. INDISS™). Future works concern multi-period optimization strategy in a modular sequential process simulator

Measurement of nonlinear elastic response in rock by the resonant bar method

In this work we are studying the behavior of the fundamental (Young's) mode resonant peak as a function of drive amplitude in rock samples. Our goal from these studies is to obtain nonlinear moduli for many rock types, and to study the nonlinear moduli as a function of water saturation and other changes in physical properties. Measurements were made on seven different room dry rock samples. For one sample measurements were taken at 16 saturation levels between 1 and 98%. All samples display a softening'' nonlinearity, that is, the resonant frequency shifts downward with increasing drive amplitude. In extreme cases, the resonant frequency changes by as much as 25% over a strain interval of 10[sup [minus]7] to [approximately]4 [times] 10[sup [minus]5]. Measurements indicate that the nonlinear response is extremely sensitive to saturation. Estimates of a combined cubic and quartic nonlinear parameter [Gamma] range from approximately [minus]300 to [minus]10[sup 9] for the rock samples

In quest for a sustainable motorisation: the CNG opportunity

This article describes the opportunity deriving from the substitution of conventional fuels with the compressed natural gas (CNG). The advantages of this fuel are: a relevant, as it concerns consumer’s expenses and ecological aspect b rapidly achievable c close to hand for Europe, the USA and other countries where the motorisation is at the take-off stage, like the BRIC countries and Iran, Pakistan, Indonesia and so on. These advantages makes CNG a viable solution, with relevant advantages both on the side of pollution and expenses, while waiting for the availability of new technologies. Presently, the most important bottleneck for a large-scale implementation of this solution is represented by a possible shortage in the distribution network. Those countries crossed by gas pipeline could rapidly overcome this bottleneck without relevant costs. Otherwise, the solution could be achieved either through gas carrier’s ships or through local production of biomethane by the exploitation of biomasses

Measuring empathy in pediatrics: validation of the Visual CARE measure

Background: Empathy is a key element of “Patient and Family Centered Care”, a clinical approach recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. However, there is a lack of validated tools to evaluate paediatrician empathy. This study aimed to validate the Visual CARE Measure, a patient rated questionnaire measuring physician empathy, in the setting of a Pediatric Emergency Department (ED). Methods: The empathy of physicians working in the Pediatric ED of the University Hospital of Udine, Italy, was assessed using an Italian translation of the Visual Care Measure. This test has three versions suited to different age groups: the 5Q questionnaire was administered to children aged 7–11, the 10Q version to those older than 11, and the 10Q–Parent questionnaire to parents of children younger than 7. The internal reliability, homogeneity and construct validity of the 5Q and 10Q/10Q–Parent versions of the Visual Care Measure, were separately assessed. The influence of family background on the rating of physician empathy and satisfaction with the clinical encounter was also evaluated. Results: Seven physicians and 416 children and their parents were included in the study. Internal consistency measured by Cronbach’s alpha was 0.95 for the 10Q/10Q–Parent versions and 0.88 for the 5Q version. The item-total correlation was > 0.75 for each item. An exploratory factor analysis showed that all the items load onto the first factor. Physicians’ empathy scores correlated with patients’ satisfaction for both the 10Q and 10Q–Parent questionnaires (Spearman’s rho = 0.7189; p < 0.001) and for the 5Q questionnaire (Spearman’s rho = 0.5968; p < 0,001). Trust in the consulting physician was lower among immigrant parents (OR 0.43. 95% CI 0.20–0.93). Conclusions: The Visual Care Measure is a reliable second-person test of physician empathy in the setting of a Pediatric Emergency Room. More studies are needed to evaluate the reliability of this instrument in other pediatric settings distinct from the Emergency Room and to further evaluate its utility in measuring the impact of communication and empathy training programmes for healthcare professionals working in pediatrics

Ilkeston Charter Fair photograph, October 2006.

Anthony Harris' Waltzer - W67 - photographed October 2006

Ilkeston Charter Fair photograph, October 2006.

Cox's Move It - MI5 - photographed October 2006

Ilkeston Charter Fair photograph, October 2006.

Mellors' Mouse - RC454 - photographed 2006

Ilkeston Charter Fair photograph, October 2006.

Harris' Streetfighter Chaos - AF34 - photographed 2006

Ilkeston Charter Fair photograph, October 2006.

Anthony Harris' Waltzer - W67 - photographed October 2006