Improved Well Cost Estimation Through Uncertainty Quantification

The study was initiated to develop more accurate well cost estimations for drilling and completion Authorization for Expenditures (AFE). Specifically, a privately funded company (Company A) is interested in analyzing historical drilling and completion AFEs to determine a more accurate and reliable estimation process to efficiently develop their core assets in the Montney play of northeast British Columbia. In 2014, Company A and working interest affiliates underestimated well cost AFEs by 23% reducing the amount of available capital which could be used for further development. The uncertainty in these estimates was quantified at a sub-cost level which determined the locations of focus for strategic intervention and a workflow was created which utilized previous years’ estimates, actual costs, and a probabilistic cost model to convert deterministic well cost estimates into probabilistic to better estimate well costs. The uncertainty can be represented through a series of tornado charts showing the primary areas requiring improvement, based on an evaluation of 97 cost codes related to drilling and completion operations. The areas selected, are those with the largest ranges of uncertainty in terms of dollar value. For example, 11 cost codes were found to exceed ranges of $500k per well and these require immediate attention. The developed workflow examined each cost code through a probabilistic analysis determining the optimal procedure for adjusting future AFE estimates’. As a result, the workflow reduced well cost underestimation from 23% to only 5%. The improved well cost estimations provide the opportunity for a more accurate allocation of funds

The Nature of Conflict in Sport: Development and Validation of the Group Conflict Questionnaire

The purpose of the present dissertation was to develop a questionnaire to assess intra-group conflict in sport teams. To this end, the current dissertation consisted of three phases which followed a logical progression that is typical in the questionnaire development process. A total of (N = 752) participants took part in the three phases (Phase 1: N = 10; Phase 2: N = 437; Phase 3: N = 305). Phase 1 was a qualitative investigation of athletes’ (N = 10) perceptions of the nature of conflict in sport. This phase was undertaken to gain a better understanding of the conflict phenomenon in sport groups. Results from Phase 1 indicated that participants experienced conflict in task and social situations, and that conflict manifested itself through cognitive (disagreements), behavioral (interference) and affective (negative emotions) components. Phase 2 consisted of two projects. The objective of the first project was to utilise the results from Phase 1 to generate potential questionnaire items. These items were then assessed for content validity by a panel of experts (N = 6). A total of 50 items were generated and sent out to the experts. Based on their feedback, a total of 25 items were retained for further testing. The objective of the second project of Phase 2 was to begin initial reliability (internal consistency) and validity (factorial) testing with the set of content valid items with a sample of athletes (N = 437). Results from this initial psychometric testing yielded a structurally reliable and valid (CFI = .946, RMSEA = .086, SRMR = .042) 14-item, two dimensional (task conflict, 7-items, and social conflict, 7-items) version of the Group Conflict Questionnaire. Phase 3 was undertaken to further test the reliability (internal consistency) and validity (factorial, convergent, discriminant, known-group difference) for the Group Conflict Questionnaire with another sample of athletes (N = 305). Results provided evidence for reliability and validity for the four types assessed (CFI = .903, RMSEA = .109, SRMR = .060). The newly developed and validated 14-item, two dimensional, Group Conflict Questionnaire can be utilised for continued use to advance the knowledge of conflict in sport

Investigating the Mediating Role of Cohesion in the Relationship between Athlete Leadership and Athlete Satisfaction in Youth Sport

The purpose was to examine whether cohesion served as a mediator between athlete leadership and athlete satisfaction in youth sport. Participants were 205 competitive youth sport athletes ranging from 13-17 years old (Mage = 15.01 years). Participants completed the Leadership Scale for Sports (LSS; Chelladurai & Saleh, 1980), the Youth Sport Environment Questionnaire (YSEQ; Eys, Loughead, Bray, & Carron, 2009), and the Athlete Satisfaction Questionnaire (ASQ; Riemer & Chelladurai, 1998). Structural equation modelling was used to test for mediation. Overall results indicated that task cohesion mediated the relationships between formal and informal task athlete leadership behaviours and task athlete satisfaction outcomes, while social cohesion mediated the relationship between formal and informal social athlete leadership behaviours and social athlete satisfaction outcomes. Findings from the present study augment the group dynamics literature as theoretical, methodological, and practical implications are discussed

Understanding the developmental experiences of high-performance coaches in Northern Ireland: A collective case study from an ecological perspective

The purpose of the present study was to examine the developmental experiences of high-performance coaches in Northern Ireland as a collective case study from an ecological perspective. Eight high-performance coaches from Northern Ireland were recruited and participated in semi-structured interviews. Each participant coached athletes at either World Championships, European Championships, Summer Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and/or professional levels. An ecological perspective was adopted to explore the barriers and supports for coaches at individual, interpersonal, organisational, and sociocultural levels throughout their coach development journeys. Data were analysed through theme development, refinement, naming, and triangulation. Findings are represented through the main themes and subthemes of: individual (previous athletic experience, engagement in experiential learning), interpersonal (networks, mentoring, non-sporting mentors), organisational (formal learning activities, varying levels governing body support, previous limitations of the high-performance system), and sociocultural (Northern Ireland’s unique political and geographical standing, dual nationality opportunities, and denominational perceptions of sports)