Dynamic modelling and real-time monitoring of intelligent wells

Intelligent Wells (I-Wells) are the wells equipped with in-well Flow Control Devices (FCDs) and sensors. I-Wells offer a wide range of flow control and monitoring options, with the latter often being subject to how well the information is derived from the measured, raw data. Pressure or temperature are the measurements most commonly taken and requiring interpretation in I-Wells. This work develops innovative methods for modelling and monitoring of dynamic, transient flow in I-Wells. The topics cover: i. I-well clean-up modelling and analysis; ii. Integrated Pressure and Temperature Transient Analysis (PTTA) in wells; and iii. Pressure Transient Analysis (PTA) in I-Wells. This study starts with addressing the challenging clean-up process in I-Wells. A dynamic, coupled wellbore-reservoir modeling workflow is developed that simulates the whole process from fluid invasion to the flow back period. This is followed by investigating the role of different types of FCDs, e.g. autonomous and passive FCDs, well geometries etc. on the cleanup efficiency. General recommendations to facilitate the clean-up in I-Wells are further provided. This study continues with a novel methodology integrating mature PTA solutions with the relatively new Temperature Transient Analysis (TTA) ones for various applications such as reservoir characterization, flow rate allocation and completion monitoring. Several available TTA solutions are extended to describe the multiphase flow in the reservoir. The required modifications and workflow are developed and verified using synthetic case studies. The value of the integrated analysis is then demonstrated by presenting a new method applicable for multi-phase production rate allocation in multi-zone, vertical I-Wells. The variable rate problem in the TTA context is later studied where the distorted signal is reconstructed by proposing normalization methods and developing a data-driven deconvolution algorithm. Finally, the effect of non-linear pressure drop across FCDs in I-Wells on applicability of the classical PTA solutions is investigated. The corrections to incorporate this effect into the classical PTA solutions is implemented as well as a workflow to decompose the total skin is presented. The value and applicability of the proposed workflow are later illustrated using real field case studies. This thesis is an important contribution into the understanding, modelling, monitoring and analysis of dynamic flow process in advanced wells

Partial shape matching using CCP map and weighted graph transformation matching

La détection de la similarité ou de la différence entre les images et leur mise en correspondance sont des problèmes fondamentaux dans le traitement de l'image. Pour résoudre ces problèmes, on utilise, dans la littérature, différents algorithmes d'appariement. Malgré leur nouveauté, ces algorithmes sont pour la plupart inefficaces et ne peuvent pas fonctionner correctement dans les situations d’images bruitées. Dans ce mémoire, nous résolvons la plupart des problèmes de ces méthodes en utilisant un algorithme fiable pour segmenter la carte des contours image, appelée carte des CCPs, et une nouvelle méthode d'appariement. Dans notre algorithme, nous utilisons un descripteur local qui est rapide à calculer, est invariant aux transformations affines et est fiable pour des objets non rigides et des situations d’occultation. Après avoir trouvé le meilleur appariement pour chaque contour, nous devons vérifier si ces derniers sont correctement appariés. Pour ce faire, nous utilisons l'approche « Weighted Graph Transformation Matching » (WGTM), qui est capable d'éliminer les appariements aberrants en fonction de leur proximité et de leurs relations géométriques. WGTM fonctionne correctement pour les objets à la fois rigides et non rigides et est robuste aux distorsions importantes. Pour évaluer notre méthode, le jeu de données ETHZ comportant cinq classes différentes d'objets (bouteilles, cygnes, tasses, girafes, logos Apple) est utilisé. Enfin, notre méthode est comparée à plusieurs méthodes célèbres proposées par d'autres chercheurs dans la littérature. Bien que notre méthode donne un résultat comparable à celui des méthodes de référence en termes du rappel et de la précision de localisation des frontières, elle améliore significativement la précision moyenne pour toutes les catégories du jeu de données ETHZ.Matching and detecting similarity or dissimilarity between images is a fundamental problem in image processing. Different matching algorithms are used in literature to solve this fundamental problem. Despite their novelty, these algorithms are mostly inefficient and cannot perform properly in noisy situations. In this thesis, we solve most of the problems of previous methods by using a reliable algorithm for segmenting image contour map, called CCP Map, and a new matching method. In our algorithm, we use a local shape descriptor that is very fast, invariant to affine transform, and robust for dealing with non-rigid objects and occlusion. After finding the best match for the contours, we need to verify if they are correctly matched. For this matter, we use the Weighted Graph Transformation Matching (WGTM) approach, which is capable of removing outliers based on their adjacency and geometrical relationships. WGTM works properly for both rigid and non-rigid objects and is robust to high order distortions. For evaluating our method, the ETHZ dataset including five diverse classes of objects (bottles, swans, mugs, giraffes, apple-logos) is used. Finally, our method is compared to several famous methods proposed by other researchers in the literature. While our method shows a comparable result to other benchmarks in terms of recall and the precision of boundary localization, it significantly improves the average precision for all of the categories in the ETHZ dataset

Hamiltonian formulation of gravity as a spontaneously-broken gauge theory of the Lorentz group

A number of approaches to gravitation have much in common with the gauge theories of the standard model of particle physics. In this paper, we develop the Hamiltonian formulation of a class of gravitational theories that may be regarded as spontaneously-broken gauge theories of the complexified Lorentz group $SO(1,3)_C$ with the gravitational field described entirely by a gauge field valued in the Lie algebra of $SO(1,3)_C$ and a `Higgs field' valued in the group's fundamental representation. The theories have one free parameter $\beta$ which appears in a similar role to the inverse of the Barbero-Immirzi parameter of Einstein-Cartan theory. However, contrary to that parameter, it is shown that the number of degrees of freedom crucially depends on the value of $\beta$. For non-zero values of $\beta$, it is shown that three complex degrees of freedom propagate on general backgrounds, and for the specific values $\beta=\pm i$ an extension to General Relativity is recovered in a symmetry-broken regime. For the value $\beta=0$, the theory propagates no local degrees of freedom. A non-zero value of $\beta$ corresponds to the self-dual and anti-self-dual gauge fields appearing asymmetrically in the action, therefore in these models, the existence of gravitational degrees of freedom is tied to chiral asymmetry in the gravitational sector

Innovation a modern model for estimating volume of money laundering

Money laundering or dirty money laundering refers to a process which attempts to demonstrate as legal the source of money obtained through illegal or illegitimate activities. Inflation and recession are among unavoidable consequences of money laundering and will eventually lead to spread of poverty in society. Therefore, recent years have witnessed a great tendency towards the assessment of this phenomenon and the application of different methods to estimate its quantity and volume alongside other similar variables in the socio-economic context. The aim of this article is to explain the ways of modeling of economic relations in addition to introducing a new method for assessment of the quantity of dirty money based on mathematical methods, without any particular presumption. This is while other methods, due to their nature, have a variety of different premises and this has indeed created many problems, including the likelihood of having remarkable errors. The present study applies a combination of Bhatta charya method and arithmetic methods which are based on Tikhonov's regularization strategy and inverse problem in order to introduce a new equation for assessment of the quantity of dirty money. Keywords: Corruption, Poverty, Money Laundering, Tikhonov Regularization Strategy, Inverse Proble

Physics of ion beam cancer therapy: a multi-scale approach

We propose a multi-scale approach to understand the physics related to ion-beam cancer therapy. It allows the calculation of the probability of DNA damage as a result of irradiation of tissues with energetic ions, up to 430 MeV/u. This approach covers different scales, starting from the large scale, defined by the ion stopping, followed by a smaller scale, defined by secondary electrons and radicals, and ending with the shortest scale, defined by interactions of secondaries with the DNA. We present calculations of the probabilities of single and double strand breaks of DNA, suggest a way to further expand such calculations, and also make some estimates for glial cells exposed to radiation.Comment: 18 pag,5 fig, submitted to PR

Pressure-assisted microsyringe 3D printing of oral films based on pullulan and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose

Oral films (OFs) continue to attract attention as drug delivery systems, particularly for pedatric and geriatric needs. However, immiscibility between different polymers limits the full potential of OFs from being explored. One example is pullulan (PUL), a novel biopolymer which often has to be blended with other polymers to reduce cost and alter its mechanical properties. In this study, the state-of-the-art in fabrication techniques, three-dimensional (3D) printing was used to produce hybrid film structures of PUL and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), which were loaded with caffeine as a model drug. 3D printing was used to control the spatial deposition of films. HPMC was found to increase the mean mechanical properties of PUL films, where the tensile strength, elastic modulus and elongation break increased from 8.9 to 14.5 MPa, 1.17 to 1.56 GPa and from 1.48% to 1.77%, respectively. In addition, the spatial orientation of the hybrid films was also explored to determine which orientation could maximize the mechanical properties of the hybrid films. The results revealed that 3D printing could modify the mechanical properties of PUL whilst circumventing the issues associated with immiscibility

Prioritizing Public- Private Partnership Models for Public Hospitals of Iran Based on Performance Indicators

Background: The present study was conducted to scrutinize Public- Private Partnership (PPP) models in public hospitals of different countries based on performance indicators in order to se-lect appropriated models for Iran hospitals.Methods: In this mixed (quantitative-qualitative) study, systematic review and expert panel hasbeen done to identify varied models of PPP as well as performance indicators. In the second stepwe prioritized performance indicator and PPP models based on selected performance indicatorsby Analytical Hierarchy process (AHP) technique. The data were analyzed by Excel 2007 andExpert Choice11 software’s.Results: In quality – effectiveness area, indicators like the rate of hospital infections(100%), hospital accidents prevalence rate (73%), pure rate of hospital mortality (63%), patientsatisfaction percentage (53%), in accessibility equity area indicators such as average inpatientwaiting time (100%) and average outpatient waiting time (74%), and in financial – efficiency area,indicators including average length of stay (100%), bed occupation ratio (99%), specific incometo total cost ratio (97%) have been chosen to be the most key performance indicators. In the prioritizationof the PPP models clinical outsourcing, management, privatization, BOO (build, own,operate) and non-clinical outsourcing models, achieved high priority for various performance indicatorareas.Conclusion: This study had been provided the most common PPP options in the field of public hospitals and had gathered suitable evidences from experts for choosing appropriate PPP option for public hospitals. Effect of private sector presence in public hospital performance, based on which PPP options undertaken, will be different

Automatic discrimination between safe and unsafe swallowing using a reputation-based classifier

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Swallowing accelerometry has been suggested as a potential non-invasive tool for bedside dysphagia screening. Various vibratory signal features and complementary measurement modalities have been put forth in the literature for the potential discrimination between safe and unsafe swallowing. To date, automatic classification of swallowing accelerometry has exclusively involved a single-axis of vibration although a second axis is known to contain additional information about the nature of the swallow. Furthermore, the only published attempt at automatic classification in adult patients has been based on a small sample of swallowing vibrations.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In this paper, a large corpus of dual-axis accelerometric signals were collected from 30 older adults (aged 65.47 ± 13.4 years, 15 male) referred to videofluoroscopic examination on the suspicion of dysphagia. We invoked a reputation-based classifier combination to automatically categorize the dual-axis accelerometric signals into safe and unsafe swallows, as labeled via videofluoroscopic review. From these participants, a total of 224 swallowing samples were obtained, 164 of which were labeled as unsafe swallows (swallows where the bolus entered the airway) and 60 as safe swallows. Three separate support vector machine (SVM) classifiers and eight different features were selected for classification.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>With selected time, frequency and information theoretic features, the reputation-based algorithm distinguished between safe and unsafe swallowing with promising accuracy (80.48 ± 5.0%), high sensitivity (97.1 ± 2%) and modest specificity (64 ± 8.8%). Interpretation of the most discriminatory features revealed that in general, unsafe swallows had lower mean vibration amplitude and faster autocorrelation decay, suggestive of decreased hyoid excursion and compromised coordination, respectively. Further, owing to its performance-based weighting of component classifiers, the static reputation-based algorithm outperformed the democratic majority voting algorithm on this clinical data set.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Given its computational efficiency and high sensitivity, reputation-based classification of dual-axis accelerometry ought to be considered in future developments of a point-of-care swallow assessment where clinical informatics are desired.</p