Optimal Floating Production Storage Offloading (FPSO) revamp project management : the execution phase model development

In a bid to realise production targets and operational efficiency from ultra-deep offshore areas where the world’s oil and gas reserves are situated, the Floating Production Storage Offloading (FPSO) asset is deployed in many parts the world, being the most efficient production means. Judging, especially, from health safety environment performance indicators, the major multinational oil and gas producing organizations is perceived to pursue operational excellence, yet there are indications of unsatisfactory revamp project management performance in the literature. Revamp projects are sanctioned to assure asset lifecycle and improve production performance. Some major multinational oil and gas producing companies have customised the stage-gate project management approach from theory for revamp projects realisation. However, the stage-gate framework, which is generic, tends essentially towards major, capital, or new built projects from the contractor perspective. Since the theoretical approach is not tailored specifically to revamp project development, the application of the stage-gate approach by the oil and gas producing organizations (client or sponsor) perspective therefore does produce optimal results.The aim of this study is to develop an optimal FPSO revamp project management model from the oil and gas operating company perspective at the execution phase. To address the problem of underperformance in this research, pragmatism research philosophy and the mixed research method, comprising five case studies, four from major multinational oil and gas corporations operating in Nigeria, and a group of oil and gas revamp project experts from across the world was utilised. A panel of experts with over 15 years of experience in revamp projects were purposively selected from each case study. Questionnaire and interview feedback from the respondents were screened for optimality with the use of the Delphi technique to avoid bias in predicting the future revamp project management performance.The research findings identified four critical criteria for revamp projects - engineering, pre-fabrication and construction, site installation and pre-commissioning and commissioning; nine sub criteria comprising project scope, procurement, cost and schedule, risk, human resources, Health Safety Environment Quality (HSEQ), integration, knowledge, and stakeholder management as well as two compensatory project management options - Lean and Agile project management approaches that can be infused into identified critical knowledge areas within the stage-gate project management model for attaining optimal FPSO revamp project development. A four level, three steps Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) analysis of the research data obtained from the respondents in this research was used to make group decisions concerning FPSO revamp project management for the execution project phase. The study confirms that project management within FPSO asset revamp projects often fail due to uninformed decision making, rather than the hitherto suggested non-compliance with project management theory. It is also revealed that Lean is preferred to Agile Project Management which, seemingly, is the most appropriate from contemporary perspective but with little acceptance in actual practice for revamp project performance improvements.The research has developed, validated, and tested the proposed optimal project management model from AHP – multi criteria decisions by expert professionals working for major multinational oil and gas companies operating within and outside Nigeria. The research also demonstrated that most of these operating companies and revamp project experts from all over the world are guided by the same ethics, procedures, and theoretical project management frameworks. The findings from this research are reflections of global rather than regional perspective of the industry and therefore, the case studies selected from major multinational oil and gas companies operating in Nigeria does not invalidate the outcomes of the research

Distribution of radionuclides and assessment of risk exposure to the miners on a kaolin field

Mining of kaolin deposits are common in Nigeria without considering the background radiation in such environment and the health risks it might pose on the miners. In this study, in-situ measurements of the naturally occurring radionuclides were carried out with the aim of determining the distribution of these radionuclides on the mining field and estimation of the hazard indices exposure risks (γ- and α-radiation risks) to the miners. The study was achieved with the aid of gamma ray detector Super-Spec (RS-125) and global positioning system. The detector used has ability to measure activity concentrations of 238U, 232Th and 40K and gamma doses. For the purpose of this study, only the concentrations of the three radionuclides were considered. For each location, measurements were taken four times, while its mean value was estimated for better accuracy. In all, nineteen locations were occupied in order to cover the study area. Basic kriging method was adopted for the production of spatial distribution of these radionuclides and their corresponding γ- and α-radiation hazard indices. The mean values of 238U, 232Th and 40K are 46.7, 71.8 and 108.7 Bq kg-1 , respectively. When compared to the global standard, it was revealed that 238U and 232Th are greater than the global standard, while 40K fall below the permissible limit. The γ- and α-radiation exposure risks estimated revealed that the mean values of Iγ and Iα are 0.6 and 0.2 respectively. Though the estimated γ- and α-radiation indices showed that the kaolin field is safe for the miners, periodic check is required in order to monitor the rate at which these natural primordial radionuclides (238U and 232Th and their progenies) are being enhanced

Distribution of radionuclides and assessment of risk exposure to the miners on a kaolin field

Mining of kaolin deposits are common in Nigeria without considering the background radiation in such environment and the health risks it might pose on the miners. In this study, in-situ measurements of the naturally occurring radionuclides were carried out with the aim of determining the distribution of these radionuclides on the mining field and estimation of the hazard indices exposure risks (γ- and α-radiation risks) to the miners. The study was achieved with the aid of gamma ray detector Super-Spec (RS-125) and global positioning system. The detector used has ability to measure activity concentrations of 238U, 232Th and 40K and gamma doses. For the purpose of this study, only the concentrations of the three radionuclides were considered. For each location, measurements were taken four times, while its mean value was estimated for better accuracy. In all, nineteen locations were occupied in order to cover the study area. Basic kriging method was adopted for the production of spatial distribution of these radionuclides and their corresponding γ- and α-radiation hazard indices. The mean values of 238U, 232Th and 40K are 46.7, 71.8 and 108.7 Bq kg-1 , respectively. When compared to the global standard, it was revealed that 238U and 232Th are greater than the global standard, while 40K fall below the permissible limit. The γ- and α-radiation exposure risks estimated revealed that the mean values of Iγ and Iα are 0.6 and 0.2 respectively. Though the estimated γ- and α-radiation indices showed that the kaolin field is safe for the miners, periodic check is required in order to monitor the rate at which these natural primordial radionuclides (238U and 232Th and their progenies) are being enhanced

Challenges of Residency Training and Early Career Doctors in Nigeria Phase II: Update on Objectives, Design, and Rationale of Study

Background: Early career doctors (ECDs) are a dynamic and highly mobile group of medical and dental practitioners who form a significant proportion of the health workforce in Nigeria. The challenges of residency training and ECDs in Nigeria CHARTING Phase I study explored limited challenges affecting ECDs under the broad themes of demography, workplace issues, and psychosocial issues. The CHARTING II was expanded to provide wider insight into the challenges of ECDs in Nigeria. Objective: This protocol aims to provide clear objectives including description of objectives, design, and rationale for the conduct of the proposed CHARTING II study which seeks to explore other components under the various themes of demographic, workplace, psychosocial issues affecting the ECDs in Nigeria, and which were not explored under CHARTING I.   Methodology: This shall be a mixed study design that will combine qualitative and quantitative methods, to investigate 27 subthemes among 2000 ECDs spread across 31 centers, accredited by the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors. Participants shall be selected using the multistage sampling method. The primary data will be generated using structured proforma and validated questionnaires,while administrative sources would serve as a source of secondary data. Data will be entered and analyzed using appropriate statisticalsoftware. Conclusion: CHARTING II study would provide more robust data and insight into the problems encountered by ECDs in Nigeria. This would in turn build a platform for institutional engagement and advocacy in order to drive relevant policies to mitigate these challenges. Keywords: Early career doctors, Nigeria, residency, resident doctors, trainin

Identification and antibiotic sensitivity test of bacteria from stools of patients with acute diarrhoea

One hundred and fifty stool samples from 65 female and 85 male patients with acute diarrhoea from the Central Hospital, Agbor (Nigeria) were examined to ascertain the likelihood of cholera outbreak in Agbor. The samples were preserved in Carey-Blair semi-solid medium, inoculated directly on blood agar, McConkey agar, deoxych-olate citrate (DCA) agar and thiosulphate-citrate-bile-salt (TCBS) agar, and incubated aerobically for 24 h at 37 º C. The isolates were characterised by sugar fermentation tests and cultural morphology. Seven bacterial gene-ra were identified and Escherichia coli had an incidence of 58 %, Vibrio cholerae 36 %, Salmonella spp. 14.7 %, Aeromonas hydrophila 9.3 %, Shigella dysenteriae 7.3 % and Klebsiella oxytoca 7.3. % each and 3.3 % for Shigella flexneri. The V. cholerae isolates were designated VC01-VC07, and were serotyped using polyvalent, monospecific Ogawa and Inaba 01 and 0139 antisera. V. cholerae 01 biotype ETor serotype Ogawa was predo-minant and prevalent between April - May 2008, when most of the isolates were isolated. For the VC01, 39 iso-lates were from males (72.2 %) and 15 were from females (27.8 %). The bacteria isolates were tested against 9 antibiotics by the disc diffusion method. E. coli, Salmonella spp, Shigella spp and Aeromonas hydrophila were all resistant to gentamycin, tetracycline and penicillin (100 %) but were sensitive to chloramphenicol, ciproflox-acin and cefotaxime. All the V. cholerae strains (100 %) were highly sensitive to cephataxime, ciprofloxacin, chloramphenicol and erythromycin, but were resistant to streptomycin (71.4 %), tetracycline (71.4 %) and peni-cillin (57.1 %), while all isolates showed intermediate resistance or sensitivity to gentamycin. The study indica-ted that there was an ecological niche that supported V. cholerae 01 biotype in Agbor, which could become pub-lic health concern, unless detailed epidemiological investigation is conducted

Chlamydia trachomatis Infecion Among Apparently Healthy Students of Ambrose Alli University Ekpoma, Edo State, Nigeria

Chlamydia trachomatisinfection is one of the sexually transmitted diseases (STD) occurring asymptomatically and frequently causing pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). Randomized control screening was conducted using immunochromatographic (ICG) tests for the detection of chlamydial antigen in extracts from urine and endo-cervical swab (ECS) samples from 530 University students. Positive samples were further subjected to Giemsa staining technique and microscopy for elementary bodies. Of the 530 students screened, a total of 80 (15.1%) males and 40 (7.5%) females were found positive by the immunochromatographic (ICG) method, but no inclusion bodies were found in any of the positive samples further examined by the Giemsa's staining method. ICG tests were found to be more sensitive for detecting chlamydial infection in ECS samples than the matching urine samples (P>0.05). Routine screening and appropriate treatment, especially of sexually-active youths is imperative if control measures are to be effective. Immunochromatographic screening method for chlamydial infection can give an on-the-spot diagnosis; hence the prevalence of infection and an estimate of the cost of its management. Keywords: Prevalence, Chlamydia trachomatis, asymptomatic infection Journal of Medical Laboratory Sciences Vol. 14 (2) 2005: pp. 62-6

Investigating and combatting the key drivers of viral zoonoses in Africa: an analysis of eight epidemics

Abstract Investigating the interplay of factors that result in a viral zoonotic outbreak is difficult, though it is increasingly important. As anthropogenic influences shift the delicate balance of ecosystems, new zoonoses emerge in humans. Sub-Saharan Africa is a notable hotspot for zoonotic disease due to abundant competent mammalian reservoir hosts. Furthermore, poverty, corruption, and an overreliance on natural resources play considerable roles in depleting biological resources, exacerbating the population's susceptibility. Unsurprisingly, viral zoonoses have emerged in Africa, including HIV/AIDS, Ebola, Avian influenza, Lassa fever, Zika, and Monkeypox. These diseases are among the principal causes of death in endemic areas. Though typically distinct in their manifestations, viral zoonoses are connected by underlying, definitive factors. This review summarises vital findings on viral zoonoses in Africa using nine notable case studies as a benchmark for future studies. We discuss the importance of ecological recuperation and protection as a central strategy to control zoonotic diseases. Emphasis was made on moderating key drivers of zoonotic diseases to forestall future pandemics. This is in conjunction with attempts to redirect efforts from reactive to pre-emptive through a multidisciplinary “one health” approach