Using Memoranda of Understanding to facilitate marine management in Canada

Like many other coastal states, management of Canada’s offshore areas is complicated by the division of authority among differing government departments and agencies. However, as a Confederation, this administrative complexity in Canada is further exacerbated by the jurisdictional division of powers between the Federal Parliament and the Provincial Legislatures. The most common tool for overcoming this division and facilitating cooperation are formalized non-binding agreements known as Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs). While there are a large number of MOUs in existence in Canada, few are being implemented. In part, this is because the non-binding nature of the agreement means that either party may discard their obligations at will. This has led to many useful MOUs being discarded and years of work and resources expended negotiating these agreements being wasted. This paper discusses the findings from three such agreements, each focusing on efforts to manage Canada’s offshore resources. It highlights the importance of six factors capable of increasing the likelihood that any given MOU aimed at collaboration between different authorities will be successful. These factors include: a foundation of cooperation, clear statement of priorities, feasible and adaptable work plans, integration at various management levels, a legislative foundation, and adequate financial resources.     

抗冰导管架平台动力特性分析

目前的抗冰导管架平台结构设计主要是考虑极限冰力引起的破坏,尚未形成基于动冰力响应分析的结构设计。为了更好研究冰荷载、冰激振动机理以及提出合理的概念设计,冰荷载下抗冰导管架结构的动力特性分析是十分必要的。基于现场冰与导管架结构相互作用的多年观测以及数值模拟研究,分析渤海辽东湾典型导管架结构在交变冰力作用下的动力特性,提出了适于冰荷载研究与抗冰导管架结构概念设计、分析的简化力学模型,解释柔性抗冰导管架结构动力效应显著的原因。     

我国海洋测井技术回顾与展望

地球物理测井是利用各种现代物理学的方法（包括电学、声学、核物理、热学、光学、磁学、力学等）对储层空间的油气水特性、沉积环境、地层层序、构造地质等现象进行定量研究，逐步形成的一门理论性、实用性很强的边缘学科．海洋测井作业环境更为特殊而复杂，不但投资大、作业风险大，而且具有技术高度密集、技术难度大的特点．发展海洋石油勘探事业，必须加强对海洋测井技术的研究，利用现代高新科学技术，开拓海洋测井新领域，为海洋石油勘探提供更丰富、更准确的地质信息．     

热带太平洋地区SSTA和风应力场的海气耦合模态

按国家气象局“八五”攻关力专家组提出的有关近海热带气候强度突变的标准，对１９７０－１９９１年在我国的近海发生强度突为的热带气旋进行了分类统计，发现如下气候特征：平均每年有８－９个热带气旋移到我国近海时发生强度突变，其中突然减弱的居多，占总个数的７９．６％，突然增强的只占总个数的２０．４％，突然增强只发和天５－１０月，而突然减弱到５－１２月均可发生；突然增强主要出现在浙闽沿海、南海中部，珠江口外西侧     

Tsunami deposits in the geological record

A review is presented here of tsunami deposits in the geological record. It begins with a discussion of the relationships between the processes of tsunami generation and propagation and the sedimentary responses. This is followed by a consideration of the sedimentary processes associated with the passage of tsunami waves across coastlines. Attention is also given to the sedimentary processes associated with tsunami-triggered gravity backwash flows and comparisons are made with turbidity current action. We observe that despite sedimentary evidence for recent tsunamiites, geological research on ancient tsunamis has not identified stratigraphic units associated with onshore tsunami sedimentation. Equally, it is noted that nearly all published studies of sedimentary processes associated with modern tsunamis have not considered patterns of sediment transport and deposition in the offshore zone.     

Sensitivity analysis of seismic hazard for Western Liguria (North Western Italy): A first attempt towards the understanding and quantification of hazard uncertainty

The use of logic trees in probabilistic seismic hazard analyses often involves a large number of branches that reflect the uncertainty in the selection of different models and in the selection of the parameter values of each model. The sensitivity analysis, as proposed by Rabinowitz and Steinberg [Rabinowitz, N., Steinberg, D.M., 1991. Seismic hazard sensitivity analysis: a multi-parameter approach. Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am. 81, 796–817], is an efficient tool that allows the construction of logic trees focusing attention on the parameters that have greater impact on the hazard.In this paper the sensitivity analysis is performed in order to identify the parameters that have the largest influence on the Western Liguria (North Western Italy) seismic hazard. The analysis is conducted for six strategic sites following the multi-parameter approach developed by Rabinowitz and Steinberg [Rabinowitz, N., Steinberg, D.M., 1991. Seismic hazard sensitivity analysis: a multi-parameter approach. Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am. 81, 796–817] and accounts for both mean hazard values and hazard values corresponding to different percentiles (e.g., 16%-ile and 84%-ile). The results are assessed in terms of the expected PGA with a 10% probability of exceedance in 50 years for rock conditions and account for both the contribution from specific source zones using the Cornell approach [Cornell, C.A., 1968. Engineering seismic risk analysis. Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am. 58, 1583–1606] and the spatially smoothed seismicity [Frankel, A., 1995. Mapping seismic hazard in the Central and Eastern United States. Seismol. Res. Lett. 66, 8–21]. The influence of different procedures for calculating seismic hazard, seismic catalogues (epicentral parameters), source zone models, frequency–magnitude parameters, maximum earthquake magnitude values and attenuation relationships is considered. As a result, the sensitivity analysis allows us to identify the parameters with higher influence on the hazard. Only these parameters should be subjected to careful discussion or further research in order to reduce the uncertainty in the hazard while those with little or no effect can be excluded from subsequent logic-tree-based seismic hazard analyses.     

Seismic amplifications from offshore to shore

The objective of this study is to determine numerical estimations of seismic amplifications of waves traveling from offshore to shore considering the effect of sea floor configurations. According to the Boundary Element Method, boundary elements were used to irradiate waves and density force can be determined for each element. From this hypothesis, Huygens’ Principle is implemented since diffracted waves are constructed at the boundary from which they are radiated and this is equivalent to Somigliana's theorem. Application of boundary conditions leads to determine a system of integral equations of Fredholm type of second kind, which is solved by the Gaussian method. Various numerical models were analyzed, a first one was used to validate the proposed formulation and some other models were used to show various ideal sea floor configurations to estimate seismic amplifications. Once the formulation was validated, basic slope configurations were studied for estimating spectra of seismic amplifications for various sea floor materials. In general terms, compressional waves (P-waves) can produce seismic amplifications of the incident wave in the order of 2–5. On the other hand, distortional waves (S-waves) can produce amplifications up to 5.5 times the incident wave. A relevant finding is that the highest seismic amplifications due to an offshore earthquake are always located near the shore-line and not offshore despite the seafloor configuration.     

Lessons from stakeholder dialogues on marine aquaculture in offshore wind farms: Perceived potentials,constraints and research gaps

Drawing on a case study in Germany, this contribution explores the practical application of offshore aquaculture within offshore wind farms in view of the different stakeholders involved. Using a transdisciplinary research approach, an understanding of the rationalities and interests among the different involved stakeholder groups was explored. Offshore wind energy is high on the political agenda in Germany. The vast spatial requirements however inherit potential user conflicts with competing, and under current legislation excluded users such as fishermen. Solutions for combining sustainable uses of the same ocean space have thus seen increasing interest within the research community in Germany and in Europe over the past years. This paper was inspired by and presents the outcomes of a stakeholder analysis and in particular a stakeholder workshop. Central focus was placed on academics and private as well as public stakeholders engaged in current research efforts of combining offshore wind farms and aquaculture in the German North Sea. The paper identifies the overall acceptance of such a multi-use scenario in society, opportunities and constraints as perceived by the stakeholders, and key research gaps. The results confirm the assumption that there is a clear need, and also willingness on behalf of the policy makers and the research community, to find sustainable, resource- and space-efficient solutions for combined ocean use.     

强台风下导管架平台倒塌全过程数值仿真

针对强台风引起的平台倒塌问题,综合隐式有限元与显式动力有限元算法,建立导管架平台结构倒塌全过程仿真流程;提出基于重现期的Pushover分析方法,充分考虑平台侧向环境载荷分布的变化以及可能的甲板上浪载荷因素,使得确定的倒塌环境载荷更加真实;采用APDL编制平台隐式与显式有限元模型转化程序,有效解决波浪载荷计算与精确施加的难题;在此基础上,应用LS-DYNA实现导管架平台在强台风载荷下的倒塌全过程仿真,动态再现平台结构倒塌过程中的构件破坏失效及内力分布,深入揭示平台结构的倒塌机理。研究成果可为导管架平台结构抗台风设计及理论研究提供参考。     

Investigation on Cutting Stability of Jacket in Decommissioning Process

Jacket cutting operation is one of the most complicated and highest risk operations in the process of decommissioning offshore piled platform, the security and stability of which must be assured. In this paper, the current research on offshore structure removal and jacket cutting is introduced, on the basis of which the types of load along with the load calculation method are determined. The main influences on the stability of a jacket in cutting are analyzed. The experiment test plan is drawn by using orthogonal testing method, and the formula of critical load during the cutting procedure is deduced by differential evolution algorithm. To verify the method and results of this paper, an offshore piled platform to be decommissioned in the South China Sea is taken for an example, and the detailed schedule for jacket cutting is made with the three-dimensional finite element model of the jacket established. The natural frequency, stress, strain and stability of the jacket during cutting process are calculated, which indicates that the results of finite element analysis agree well with that of the deduced formula. The result provides the scientific reference for guaranteeing the safety of jacket in cutting operation.