Formation Pressure Evaluation Method for Single Well

The paper deals with the methods of formation pressure evaluation for a single well by using the very common ac-cepted parameters, such as drilling exponent , and flowline temperature , etc. which is part of compiling the end well report.     

Mooring optimization of floating platforms using a genetic algorithm

This paper presents a new procedure for the optimization of the mooring design of floating platforms, in which an automatic design sequence is also established. Regarding the optimization philosophy, the following aspects are dealt with:

• The optimization of the platform heading and its mooring pattern, taking into account the environmental force spreading;

• optimum line length or line tension for each mooring line, associated to the optimization of the mooring line materials and sizes.

Basically, the main goal of this paper is to introduce a new method, which will provide the quickest way to find the best mooring system, defined here as that which minimizes platform responses.A genetic algorithm (GA) is applied in this contribution, and this paper describes exactly the procedure of developing a GA code directed toward the solution of mooring design optimization problems. In order to prove the efficiency and the vast potential of the proposed algorithm as a design tool, sample moorings are analyzed for different environmental conditions and the final results, including the time required to run them, are presented.     

Accumulation of organic and inorganic carbon in Pliocene–Pleistocene sediments along the SW African margin

The Ocean Drilling Program Leg 175 recovered a unique series of stratigraphically continuous sedimentary sections along the SW African margin, an area which is presently affected by active coastal upwelling. The accumulation rates of organic and inorganic carbon are a major component of this record. Four Leg 175 sites (1082, 1084, 1085, 1087) are chosen as part of a latitudinal transect from the present northern to southern boundaries of the Benguela Current upwelling system, to decipher the Pliocene–Pleistocene history of biogenic production and its relationship with global and local changes in oceanic circulation and climate. The pattern of CaCO₃ and C_org mass accumulation rates (MARs) over 0.25-Myr intervals indicates that the evolution of carbon burial is highly variable between the northern and the southern Benguela regions, as well as between sites that have similar hydrological conditions. This, as well as the presence over most locations of high-amplitude, rapid changes of carbon burial, reflect the partitioning of biogenic production and patterns of sedimentation into local compartments over the Benguela margin. The combined mapping of CaCO₃ and C_org MARs at the study locations suggests four distinct evolutionary periods, which are essentially linked with major steps in global climate change: the early Pliocene, the mid-Pliocene warm event, a late Pliocene intensification of northern hemisphere glaciation and the Pleistocene. The early Pliocene spatially heterogeneous patterns of carbon burial are thought to reflect the occurrence of mass-gravitational movements over the Benguela slope which resulted in disruption of the recorded biogenic production. This was followed (3.5–3 Ma) by an episode of peak carbonate accumulation over the whole margin and, subsequently, by the onset of Benguela provincialism into a northern and a southern sedimentary regime near 2 Ma. This mid and late Pliocene evolution is interpreted as a direct response to changes in the ventilation of bottom and intermediate waters, as well as to dynamics of the subtropical gyral circulation and associated wind stress.     

Response-based method for determining the extreme behaviour of floating offshore platforms

The accurate prediction of extreme excursion and mooring force of floating offshore structures due to multi-variete environmental conditions which requires the joint probability analysis of environmental conditions for the worst case situation is still impractical as the processing of large amount of met-ocean data is required. On the other hand, the simplified multiple design criteria (e.g. the N-year wave with associated winds and currents) recommended by API known as traditional method does lead neither to the N-year platform response nor to the N-year mooring force. Therefore, in order to reduce the level of conservatism as well as uncertainties involved in the traditional method the response-based method can be used as a reliable alternative approach. In this paper this method is described. In order to perform the calculations faster using large databases of sea states, Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) is designed and employed. In the paper the response-based method is applied to a 200,000 tdw FPSO and the results are discussed.     

Risk-based decision-making for drilling waste discharges using a fuzzy synthetic evaluation technique

Offshore petroleum drilling wastes contain toxic substances that are potentially harmful to the marine ecosystem. Despite environmentally benign characteristics, wastes associated with synthetic-based fluids still contain a certain amount of pollutants due to contamination with formation oil and the presence of trace heavy metals in barite, which may pose risk when discharged into the marine environment. A framework is presented here for a decision support system for the selection of the best drilling waste discharge option. Uncertainties in the quantification of risk, cost and technical feasibility are expressed by fuzzy numbers. An analytical hierarchy process with a technique called fuzzy synthetic evaluation is employed to determine the best management alternative (discharge scenario).     

水平孔钻渣运移机理研究

有效地排除钻渣是钻井液的主要功能之一。本文结合实验及相关工程情况,从力学角度对水平孔中钻渣的运移机理及相关影响因素进行分析,采用牛顿力学定律对钻渣在钻井液中的运移速度进行了解析建模。     

泥浆性能对定向钻进铺管孔壁稳定性的影响

本文通过对泥浆性能的分析,特别是对泥浆流变参数的控制与调节在定向钻进非开挖铺管中的作用及其护壁原理的分析,简要阐述了泥浆性能对定向钻进铺管孔壁稳定性的影响,对非开挖定向钻进铺管施工有一定的指导意义。     

Powder factors in asymmetric blast patterns

A cell powder factor defines the local powder factor in a simple geometric procedure that accounts for the charge in each blast hole and the triangulation formed by blast hole collars in a blast pattern. In the case of asymmetric blast patterns, the cell powder factor deviates from the global powder factor. Poor drilling of blast hole collars produces significant variation in the cell powder factor, more so, than does poor blast hole charging. The cell powder factor does not account for timing within a blast and does not easily handle non-parallel blast hole configurations. The cell powder factor is best used as a design or audit tool before blast holes are loaded. It gives the opportunity to correct for poor drilling and/or poor charging practices prior to firing a blast.