Increasing Geothermal Energy Demand: The Need for Urbanization of the Drilling Industry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Teodoriu, Catalin; Falcone, Gioia

2008-01-01

Drilling wells in urban spaces requires special types of rigs that do not conflict with the surrounding environment. For this, a mutation of the current drilling equipment is necessary into what can be defined as an "urbanized drilling rig." Noise reduction, small footprint, and "good looking" rigs all help persuade the general public to accept…

Analysis and design of trial well mooring in deepwater of the South China Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Yongfeng; Ji, Shaojun; Tang, Changquan; Li, Jiansong; Zhong, Huiquan; Ian, Ong Chin Yam

2012-06-01

Mooring systems play an important role for semi-submersible rigs that drill in deepwater. A detailed analysis was carried out on the mooring of a semi-submersible rig that conducted a trial well drilling at a deepwater location in the South China Sea in 2009. The rig was 30 years old and had a shallow platform with a designed maximum operating water depth of 457 m. Following the mooring analysis, a mooring design was given that requires upgrading of the rig's original mooring system. The upgrade included several innovations, such as installing eight larger anchors, i.e. replacing the original anchors and inserting an additional 600 m of steel wires with the existing chains. All this was done to enhance the mooring capability of the rig in order for the rig to be held in position to conduct drilling at a water depth of 476 m. The overall duration of the drilling was 50 days and the upgraded mooring system proved to be efficient in achieving the goal of keeping the rig stationary while it was drilling the trial well in the South China Sea. This successful campaign demonstrates that an older semi-submersible rig can take on drilling in deep water after careful design and proper upgrading and modification to the original mooring system.

An inexpensive and portable drill rig for bedrock groundwater studies in headwater catchments

Treesearch

C. Gabrielli; J.J. McDonnell

2011-01-01

Bedrock groundwater dynamics in headwater catchments are poorly understood and poorly characterized. Here, we present an inexpensive and portable bedrock drilling system designed for use in remote locations. Our system is capable of drilling bedrock wells up to 11 m deep and 38 mm in diameter in a wide range of bedrock types. The drill consists of a lawn mower engine...

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mehra, S.; Bryce, T.

Sedco Forex has recently completed a new land drilling rig, currently deployed in Gabon, that integrates well construction activities with multiskilling to create cost savings across the board in drilling operations. Historically, operators have produced a comprehensive tender package specifying strictly the type and size of individual rig components and the number of personnel required to drill. In this case, the drilling contractor provides a fit-for-purpose rig, consistent with field location, well profile, operator`s priorities, and local constraints.

Injury Rates on New and Old Technology Oil and Gas Rigs Operated by the Largest United States Onshore Drilling Contractor

PubMed Central

Blackley, David J.; Retzer, Kyla D.; Hubler, Warren G.; Hill, Ryan D.; Laney, A. Scott

2015-01-01

Background Occupational fatality rates among oil and gas extraction industry and specifically among drilling contractor workers are high compared to the U.S. all-industry average. There is scant literature focused on non-fatal injuries among drilling contractors, some of which have introduced engineering controls to improve rig efficiency and reduce injury risk. Methods We compared injury rates on new and old technology rigs operated by the largest U.S. drilling contractor during 2003–2012, stratifying by job type and grouping outcomes by injury severity and body part affected. Results Six hundred seventy-one injuries were recorded over 77.4 million person-hours. The rate on new rigs was 66% of that on old rigs. Roughnecks had lower injury rates on new rigs, largely through reduced limb injury rates. New rigs had lower rates in each non-fatal injury severity category. Conclusions For this company, new technology rigs appear to provide a safer environment for roughnecks. Future studies could include data from additional companies. PMID:25164118

Injury rates on new and old technology oil and gas rigs operated by the largest United States onshore drilling contractor.

PubMed

Blackley, David J; Retzer, Kyla D; Hubler, Warren G; Hill, Ryan D; Laney, A Scott

2014-10-01

Occupational fatality rates among oil and gas extraction industry and specifically among drilling contractor workers are high compared to the U.S. all-industry average. There is scant literature focused on non-fatal injuries among drilling contractors, some of which have introduced engineering controls to improve rig efficiency and reduce injury risk. We compared injury rates on new and old technology rigs operated by the largest U.S. drilling contractor during 2003-2012, stratifying by job type and grouping outcomes by injury severity and body part affected. Six hundred seventy-one injuries were recorded over 77.4 million person-hours. The rate on new rigs was 66% of that on old rigs. Roughnecks had lower injury rates on new rigs, largely through reduced limb injury rates. New rigs had lower rates in each non-fatal injury severity category. For this company, new technology rigs appear to provide a safer environment for roughnecks. Future studies could include data from additional companies. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Review and Recommendations for the Interagency Ship Structure Committee’s Fiscal 1984 Research Program,

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-01-01

Daily. Proposal Evaluation Procedure Organizations interested in doing the work adverstised submit proposals and cost estimates. The USCG contracting...types of offshore structures. These structures have largely been fixed platforms for petroleum drilling and production, and mobile offshore drilling...structures and of those mobile drilling units that are bottom supported, such as jack-ups and submersibles. Structures which are held in place by anchors

Cleaning up: Colleges Do Their Part to Revitalize the Gulf

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Violino, Bob

2011-01-01

When the deepwater horizon offshore oil drilling rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico in April 2010, 11 crewmen were killed; the accident led to the largest oil spill in U.S. history. Forty workers on the rig managed to escape the catastrophe, thanks largely to a safety-training program they had taken at community colleges in the Louisiana Community…

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Huttrer, G.W.

This report summarizes the investigation and evaluation of several {open_quotes}compact{close_quotes} drill rigs which could be used for drilling geothermal production wells. Use of these smaller rigs would save money by reducing mobilization costs, fuel consumption, crew sizes, and environmental impact. Advantages and disadvantages of currently-manufactured rigs are identified, and desirable characteristics for the {open_quotes}ideal{close_quotes} compact rig are defined. The report includes a detailed cost estimate of a specific rig, and an evaluation of the cost/benefit ratio of using this rig. Industry contacts for further information are given.

Drilling Productivity Report

EIA Publications

2017-01-01

Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) new Drilling Productivity Report (DPR) takes a fresh look at oil and natural gas production, starting with an assessment of how and where drilling for hydrocarbons is taking place. The DPR uses recent data on the total number of drilling rigs in operation along with estimates of drilling productivity and estimated changes in production from existing oil and natural gas wells to provide estimated changes in oil and natural gas production for six key fields. EIA's approach does not distinguish between oil-directed rigs and gas-directed rigs because once a well is completed it may produce both oil and gas; more than half of the wells produce both.

Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea Data and Model Base Report

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-07-01

The source levels and spectral characteristics of merchant ships, drill rigs, and seismic profiling sources are reason- ably well known. Lacking...better data, fishing vessels are assumed to be 10 dB quieter than merchar• ships; production platforms are assumed to be similar to drill rigs, corrected...scope of the problem presented by production platforms, mobile drill rigs, and seismic profilers. 5. Impact on Exercise Planning Offshore oil industry

Blowout Monitor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1994-01-01

C Language Integrated Production System (CLIPS), a NASA-developed software shell for developing expert systems, has been embedded in a PC-based expert system for training oil rig personnel in monitoring oil drilling. Oil drilling rigs if not properly maintained for possible blowouts pose hazards to human life, property and the environment may be destroyed. CLIPS is designed to permit the delivery of artificial intelligence on computer. A collection of rules is set up and, as facts become known, these rules are applied. In the Well Site Advisor, CLIPS provides the capability to accurately process, predict and interpret well data in a real time mode. CLIPS was provided to INTEQ by COSMIC.

Innovative workover/drilling rigs to utilize hydraulics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Noran, D.

1975-09-29

While Western Gear Corp., Everett, Wash., is currently building 2 models of a hydraulic workover/drilling rig (one offshore and the other a trailer-mounted land rig), Bender Co., Bakersfield, Calif., already has an all-hydraulic servicing/drilling rig undergoing tests. The rigs are similar in that they eliminate the traveling block, crown block, draw works, chains, and sprockets found on the conventional rig. The major design innovation on the Western Gear model is the 260,000-lb-capacity hoisting system in which 2 hydraulic rams are anchored to the rig floor and carry all the pipe weight, thus eliminating the danger of the derrick's being pulledmore » in. Other changes involve the tripping system, a power swivel/elevator, and the control valves. Maintenance and labor cost reductions are expected to be substantial. The Bender Co. rig has a single-section mast that is a lever-lift-type derrick which serves as a guide for the rams and a support for the pipe-racking platform. Hoisting capacity depends on the number and size of the lifting rods (which support the crown sheaves) and the hydraulic pressure applied. Manufacturing and operating costs are expected to be less than for conventional rigs.« less

Applying the vantage PDMS to jack-up drilling ships

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yin, Peng; Chen, Yuan-Ming; Cui, Tong-Kai; Wang, Zi-Shen; Gong, Li-Jiang; Yu, Xiang-Fen

2009-09-01

The plant design management system (PDMS) is an integrated application which includes a database and is useful when designing complex 3-D industrial projects. It could be used to simplify the most difficult part of a subsea oil extraction project—detailed pipeline design. It could also be used to integrate the design of equipment, structures, HVAC, E-ways as well as the detailed designs of other specialists. This article mainly examines the applicability of the Vantage PDMS database to pipeline projects involving jack-up drilling ships. It discusses the catalogue (CATA) of the pipeline, the spec-world (SPWL) of the pipeline, the bolt tables (BLTA) and so on. This article explains the main methods for CATA construction as well as problem in the process of construction. In this article, the authors point out matters needing attention when using the Vantage PDMS database in the design process and discuss partial solutions to these questions.

Non-technical skills: enhancing safety in operating theatres (and drilling rigs).

PubMed

Flin, Rhona

2014-03-01

On April 20th 2010, a large Transocean drilling rig called the Deepwater Horizon was operating in the Gulf of Mexico to drill the Macondo well, for the oil company BP. The job was six weeks behind schedule and $58 million over budget and had not been without difficulty: it was a high pressure well, 2.5 miles below the seabed. At 5.45 am, the Halliburton cementing engineer sent an email to say: 'We have completed the job and it went well'. At 9.43 pm, 16 hours later, there was a release of hydrocarbons into the well bore and the drilling rig experienced a catastrophic blowout as the high pressure oil and gas escaped onto the rig and into the ocean. The resulting explosions and fire killed 11 of the crew of 126, injured many more and created an enormous oil spill across the Gulf.

30 CFR 250.405 - What are the safety requirements for diesel engines used on a drilling rig?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... engines used on a drilling rig? 250.405 Section 250.405 Mineral Resources BUREAU OF SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENFORCEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS AND SULPHUR OPERATIONS IN THE OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF Oil and Gas Drilling Operations General Requirements § 250.405 What are the safety...

30 CFR 250.405 - What are the safety requirements for diesel engines used on a drilling rig?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... engines used on a drilling rig? 250.405 Section 250.405 Mineral Resources BUREAU OF SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENFORCEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS AND SULPHUR OPERATIONS IN THE OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF Oil and Gas Drilling Operations General Requirements § 250.405 What are the safety...

30 CFR 250.405 - What are the safety requirements for diesel engines used on a drilling rig?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... engines used on a drilling rig? 250.405 Section 250.405 Mineral Resources BUREAU OF SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENFORCEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS AND SULPHUR OPERATIONS IN THE OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF Oil and Gas Drilling Operations General Requirements § 250.405 What are the safety...

Sea Bed Drilling Technology MARUM-MeBo: Overview on recent scientific drilling campaigns and technical developments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Freudenthal, Tim; Bergenthal, Markus; Bohrmann, Gerhard; Pape, Thomas; Kopf, Achim; Huhn-Frehers, Katrin; Gohl, Karsten; Wefer, Gerold

2017-04-01

The MARUM-MeBo (abbreviation for Meeresboden-Bohrgerät, the German expression for seafloor drill rig) is a robotic drilling system that is developed since 2004 at the MARUM Center for Marine Environmental Sciences at the University of Bremen in close cooperation with Bauer Maschinen GmbH and other industry partners. The MARUM-MeBo drill rigs can be deployed from multipurpose research vessel like, RV MARIA S. MERIAN, RV METEOR, RV SONNE and RV POLARSTERN and are used for getting long cores both in soft sediments as well as hard rocks in the deep sea. The first generation drill rig, the MARUM-MeBo70 is dedicated for a drilling depth of more than 70 m (Freudenthal and Wefer, 2013). Between 2005 and 2016 it was deployed on 17 research expeditions and drilled about 3 km into different types of geology including carbonate and crystalline rocks, gas hydrates, glacial tills, sands and gravel, glacial till and hemipelagic mud with an average recovery rate of about 70 %. We used the development and operational experiences of MARUM-MeBo70 for the development of a second generation drill rig MARUM-MeBo200. This drill rig is dedicated for conducting core drilling down to 200 m below sea floor. After successful sea trials in the North Sea in October 2014 the MeBo200 was used on a scientific expedition on the research vessel RV SONNE (SO247) in March/April 2016. During 12 deployments we drilled altogether 514 m in hemipelagic sediments with volcanic ashes as well as in muddy and sandy slide deposits off New Zealand. The average core recovery was about 54%. The maximum drilling depth was 105 m below sea floor. Developments for the MeBo drilling technology include the development of a pressure core barrel that was successfully deployed on two research expeditions so far. Bore hole logging adds to the coring capacity. Several autonomous logging probes have been developed in the last years for a deployment with MeBo in the logging while tripping mode - a sonic probe measuring in situ p-wave velocity being the latest development. Various bore hole monitoring systems where developed and deployed with the MeBo system. They allow for long-term monitoring of pressure variability within the sealed bore holes. References: Freudenthal, T and Wefer, G (2013) Drilling cores on the sea floor with the remote-controlled sea floor drilling rig MeBo. Geoscientific Instrumentation, Methods and Data Systems, 2(2). 329-337. doi:10.5194/gi-2-329-2013

U.S. Lake Erie Natural Gas Resource Development. Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-03-01

with expensive investments by end-users in more energy efficient houses, plants and equipment. The end result of this alternative would be to post...construction of transmission systems from other sources into the Lake Erie watershed, construction of synfuel and coal gasi- fication plants and...water treatment plant and by main- taining the pit near neutral during chlorination. 1.022 If jack-up rigs, drillehips, or stimulation barges capsize

30 CFR 250.405 - What are the safety requirements for diesel engines used on a drilling rig?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What are the safety requirements for diesel... Gas Drilling Operations General Requirements § 250.405 What are the safety requirements for diesel engines used on a drilling rig? You must equip each diesel engine with an air take device to shut down the...

Practical calibration of design data to technical capabilities of horizontal directional drilling rig

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Toropov, S. Yu; Toropov, V. S.

2018-05-01

In order to design more accurately trenchless pipeline passages, a technique has been developed for calculating the passage profile, based on specific parameters of the horizontal directional drilling rig, including the range of possible drilling angles and a list of compatible drill pipe sets. The algorithm for calculating the parameters of the trenchless passage profile is shown in the paper. This algorithm is based on taking into account the features of HDD technology, namely, three different stages of production. The authors take into account that the passage profile is formed at the first stage of passage construction, that is, when drilling a pilot well. The algorithm involves calculating the profile by taking into account parameters of the drill pipes used and angles of their deviation relative to each other during the pilot drilling. This approach allows us to unambiguously calibrate the designed profile for the HDD rig capabilities and the auxiliary and navigation equipment used in the construction process.

A new scientific drilling infrastructure in Sweden

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosberg, J.-E.; Lorenz, H.

2012-04-01

A new scientific drilling infrastructure is currently under commissioning at Lund University in southern Sweden and is intended primarily for Swedish scientific drilling projects. However, it will be available to the scientific community and even industry when not occupied. The drill rig, a crawler mounted Atlas Copco CT20, was funded by the Swedish Research Council (VR) after an application by the Swedish scientific drilling community under the lead of Prof. Leif Bjelm, Lund University. As a national resource it is, together with support of the Swedish Deep Drilling Program (SDDP) and the Swedish membership in ICDP, part of VR's commitment to scientific drilling. The Atlas Copco CT20 is a top modern, versatile diamond wireline core-drilling rig which can handle P, H and N sizes. It can operate on very small drill sites (500-800 m2) and, thus, leaves a minimal environmental footprint. The crawler makes the rig ideal for operations in remote locations. A total of only 3-4 truckloads is necessary for mobilization of the basic drilling equipment. Main technical specifications are: Depth capacity coring, based on vertical water filled hole: P-size to around 1050 m, hole size 123 mm and core size 85 mm. H-size to around 1600 m, hole size 96 mm and core size 63 mm. N-size to around 2500 m, hole size 76 mm and core size 48 mm. Weight: Complete rig including crawler, wet - 23500 kg Dimensions in (length, width, height) transport position: 11560 x 2500 x 3750 mm. Available in-hole equipment: Complete core retrieval system for PQ, HQ and NQ-sizes, including PHD, HRQ (V-Wall) and NRQ (V-Wall) drill rods covering the maximum drilling depth for each size (see rig depth capacity above). Both dual and triple tube for HQ and NQ-sizes. Casing advancers (PW, HW, NW and BW). Casing PWT, HWT, NW and BW. Bits and reamers. Additional equipment: Mud cleaning and mixing system. MWD-system (Measurements While Drilling). Cementing equipment. Fishing tools (Bowen Spear). Blow Out Preventer (BOP). Deviation tools. Wireline packers. And more.

Diverter bop system and method for a bottom supported offshore drilling rig

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Roche, J. R.; Alexander, G. G.; Carbaugh, W. L.

1985-06-25

A system and method for installing a fluid flow controller and telescoping spools beneath an offshore bottom supported drilling rig rotary table is disclosed. Upper and lower telescoping spools are provided for initially connecting a Diverter/BOP convertible fluid flow controller between structural casing in the well and a permanent housing beneath the drilling rig rotary table. Clamp means are provided for clamping the rig vent line to an opening in the housing wall of the fluid flow controller during drilling of the borehole through the structural casing in preparation for setting and cementing the conductor casing. In that mode, themore » system is adapted as a diverter system. After the well is drilled for the conductor casing and the conductor casing is cemented and cut off at its top, a mandrel is fitted at the top of the conductor casing to which the lower end of the lower spool may be connected. The system may be used in this configuration as a diverter system, or after removal of the vent line and connection of a kill line to the housing outlet, the system may be used as a low pressure blowout preventer system.« less

Test drilling in basalts, Lalamilo area, South Kohala District, Hawaii

USGS Publications Warehouse

Teasdale, Warren E.

1980-01-01

Test drilling has determined that a downhole-percussion airhammer can be used effectively to drill basalts in Hawaii. When used in conjunction with a foam-type drilling fluid, the hammer-bit penetration rate was rapid. Continuous drill cuttings from the materials penetrated were obtained throughout the borehole except from extremely fractured or weathered basalt zones where circulation was lost or limited. Cementing of these zones as soon as encountered reduced problems of stuck tools, washouts, and loss of drill-cuttings. Supplies and logistics on the Hawaiian Islands, always a major concern, require that all anticipated drilling supplies, spare rig and tool parts, drilling muds and additives, foam, and miscellaneous hardware be on hand before starting to drill. If not, the resulting rig downtime is costly in both time and money. (USGS)

Optimizing Geothermal Drilling: Oil and Gas Technology Transfer

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Denninger, Kate; Eustes, Alfred; Visser, Charles

There is a significant amount of financial risk associated with geothermal drilling. This study of drilling operations seeks opportunities to improve upon current practices and technologies. The scope of this study included analyzing 21 geothermal wells and 21 oil and gas wells. The goal was to determine a 'Perfect Well' using historical data to compare the best oil and gas well to the best geothermal well. Unfortunately, limitations encountered in the study included missing data (bit records, mud information, etc.) and poor data collection practices An online software database was used to format drilling data to IADC coded daily drillingmore » reports and generate figures for analysis. Six major issues have been found in geothermal drilling operations. These problems include lost circulation, rig/ equipment selection, cementing, penetration rate, drilling program, and time management. As a result of these issues, geothermal drilling averaged 56.4 days longer than drilling comparable oil and gas wells in the wells in this study. Roughly $13.9 million was spent on non-productive time in the 21 geothermal wells, compared with only $1.3 million in the oil and gas wells, assuming a cost of $50,000 per day. Comparable events such as drilling the same sized hole, tripping in/out, cementing, and running the same size casing took substantially less time in the oil and gas wells. Geothermal wells were drilled using older and/or less advanced technology to depths less than 10,000 feet, while oil and gas wells reached 12,500 feet faster with purpose built rigs. A new approach is now underway that will optimize drilling programs throughout the drilling industry using Mechanical Specific Energy (MSE) as a tool to realize efficient drilling processes. Potential improvements for current geothermal operations are: the use of electronic records, real time services, and official glossary terms to describe rig operations, and advanced drilling rigs/technology.« less

Sea Spray and Icing in the Emerging Open Water of the Arctic Ocean

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-06-17

can create copious amounts of sea spray. We anticipate that structures placed in shallow water— wind turbines or drilling rigs, for instance— will...anticipate that structures placed in shallow water— wind turbines or drilling rigs, for instance—will, therefore, experience more episodes of freezing...concentrations of wind -generated sea spray and the resulting spray icing on offshore structures, such as wind turbines and exploration, drilling, and production

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chevallier, J.J.; Quetier, F.P.; Marshall, D.W.

Sedco Forex has developed an integrated computer system to enhance the technical performance of the company at various operational levels and to increase the understanding and knowledge of the drill crews. This paper describes the system and how it is used for recording and processing drilling data at the rig site, for associated technical analyses, and for well design, planning, and drilling performance studies at the operational centers. Some capabilities related to the statistical analysis of the company's operational records are also described, and future development of rig computing systems for drilling applications and management tasks is discussed.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

As the search for oil and gas continues into deeper and deeper waters, semisubmersibles and dynamically positioned vessels are becoming larger and more sophisticated. Efforts to reduce downtime resulting from foul weather are apparent in some new rigs designed to have improved motion characteristics. New offshore drilling rigs described include l) a buoy-shaped semisubmersible, the Big Bouy 6000 from the Trosvik Group of Norway, 2) a dynamically positioned drillship to be operated by the Dutch firm Neddrill, 3) Parker Drilling Co.'s helicopter-transportable platform rig, rated for 20,000 ft, 4) a dynamically positioned semisubmersible developed by French drilling contractor Forex Neptune,more » and 5) a reinforced-concrete semisubmersible, the Condrill concept, developed by Norwegian contractor A/S Hoyer-Ellefsen.« less

Continuous injection of an inert gas through a drill rig for drilling into potentially hazardous areas

DOEpatents

McCormick, S.H.; Pigott, W.R.

1997-12-30

A drill rig for drilling in potentially hazardous areas includes a drill having conventional features such as a frame, a gear motor, gear box, and a drive. A hollow rotating shaft projects through the drive and frame. An auger, connected to the shaft is provided with a multiplicity of holes. An inert gas is supplied to the hollow shaft and directed from the rotating shaft to the holes in the auger. The inert gas flows down the hollow shaft, and then down the hollow auger and out through the holes in the bottom of the auger into the potentially hazardous area. 3 figs.

Continuous injection of an inert gas through a drill rig for drilling into potentially hazardous areas

DOEpatents

McCormick, Steve H.; Pigott, William R.

1997-01-01

A drill rig for drilling in potentially hazardous areas includes a drill having conventional features such as a frame, a gear motor, gear box, and a drive. A hollow rotating shaft projects through the drive and frame. An auger, connected to the shaft is provided with a multiplicity of holes. An inert gas is supplied to the hollow shaft and directed from the rotating shaft to the holes in the auger. The inert gas flows down the hollow shaft, and then down the hollow auger and out through the holes in the bottom of the auger into the potentially hazardous area.

Optimizing Geothermal Drilling: Oil and Gas Technology Transfer

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tilley, Mitch; Eustes, Alfred; Visser, Charles

There is a significant amount of financial risk associated with geothermal drilling; however, there are opportunities to improve upon current practices and technologies used. The scope of this drilling operational study included 21 geothermal wells and 21 oil and gas wells. The goal was to determine a 'perfect well' using historical data to compare the best oil and gas well to the best geothermal well. Unfortunately, limitations encountered in the study included missing data (bit records, mud information, etc.), poor data collection, and difficult to ascertain handwriting. An online software database was used to format drilling data to IADC codedmore » daily drilling reports and generate analysis figures. Six major issues have been found in geothermal drilling operations. These problems include lost circulation, rig/equipment selection, cementing, penetration rate, drilling program, and time management. As a result of these issues, geothermal drilling averages 56.4 days longer than drilling comparable oil and gas wells in the wells in this study. Roughly $13.9 million would be lost due to non-productive time in the 21 geothermal wells and only $1.3 million in the oil and gas wells, assuming a cost of $50,000 per day. Comparable events such as drilling the same sized hole, tripping in/out, cementing, and running the same size casing took substantially less time in the oil and gas wells. Geothermal wells were drilled using older and/or less advanced technology to depths less than 10,000 feet, while oil and gas wells reached 12,500 feet faster with purpose built rigs. A new approach is now underway that will optimize drilling programs throughout the drilling industry. It is the use of Mechanical Specific Energy (MSE) as a tool to realize efficient drilling processes. However, a work-flow must also be established in order for there to be an efficient drilling program. Potential improvements for current geothermal operations are: the use of electronic records, real time services, and official glossary terms to describe rig operations, and advanced drilling rigs/technology.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chevallier, J.; Turner, L.

There's a great deal of data recorded during drilling operations on rigs these days, but it is seldom well utilized. The operator's company person relies upon mud loggers for collecting and recording most information. The methods used to process and display this information are often inadequate for those who need it the most the driller and toolpusher. Drilling contractor personnel usually have only rudimentary displays of drilling parameters, and practically no serious method of analysis except for daily paper reports. These are cumbersome to use and provide only incomplete data, after the fact. The MDS system, presented in this article,more » is a new information and alarm network, which rectifies this situation by bringing to the rig, for the first time, the latest in sensor and computer technologies. This system acquires key drilling data on the rig floor, pump room, and return line, and displays it in a clear graphical format to both the driller and the toolpusher in real time. It also provides the toolpusher with a workstation for easy access to the same information for evaluation and planning of the drilling program.« less

Drilling Rig Operation Mode Recognition by an Artificial Neuronet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abu-Abed, Fares; Borisov, Nikolay

2017-11-01

The article proposes a way to develop a drilling rig operation mode classifier specialized to recognize pre-emergency situations appearable in commercial oil-and-gas well drilling. The classifier is based on the theory of image recognition and artificial neuronet taught on real geological and technological information obtained while drilling. To teach the neuronet, a modified backpropagation algorithm that can teach to reach the global extremum of a target function has been proposed. The target function was a relative recognition error to minimize in the teaching. Two approaches to form the drilling rig pre-emergency situation classifier based on a taught neuronet have been considered. The first one involves forming an output classifier of N different signals, each of which corresponds to a single recognizable situation and, and can be formed on the basis of the analysis of M indications, that is using a uniform indication vocabulary for all recognized situations. The second way implements a universal classifier comprising N specialized ones, each of which can recognize a single pre-emergency situation and having a single output.

30 CFR 250.405 - What are the safety requirements for diesel engines used on a drilling rig?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false What are the safety requirements for diesel... are the safety requirements for diesel engines used on a drilling rig? You must equip each diesel engine with an air take device to shut down the diesel engine in the event of a runaway. (a) For a diesel...

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dudleson, B.; Arnold, M.; McCann, D.

Rapid detection of unexpected drilling events requires continuous monitoring of drilling parameters. A major R and D program by a drilling contractor has led to the introduction of a computerized monitoring system on its offshore rigs. System includes advanced color graphics displays and new smart alarms to help both contractor and operator personnel detect and observe drilling events before they would normally be apparent with conventional rig instrumentation. This article describes a module of this monitoring system, which uses expert system technology to detect the earliest stages of drillstring washouts. Field results demonstrate the effectiveness of the smart alarm incorporatedmore » in the system. Early detection allows the driller to react before a twist-off results in expensive fishing operations.« less

Development and testing of a Mudjet-augmented PDC bit.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Black, Alan; Chahine, Georges; Raymond, David Wayne

2006-01-01

This report describes a project to develop technology to integrate passively pulsating, cavitating nozzles within Polycrystalline Diamond Compact (PDC) bits for use with conventional rig pressures to improve the rock-cutting process in geothermal formations. The hydraulic horsepower on a conventional drill rig is significantly greater than that delivered to the rock through bit rotation. This project seeks to leverage this hydraulic resource to extend PDC bits to geothermal drilling.

Underwater Noise from a Wave Energy Converter Is Unlikely to Affect Marine Mammals

PubMed Central

Tougaard, Jakob

2015-01-01

Underwater noise was recorded from the Wavestar wave energy converter; a full-scale hydraulic point absorber, placed on a jack-up rig on the Danish North Sea coast. Noise was recorded 25 m from the converter with an autonomous recording unit (10 Hz to 20 kHz bandwidth). Median sound pressure levels (Leq) in third-octave bands during operation of the converter were 106–109 dB re. 1 μPa in the range 125–250 Hz, 1–2 dB above ambient noise levels (statistically significant). Outside the range 125–250 Hz the noise from the converter was undetectable above the ambient noise. During start and stop of the converter a more powerful tone at 150 Hz (sound pressure level (Leq) 121–125 dB re 1 μPa) was easily detectable. This tone likely originated from the hydraulic pump which was used to lower the absorbers into the water and lift them out of the water at shutdown. Noise levels from the operating wave converter were so low that they would barely be audible to marine mammals and the likelihood of negative impact from the noise appears minimal. A likely explanation for the low noise emissions is the construction of the converter where all moving parts, except for the absorbers themselves, are placed above water on a jack-up rig. The results may thus not be directly transferable to other wave converter designs but do demonstrate that it is possible to harness wave energy without noise pollution to the marine environment. PMID:26148299

Underwater Noise from a Wave Energy Converter Is Unlikely to Affect Marine Mammals.

PubMed

Tougaard, Jakob

2015-01-01

Underwater noise was recorded from the Wavestar wave energy converter; a full-scale hydraulic point absorber, placed on a jack-up rig on the Danish North Sea coast. Noise was recorded 25 m from the converter with an autonomous recording unit (10 Hz to 20 kHz bandwidth). Median sound pressure levels (Leq) in third-octave bands during operation of the converter were 106-109 dB re. 1 μPa in the range 125-250 Hz, 1-2 dB above ambient noise levels (statistically significant). Outside the range 125-250 Hz the noise from the converter was undetectable above the ambient noise. During start and stop of the converter a more powerful tone at 150 Hz (sound pressure level (Leq) 121-125 dB re 1 μPa) was easily detectable. This tone likely originated from the hydraulic pump which was used to lower the absorbers into the water and lift them out of the water at shutdown. Noise levels from the operating wave converter were so low that they would barely be audible to marine mammals and the likelihood of negative impact from the noise appears minimal. A likely explanation for the low noise emissions is the construction of the converter where all moving parts, except for the absorbers themselves, are placed above water on a jack-up rig. The results may thus not be directly transferable to other wave converter designs but do demonstrate that it is possible to harness wave energy without noise pollution to the marine environment.

30 CFR 251.7 - Test drilling activities under a permit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Test drilling activities under a permit. 251.7... GEOLOGICAL AND GEOPHYSICAL (G&G) EXPLORATIONS OF THE OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF § 251.7 Test drilling activities... of drilling activities; (ii) A description of your drilling rig, indicating the important features...

MeBo70 Seabed Drilling on a Polar Continental Shelf: Operational Report and Lessons From Drilling in the Amundsen Sea Embayment of West Antarctica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gohl, K.; Freudenthal, T.; Hillenbrand, C.-D.; Klages, J.; Larter, R.; Bickert, T.; Bohaty, S.; Ehrmann, W.; Esper, O.; Frederichs, T.; Gebhardt, C.; Küssner, K.; Kuhn, G.; Pälike, H.; Ronge, T.; Simões Pereira, P.; Smith, J.; Uenzelmann-Neben, G.; van de Flierdt, C.

2017-11-01

A multibarrel seabed drill rig was used for the first time to drill unconsolidated sediments and consolidated sedimentary rocks from an Antarctic shelf with core recoveries between 7% and 76%. We deployed the MARUM-MeBo70 drill device at nine drill sites in the Amundsen Sea Embayment. Three sites were located on the inner shelf of Pine Island Bay from which soft sediments, presumably deposited at high sedimentation rates in isolated small basins, were recovered from drill depths of up to 36 m below seafloor. Six sites were located on the middle shelf of the eastern and western embayment. Drilling at five of these sites recovered consolidated sediments and sedimentary rocks from dipping strata spanning ages from Cretaceous to Miocene. This report describes the initial coring results, the challenges posed by drifting icebergs and sea ice, and technical issues related to deployment of the MeBo70. We also present recommendations for similar future drilling campaigns on polar continental shelves.

30 CFR 250.418 - What additional information must I submit with my APD?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... ENFORCEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS AND SULPHUR OPERATIONS IN THE OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF Oil and Gas Drilling Operations Applying for A Permit to Drill § 250.418 What additional... the drilling rig and major drilling equipment, if not already on file with the appropriate District...

Don't mess with H/sub 2/S

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1987-09-01

The American Petroleum Institute issued a report on ''Recommended Practices for Safe Drilling of Wells Containing Hydrogen Sulfide.'' The study (RP49) updates a first edition published in September 1974. It provides a solid overview of preventive steps that should be taken to safeguard crew and equipment when drilling through H/sub 2/S zones. Discussions cover personnel training, protective equipment, wellsite layout, rig and well equipment, general rig operations and contingency planning and emergency procedures. This article summarizes the report.

Mini-CORK observatories using the MeBo seafloor drill rig - a new development for long-term data acquisition and sampling in shallow boreholes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kopf, A.; Freudenthal, T.; Ratmeyer, V.; Bergenthal, M.; Renken, J.; Zabel, M.; Wefer, G.

2011-12-01

State of the art technology for long-term monitoring of fluid migration within the sea floor is the sealing of a borehole with a Circulation Obviation Retrofit Kit (CORK) after sensor installation and/or fluid sampling devices within the drill string. However, the combined used of a drilling vessels and a remotely operated drilling (ROV) required for a CORK installation in the deep sea is a costly exercise that limits the number of monitoring stations installed. Robotic sea floor drill rigs are a cost effective alternative for shallow drillings down to 50-100 m below sea floor. Here we present a Mini-CORK system that is developed for installation with the sea floor drill rig MeBo. This rig was developed at MARUM Research Centre, University of Bremen in 2005 and can sample the sea floor in water depths up to 2000 m. The MeBo is deployed on the seabed and remotely controlled from the vessel. All required drill tools for wire-line core drilling down to 70 m below sea floor are stored on two rotating magazines and can be loaded below the top drive drill head for assembling the drill string. For one of the upcoming cruises with RV Sonne offshore Japan (Nankai Trough accretionary prism), MeBo will be used for the first time to place observatories. Two different designs have been developed. The first, relatively simple long-term device resembles a MeBo drill rod in its geometry, and contains a pressure and temperature transducer in the borehole plus an identical pair of transducers for seafloor reference. The device also contains a data logger, battery unit, and an acoustic modem so that data can be downloaded at any time from a ship of opportunity. The key element at the base of the observatory rod is a seal at the conical thread to separate the borehole hydraulically from the overlying water body. It is realized by an adapter, which also contains a hotstab hydraulic connection and an electrical connection. The second observatory device is a seafloor unit, which replaces part of the first unit and which is deployed by ROV. In essence, the upper portion of the former observatory is taken away by ROV, and an umbilical containing hydraulic lines and tubing to withdraw formation water from the borehole is plugged into the hotstab female adapter by ROV. At the far end, the umbilical is connected to a seafloor unit with battery power, data logger, P and T transducers, and the same acoustic modem as the former one. In addition, the latter contains osmo samplers and biological chambers (FLOCS) for in situ sampling and experiments. After the envisaged deployment period, the entire unit is replaced while an identical one is prepared on deck and lowered from the vessel. In theory, the MeBo hole infinitely serves as an access to depth since no electronic, but only tubing is lowered into the (open) hole. In summary, long-term borehole installations with MeBo offer an affordable way to measure key physical properties over time and sample the formation fluids for geochemistry and microbiology (in case of the second, ROV-deployed CORK).

Development of an Ultra-Light Multipurpose Drill and Tooling for the Transportable Array in Alaska

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coyle, B. J.; Lundgren, M.; Busby, R. W.

2014-12-01

Over the next four years the EarthScope Transportable Array (TA) will install approximately 250 to 275 broadband seismic stations in Alaska and Western Canada. The station plans build on recent developments in posthole broadband seismometer design and call for sensors to be installed in boreholes 7 inches diameter, from 1 to 5 meters deep. These boreholes will be lined with PVC or steel casing, grouted in place. The proposed station locations are in a grid-like pattern with a nominal spacing of 85 km. Since most of these locations will only be accessible by helicopter, it was necessary to develop an ultra-light drilling system that could be transported to site in one sling load by a high performance light helicopter (i.e. AS350B2 or Bell 407) and still be able to drill the variety of ground conditions we expect to encounter. In the past year we have developed a working prototype, gasoline-hydraulic drill rig that can be configured to run auger, diamond core or DTH tools, and weighs <1,300 lbs, including tooling. We have successfully drilled over 30 boreholes with this drill, including 12 for TA installations in Alaska and 13 at the Piñon Flat Observatory for testing sensor performance and placement techniques. Our drilling solution comprises: - Hydraulic system using a variable flow pump with on-demand load sensing valves to reduce the engine size needed and to cut down on heat build-up; - Rotation head mounting system on the travelling block to enable quick change of drilling tools; - Low speed, high torque rotation head for the auger, and an anchoring system that enables us to apply up to 5,000 lbs downforce for augering in permafrost; - Custom DTH that can run on low air pressure and air flow, yet is still robust enough to drill a 7 inch hole 2.5 meters through solid rock; - One-trip casing advance drilling with the DTH, steel casing is loaded at the start of drilling and follows the drill bit down; - Grout-through bottom caps for sealing the borehole casing and cementing it in place. Our next step is to build a dedicated DTH drilling system that will be light enough to mobilize to sites in one helicopter sling, including an air compressor. This rig is currently on the drawing board and we expect to build it this winter for field testing in the spring.

30 CFR 250.1604 - General requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... moving equipment such as a well-drilling, well-completion, or well-workover rig or associated equipment..., platform age, and previous stresses. (f) Traveling-block safety device. All drilling units being used for...

30 CFR 250.1604 - General requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... moving equipment such as a well-drilling, well-completion, or well-workover rig or associated equipment..., platform age, and previous stresses. (f) Traveling-block safety device. All drilling units being used for...

30 CFR 250.1604 - General requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... moving equipment such as a well-drilling, well-completion, or well-workover rig or associated equipment..., platform age, and previous stresses. (f) Traveling-block safety device. All drilling units being used for...

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

This article describes a unique rig designed by SEDCO FOREX operating in the Paris basin of France. Built to drill clusters of wells from a single pad, Rig 47 significantly reduces the time needed to move from well to well on a pad and from location to location.

Preliminary Research on Possibilities of Drilling Process Robotization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pawel, Stefaniak; Jacek, Wodecki; Jakubiak, Janusz; Zimroz, Radoslaw

2017-12-01

Nowadays, drilling & blasting is crucial technique for deposit excavation using in hard rock mining. Unfortunately, such approach requires qualified staff to perform, and consequently there is a serious risk related to rock mechanics when using explosives. Negative influence of explosives usage on safety issues of underground mine is a main cause of mining demands related to elimination of people from production area. Other aspects worth taking into consideration are drilling precision according to drilling pattern, blasting effectiveness, improvement of drilling tool reliability etc. In the literature different drilling support solutions are well-known in terms of positioning support systems, anti-jamming systems or cavity detection systems. For many years, teleoperation of drilling process is also developed. Unfortunately, available technologies have so far not fully met the industries expectation in hard rock. Mine of the future is expected to incorporate robotic system instead of current approaches. In this paper we present preliminary research related to robotization of drilling process and possibilities of its application in underground mine condition. A test rig has been proposed. To simulate drilling process several key assumptions have been accepted. As a result, algorithms for automation of drilling process have been proposed and tested on the test rig. Experiences gathered so far underline that there is a need for further developing robotic system for drilling process.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McCann, D.; White, D.

This paper reports on a smart alarm system installed on a number of offshore rigs and one land rig which can detect kicks more quickly than conventional systems. This rapid kick detection improves rig safety because the smaller the detected influx, the easier it is to control the well. The extensive computerized monitoring system helps drilling personnel detect fluid influxes and fluid losses before the changes in flow would normally be apparent.

30 CFR 250.1616 - Supervision, surveillance, and training.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... THE INTERIOR OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS AND SULPHUR OPERATIONS IN THE OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF Sulphur... supervision of drilling operations at all times. (b) From the time drilling operations are initiated and until the well is completed or abandoned, a member of the drilling crew or the toolpusher shall maintain rig...

Prediction methods of spudcan penetration for jack-up units

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Ai-xia; Duan, Meng-lan; Li, Hai-ming; Zhao, Jun; Wang, Jian-jun

2012-12-01

Jack-up units are extensively playing a successful role in drilling engineering around the world, and their safety and efficiency take more and more attraction in both research and engineering practice. An accurate prediction of the spudcan penetration depth is quite instrumental in deciding on whether a jack-up unit is feasible to operate at the site. The prediction of a too large penetration depth may lead to the hesitation or even rejection of a site due to potential difficulties in the subsequent extraction process; the same is true of a too small depth prediction due to the problem of possible instability during operation. However, a deviation between predictive results and final field data usually exists, especially when a strong-over-soft soil is included in the strata. The ultimate decision sometimes to a great extent depends on the practical experience, not the predictive results given by the guideline. It is somewhat risky, but no choice. Therefore, a feasible predictive method for the spudcan penetration depth, especially in strata with strong-over-soft soil profile, is urgently needed by the jack-up industry. In view of this, a comprehensive investigation on methods of predicting spudcan penetration is executed. For types of different soil profiles, predictive methods for spudcan penetration depth are proposed, and the corresponding experiment is also conducted to validate these methods. In addition, to further verify the feasibility of the proposed methods, a practical engineering case encountered in the South China Sea is also presented, and the corresponding numerical and experimental results are also presented and discussed.

Oil rigs and offshore sport fishing in Louisiana

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dugas, R.; Guillory, V.; Fischer, M.

Forty years ago, offshore sport fishing in Louisiana was almost nonexistent. Offshore oil drilling platforms are the primary cause of the present increase in sport fishing in this area. Algae and other organisms forming the first step in the food chain cluster around the subsurface structures of the rigs, attracting fish that seek food and shelter. Major game species frequenting these rigs are identified. (3 photos, 22 references, 2 tables)

Lunar deep drill apparatus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harvey, Jill (Editor)

1989-01-01

A self contained, mobile drilling and coring system was designed to operate on the Lunar surface and be controlled remotely from earth. The system uses SKITTER (Spatial Kinematic Inertial Translatory Tripod Extremity Robot) as its foundation and produces Lunar core samples two meters long and fifty millimeters in diameter. The drill bit used for this is composed of 30 per carat diamonds in a sintered tungsten carbide matrix. To drill up to 50 m depths, the bit assembly will be attached to a drill string made from 2 m rods which will be carried in racks on SKITTER. Rotary power for drilling will be supplied by a Curvo-Synchronous motor. SKITTER is to support this system through a hexagonal shaped structure which will contain the drill motor and the power supply. A micro-coring drill will be used to remove a preliminary sample 5 mm in diameter and 20 mm long from the side of the core. This whole system is to be controlled from earth. This is carried out by a continuously monitoring PLC onboard the drill rig. A touch screen control console allows the operator on earth to monitor the progress of the operation and intervene if necessary.

Establish a Data Transmission Platform of the Rig Based on the Distributed Network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bao, Zefu; Li, Tao

In order to control in real-time ,closed-loop feedback the information, saving the money and labor,we distribute a platform of network data. It through the establishment of the platform in the oil drilling to achieve the easiest route of each device of the rig that conveying timely. The design proposed the platform to transfer networking data by PA which allows the rig control for optimal use. Against the idea,achieving first through on-site cabling and the establishment of data transmission module in the rig monitoring system. The results of standard field application show that the platform solve the problem of rig control.

Study of a pipe-scanning robot for use in post-construction evaluation during horizontal directional drilling.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-06-01

Trenchless Technology has become an increasingly popular underground utility construction method, beginning in : the early 1900s with pipe jacking beneath railroad lines. One method, horizontal directional drilling (HDD), became : more common in the ...

30 CFR 250.418 - What additional information must I submit with my APD?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

..., DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS AND SULPHUR OPERATIONS IN THE OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF Oil and Gas Drilling Operations Applying for A Permit to Drill § 250.418 What additional information must I submit with my APD? You must include the following with the APD: (a) Rated capacities of the drilling rig...

30 CFR 250.418 - What additional information must I submit with my APD?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

..., DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS AND SULPHUR OPERATIONS IN THE OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF Oil and Gas Drilling Operations Applying for A Permit to Drill § 250.418 What additional information must I submit with my APD? You must include the following with the APD: (a) Rated capacities of the drilling rig...

30 CFR 250.418 - What additional information must I submit with my APD?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

..., DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS AND SULPHUR OPERATIONS IN THE OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF Oil and Gas Drilling Operations Applying for A Permit to Drill § 250.418 What additional information must I submit with my APD? You must include the following with the APD: (a) Rated capacities of the drilling rig...

30 CFR 250.418 - What additional information must I submit with my APD?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... INTERIOR OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS AND SULPHUR OPERATIONS IN THE OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF Oil and Gas Drilling Operations Applying for A Permit to Drill § 250.418 What additional information must I submit with my APD? You must include the following with the APD: (a) Rated capacities of the drilling rig and major...

Methodology for reducing energy and resource costs in construction of trenchless crossover of pipelines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Toropov, V. S.

2018-05-01

The paper suggests a set of measures to select the equipment and its components in order to reduce energy costs in the process of pulling the pipeline into the well in the constructing the trenchless pipeline crossings of various materials using horizontal directional drilling technology. A methodology for reducing energy costs has been developed by regulating the operation modes of equipment during the process of pulling the working pipeline into a drilled and pre-expanded well. Since the power of the drilling rig is the most important criterion in the selection of equipment for the construction of a trenchless crossover, an algorithm is proposed for calculating the required capacity of the rig when operating in different modes in the process of pulling the pipeline into the well.

75 FR 75662 - Sunshine Act Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-06

..., union representatives and industry groups' to discuss regulation of offshore drilling operations in the... from leading safety experts involved in offshore drilling activities from countries including the... be holding an all day symposium entitled ``International Models of Offshore Oil Rig Regulation'' on...

Application program of CRUST-1 10km continental scientific drilling rig in SK-2 scientific drilling well

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Youhong; Gao, Ke; Yu, Ping; Liu, Baochang; Guo, Wei; Ma, Yinlong; Yang, Yang

2014-05-01

SK-2 Well is located in DaQing city,where is site of the largest oil field in China,Heilongjiang province, north-east of China.The objective of SK-2 well is to obtain full cores of cretaceous formation in Song Liao basin,and to build the time tunnel of Cretaceous greenhouse climate change,and to clarify the causes,processes and results of the formations of DaQing oil field. This will ensure to achieve our ultimate goals,to test the CRUST-1 drilling rig and improve China's deep scientific drilling technology,to form the scientific drilling technology,method and system with independent intellectual property rights,and to provide technical knowledge and information for China's ten kilometers super-deep scientific drilling technical resources.SK-2 Well is at 6400 meter depth, where the drilling inclination is 90 degree and the continuous coring length is 3535 meter that from 2865 to 6400 meter,the recovery rate of the core is greater or equal to 95 percent with 100 millimeters core diameter and 3.9 degree per 100 meter geothermal gradient.The CRUST-1 rig is designated with special drilling equipment for continental scientific drilling combined to the oil drilling equipment ability with advanced geological drilling technology which is highly automatic and intelligent. CRUST-1 drilling ability is 10000 meter with the maximum hook load 700 tons, the total power is 4610 Kilowatt.CRUST-1 will be integrated with a complete set of automation equipment,including big torque hydraulic top drive,high accuracy automatic drilling rod feeding system, suspended automatic drill string discharge device,hydraulic intelligent iron roughneck,and hydraulic automatic catwalk to fully meet the drilling process requirements of SK-2.Designed with advanced drilling technique for 260 degree in the bottom of SK-2 well and hard rock,including the drilling tools of high temperature hydraulic hammer,high temperature resistance and high strength aluminum drill pipe,high temperature preparation of mud treatment and high temperature resistant cementing materials, and bionic bits,that is coupling bionic PDC tooth bit and diamond-impregnated bit for hard rock.All parts of CRUST-1 were successfully assembled along with the derrick and base lift and transported about 3456 kilometers from manufacture,GuangHan city in southwest China's Sichuan province,to the well site of SK-2 in end of 2013.SK-2 will be finished during next 4 years.

Exposure to oil mist and oil vapour during offshore drilling in norway, 1979-2004.

PubMed

Steinsvåg, Kjersti; Bråtveit, Magne; Moen, Bente E

2006-03-01

To describe personal exposure to airborne hydrocarbon contaminants (oil mist and oil vapour) from 1979 to 2004 in the mud-handling areas of offshore drilling facilities operating on the Norwegian continental shelf when drilling with oil-based muds. Qualitative and quantitative information was gathered during visits to companies involved in offshore oil and gas production in Norway. Monitoring reports on oil mist and oil vapour exposure covered 37 drilling facilities. Exposure data were analysed using descriptive statistics and by constructing linear mixed-effects models. Samples had been taken during the use of three generations of hydrocarbon base oils, namely diesel oils (1979-1984), low-aromatic mineral oils (1985-1997) and non-aromatic mineral oils (1998-2004). Sampling done before 1984 showed high exposure to diesel vapour (arithmetic mean, AM = 1217 mg m(-3)). When low-aromatic mineral oils were used, the exposure to oil mist and oil vapour was 4.3 and 36 mg m(-3), and the respective AMs for non-aromatic mineral oils were reduced to 0.54 and 16 mg m(-3). Downward time trends were indicated for both oil mist (6% per year) and oil vapour (8% per year) when the year of monitoring was introduced as a fixed effect in a linear mixed-effects model analysis. Rig type, technical control measures and mud temperature significantly determined exposure to oil mist. Rig type, type of base oil, viscosity of the base oil, work area, mud temperature and season significantly determined exposure to oil vapour. Major decreases in variability were found for the between-rig components. Exposure to oil mist and oil vapour declined over time in the mud-handling areas of offshore drilling facilities. Exposure levels were associated with rig type, mud temperature, technical control measures, base oil, viscosity of the base oil, work area and season.

Occupational exposure to airborne contaminants during offshore oil drilling.

PubMed

Kirkhus, Niels E; Thomassen, Yngvar; Ulvestad, Bente; Woldbæk, Torill; Ellingsen, Dag G

2015-07-01

The aim was to study exposure to airborne contaminants in oil drillers during ordinary work. Personal samples were collected among 65 drill floor workers on four stationary and six moveable rigs in the Norwegian offshore sector. Air concentrations of drilling mud were determined based on measurements of the non-volatile mud components Ca and Fe. The median air concentration of mud was 140 μg m(-3). Median air concentrations of oil mist (180 μg m(-3)), oil vapour (14 mg m(-3)) and organic carbon (46 μg m(-3)) were also measured. All contaminants were detected in all work areas (drill floor, shaker area, mud pits, pump room, other areas). The highest air concentrations were measured in the shaker area, but the differences in air concentrations between working areas were moderate. Oil mist and oil vapour concentrations were statistically higher on moveable rigs than on stationary rigs, but after adjusting for differences in mud temperature the differences between rig types were no longer of statistical significance. Statistically significant positive associations were found between mud temperature and the concentrations of oil mist (Spearman's R = 0.46) and oil vapour (0.39), and between viscosity of base oil and oil mist concentrations. Use of pressure washers was associated with higher air concentrations of mud. A series of 18 parallel stationary samples showed a high and statistically significant association between concentrations of organic carbon and oil mist (r = 0.98). This study shows that workers are exposed to airborne non-volatilized mud components. Air concentrations of volatile mud components like oil mist and oil vapour were low, but were present in all the studied working areas.

Jackup placement calls for extreme care

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sharples, B.P.M.; Gorman, M.T.; Firstenberg, C.E.

1986-05-01

Jackup drilling rigs are exceedingly useful tools for exploration. The integrity of the jackup rig is very dependent on the specific location at which the unit is operating. Therefore, an accurate assessment of the environment for the location is essential. For safe operations, independent assessments should be made to establish the safety of the rig for specific sites and environments. While it is the task of the designer and the builder to produce a jackup which is suitable for the rigors of operation, it is the responsibility of the owner to operate the unit within an acceptable level of risk.more » When owners rely upon marine surveyors, with the aid of their organizations' criteria, to decide the safety of a jackup on a location, they should be acutely aware of the criteria and assumptions in which they are placing their faith. When a drilling contractor instructs his marine surveyor to assess the suitability of a rig for a location by performing a site-specific analysis, the assumptions made in the calculations can make the results vary widely.« less

The Georges Bank monitoring program 1985; analysis of trace metals in bottom sediments during the third year of monitoring

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bothner, Michael H.; Rendigs, R. R.; Campbell, Esma; Doughten, M.W.; Parmenter, C.M.; O'Dell, C. H.; DiLisio, G.P.; Johnson, R.G.; Gillison, J.R.; Rait, Norma

1986-01-01

Of the 12 elements analyzed in bulk (undifferentiated) sediments collected adjacent to drilling rigs on Georges Bank, only barium was found to increase in concentration during the period when eight exploratory wells were drilled (July 1981 until September 1982). The maximum postdrilling concentration of barium (a major element in drilling mud) reached 172 ppm in bulk sediments near the drill site in block 410. This concentration is higher than the predrilling concentration at this location by a factor of 5.9. This maximum barium concentration is within the range of predrilling concentrations (28-300 ppm) measured in various sediment types from the regional stations of this program. No drilling-related changes in the concentrations of the 11 other metals have been observed in bulk sediments at any of the locations sampled in this program. We estimate that about 25 percent of the barite discharged at block 312 was present in the sediments within 6 km of the rig, 4 weeks after drilling was completed at this location (drilling period was December 8, 1981-June 27, 1982). For almost a year following completion of this well, the inventory of barite decreased rapidly, with a half-life of 0.34 year. During the next year, the inventory decreased at a slower rate (half-life of 3.4 years). The faster rate probably reflects resuspension and sediment transport of bariterich material residing at the sediment surface. Elevated barium concentrations in post-drilling sediment-trap samples from block 312 indicate that such resuspension can occur up to at least 25 m above the sea floor. As the remaining barite particles are reworked deeper into the sediments by currents and bioturbation, removal by sediment-transport processes is slower. The barite discharged during the exploratory phase of drilling is associated with the fine fraction of sediment and is widely distributed around the bank. We found evidence for barium transport to Great South Channel, 115 km west of the drilling, and to stations 2 and 3, 35 km east of the easternmost drilling site. Small increases in barium concentrations, present in the fine fraction of sediment only, were measured also at the heads of both Lydonia and Oceanographer Canyons, located 8 and 39 km, respectively, seaward of the nearest exploratory well.

Diverter/bop system and method for a bottom supported offshore drilling rig

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Roche, J.R.; Alexander, G.G.; Carbaugh, W.L.

1986-07-01

A system is described adapted for alternative use as a diverter or a blowout preventer for a bottom supported drilling rig and adapted for connection to a permanent housing attached to rig structural members beneath a drilling rig rotary table, the permanent housing having an outlet connectable to a rig fluid system flow line. The system consists of: a fluid flow controller having a controller housing with a lower cylindrical opening and an upper cylindrical opening and a vertical path therebetween and a first outlet passage and a second outlet passage provided in its wall, a packing element disposed withinmore » the controller housing, and annular piston means adapted for moving from a first position to a second position, whereby in the first position the piston means wall prevents interior fluid from communicating with the outlet passages in the controller housing wall and in the second position the piston means wall allows fluid communication of interior fluid with the outlet passages and urges the annular packing element to close about an object extending through the bore of the controller housing or to close the vertical flow path through through the controller housing in the absence of any object in the vertical flow path, means for connecting a vent line to the outlet passage provided in the controller housing wall, a lower telescoping spool having a lower joining means at its lower end for joining alternatively to structural casing or to a mandrel connected to a conductor string cemented within the structural casing and an upper connection means at its upper end for connection to the lower cylindrical opening of the fluid flow controller, and an upper telescoping spool having a lower connection means for connection to the upper cylindrical opening of the fluid flow controller.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Barker, Ben; Moore, Joe; Segall, Marylin

The Tularosa-Hueco basin in south-central New Mexico has long been known as an extensional area of high heat flow. Much of the basin is within the Fort Bliss military reservation, which is an exceptionally high value customer for power independent of the regional electric grid and for direct use energy in building climate control. A series of slim holes drilled in the 1990s established the existence of a thermal anomaly but not its practical value. This study began in 2009 with a demonstration of new exploration drilling technology. The subsequent phases reported here delivered a useful well, comparative exploration datamore » sets and encouragement for further development. A production-size well, RMI56-5, was sited after extensive study of archival and newly collected data in 2010-2011. Most of 2012 was taken up with getting state and Federal authorities to agree on a lead agency for permitting purposes, getting a drilling permit and redesigning the drilling program to suit available equipment. In 2013 we drilled, logged and tested a 924 m well on the McGregor Range at Fort Bliss using a reverse circulation rig. Rig tests demonstrated commercial permeability and the well has a 7-inch slotted liner for use either in production or injection. An August 2013 survey of the completed well showed a temperature of 90 C with no reversal, the highest such temperature in the vicinity. The well’s proximity to demand suggests a potentially valuable resource for direct use heat and emergency power generation. The drilling produced cuttings of excellent size and quality. These were subjected to traditional analyses (thin sections, XRD) and to the QEMScan™ for comparison. QEMScan™ technology includes algorithms for determining such properties of rocks as density, mineralogy, heavy/light atoms, and porosity to be compared with direct measurements of the cuttings. In addition to a complete cuttings set, conventional and resistivity image logs were obtained in the open hole before the well was cased.« less

NOx Emissions from Oil and Gas Production in the North Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, J. D.; Foulds, A.; Purvis, R.; Vaughan, A. R.; Carslaw, D.; Lewis, A. C.

2015-12-01

North Sea oil is a mixture of hydrocarbons, comprising liquid petroleum and natural gas, produced from petroleum reservoirs beneath the North Sea. As of January 2015, the North Sea is the world's most active offshore drilling region with 173 rigs drilling. During the summer of 2015, a series of survey flights took place on the UKs FAAM BAe 146 research aircraft with the primary aim to assess background methane (and other hydrocarbons) levels in the drilling areas of the North Sea. Also measured were Nitrogen Oxides (NO and NO2), which are emitted from almost all combustion processes and are a key air pollutant, both directly and as a precursor to ozone (O3). The oil and gas platforms in the North Sea are often manned and require significant power generation and support vessels for their continued operation, processes that potentially emit significant amounts of NOx into an otherwise relative clean environment. During these flights we were able to measure the NO­­­x (and any subsequently produced O3) emitted from specific rigs, as well as the NOx levels in the wider North Sea oil and gas production region (see figure for example). NOx mixing ratios of <10 ppbv were frequently observed in plumes, with significant perturbation to the wider North Sea background levels. NOx emissions from the rigs are point sources within the UKs National Atmospheric Emission Inventory (NAEI) and the measurements taken in plumes from individual rigs are used to assess the accuracy of these estimates.

MTR CAISSONS WERE DRILLED INTO BEDROCK. IN CENTER OF VIEW, ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

MTR CAISSONS WERE DRILLED INTO BEDROCK. IN CENTER OF VIEW, CONCRETE FLOWS FROM TRUCK INTO DRUM, WHICH IS LOWERED INTO CAISSON AND RELEASED AT BOTTOM OF HOLE. BEYOND, TRUCK-MOUNTED DRILLING RIG DRILLS HOLE FOR ANOTHER CAISSON NEAR EDGE OF EXCAVATION. MATERIAL REMOVED FROM HOLE IS CARRIED BY CONVEYOR TO WAITING TRUCK. INL NEGATIVE NO. 307. Unknown Photographer, 6/1950. - Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, Test Reactor Area, Materials & Engineering Test Reactors, Scoville, Butte County, ID

International Oil and Gas Exploration and Development

EIA Publications

1993-01-01

Presents country level data on oil reserves, oil production, active drilling rigs, seismic crews, wells drilled, oil reserve additions, and oil reserve to production ratios (R/P ratios) for about 85 countries, where available, from 1970 through 1991. World and regional summaries are given in both tabular and graphical form.

Special mobile rescue unit can speed recovery

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1977-04-01

Since time is often a matter of life and death in a mine disaster, Mine Emergency Operations (MEO) personnel are prepared to begin rescue work at any mining site in the eastern part of the United States within six hours of notification, and within no more than nine hours in the western United States. The entire MEO force, including vans, trucks, bulldozers to clear and level the drilling site, seismic equipment, and the big drilling rig can be on any site within less than 20 hours of a disaster. The speed of deployment is made possible in some measure bymore » a special agreement between MESA and the United States Air Force, which stands ready 24 hours a day to dispatch giant C-130 cargo aircraft to airlift the tons of bulky MEO equipment. While the big drilling rig is usually taken to disaster sites by highway, it can also be airlifted when necessary.« less

Flexible roof drill for low coal. Volume 2. Phase III and Phase IV

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shoup, N.H.

1977-09-01

Design specifications were developed for a flexible drilling and bolting system. The system configuration is based on the use of the Galis dual-boom roof drill as a vehicle for the drilling/bolting system. The WSU Flex-drill drivehead is mounted on the Galis drill boom and the Galis parts are modified to accommodate the revised system. The flexible drillhead supports a bolt bender/inserter designed by Bendix Corporation and is integrated into the system operation. A supplemental bolt thruster was designed to complete insertion of the roof bolt following operation and removal of the Bendix bender from the bolt shank. The complete cyclemore » of drilling a 1-3/8-in. diameter bolt hole, bending a roof bolt into the hole, thrusting the bolt head and washer to the roof surface, and final torquing of the bolt is manually controlled by the operator located in the new position behind the bolting line. The new operating position is beneath newly bolted roof in a safer location in back of the stab jack ad roof jacks positioning the drill boom and drivehead. The Flex-drill/bolting system prototype was constructed from both purchased components and parts specially fabricated in the shops for this design. This unit was assembled and test-operated with appropriate support equipment in a laboratory test stand. Numerous test holes were drilled in blocks of concrete at feed rates of 5 ft/min with drill rotation speeds of 360 rpm. The drill feeds uniformly and cuts smoothly with no difficulty in collection of dust or clogging of the drill bit. The holes drilled were straight, as evidence by passage of a 1-1/4-in. diameter bar full depth into the hole with no binding or evidence of curvature. The flexible drill is capable of drilling 8-ft-deep roof bolt holes in low coal 36 in. in height.« less

Quantitative Risk Assessment (QRA) for an Underground Blowout Scenario in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) Well

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tyagi, M.; Zulqarnain, M.

2017-12-01

Offshore oil and gas exploration and production operations, involve the use of some of the cutting edge and challenging technologies of the modern time. These technological complex operations involves the risk of major accidents as well, which have been demonstrated by disasters such as the explosion and fire on the UK production platform piper alpha, the Canadian semi-submersible drilling rig Ocean Ranger and the explosion and capsizing of Deepwater horizon rig in the Gulf of Mexico. By conducting Quantitative Risk Assessment (QRA), safety of various operations as well as their associated risks and significance during the entire life phase of an offshore project can be quantitatively estimated. In an underground blowout, the uncontrolled formation fluids from higher pressure formation may charge up shallower overlying low pressure formations or may migrate to sea floor. Consequences of such underground blowouts range from no visible damage at the surface to the complete loss of well, loss of drilling rig, seafloor subsidence or hydrocarbons discharged to the environment. These blowouts might go unnoticed until the over pressured sands, which are the result of charging from higher pressure reservoir due to an underground blowout. Further, engineering formulas used to estimate the fault permeability and thickness are very simple in nature and may add to uncertainty in the estimated parameters. In this study the potential of a deepwater underground blowout are assessed during drilling life phase of a well in Popeye-Genesis field reservoir in the Gulf of Mexico to estimate the time taken to charge a shallower zone to its leak-off test (LOT) value. Parametric simulation results for selected field case show that for relatively high permeability (k = 40mD) fault connecting a deep over-pressured zone to a shallower low-pressure zone of similar reservoir volumes, the time to recharge the shallower zone up to its threshold LOT value is about 135 years. If the ratio of the reservoir volumes for shallower to deeper zone is about 0.1, the recharging time significantly decreased to 24 years. Also, the hydrocarbons might possibly migrate through casing-wellbore annulus due to delamination fractures between cement interfaces with rock/casing and any other micro annulus gap not isolated by cement.

Contractors on road to recovery

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stremel, K.

1984-06-01

Ravaged by two years of spotty markets and minimal profits, the well service industry is on the road to recovery. A discussion of the increase and decrease of drilling rigs and drilling activity in the Rocky Mountain region is given. It also discusses the current trend of well service costs and the direction it should take in the future.

Surface drilling technologies for Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blacic, J. D.; Rowley, J. C.; Cort, G. E.

1986-01-01

Rock drilling and coring conceptual designs for the surface activities associated with a manned Mars mission are proposed. Straightforward extensions of equipment and procedures used on Earth are envisioned for the sample coring and shallow high explosive shot holes needed for tunneling and seismic surveying. A novel rocket exhaust jet piercing method is proposed for very rapid drilling of shot holes required for explosive excavation of emergency radiation shelters. Summaries of estimated equipment masses and power requirements are provided, and the indicated rotary coring rigs are scaled from terrestrial equipment and use compressed CO2 from the Martian atmosphere for core bit cooling and cuttings removal. A mass of 120 kg and power of 3 kW(e) are estimated for a 10 m depth capability. A 100 m depth capacity core rig requires about 1150 kg and 32 km(e). The rocket exhaust jet equipment devised for shallow (3m) explosive emplacement shot holes requires no surface power beyond an electrical ignition system, and might have a 15 kg mass.

Libya: a dynamic Arab oil power

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hobbs, M.

1965-06-01

Libya has become the most dynamic oil-producing nation in the world. Less than 4 yr ago, Libya exported only peanuts, olive oil, and hides. Today, in crude-oil production Libya ranks eighth in the world, with daily production of 1.2 million bbl. Twenty-five oil companies hold concessions and have spent $1.3 billion developing reserves. Petroleum has brought new wealth to the country- an estimated $272 million in 1965. Some 2.75 million ft of hole was drilled in 1964, resulting in 97 oil fields and 4 major basins. Lost circulation has been a problem Transportation and communication are difficult in the vastmore » Libyan desert. Water-contaminated crude and high salt content have plagued production. These problems are being solved. With 45 drillings rigs active, crude production is expected to reach 2 million bpd by 1966. Most of the rigs used are trailer-mounted, unitized 8,000-12,000 ft capacity, that have been specially adapted to work in the Sahara. The drilling-completion programs are briefly described.« less

PREFACE: Scientific and Technical Challenges in the Well Drilling Progress

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2015-02-01

The Conference "Advanced Engineering Problems in Drilling" was devoted to the 60th anniversary of the Drilling Department, Institute of Natural Resources. Today this Department is the "descendant" of two existing departments - Mining Exploration Technology and Oil and Gas Drilling. It should be mentioned that this remarkable date is associated with the first graduation class of mining engineers in "Mining Exploration Technologies", as well as the 30th anniversary of the Oil and Gas Well Drilling Department. Anniversary is an excellent occasion to remember one's historical past. At the beginning of the last century within the Tomsk Technological Institute n.a. Emperor Nikolai II the Mining Department was established which soon embraced the Obruchev-Usov Mining-Geological School. This School became the parent of mining-geological education in the Asian region of Russia, as well as the successor of mining-geological science. It was and is today one of the leading schools in the spheres of mineral resources exploration, surveying and mining. 1927 is the year of the establishment of the Department of Technology in Mineral Exploration. SibGeokom (Western-Siberia branch of the Geological Committee) under the supervision of M.A. Usov obtained the first Krelis rotary boring drill. Prior to that only the Keystone cable drilling rig was used in exploration. It was I.A. Molchanov who was responsible for the development and implementation of new technology in the field of exploration. In the yard of SibGeokom (now it is Building № 6, Usov St.) the first drilling rig was mounted. This was the beginning of the first training courses for Krelis drilling foremen under the supervision of I.A. Molchanov. In 1931 I.A. Molchanov headed the Department of Exploration which was located in Building № 6. In the outside territory of this building a drilling site was launched, including Keystone cable drilling rig, CAM-500 drilling rig and others. In the Building itself, i.e. in one study room (now № 107), the floor was lowered to 2 m and a drilling rig was mounted where students could obtain practical skills in drilling. The Department of Exploration became the foundation of the future department of Mining Exploration Technologies. However, the Department of Exploration, headed by A.A. Belitshky from 1944, furthered its work in the research sphere of drilling (including such leading specialists as P.F. Palyanov, V.I. Molchanov, I.S. Mitushkin, V.M. Matrosov, V.P. Krendelev) and in 1949 a new speciality was introduced "Technologies in Mineral Exploration." In 1952 the graduate of Moscow Geological Institute (now Geological Institute, Russian Academy of Science) PhD. S.S. Sulakshin began working in this Department, and in 1954 headed the newly established Department of Technologies in Mineral Exploration and was its continuous Head for more than 32 years and during the last 60 years has been a close associate of this department. Due to his brilliant supervision, this Department flourished and during the last 20 years has been one of the top departments in Russian affliated departments. In 1962 within the framework of this Department a new speciality was introduced - Oil and Gas Well Drilling. 125 full-time and 50 part-time students were enrolled in the two above-mentioned specialities. As a result, there was a necessity to open a new independent department which was in 1984 (October 1). The Department of Oil and Gas Well Drilling was located in Building № 8 and then in Building № 15. The Department staff included graduates of the Department of Technologies in Mineral Exploration and was headed by Yu. L. Boyarko, one of the first graduates of this Department. Time passed by and life made its own adjustments which influenced the further existence of these two departments. Due to the decrease of exploration and development drilling scope the student enrollment in the two above-mentioned specialties also decreased many-fold. As a result the two departments - Technologies in Mineral Exploration and Technologies in Mineral Exploration were merged into one department. In 2003 the newly merged Department of Drilling was established within the Institute of Petroleum Engineering, now the Institute of Natural Resources and is located in Building № 6 where it began its life. During these 60 years more than 3000 specialists have graduated the Department of Drilling, many whom are highly-qualified and dedicated professionals. There is no doubt that this Conference involved comprehensive advanced engineering problems in drilling and issues on relevant personnel training. It is extremely important to understand how the 60-year progress and contribution in the field of drilling has left its trace in the history of this Department; and, that, now, it is necessary to move further and seek new and new horizons in drilling.

An automated tool joint inspection device for the drill string

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Moyer, M.C.; Dale, B.A.; Kusenberger, F.N.

1983-02-01

This paper discusses the development of an automated tool joint inspection device (i.e., the Fatigue Crack Detector), which is capable of detecting defects in the threaded region of drill pipe and drill collars. On the basis of inspection tests conducted at a research test facility and at drilling rig sites, this device is capable of detecting both simulated defects (saw slots and drilled holes) and service-induced defects, such as fatigue cracks, pin stretch (plastic deformation), mashed threads, and corrosion pitting. The system employs an electromagnetic flux-leakage principle and has several advantages over the conventional method of magnetic particle inspection.

Results of an adaptive environmental assessment modeling workshop concerning potential impacts of drilling muds and cuttings on the marine environment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Auble, Gregor T.; Andrews, Austin K.; Ellison, Richard A.; Hamilton, David B.; Johnson, Richard A.; Roelle, James E.; Marmorek, David R.

1983-01-01

Drilling fluids or "muds" are essential components of modern drilling operations. They provide integrity for the well bore, a medium for removal of formation cuttings, and lubrication and cooling of the drill bit and pipe. The modeling workshop described in this report was conducted September 14-18, 1981 in Gulf Breeze, Florida to consider potential impacts of discharged drilling muds and cuttings on the marine environment. The broad goals of the workshop were synthesis of information on fate and effects, identification of general relationships between drilling fluids and the marine environment, and identification of site-specific variables likely to determine impacts of drilling muds and cuttings in various marine sites. The workshop was structured around construction of a model simulating fate and effects of discharges from a single rig into open water areas of the Gulf of Mexico, and discussion of factors that might produce different fate and effects in enclosed areas such as bays and estuaries. The simulation model was composed of four connected submodels. A Discharge/Fate submodel dealt with the discharge characteristics of the rig and the subsequent fate of discharged material. Three effects submodels then calculated biological responses at distances away from the rig for the water column, soft bottom benthos (assuming the rig was located over a soft bottom environment), and hard bottom benthos (assuming the rig was located over a hard bottom environment). The model focused on direct linkages between the discharge and various organisms rather than on how the marine ecosystem itself is interconnected. Behavior of the simulation model indicated relatively localized effects of drilling muds and cuttings discharged from a single platform into open water areas. Water column fate and effects were dominated by rapid dilution. Effects from deposition of spent mud and cuttings were spatially limited with relatively rapid recovery, especially in soft bottom benthic communities which were conceptualized as being adapted to frequent storms. This behavior was generated by the set of assumptions about linkages and functional relationships used to construct the model. Areas of uncertainty included methods for extrapolating 96-hr LC50 so results to exposures of varying lengths and concentrations; recovery rates of benthic communities; responses to various depths and rates of burial; fate and effects of the plume in relationship to stratification layers; and long-term and sub-lethal effects of slightly elevated concentrations of discharged materials. Evaluation of the assumptions of the Soft Bottom Submodel suggest that the assumptions used may have been relatively liberal estimates of resiliency of these communities. Discussion of "closed" water bodies such as bays and estuaries indicated several reasons to expect different and more complex fate and effects behavior in these areas. These factors included different species and communities (such as aquatic macrophytes and oyster beds), more complex circulation and stratification patterns, and potentially more active resuspension processes. Much of the possible difference in behavior in these areas centers around the extent to which they are “closed” or in the relative residence times of water and sediments in these areas as they determine the long-term dispersion of discharged material. Despite the complexity and variability of these areas, a large body of knowledge (such as that concerning fate and physical effects of dredge spoil) that could be effectively employed in analysis of potential fate and physical effects in enclosed areas was identified.

Simple, Affordable and Sustainable Borehole Observatories for Complex Monitoring Objectives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kopf, A.; Freudenthal, T.; Ratmeyer, V.; Wefer, G.

2014-12-01

Seafloor drill rigs are remotely operated systems that provide a cost effective means to recover sedimentary records of the upper sub-seafloor deposits. Recent increases in their payload included downhole logging tools or autoclave coring systems. We here report on another milestone in using seafloor rigs: The development and installation of shallow borehole observatories. Three different systems have been developed for the MeBo seafloor drill, which is operated by MARUM, Univ. Bremen, Germany. A simple design, the MeBoPLUG, separates the inner borehole from the overlying ocean by using o-ring seals at the conical threads of the drill pipe. The systems are self-contained and include data loggers, batteries, thermistors and a differential pressure sensor. A second design, the so-called MeBoCORK, is more sophisticated and also hosts an acoustic modem for data transfer and, if desired, fluid sampling capability using osmotic pumps. Of these MeBoCORKs, two systems have to be distinguished: The CORK-A (A = autonomous) can be installed by the MeBo alone and monitors pressure and temperature inside and above the borehole (the latter for reference). The CORK-B (B = bottom) has a higher payload and can additionally be equipped with geochemical, biological or other physical components. Owing to its larger size, it is installed by ROV and utilises a hotstab connection in the upper portion of the drill string. Either design relies on a hostab connection from beneath which coiled tubing with a conical drop weight is lowered to couple to the formation. These tubes are fluid-saturated and either serve to transmit pore pressure signals or collect pore water in the osmo-sampler. The third design, the MeBoPUPPI (Pop-Up Pore Pressure Instrument), is similar to the MeBoCORK-A and monitors pore pressure and temperature in a self-contained manner. Instead of transferring data upon command using an acoustic modem, the MeBoPUPPI contains a pop-up telemetry with Iridium link. After a predefined period, the data unit with satellite link is released, ascends to the sea surface, and remains there for up to two weeks while sending the long-term data sets to shore. In 2012, 2 MeBoPLUGs, 1 MeBoCORK-A and 1 MeBoCORK-B were installed with MeBo in the Nankai Trough, Japan, and data were successfully downloaded from the CORKs.

An Alaskan legend

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mann, H.; Blodgett, R.B.

2009-01-01

Jack Lee is a prominent personality, an Alaskan individualist and a skeptic worthy of remembrance if for no other reason than being inextricably associated with the catastrophic Katmai eruption in 1912. Jack remains a provocative reminder of Alaska's pre-1958 drilling and was quite possibly the earliest observer (excepting natives and possibly Russians) of the oil seeps in the area now encompassed by the Becharof National Wildlife Refuge. His observation of the impressive live oil seeps in the Ugashik and Becharof Lakes area, and his subsequent involvement in the early drilling entirely consumed his future interests. He is a firm believer that individualism and suspicion are powerful tools when forced to reconsider alternatives to readily accepted interpretations of modern exploration results. His individualism and sometimes annoying, but thought-provoking skepticism remains useful in any field where clich??s provide safe guards from new concepts.

46 CFR 90.10-16 - Industrial vessel.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... ventures. Included in this classification are such vessels as drill rigs, missile range ships, dredges... classification are vessels carrying freight for hire or engaged in oceanography, limnology, or the fishing...

46 CFR 90.10-16 - Industrial vessel.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... ventures. Included in this classification are such vessels as drill rigs, missile range ships, dredges... classification are vessels carrying freight for hire or engaged in oceanography, limnology, or the fishing...

46 CFR 90.10-16 - Industrial vessel.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... ventures. Included in this classification are such vessels as drill rigs, missile range ships, dredges... classification are vessels carrying freight for hire or engaged in oceanography, limnology, or the fishing...

46 CFR 90.10-16 - Industrial vessel.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... ventures. Included in this classification are such vessels as drill rigs, missile range ships, dredges... classification are vessels carrying freight for hire or engaged in oceanography, limnology, or the fishing...

46 CFR 90.10-16 - Industrial vessel.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... ventures. Included in this classification are such vessels as drill rigs, missile range ships, dredges... classification are vessels carrying freight for hire or engaged in oceanography, limnology, or the fishing...

KSC-02pd1679

NASA Image and Video Library

2002-11-07

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - A touring group of national and international participants look over some Precision Sampling's drilling rig, new equipment being used for environmental cleanup at Launch Complex 34-A, Cape Canaveral Spaceport.

Hard-rock jetting. Part 2. Rock type decides jetting economics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pols, A.C.

1977-02-07

In Part 2, Koninklijke Shell Exploratie en Produktie Laboratorium presents the results of jet-drilling laminated formations. Shell concludes that (1) hard, laminated rock cannot be jet-drilled satisfactorily without additional mechanical cutting aids, (2) the increase in penetration rate with bit-pressure drop is much lower for impermeable rock than it is for permeable rock, (3) drilling mud can have either a positive or a negative effect on penetration rate in comparison with water, depending on the material drilled, and (4) hard, isotropic, sedimentary, impermeable rock can be drilled using jets at higher rates than with conventional means. However, jetting becomes profitablemore » only in the case of expensive rigs.« less

A Comparison of Pre-Test Means from Oil Field Workers Having Available Manuals and Those Lacking Manuals before Announced Training.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zambon, Franco

A study assessed the validity of the hypothesis that offshore drilling personnel would independently study important material if they knew that they would eventually receive formal training on the topic covered in the material. Eighty-one crew members on an offshore drilling rig were randomly divided into experimental and control groups. Those in…

Installation Restoration Program Phase 1 - Records Search, O’Hare Air Reserve Forces Facility, Illinois

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-12-01

clarifiers, activated sludge units, trickling filters, aerobic and anaerobic digesters, and various dowatering devices and recommendations for...for locations of water- bearing fractures. Additional responsibilities included drilling with mud and air rotary drilling rigs as well as bucket auger...interpretation. Also conducted earth resistivity surveys in Georgia and Alabama Piedmont Provinces for locations of water- bearing fractures. Additional

Confronting Space Debris: Strategies and Warnings from Comparable Examples Including Deepwater Horizon

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-01-01

Horizon (DH) was an ultra deepwater , semisubmers- ible offshore drilling rig contracted to BP by its owner, Transocean. The rig was capable of...Warnings from Comparable Examples Including Deepwater Horizon 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT...research quality and objectivity. StrategieS and WarningS from Comparable exampleS inCluding deepWater Horizon Confronting SpaCe DebriS dave baiocchi

APL-UW Deep Water Propagation: Philippine Sea Signal Physics and North Pacific Ambient Noise

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-10-15

prompted an expansion of efforts to extract energy from ocean resources. Oil drilling is a well-known example, and recent projects include wind farms and...tidal turbines. The VLF sound contributions from these initiatives may be space/time limited (as with pile driving for wind farm towers or oil rig...decommissioning) or chronic (as with routine service vessel transportation to and from existing oil rigs). Additionally, the contributions are generally

Noise characterization of oil and gas operations.

PubMed

Radtke, Cameron; Autenrieth, Daniel A; Lipsey, Tiffany; Brazile, William J

2017-08-01

In cooperation with The Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, researchers at Colorado State University performed area noise monitoring at 23 oil and gas sites throughout Northern Colorado. The goals of this study were to: (1) measure and compare the noise levels for the different phases of oil and gas development sites; (2) evaluate the effectiveness of noise barriers; and (3) determine if noise levels exceeded the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission noise limits. The four phases of oil and gas development include drilling, hydraulic fracturing, completion and production. Noise measurements were collected using the A- and C-weighted sound scales. Octave band analysis was also performed to characterize the frequency spectra of the noise measurements.  Noise measurements were collected using noise dosimeters and a hand-held sound-level meter at specified distances from the development sites in each cardinal direction. At 350 ft (107 m), drilling, hydraulic fracturing, and completion sites without noise barriers exceeded the maximum permissible noise levels for residential and commercial zones (55 dBA and 60 dBA, respectively). In addition, drilling and hydraulic fracturing sites with noise barriers exceeded the maximum permissible noise level for residential zones (55 dBA). However, during drilling, hydraulic fracturing, and completion operations, oil producers are allowed an exception to the noise permissible limits in that they only must comply with the industrial noise limit (80 dBA). It is stated in Rule 604.c.(2)A. that: "Operations involving pipeline or gas facility installation or maintenance, the use of a drilling rig, completion rig, workover rig, or stimulation is subject to the maximum permissible noise levels for industrial zones (80dBA)." [8] Production sites were within the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission permissible noise level criteria for all zones. At 350 ft (107 m) from the noise source, all drilling, hydraulic fracturing, and completion sites exceeded 65 dBC.  Current noise wall mitigation strategies reduced noise levels in both the A- and C-weighted scale measurements. However, this reduction in noise was not sufficient to reduce the noise below the residential permissible noise level (55 dBA).

Exergetic analysis of autonomous power complex for drilling rig

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lebedev, V. A.; Karabuta, V. S.

2017-10-01

The article considers the issue of increasing the energy efficiency of power equipment of the drilling rig. At present diverse types of power plants are used in power supply systems. When designing and choosing a power plant, one of the main criteria is its energy efficiency. The main indicator in this case is the effective efficiency factor calculated by the method of thermal balances. In the article, it is suggested to use the exergy method to determine energy efficiency, which allows to perform estimations of the thermodynamic perfection degree of the system by the example of a gas turbine plant: relative estimation (exergetic efficiency factor) and an absolute estimation. An exergetic analysis of the gas turbine plant operating in a simple scheme was carried out using the program WaterSteamPro. Exergy losses in equipment elements are calculated.

Sea Spray and Icing in the Emerging Open Water of the Arctic Ocean

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-06-12

concentrations of wind-generated sea spray and the resulting spray icing on offshore structures, such as wind turbines and exploration, drilling , and...We anticipate that structures placed in shallow water—wind turbines, drilling rigs, or man-made production islands, for instance—will, therefore...and the severity of sea spray icing on fixed offshore structures. We will use existing information on the relationship of the spray concentration

Subterranean drilling and in situ treatment of wastes using a contamination control system and methods relating thereto

DOEpatents

Jessmore, James J.; Loomis, Guy G.; Pettet, Mark C.; Flyckt, Melissa C.

2004-09-28

Systems and methods relating to subterranean drilling while maintaining containment of any contaminants released during the drilling. A thrust block installed over a zone of interest provides an overflow space for retaining any contaminants and excess sealant returns. Negative air pressure may be maintained in the overflow space by a ventilation system. Access ports in the thrust block seal the overflow space from the surrounding environment with a membrane seal. A flexible sack seal in the access port may be connected to a drill shroud prior to drilling, providing containment during drilling after the drill bit penetrates the membrane seal. The drill shroud may be adapted to any industry standard drilling rig and includes a connection conduit for connecting to the flexible sack seal and a flexible enclosure surrounding the drill shaft and of a length to accommodate full extension thereof. Upon withdrawal, the sack seal may be closed off and separated, maintaining containment of the overflow space and the drill shroud.

76 FR 62817 - National Offshore Safety Advisory Committee

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-11

... Joint Investigation Team for DEEPWATER HORIZON drilling rig explosion and sinking. (9) Update from the... Advisory Committee>NOSAC and then use the event key. The meeting will be recorded by a court reporter. A...

46 CFR 176.404 - Subsequent inspections for certification.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

..., and on a sailing vessel, rigging and sails. The owner or operator must conduct all tests as required by the OCMI, and make the vessel available for all specific inspections and drills required by...

Letter from Europe: oil business expands; drills go deeper

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jenkins, N.

A view of the energy picture as seen from England indicates a great deal of drilling activity is taking place in the North Sea, where 65 platform rigs are producing enough oil to have reduced England's costs for imported oil. Promising new fields southeast and west of the Shetland Islands have not slowed British efforts to keep reserve levels ahead of depletion rates. The Italians are working at depths of up to 1100 meters to extend their gas fields in the Adriatic and Ionian waters. Australia is undertaking a major oil exploration effort in the west and northwest, with competingmore » efforts of several oil companies. The uranium market is complicated by environmental problems, although Canada may export some to Germany and England on a trial basis. Delegates to the London Local Energy Center Conference felt that the United Kingdom needs a total energy policy. The electricity industry opposes this view. (DCK)« less

Review-Esso Resources Canada Ltd. , Norman Wells expansion project drilling program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schaef, D.G.

Esso Resources Canada Limited has embarked on a project to increase production from its Norman Wells Oil field located 145 km south of the Arctic Circle, from 475 m/sup 3//D to 4000 m/sup 3//D of crude oil. This paper provides details on the development drilling portion of the project which is comprised of 150 wells to be drilled in 3 years utilizing 2 drilling rigs from July 1982 through September 1985. The majority of the wells will be directionally drilled from multiwell land pads and artificial islands to shallow reservoir targets underlying the Mackenzie River, a major river intersecting themore » field boundaries. Experience from the initial 27 wells completed is provided.« less

Application of Formation Testing While Drilling (GeoTap) for acquiring formation pressure data from the Azeri, Chirag and Guneshli wells which were drilled in the Khazarian-Caspian Sea of the Azerbaijan Republic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amirov, Elnur

2016-04-01

A new technology to acquire wireline quality pressure tests using a Logging While Drilling approach has been successfully implemented few years ago in Azeri, Chirag and Guneshli wells which were drilled in the Khazarian-Caspian Sea of the Azerbaijan Republic. The Formation Tester While Drilling tool (GeoTap) uses a testing sequence similar to wireline tools. A single probe is extended to the borehole wall and a small pretest volume withdrawn from the formation. The resulting pressure transient is then analyzed for formation pressure, formation permeability and mobility information. Up-link and down-link capabilities have been added to achieve test control and quality feedback. An efficient downlink algorithm is used downhole to analyze the data. The parameters and pressure data are transmitted to the surface in real-time for continuous monitoring of the test. More detailed pressure data is recorded and retrieved after returning to surface. Use of a quartz gauge allows excellent accuracy. Azeri, Chirag and Guneshli fields consist of layered sand reservoirs alternation with shale sequences and detailed pressure data is acquired on a high percentage of wells in order to understand lateral and vertical continuity of different flow units. The formation tester can be utilized with the 'triple combo' Logging While Drilling string which eliminates the need to rig up wireline on many wells. Wireline formation tester runs are time consuming - particularly if high deviation or high overbalance conditions are encountered requiring pipe conveyed techniques. Non-Productive Time is high when the wireline tools are stuck and fishing operations are required. The Sperry Drilling GeoTap formation pressure tester service provides real-time formation pressure measurements. It bridges the critical gap between drilling safety and optimization, by providing early and reliable measurements of key reservoir properties, while improving reservoir understanding and completion design in real time. The GeoTap tester obtains direct pore-pressure measurements as the well is being drilled, with accuracy and precision comparable to that of wireline testers. The GeoTap service can eliminate the time, risk, and cost associated with running pipe-conveyed wireline test tools. It also measures annular and bore pressure while drilling, providing accurate, continuous, real-time hydrostatic pressure, and equivalent circulating density (ECD) information. This aids in determining and maintaining optimal mud weight, reduces formation damage, increases the rate of penetration, and increases operational safety. GeoTap benefits can be improvement of formation evaluation, real-time fluid gradients and fluid mobility (permeability/viscosity indicator), identification of fluid contact points, determination of reservoir connectivity/compartmentalization and depletion, increase safety of operation, determination of optimal mud weight and manage of ECD. We can also continuously monitor wellbore stability for assessments in order to reduce formation damage which in turns will help to increase drilling effectiveness (determine precise overbalance for maximizing ROP and continuously monitor hole-cleaning effectiveness with pressure-while-drilling, while reducing formation damage due to swab/surge). Save time and money by reducing rig down time associated with wireline testing. GeoTap Tool capable of performing more than 150 pressure tests per run and optional orientation of pressure measurement is available (top, right, bottom or left). GeoTap testing has been completed with encouraging results in many wells up to circa 3000m deep. Data has been acquired successfully both in a "Drill-Test-Drill' mode and a "Post-Drill-Test" mode. GeoTap tests have spanned wide ranges of borehole temperature, pressure, mobility as well as formation permeability and overbalance conditions. GeoTap tests in Azeri, Chirag and Guneshli wells which were drilled in the Khazarian-Caspian Sea of the Azerbaijan Republic have proved that a logging while drilling approach can be successfully employed to acquire formation pressure data in open hole (which is also very useful for fluid gradient analysis, oil water and gas oil contacts delineation/identification).

An outbreak of gastroenteritis on board an oil drilling rig in Ghana.

PubMed

Babayara, Michael N K; Addo, Bright

2018-01-01

The article describes an outbreak of gastroenteritis which occurred on an oil drilling rig which operated in the Jubilee fields of Ghana (offshore Takoradi) between May 2011 and December 2013. An outbreak occurred on board approximately 10 h following a Christmas day buffet. Various Ghanaian and continental dishes were served during the occasion. Over a 3 day period, a total of 33 cases were recorded at the rig's sick bay. In order to describe the outbreak and determine its possible association with the meals served at the buffet, this case control study was conducted. A short questionnaire was used for data collection and a line list prepared for summarising data of cases. Samples of food could not be taken but water samples from multiple points of the rig's pipe water system were collected and cultured for coliforms. Data was analysed using Epi info version 7. Six foods appeared to be associated with the outbreak with odds ratios ranging from 1.2 to 2.7. The epidemic curve showed a propagated fashion of transmission and the outbreak was brought under control with public education on hand washing and disinfection of surfaces and door handles. The conclusion was that food items served at the buffet were not associated with the outbreak. Instead, a possible contamination of surfaces and door handles probably caused it. To prevent future occurrences, routine and regular hand washing and disinfection of surfaces and door handles is recommended.

Field calibration of dutch cone penetrometers for Louisiana soils : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1983-12-01

Various sites that were penetrated by Louisiana's Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) foundatioon boring crews with the mechanical cone penetrometer (Dutch Cone Penetrometer) and rotary drill rig (core borings) are discussed. A compar...

33 CFR 155.400 - Platform machinery space drainage on oceangoing fixed and floating drilling rigs and other...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) POLLUTION OIL OR HAZARDOUS MATERIAL POLLUTION PREVENTION REGULATIONS FOR VESSELS Vessel Equipment § 155.400 Platform...

Design and deployment of autoclave pressure vessels for the portable deep-sea drill rig MeBo (Meeresboden-Bohrgerät)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pape, Thomas; Hohnberg, Hans-Jürgen; Wunsch, David; Anders, Erik; Freudenthal, Tim; Huhn, Katrin; Bohrmann, Gerhard

2017-11-01

Pressure barrels for sampling and preservation of submarine sediments under in situ pressure with the robotic sea-floor drill rig MeBo (Meeresboden-Bohrgerät) housed at the MARUM (Bremen, Germany) were developed. Deployments of the so-called MDP (MeBo pressure vessel) during two offshore expeditions off New Zealand and off Spitsbergen, Norway, resulted in the recovery of sediment cores with pressure stages equaling in situ hydrostatic pressure. While initially designed for the quantification of gas and gas-hydrate contents in submarine sediments, the MDP also allows for analysis of the sediments under in situ pressure with methods typically applied by researchers from other scientific fields (geotechnics, sedimentology, microbiology, etc.). Here we report on the design and operational procedure of the MDP and demonstrate full functionality by presenting the first results from pressure-core degassing and molecular gas analysis.

Scanning the Horizon: Coast Guard Strategy in a Hot, Flat, Crowded World

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-03-12

Mexico. From 1992 to 2007, deepwater offshore rigs drilling in deep water in the Gulf of Mexico increased from three to 30, and deepwater oil production...discusses the Coast Guard’s Integrated Deepwater System program, which includes recapitalization of its deep-water vessels and aircraft.89 At the...water and ultra deep water drilling. Discussion of increased outer continental shelf activity in higher level strategic planning indicates that

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

This paper is actually a composite of two papers dealing with automation and computerized control of underground mining equipment. The paper primarily discusses drills, haulage equipment, and tunneling machines. It compares performance and cost benefits of conventional equipment to the new automated methods. The company involved are iron ore mining companies in Scandinavia. The papers also discusses the different equipment using air power, water power, hydraulic power, and computer power. The different drill rigs are compared for performance and cost.

An automated tool-joint inspection device for the drillstring

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Moyer, M.C.; Dale, B.A.; Kusenberger, F.N.

1984-06-01

This paper discusses the development of an automated tool joint inspection device-i.e., the fatigue crack detector (FCD), which can detect defects in the threaded region of drillpipe and drill collars. Inspection tests conducted at a research test facility and at drilling rig sites indicate that this device can detect both simulated defects (saw slots and drilled holes) and service-induced defects, such as fatigue cracks, pin stretch (plastic deformation), mashed threads, and corrosion pitting. The system operates on an electromagnetic-flux leakage principle and has several advantages over the conventional method of magnetic particle inspection.

Implementation of improved underbalanced drilling in AbuDhabi onshore field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alhammadi, Adel Mohammed

Abu Dhabi Company for Onshore Oil Operations (ADCO) is considering Underbalanced Drilling (UBD) as a means to develop lower permeability units in its fields. In addition to productivity and recovery gains, ADCO also expects reservoir characterization benefits from UBD. Reservoir screening studies were carried out on all of ADCO's reservoirs to determine their applicability for UBD. The primary business benefits of UBD were determined to be reservoir characterization, damage Mitigation, and rate of Penetration "ROP" Improvement. Apart from the primary benefits, some of the secondary benefits of UBD that were identified beforehand included rig performance. Since it's a trial wells, the challenge was to drill these wells safely, efficiently and of course meeting well objectives. Many operators worldwide drill these well in underbalanced mode but complete it overbalanced. In our case the plan was to drill and complete these wells in underbalanced condition. But we had to challenge most operators and come up with special and unique casing hanger design to ensure well control barriers exists while fishing the control line of the Downhole Deployment Valve "DDV". After intensive studies and planning, the hanger was designed as per our recommendations and found to be effective equipment that optimized the operational time and the cost as well. This report will provide better understanding of UBD technique in general and shade on the special designed casing hanger compared to conventional or what's most used worldwide. Even thought there were some issues while running the casing hanger prior drilling but managed to capture the learning's from each well and re-modified the hanger and come up with better deign for the future wells. Finally, the new design perform a good performance of saving the operation time and assisting the project to be done in a safe and an easy way without a major impact on the well cost. This design helped to drill and complete these wells safely with requirement to kill the wells and this ensured least reservoir damage.

Conoco's new approach to drill site construction in difficult, remote, swamp and jungle terrain Irian Jaya, Indonesia

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Roodriguez, F.H.

1984-02-01

In October 1982, Conoco Irian Jaya as operator: and partners: Pertamina, Inpex Bintuni Limited, and Moeco Irian Jaya Company, mobilized construction equipment from Singapore to the KBS ''A'' contract area in Irian Jaya, Indonesia for the purpose of constructing a base camp and drill three exploratory sites. What made this construction effort different from others previously used in Irian Jaya; was that it incorporated several new and unique features, namely: a turnkey approach to construction; that is Conoco providing complete set of specifications and conditions with contractor assuming risks for a lump sum payment; special equipment designed by contractor formore » Irian Jaya operations; an incentive to co pensate or penalize contractor for helicopter hours flown below or above a predetermined number; structural steel pile platform designs for two swamp locations (Ayot and Aum), as opposed to the more conventional corduroy timber log-plank arrangement; and drilling rig pads designed for specific heli-rig with limited extra space. All work was successfully completed within the time frame stipulated in the contract, that is five months from the time the contractor was notified to begin mobilization of equipment, materials and personnel.« less

Research of frequency converters energy characteristics of drilling rigs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vasiliev, B. Y.; Kalashnikov, O. V.; Oleynikova, A. M.; Ivanovsky, A. I.; Grudinin, N. N.

2017-10-01

The investigation deals with multi-motor electric drives with frequency converters of various structures: with a common converter, with an individual converter, with a multi-inverter frequency converter. Their shortcomings and advantages were analyzed and there were drawn conclusions about the expediency of using each structure. Expediency of using multi-inverter frequency converters with an active frond end was shown to ensure the highest power characteristics of multi-motor electric drives of drilling rigs’ main mechanisms.

USSR Report: Earth Sciences. No. 26

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-06-07

supplied with an automated drill rig with a great load- lifting capacity, screws for self-movement, and also an automated anchorless system for holding...is compensated by the Archimedes force acting from the direction of the denser subcrustal matter — the substrate. A disrup- tion of this equilibrium...held on the lower end of a column of drilling pipes [7] which can be rotated by means of a drive pipe [8] imparted a torque by the rotor. In

Indonesian drilling maintains steady pace

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1985-05-01

Offshore drilling activity in Indonesia increased nominally the first quarter of 1985 to an average 29 rigs. Barring any further problems with oil prices and markets, operators are expected to maintain essentially the current general level of appraisal/development work for the rest of this year. There are still a number of prospective regions to be explored in Southeast Asia. Regional developments are described for the South China Sea area, the Java Sea, South Sumatra, Kalimantan, Irian Jaya and the Malacca Strait.

Belukha whale (delphinapterus leucas) responses to industrial noise in Nushagak Bay, Alaska: 1983

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stewart, B.S.; Awbrey, F.T.; Evans, W.E.

1983-01-01

Between 15 June and 14 July 1983 the authors conducted playback experiments with belukha whales in the Snake River, Alaska, using sounds recorded near an operating oil-drilling rig. The objectives of these experiments were to quantify behavioral responses of belukha whales to oil drilling noise in an area where foreign acoustic stimuli were absent, and to test the hypothesis that beluhka whales would not approach a source of loud sound.

46 CFR 90.05-35 - Flammable and combustible liquid cargo in bulk.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

...) Miscellaneous Vessels, such as cable, salvage, pile-driving, and oil-drilling-rig vessels: (1) Grades B, C, D...: Requirements for double hull construction for vessels carrying oil, as defined in 33 CFR 157.03, in bulk as...

46 CFR 90.05-35 - Flammable and combustible liquid cargo in bulk.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

...) Miscellaneous Vessels, such as cable, salvage, pile-driving, and oil-drilling-rig vessels: (1) Grades B, C, D...: Requirements for double hull construction for vessels carrying oil, as defined in 33 CFR 157.03, in bulk as...

46 CFR 90.05-35 - Flammable and combustible liquid cargo in bulk.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

...) Miscellaneous Vessels, such as cable, salvage, pile-driving, and oil-drilling-rig vessels: (1) Grades B, C, D...: Requirements for double hull construction for vessels carrying oil, as defined in 33 CFR 157.03, in bulk as...

46 CFR 90.05-35 - Flammable and combustible liquid cargo in bulk.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

...) Miscellaneous Vessels, such as cable, salvage, pile-driving, and oil-drilling-rig vessels: (1) Grades B, C, D...: Requirements for double hull construction for vessels carrying oil, as defined in 33 CFR 157.03, in bulk as...

46 CFR 90.05-35 - Flammable and combustible liquid cargo in bulk.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

...) Miscellaneous Vessels, such as cable, salvage, pile-driving, and oil-drilling-rig vessels: (1) Grades B, C, D...: Requirements for double hull construction for vessels carrying oil, as defined in 33 CFR 157.03, in bulk as...

HIGH-POWER TURBODRILL AND DRILL BIT FOR DRILLING WITH COILED TUBING

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Robert Radtke; David Glowka; Man Mohan Rai

2008-03-31

Commercial introduction of Microhole Technology to the gas and oil drilling industry requires an effective downhole drive mechanism which operates efficiently at relatively high RPM and low bit weight for delivering efficient power to the special high RPM drill bit for ensuring both high penetration rate and long bit life. This project entails developing and testing a more efficient 2-7/8 in. diameter Turbodrill and a novel 4-1/8 in. diameter drill bit for drilling with coiled tubing. The high-power Turbodrill were developed to deliver efficient power, and the more durable drill bit employed high-temperature cutters that can more effectively drill hardmore » and abrasive rock. This project teams Schlumberger Smith Neyrfor and Smith Bits, and NASA AMES Research Center with Technology International, Inc (TII), to deliver a downhole, hydraulically-driven power unit, matched with a custom drill bit designed to drill 4-1/8 in. boreholes with a purpose-built coiled tubing rig. The U.S. Department of Energy National Energy Technology Laboratory has funded Technology International Inc. Houston, Texas to develop a higher power Turbodrill and drill bit for use in drilling with a coiled tubing unit. This project entails developing and testing an effective downhole drive mechanism and a novel drill bit for drilling 'microholes' with coiled tubing. The new higher power Turbodrill is shorter, delivers power more efficiently, operates at relatively high revolutions per minute, and requires low weight on bit. The more durable thermally stable diamond drill bit employs high-temperature TSP (thermally stable) diamond cutters that can more effectively drill hard and abrasive rock. Expectations are that widespread adoption of microhole technology could spawn a wave of 'infill development' drilling of wells spaced between existing wells, which could tap potentially billions of barrels of bypassed oil at shallow depths in mature producing areas. At the same time, microhole coiled tube drilling offers the opportunity to dramatically cut producers' exploration risk to a level comparable to that of drilling development wells. Together, such efforts hold great promise for economically recovering a sizeable portion of the estimated remaining shallow (less than 5,000 feet subsurface) oil resource in the United States. The DOE estimates this U.S. targeted shallow resource at 218 billion barrels. Furthermore, the smaller 'footprint' of the lightweight rigs utilized for microhole drilling and the accompanying reduced drilling waste disposal volumes offer the bonus of added environmental benefits. DOE analysis shows that microhole technology has the potential to cut exploratory drilling costs by at least a third and to slash development drilling costs in half.« less

Proper nozzle location, bit profile, and cutter arrangement affect PDC-bit performance significantly

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Garcia-Gavito, D.; Azar, J.J.

1994-09-01

During the past 20 years, the drilling industry has looked to new technology to halt the exponentially increasing costs of drilling oil, gas, and geothermal wells. This technology includes bit design innovations to improve overall drilling performance and reduce drilling costs. These innovations include development of drag bits that use PDC cutters, also called PDC bits, to drill long, continuous intervals of soft to medium-hard formations more economically than conventional three-cone roller-cone bits. The cost advantage is the result of higher rates of penetration (ROP's) and longer bit life obtained with the PDC bits. An experimental study comparing the effectsmore » of polycrystalline-diamond-compact (PDC)-bit design features on the dynamic pressure distribution at the bit/rock interface was conducted on a full-scale drilling rig. Results showed that nozzle location, bit profile, and cutter arrangement are significant factors in PDC-bit performance.« less

Redesigned PDC bit solves low hydraulic hp problems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1996-06-01

A new PDC bit design was created to solve a problem a drilling contractor had due to hydraulic horsepower limitations on rigs used in a particular geographical area. The new bit design, which arose from a formal alliance between Exeter Drilling Co. and Hughes Christensen Co. has greatly improved bit cleaning and overall drilling efficiency in applications where only low hydraulic hp is available. The new design has been run successfully in the Denver-Julesburg (D-J) basin of Colorado. The development was described in detail in paper IADC/SPE 35109, ``Unique PDC bit configuration dramatically improves hole cleaning, drilling efficiency in lowmore » hydraulic applications,`` presented by G.J. Hertzler III, Exeter Drilling Co. and J.T. Wankier, Hughes Christensen Co., at the 1996 IADC/SPE Drilling Conference, New Orleans, La., March 12--15. This article is an abstract of that paper, which contains significantly more technical data.« less

Means of atmospheric air pollution reduction during drilling wells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shkitsa, L.; Yatsyshyn, T.; Lyakh, M.; Sydorenko, O.

2016-08-01

The process of drilling oil and gas wells is the source of air pollution through drilling mud evaporation containing hazardous chemical substances. The constructive solution for cleaning device of downhole tool that contains elements covering tube and clean the surface from the mud in the process of rising from the well is offered. Inside the device is filled with magnetic fluid containing the substance neutralizing hazardous substances. The use of the equipment proposed will make it possible to avoid penetration of harmful substances into the environment and to escape the harmful effects of aggressive substances for staff health and increase rig's fire safety.

Blowout Prevention System Events and Equipment Component Failures : 2016 SafeOCS Annual Report

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-09-22

The SafeOCS 2016 Annual Report, produced by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), summarizes blowout prevention (BOP) equipment failures on marine drilling rigs in the Outer Continental Shelf. It includes an analysis of equipment component f...

29 CFR 1926.300 - General requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... apply to concrete vibrators, concrete breakers, powered tampers, jack hammers, rock drills, and similar... guarding. One or more methods of machine guarding shall be provided to protect the operator and other employees in the machine area from hazards such as those created by point of operation, ingoing nip points...

29 CFR 1926.300 - General requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... apply to concrete vibrators, concrete breakers, powered tampers, jack hammers, rock drills, and similar... guarding. One or more methods of machine guarding shall be provided to protect the operator and other employees in the machine area from hazards such as those created by point of operation, ingoing nip points...

29 CFR 1926.300 - General requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... apply to concrete vibrators, concrete breakers, powered tampers, jack hammers, rock drills, and similar... guarding. One or more methods of machine guarding shall be provided to protect the operator and other employees in the machine area from hazards such as those created by point of operation, ingoing nip points...

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hadley, I.; Sinclair, C.I.K.; Magne, E.

This paper describes the life extension of a semi-submersible drilling rig built in the early 1970`s. A nominal design life of 20 years was estimated at the time of building; however, in the interim period, numerous improvements have been made in fatigue life estimation ad life improvement techniques, raising the possibility that a further 20 years of operation could be considered. The life extension strategy made use of a number of aspects of offshore technology which were not available at the time of construction of the rig. Finite element studies and results from offshore research programs were used to gaugemore » the effect of fatigue life improvement techniques. The program demonstrated the feasibility of extending the operation of the rig for a further 20 years, with the interval between in-service inspection increased to every five years. It also provided a valuable database of fracture toughness data for the rig materials, which may be used in future work to address reliability issues.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wagner, B.

A specially designed wire line retrievable continuous coring system cored its initial project wells to total depth in hard rock formations in less than half the time that would have been required by conventional coring rigs. The hybrid wire line coring systems have since been used on other wells in similar lithologies, with a total of 38,000 m (124,640 ft) of hole cored and with penetration rates averaging 2.27 m/hr (7.45 ft/hr). This paper reports that Parker Drilling Co. designed the hybrid rigs and has recently been contracted to wire line core several holes for oil and gas exploration inmore » the Congo. The first core hole has been completed to 1,490 m, and total depth was reached in 21 days. The rig is now being mobilized to a second hole in the Congo.« less

Interior Department Suggests Improvements for Offshore Arctic Oil and Gas Drilling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Showstack, Randy

2013-03-01

Shell's "difficulties" during its 2012 program to drill offshore oil and natural gas exploration wells in the Alaskan Arctic Ocean "have raised serious questions regarding its ability to operate safely and responsibly in the challenging and unpredictable conditions offshore Alaska," according to the report "Review of Shell's 2012 Alaska Offshore Oil and Gas Exploration Program," issued by the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) on 8 March. Noting the company's lack of adequate preparation for drilling in the Arctic, its failure to deploy a specialized Arctic Containment System, and the grounding of the Kulluk drilling rig near Kodiak Island last December, the report recommends that Shell develop a comprehensive and integrated plan describing its future drilling program and related operations and that it commission a third-party audit of its management systems, including its safety and environmental management systems program.

Shipping lanes or offshore rigs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1980-09-01

This information was from the Los Angeles Steamship Association (LASSA) luncheon meeting. The problems of limiting access and availability of the Santa Barbara/Santa Catalina channels to commercial vessel traffic and other related uses. LASSA speaks for about 85% of the maritime industry in Southern California. The Association is actively seeking a compromise with the oil companies in keeping the Vessel Traffic Separation Scheme (VTSS) in the channels; however, the Western Oil and Gas Association (WOGA) is seeking to abolish VTSS as currently established in the channels and move the sea lanes outside the Channel Islands, and open up the entiremore » Santa Barbara Channel to unlimited drilling sites. LASSA claims that moving the VTSS sea lanes outside of the Channel Islands would add 18 to 22 miles to the average trip from San Francisco to Los Angeles, with fuel cost etc. would make for a big loss to the merchant ship operators. LASSA has offered to support the concept of opening up the Buffer Zone that separates the Sea Lanes themselves to exploratory drilling. This two mile wide stretch of water is off limits to vessels and it would open new areas to the oil companies heretofore unaccessible to them. (DP)« less

Simple, affordable and sustainable borehole observatories for complex monitoring objectives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kopf, A.; Freudenthal, T.; Ratmeyer, V.; Bergenthal, M.; Lange, M.; Fleischmann, T.; Hammerschmidt, S.; Seiter, C.; Wefer, G.

2014-12-01

Seafloor drill rigs are remotely operated systems that provide a cost effective means to recover sedimentary records of the upper sub-seafloor deposits. Recent increases in their payload included downhole logging tools or autoclave coring systems. We here report on another milestone in using seafloor rigs: the development and installation of shallow borehole observatories. Three different systems have been developed for the MARUM-MeBo seafloor drill, which is operated by MARUM, University of Bremen, Germany. A simple design, the MeBoPLUG, separates the inner borehole from the overlying ocean by using o-ring seals at the conical threads of the drill pipe. The systems are self-contained and include data loggers, batteries, thermistors and a differential pressure sensor. A second design, the so-called MeBoCORK, is more sophisticated and also hosts an acoustic modem for data transfer and, if desired, fluid sampling capability using osmotic pumps. Of these MeBoCORKs, two systems have to be distinguished: the CORK-A (A = autonomous) can be installed by the MeBo alone and monitors pressure and temperature inside and above the borehole (the latter for reference). The CORK-B (B = bottom) has a higher payload and can additionally be equipped with geochemical, biological or other physical components. Owing to its larger size, it is installed by ROV and utilises a hotstab connection in the upper portion of the drill string. Either design relies on a hotstab connection from beneath which coiled tubing with a conical drop weight is lowered to couple to the formation. These tubes are fluid-saturated and either serve to transmit pore pressure signals or collect pore water in the osmo-sampler. The third design, the MeBoPUPPI (Pop-Up Pore Pressure Instrument), is similar to the MeBoCORK-A and monitors pore pressure and temperature in a self-contained manner. Instead of transferring data upon command using an acoustic modem, the MeBoPUPPI contains a pop-up telemetry with Iridium link. After a predefined period, the data unit with satellite link is released, ascends to the sea surface, and remains there for up to two weeks while sending the long-term data sets to shore. In summer 2012, two MeBoPLUGs, one MeBoCORK-A and one MeBoCORK-B were installed with MeBo on German RV Sonne in the Nankai Trough area, Japan. We have successfully downloaded data from the CORKs, attesting that coupling to the formation worked and pressure records were elevated relative to the seafloor reference. In the near future, we will further deploy the first two MeBoPUPPIs. Recovery of all monitoring systems by ROV is planned for 2016.

Modeling of oil mist and oil vapor concentration in the shale shaker area on offshore drilling installations.

PubMed

Bråtveit, Magne; Steinsvåg, Kjersti; Lie, Stein Atle; Moen, Bente E

2009-11-01

The objective of this study was to develop regression models to predict concentrations of oil mist and oil vapor in the workplace atmosphere in the shale shaker area of offshore drilling installations. Collection of monitoring reports of oil mist and oil vapor in the mud handling areas of offshore drilling installations was done during visits to eight oil companies and five drilling contractors. A questionnaire was sent to the rig owners requesting information about technical design of the shaker area. Linear mixed-effects models were developed using concentration of oil mist or oil vapor measured by stationary sampling as dependent variables, drilling installation as random effect, and potential determinants related to process technical parameters and technical design of the shale shaker area as fixed effects. The dataset comprised stationary measurements of oil mist (n = 464) and oil vapor (n = 462) from the period 1998 to 2004. The arithmetic mean concentrations of oil mist and oil vapor were 3.89 mg/m(3) and 39.7 mg/m(3), respectively. The air concentration models including significant determinants such as viscosity of base oil, mud temperature, well section, type of rig, localization of shaker, mechanical air supply, air grids in outer wall, air curtain in front of shakers, and season explained 35% and 17% of the total variance in oil vapor and oil mist, respectively. The developed models could be used to indicate what impact differences in technical design and changes in process parameters have on air concentrations of oil mist and oil vapor. Thus, the models will be helpful in planning control measures to reduce the potential for occupational exposure.

Translations on Latin America, Number 1657

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-06-01

Text] The 17th of last March, Industria del Hierro , S.A. [Iron Industries] delivered through its mechanical division-8 land rigs for drilling...design of this equipment allows it to be re-installed in only 3 days. Industria del Hierro was established in the city of Queretaro in 1963, with

46 CFR 30.01-5 - Application of regulations-TB/ALL.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... this chapter. (3) Miscellaneous vessels, such as cable, salvage, pile-driving and oil-drilling-rig... vessels that carry oil. (a) The regulations in this subchapter contain requirements for materials, design... the navigable waters of the United States, or which transfers oil in any port or place subject to the...

46 CFR 30.01-5 - Application of regulations-TB/ALL.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... this chapter. (3) Miscellaneous vessels, such as cable, salvage, pile-driving and oil-drilling-rig... vessels that carry oil. (a) The regulations in this subchapter contain requirements for materials, design... the navigable waters of the United States, or which transfers oil in any port or place subject to the...

46 CFR 30.01-5 - Application of regulations-TB/ALL.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... this chapter. (3) Miscellaneous vessels, such as cable, salvage, pile-driving and oil-drilling-rig... vessels that carry oil. (a) The regulations in this subchapter contain requirements for materials, design... which transfers oil in any port or place subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, must comply...

46 CFR 30.01-5 - Application of regulations-TB/ALL.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... this chapter. (3) Miscellaneous vessels, such as cable, salvage, pile-driving and oil-drilling-rig... vessels that carry oil. (a) The regulations in this subchapter contain requirements for materials, design... the navigable waters of the United States, or which transfers oil in any port or place subject to the...

Investigation of the potential effects of underwater noise from petroleum-industry activities on feeding humpback whale behavior. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Malme, C.I.; Miles, P.R.; Tyack, P.

1985-06-01

An investigation was made of the potential effects of underwater noise from petroleum-industry activities on the behavior of feeding humpback whales in Frederick Sound and Stephens Passage, Alaska in August, 1984. Test sounds were a 100 cu. in. air gun and playbacks of recorded drillship, drilling platform, production platform, semi-submersible drill rig, and helicopter fly-over noise. Sound source levels and acoustic propagation losses were measured. The movement patterns of whales were determined by observations of whale-surfacing positions.

Hawaii Geothermal Project. Phase II: final report on well HGP-A extension to Contract E(04-3)-1093

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shupe, J.W.

1976-07-01

Drilling was completed on HGP-A to a depth of 6445 feet on April 27, 1976. A final core was taken; a series of logging runs performed, both with Gearhart-Owen equipment and with the Kuster temperature gauge; and the drill stem was withdrawn and laid down on the side adjacent to the rig - as a safety measure against possible volcanic tremors. A maximum temperature to date of 288/sup 0/C (550/sup 0/F) was recorded on May 13 at 4500 feet. The weighted temperature probe would penetrate no deeper into the drilling mud, which apparently is stiffening. The temperature depth relationship developedmore » in HGP-A is illustrated.« less

Students Learning Physics While Lifting Themselves: A Simple Analysis of a Scissors Jack

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haugland, Ole Anton

2017-01-01

Every time I have to jack up my car, I am a bit surprised by how slowly the scissors jack works the higher I raise it, and close to maximum height I need very little force to turn the crank. This agrees well with the principle of simple machines. Since I have to jack up my car at least twice a year to change between winter tires and summer tires,…

Final report - Magma Energy Research Project

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Colp, J.L.

1982-10-01

Scientific feasibility was demonstrated for the concept of magma energy extraction. The US magma resource is estimated at 50,000 to 500,000 quads of energy - a 700- to 7000-yr supply at the current US total energy use rate of 75 quads per year. Existing geophysical exploration systems are believed capable of locating and defining magma bodies and were demonstrated over a known shallow buried molten-rock body. Drilling rigs that can drill to the depths required to tap magma are currently available and experimental boreholes were drilled well into buried molten rock at temperatures up to 1100/sup 0/C. Engineering materials compatiblemore » with the buried magma environment are available and their performances were demonstrated in analog laboratory experiments. Studies show that energy can be extracted at attractive rates from magma resources in all petrologic compositions and physical configurations. Downhole heat extraction equipment was designed, built, and demonstrated successfully in buried molten rock and in the very hot margins surrounding it. Two methods of generating gaseous fuels in the high-temperature magmatic environment - generation of H/sub 2/ by the interaction of water with the ferrous iron and H/sub 2/, CH/sub 4/, and CO generation by the conversion of water-biomass mixtures - have been investigated and show promise.« less

The toll of toxics: investigating environmental contaminants

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sparling, Donald W.; Rattner, Barnett A.; Barclay, John S.

2010-01-01

On Earth Day of this year, the British Petroleum-operated Deepwater Horizon oil drilling rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico, 41 miles off the Louisiana coast. The blast killed 11 workers, injured 17, launched a massive oil spill, and triggered an environmental catastrophe—the full impact of which may not be realized for years.

33 CFR 155.400 - Platform machinery space drainage on oceangoing fixed and floating drilling rigs and other...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

...) Complies with the oily-water separating equipment requirements of a valid National Pollutant Discharge... Chapter I; (2) Complies with the oily-water separating equipment requirements for oceangoing ships of 400... installed bilge pumping system for discharge of oily mixtures from platform machinery spaces into the sea...

33 CFR 155.400 - Platform machinery space drainage on oceangoing fixed and floating drilling rigs and other...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

...) Complies with the oily-water separating equipment requirements of a valid National Pollutant Discharge... Chapter I; (2) Complies with the oily-water separating equipment requirements for oceangoing ships of 400... installed bilge pumping system for discharge of oily mixtures from platform machinery spaces into the sea...

33 CFR 155.400 - Platform machinery space drainage on oceangoing fixed and floating drilling rigs and other...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

...) Complies with the oily-water separating equipment requirements of a valid National Pollutant Discharge... Chapter I; (2) Complies with the oily-water separating equipment requirements for oceangoing ships of 400... installed bilge pumping system for discharge of oily mixtures from platform machinery spaces into the sea...

33 CFR 155.400 - Platform machinery space drainage on oceangoing fixed and floating drilling rigs and other...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

...) Complies with the oily-water separating equipment requirements of a valid National Pollutant Discharge... Chapter I; (2) Complies with the oily-water separating equipment requirements for oceangoing ships of 400... installed bilge pumping system for discharge of oily mixtures from platform machinery spaces into the sea...

46 CFR 30.01-5 - Application of regulations-TB/ALL.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

...) Miscellaneous vessels, such as cable, salvage, pile-driving and oil-drilling-rig vessels: (i) Grades B, C, D..., and operations requirements relating to pollution prevention for vessels that carry oil. (a) The... United States, or which transfers oil in any port or place subject to the jurisdiction of the United...

33 CFR 151.25 - Oil Record Book.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Oil Record Book. 151.25 Section... Treaty as it Pertains to Pollution from Ships Oil Pollution § 151.25 Oil Record Book. (a) Each oil tanker... fixed or floating drilling rig or other platform shall maintain an Oil Record Book Part I (Machinery...

33 CFR 151.25 - Oil Record Book.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Oil Record Book. 151.25 Section... Treaty as it Pertains to Pollution from Ships Oil Pollution § 151.25 Oil Record Book. (a) Each oil tanker... fixed or floating drilling rig or other platform shall maintain an Oil Record Book Part I (Machinery...

33 CFR 151.25 - Oil Record Book.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Oil Record Book. 151.25 Section... Treaty as it Pertains to Pollution from Ships Oil Pollution § 151.25 Oil Record Book. (a) Each oil tanker... fixed or floating drilling rig or other platform shall maintain an Oil Record Book Part I (Machinery...

33 CFR 151.25 - Oil Record Book.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Oil Record Book. 151.25 Section... Treaty as it Pertains to Pollution from Ships Oil Pollution § 151.25 Oil Record Book. (a) Each oil tanker... fixed or floating drilling rig or other platform shall maintain an Oil Record Book Part I (Machinery...

An Ultrasonic Compactor for Oil and Gas Exploration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feeney, Andrew; Sikaneta, Sakalima; Harkness, Patrick; Lucas, Margaret

The Badger Explorer is a rig-less oil and gas exploration tool which drills into the subsea environment to collect geological data. Drill spoil is transported from the front end of the system to the rear, where the material is compacted. Motivated by the need to develop a highly efficient compaction system, an ultrasonic compactor for application with granular geological materials encountered in subsea environments is designed and fabricated as part of this study. The finite element method is used to design a compactor configuration suitable for subsea exploration, consisting of a vibrating ultrasonic horn called a resonant compactor head, which operates in a longitudinal mode at 20 kHz, driven by a Langevin piezoelectric transducer. A simplified version of the compactor is also designed, due to its ease of incorporating in a lab-based experimental rig, in order to demonstrate enhanced compaction using ultrasonics. Numerical analysis of this simplified compactor system is supported with experimental characterisation using laser Doppler vibrometry. Compaction testing is then conducted on granular geological material, showing that compaction can be enhanced through the use of an ultrasonic compactor.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Regenhardt, C.; Dean, J.; Hancock, J.

The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility of the multi-drain well method in tight, lenticular formations. Although directional drilling is more costly than conventional vertical drilling, this practice could triple well production. The proposed drilling plan may be more cost efficient than drilling three separate wells with less than 320-acre spacing because it would save the costs of site surveys, rig setup, purchase of the surface lease area, and gas pipeline hookups for two additional well sites. This feasibility study was conducted on the Piceance Basin area, mainly because of the availability of geological information. The resultsmore » of this study will generally apply to other regions with tight, lenticular sand, depending upon the similarity in the total percentage of sand lenses in the area and the lens dimensions and orientations. Appendix A discusses the geology of the eastern Uinta Basin in eastern Utah, and the applicability of this study to the area. Appendix B provides calculation of expected production increase due to angle of drilling. 18 refs., 30 figs., 14 tabs.« less

Phase 1 drilling operations at the Magma Energy Exploratory Well (LVF 51-20)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Finger, J.T.; Jacobson, R.D.

1990-12-01

This report describes the Phase 1 drilling operations for the Magma Energy Exploratory Well near Mammoth Lakes, California. An important part of the Department of Energy's Magma Energy Program, this well is designed to reach an ultimate depth of 20,000 feet or a bottomhole temperature of 500{degree}C, whichever comes first. There will be four drilling phases, at least a year apart, with scientific investigations in the borehole between the drilling intervals. Phase 1 of this project resulted in a 20 inch cased hole to 2558 feet, with 185 feet of coring beyond that. This document comprises a narrative of themore » daily activities, copies of the daily mud and lithologic reports, time breakdowns of rig activities, inventories of lost circulation materials, temperature logs of the cored hole, and a strip chart mud log. 2 figs.« less

Simple, affordable, and sustainable borehole observatories for complex monitoring objectives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kopf, A.; Freudenthal, T.; Ratmeyer, V.; Bergenthal, M.; Lange, M.; Fleischmann, T.; Hammerschmidt, S.; Seiter, C.; Wefer, G.

2015-05-01

Seafloor drill rigs are remotely operated systems that provide a cost-effective means to recover sedimentary records of the upper sub-seafloor deposits. Recent increases in their payload included downhole logging tools or autoclave coring systems. Here we report on another milestone in using seafloor rigs: the development and installation of shallow borehole observatories. Three different systems have been developed for the MARUM-MeBo (Meeresboden-Bohrgerat) seafloor drill, which is operated by MARUM, University of Bremen, Germany. A simple design, the MeBoPLUG, separates the inner borehole from the overlying ocean by using o-ring seals at the conical threads of the drill pipe. The systems are self-contained and include data loggers, batteries, thermistors and a differential pressure sensor. A second design, the so-called MeBoCORK (Circulation Obviation Retrofit Kit), is more sophisticated and also hosts an acoustic modem for data transfer and, if desired, fluid sampling capability using osmotic pumps. In these MeBoCORKs, two systems have to be distinguished: the CORK-A (A stands for autonomous) can be installed by the MeBo alone and monitors pressure and temperature inside and above the borehole (the latter for reference); the CORK-B (B stands for bottom) has a higher payload and can additionally be equipped with geochemical, biological or other physical components. Owing to its larger size, it is installed by a remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) and utilises a hot-stab connection in the upper portion of the drill string. Either design relies on a hot-stab connection from beneath in which coiled tubing with a conical drop weight is lowered to couple to the formation. These tubes are fluid-saturated and either serve to transmit pore pressure signals or collect porewater in the osmo-sampler. The third design, the MeBoPUPPI (Pop-Up Pore Pressure Instrument), is similar to the MeBoCORK-A and monitors pore pressure and temperature in a self-contained manner. Instead of transferring data on command using an acoustic modem, the MeBoPUPPI contains a pop-up telemetry with iridium link. After a predefined period, the data unit with satellite link is released, ascends to the sea surface, and remains there for up to 2 weeks while sending the long-term data sets to shore. In summer 2012, two MeBoPLUGs, one MeBoCORK-A and one MeBoCORK-B were installed with MeBo on RV Sonne, Germany, in the Nankai Trough area, Japan. We have successfully downloaded data from the CORKs, attesting that coupling to the formation worked, and pressure records were elevated relative to the seafloor reference. In the near future, we will further deploy the first two MeBoPUPPIs. Recovery of all monitoring systems by a ROV is planned for 2016.

40 CFR 124.60 - Issuance and effective date and stays of NPDES permits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 23 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Issuance and effective date and stays of NPDES permits. 124.60 Section 124.60 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... provisions of § 124.16(a)(1), if, for any offshore or coastal mobile exploratory drilling rig or coastal...

40 CFR 124.60 - Issuance and effective date and stays of NPDES permits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 22 2014-07-01 2013-07-01 true Issuance and effective date and stays of NPDES permits. 124.60 Section 124.60 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... provisions of § 124.16(a)(1), if, for any offshore or coastal mobile exploratory drilling rig or coastal...

40 CFR 124.60 - Issuance and effective date and stays of NPDES permits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 23 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Issuance and effective date and stays of NPDES permits. 124.60 Section 124.60 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... provisions of § 124.16(a)(1), if, for any offshore or coastal mobile exploratory drilling rig or coastal...

40 CFR 124.60 - Issuance and effective date and stays of NPDES permits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 21 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Issuance and effective date and stays of NPDES permits. 124.60 Section 124.60 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... provisions of § 124.16(a)(1), if, for any offshore or coastal mobile exploratory drilling rig or coastal...

40 CFR 124.60 - Issuance and effective date and stays of NPDES permits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 22 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Issuance and effective date and stays of NPDES permits. 124.60 Section 124.60 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... provisions of § 124.16(a)(1), if, for any offshore or coastal mobile exploratory drilling rig or coastal...

AURORA BOREALIS - European Research Icebreaker With Drilling Capability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biebow, N.; Lembke-Jene, L.; Kunz-Pirrung, M.; Thiede, J.

2008-12-01

The polar oceans are the least known areas of the globe, in although they hold the key to many of our climate´s secrets. How does the sea ice coverage and the sea water properties change? How do plants and animals survive under the most extreme conditions of the earth? Which information of past climate change can be read from the sediments at the sea-floor and how can the future changing climate be predicted? In order to answer such and further questions, for the moment a hypermodern research vessel, the AURORA BOREALIS, is planned, which can handle the cool summers and freezing winters of the polar oceans and which can drill deep into the sea floor. AURORA BOREALIS will be the most advanced Research Icebreaker in the world with a multi-functional role of drilling in deep ocean basins and supporting climate/environmental research and decision support for stakeholder governments for the next 35-40 years. It will have a high icebreaking capacity to penetrate autonomously (single ship operation) into the central Arctic Ocean with more than 2.5 meters of ice cover, during all seasons of the year. The new technological features will include dynamic positioning in closed sea- ice cover, satellite navigation and ice-management support and the deployment and operation of Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV) and Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) from the twin moon-pools. A unique feature of the vessel is the deep-sea drilling rig, which will enable sampling of the ocean floor and sub-sea up to 5000 m water and 1000 m penetration at the most inhospitable places on earth. The drilling capability will be deployed in both Polar Regions on the long run and AURORA BOREALIS will be the only vessel worldwide that could undertake this type of scientific investigation.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

The worldwide semisubmersible drilling rig fleet is approaching retirement. But replacement is not an attractive option even though dayrates are reaching record highs. In 1991, Schlumberger Sedco Forex managers decided that an alternative might exist if regulators and insurers could be convinced to extend rig life expectancy through restoration. Sedco Forex chose their No. 704 semisubmersible, an 18-year North Sea veteran, to test their process. The first step was to determine what required restoration, meaning fatigue life analysis of each weld on the huge vessel. If inspected, the task would be unacceptably time-consuming and of questionable accuracy. Instead a suitemore » of computer programs modeled the stress seen by each weld, statistically estimated the sea states seen by the rig throughout its North Sea service and calibrated a beam-element model on which to run their computer simulations. The elastic stiffness of the structure and detailed stress analysis of each weld was performed with ANSYS, a commercially available finite-element analysis program. The use of computer codes to evaluate service life extension is described.« less

Students Learning Physics While Lifting Themselves: A Simple Analysis of a Scissors Jack

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haugland, Ole Anton

2017-02-01

Every time I have to jack up my car, I am a bit surprised by how slowly the scissors jack works the higher I raise it, and close to maximum height I need very little force to turn the crank. This agrees well with the principle of simple machines. Since I have to jack up my car at least twice a year to change between winter tires and summer tires, I thought it was time to take a closer look at the physics behind the process. And like most physics teachers, I am always looking for new ideas for my teaching. In this note I will present a few ideas on how a jack can be a topic in physics teaching.

Radioimmunoguided surgery for colorectal cancer.

PubMed

Bertsch, D J; Burak, W E; Young, D C; Arnold, M W; Martin, E W

1996-05-01

Operations for patients with colorectal cancer are based on traditions established by historical experience. Radioimmunoguided surgery (RIGS) provides new information that challenges these traditions. Thirty-two patients with primary colorectal cancer underwent RIGS after being injected with anti-TAG-72 murine monoclonal antibody CC49 labeled with iodine-125. Sixteen of the patients had all gross tumor and RIGS-positive tissue removed (RIGS-negative group), and 16 had only traditional extirpation of the tumor because RIGS-positive tissue was too diffuse (RIGS-positive group). In the 16 patients having all RIGS-positive tissue removed, five had traditional regional en bloc resections and 11 had additional extraregional tissues resected. Identification of extraregional disease added two liver resections and 25 lymphadenectomies: 10 of the gastrohepatic ligament, five celia axis, six retroperitoneal, and four iliac. With a median follow-up of 37 months, survival in the RIGS-negative group is 100%. In 14 of 16 patients (87.5%) there is no evidence of disease. In the RIGS-positive group, follow-up shows 14 of 16 patients are dead and two are alive with disease (p < 0.0001). These results suggest that RIGS identifies patterns of disease dissemination different from those identified by traditional staging techniques. Removal of additional RIGS-positive tissues in nontraditional areas may improve survival.

Quick-Connect, Self-Alining Latch

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burns, G. C.; Williams, E. J.

1983-01-01

Sturdy latch tolerates 10 degrees of angular mismatch in joining structural elements. Hexagonal passive plate nests in active plate, guided by capture plates and alinement keys and grooves. Center hole in both active and passive plates is 1 meter in diameter. Latch has possible uses a pipe joint, connector for parts of portable structures, and fitting for marine risers on offshore drilling rigs.

A Systematic Case Study of the Course, Offshore Survival Systems Training, To Improve the Practice of Marine Survival Training.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zambon, Franco

A major applied research project evaluated the effectiveness of a novel course, Offshore Survival Systems Training. The major course outcome that was evaluated was the increase in frequency with which offshore personnel correctly launched the covered powered survival craft on offshore drilling rigs. The evaluation methodology included the 628…

A technique for the assessment of the visual impact of nearshore confined dredged materials and other built islands

Treesearch

Roy Mann

1979-01-01

Drilling rigs, confined dredged material disposal sites power and sewage treatment facilities, and other built objects on or near shorelines have often created appreciable impacts on the aesthetic perceptions of residents and recreational users. Techniques for assessing such impacts that are reviewed in this paper include viewscape analysis for large-scale shore...

One Year Later: Assessing Our Progress | NOAA Gulf Spill Restoration

Science.gov Websites

Archive Home One Year Later: Assessing Our Progress One Year Later: Assessing Our Progress oil in the wake Restoration Area A year ago, the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig sank, starting an oil spill that became the samples, surveyed thousands of miles of shoreline for oil, posted more than 60 work plans and other data

30 CFR 250.283 - When must I revise or supplement the approved EP, DPP, or DOCD?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

...); (2) Change the surface location of a well or production platform by a distance more than that specified by the Regional Supervisor; (3) Change the type of production or significantly increase the volume... revise your approved EP, DPP, or DOCD when you propose to: (1) Change the type of drilling rig (e.g...

Application of metal magnetic memory technology on defects detection of jack-up platform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Changhang; Cheng, Liping; Xie, Jing; Yin, Xiaokang; Chen, Guoming

2016-02-01

Metal magnetic memory test (MMMT), which is an effective way in evaluating early damages of ferrimagnets, can determine the existence of material stresses concentration and premature defects. As one of offshore oil exploration and development equipment, jack-up platform always generate stress concentration during its life-cycle due to complicated loading condition and the hash marine environment, which will decline the bearing capacity and cause serious consequences. The paper conducts in situ experiments of defects detection on some key structural components of jack-up platform using MMMT. The signals acquired by MMM-System are processed for feature extraction to evaluate the severity of structure stress concentration. The results show that the method presented in this paper based on MMMT can provide an effective and convenient way of defect detection and structural health monitoring for Jack-up Platform.

Garden Banks 388 subsea drilling/production template: Project management of a fast-track project

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ledbetter, W.R.

1995-10-01

Enserch Exploration`s Garden Banks 388 development is a production scheme based around a floating drilling and production facility and subsea drilling/production template. The Floating Production Facility (FPF) is a converted semisubmersible drilling rig which will drill and product through a 24-well slot template. This development is located in Block 388 of the Garden Banks area in the Gulf of Mexico approximately 200 miles southwest of New Orleans. Louisiana. This production system is being installed in an area of known oil and gas reserves and will produce to a shallow water platform 54 miles away at Ewing Bank 315. The FPFmore » will be permanently moored on the surface above the template. The subsea template has been installed in 2,190 feet of water and will produce through a 2,000 foot free-standing production riser system to the FPF. The produced fluids are partially separated on the FPF before oil and gas are pumped through the template to export gathering lines which are connected to the shallow water facility.« less

Optimizing Drilling Efficiency by PWD (Pressure-While-Drilling) Sensor in wells which were drilled in the Khazar-Caspian Sea of the Azerbaijan Republic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amirov, Elnur

2017-04-01

Sperry Drilling Services' PWD sensor improve and support drilling efficiency by providing very important, real-time downhole pressure information that allows to make faster and better drilling decisions. The PWD service, provides accurate annular pressure, internal pressure and temperature measurements using any of well-known telemetry systems: positive mud pulse, negative mud pulse and electromagnetic. Pressure data can be transmitted in real time and recorded in downhole memory. In the pumpsoff mode, the minimum, maximum and average pressures observed during the non-circulating period are transmitted via mud pulse telemetry when circulation recommences. These measurements provide the knowledge to avoid lost circulation and detect flow/kicks before they happen. The PWD sensor also reduces the risk of problems related by unexpected fracture or collapse. Sperry's PWD sensor also helps to avoid lost circulation and flow/kick, which can lead to costly delays in drilling. Annular pressure increases often reflect ineffective cuttings removal and poor hole cleaning, both of which can lead to lost circulation. The PWD sensor detects the increase and drilling fluid parameters and operating procedures can be modified to improve hole-cleaning efficiency. On extended reach wells, real-time information helps to maintain wellbore pressures between safe operating limits and to monitor hole cleaning. The PWD sensor also provides early detection of well flows and kicks. A drop in pressure, can indicate gas, oil and water kicks. Because the sensor is making its measurement downhole, the PWD sensor makes it possible to detect such pressure drops earlier than more traditional surface measurements. The PWD sensor has high-accuracy quartz gauges and is able to record data because of its battery-powered operation. It is also extremely useful in specialized drilling environments, such as high-pressure/high-temperature, extended-reach and deepwater wells. When combined with the rig management system, surface and downhole measurements, can be compared for more accurate and extensive analysis. PWD sensor was utilized with encouraging results in many wells up to 3000-6000m subsurface reservoirs (these wells were drilled in the Khazar-Caspian region of the Azerbaijan Republic) and acquired PWD RT/RM data implemented for best drilling practices in other brand new drilled offset wells in order to help us achieve our mission to drill safe, faster, on target, optimize drilling efficiency, maximize well value and reservoir insight.

Follow up of injected polyurethane slab jacking.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2003-08-01

GLENN JACKSON BRIDGE FOLLOW-UP REPORT The elevation monitoring in the report entitled Injected Polyurethane Slab Jacking (Soltesz 2000) is continued in this current report. The elevations of the concrete slabs are being monitored to see if polyuretha...

Comparison of heat generation during implant drilling using stainless steel and ceramic drills.

PubMed

Sumer, Mahmut; Misir, A Ferhat; Telcioglu, N Tuba; Guler, Ahmet U; Yenisey, Murat

2011-05-01

The purpose of this study was to compare the heat generated from implant drilling using stainless steel and ceramic drills. A total of 40 fresh bovine femoral cortical bone samples were used in this study. A constant drill load of 2.0 kg was applied throughout the drilling procedures via a drilling rig at a speed of 1,500 rpm. Two different implant drill types (stainless steel and ceramic) were evaluated. Heat was measured with type K thermocouple from 3 different depths. Data were subjected to the independent-sample t test and Pearson correlation analysis. The α level was set a priori at 0.05. The mean maximum temperatures at the depths of 3 mm, 6 mm, and 9 mm with the stainless steel drill were 32.15°C, 35.94°C, and 37.05°C, respectively, and those with the ceramic drill were 34.49°C, 36.73°C, and 36.52°C, respectively. A statistically significant difference was found at the depth of 3 mm (P = .014) whereas there was no significant difference at the depths of 6 and 9 mm (P > .05) between stainless steel and ceramic drills. Within the limitations of the study, although more heat was generated in the superficial part of the drilling cavity with the ceramic drill, heat modifications seemed not to be correlated with the drill type, whether stainless steel or ceramic, in the deep aspect of the cavity. Further clinical studies are required to determine the effect of drill type on heat generation. Copyright © 2011 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An Anthropologist Who Studies Music and Poetics in a Rain Forest in Papua New Guinea Worries about the Future of the Natives There.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mangan, Katherine S.

1991-01-01

Living with the Kaluli of Papua New Guinea and completing his anthropology dissertation, Steven Feld saw ceremonial life begin to die and the sounds of helicopters and drill rigs compete with birds and waterfalls. Feld's sophisticated recordings preserve some ways in which the people act and blend with their environment. (MSE)

78 FR 38031 - Application for Final Commitment for a Long-Term Loan or Financial Guarantee in Excess of $100...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-25

... Petroquimica Basica. Description of Items Being Exported: Drilling rigs, platform rentals, compressors, oil... U.S. goods and services from U.S. small businesses to be used in its oil and gas projects. Brief non...'s on- and off-shore oil and gas exploration and production areas. To the extent that Ex-Im Bank is...

75 FR 49883 - Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Reef Fish Fishery of the Gulf of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-16

... incident involving a deepwater oil drilling platform occurred approximately 50 miles (80.5 km) southeast of Venice, Louisiana. An explosion and subsequent fire damaged the Deepwater Horizon MC252 oil rig, which... the 12:01 a.m., local time, July 24, 2010, closure date. Because of the Deepwater Horizon MC252 oil...

High-Density Terminal Box for Testing Wire Harness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pierce, W. B.; Collins, W. G.

1982-01-01

Compact terminal box provides access to complex wiring harnesses for testing. Box accommodates more than twice as many wires as previous boxes. Box takes in wires via cable connectors and distributes them to contacts on box face. Instead of separate insulated jacks in metal face panel, box uses pairs of small military-standard metal sockets in precision-drilled plastic panel. Shorting plug provides continuity for wires when not being tested.

Composition for preventing a resin system from setting up in a well bore

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Martin, R. C.

1981-06-09

A zone of a subterranean formation penetrated by a well bore is permanently plugged by injecting a liquid resin system containing at least one thermosetting resin and at least one curing agent or catalyst therefor into the formation and injecting into the wellbore following the resin system, a second liquid containing at least one chain stopping compound to react with one component in the resin system to prevent any of the resin system remaining in the well bore from crosslinking to a sufficient crosslink density to form a solid in the wellbore. Preferably, the second liquid also contains a fluidmore » loss additive to minimize loss of the second liquid from the wellbore to the formation. The method permits a zone to be plugged off and abandoned without the need to erect a drilling rig to drill out excess plugging material remaining in the wellbore. In a preferred embodiment, the resin system comprises the diglycidyl ether of bisphenol a and polymethylene phenylamine in ethylene glycol ethyl ether, and the preferred second liquid is monoethanolamine in ethylene glycol ethyl ether as a solvent with ethylcellulose and silica flour to control fluid loss.« less

Performance Analysis of Retrofitted Tribo-Corrosion Test Rig for Monitoring In Situ Oil Conditions.

PubMed

Siddaiah, Arpith; Khan, Zulfiqar Ahmad; Ramachandran, Rahul; Menezes, Pradeep L

2017-09-28

Oils and lubricants, once extracted after use from a mechanical system, can hardly be reused, and should be refurbished or replaced in most applications. New methods of in situ oil and lubricant efficiency monitoring systems have been introduced for a wide variety of mechanical systems, such as automobiles, aerospace aircrafts, ships, offshore wind turbines, and deep sea oil drilling rigs. These methods utilize electronic sensors to monitor the "byproduct effects" in a mechanical system that are not indicative of the actual remaining lifecycle and reliability of the oils. A reliable oil monitoring system should be able to monitor the wear rate and the corrosion rate of the tribo-pairs due to the inclusion of contaminants. The current study addresses this technological gap, and presents a novel design of a tribo-corrosion test rig for oils used in a dynamic system. A pin-on-disk tribometer test rig retrofitted with a three electrode-potentiostat corrosion monitoring system was used to analyze the corrosion and wear rate of a steel tribo-pair in industrial grade transmission oil. The effectiveness of the retrofitted test rig was analyzed by introducing various concentrations of contaminants in an oil medium that usually leads to a corrosive working environment. The results indicate that the retrofitted test rig can effectively monitor the in situ tribological performance of the oil in a controlled dynamic corrosive environment. It is a useful method to understand the wear-corrosion synergies for further experimental work, and to develop accurate predictive lifecycle assessment and prognostic models. The application of this system is expected to have economic benefits and help reduce the ecological oil waste footprint.

Performance Analysis of Retrofitted Tribo-Corrosion Test Rig for Monitoring In Situ Oil Conditions

PubMed Central

Ramachandran, Rahul; Menezes, Pradeep L.

2017-01-01

Oils and lubricants, once extracted after use from a mechanical system, can hardly be reused, and should be refurbished or replaced in most applications. New methods of in situ oil and lubricant efficiency monitoring systems have been introduced for a wide variety of mechanical systems, such as automobiles, aerospace aircrafts, ships, offshore wind turbines, and deep sea oil drilling rigs. These methods utilize electronic sensors to monitor the “byproduct effects” in a mechanical system that are not indicative of the actual remaining lifecycle and reliability of the oils. A reliable oil monitoring system should be able to monitor the wear rate and the corrosion rate of the tribo-pairs due to the inclusion of contaminants. The current study addresses this technological gap, and presents a novel design of a tribo-corrosion test rig for oils used in a dynamic system. A pin-on-disk tribometer test rig retrofitted with a three electrode-potentiostat corrosion monitoring system was used to analyze the corrosion and wear rate of a steel tribo-pair in industrial grade transmission oil. The effectiveness of the retrofitted test rig was analyzed by introducing various concentrations of contaminants in an oil medium that usually leads to a corrosive working environment. The results indicate that the retrofitted test rig can effectively monitor the in situ tribological performance of the oil in a controlled dynamic corrosive environment. It is a useful method to understand the wear–corrosion synergies for further experimental work, and to develop accurate predictive lifecycle assessment and prognostic models. The application of this system is expected to have economic benefits and help reduce the ecological oil waste footprint. PMID:28956819

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gavignet, A.A.; Wick, C.J.

In current practice, pressure drops in the mud circulating system and the settling velocity of cuttings are calculated with simple rheological models and simple equations. Wellsite computers now allow more sophistication in drilling computations. In this paper, experimental results on the settling velocity of spheres in drilling fluids are reported, along with rheograms done over a wide range of shear rates. The flow curves are fitted to polynomials and general methods are developed to predict friction losses and settling velocities as functions of the polynomial coefficients. These methods were incorporated in a software package that can handle any rig configurationmore » system, including riser booster. Graphic displays show the effect of each parameter on the performance of the circulating system.« less

[What do we know about chemical hazards in offshore work?].

PubMed

Moen, Bente E; Steinsvåg, Kjersti; Bråveit, Magne

2004-10-21

Norway has been an oil-producing nation for more than thirty years and a large number of Norwegians have been or are working on oil rigs. There are several chemical substances present on the oil platforms, and these factors may influence workers' health. The international literature on offshore chemical exposure and health is summarised. The most important groups of chemical substances used on oil rigs are described: crude oil, production chemicals, asbestos and drilling chemicals. Different types of exposure during maintenance work are described as well. Very few exposure data are published. Acute, irritative health effects from chemical exposure are described, as well as chronic health effects like skin disorders and cancer. These workers seem to have a higher risk, that may be related to benzene exposure, of developing acute myelogenous leukemia. Physicians who are treating patients working in the oil industry are advised to be aware of possible adverse health effects from the work environment on the rigs. Further exposure studies and research in this area are highly recommended, as the literature is scarce.

Hercules 265 rapid response: Immediate ecosystem impacts of a natural gas blowout incident

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weber, Sarah C.; Peterson, Leigha; Battles, Jessica J.; Roberts, Brian J.; Peterson, Richard N.; Hollander, David J.; Chanton, Jeffrey P.; Joye, Samantha B.; Montoya, Joseph P.

2016-07-01

In late July 2013, the Hercules 265 drilling rig in the Northern Gulf of Mexico experienced a catastrophic loss of control. Large quantities of natural gas spewed into the environment for 2 days before the well self-sealed through down-hole collapse below the seafloor. Ecosystem Impacts of Oil and Gas Inputs to the Gulf (ECOGIG) and collaborating Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI) consortia mounted a rapid response cruise to characterize the waters around the Hercules 265 rig, beginning just 4 days after the blowout. Our analysis showed an immediate microbial response to the elevated concentrations of methane in the water column, as evidenced by the drawdown of oxygen to hypoxic conditions, the incorporation of methane-derived carbon into particles, and measurable rates of methane-assimilation and nitrogen-fixation. Additionally, radium isotope measurements allowed us to constrain the timescale of bottom water exposure to the influence of the rig. A second sampling by the Center for Integrated Modeling and Analysis of Gulf Ecosystems (C-IMAGE) consortium indicated that the ecosystem had returned to near pre-blowout conditions within one month.

Using Real-time Event Tracking Sensitivity Analysis to Overcome Sensor Measurement Uncertainties of Geo-Information Management in Drilling Disasters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tavakoli, S.; Poslad, S.; Fruhwirth, R.; Winter, M.

2012-04-01

This paper introduces an application of a novel EventTracker platform for instantaneous Sensitivity Analysis (SA) of large scale real-time geo-information. Earth disaster management systems demand high quality information to aid a quick and timely response to their evolving environments. The idea behind the proposed EventTracker platform is the assumption that modern information management systems are able to capture data in real-time and have the technological flexibility to adjust their services to work with specific sources of data/information. However, to assure this adaptation in real time, the online data should be collected, interpreted, and translated into corrective actions in a concise and timely manner. This can hardly be handled by existing sensitivity analysis methods because they rely on historical data and lazy processing algorithms. In event-driven systems, the effect of system inputs on its state is of value, as events could cause this state to change. This 'event triggering' situation underpins the logic of the proposed approach. Event tracking sensitivity analysis method describes the system variables and states as a collection of events. The higher the occurrence of an input variable during the trigger of event, the greater its potential impact will be on the final analysis of the system state. Experiments were designed to compare the proposed event tracking sensitivity analysis with existing Entropy-based sensitivity analysis methods. The results have shown a 10% improvement in a computational efficiency with no compromise for accuracy. It has also shown that the computational time to perform the sensitivity analysis is 0.5% of the time required compared to using the Entropy-based method. The proposed method has been applied to real world data in the context of preventing emerging crises at drilling rigs. One of the major purposes of such rigs is to drill boreholes to explore oil or gas reservoirs with the final scope of recovering the content of such reservoirs; both in onshore regions as well as in offshore regions. Drilling a well is always guided by technical, economic and security constraints to prevent crew, equipment and environment from injury, damage and pollution. Although risk assessment and local practice provides a high degree of security, uncertainty is given by the behaviour of the formation which may cause crucial situations at the rig. To overcome such uncertainties real-time sensor measurements form a base to predict and thus prevent such crises, the proposed method supports the identification of the data necessary for that.

Lake Eĺ gygytgyn Drilling under way: State of the operation and first results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melles, M.; Brigham-Grette, J.; Minyuk, P.; Koeberl, C.; Scientific Party, EĺGygytgyn

2009-04-01

Lake Eĺgygytgyn, located in central Chukotka, NE Siberia, was formed 3.6 million years ago by a meteorite impact and has never been glaciated or desiccated. This makes Lake Eĺgygytgyn a unique target of an interdisciplinary, multi-national drilling campaign, which currently is carried out as part of the International Continental Drilling Program (ICDP). Drilling operations started in Nov./Dec. 2008, when a 142 m long sediment core was retrieved from the permafrost deposits in the western lake catchment by the local drilling company Chaun Mine Geological Company (CGE). The core penetrated coarse-grained, ice-rich alluvial sediments with variable contents of fine-grained material. It will be investigated for the environmental history, including potential lake-level changes, and the permafrost characteristics, in order to learn more about the influences of catchment changes on the lake sedimentation. Besides, the hole was permanently instrumented for future ground temperature monitoring as part of the Global Terrestrial Network for Permafrost (www.gtnp.org/index_e.html). The major drilling effort will commence in Febr. 2009, when two sites in the central part of Lake Eĺgygytgyn shall be drilled down to 630 m below the lake floor. Drilling will be carried out by DOSECC, using a new GLAD 800 system that will be operated from an enclosed platform on the lake ice. Drilling objectives include replicate overlapping cores from the up to 420 m thick lake sediment fill. The cores promise to yield the longest, most continuous record of climate change in the terrestrial Arctic, extending back one million years prior to the intensification of the Northern Hemisphere Glaciation at the Pliocene/Pleistocene boundary, thus offering unique insight into the climatic and environmental history of the Arctic and its comparison with records from lower latitude marine and terrestrial sites to better understand hemispheric and global climate change. Coring shall be continued up to 300 m into the underlying impact breccia and brecciated bedrock in order to additionally investigate the impact process and the response of the volcanic bedrock to the impact event. The field season will continue into May, when surface melting on the lake will push to start evacuation of the drill rig. In summer 2009, the cores will be flown by chartered cargo plane to St. Petersburg. Later they will be trucked to the University of Cologne, Germany, for sub-sampling starting in September by the international team and their students. The archive core halves will be shipped to the University of Minnesota LacCore Facility in the US for post-moratorium studies. This talk will provide an introduction into the drilling objectives, summarize the first conclusions that can be drawn from the field data, and outline the next steps towards multidisciplinary investigation of the core material by the international science team.

The threats from oil spills: now, then, and in the future.

PubMed

Jernelöv, Arne

2010-01-01

The ongoing oil spill from the blown-out well by the name of Macondo, drilled by the ill-fated rig Deepwater Horizon, has many features in common with another blowout in the Mexican Gulf that happened three decades ago. Then the oil gushed out from the Ixtoc I well drilled by the Sedco 135-F semi-submersible rig. In the years between these catastrophes, the source and nature of oil spills have undergone large changes. Huge spills from tankers that ran aground or collided used to be what caught the headlines and caused large ecological damage. The number and size of such accidental spills have decreased significantly. Instead, spills from ageing, ill-maintained or sabotaged pipelines have increased, and places like Arctic Russia, the Niger Delta, and the northwestern Amazon have become sites of reoccurring oil pollution. As for blowouts, there is no clear trend with regard to the number of incidences or amounts of spilled oil, but deepwater blowouts are much harder to cap and thus tend to go on longer and result in the release of larger quantities of oil. Also, oil exploration and extraction is moving into ever-deeper water and into stormier and icier seas, increasing potential risks. The risk for reoccurring spills like the two huge Mexican Gulf ones is eminent and must be reduced.

Geologic and operational summary, COST No. G-2 well, Georges Bank area, North Atlantic OCS

USGS Publications Warehouse

Amato, Roger V.; Simonis, Edvardas K.

1980-01-01

The Continental Offshore Stratigraphic Test (COST) No. G-2 well is the second deep well to be drilled in the Georges Bank Basin and the third in a series of COST wells on the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). The G-2 was drilled by Ocean Production Company, acting as the operator for 19 participating companies between January 6 and August 30, 1977. The semisubmersible rig Ocean Victory was used to drill the well to a depth of 21,874 feet at a location 132 statute miles east-southeast of Nantucket Island in 272 feet of water. An earlier deep Stratigraphic test, the COST No. G-l well, was drilled 42 statute miles west of the G-2 well, to a depth of 16,071 feet in 1976 (fig. 1). Geological and engineering data obtained from the well were used by companies and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) for evaluating the petroleum potential and possible drilling problems in the U.S. North Atlantic OCS area in preparation for lease sale 42 held on December 18, 1979. The Stratigraphic test was intentionally drilled away from any potential petroleum-bearing feature, but in a block bordering several tracts that were included in the sale area.

Investigation of prospects for forecasting non-linear time series by example of drilling oil and gas wells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vlasenko, A. V.; Sizonenko, A. B.; Zhdanov, A. A.

2018-05-01

Discrete time series or mappings are proposed for describing the dynamics of a nonlinear system. The article considers the problems of forecasting the dynamics of the system from the time series generated by it. In particular, the commercial rate of drilling oil and gas wells can be considered as a series where each next value depends on the previous one. The main parameter here is the technical drilling speed. With the aim of eliminating the measurement error and presenting the commercial speed of the object to the current with a good accuracy, future or any of the elapsed time points, the use of the Kalman filter is suggested. For the transition from a deterministic model to a probabilistic one, the use of ensemble modeling is suggested. Ensemble systems can provide a wide range of visual output, which helps the user to evaluate the measure of confidence in the model. In particular, the availability of information on the estimated calendar duration of the construction of oil and gas wells will allow drilling companies to optimize production planning by rationalizing the approach to loading drilling rigs, which ultimately leads to maximization of profit and an increase of their competitiveness.

How Pecten Brazil drilled the Amazon basin

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bleakley, W.B.

1983-09-01

Pecten Brazil overcame numerous obstacles to drill two exploratory wells in the Amazon Basin last year. These included: The threat of low water in normally navigable rivers. Dense jungle growth at both locations. Lack of suitable roads for heavy hauling. Inconvenient distances from supply points. An unusual basalt formation responsible for unique drilling problems. Hundreds of helicopter lifts to move drilling rigs, supplies, and personnel. Pecten contracted with Petrobras, the Brazilian national oil company, to evaluate three blocks in the Amazon jungle, each about 68 miles (110 km) on a side, through seismic study and ultimate drilling. Planning for themore » drilling phase got started on March 17, 1981 with December 1 targeted as spud date for the first well. Actual spud date was November 25, 5 days ahead of schedule, in spite of all obstacles. Pecten has a mid-Amazonas block now under seismic investigation for possible exploratory drilling. Logistics problems in this one provide new difficulties, as the area is extremely wet. Most work is carried on by boat. The company is also looking offshore Bahia, testing the possible extension of the Renconcavo basin. Two wells have already provided good shows of a high pour point oil, with flow rates from 400 to 1,000 b/d. Another area of interest to Pecten is offshore Rio Grande do Norte.« less

Summary: High Temperature Downhole Motor

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Raymond, David W.

2017-10-01

Directional drilling can be used to enable multi-lateral completions from a single well pad to improve well productivity and decrease environmental impact. Downhole rotation is typically developed with a motor in the Bottom Hole Assembly (BHA) that develops drilling power (speed and torque) necessary to drive rock reduction mechanisms (i.e., the bit) apart from the rotation developed by the surface rig. Historically, wellbore deviation has been introduced by a “bent-sub,” located in the BHA, that introduces a small angular deviation, typically less than 3 degrees, to allow the bit to drill off-axis with orientation of the BHA controlled at themore » surface. The development of a high temperature downhole motor would allow reliable use of bent subs for geothermal directional drilling. Sandia National Laboratories is pursuing the development of a high temperature motor that will operate on either drilling fluid (water-based mud) or compressed air to enable drilling high temperature, high strength, fractured rock. The project consists of designing a power section based upon geothermal drilling requirements; modeling and analysis of potential solutions; and design, development and testing of prototype hardware to validate the concept. Drilling costs contribute substantially to geothermal electricity production costs. The present development will result in more reliable access to deep, hot geothermal resources and allow preferential wellbore trajectories to be achieved. This will enable development of geothermal wells with multi-lateral completions resulting in improved geothermal resource recovery, decreased environmental impact and enhanced well construction economics.« less

What Really Rigs Up RIG-I?

PubMed

Barik, Sailen

2016-01-01

RIG-I (retinoic acid-inducible gene 1) is an archetypal member of the cytoplasmic DEAD-box dsRNA helicase family (RIG-I-like receptors or RLRs), the members of which play essential roles in the innate immune response of the metazoan cell. RIG-I functions as a pattern recognition receptor that detects nonself RNA as a pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP). However, the exact molecular nature of the viral RNAs that act as a RIG-I ligand has remained a mystery and a matter of debate. In this article, we offer a critical review of the actual viral RNAs that act as PAMPs to activate RIG-I, as seen from the perspective of a virologist, including a recent report that the viral Leader-read-through transcript is a novel and effective RIG-I ligand. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

International oil and gas exploration and development: 1991

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1993-12-01

This report starts where the previous quarterly publication ended. This first publication of a new annual series contains most of the same data as the quarterly report, plus some new material, through 1991. It also presents historical data covering a longer period of time than the previous quarterly report. Country-level data on oil reserves, oil production, active drilling rigs, seismic crews, wells drilled, oil reserve additions, and oil reserve-to-production rations (R/P ratios) are listed for about 85 countries, where available, from 1970 through 1991. World and regional summaries are given in both tabular and graphical form. The most popular tablemore » in the previous quarterly report, a listing of new discoveries, continues in this annual report as Appendix A.« less

Reconfigurable Image Generator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Archdeacon, John L. (Inventor); Iwai, Nelson H. (Inventor); Kato, Kenji H. (Inventor); Sweet, Barbara T. (Inventor)

2017-01-01

A RiG may simulate visual conditions of a real world environment, and generate the necessary amount of pixels in a visual simulation at rates up to 120 frames per second. RiG may also include a database generation system capable of producing visual databases suitable to drive the visual fidelity required by the RiG.

Exploration and Production of Hydrocarbon Resources in Coastal Alabama and Mississippi.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-11-01

and R.L. Bluntzer. 984. Laud Subsidence Near Oil and Gas Fields , Houston, Texas. Ground Water 22(4):450-459. Holzworth, G.C. 1972. Mixing Heights, Wind... field is abandoned., The operation of drilling rigs, offshore production facilities, and onshore gas and oil cleaning and processing facilities would...a pipeline releasing natural gas containing hydrogen sulfide could endanger human health and be harmful .-. to plants and animals near the point of

19. Jack E, Boucher, Photographer, May 1974. CLOSEUP DETAIL VIEW ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

19. Jack E, Boucher, Photographer, May 1974. CLOSE-UP DETAIL VIEW OF PAULI-LENTICULAR TRUSS SYSTEM, CENTRAL AREA. - Smithfield Street Bridge, Spanning Monongahela River on Smithfield Street, Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, PA

20. Jack E. Boucher, Photogtapher, May 1974. CLOSEUP VIEW OF ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

20. Jack E. Boucher, Photogtapher, May 1974. CLOSE-UP VIEW OF PAULI-LENTICULAR TRUSS SYSTEM, CENTRAL AREA. - Smithfield Street Bridge, Spanning Monongahela River on Smithfield Street, Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, PA

Dead Sea deep cores: A window into past climate and seismicity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stein, Mordechai; Ben-Avraham, Zvi; Goldstein, Steven L.

2011-12-01

The area surrounding the Dead Sea was the locus of humankind's migration out of Africa and thus has been the home of peoples since the Stone Age. For this reason, understanding the climate and tectonic history of the region provides valuable insight into archaeology and studies of human history and helps to gain a better picture of future climate and tectonic scenarios. The deposits at the bottom of the Dead Sea are a geological archive of the environmental conditions (e.g., rains, floods, dust storms, droughts) during ice ages and warm ages, as well as of seismic activity in this key region. An International Continental Scientific Drilling Program (ICDP) deep drilling project was performed in the Dead Sea between November 2010 and March 2011. The project was funded by the ICDP and agencies in Israel, Germany, Japan, Norway, Switzerland, and the United States. Drilling was conducted using the new Large Lake Drilling Facility (Figure 1), a barge with a drilling rig run by DOSECC, Inc. (Drilling, Observation and Sampling of the Earth's Continental Crust), a nonprofit corporation dedicated to advancing scientific drilling worldwide. The main purpose of the project was to recover a long, continuous core to provide a high resolution record of the paleoclimate, paleoenvironment, paleoseismicity, and paleomagnetism of the Dead Sea Basin. With this, scientists are beginning to piece together a record of the climate and seismic history of the Middle East during the past several hundred thousand years in millennial to decadal to annual time resolution.

Final report on evaluation of cyclocraft support of oil and gas operations in wetland areas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Eggington, W.J.; Stevens, P.M.; John, C.J.

1994-10-01

The cyclocraft is a proven hybrid aircraft, capable of VTOL, lifting heavy and bulky loads, highly controllable, having high safety characteristics and low operating costs. Mission Research Corporation (MRC), under Department of Energy sponsorship, is evaluating the potential use of cyclocraft in the transport of drill rigs, mud, pipes and other materials and equipment, in a cost effective and environmentally safe manner, to support oil and gas drilling, production, and transportation operations in wetland areas. Based upon the results of an earlier parametric study, a cyclocraft design, having a payload capacity of 45 tons and designated H.1 Cyclocraft, was selectedmore » for further study, including the preparation of a preliminary design and a development plan, and the determination of operating costs. This report contains all of the results derived from the program to evaluate the use of cyclocraft in the support of oil and gas drilling and production operations in wetland areas.« less

The shale gas revolution from the viewpoint of a former industry insider.

PubMed

Bamberger, Michelle; Oswald, Robert

2015-02-01

This is an interview conducted with an oil and gas worker who was employed in the industry from 1993 to 2012. He requested that his name not be used. From 2008 to 2012, he drilled wells for a major operator in Bradford County, Pennsylvania. Bradford County is the center of the Marcellus shale gas boom in Northeastern Pennsylvania. In 2012, he formed a consulting business to assist clients who need information on the details of gas and oil drilling operations. In this interview, the worker describes the benefits and difficulties of the hard work involved in drilling unconventional gas wells in Pennsylvania. In particular, he outlines the safety procedures that were in place and how they sometimes failed, leading to workplace injuries. He provides a compelling view of the trade-offs between the economic opportunities of working on a rig and the dangers and stresses of working long hours under hazardous conditions. © 2015 SAGE Publications.

USEPA/USGS Sample Collection Protocol for Bacterial ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Report/SOP This Sample Collection Procedure (SCP) describes the activities and considerations for the collection of bacterial pathogens from representative surface soil samples (0-5 cm). This sampling depth can be reached without the use of a drill rig, direct-push technology, or other mechanized equipment. Analizing soil samples for biothreat agents may, for instance, define the extent of contamination or determine whether the concentrations of contaminants present a risk to public health, welfare, or the environment.

A Heavy-Duty Jack for a Giant Task

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-11-03

A major refurbishment of the giant Mars antenna at NASA Deep Space Network Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex in California Mojave Desert required workers to jack up millions of pounds of delicate scientific equipment.

Vectorization of a penalty function algorithm for well scheduling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Absar, I.

1984-01-01

In petroleum engineering, the oil production profiles of a reservoir can be simulated by using a finite gridded model. This profile is affected by the number and choice of wells which in turn is a result of various production limits and constraints including, for example, the economic minimum well spacing, the number of drilling rigs available and the time required to drill and complete a well. After a well is available it may be shut in because of excessive water or gas productions. In order to optimize the field performance a penalty function algorithm was developed for scheduling wells. For an example with some 343 wells and 15 different constraints, the scheduling routine vectorized for the CYBER 205 averaged 560 times faster performance than the scalar version.

A New Foil Air Bearing Test Rig for Use to 700 C and 70,000 rpm

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

DellaCorte, Chris

1997-01-01

A new test rig has been developed for evaluating foil air bearings at high temperatures and speeds. These bearings are self acting hydrodynamic air bearings which have been successfully applied to a variety of turbomachinery operating up to 650 C. This unique test rig is capable of measuring bearing torque during start-up, shut-down and high speed operation. Load capacity and general performance characteristics, such as durability, can be measured at temperatures to 700 C and speeds to 70,000 rpm. This paper describes the new test rig and demonstrates its capabilities through the preliminary characterization of several bearings. The bearing performance data from this facility can be used to develop advanced turbomachinery incorporating high temperature oil-free air bearing technology.

The Chesapeake Bay Impact Crater: An Educational Investigation for Students into the Planetary Impact Process and its Environmental Consequences

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Levine, Arlene S.

2008-01-01

Planetary impact craters are a common surface feature of many planetary bodies, including the Earth, the Moon, Mars, Mercury, Venus, and Jupiter s moons, Ganymede and Callisto. The NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, VA, is located about 5 km inside the outer rim of the Chesapeake Bay Impact Crater. The Chesapeake Bay Impact Crater, with a diameter of 85 km is the sixth largest impact crater on our planet. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in collaboration with the NASA Langley Research Center, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VDEQ), the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission (HRPDC), and the Department of Geology of the College of William and Mary (WM) drilled into and through the crater at the NASA Langley Research Center and obtained a continuous core to a depth of 2075.9 ft (632.73 meters) from the Chesapeake Bay Impact Crater. At the NASA Langley location, the granite basement depth was at 2046 ft (623.87 meters). This collaborative drilling activity provided a unique educational opportunity and ongoing educational partnership between USGS, NASA Langley and the other collaborators. NASA Langley has a decade-long, ongoing educational partnership with the Colonial Coast Council of the Girl Scouts. The core drilling and on site analysis and cataloguing of the core segments provided a unique opportunity for the Girl Scouts to learn how geologists work in the field, their tools for scientific investigation and evaluation, how they perform geological analyses of the cores in an on-site tent and learn about the formation of impact craters and the impact of impacting bodies on the sub-surface, the surface, the oceans and atmosphere of the target body. This was accomplished with a two-part activity. Girl Scout day camps and local Girl Scout troops were invited to Langley Research Center Conference Center, where more than 300 Girl Scouts, their leaders and adult personnel were given briefings by scientists and educators from the USGS, NASA, VDEQ, HRPDC and WM on the principles of geology, the formation of impact craters, the consequences of the impacting body on the atmosphere, ocean, surface and sub-surface, the geological, chemical and biological analyses of the core and the cataloguing and storage of the core segments, etc. After the briefings, the Girl Scouts visited the drilling site where they inspected the core drilling rig, examined the core samples and discussed the drilling procedures, cores and interpretation of the cores with scientists and educators from the organizations conducting the core drilling. Demonstrations at the drilling site included demonstrations of impacting objects hitting multi-colored layered mud targets at different angles of entry. The multi-colored layers of mud were instructive in mapping out the distribution of impact-ejected material around the impact crater. The presentation will include a series of photographs of the Girl Scout participating in activities at the Chesapeake Bay Impact Crater drill site, including retrieving cores from the drilling rig, inspecting the core samples and participating in the impact-crater formation demonstrations.

Variation of Time Domain Failure Probabilities of Jack-up with Wave Return Periods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Idris, Ahmad; Harahap, Indra S. H.; Ali, Montassir Osman Ahmed

2018-04-01

This study evaluated failure probabilities of jack up units on the framework of time dependent reliability analysis using uncertainty from different sea states representing different return period of the design wave. Surface elevation for each sea state was represented by Karhunen-Loeve expansion method using the eigenfunctions of prolate spheroidal wave functions in order to obtain the wave load. The stochastic wave load was propagated on a simplified jack up model developed in commercial software to obtain the structural response due to the wave loading. Analysis of the stochastic response to determine the failure probability in excessive deck displacement in the framework of time dependent reliability analysis was performed by developing Matlab codes in a personal computer. Results from the study indicated that the failure probability increases with increase in the severity of the sea state representing a longer return period. Although the results obtained are in agreement with the results of a study of similar jack up model using time independent method at higher values of maximum allowable deck displacement, it is in contrast at lower values of the criteria where the study reported that failure probability decreases with increase in the severity of the sea state.

Efficiency in energy production and consumption

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kellogg, Ryan Mayer

This dissertation deals with economic efficiency in the energy industry and consists of three parts. The first examines how joint experience between pairs of firms working together in oil and gas drilling improves productivity. Part two asks whether oil producers time their drilling optimally by taking real options effects into consideration. Finally, I investigate the efficiency with which energy is consumed, asking whether extending Daylight Saving Time (DST) reduces electricity use. The chapter "Learning by Drilling: Inter-Firm Learning and Relationship Persistence in the Texas Oilpatch" examines how oil production companies and the drilling rigs they hire improve drilling productivity by learning through joint experience. I find that the joint productivity of a lead firm and its drilling contractor is enhanced significantly as they accumulate experience working together. Moreover, this result is robust to other relationship specificities and standard firm-specific learning-by-doing effects. The second chapter, "Drill Now or Drill Later: The Effect of Expected Volatility on Investment," investigates the extent to which firms' drilling behavior accords with a key prescription of real options theory: irreversible investments such as drilling should be deferred when the expected volatility of the investments' payoffs increases. I combine detailed data on oil drilling with expectations of future oil price volatility that I derive from the NYMEX futures options market. Conditioning on expected price levels, I find that oil production companies significantly reduce the number of wells they drill when expected price volatility is high. I conclude with "Daylight Time and Energy: Evidence from an Australian Experiment," co-authored with Hendrik Wolff. This chapter assesses DST's impact on electricity demand using a quasi-experiment in which parts of Australia extended DST in 2000 to facilitate the Sydney Olympics. We show that the extension did not reduce overall electricity consumption, but did cause a substantial intra-day shift in demand consistent with activity patterns that are tied to the clock rather than sunrise and sunset.

Design, fabrication, and integration testing of the Garden Banks 388 subsea production template

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ledbetter, W.R.; Smith, D.W.; Pierce, D.M.

1995-12-31

Enserch Exploration`s Garden Banks 388 development has a production scheme based around a floating drilling and production facility and subsea drilling/production template. The Floating Production Facility (FPF) is a converted semisubmersible drilling rig that will drill and produce through a 24-well slot subsea template. This development is located in Block 388 of the Garden Banks area in the Gulf of Mexico approximately 200 miles southwest of New Orleans, Louisiana. The production system is being installed in an area of known oil and gas reserves and will produce to a shallow water platform 54 miles away at Eugene Island 315. Themore » FPF will be permanently moored above the template. The subsea template has been installed in 2190 feet of water and will produce through a 2,000 foot free-standing production riser system to the FPF. The produced fluids are partially separated on the FPF before oil and gas are pumped through the template to export gathering lines that are connected to the shallow water facility. The system designed through-put is 40,000 BOPD of oil and 120 MMSCFD of gas.« less

Roles of RIG-I N-terminal tandem CARD and splice variant in TRIM25-mediated antiviral signal transduction

PubMed Central

Gack, Michaela U.; Kirchhofer, Axel; Shin, Young C.; Inn, Kyung-Soo; Liang, Chengyu; Cui, Sheng; Myong, Sua; Ha, Taekjip; Hopfner, Karl-Peter; Jung, Jae U.

2008-01-01

The caspase recruitment domain (CARD) of intracellular adaptors and sensors plays a critical role in the assembly of signaling complexes involved in innate host defense against pathogens and in the regulation of inflammatory responses. The cytosolic receptor retinoic acid-inducible gene-I (RIG-I) recognizes viral RNA in a 5′-triphosphate-dependent manner and initiates an antiviral signaling cascade. Upon viral infection, the N-terminal CARDs of RIG-I undergo the K63-linked ubiquitination induced by tripartite motif protein 25 (TRIM25), critical for the interaction of RIG-I with its downstream signaling partner MAVS/VISA/IPS-1/Cardif. Here, we demonstrate the distinct roles of RIG-I first and second CARD in TRIM25-mediated RIG-I ubiquitination: TRIM25 binds the RIG-I first CARD and subsequently ubiquitinates its second CARD. The T55I mutation in RIG-I first CARD abolishes TRIM25 interaction, whereas the K172R mutation in the second CARD eliminates polyubiquitin attachment. The necessity of the intact tandem CARD for RIG-I function is further evidenced by a RIG-I splice variant (SV) whose expression is robustly up-regulated upon viral infection. The RIG-I SV carries a short deletion (amino acids 36–80) within the first CARD and thereby loses TRIM25 binding, CARD ubiquitination, and downstream signaling ability. Furthermore, because of its robust inhibition of virus-induced RIG-I multimerization and RIG-I-MAVS signaling complex formation, this SV effectively suppresses the RIG-I-mediated IFN-β production. This study not only elucidates the vital role of the intact tandem CARD for TRIM25-mediated RIG-I activation but also identifies the RIG-I SV as an off-switch regulator of its own signaling pathway. PMID:18948594

Roles of RIG-I N-terminal tandem CARD and splice variant in TRIM25-mediated antiviral signal transduction.

PubMed

Gack, Michaela U; Kirchhofer, Axel; Shin, Young C; Inn, Kyung-Soo; Liang, Chengyu; Cui, Sheng; Myong, Sua; Ha, Taekjip; Hopfner, Karl-Peter; Jung, Jae U

2008-10-28

The caspase recruitment domain (CARD) of intracellular adaptors and sensors plays a critical role in the assembly of signaling complexes involved in innate host defense against pathogens and in the regulation of inflammatory responses. The cytosolic receptor retinoic acid-inducible gene-I (RIG-I) recognizes viral RNA in a 5'-triphosphate-dependent manner and initiates an antiviral signaling cascade. Upon viral infection, the N-terminal CARDs of RIG-I undergo the K(63)-linked ubiquitination induced by tripartite motif protein 25 (TRIM25), critical for the interaction of RIG-I with its downstream signaling partner MAVS/VISA/IPS-1/Cardif. Here, we demonstrate the distinct roles of RIG-I first and second CARD in TRIM25-mediated RIG-I ubiquitination: TRIM25 binds the RIG-I first CARD and subsequently ubiquitinates its second CARD. The T(55)I mutation in RIG-I first CARD abolishes TRIM25 interaction, whereas the K(172)R mutation in the second CARD eliminates polyubiquitin attachment. The necessity of the intact tandem CARD for RIG-I function is further evidenced by a RIG-I splice variant (SV) whose expression is robustly up-regulated upon viral infection. The RIG-I SV carries a short deletion (amino acids 36-80) within the first CARD and thereby loses TRIM25 binding, CARD ubiquitination, and downstream signaling ability. Furthermore, because of its robust inhibition of virus-induced RIG-I multimerization and RIG-I-MAVS signaling complex formation, this SV effectively suppresses the RIG-I-mediated IFN-beta production. This study not only elucidates the vital role of the intact tandem CARD for TRIM25-mediated RIG-I activation but also identifies the RIG-I SV as an off-switch regulator of its own signaling pathway.

Engagement of Metal Debris into Gear Mesh

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

handschuh, Robert F.; Krantz, Timothy L.

2010-01-01

A series of bench-top experiments was conducted to determine the effects of metallic debris being dragged through meshing gear teeth. A test rig that is typically used to conduct contact fatigue experiments was used for these tests. Several sizes of drill material, shim stock and pieces of gear teeth were introduced and then driven through the meshing region. The level of torque required to drive the "chip" through the gear mesh was measured. From the data gathered, chip size sufficient to jam the mechanism can be determined.

VSAT: opening new horizons to oil and gas explorations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Dhamen, Muhammad I.

2002-08-01

Whether exploring in the Empty Quarter, drilling offshore in the Gulf of Mexico, or monitoring gas pipelines or oil wells in the deserts, communications is a key element to the success of oil and gas operations. Secure, efficient communications is required between remote, isolated locations and head offices to report on work status, dispatch supplies and repairs, report on-site emergencies, transfer geophysical surveys and real-time drilling data. Drilling and exploration firms have traditionally used land-based terrestrial networks that rely on radio transmissions for voice and data communications to offshore platforms and remote deep desert drilling rigs. But these systems are inefficient and have proven inflexible with today's drilling and exploration communications demands, which include high-speed data access, telephone and video conferencing. In response, numerous oil and gas exploration entities working in deep waters and remote deep deserts have all tapped into what is an ideal solution for these needs: Very Small Aperture Terminal Systems (VSAT) for broadband access services. This led to the use of Satellite Communication Systems for a wide range of applications that were difficult to achieve in the past, such as real-time applications transmission of drilling data and seismic information. This paper provides a thorough analysis of opportunities for satellite technology solutions in support of oil and gas operations. Technologies, architecture, service, networking and application developments are discussed based upon real field experience. More specifically, the report addresses: VSAT Opportunities for the Oil and Gas Operations, Corporate Satellite Business Model Findings, Satellite Market Forecasts

Function of duck RIG-I in induction of antiviral response against IBDV and avian influenza virus on chicken cells.

PubMed

Shao, Qiang; Xu, Wenpin; Yan, Li; Liu, Jinhua; Rui, Lei; Xiao, Xiao; Yu, Xiaoxue; Lu, Yanan; Li, Zandong

2014-10-13

The avian influenza (AI) H9N2 virus and IBDV are two major problems in the poultry industry. They have been prevalent among domestic poultry in Asia for many years and have caused considerable economic losses. Retinoic-acid-induced gene I (RIG-I) is a cytoplasmic sensor of dsRNA and ssRNA. It can detect Encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV) and vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) in human cells, influenza virus in duck leads to production of IFN-β and IFN-stimulated antiviral genes and reductions in the replication of RNA virus. Chickens, which lack RIG-I, are more sensitive to influenza virus than ducks. However, little is known about the roles of duck RIG-I (dRIG-I) in the detection of IBDV and AI H9N2 in chicken cells DF-1. The purpose of this study was to examine the function of dRIG-I in the recognition of IBDV Ts strain and H9N2 A/Chicken/Shandong/ZB/2007(ZB07) and in the induction of antiviral gene expression to gain an understanding of antiviral ability of dRIG-I in chicken cells against dsRNA virus IBDV and ssRNA virus ZB07. After challenge with the IBDV Ts strain and ZB07 the expression levels of Type I IFN (IFN-β and IFN-α) and IFN-induced antiviral genes (Mx and PKR) were significantly up-regulated in dRIG-I-transfected DF-1cells compared with the empty-vector-transfected control. dRIG-I knockdown experiments further proved that dRIG-I is essential to sensing IBDV and ZB07 in duck embryo fibroblasts (DEF). Growth curves showed that dRIG-I repressed the replication of IBDV and almost blunted the growth of ZB07 in DF-1. Apoptosis analysis revealed that dRIG-I increase the number of the survival cells after IBDV Ts strain or ZB07 infection relative to the empty-vector-transfected control. These results indicate that dRIG-I can up-regulates type I IFN and reduce viral gene expression and viral replication and protect chicken cells from virus-induced apoptosis during ZB07 and IBDV infection. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Estimating gas kick arrival to better manage surface flow

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Merryman, J.

1997-06-01

There are many quality, expertly designed programs for teaching rig crews prevention and control of well kicks. Much time and money has been spent training rig crews for procedures and methods to avoid kicks, and what to do if you have one, even though all accepted practices were followed. One false/bad result from this training is that individuals have come away from this training believing that once a gas kick is circulated through the choke, all problems are simple and manageable, i.e., the danger has passed. What you do with gas once it is downstream of the choke has notmore » been given enough emphasis in some training programs, including the one the author is involved in. This article, prepared from experiences on actual rig locations in Wyoming and Argentina, and developed for well control training in Parker Drilling Co.`s Training Center, Odessa, Texas, describes a method for estimating the time, in pump strokes and/or minutes, for a gas kick to reach surface. Reducing pump strokes (circulating flowrate) and knowing available time to gas kick arrival allows the crew to prepare surface handling equipment. Common misconceptions about gas handling and potential resulting problems are noted. An example calculation describes the calculation procedure.« less

Heavy duty precision leveling jacks expedite setup time on horizontal boring mill

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dellenbaugh, W.; Jones, C.

1966-01-01

Leveling jack is a precise alignment tool which expedites the setup of components or assemblies up to 2500 pounds on horizontal boring mills. This tool eliminates the necessity of wedges and blocks to shim the components to proper position.

Field Testing of Environmentally Friendly Drilling System

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

David Burnett

2009-05-31

The Environmentally Friendly Drilling (EFD) program addresses new low-impact technology that reduces the footprint of drilling activities, integrates light weight drilling rigs with reduced emission engine packages, addresses on-site waste management, optimizes the systems to fit the needs of a specific development sites and provides stewardship of the environment. In addition, the program includes industry, the public, environmental organizations, and elected officials in a collaboration that addresses concerns on development of unconventional natural gas resources in environmentally sensitive areas. The EFD program provides the fundamentals to result in greater access, reasonable regulatory controls, lower development cost and reduction of themore » environmental footprint associated with operations for unconventional natural gas. Industry Sponsors have supported the program with significant financial and technical support. This final report compendium is organized into segments corresponding directly with the DOE approved scope of work for the term 2005-2009 (10 Sections). Each specific project is defined by (a) its goals, (b) its deliverable, and (c) its future direction. A web site has been established that contains all of these detailed engineering reports produced with their efforts. The goals of the project are to (1) identify critical enabling technologies for a prototype low-impact drilling system, (2) test the prototype systems in field laboratories, and (3) demonstrate the advanced technology to show how these practices would benefit the environment.« less

Hydraulics calculation in drilling simulator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malyugin, Aleksey A.; Kazunin, Dmitry V.

2018-05-01

The modeling of drilling hydraulics in the simulator system is discussed. This model is based on the previously developed quasi-steady model of an incompressible fluid flow. The model simulates the operation of all parts of the hydraulic drilling system. Based on the principles of creating a common hydraulic model, a set of new elements for well hydraulics was developed. It includes elements that correspond to the in-drillstring and annular space. There are elements controlling the inflow from the reservoir into the well and simulating the lift of gas along the annulus. New elements of the hydrosystem take into account the changing geometry of the well, loss in the bit, characteristics of the fluids including viscoplasticity. There is an opportunity specify the complications, the main one of which is gas, oil and water inflow. Correct work of models in cases of complications makes it possible to work out various methods for their elimination. The coefficients of the model are adjusted on the basis of incomplete experimental data provided by operators of drilling platforms. At the end of the article the results of modeling the elimination of gas inflow by a continuous method are presented. The values displayed in the simulator (drill pipe pressure, annulus pressure, input and output flow rates) are in good agreement with the experimental data. This exercise took one hour, which is less than the time on a real rig with the same configuration of equipment and well.

Acoustic Characteristics of Various Treatment Panel Designs Specific to HSCT Mixer-Ejector Application

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Salikuddin, M.; Kinzie, K.; Vu, D. D.; Langenbrunner, L. E.; Szczepkowski, G. T.

2006-01-01

The development process of liner design methodology is described in several reports. The results of the initial effort of concept development, screening, laboratory testing of various liner concepts, and preliminary correlation (generic data) are presented in a report Acoustic Characteristics of Various Treatment Panel Designs for HSCT Ejector Liner Acoustic Technology Development Program. The second phase of laboratory test results of more practical concepts and their data correlations are presented in this report (product specific). In particular, this report contains normal incidence impedance measurements of several liner types in both a static rig and in a high temperature flow duct rig. The flow duct rig allows for temperatures up to 400 F with a grazing flow up to Mach 0.8. Measurements of impedance, DC flow resistance, and in the flow rig cases, impact of the liner on boundary layer profiles are documented. In addition to liner rig tests, a limited number of tests were made on liners installed in a mixer-Ejector nozzle to confirm the performance of the liner prediction in an installed configuration.

Design and Implementation of a Characterization Test Rig for Evaluating High Bandwidth Liquid Fuel Flow Modulators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Saus, Joseph R.; Chang, Clarence T.; DeLaat, John C.; Vrnak, Daniel R.

2010-01-01

A test rig was designed and developed at the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) for the purpose of characterizing high bandwidth liquid fuel flow modulator candidates to determine their suitability for combustion instability control research. The test rig is capable of testing flow modulators at up to 600 psia supply pressure and flows of up to 2 gpm. The rig is designed to provide a quiescent flow into the test section in order to isolate the dynamic flow modulations produced by the test article. Both the fuel injector orifice downstream of the test article and the combustor are emulated. The effect of fuel delivery line lengths on modulator dynamic performance can be observed and modified to replicate actual fuel delivery systems. For simplicity, water is currently used as the working fluid, although future plans are to use jet fuel. The rig is instrumented for dynamic pressures and flows and a high-speed data system is used for dynamic data acquisition. Preliminary results have been obtained for one candidate flow modulator.

Development of a two-body wet abrasion test method with attention to the effects of reused abradant

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Blau, Peter Julian; Dehoff, Ryan R

2012-01-01

Abrasive wear is among the most common and costliest causes for material wastage, and it occurs in many forms. A simple method has been developed to quantify the response of metals and alloys to two-body wet abrasion. A metallographic polishing machine was modified to create a disk-on-flat sliding test rig. Adhesive-backed SiC grinding papers were used under fixed load and speed to rank the abrasive wear of seven alloy steels, some of which are candidates for drill cones for geothermal drilling. Standardized two-body abrasion tests, like those described in ASTM G132, feed unused abrasive into the contact; however, the currentmore » work investigated whether useful rankings could still be obtained with a simpler testing configuration in which specimens repeatedly slide on the same wear path under water-lubricated conditions. Tests using abrasive grit sizes of 120 and 180 resulted in the same relative ranking of the alloys although the coarser grit produced more total wear. Wear decreased when the same abrasive disk was re-used for up to five runs, but the relative rankings of the steels remained the same. This procedure was presented to ASTM Committee G2 on Wear and Erosion as a potential standard test for wet two-body abrasive wear.« less

The CARBONATE project: Mid-latitude Carbonate Systems - Complete Sequences from Cold-Water Coral Carbonate Mounds in the Northeast Atlantic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wheeler, A.; Freiwald, A.; Hebbeln, D.; Swennen, R.; van Weering, T.; de Haas, H.; Dorschel, B.

2007-12-01

Up to now the carbonate stored in carbonate mounds has not been considered in any global carbonate budget or linked to any global carbon budget involving greenhouse gases. A major challenge exists to quantify the amount and flux of carbon stored by these newly discovered areas of enhanced carbonate accumulation in intermediate water depth. Furthermore, investigations so far reveal that all mounds possess different growth histories depending on the environmental setting and the involved faunal associations. Unfortunately, existing cores only penetrated the upper few meters of the mounds thus limiting mound research to the very late stage of mound development. Access to the longer sequences preserved in giant carbonate mounds was overcome in May 2005 when the IODP Expedition 307 (Porcupine Mound Drilling) recovered complete sedimentary records from one 155 m high "Challenger Mound" in the Porcupine Seabight west off Ireland. Furthermore, EU-FP projects have revealed late stage history of giant mounds in different settings showing that different mounds respond in different ways to environmental forcing factors with no one mound being typical of all. CARBONATE will drill complete sequences through a number of mounds in differing environmental settings using the portable drill rig MeBo (University of Bremen). By understanding how biogeochemical processes control the development of these carbonate mounds and their response to climate change, we will make an important step in quantifying their role as mid-latitude carbonate sinks. In the end, a better understanding of the processes involved in mound formation and development may also result in new views on fossil analogues many of which are less accessible hydrocarbon reservoirs.

Surface mapping and drilling of extinct seafloor massive sulphide deposits (eSMS) from the TAG Hydrothermal Field, 26oN: A tale of two `Jaspers'

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stobbs, I. J.; Lusty, P.; Petersen, S.; Murton, B. J.

2017-12-01

Two extinct seafloor massive sulphide (eSMS) deposits within the TAG hydrothermal field, 26oN, mid-Atlantic ridge, were mapped and drilled: Southern Mound and the newly discovered `Rona Mound'. Surface mapping was undertaken by combining high definition video footage and high resolution bathymetry to interpret surface geological and geomorphological features. Drill core was recovered using the BGS RD2 robotic drilling rig. Surface mapping of the mounds revealed a superficial cover of carbonate and iron-oxyhydroxides sediments, observed to directly overly oxide coated sulphide material within fault scarps, which dissect the flanks of both mounds. Drilling at the summits of the mounds revealed similar stratigraphy to the mapping, with the addition of a coherent and dense layer of red-coloured silica-rich `jasper', up to 3m thick, underlying the sediments and overlying unoxidised massive sulphides. The jasper mineralogy is dominated by silica, with minor iron oxides and rare disseminated sulphides. It displays a range of complex textures including filamentous and dendritic iron oxides often coated in silica. Drill core samples show the material to be porous, but relatively impermeable. Strong and positive Eu (REE) anomalies indicates a hydrothermal origin with little evidence of a seawater signature (lack of negative Ce anomaly). Silica precipitation is associated with low temperature hydrothermal activity, chert and jasper materials are locally present within the nearby hydrothermally active TAG mound and are more widespread at low-temperature diffuse hydrothermal sites such as within the MESO field. We interpret the `jasper' layers to be a common product, formed during the waning, low temperature, stage of the hydrothermal cycle which may form an impermeable and resistant `cap' that protects the underlying massive sulphide ore body from oxidation and dissolution. The formation of a `jasper cap' could act automatically to preserve eSMS deposits when hydrothermal circulation ceases and is essential to preserving the resource potential of eSMS deposits. This `jasper' capping layer is important from an economic perspective, and reinforces the need for shallow sub-seafloor mapping as part of any deep-sea mineral exploration. This research received funding from the EC FP7 project Blue Mining (604500).

In-situ test site at the International Geothermal Centre Bochum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bracke, Rolf; Wittig, Volker; Güldenhaupt, Jonas; Duda, Mandy; Stöckhert, Ferdinand; Bussmann, Gregor; Tünte, Henry; Saenger, Erik H.; Eicker, Timm; Löer, Katrin; Schäfers, Klaus; Macit, Osman; Jagert, Felix

2017-04-01

The in-situ test site at the International Geothermal Centre (GZB) is located on the campus of the Bochum University of Applied Sciences. The area represents a 10.000 m2 drill site with existing research, observation and production wells and allows further drill tests and drilling down to depths of 5.000 m - also in conjunction with the approved authorized 50 km2 mining area "Future Energies" and the GZB's own mobile dual drive drilling rig Bo.Rex capable of drilling down to depths of 1000 m. The site allows for a comprehensive characterization of the subsurface underneath the university's campus in terms of a case study in Bochum pursuing the objective to provide an in-situ test field to researchers from geosciences and other disciplines. The local geology comprises folded and fractured carboniferous sediments including sandstones, siltstones, claystones and coal seams with low matrix permeabilies. Currently, one research well, 29 production wells, and seven monitoring wells are available. The research well reaching to a depth of about 500 m with an open-hole section between 450 m and 500 m has been fully cored down to 200 m, selected sections were additionally cored down to 450 m. Production wells with depths of up to 200 m are equipped with borehole heat exchangers providing heating and cooling for the GZB and a new lecture building. Monitoring wells vary in depth and reach down to 200 m. The majority of wells were comprehensively characterized using the GZB's borehole geophysical logging system with deviation, caliper, gamma ray and acoustic imaging, but also full waveform sonic, flowmeter and electrical conductivity. Cuttings were collected, documented and partly stored. The in-situ test site will be complemented by a seismic and hydrogeological observatory comprising borehole seismometers at depths of up to 200 m. The seismic network will ensure permanent observation of natural and potential anthropogenic seismicity. Additionally, drilling activities interpreted as seismic source can be used to develop a better understanding of the geological and geophysical structure of the subsurface. Hydrogeological monitoring wells will be used for field experiments such as flowmeter tests, pumping tests or chemical analysis of groundwater. Synergies arise from linking the field-scale infrastructure with laboratory equipment at the GZB covering basic and advanced physicochemical characterization as well as high resolution 3D imaging technologies under high pressure and high temperature reservoir conditions at various scales from mm to m. The GZB invites students, researchers and interested parties to participate in and shape the GZB's in-situ research infrastructure activities by addressing fundamental and applied questions related to geothermal energy provision and georesources in general.

Engagement of Metal Debris into a Gear Mesh

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Handschuh, Robert F.; Krantz, Timothy L.

2010-01-01

A series of bench top experiments was conducted to determine the effects of metallic debris being dragged through meshing gear teeth. A test rig that is typically used to conduct contact fatigue experiments was used for these tests. Several sizes of drill material, shim stock, and pieces of gear teeth were introduced and then driven through the meshing region. The level of torque required to drive the "chip" through the gear mesh was measured. From the data gathered, chip size sufficient to jam the mechanism can be determined.

Astronaut Jack Lousma hooks up cable for rate gyro six pack during EVA

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1973-01-01

Astronaut Jack R. Lousma, Skylab 3 pilot, hooks up a 23 ft. 2 in. connecting cable for the rate gyro six pack during extravehicular activity (EVA) on August 24, 1973, as senn in this photographic reproduction taken from a color television tranmsission made by a TV camera aboard the Skylab space station in Earth orbit. The rate gyros were mounted inside the Multiple Docking Adapter opposite the Apollo Telescope Mount control and display console.

An in situ thermo-mechanical rig for lattice strain measurement during creep using neutron diffraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Y. Q.; Kabra, S.; Zhang, S. Y.; Truman, C. E.; Smith, D. J.

2018-05-01

A long-term high-temperature testing stress rig has been designed and fabricated for performing in situ neutron diffraction tests at the ENGIN-X beamline, ISIS facility in the UK. It is capable of subjecting metals to high temperatures up to 800 °C and uniaxial loading under different boundary conditions including constant load, constant strain, and elastic follow-up, each with minimum of external control. Samples are held horizontally between grips and connected to a rigid rig frame, a soft aluminium bar, and a stepper motor with forces up to 20 kN. A new three zone split electrical resistance furnace which generates a stable and uniform heat atmosphere over 200 mm length was used to heat the samples. An 8 mm diameter port at 45° to the centre of the furnace was made in order to allow the neutron beam through the furnace to illuminate the sample. The entire instrument is mounted on the positioner at ENGIN-X and has the potential ability to operate continuously while being moved in and out of the neutron diffraction beam. The performance of the rig has been demonstrated by tracking the evolution of lattice strains in type 316H stainless steel under elastic follow-up control at 550 °C.

An in situ thermo-mechanical rig for lattice strain measurement during creep using neutron diffraction.

PubMed

Wang, Y Q; Kabra, S; Zhang, S Y; Truman, C E; Smith, D J

2018-05-01

A long-term high-temperature testing stress rig has been designed and fabricated for performing in situ neutron diffraction tests at the ENGIN-X beamline, ISIS facility in the UK. It is capable of subjecting metals to high temperatures up to 800 °C and uniaxial loading under different boundary conditions including constant load, constant strain, and elastic follow-up, each with minimum of external control. Samples are held horizontally between grips and connected to a rigid rig frame, a soft aluminium bar, and a stepper motor with forces up to 20 kN. A new three zone split electrical resistance furnace which generates a stable and uniform heat atmosphere over 200 mm length was used to heat the samples. An 8 mm diameter port at 45° to the centre of the furnace was made in order to allow the neutron beam through the furnace to illuminate the sample. The entire instrument is mounted on the positioner at ENGIN-X and has the potential ability to operate continuously while being moved in and out of the neutron diffraction beam. The performance of the rig has been demonstrated by tracking the evolution of lattice strains in type 316H stainless steel under elastic follow-up control at 550 °C.

Multi-Axis Test Facility

NASA Image and Video Library

1959-11-01

Multi-Axis Test Facility, Space Progress Report, November 1, 1959: The Multi Axis Space Test Inertia Facility [MASTIF], informally referred to as the Gimbal Rig, was installed inside the Altitude Wind Tunnel. The rig, which spun on three axis simultaneously, was used to train the Mercury astronauts on how to bring a spinning spacecraft under control and to determine the effects of rapid spinning on the astronaut's eyesight and psyche. Small gaseous nitrogen jets were operated by the pilot to gain control of the rig after it had been set in motion. Part 1 shows pilot Joe Algranti in the rig as it rotates over one, two, and three axis. It also has overall views of the test set-up with researchers and technicians on the test platform. Part 2 shows Algranti being secured in the rig prior to the test. The rig is set in motion and the pilot slowly brings it under control. The Mercury astronauts trained on the MASTIF in early spring of 1960.

Effects of tones associated with drilling activities on bowhead whale calling rates

PubMed Central

Nations, Christopher S.; Thode, Aaron M.; Kauffman, Mandy E.; Conrad, Alexander S.; Norman, Robert G.; Kim, Katherine H.

2017-01-01

During summer 2012 Shell performed exploratory drilling at Sivulliq, a lease holding located in the autumn migration corridor of bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus), northwest of Camden Bay in the Beaufort Sea. The drilling operation involved a number of vessels performing various activities, such as towing the drill rig, anchor handling, and drilling. Acoustic data were collected with six arrays of directional recorders (DASARs) deployed on the seafloor over ~7 weeks in Aug–Oct. Whale calls produced within 2 km of each DASAR were identified and localized using triangulation. A “tone index” was defined to quantify the presence and amplitude of tonal sounds from industrial machinery. The presence of airgun pulses originating from distant seismic operations was also quantified. For each 10-min period at each of the 40 recorders, the number of whale calls localized was matched with the “dose” of industrial sound received, and the relationship between calling rates and industrial sound was modeled using negative binomial regression. The analysis showed that with increasing tone levels, bowhead whale calling rates initially increased, peaked, and then decreased. This dual behavioral response is similar to that described for bowhead whales and airgun pulses in earlier work. Increasing call repetition rates can be a viable strategy for combating decreased detectability of signals arising from moderate increases in background noise. Meanwhile, as noise increases, the benefits of calling may decrease because information transfer becomes increasingly error-prone, and at some point calling may no longer be worth the effort. PMID:29161308

Effects of tones associated with drilling activities on bowhead whale calling rates.

PubMed

Blackwell, Susanna B; Nations, Christopher S; Thode, Aaron M; Kauffman, Mandy E; Conrad, Alexander S; Norman, Robert G; Kim, Katherine H

2017-01-01

During summer 2012 Shell performed exploratory drilling at Sivulliq, a lease holding located in the autumn migration corridor of bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus), northwest of Camden Bay in the Beaufort Sea. The drilling operation involved a number of vessels performing various activities, such as towing the drill rig, anchor handling, and drilling. Acoustic data were collected with six arrays of directional recorders (DASARs) deployed on the seafloor over ~7 weeks in Aug-Oct. Whale calls produced within 2 km of each DASAR were identified and localized using triangulation. A "tone index" was defined to quantify the presence and amplitude of tonal sounds from industrial machinery. The presence of airgun pulses originating from distant seismic operations was also quantified. For each 10-min period at each of the 40 recorders, the number of whale calls localized was matched with the "dose" of industrial sound received, and the relationship between calling rates and industrial sound was modeled using negative binomial regression. The analysis showed that with increasing tone levels, bowhead whale calling rates initially increased, peaked, and then decreased. This dual behavioral response is similar to that described for bowhead whales and airgun pulses in earlier work. Increasing call repetition rates can be a viable strategy for combating decreased detectability of signals arising from moderate increases in background noise. Meanwhile, as noise increases, the benefits of calling may decrease because information transfer becomes increasingly error-prone, and at some point calling may no longer be worth the effort.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Munganahalli, D.

Sedco Forex is a drilling contractor that operates approximately 80 rigs on land and offshore worldwide. The HSE management system developed by Sedco Forex is an effort to prevent accidents and minimize losses. An integral part of the HSE management system is establishing risk profiles and thereby minimizing risk and reducing loss exposures. Risk profiles are established based on accident reports, potential accident reports and other risk identification reports (RIR) like the Du Pont STOP system. A rig could fill in as many as 30 accident reports, 30 potential accident reports and 500 STOP cards each year. Statistics are importantmore » for an HSE management system, since they are indicators of success or failure of HSE systems. It is however difficult to establish risk profiles based on statistical information, unless tools are available at the rig site to aid with the analysis. Risk profiles are then used to identify important areas in the operation that may require specific attention to minimize the loss exposure. Programs to address the loss exposure can then be identified and implemented with either a local or corporate approach. In January 1995, Sedco Forex implemented a uniform HSE Database on all the rigs worldwide. In one year companywide, the HSE database would contain information on approximately 500 accident and potential accident reports, and 10,000 STOP cards. This paper demonstrates the salient features of the database and describes how it has helped in establishing key risk profiles. It also shows a recent example of how risk profiles have been established at the corporate level and used to identify the key contributing factors to hands and finger injuries. Based on this information, a campaign was launched to minimize the frequency of occurrence and associated loss attributed to hands and fingers accidents.« less

Petroleum Development Oman gas exploration unlocks major new reserves

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wood, A.; Mozetic, A.

1995-08-01

Since 1985, Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) has been exploring for gas on behalf of the Government of Oman under a ten-year agreement signed in June 1984. The aim of the one-rig programme was to find additional non-associated gas reserves (3 TCF) to meet domestic energy requirements for a minimum of 40 years, for which the available reserves at that time (5.6 TCF) were insufficient. Initial results of the campaign, which principally targeted the Permian Khuff Formation, were disappointing, analogues to the major accumulations of the Arabian Gulf failing to materialise. During the second half of the programme, therefore, the strategymore » was revised to address the prospectivity of higher risk/higher reward plays recognised at greater depths. Well Saih Nihayda-24, drilled in 1989, found gas/condensate-bearing reservoirs in Cambro/Ordovician sandstones of the Andam Formation below 4000 metres. This discovery, in a seismically poorly defined anticline, sparked an intensive effort of 2D, and later 3D, long cable seismic acquisition. This led in 1991 to additional major gas/condensate finds in Saih Rawl and Barik, and a dedicated two-year two-rig appraisal campaign has since proven up sufficient reserves to support an LNG gas export scheme. The ten-year programme has more than tripled Oman`s non-associated gas expectation reserves to some 22 TCF, exceeding-the target more than five-fold. Significant potential for further gas discoveries identified in both North and South Oman provides encouragement for continued successful gas exploration in the future.« less

Cranes, hoists, and rigging. A safety training manual

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stinnett, L.

The handling equipment discussed in this manual is the type that lifts, lowers, and locates (positions) heavy material - cranes and hoists. The crane/hoist family of equipment may be as small as a single pulley/rope system handling several pounds, or as large as a marine crane system that recently (1985) hoisted a 5005-metric ton oil drilling rig from a barge and placed it on the seabed of England's North Atlantic offshore oil field. An equivalent ''pick'' would be a 6-ft-high solid pine board, 360 ft long and 160 ft wide (the dimensions of a football field). The capacity of themore » cranes and hoists at Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque (SNLA) fits somewhere within the first 2% of the marine pick or lift described above. SNLA has several mobile cranes and more than 500 other types of cranes and hoists located in more than 100 buildings. The Department of Energy (DOE) and SNL have safety policies and directives that require the operators of heavy equipment to be trained and authorized. The Cranes, Hoists, and Rigging Safety Training Program, sponsored by the SNLA Safety Department, is an effort to fulfill those safety policy requirements. This manual will be used as a safety training aid and will be issued as a reference document for supervisors, operators, inspectors, and service personnel who use cranes or hoists during their regular duties.« less

Advanced Control Surface Seal Development at NASA GRC for Future Space Launch Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dunlap, Patrick H., Jr.; Steinetz, Bruce M.; DeMange, Jeffrey J.

2003-01-01

NASA s Glenn Research Center (GRC) is developing advanced control surface seal technologies for future space launch vehicles as part of the Next Generation Launch Technology project (NGLT). New resilient seal designs are currently being fabricated and high temperature seal preloading devices are being developed as a means of improving seal resiliency. GRC has designed several new test rigs to simulate the temperatures, pressures, and scrubbing conditions that seals would have to endure during service. A hot compression test rig and hot scrub test rig have been developed to perform tests at temperatures up to 3000 F. Another new test rig allows simultaneous seal flow and scrub tests at room temperature to evaluate changes in seal performance with scrubbing. These test rigs will be used to evaluate the new seal designs. The group is also performing tests on advanced TPS seal concepts for Boeing using these new test facilities.

Lively Jack-O'-Lantern Still Life

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sanzaro, Christy

2010-01-01

Pumpkin carving is a favorite classroom activity. Around late October, the halls are filled with the sour smell of raw pumpkin innards, as parents, teachers and students are up to their elbows in yellowish strings and slime. These round, orange squash are transformed into jack-o'-lanterns that are placed around the school. The day after Halloween,…

Smaller Footprint Drilling System for Deep and Hard Rock Environments; Feasibility of Ultra-High-Speed Diamond Drilling

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

TerraTek, A Schlumberger Company

2008-12-31

The two phase program addresses long-term developments in deep well and hard rock drilling. TerraTek believes that significant improvements in drilling deep hard rock will be obtained by applying ultra-high rotational speeds (greater than 10,000 rpm). The work includes a feasibility of concept research effort aimed at development that will ultimately result in the ability to reliably drill 'faster and deeper' possibly with smaller, more mobile rigs. The principle focus is on demonstration testing of diamond bits rotating at speeds in excess of 10,000 rpm to achieve high rate of penetration (ROP) rock cutting with substantially lower inputs of energymore » and loads. The significance of the 'ultra-high rotary speed drilling system' is the ability to drill into rock at very low weights on bit and possibly lower energy levels. The drilling and coring industry today does not practice this technology. The highest rotary speed systems in oil field and mining drilling and coring today run less than 10,000 rpm - usually well below 5,000 rpm. This document provides the progress through two phases of the program entitled 'Smaller Footprint Drilling System for Deep and Hard Rock Environments: Feasibility of Ultra-High-Speed Diamond Drilling' for the period starting 30 June 2003 and concluding 31 March 2009. The accomplishments of Phases 1 and 2 are summarized as follows: (1) TerraTek reviewed applicable literature and documentation and convened a project kick-off meeting with Industry Advisors in attendance (see Black and Judzis); (2) TerraTek designed and planned Phase I bench scale experiments (See Black and Judzis). Improvements were made to the loading mechanism and the rotational speed monitoring instrumentation. New drill bit designs were developed to provided a more consistent product with consistent performance. A test matrix for the final core bit testing program was completed; (3) TerraTek concluded small-scale cutting performance tests; (4) Analysis of Phase 1 data indicated that there is decreased specific energy as the rotational speed increases; (5) Technology transfer, as part of Phase 1, was accomplished with technical presentations to the industry (see Judzis, Boucher, McCammon, and Black); (6) TerraTek prepared a design concept for the high speed drilling test stand, which was planned around the proposed high speed mud motor concept. Alternative drives for the test stand were explored; a high speed hydraulic motor concept was finally used; (7) The high speed system was modified to accommodate larger drill bits than originally planned; (8) Prototype mud turbine motors and the high speed test stand were used to drive the drill bits at high speed; (9) Three different rock types were used during the testing: Sierra White granite, Crab Orchard sandstone, and Colton sandstone. The drill bits used included diamond impregnated bits, a polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) bit, a thermally stable PDC (TSP) bit, and a hybrid TSP and natural diamond bit; and (10) The drill bits were run at rotary speeds up to 5500 rpm and weight on bit (WOB) to 8000 lbf. During Phase 2, the ROP as measured in depth of cut per bit revolution generally increased with increased WOB. The performance was mixed with increased rotary speed, with the depth cut with the impregnated drill bit generally increasing and the TSP and hybrid TSP drill bits generally decreasing. The ROP in ft/hr generally increased with all bits with increased WOB and rotary speed. The mechanical specific energy generally improved (decreased) with increased WOB and was mixed with increased rotary speed.« less

Use of Cutting-Edge Horizontal and Underbalanced Drilling Technologies and Subsurface Seismic Techniques to Explore, Drill and Produce Reservoired Oil and Gas from the Fractured Monterey Below 10,000 ft in the Santa Maria Basin of California

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

George Witter; Robert Knoll; William Rehm

2005-09-29

This project was undertaken to demonstrate that oil and gas can be drilled and produced safely and economically from a fractured Monterey reservoir in the Santa Maria Basin of California by employing horizontal wellbores and underbalanced drilling technologies. Two vertical wells were previously drilled in this area with heavy mud and conventional completions; neither was commercially productive. A new well was drilled by the project team in 2004 with the objective of accessing an extended length of oil-bearing, high-resistivity Monterey shale via a horizontal wellbore, while implementing managed-pressure drilling (MPD) techniques to avoid formation damage. Initial project meetings were conductedmore » in October 2003. The team confirmed that the demonstration well would be completed open-hole to minimize productivity impairment. Following an overview of the geologic setting and local field experience, critical aspects of the application were identified. At the pre-spud meeting in January 2004, the final well design was confirmed and the well programming/service company requirements assigned. Various design elements were reduced in scope due to significant budgetary constraints. Major alterations to the original plan included: (1) a VSP seismic survey was delayed to a later phase; (2) a new (larger) surface hole would be drilled rather than re-enter an existing well; (3) a 7-in. liner would be placed into the top of the Monterey target as quickly as possible to avoid problems with hole stability; (4) evaluation activities were reduced in scope; (5) geosteering observations for fracture access would be deduced from penetration rate, cuttings description and hydrocarbon in-flow; and (6) rather than use nitrogen, a novel air-injection MPD system was to be implemented. Drilling operations, delayed from the original schedule by capital constraints and lack of rig availability, were conducted from September 12 to November 11, 2004. The vertical and upper curved sections were drilled and lined through the problematic shale member without major stability problems. The top of the targeted Monterey was thought to be seen at the expected TVD of 10,000 ft where the 7-in. liner was set at a 60{sup o} hole angle. Significant oil and gas shows suggested the fractured interval anticipated at the heel location had been penetrated. A total of 2572 ft of 6 1/8-in. near-horizontal interval was placed in the shale section, extending planned well length by approximately 470 ft. Very little hydrocarbon in-flow was observed from fractures along the productive interval. This may be a result of the well trajectory falling underneath the Monterey fractured zone. Hydrocarbon observations, cuttings analysis and gamma-ray response indicated additional fractured intervals were accessed along the last {+-}900 ft of well length. The well was completed with a 2 7/8-in. tubing string set in a production packer in preparation for flow and swab tests to be conducted later by a service rig. The planned well time was estimated as 39 days and overall cost as $2.4 million. The actual results are 66 days at a total cost of $3.4 million. Well productivity responses during subsequent flow and swabbing tests were negative. The well failed to inflow and only minor amounts (a few barrels) of light oil were recovered. The lack of production may suggest that actual sustainable reservoir pressure is far less than anticipated. Temblor is currently planning to re-enter and clean out the well and run an Array Induction log (primarily for resistivity and correlation purposes), and an FMI log (for fracture detection). Depending on the results of these logs, an acidizing or re-drill program will be planned.« less

Shift work at a modern offshore drilling rig.

PubMed

Rodrigues, V F; Fischer, F M; Brito, M J

2001-12-01

The oil and gas exploration and production offshore units are classified as hazardous installations. Work in these facilities is complex, confined and associated with a wide range of risks. The continuous operation is secured by various shift work patterns. The objective of this study was to evaluate how offshore drilling workers perceived shift work at high seas and its impacts on their life and working conditions. The main features of the studied offshore shift work schedules are: long time on board (14 to 28 days), extended shifts (12 hours or more per day), slow rotation (7 to 14 days in the same shift), long sequence of days on the night shift (7 to 14 days in a row) and the extra-long extended journey (18 hours) on shift change and landing days. Interviews revealed a wide range of stressors caused by the offshore shift work, as well as difficulties to conciliate work with family life. It was observed that changes of the family model, leading to role conflicts and social isolation, work in a hazardous environment, perceiving poor sleep when working at night shifts and the imbalance between the expected and actual rewards are the major stressors for the offshore drilling workers.

SOLID2: An Antibody Array-Based Life-Detector Instrument in a Mars Drilling Simulation Experiment (MARTE)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parro, Víctor; Fernández-Calvo, Patricia; Rodríguez Manfredi, José A.; Moreno-Paz, Mercedes; Rivas, Luis A.; García-Villadangos, Miriam; Bonaccorsi, Rosalba; González-Pastor, José Eduardo; Prieto-Ballesteros, Olga; Schuerger, Andrew C.; Davidson, Mark; Gómez-Elvira, Javier; Stoker, Carol R.

2008-10-01

A field prototype of an antibody array-based life-detector instrument, Signs Of LIfe Detector (SOLID2), has been tested in a Mars drilling mission simulation called MARTE (Mars Astrobiology Research and Technology Experiment). As one of the analytical instruments on the MARTE robotic drilling rig, SOLID2 performed automatic sample processing and analysis of ground core samples (0.5 g) with protein microarrays that contained 157 different antibodies. Core samples from different depths (down to 5.5 m) were analyzed, and positive reactions were obtained in antibodies raised against the Gram-negative bacterium Leptospirillum ferrooxidans, a species of the genus Acidithiobacillus (both common microorganisms in the Río Tinto area), and extracts from biofilms and other natural samples from the Río Tinto area. These positive reactions were absent when the samples were previously subjected to a high-temperature treatment, which indicates the biological origin and structural dependency of the antibody-antigen reactions. We conclude that an antibody array-based life-detector instrument like SOLID2 can detect complex biological material, and it should be considered as a potential analytical instrument for future planetary missions that search for life.

SOLID2: an antibody array-based life-detector instrument in a Mars Drilling Simulation Experiment (MARTE).

PubMed

Parro, Víctor; Fernández-Calvo, Patricia; Rodríguez Manfredi, José A; Moreno-Paz, Mercedes; Rivas, Luis A; García-Villadangos, Miriam; Bonaccorsi, Rosalba; González-Pastor, José Eduardo; Prieto-Ballesteros, Olga; Schuerger, Andrew C; Davidson, Mark; Gómez-Elvira, Javier; Stoker, Carol R

2008-10-01

A field prototype of an antibody array-based life-detector instrument, Signs Of LIfe Detector (SOLID2), has been tested in a Mars drilling mission simulation called MARTE (Mars Astrobiology Research and Technology Experiment). As one of the analytical instruments on the MARTE robotic drilling rig, SOLID2 performed automatic sample processing and analysis of ground core samples (0.5 g) with protein microarrays that contained 157 different antibodies. Core samples from different depths (down to 5.5 m) were analyzed, and positive reactions were obtained in antibodies raised against the Gram-negative bacterium Leptospirillum ferrooxidans, a species of the genus Acidithiobacillus (both common microorganisms in the Río Tinto area), and extracts from biofilms and other natural samples from the Río Tinto area. These positive reactions were absent when the samples were previously subjected to a high-temperature treatment, which indicates the biological origin and structural dependency of the antibody-antigen reactions. We conclude that an antibody array-based life-detector instrument like SOLID2 can detect complex biological material, and it should be considered as a potential analytical instrument for future planetary missions that search for life.

Bivariate Left-Censored Bayesian Model for Predicting Exposure: Preliminary Analysis of Worker Exposure during the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill.

PubMed

Groth, Caroline; Banerjee, Sudipto; Ramachandran, Gurumurthy; Stenzel, Mark R; Sandler, Dale P; Blair, Aaron; Engel, Lawrence S; Kwok, Richard K; Stewart, Patricia A

2017-01-01

In April 2010, the Deepwater Horizon oil rig caught fire and exploded, releasing almost 5 million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico over the ensuing 3 months. Thousands of oil spill workers participated in the spill response and clean-up efforts. The GuLF STUDY being conducted by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences is an epidemiological study to investigate potential adverse health effects among these oil spill clean-up workers. Many volatile chemicals were released from the oil into the air, including total hydrocarbons (THC), which is a composite of the volatile components of oil including benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene, and hexane (BTEXH). Our goal is to estimate exposure levels to these toxic chemicals for groups of oil spill workers in the study (hereafter called exposure groups, EGs) with likely comparable exposure distributions. A large number of air measurements were collected, but many EGs are characterized by datasets with a large percentage of censored measurements (below the analytic methods' limits of detection) and/or a limited number of measurements. We use THC for which there was less censoring to develop predictive linear models for specific BTEXH air exposures with higher degrees of censoring. We present a novel Bayesian hierarchical linear model that allows us to predict, for different EGs simultaneously, exposure levels of a second chemical while accounting for censoring in both THC and the chemical of interest. We illustrate the methodology by estimating exposure levels for several EGs on the Development Driller III, a rig vessel charged with drilling one of the relief wells. The model provided credible estimates in this example for geometric means, arithmetic means, variances, correlations, and regression coefficients for each group. This approach should be considered when estimating exposures in situations when multiple chemicals are correlated and have varying degrees of censoring. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Occupational Hygiene Society.

Interlake production established using quantitative hydrocarbon well-log analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lancaster, J.; Atkinson, A.

1988-07-01

Production was established in a new pay zone of the basal Interlake Formation adjacent to production in Midway field in Williams County, North Dakota. Hydrocarbon saturation, which was computed using hydrocarbon well-log (mud-log) data, and computed permeability encouraged the operator to run casing and test this zone. By use of drilling rig parameters, drilling mud properties, hydrocarbon-show data from the mud log, drilled rock and porosity descriptions, and wireline log porosity, this new technique computes oil saturation (percent of porosity) and permeability to the invading filtrate, using the Darcy equation. The Leonardo Fee well was drilled to test the Devonianmore » Duperow, the Silurian upper Interlake, and the Ordovician Red River. The upper two objectives were penetrated downdip from Midway production and there were no hydrocarbon shows. It was determined that the Red River was tight, based on sample examination by well site personnel. The basal Interlake, however, liberated hydrocarbon shows that were analyzed by this new technology. The results of this evaluation accurately predicted this well would be a commercial success when placed in production. Where geophysical log analysis might be questionable, this new evaluation technique may provide answers to anticipated oil saturation and producibility. The encouraging results of hydrocarbon saturation and permeability, produced by this technique, may be largely responsible for the well being in production today.« less

Risk Management at NASA and Its Applicability to the Oil and Gas Industry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaplan, David

2018-01-01

NASA has a world-class capability for quantitatively assessing the risk of highly-complex, isolated engineering structures operated in extremely hostile environments. In particular, the International Space Station (ISS) represents a reasonable risk analog for High Pressure, High Temperature drilling and production operations on deepwater rigs. Through a long-term U.S. Government Interagency Agreement, BSEE has partnered with NASA to modify NASA's Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA) capabilities for application to deepwater drilling and production operations. The immediate focus of the activity will be to modify NASA PRA Procedure Guides and Methodology Documents to make them applicable to the Oil &Gas Industry. The next step will be for NASA to produce a PRA for a critical drilling system component, such as a Blowout Preventer (BOP). Subsequent activities will be for NASA and industry partners to jointly develop increasingly complex PRA's that analyze other critical drilling and production system components, including both hardware and human reliability. In the presentation, NASA will provide the objectives, schedule, and current status of its PRA activities for BSEE. Additionally, NASA has a Space Act Agreement with Anadarko Petroleum Corporation to develop a PRA for a generic 20K BOP. NASA will summarize some of the preliminary insights gained to date from that 20K BOP PRA as an example of the distinction between quantitative versus qualitative risk assessment.

The Yucca Mountain Project prototype air-coring test, U12g tunnel, Nevada test site

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ray, J.M.; Newsom, J.C.

1994-12-01

The Prototype Air-Coring Test was conducted at the Nevada Test Site (NTS) G-Tunnel facility to evaluate standard coring techniques, modified slightly for air circulation, for use in testing at a prospective nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. Air-coring technology allows sampling of subsurface lithology with minimal perturbation to ambient characteristic such as that required for exploratory holes near aquifers, environmental applications, and site characterization work. Two horizontal holes were cored, one 50 ft long and the other 150 ft long, in densely welded fractured tuff to simulate the difficult drilling conditions anticipated at Yucca Mountain. Drilling data from sevenmore » holes on three other prototype tests in nonwelded tuff were also collected for comparison. The test was used to establish preliminary standards of performance for drilling and dust collection equipment and to assess procedural efficiencies. The Longyear-38 drill achieved 97% recovery for HQ-size core (-2.5 in.), and the Atlas Copco dust collector (DCT-90) captured 1500 lb of fugitive dust in a mine environment with only minor modifications. Average hole production rates were 6-8 ft per 6-h shift in welded tuff and almost 20 ft per shift on deeper holes in nonwelded tuff. Lexan liners were successfully used to encapsulate core samples during the coring process and protect core properties effectively. The Prototype Air-Coring Test demonstrated that horizontal air coring in fractured welded tuff (to at least 150 ft) can be safely accomplished by proper selection, integration, and minor modification of standard drilling equipment, using appropriate procedures and engineering controls. The test also indicated that rig logistics, equipment, and methods need improvement before attempting a large-scale dry drilling program at Yucca Mountain.« less

Monitoring Well Installation and Groundwater Sampling and Analysis Plan at the USARC Training Reserve, 84th Division, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-11-01

paint chips at the sampling site. 0 Clean water tanks, pumps, mud pans, hoses, including hoses and tanks used to transfer water from source to drill rig...TO’ LCA , Filll I F’APCr,;I~- € C/ " rKL2PIrlA , ATTFNrIGN TO SMOKING. ALCOHOLF MFDrICATIONP AND FXPOSI.RE TO CARCINOGENS.1 ENERAL MEDICAl. HISTORY...A. General: 1. Place samples in core trough for visual inspection. After logging, place selected samples in sample jars or wood core boxes. 2. Seal

Skylab (SL)-3 - Astronaut Jack R. Lousma - Utensils

NASA Image and Video Library

1973-09-19

S73-34198 (1 Aug. 1973) --- A close-up view of the hands of astronaut Jack R. Lousma, Skylab 3 pilot, using a silverware utensil to gather food at the food station, in this photographic reproduction taken from a television transmission made by a color TV camera aboard the Skylab space station in Earth orbit. Astronaut Alan L. Bean, commander, had just zoomed the TV camera in for this close-up of the food tray following a series of wide shots of Lousma at the food station. Photo credit: NASA

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bryngelson, R.H.

Describes installation of 3 satellite subsea trees in 500 ft of water from a semisubmersible drilling rig. These wet, diver-assist trees are part of Phillips Petroleum's early development and production program (EDPP) for the Espoir field offshore Ivory Coast, with plans calling for 5 satellite wells with downhole completion equipment and subsea production trees. Diagram shows how a converted jackup, Dan Duke, supports equipment to handle production from subsea wells. Table gives time breakdown of subsea tree installation. Before mobilizing the subsea trees, control system, and tubulars to the rig, a study of deck layout, payloads, and traffic patterns wasmore » performed. Concludes that, based on experience in this project and the cost differences between purchase and installation costs, final success is 90% dependent on informed and trained field personnel after engineering, design, and manufacturing; attention to installation procedures and training of field and operational personnel are as critical or more critical than design changes to equipment; and selection of a supplier for high technology equipment, based on a low bid alone, may not translate into lower installation costs.« less

AURORA BOREALIS - Development of a New Research Icebreaker with Drilling Capability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thiede, J.; Biebow, N.; Egerton, P.; Kunz-Pirrung, M.; Lembke-Jene, L.

2007-12-01

Polar research both on land and in the sea cannot achieve the needed progress without novel and state of the art technologies and infrastructure. In addition, we have the obligation to equip the upcoming young and courageous generation of polar researchers with the most modern and safest research platforms the 21st century can provide. This effort will require major investments, both in terms of generating new tools, as well as maintaining and renovating existing infrastructure. There are many different novel tools under development for polar research, we will concentrate on the presently largest one, the planning for a new type of research icebreaker, the AURORA BOREALIS with an all-season capability of operations in permanently ice-covered waters and with the possibility to carry out deep-sea drilling in ice-covered deep-sea basins. AURORA BOREALIS will be the most advanced Polar Research Vessel in the world with a multi-functional role of drilling in deep ocean basins and supporting climate and environmental research and decision support for stakeholder governments for the next 35 to 40 years. The vessel is planned as a large research icebreaker with 44,000 tons displacement and a length of up to 196 m, with about 50 Megawatt propulsion power. Advanced technological features will include azimuth propulsion systems, extensive instrumental and airborne ice- management support, and the routine operation of Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV) and Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) from two moon-pools. An unique feature of this icebreaker will be the drilling rig that will enable sampling of the ocean floor and sub-sea down to 5000 m water depth and 1000 m penetration at the most inhospitable places on earth. The possibility to flexibly equip the ship with laboratory and supply containers, and the variable arrangement of other modular infrastructure (in particular, winches, cranes, etc.), free deck- space, and separate protected deck areas, will allow the planned research vessel to cover the needs of most disciplines in marine research. aurora-borealis.eu/en/about_aurora_borealis/

Evaluation of haptic interfaces for simulation of drill vibration in virtual temporal bone surgery.

PubMed

Ghasemloonia, Ahmad; Baxandall, Shalese; Zareinia, Kourosh; Lui, Justin T; Dort, Joseph C; Sutherland, Garnette R; Chan, Sonny

2016-11-01

Surgical training is evolving from an observership model towards a new paradigm that includes virtual-reality (VR) simulation. In otolaryngology, temporal bone dissection has become intimately linked with VR simulation as the complexity of anatomy demands a high level of surgeon aptitude and confidence. While an adequate 3D visualization of the surgical site is available in current simulators, the force feedback rendered during haptic interaction does not convey vibrations. This lack of vibration rendering limits the simulation fidelity of a surgical drill such as that used in temporal bone dissection. In order to develop an immersive simulation platform capable of haptic force and vibration feedback, the efficacy of hand controllers for rendering vibration in different drilling circumstances needs to be investigated. In this study, the vibration rendering ability of four different haptic hand controllers were analyzed and compared to find the best commercial haptic hand controller. A test-rig was developed to record vibrations encountered during temporal bone dissection and a software was written to render the recorded signals without adding hardware to the system. An accelerometer mounted on the end-effector of each device recorded the rendered vibration signals. The newly recorded vibration signal was compared with the input signal in both time and frequency domains by coherence and cross correlation analyses to quantitatively measure the fidelity of these devices in terms of rendering vibrotactile drilling feedback in different drilling conditions. This method can be used to assess the vibration rendering ability in VR simulation systems and selection of ideal haptic devices. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

3-D habitat suitability of jack mackerel Trachurus murphyi in the Southeastern Pacific, a comprehensive study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bertrand, Arnaud; Habasque, Jérémie; Hattab, Tarek; Hintzen, Niels T.; Oliveros-Ramos, Ricardo; Gutiérrez, Mariano; Demarcq, Hervé; Gerlotto, François

2016-08-01

South Pacific jack mackerel, Trachurus murphyi, has an ocean-scale distribution, from the South American coastline to New Zealand and Tasmania. This fish, captured by Humans since the Holocene, is nowadays heavily exploited and its population has decreased substantially since the mid-1990s. The uncertainty associated to jack mackerel population structure currently hampers management. Several hypotheses have been proposed from a single population up to several discrete populations. Still no definitive answer was given. Determining how environmental conditions drive jack mackerel distribution can provide insights on its population structure. To do so, here we performed in three steps. First, we used satellite data to develop a statistical model of jack mackerel horizontal habitat suitability. Model predictions based on interaction between temperature and chlorophyll-a match the observed jack mackerel distribution, even during extreme El Niño event. Second, we studied the impact of oxygen and show that jack mackerel distribution and abundance is correlated to oxygen over a wide variety of scales and avoid low oxygen areas and periods. Third, on the basis of the above we built a conceptual 3D model of jack mackerel habitat in the Southeastern Pacific. We reveal the presence of a low suitable habitat along the Chilean and Peruvian coast, figuratively presenting a closed door caused by a gap in the horizontal habitat at ∼19-22°S and a shallow oxycline off south-centre Peru. This kind of situation likely occurs on a seasonal basis, in austral summer but also at longer temporal scales. A lack of exchanges at some periods/seasons partially isolate jack mackerel distributed off Peru. On the other hand the continuity in the habitat during most of the year explains why exchanges occur. We conclude that the more likely population structure for jack mackerel is a pelagic metapopulation.

Influence of drilling operations on drilling mud gas monitoring during IODP Exp. 338 and 348

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hammerschmidt, Sebastian; Toczko, Sean; Kubo, Yusuke; Wiersberg, Thomas; Fuchida, Shigeshi; Kopf, Achim; Hirose, Takehiro; Saffer, Demian; Tobin, Harold; Expedition 348 Scientists, the

2014-05-01

The history of scientific ocean drilling has developed some new techniques and technologies for drilling science, dynamic positioning being one of the most famous. However, while industry has developed newer tools and techniques, only some of these have been used in scientific ocean drilling. The introduction of riser-drilling, which recirculates the drilling mud and returns to the platform solids and gases from the formation, to the International Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) through the launch of the Japan Agency of Marine Earth-Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) riser-drilling vessel D/V Chikyu, has made some of these techniques available to science. IODP Expedition 319 (NanTroSEIZE Stage 2: riser/riserless observatory) was the first such attempt, and among the tools and techniques used was drilling mud gas analysis. While industry regularly conducts drilling mud gas logging for safety concerns and reservoir evaluation, science is more interested in other components (e.g He, 222Rn) that are beyond the scope of typical mud logging services. Drilling mud gas logging simply examines the gases released into the drilling mud as part of the drilling process; the bit breaks and grinds the formation, releasing any trapped gases. These then circulate within the "closed circuit" mud-flow back to the drilling rig, where a degasser extracts these gases and passes them on to a dedicated mud gas logging unit. The unit contains gas chromatographs, mass spectrometers, spectral analyzers, radon gas analyzers, and a methane carbon isotope analyzer. Data are collected and stored in a database, together with several drilling parameters (rate of penetration, mud density, etc.). This initial attempt was further refined during IODP Expeditions 337 (Deep Coalbed Biosphere off Shimokita), 338 (NanTroSEIZE Stage 3: NanTroSEIZE Plate Boundary Deep Riser 2) and finally 348 (NanTroSEIZE Stage 3: NanTroSEIZE Plate Boundary Deep Riser 3). Although still in its development stage for scientific application, this technique can provide a valuable suite of measurements to complement more traditional IODP shipboard measurements. Here we present unpublished data from IODP Expeditions 338 and 348, penetrating the Nankai Accretionary wedge to 3058.5 meters below seafloor. Increasing mud density decreased degasser efficiency, especially for higher hydrocarbons. Blurring of the relative variations in total gas by depth was observed, and confirmed with comparison to headspace gas concentrations from the cored interval. Theoretically, overpressured zones in the formation can be identified through C2/C3 ratios, but these ratios are highly affected by changing drilling parameters. Proper mud gas evaluations will need to carefully consider the effects of variable drilling parameters when designing experiments and interpreting the data.

Oscillating-flow regenerator test rig

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wood, J. G.; Gedeon, D. R.

1994-01-01

This report summarizes work performed in setting up and performing tests on a regenerator test rig. An earlier status report presented test results, together with heat transfer correlations, for four regenerator samples (two woven screen samples and two felt metal samples). Lessons learned from this testing led to improvements to the experimental setup, mainly instrumentation as well as to the test procedure. Given funding and time constraints for this project it was decided to complete as much testing as possible while the rig was set up and operational, and to forego final data reduction and analysis until later. Additional testing was performed on several of the previously tested samples as well an on five newly fabricated samples. The following report is a summary of the work performed at OU, with many of the final test results included in raw data form.

Healing of the Acutely Injured Anterior Cruciate Ligament: Functional Treatment with the ACL-Jack, a Dynamic Posterior Drawer Brace

PubMed Central

Reischl, Nikolaus; Rönn, Karolin; Magnusson, Robert A.; Gautier, Emanuel; Jakob, Roland P.

2016-01-01

Background. The injured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) has a limited healing capacity leading to persisting instability. Hypothesis/Purpose. To study if the application of a brace, producing a dynamic posterior drawer force, after acute ACL injury reduces initial instability. Study Design. Cohort study. Methods. Patients treated with the ACL-Jack brace were compared to controls treated with primary ACL reconstruction und controls treated nonsurgically with functional rehabilitation. Measurements included anterior laxity (Rolimeter), clinical scores (Lysholm, Tegner, and IKDC), and MRI evaluation. Patients were followed up to 24 months. Results. Patients treated with the ACL-Jack brace showed a significant improvement of anterior knee laxity comparable to patients treated with ACL reconstruction, whereas laxity persisted after nonsurgical functional rehabilitation. The failure risk (secondary reconstruction necessary) of the ACL-Jack group was however 21% (18 of 86) within 24 months. Clinical scores were similar in all treatment groups. Conclusion. Treatment of acute ACL tears with the ACL-Jack brace leads to improved anterior knee laxity compared to nonsurgical treatment with functional rehabilitation. PMID:28053787

USE OF CUTTING-EDGE HORIZONTAL AND UNDERBALANCED DRILLING TECHNOLOGIES AND SUBSURFACE SEISMIC TECHNIQUES TO EXPLORE, DRILL AND PRODUCE RESERVOIRED OIL AND GAS FROM THE FRACTURED MONTEREY BELOW 10,000 FT IN THE SANTA MARIA BASIN OF CALIFORNIA

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

George Witter; Robert Knoll; William Rehm

2005-02-01

This project was undertaken to demonstrate that oil and gas can be drilled and produced safely and economically from a fractured Monterey reservoir in the Santa Maria Basin of California by employing horizontal wellbores and underbalanced drilling technologies. Two vertical wells were previously drilled in this area by Temblor Petroleum with heavy mud and conventional completions; neither was commercially productive. A new well was drilled by the project team in 2004 with the objective of accessing an extended length of oil-bearing, high-resistivity Monterey shale via a horizontal wellbore, while implementing managed-pressure drilling (MPD) techniques to avoid formation damage. Initial projectmore » meetings were conducted in October 2003. The team confirmed that the demonstration well would be completed open-hole to minimize productivity impairment. Following an overview of the geologic setting and local field experience, critical aspects of the application were identified. At the pre-spud meeting in January 2004, the final well design was confirmed and the well programming/service company requirements assigned. Various design elements were reduced in scope due to significant budgetary constraints. Major alterations to the original plan included: (1) a VSP seismic survey was delayed to a later phase; (2) a new (larger) surface hole would be drilled rather than re-enter an existing well; (3) a 7-in. liner would be placed into the top of the Monterey target as quickly as possible to avoid problems with hole stability; (4) evaluation activities were reduced in scope; (5) geosteering observations for fracture access would be deduced from penetration rate, cuttings description and hydrocarbon in-flow; and (6) rather than use nitrogen, a novel air-injection MPD system was to be implemented. Drilling operations, delayed from the original schedule by capital constraints and lack of rig availability, were conducted from September 12 to November 11, 2004. The vertical and upper curved sections were drilled and lined through the problematic shale member without major stability problems. The top of the targeted Monterey was thought to be seen at the expected TVD of 10,000 ft where the 7-in. liner was set at a 60{sup o} hole angle. Significant oil and gas shows suggested the fractured interval anticipated at the heel location had been penetrated. A total of 2572 ft of 6.-in. near-horizontal interval was placed in the shale section, extending planned well length by approximately 470 ft. Very little hydrocarbon in-flow was observed from fractures along the productive interval. This may be a result of the well trajectory falling underneath the Monterey fractured zone. Hydrocarbon observations, cuttings analysis and gamma-ray response indicated additional fractured intervals were accessed along the last {+-}900 ft of well length. The well was completed with a 2 7/8-in. tubing string set in a production packer in preparation for flow and swab tests to be conducted later by a service rig. The planned well time was estimated as 39 days and overall cost as $2.4 million. The actual results are 66 days at a total cost of $3.4 million. Well productivity responses during subsequent flow and swabbing tests were negative. The well failed to inflow and only minor amounts (a few barrels) of light oil were recovered. The lack of production may suggest that actual sustainable reservoir pressure is far less than anticipated. Temblor is currently investigating the costs and operational viability of re-entering the well and conducting an FMI (fracture detection) log and/or an acid stimulation. No final decision or detailed plans have been made regarding these potential interventions at this time.« less

The ICDP Information Network and the Chinese Continental Scientific Drilling CCSD

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Conze, R.; Su, D.

2002-12-01

ICDP is an international program investigating the 'System Earth' in multidisciplinary co-operation. Funded drilling projects are characterized by detailed fieldwork at world-class geological sites on the continents and by the global scope of research objectives. During project work, partnering researchers from all over the world work together at remote drill sites and in laboratories at their institutions. Researchers apply a range of highly diverse scientific methodologies, thereby acquiring huge data sets. Multinational co-operation and increasing amounts of scientific data require completely new concepts and practices for scientific work, and place heavy demands on information and communications management. This is achieved by means of the ICDP Information Network. Scientists working on ICDP related data need a central long-term data archive with powerful tools for navigation, data modeling and analysis. The Chinese Continental Scientific Drilling CCSD is a national key scientific and engineering project of the PR China supported by ICDP. The current drill site of CCSD is located in Donghai, Jiangsu Province, the eastern part of the Dabie-Sulu UHP metamorphic belt, which possesses global geological significance. From the spud on June 25, 2001 to April 6, 2002, the 2000m pilot hole was finished with a total core recovery of 88.7% and an average inclination angle of 3-4 degrees. The pilot hole has been transformed to the main hole by hole opening. Deepening and coring of the CCSD-1 main hole is currently in progress. Most of the basic scientific documentation and measurements are done in a large field laboratory directly beside the drill rig, which was set up using the standard of the former German Continental Scientific Drilling (KTB). It includes a powerful infrastructure for computing and electronic communication as well as a comprehensive twofold data and information management: 1. The CCSD-DMIS is a special Data Management Information System for the chinese project management, which is used for internal controlling and decision making. 2. The CCSD-DIS is the specifically designed on-site Drilling Information System, which is used for documentation and archiving of all kinds of scientific and technical information. Both are used in a local Intranet within the field lab, but they also provide certain information via secured Internet services. The CCSD-DIS feeds day-by-day the current reports and new recordings to the CCSD Web portal within the ICDP Information Network (http://www.icdp-online.org/html/sites/donghai/news/news.html). This portal provides chinese and english news and information for the public as well as scientific and technical stuff which is only available for the international CCSD Science Team. Using the example of the CCSD project, a poster and an on-line presentation will show the main components and value-added services of the ICDP Information Network like: ú the common portal for and dissemination of project information by the ICDP Clearinghouse, ú capture of scientific drilling data using individual On-Site Drilling Information Systems (DIS), ú virtual global field laboratories based on eXtended DIS, ú integrated evaluation and analysis of data supported by the ICDP Data Webhouse.

Gene expression profile after activation of RIG-I in 5'ppp-dsRNA challenged DF1.

PubMed

Chen, Yang; Xu, Qi; Li, Yang; Liu, Ran; Huang, Zhengyang; Wang, Bin; Chen, Guohong

2016-12-01

Retinoic acid inducible gene I (RIG-I) can recognize influenza viruses and evoke the innate immune response. RIG-I is absent in the chicken genome, but is conserved in the genome of ducks. Lack of RIG-I renders chickens more susceptible to avian influenza infection, and the clinical symptoms are more prominent than in other poultry. It is unknown whether introduction of duck RIG-I into chicken cells can establish the immunity as is seen in ducks and the role of RIG-I in established immunity is unknown. In this study, a chicken cell strain with stable expression of duRIG-I was established by lentiviral infection, giving DF1/LV5-RIG-I, and a control strain DF1/LV5 was established in parallel. To verify stable, high level expression of duRIG-I in DF1 cells, the levels of duRIG-I mRNA and protein were determined by real-time RT-PCR and Western blot, respectively. Further, 5'triphosphate double stranded RNA (5'ppp-dsRNA) was used to mimic an RNA virus infection and the infected DF1/LV5-RIG-I and DF1/LV5 cells were subjected to high-throughput RNA-sequencing, which yielded 193.46 M reads and 39.07 G bases. A total of 278 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), i.e., duRIG-I-mediated responsive genes, were identified by RNA-seq. Among the 278 genes, 120 DEGs are annotated in the KEGG database, and the most reliable KEGG pathways are likely to be the signaling pathways of RIG-I like receptors. Functional analysis by Gene ontology (GO) indicates that the functions of these DEGs are primarily related to Type I interferon (IFN) signaling, IFN-β-mediated cellular responses and up-regulation of the RIG-I signaling pathway. Based on the shared genes among different pathways, a network representing crosstalk between RIG-I and other signaling pathways was constructed using Cytoscape software. The network suggests that RIG-mediated pathway may crosstalk with the Jak-STAT signaling pathway, Toll-like receptor signaling pathway, Wnt signaling pathway, ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis and MAPK signaling pathway during the transduction of antiviral signals. After screening, a group of key responsive genes in RIG-I-mediated signaling pathways, such as ISG12-2, Mx1, IFIT5, TRIM25, USP18, STAT1, STAT2, IRF1, IRF7 and IRF8, were tested for differential expression by real-time RT-PCR. In summary, by combining our results and the current literature, we propose a RIG-I-mediated signaling network in chickens. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Future of the American Faculty: An Interview with Martin J. Finkelstein and Jack H. Schuster

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rice, R. Eugene

2004-01-01

Martin J. Finkelstein and Jack H. Schuster have teamed up to continue tracing the changes taking place in faculty work with their Project on the American Faculty. They have published The New Academic Generation: A Profession in Transformation (1998), co-authored with Robert Seal, and are preparing a new manuscript to appear in 2004 with a working…

Investigating the effects of PDC cutters geometry on ROP using the Taguchi technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jamaludin, A. A.; Mehat, N. M.; Kamaruddin, S.

2017-10-01

At times, the polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) bit’s performance dropped and affects the rate of penetration (ROP). The objective of this project is to investigate the effect of PDC cutter geometry and optimize them. An intensive study in cutter geometry would further enhance the ROP performance. The relatively extended analysis was carried out and four significant geometry factors have been identified that directly improved the ROP. Cutter size, back rake angle, side rake angle and chamfer angle are the stated geometry factors. An appropriate optimization technique that effectively controls all influential geometry factors during cutters manufacturing is introduced and adopted in this project. By adopting L9 Taguchi OA, simulation experiment is conducted by using explicit dynamics finite element analysis. Through a structure Taguchi analysis, ANOVA confirms that the most significant geometry to improve ROP is cutter size (99.16% percentage contribution). The optimized cutter is expected to drill with high ROP that can reduce the rig time, which in its turn, may reduce the total drilling cost.

Industry trends point toward bright future

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kliewer, G.

Examination of the trends for the past 5 yr shows increasing soundness in the international petroleum industry. U.S. figures alone have a mixed complexion, with imports, exports, crude prices, and demand rising steadily. U.S. crude oil production, however, increased through 1970, but leveled off last year. Decreases occurred during 1971 in the number of rigs working, gas producers, and wildcats drilled. Trends in Free World drilling and production (outside the U.S. and Canada) have been upward and are expected to continue expanding generally through the year 2000. World petroleum demand, the key to this activity, has risen steadily, and allmore » forecasts predict increases of around 3.5% a yr for the next 15 yr. Included in this outlook is a booming natural gas use, which comes as a result of worldwide emphasis on clean-burning, nonpolluting fuels. Competition among energy sources may not materialize. Instead, a mix of all available energy sources will be needed to meet the demand. Tabular data provide complete details.« less

Exploration momentum builds in offshore Indonesia

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Van Dyke, L.F.

1969-06-23

A base map shows where the major action is taking place in SE. Asian waters. Eight rigs are active in the Indonesian-Malaysian theater. Several companies or groups have plans in various stages of preliminary exploration, from running seismic surveys to charting exploration programs. The Indonesian Government appears willing to negotiate new production sharing agreements for blocks of open acreage. Malaya would also like to grant some new acreage. Only 3 companies have done significant drilling to date. Production in one wildcat, was estimated at about 2,480 bpd, but the well was lost due to mechanical problems. The second well alsomore » found some oil, but was not completed due to mechanical troubles. A third test is reported to have encountered the same productive limestones. A total of 3 dry holes have been drilled off S. Kalimantan. A discovery well, some 80 miles northeast of Djakarta, and about 18 miles off shore in the Java Sea, flowed 2,600 bpd.« less

Jacking mechanism for upper internals structure of a liquid metal nuclear reactor

DOEpatents

Gillett, James E.; Wineman, Arthur L.

1984-01-01

A jacking mechanism for raising the upper internals structure of a liquid metal nuclear reactor which jacking mechanism uses a system of gears and drive shafts to transmit force from a single motor to four mechanically synchronized ball jacks to raise and lower support columns which support the upper internals structure. The support columns have a pin structure which rides up and down in a slot in a housing fixed to the reactor head. The pin has two locking plates which can be rotated around the pin to bring bolt holes through the locking plates into alignment with a set of bolt holes in the housing, there being a set of such housing bolt holes corresponding to both a raised and a lowered position of the support column. When the locking plate is so aligned, a surface of the locking plate mates with a surface in the housing such that the support column is then supported by the locking plate and not by the ball jacks. Since the locking plates are to be installed and bolted to the housing during periods of reactor operation, the ball jacks need not be sized to react the large forces which occur or potentially could occur on the upper internals structure of the reactor during operation. The locking plates react these loads. The ball jacks, used only during refueling, can be smaller, which enable conventionally available equipment to fulfill the precision requirements for the task within available space.

Make-up wells drilling cost in financial model for a geothermal project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oktaviani Purwaningsih, Fitri; Husnie, Ruly; Afuar, Waldy; Abdurrahman, Gugun

2017-12-01

After commissioning of a power plant, geothermal reservoir will encounter pressure decline, which will affect wells productivity. Therefore, further drilling is carried out to enhance steam production. Make-up wells are production wells drilled inside an already confirmed reservoir to maintain steam production in a certain level. Based on Sanyal (2004), geothermal power cost consists of three components, those are capital cost, O&M cost and make-up drilling cost. The make-up drilling cost component is a major part of power cost which will give big influence in a whole economical value of the project. The objective of this paper it to analyse the make-up wells drilling cost component in financial model of a geothermal power project. The research will calculate make-up wells requirements, drilling costs as a function of time and how they influence the financial model and affect the power cost. The best scenario in determining make-up wells strategy in relation with the project financial model would be the result of this research.

Temporal and spatial patterns of habitat use by juveniles of a small coastal shark (Mustelus lenticulatus) in an estuarine nursery.

PubMed

Francis, Malcolm P

2013-01-01

Juvenile rig (Mustelus lenticulatus) were internally tagged with acoustic transmitters and tracked with acoustic receivers deployed throughout two arms of Porirua Harbour, a small (7 km(2)) estuary in New Zealand. Ten rig were tracked for up to four months during summer-autumn to determine their spatial and temporal use of the habitat. The overall goal was to estimate the size of Marine Protected Areas required to protect rig nursery areas from direct human impacts. Rig showed clear site preferences, but those preferences varied among rig and over time. They spent most of their time in large basins and on shallow sand and mud flats around the margins, and avoided deep channels. Habitat range increased during autumn for many of the rig. Only one shark spent time in both harbour arms, indicating that there was little movement between the two. Rig home ranges were 2-7 km(2), suggesting that an effective MPA would need to cover the entire Porirua Harbour. They moved to outer harbour sites following some high river flow rates, and most left the harbour permanently during or soon after a river spike, suggesting that they were avoiding low salinity water. Rig showed strong diel movements during summer, although the diel pattern weakened in autumn. Persistent use of the same day and night sites indicates that diel movements are directed rather than random. Further research is required to determine the sizes of rig home ranges in larger harbours where nursery habitat is more extensive. Marine Protected Areas do not control land-based impacts such as accelerated sedimentation and heavy metal pollution, so integration of marine and terrestrial management tools across a range of government agencies is essential to fully protect nursery areas.

Temporal and Spatial Patterns of Habitat Use by Juveniles of a Small Coastal Shark (Mustelus lenticulatus) in an Estuarine Nursery

PubMed Central

Francis, Malcolm P.

2013-01-01

Juvenile rig (Mustelus lenticulatus) were internally tagged with acoustic transmitters and tracked with acoustic receivers deployed throughout two arms of Porirua Harbour, a small (7 km2) estuary in New Zealand. Ten rig were tracked for up to four months during summer–autumn to determine their spatial and temporal use of the habitat. The overall goal was to estimate the size of Marine Protected Areas required to protect rig nursery areas from direct human impacts. Rig showed clear site preferences, but those preferences varied among rig and over time. They spent most of their time in large basins and on shallow sand and mud flats around the margins, and avoided deep channels. Habitat range increased during autumn for many of the rig. Only one shark spent time in both harbour arms, indicating that there was little movement between the two. Rig home ranges were 2–7 km2, suggesting that an effective MPA would need to cover the entire Porirua Harbour. They moved to outer harbour sites following some high river flow rates, and most left the harbour permanently during or soon after a river spike, suggesting that they were avoiding low salinity water. Rig showed strong diel movements during summer, although the diel pattern weakened in autumn. Persistent use of the same day and night sites indicates that diel movements are directed rather than random. Further research is required to determine the sizes of rig home ranges in larger harbours where nursery habitat is more extensive. Marine Protected Areas do not control land-based impacts such as accelerated sedimentation and heavy metal pollution, so integration of marine and terrestrial management tools across a range of government agencies is essential to fully protect nursery areas. PMID:23437298

Failure mechanisms of thermal barrier coatings exposed to elevated temperatures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, R. A.; Lowell, C. E.

1982-01-01

The failure of a ZrO2-8%Y2O3/Ni-14% Al-0.1% Zr coating system on Rene 41 in Mach 0.3 burner rig tests was characterized. High flame and metal temperatures were employed in order to accelerate coating failure. Failure by delamination was shown to precede surface cracking or spalling. This type of failure could be duplicated by cooling down the specimen after a single long duration isothermal high temperature cycle in a burner rig or a furnace, but only if the atmosphere was oxidizing. Stresses due to thermal expansion mismatch on cooling coupled with the effects of plastic deformation of the bond coat and oxidation of the irregular bond coat are the probable life limiting factors. Heat up stresses alone could not fail the coating in the burner rig tests. Spalling eventually occurs on heat up but only after the coating has already failed through delamination.

A Response to Jack R. Fraenkel. An Exchange of Views between Edwin Fenton and Jack R. Fraenkel, the Cognitive-Developmental Approach to Moral Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fenton, Edwin

1977-01-01

Responses to Fraenkel's 15 criticisms of the author's article about Kohlberg's cognitive-developmental approach to moral education in the April 1976 issue of "Social Education." Three circumstances are stated as reasons for the differences between the two men: (1) staying up-to-date with research and publications, (2) time consumed in refuting…

Facility for testing ice drills

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nielson, Dennis L.; Delahunty, Chris; Goodge, John W.; Severinghaus, Jeffery P.

2017-05-01

The Rapid Access Ice Drill (RAID) is designed for subsurface scientific investigations in Antarctica. Its objectives are to drill rapidly through ice, to core samples of the transition zone and bedrock, and to leave behind a borehole observatory. These objectives required the engineering and fabrication of an entirely new drilling system that included a modified mining-style coring rig, a unique fluid circulation system, a rod skid, a power unit, and a workshop with areas for the storage of supplies and consumables. An important milestone in fabrication of the RAID was the construction of a North American Test (NAT) facility where we were able to test drilling and fluid processing functions in an environment that is as close as possible to that expected in Antarctica. Our criteria for site selection was that the area should be cold during the winter months, be located in an area of low heat flow, and be at relatively high elevation. We selected a site for the facility near Bear Lake, Utah, USA. The general design of the NAT well (NAT-1) started with a 27.3 cm (10.75 in.) outer casing cemented in a 152 m deep hole. Within that casing, we hung a 14 cm (5.5 in.) casing string, and, within that casing, a column of ice was formed. The annulus between the 14 and 27.3 cm casings provided the path for circulation of a refrigerant. After in-depth study, we chose to use liquid CO2 to cool the hole. In order to minimize the likelihood of the casing splitting due to the volume increase associated with freezing water, the hole was first cooled and then ice was formed in increments from the bottom upward. First, ice cubes were placed in the inner liner and then water was added. Using this method, a column of ice was incrementally prepared for drilling tests. The drilling tests successfully demonstrated the functioning of the RAID system. Reproducing such a facility for testing of other ice drilling systems could be advantageous to other research programs in the future.

Microhole Drilling Tractor Technology Development

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Western Well Tool

2007-07-09

In an effort to increase the U.S. energy reserves and lower costs for finding and retrieving oil, the USDOE created a solicitation to encourage industry to focus on means to operate in small diameter well-Microhole. Partially in response to this solicitation and because Western Well Tool's (WWT) corporate objective to develop small diameter coiled tubing drilling tractor, WWT responded to and was awarded a contract to design, prototype, shop test, and field demonstrate a Microhole Drilling Tractor (MDT). The benefit to the oil industry and the US consumer from the project is that with the MDT's ability to facilitate Coiledmore » Tubing drilled wells to be 1000-3000 feet longer horizontally, US brown fields can be more efficiently exploited resulting in fewer wells, less environmental impact, greater and faster oil recovery, and lower drilling costs. Shortly after award of the contract, WWT was approached by a major oil company that strongly indicated that the specified size of a tractor of 3.0 inches diameter was inappropriate and that immediate applications for a 3.38-inch diameter tractor would substantially increase the usefulness of the tool to the oil industry. Based on this along with an understanding with the oil company to use the tractor in multiple field applications, WWT applied for and was granted a no-cost change-of-scope contract amendment to design, manufacture, assemble, shop test and field demonstrate a prototype a 3.38 inch diameter MDT. Utilizing existing WWT tractor technology and conforming to an industry developed specification for the tool, the Microhole Drilling Tractor was designed. Specific features of the MDT that increase it usefulness are: (1) Operation on differential pressure of the drilling fluid, (2) On-Off Capability, (3) Patented unique gripping elements (4) High strength and flexibility, (5) Compatibility to existing Coiled Tubing drilling equipment and operations. The ability to power the MDT with drilling fluid results in a highly efficient tool that both delivers high level of force for the pressure available and inherently increases downhole reliability because parts are less subject to contamination. The On-Off feature is essential to drilling to allow the Driller to turn off the tractor and pull back while circulating in cleanout runs that keep the hole clean of drilling debris. The gripping elements have wide contact surfaces to the formation to allow high loads without damage to the formation. As part of the development materials evaluations were conducted to verify compatibility with anticipated drilling and well bore fluids. Experiments demonstrated that the materials of the tractor are essentially undamaged by exposure to typical drilling fluids used for horizontal coiled tubing drilling. The design for the MDT was completed, qualified vendors identified, parts procured, received, inspected, and a prototype was assembled. As part of the assembly process, WWT prepared Manufacturing instructions (MI) that detail the assembly process and identify quality assurance inspection points. Subsequent to assembly, functional tests were performed. Functional tests consisted of placing the MDT on jack stands, connecting a high pressure source to the tractor, and verifying On-Off functions, walking motion, and operation over a range of pressures. Next, the Shop Demonstration Test was performed. An existing WWT test fixture was modified to accommodate operation of the 3.38 inch diameter MDT. The fixture simulated the tension applied to a tractor while walking (pulling) inside 4.0 inch diameter pipe. The MDT demonstrated: (1) On-off function, (2) Pulling forces proportional to available differential pressure up to 4000 lbs, (3) Walking speeds to 1100 ft/hour. A field Demonstration of the MDT was arranged with a major oil company operating in Alaska. A demonstration well with a Measured Depth of approximately 15,000 ft was selected; however because of problems with the well drilling was stopped before the planned MDT usage. Alternatively, functional and operational tests were run with the MDT inside 4.5 inch tubing at depths of 800-950 ft. The MDT successfully demonstrated On-Off capability, pulled with up to 1465 lbs force, and verified its capability to transmit torque though it from the Orienter. Forces generated by the tractor were limited due to insufficient differential pressure because of the unloaded downhole motor, which is not typical during drilling conditions. Additionally, the Coefficient of Friction between the MDT grippers and the tubing was much less than the anticipated COF of the sandstone formation. Despite these minor limitations, to summarize the MDT operated as expected. Minor modifications to the MDT are being incorporated to improve gripping capability of the tractor. Additional demonstration wells are being arranged to expand on the project's goals of delivering a fully operational utilitarian tool for use throughout the US to improve reserves.« less

The effects of the Yogyakarta earthquake at LUSI mud volcano, Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lupi, M.; Saenger, E. H.; Fuchs, F.; Miller, S. A.

2013-12-01

The M6.3 Yogyakarta earthquake shook Central Java on May 27th, 2006. Forty seven hours later, hot mud outburst at the surface near Sidoarjo, approximately 250 km from the earthquake epicentre. The mud eruption continued and originated LUSI, the youngest mud volcanic system on earth. Since the beginning of the eruption, approximately 30,000 people lost their homes and 13 people died due to the mud flooding. The causes that initiated the eruption are still debated and are based on different geological observations. The earthquake-triggering hypothesis is supported by the evidence that at the time of the earthquake ongoing drilling operations experienced a loss of the drilling mud downhole. In addition, the eruption of the mud began only 47 hours after the Yogyakarta earthquake and the mud reached the surface at different locations aligned along the Watukosek fault, a strike-slip fault upon which LUSI resides. Moreover, the Yogyakarta earthquake also affected the volcanic activity of Mt. Semeru, located as far as Lusi from the epicentre of the earthquake. However, the drilling-triggering hypothesis points out that the earthquake was too far from LUSI for inducing relevant stress changes at depth and highlight how upwelling fluids that reached the surface first emerged only 200 m far from the drilling rig that was operative at the time. Hence, was LUSI triggered by the earthquake or by drilling operations? We conducted a seismic wave propagation study on a geological model based on vp, vs, and density values for the different lithologies and seismic profiles of the crust beneath LUSI. Our analysis shows compelling evidence for the effects produced by the passage of seismic waves through the geological formations and highlights the importance of the overall geological structure that focused and reflected incoming seismic energy.

Shipboard Analytical Capabilities on the Renovated JOIDES Resolution, IODP Riserless Drilling Vessel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blum, P.; Foster, P.; Houpt, D.; Bennight, C.; Brandt, L.; Cobine, T.; Crawford, W.; Fackler, D.; Fujine, K.; Hastedt, M.; Hornbacher, D.; Mateo, Z.; Moortgat, E.; Vasilyev, M.; Vasilyeva, Y.; Zeliadt, S.; Zhao, J.

2008-12-01

The JOIDES Resolution (JR) has conducted 121 scientific drilling expeditions during the Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) and the first phase of the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) (1983-2006). The vessel and scientific systems have just completed an NSF-sponsored renovation (2005-2008). Shipboard analytical systems have been upgraded, within funding constraints imposed by market driven vessel conversion cost increases, to include: (1) enhanced shipboard analytical services including instruments and software for sampling and the capture of chemistry, physical properties, and geological data; (2) new data management capabilities built around a laboratory information management system (LIMS), digital asset management system, and web services; (3) operations data services with enhanced access to navigation and rig instrumentation data; and (4) a combination of commercial and home-made user applications for workflow- specific data extractions, generic and customized data reporting, and data visualization within a shipboard production environment. The instrumented data capture systems include a new set of core loggers for rapid and non-destructive acquisition of images and other physical properties data from drill cores. Line-scan imaging and natural gamma ray loggers capture data at unprecedented quality due to new and innovative designs. Many instruments used to characterize chemical compounds of rocks, sediments, and interstitial fluids were upgraded with the latest technology. The shipboard analytical environment features a new and innovative framework (DESCinfo) and application (DESClogik) for capturing descriptive and interpretive data from geological sub-domains such as sedimentology, petrology, paleontology, structural geology, stratigraphy, etc. This system fills a long-standing gap by providing a global database, controlled vocabularies and taxa name lists with version control, a highly configurable spreadsheet environment for data capture, and visualization of context data collected with the shipboard core loggers and other instruments.

Smaller Footprint Drilling System for Deep and Hard Rock Environments; Feasibility of Ultra-High-Speed Diamond Drilling

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Arnis Judzis; Alan Black; Homer Robertson

2006-03-01

The two phase program addresses long-term developments in deep well and hard rock drilling. TerraTek believes that significant improvements in drilling deep hard rock will be obtained by applying ultra-high rotational speeds (greater than 10,000 rpm). The work includes a feasibility of concept research effort aimed at development that will ultimately result in the ability to reliably drill ''faster and deeper'' possibly with smaller, more mobile rigs. The principle focus is on demonstration testing of diamond bits rotating at speeds in excess of 10,000 rpm to achieve high rate of penetration (ROP) rock cutting with substantially lower inputs of energymore » and loads. The significance of the ultra-high rotary speed drilling system is the ability to drill into rock at very low weights on bit and possibly lower energy levels. The drilling and coring industry today does not practice this technology. The highest rotary speed systems in oil field and mining drilling and coring today run less than 10,000 rpm--usually well below 5,000 rpm. This document details the progress to date on the program entitled ''Smaller Footprint Drilling System for Deep and Hard Rock Environments: Feasibility of Ultra-High-Speed Diamond Drilling'' for the period starting 1 October 2004 through 30 September 2005. Additionally, research activity from 1 October 2005 through 28 February 2006 is included in this report: (1) TerraTek reviewed applicable literature and documentation and convened a project kick-off meeting with Industry Advisors in attendance. (2) TerraTek designed and planned Phase I bench scale experiments. Some difficulties continue in obtaining ultra-high speed motors. Improvements have been made to the loading mechanism and the rotational speed monitoring instrumentation. New drill bit designs have been provided to vendors for production. A more consistent product is required to minimize the differences in bit performance. A test matrix for the final core bit testing program has been completed. (3) TerraTek is progressing through Task 3 ''Small-scale cutting performance tests''. (4) Significant testing has been performed on nine different rocks. (5) Bit balling has been observed on some rock and seems to be more pronounces at higher rotational speeds. (6) Preliminary analysis of data has been completed and indicates that decreased specific energy is required as the rotational speed increases (Task 4). This data analysis has been used to direct the efforts of the final testing for Phase I (Task 5). (7) Technology transfer (Task 6) has begun with technical presentations to the industry (see Judzis).« less

Built-up edge investigation in vibration drilling of Al2024-T6.

PubMed

Barani, A; Amini, S; Paktinat, H; Fadaei Tehrani, A

2014-07-01

Adding ultrasonic vibrations to drilling process results in an advanced hybrid machining process, entitled "vibration drilling". This study presents the design and fabrication of a vibration drilling tool by which both rotary and vibrating motions are applied to drill simultaneously. High frequency and low amplitude vibrations were generated by an ultrasonic transducer with frequency of 19.65 kHz. Ultrasonic transducer was controlled by a MPI ultrasonic generator with 3 kW power. The drilling tool and workpiece material were HSS two-flute twist drill and Al2024-T6, respectively. The aim of this study was investigating on the effect of ultrasonic vibrations on built-up edge, surface quality, chip morphology and wear mechanisms of drill edges. Therefore, these factors were studied in both vibration and ordinary drilling. Based on the achieved results, vibration drilling offers less built-up edge and better surface quality compared to ordinary drilling. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chevallier, J.; Turner, L.

This article describes the design and operation of Trident IX a successfully applied jack up system. A summary of Trident IX's two years of operation in the Arabian Gulf and offshore West Africa is presented. The system is compared to conventional jacking systems in terms of design, operation, costs and safety. Dynamic forces at 400 ft. water depths are summarized, and design of the legs to withstand these dynamic forces and accomodate the new system are explained. Features are listed.

On the Eicosanoid Trail with John Vane and Jack McGiff: 1974-1976. A personal reminiscence.

PubMed

Flower, R J

2015-07-01

In this brief personal reminiscence I comment upon the friendship and mutual understanding that arose between two great scientists and co-travellers, John Vane and Jack McGiff. I relate the events that led up to their meeting and focus on the brief period of time when they worked together on eicosanoid pharmacology in the UK. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - James Harrison (left), Jack Nowling (center) and Amy Norris (right) pack up part of the debris stored in the Columbia Debris Hangar. An area of the Vehicle Assembly Building is being prepared to store the debris. About 83,000 pieces were shipped to KSC during search and recovery efforts in East Texas.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-09-10

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - James Harrison (left), Jack Nowling (center) and Amy Norris (right) pack up part of the debris stored in the Columbia Debris Hangar. An area of the Vehicle Assembly Building is being prepared to store the debris. About 83,000 pieces were shipped to KSC during search and recovery efforts in East Texas.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - James Harrison (left), Jack Nowling (center) and Amy Norris (right) pack up some of the debris stored in the Columbia Debris Hangar. About 83,000 pieces were shipped to KSC during search and recovery efforts in East Texas. An area of the Vehicle Assembly Building is being prepared to store the debris.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-09-10

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - James Harrison (left), Jack Nowling (center) and Amy Norris (right) pack up some of the debris stored in the Columbia Debris Hangar. About 83,000 pieces were shipped to KSC during search and recovery efforts in East Texas. An area of the Vehicle Assembly Building is being prepared to store the debris.

Hydraulic Shearing and Hydraulic Jacking Observed during Hydraulic Stimulations in Fractured Geothermal Reservoir in Pohang, Korea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Min, K. B.; Park, S.; Xie, L.; Kim, K. I.; Yoo, H.; Kim, K. Y.; Choi, J.; Yoon, K. S.; Yoon, W. S.; Lee, T. J.; Song, Y.

2017-12-01

Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS) relies on sufficient and irreversible enhancement of reservoir permeability through hydraulic stimulation and possibility of such desirable change of permeability is an open question that can undermine the universality of EGS concept. We report results of first hydraulic stimulation campaign conducted in two deep boreholes in fractured granodiorite geothermal reservoir in Pohang, Korea. Borehole PX-1, located at 4.22 km, was subjected to the injection of 3,907 m3 with flow rate of up to 18 kg/s followed by bleeding off of 1,207 m3. The borehole PX-2, located at 4.35 km, was subjected to the injection of 1,970 m3 with flow rate of up to 46 kg/sIn PX-1, a sharp distinct decline of wellhead pressure was observed at around 16 MPa of wellhead pressure which was similar to the predicted injection pressure to induce hydraulic shearing. Injectivity interpretation before and after the hydraulic shearing indicates that permanent increase of permeability was achieved by a factor of a few. In PX-2, however, injectivity was very small and hydraulic shearing was not observed due possibly to the near wellbore damage made by the remedying process of lost circulation such as using lost circulation material during drilling. Flow rate of larger than 40 kg/s was achieved at very high well head pressure of nearly 90 MPa. Hydraulic jacking, that is reversible opening and closure of fracture with change of injection pressure, was clearly observed. Although sharp increase of permeability due to fracture opening was achieved with elevated injection pressure, the increased permeability was reversed with decreased injection pressure.Two contrasting response observed in the same reservoir at two different boreholes which is apart only 600 m apart provide important implication that can be used for the stimulation strategy for EGS.This work was supported by the New and Renewable Energy Technology Development Program of the Korea Institute of Energy Technology Evaluation and Planning (KETEP) through a grant funded by the Korean Government's Ministry of Trade, Industry & Energy (No. 20123010110010).

Investigation of ELF Signals Associated with Mine Warfare: A University of Idaho and Acoustic Research Detachment Collaboration, Phase Three

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-07-01

from the Scow (a self -propelled barge) and rigged to be suspended in the water at various depths up to 500’. The sensor was deployed upside down...Figure 26). This allowed the e-source barge to change orientation as required in the test run plan. This was a “ soft ” moor so weather conditions were...deployed from the Scow (a self -propelled barge) and rigged to be suspended in the water at various depths up to 500’. Deployment of the sensor was in

Analytical and experimental study of sleeper SAT S 312 in slab track Sateba system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guigou-Carter, C.; Villot, M.; Guillerme, B.; Petit, C.

2006-06-01

In this paper, a simple prediction tool based on a two-dimensional model is developed for a slab track system composed of two rails with rail pads, sleepers with sleeper pads, and a concrete base slab. The track and the slab are considered as infinite beams with bending stiffness, loss factor and mass per unit length. The track system is represented by its impedance per unit length of track and the ground by its line input impedance calculated using a two-dimensional elastic half-space ground model based on the wave approach. Damping of each track component is modelled as hysteretic damping and is taken into account by using a complex stiffness. The unsprung mass of the vehicle is considered as a concentrated mass at the excitation point on the rail head. The effect of the dynamic stiffness of the sleeper pads on the vibration isolation is studied in detail, the vibration isolation provided by the track system being quantified by an insertion gain in dB per one-third octave band. The second part of this paper presents an experimental test rig used to measure the dynamic stiffness of the sleeper pads on a full width section of the track (two rails). The experimental set-up is submitted to vertical as well as horizontal static loads (via hydraulic jacks) and an electrodynamic shaker is used for dynamic excitation of the system. The determination of the dynamic stiffness of the sleeper pads is based on the approach called the "direct method". The limitations of the experimental set-up are discussed. The measurement results for one type of sleeper pad are presented.

SMALLER FOOTPRINT DRILLING SYSTEM FOR DEEP AND HARD ROCK ENVIRONMENTS; FEASIBILITY OF ULTRA-HIGH SPEED DIAMOND DRILLING

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Alan Black; Arnis Judzis

2004-10-01

The two phase program addresses long-term developments in deep well and hard rock drilling. TerraTek believes that significant improvements in drilling deep hard rock will be obtained by applying ultra-high (greater than 10,000 rpm) rotational speeds. The work includes a feasibility of concept research effort aimed at development and test results that will ultimately result in the ability to reliably drill ''faster and deeper'' possibly with rigs having a smaller footprint to be more mobile. The principle focus is on demonstration testing of diamond bits rotating at speeds in excess of 10,000 rpm to achieve high rate of penetration rockmore » cutting with substantially lower inputs of energy and loads. The project draws on TerraTek results submitted to NASA's ''Drilling on Mars'' program. The objective of that program was to demonstrate miniaturization of a robust and mobile drilling system that expends small amounts of energy. TerraTek successfully tested ultrahigh speed ({approx}40,000 rpm) small kerf diamond coring. Adaptation to the oilfield will require innovative bit designs for full hole drilling or continuous coring and the eventual development of downhole ultra-high speed drives. For domestic operations involving hard rock and deep oil and gas plays, improvements in penetration rates is an opportunity to reduce well costs and make viable certain field developments. An estimate of North American hard rock drilling costs is in excess of $1,200 MM. Thus potential savings of $200 MM to $600 MM are possible if drilling rates are doubled [assuming bit life is reasonable]. The net result for operators is improved profit margin as well as an improved position on reserves. The significance of the ''ultra-high rotary speed drilling system'' is the ability to drill into rock at very low weights on bit and possibly lower energy levels. The drilling and coring industry today does not practice this technology. The highest rotary speed systems in oil field and mining drilling and coring today run less than 10,000 rpm--usually well below 5,000 rpm. This document details the progress to date on the program entitled ''SMALLER FOOTPRINT DRILLING SYSTEM FOR DEEP AND HARD ROCK ENVIRONMENTS; FEASIBILITY OF ULTRA-HIGH SPEED DIAMOND DRILLING'' for the period starting June 23, 2003 through September 30, 2004. TerraTek has reviewed applicable literature and documentation and has convened a project kick-off meeting with Industry Advisors in attendance. TerraTek has designed and planned Phase I bench scale experiments. Some difficulties in obtaining ultra-high speed motors for this feasibility work were encountered though they were sourced mid 2004. TerraTek is progressing through Task 3 ''Small-scale cutting performance tests''. Some improvements over early NASA experiments have been identified.« less

SMALLER FOOTPRINT DRILLING SYSTEM FOR DEEP AND HARD ROCK ENVIRONMENTS; FEASIBILITY OF ULTRA-HIGH SPEED DIAMOND DRILLING

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Alan Black; Arnis Judzis

2004-10-01

The two phase program addresses long-term developments in deep well and hard rock drilling. TerraTek believes that significant improvements in drilling deep hard rock will be obtained by applying ultra-high (greater than 10,000 rpm) rotational speeds. The work includes a feasibility of concept research effort aimed at development and test results that will ultimately result in the ability to reliably drill ''faster and deeper'' possibly with rigs having a smaller footprint to be more mobile. The principle focus is on demonstration testing of diamond bits rotating at speeds in excess of 10,000 rpm to achieve high rate of penetration rockmore » cutting with substantially lower inputs of energy and loads. The project draws on TerraTek results submitted to NASA's ''Drilling on Mars'' program. The objective of that program was to demonstrate miniaturization of a robust and mobile drilling system that expends small amounts of energy. TerraTek successfully tested ultrahigh speed ({approx}40,000 rpm) small kerf diamond coring. Adaptation to the oilfield will require innovative bit designs for full hole drilling or continuous coring and the eventual development of downhole ultra-high speed drives. For domestic operations involving hard rock and deep oil and gas plays, improvements in penetration rates is an opportunity to reduce well costs and make viable certain field developments. An estimate of North American hard rock drilling costs is in excess of $1,200 MM. Thus potential savings of $200 MM to $600 MM are possible if drilling rates are doubled [assuming bit life is reasonable]. The net result for operators is improved profit margin as well as an improved position on reserves. The significance of the ''ultra-high rotary speed drilling system'' is the ability to drill into rock at very low weights on bit and possibly lower energy levels. The drilling and coring industry today does not practice this technology. The highest rotary speed systems in oil field and mining drilling and coring today run less than 10,000 rpm--usually well below 5,000 rpm. This document details the progress to date on the program entitled ''SMALLER FOOTPRINT DRILLING SYSTEM FOR DEEP AND HARD ROCK ENVIRONMENTS; FEASIBILITY OF ULTRA-HIGH SPEED DIAMOND DRILLING'' for the period starting June 23, 2003 through September 30, 2004. (1) TerraTek has reviewed applicable literature and documentation and has convened a project kick-off meeting with Industry Advisors in attendance. (2) TerraTek has designed and planned Phase I bench scale experiments. Some difficulties in obtaining ultra-high speed motors for this feasibility work were encountered though they were sourced mid 2004. (3) TerraTek is progressing through Task 3 ''Small-scale cutting performance tests''. Some improvements over early NASA experiments have been identified.« less

Combined Bearing Capacity of Spudcans on a Double Layer Deposit of Strong-Over-Weak Clays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yin, Qilin; Dong, Sheng

2018-05-01

An extreme sea storm process can lead to a jack-up rig under the combined loading condition of vertical load (V), horizontal load (H), and moment (M) to have stability problems. This paper presents the analysis of combined bearing capacities of a circular spudcan on layered clays with a strong layer overlying a comparatively weaker layer. Numerical models combined with displacement- based load tests, swipe tests, and constant ratio displacement probe tests are adopted to calculate the uniaxial bearing capacities, failure envelopes in combined V-H, V-M planes, and failure envelopes in a combined V-H-M load space, respectively. A parametric study on the effects of vertical load level V, the layer strength ratio s u,t/s u,b, and the hard layer thickness t 1 on the bearing capacities is then performed. Results show that the vertical load level is a key factor that influences the values of H and M and the size of the H-M failure envelope. The existence of the underlying weak clay decreases the bearing capacities in all directions, and the vertical capacity V ult is affected more than the horizontal (H ult) and moment (M ult) capacities based on a single uniform deposit. The influence of the underlying weak clay on H-M failure envelope is mainly shown where H and M are coupled in the same direction. In contrast, little difference is observed when H and M are coupled in opposite directions.

ICDP drilling in the Scandinavian Caledonides: the SDDP-COSC project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lorenz, Henning; Juhlin, Christopher; Gee, David; Pascal, Christophe; Tsang, Chin-Fu; Pedersen, Karsten; Rosberg, Jan-Erik

2013-04-01

The Swedish Deep Drilling Program (SDDP) Collisional Orogeny in the Scandinavian Caledonides (COSC) project is a multidisciplinary investigation of the Scandian mountain belt. Cenozoic uplift of the Scandes has exposed a lower- to middle-crustal level section through this Himalaya-type orogen, providing unique opportunities to better understand not only the Caledonides, but also on-going orogeny and the earthquake-prone environments of modern mountains belts. COSC will also contribute to our knowledge of mountain belt hydrology, provide the first information about deep thermal gradients for paleoclimate modeling and potential geothermal energy resources, contribute new information about the deep biosphere, and improve our understanding of the Cenozoic uplift history of the Scandes. The drilling program targets the far-traveled (> 400 km) allochthons of the Scandinavian Caledonides and their emplacement across the Baltoscandian foreland basin onto the platform of continent Baltica. Two 2.5 km deep holes are planned. COSC-1, to be drilled in the summer of 2013, will target the high-grade metamorphic complex of the Seve Nappes (SNC) and its contact to underlying allochthons. COSC-2 will start in the lower thrust sheets, pass through the basal décollement and investigate the character of the deformation in the underlying basement. An international science team, including expertise on Himalaya-Tibet and other young orogens, is running the science program. New high-resolution reflection seismic data provide excellent images of the upper crust. Alternative interpretations of the reflectors' origin, particularly those in the basement, will be tested. The site of COSC-1 is based on a 3D geological model, constructed from surface geology, recent and vintage regional reflection seismic profiles, regional and local gravity data, and high-resolution aeromagnetics, acquired recently by the Geological Survey of Sweden. The drilling will be carried out utilising the new Swedish scientific drilling infrastructure, located at Lund University, an Atlas Copco CT20 diamond core-drilling rig, with versatile drilling equipment (see EGU2012-7379), providing the ideal platform for core-drilling to 2.5 km depths. Existing drilling, sampling and testing techniques (e.g. triple-tube core drilling for best core quality) will need to be adapted to highly variable lithologies and new techniques will be developed, as necessary. COSC-1 drilling operations and the directly related on-site investigations are financed by ICDP and the Swedish Research Council. All drill cores will be transferred to the core repository of the Geological Survey of Sweden, and a sampling party will be announced later this year. Researchers who want to participate in COSC and contribute their expertise are encouraged to inform us of their interests.

Initial report on drilling into seismogenic zones of M2.0 - M5.5 earthquakes from deep South African gold mines (DSeis)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ogasawara, Hiroshi; Durrheim, Raymond; Yabe, Yasuo; Ito, Takatoshi; van Aswegen, Gerrie; Grobbelaar, Michelle; Funato, Akio; Ishida, Akimasa; Ogasawara, Hiroyuki; Mngadi, Siyanda; Manzi, Musa; Ziegler, Martin; Ward, Tony; Moyer, Pamela; Boettcher, Margaret; Ellsworth, Bill; Liebenberg, Bennie; Wechsler, Neta; Onstott, Tullis; Berset, Nicolas

2017-04-01

The International Continental Scientific Drilling Program (ICDP) approved our proposal (Ogasawara et al., EGU 2016) to drill into and around seismogenic zones where critically stressed faults initiated ruptures at depth. The drilling targets include four ruptures equivalent to M2.0, 2.8, 3.5, and 5.5 that dynamically and quasi-statically evolved in 2.9 Ga hard rock in the Witwatersrand basin, South Africa. Major advantages of our drilling locations are the large quantity and high-quality of existing data from dense seismic arrays both on surface and near-field underground in three deep South African gold mines. Additionally, the great depths (1.0 to 3.3 km from surface) to collar holes reduce drilling costs significantly and enable a larger number of holes to be drilled. Flexibility in drilling direction will also allow us to minimize damage in borehole or drilled cores. With the ICDP funds, we will conduct full-core drilling of 16 holes with drilling ranges from 50 to 750 m to recover both materials and fractures in and around the seismogenic zones, followed by core and borehole logging. Additional in-hole monitoring at close proximity will be supported by co-mingled funds and will follow the ICDP drilling. Expected magnitudes of maximum shear stress are several tens of MPa. We have established an overcoring procedure to measure 3D-stress state for adverse underground working conditions so as not to interfere with mining operations. This procedure was optimized based on the Compact Conic-ended Borehole Overcoring (CCBO) technique (ISRM suggested; Sugawara and Obara, 1999). Funato and Ito (2016 IJRMMS) developed a diametrical core deformation analysis (DCDA) method to measure differential stress using only drilled core by assuming diametrical change with roll angles caused by elastic in-axisymmetrical expansion during drilling. A gold mine has already drilled a hole to intersect the hypocenter of a 2016 M3.5 earthquake and carried out the CCBO stress measurement in other holes at the M3.5 seismogenic zone. As we successfully conducted DCDA with the above-mentioned drilled core, we look forward to shedding light on spatial variations of stress in the seismogenic zones following our ICDP DSeis drilling. A M5.5 earthquake which took place near Orkney, South Africa on 5 August 2014, offers a special opportunity to compare seismically inverted spatio-temporal evolution of both the main rupture and the aftershock activity with the information directly probed by the ICDP DSeis project. Moyer et al. (2016 Seismol. Res. Lett. submitted) calls for comparing seismic source models as part of a workshop proposed to the Southern California Earthquake Center for Fall 2017. In addition, the upper edge of the M5.5 rupture is located hundreds of meters below the mining horizon, sufficiently away from anthropogenic activity. This allows geomicrobiologists to investigate deep microbiological activity fueled by H2 from seismic rupture to address questions about Earth's early life. Drilling machines are being rigged underground soon to kick off our ICDP DSeis drilling in early 2017.

Scaled centrifugal compressor, collector and running gear program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kenehan, J. G.

1983-01-01

The Scaled Centrifugal Compressor, Collector and Running gear Program was conducted in support of an overall NASA strategy to improve small-compressor performance, durability, and reliability while reducing initial and life-cycle costs. Accordingly, Garrett designed and provided a test rig, gearbox coupling, and facility collector for a new NASA facility, and provided a scaled model of an existing, high-performance impeller for evaluation scaling effects on aerodynamic performance and for obtaining other performance data. Test-rig shafting was designed to operate smoothly throughout a speed range up to 60,000 rpm. Pressurized components were designed to operate at pressures up to 300 psia and at temperatures to 1000 F. Nonrotating components were designed to provide a margin-of-safety of 0.05 or greater; rotating components, for a margin-of-safety based on allowable yield and ultimate strengths. Design activities were supported by complete design analysis, and the finished hardware was subjected to check-runs to confirm proper operation. The test rig will support a wide range of compressor tests and evaluations.

Safe, Advanced, Adaptable Isolation System Eliminates the Need for Critical Lifts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ginn, Starr

2011-01-01

The Starr Soft Support isolation system incorporates an automatically reconfigurable aircraft jack into NASA's existing 1-Hertz isolators. This enables an aircraft to float in mid-air without the need for a critical lift during ground vibration testing (GVT), significantly reducing testing risk, time, and costs. Currently incorporating the most advanced technology available, the 60,000-poundcapacity (27-metric-ton) isolation system is used for weight and measurement tests, control-surface free-play tests, and structural mode interaction tests without the need for any major reconfiguration, often saving days of time and significantly reducing labor costs. The Starr Soft Support isolation system consists of an aircraft-jacking device with three jacking points, each of which has an individual motor and accommodates up to 20,000 pounds (9 metric tons) for a total 60,000-pound (27-metric-ton) capacity. The system can be transported to the aircraft by forklift and placed at its jacking points using a pallet jack. The motors power the electric actuators, raising the aircraft above the ground until the landing gear can retract. Inflatable isolators then deploy, enabling the aircraft to float in mid-air, simulating a 1-Hertz free-free boundary condition. Inflatable isolators have been in use at NASA for years, enabling aircraft to literally float unsupported for highly accurate GVT. These isolators must be placed underneath the aircraft for this to occur. Traditionally, this is achieved by a critical lift a high-risk procedure in which a crane and flexible cord system are used to lift the aircraft. In contrast, the Starr Soft Support isolation system eliminates the need for critical lift by integrating the inflatable isolators into an aircraft jacking system. The system maintains vertical and horizontal isolating capabilities. The aircraft can be rolled onto the system, jacked up, and then the isolators can be inflated and positioned without any personnel needing to work underneath the aircraft. Also, the system accommodates changes in aircraft configuration, automatically adapting to changes in mass, and it can adjust the height of the isolators in one basic setup. Dryden personnel used the Starr Soft Support system to successfully perform a GVT on an F-15 being structurally modified by Gulfstream, Dryden's Gulfstream III used for science research and the crew exploration module and adaptor cone assembly.

Development of Experimental and Computational Aeroacoustic Tools for Advanced Liner Evaluation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Michael G.; Watson, Willie R.; Nark, Douglas N.; Parrott, Tony L.; Gerhold, Carl H.; Brown, Martha C.

2006-01-01

Acoustic liners in aircraft engine nacelles suppress radiated noise. Therefore, as air travel increases, increasingly sophisticated tools are needed to maximize noise suppression. During the last 30 years, NASA has invested significant effort in development of experimental and computational acoustic liner evaluation tools. The Curved Duct Test Rig is a 152-mm by 381- mm curved duct that supports liner evaluation at Mach numbers up to 0.3 and source SPLs up to 140 dB, in the presence of user-selected modes. The Grazing Flow Impedance Tube is a 51- mm by 63-mm duct currently being fabricated to operate at Mach numbers up to 0.6 with source SPLs up to at least 140 dB, and will replace the existing 51-mm by 51-mm duct. Together, these test rigs allow evaluation of advanced acoustic liners over a range of conditions representative of those observed in aircraft engine nacelles. Data acquired with these test ducts are processed using three aeroacoustic propagation codes. Two are based on finite element solutions to convected Helmholtz and linearized Euler equations. The third is based on a parabolic approximation to the convected Helmholtz equation. The current status of these computational tools and their associated usage with the Langley test rigs is provided.

Venezuela offshore oil and gas production development: Past, present and future

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Perez La Salvia, H.; Schwartz, E.; Contreras, M.

1995-12-01

This paper presents a short history of offshore oil and gas production in Venezuela starting in Lake Maracaibo in 1923. The main emphasis has been the results of the recent R and D and the exploratory offshore programs in areas like Orinoco Delta located in the Atlantic Ocean, Northeast and Northwest Venezuela in the Caribbean sea. In the R and D offshore program the main objectives were: (1) To establish the local environmental, oceanographical, geotechnical and seismicity conditions for the Venezuelan Continental Platform. (2) To give a technical support to the PDVSA Operating Affiliates during the exploratory programs including: (a)more » to develop accurate drilling vessel positioning systems; (b) evaluation of sea bottom geotechnical conditions for safely operating the jack-ups and drilling vessels involved in the exploratory wells and (c) to identify those areas which because of their special nature require further investigation to establish preliminary type of platforms required for the areas to be developed or to evaluate other solutions proposed by Foreign Consultant Engineering Companies to the PDVSA Operating Affiliated Companies. The main objective of PDVSA for the coming future will be to develop the North of Paria Gas Field through the initially named Christopher Columbus Project now Sucre Gas, S.A., a consortium conformed by LaGoven, S.A. Shell, Exxon and Mitsubishi. objective of this paper is to give an idea of the history of the Venezuelan Oil and Gas Offshore development giving emphasis to the results of the INTEVEP S.A. Red offshore program and to show some results of the particular characteristics of oceanographical, environmental, geotechnical and seismic conditions in the main areas evaluated during the exploratory program: Orinoco Delta, Gulf of Paria and North of Paria.« less

Electronic Nose

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

Grace Industries, Inc.'s Electronic Nose is a vapor and gas detector, deriving from NASA's electronic circuitry, capable for sensing the presence of accelerants several days after a fire. The device is powered by rechargeable battery and no special training needed to operate. If an accelerant is present, device will emit a beeping sound and trigger a flashing light; the faster the beep rate, the more volatile the accelerant. Its sensitivity can also detect minute traces of accelerants. Unit saves investigators of fire causes time and expense by providing speedy detection of physical evidence for use in court. Device is also useful for detecting hazardous fumes, locating and detecting gas leaks in refineries and on oil drilling rigs.

Cold resistant nickel-alloy steel

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Legostaev, Yu.L.; Karchevskaya, N.I.; Karchevnikov, V.P.

1988-05-01

Low-alloy cold-resistant steel 10GNB was developed for the construction of ships and floating drill rigs. The optimal heat-treatment regime for the steel was refinement. Reducing the carbon content improved its weldability and toughness properties. Optical metallography and electron microscopy established that the optimal structure was a tempered martensitic-bainitic mixture with uniformly distributed particles of disperse special niobium carbides NbC. The substructure and the processes of carbide and carbonitride phase segregation were studied by transmission and extraction electron microscopy. In mechanical tests the steel exhibited high resistance to brittle failure. In terms of corrosion resistance the steel corresponds to the requirementsmore » set forth for shipbuilding steels.« less

View of Jack Lousma's hands using silverware to gather food at food station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1973-01-01

A close-up view of Skylab 3 pilot Jack Lousma's hands using a silverware utensil to gather food at the food station, in this photographic reproduction taken from a television transmission made by a color TV camera aboard the Skylab space station in Earth orbit. Astronaut Alan L. Bean, commander, had just zoomed the TV camera in for this closeup of the food tray following a series of wide shots of Lousma at the food station.

Analysis of Disaster Planning in Business and Industry

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-04-01

Alternatives, 13 May 1991, 1. 13. Deegan , Joseph, and Jack Jolley. "Selling Crisis Management." Security Management Jun 1985, 50. 14. Atkin, Leslie, ed. "PG... Deegan , Joseph, and Jack Jolley. "Selling Crisis Management." Security Management Jun 1985, 50. 16. Carey, John. "Getting Business to Think About the...1985, 5. 22. Aronoff, Craig E., and John L. Ward. "Why Owners Don’t Plan." Nation’s Business Jun 1990, 59. 23. Phelps, Norman L. "Setting Up a Crisis

Development and Initial Testing of the Tiltrotor Test Rig

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Acree, C. W., Jr.; Sheikman, A. L.

2018-01-01

The NASA Tiltrotor Test Rig (TTR) is a new, large-scale proprotor test system, developed jointly with the U.S. Army and Air Force, to develop a new, large-scale proprotor test system for the National Full-Scale Aerodynamics Complex (NFAC). The TTR is designed to test advanced proprotors up to 26 feet in diameter at speeds up to 300 knots, and even larger rotors at lower airspeeds. This combination of size and speed is unprecedented and is necessary for research into 21st-century tiltrotors and other advanced rotorcraft concepts. The TTR will provide critical data for validation of state-of-the-art design and analysis tools.

Use of Cutting-Edge Horizontal and Underbalanced Drilling Technologies and Subsurface Seismic Techniques to Explore, Drill and Produce Reservoired Oil and Gas from the Fractured Monterey Below 10,000 ft in the Santa Maria Basin of California

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

George Witter; Robert Knoll; William Rehm

2006-06-30

This project was undertaken to demonstrate that oil and gas can be drilled and produced safely and economically from a fractured Monterey reservoir in the Santa Maria Basin of California by employing horizontal wellbores and underbalanced drilling technologies. Two vertical wells were previously drilled in this area with heavy mud and conventional completions; neither was commercially productive. A new well was drilled by the project team in 2004 with the objective of accessing an extended length of oil-bearing, high-resistivity Monterey shale via a horizontal wellbore, while implementing managed-pressure drilling (MPD) techniques to avoid formation damage. Initial project meetings were conductedmore » in October 2003. The team confirmed that the demonstration well would be completed open-hole to minimize productivity impairment. Following an overview of the geologic setting and local field experience, critical aspects of the application were identified. At the pre-spud meeting in January 2004, the final well design was confirmed and the well programming/service company requirements assigned. Various design elements were reduced in scope due to significant budgetary constraints. Major alterations to the original plan included: (1) a VSP seismic survey was delayed to a later phase; (2) a new (larger) surface hole would be drilled rather than re-enter an existing well; (3) a 7-in. liner would be placed into the top of the Monterey target as quickly as possible to avoid problems with hole stability; (4) evaluation activities were reduced in scope; (5) geosteering observations for fracture access would be deduced from penetration rate, cuttings description and hydrocarbon in-flow; and (6) rather than use nitrogen, a novel air-injection MPD system was to be implemented. Drilling operations, delayed from the original schedule by capital constraints and lack of rig availability, were conducted from September 12 to November 11, 2004. The vertical and upper curved sections were drilled and lined through the problematic shale member without major stability problems. The top of the targeted Monterey was thought to be seen at the expected TVD of 10,000 ft where the 7-in. liner was set at a 60{sup o} hole angle. Significant oil and gas shows suggested the fractured interval anticipated at the heel location had been penetrated. A total of 2572 ft of 6{Delta}-in. near-horizontal interval was placed in the shale section, extending planned well length by approximately 470 ft. Very little hydrocarbon in-flow was observed from fractures along the productive interval. This may be a result of the well trajectory falling underneath the Monterey fractured zone. Hydrocarbon observations, cuttings analysis and gamma-ray response indicated additional fractured intervals were accessed along the last {+-}900 ft of well length. The well was completed with a 2 and 7/8-in. tubing string set in a production packer in preparation for flow and swab tests to be conducted later by a service rig. The planned well time was estimated as 39 days and overall cost as $2.4 million. The actual results are 66 days at a total cost of $3.4 million. Well productivity responses during subsequent flow and swabbing tests were negative. The well failed to inflow and only minor amounts (a few barrels) of light oil were recovered. The lack of production may suggest that actual sustainable reservoir pressure is far less than anticipated. Temblor attempted in July, 2006, to re-enter and clean out the well and run an Array Induction log (primarily for resistivity and correlation purposes), and an FMI log (for fracture detection). Application of surfactant in the length of the horizontal hole, and acid over the fracture zone at 10,236 was also planned. This attempt was not successful in that the clean out tools became stuck and had to be abandoned.« less

Demonstration of laser speckle system on burner liner cyclic rig

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stetson, K. A.

1986-01-01

A demonstration test was conducted to apply speckle photogrammetry to the measurement of strains on a sample of combustor liner material in a cyclic fatigue rig. A system for recording specklegrams was assembled and shipped to the NASA Lewis Research Center, where it was set up and operated during rig tests. Data in the form of recorded specklegrams were sent back to United Technologies Research Center for processing to extract strains. Difficulties were found in the form of warping and bowing of the sample during the tests which degraded the data. Steps were taken by NASA personnel to correct this problem and further tests were run. Final data processing indicated erratic patterns of strain on the burner liner sample.

Is the lateral jack-knife position responsible for cases of transient neurapraxia?

PubMed

Molinares, Diana Margarita; Davis, Timothy T; Fung, Daniel A; Liu, John Chung-Liang; Clark, Stephen; Daily, David; Mok, James M

2016-01-01

The lateral jack-knife position is often used during transpsoas surgery to improve access to the spine. Postoperative neurological signs and symptoms are very common after such procedures, and the mechanism is not adequately understood. The objective of this study is to assess if the lateral jack-knife position alone can cause neurapraxia. This study compares neurological status at baseline and after positioning in the 25° right lateral jack-knife (RLJK) and the right lateral decubitus (RLD) position. Fifty healthy volunteers, ages 21 to 35, were randomly assigned to one of 2 groups: Group A (RLD) and Group B (RLJK). Motor and sensory testing was performed prior to positioning. Subjects were placed in the RLD or RLJK position, according to group assignment, for 60 minutes. Motor testing was performed immediately after this 60-minute period and again 60 minutes thereafter. Sensory testing was performed immediately after the 60-minute period and every 15 minutes thereafter, for a total of 5 times. Motor testing was performed by a physical therapist who was blinded to group assignment. A follow-up call was made 7 days after the positioning sessions. Motor deficits were observed in the nondependent lower limb in 100% of the subjects in Group B, and no motor deficits were seen in Group A. Statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) were found between the 2 groups with respect to the performance on the 10-repetition maximum test immediately immediately and 60 minutes after positioning. Subjects in Group B had a 10%-70% (average 34.8%) decrease in knee extension strength and 20%-80% (average 43%) decrease in hip flexion strength in the nondependent limb. Sensory abnormalities were observed in the nondependent lower limb in 98% of the subjects in Group B. Thirty-six percent of the Group B subjects still exhibited sensory deficits after the 60-minute recovery period. No symptoms were reported by any subject during the follow-up calls 7 days after positioning. Twenty-five degrees of right lateral jack-knife positioning for 60 minutes results in neurapraxia of the nondependent lower extremity. Our results support the hypothesis that jack-knife positioning alone can cause postoperative neurological symptoms.

The development of cold-water coral mounds along the Moroccan Atlantic and Mediterranean margins revealed by MeBo drillings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hebbeln, Dierk; Wienberg, Claudia; Frank, Norbert

2015-04-01

Cold-water corals (CWC) mostly occur in intermediate water depths between 200 m and 1000 m and are capable of forming substantial seafloor structures, so-called coral carbonate mounds. These mounds can reach heights from a few meters up to >300 m and are composed of a mixture of CWC (and other shell) fragments and hemipelagic sediments, that both individually serve as distinct paleo-archives. IODP Leg 307 drilled through Challenger Mound at the Irish margin and revealed for the first time the full life history of a coral mound. However, although CWC occur almost worldwide, the 155 m long Challenger Mound record was for many years the only record from a coral mound exceeding 10 m in length. During expedition MSM36 with the German R/V MARIA S. MERIAN in spring 2014, several coral mounds along the Moroccan margin, both in the Atlantic Ocean and in the Mediterranean Sea, were drilled (actually: push-cored) by applying the Bremen Seafloor Drill Rig MeBo. The MeBo is a remotely controlled drilling system that is lowered from the vessel to the seafloor. Energy supply and video control are secured by an umbilical linking the MeBo to the vessel. The scientific foci of expedition MSM36 were to investigate (1) the long-term development of CWC mounds in both areas over the last several 100,000 years in relation to changes in the ambient environmental conditions in the respective intermediate waters, (2) the life time history of these mounds, and (3) the forcing factors for the initiation and decease of individual mounds. In both working areas, a total amount of 11 sites were successfully drilled with MeBo. Eight drillings were conducted at CWC mounds (on-mound sites) and 3 drillings in the direct vicinity of the mounds (off-mound sites) in order to obtain continuous paleoceanographic records. Drilling depths ranged between 17 m and 71 m with the latter corresponding to the maximum drilling depth of MeBo. The core recoveries varied between the sites and ranged between 47% and 96%. The coral-bearing on-mound cores were frozen and opened (i.e., cut lengthwise) with a stone saw to avoid a destruction of the original sediment texture with the embedded coral fragments. After opening, it became obvious that the quality of the MeBo cores is excellent and that it allows detailed post-cruise analyses at the MARUM laboratories in Bremen. By obtaining on-mound records reaching lengths of >70 m (focus #1), supplemented by the full penetration of three coral mounds (foci #2 and #3) and by a >45-m-long double drilling at an off-mound site located between numerous fossil and buried mounds (allowing to put their full life history into a wider paleoceanographic context; foci #1 to #3), the major technical goals of this MeBo expedition were fully accomplished. The critical factor in applying MeBo is the sea state as during deployment and recovery dynamic loads on the umbilical might reach critical limits. Although during expedition MSM36 several MeBo deployments were done by wind speeds of 6 Bft, the sea state especially in the Mediterranean Sea allowed MeBo operations without any restrictions. On the Atlantic side, a high swell, which actually exceeded the operational limit given for secured MeBo operations, could be overcome by reducing the payload (i.e. reducing the maximum drill depth). Hence, the operational window could be widened allowing for almost continuous MeBo operations also in this area.

Time-Dependent Simulations of Incompressible Flow in a Turbopump Using Overset Grid Approach

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kiris, Cetin; Kwak, Dochan

2001-01-01

This viewgraph presentation provides information on mathematical modelling of the SSME (space shuttle main engine). The unsteady SSME-rig1 start-up procedure from the pump at rest has been initiated by using 34.3 million grid points. The computational model for the SSME-rig1 has been completed. Moving boundary capability is obtained by using DCF module in OVERFLOW-D. MPI (Message Passing Interface)/OpenMP hybrid parallel code has been benchmarked.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Childers, M.; Barnes, J.

The phased field development of the Lion and Panthere fields, offshore the Ivory Coast, includes a small floating production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) tanker with minimal processing capability as an early oil production system (EPS). For the long-term production scheme, the FPSO will be replaced by a converted jack up mobile offshore production system (MOPS) with full process equipment. The development also includes guyed-caisson well platforms, pipeline export for natural gas to fuel an onshore power plant, and a floating storage and offloading (FSO) tanker for oil export. Pipeline export for oil is a future possibility. This array of innovativemore » strategies and techniques seldom has been brought together in a single project. The paper describes the development plan, early oil, jack up MOPS, and transport and installation.« less

Active Control of High Frequency Combustion Instability in Aircraft Gas-Turbine Engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Corrigan, Bob (Technical Monitor); DeLaat, John C.; Chang, Clarence T.

2003-01-01

Active control of high-frequency (greater than 500 Hz) combustion instability has been demonstrated in the NASA single-nozzle combustor rig at United Technologies Research Center. The combustor rig emulates an actual engine instability and has many of the complexities of a real engine combustor (i.e. actual fuel nozzle and swirler, dilution cooling, etc.) In order to demonstrate control, a high-frequency fuel valve capable of modulating the fuel flow at up to 1kHz was developed. Characterization of the fuel delivery system was accomplished in a custom dynamic flow rig developed for that purpose. Two instability control methods, one model-based and one based on adaptive phase-shifting, were developed and evaluated against reduced order models and a Sectored-1-dimensional model of the combustor rig. Open-loop fuel modulation testing in the rig demonstrated sufficient fuel modulation authority to proceed with closed-loop testing. During closed-loop testing, both control methods were able to identify the instability from the background noise and were shown to reduce the pressure oscillations at the instability frequency by 30%. This is the first known successful demonstration of high-frequency combustion instability suppression in a realistic aero-engine environment. Future plans are to carry these technologies forward to demonstration on an advanced low-emission combustor.

Strain Gage Load Calibration of the Wing Interface Fittings for the Adaptive Compliant Trailing Edge Flap Flight Test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, Eric J.; Holguin, Andrew C.; Cruz, Josue; Lokos, William A.

2014-01-01

The safety-of-flight parameters for the Adaptive Compliant Trailing Edge (ACTE) flap experiment require that flap-to-wing interface loads be sensed and monitored in real time to ensure that the structural load limits of the wing are not exceeded. This paper discusses the strain gage load calibration testing and load equation derivation methodology for the ACTE interface fittings. Both the left and right wing flap interfaces were monitored; each contained four uniquely designed and instrumented flap interface fittings. The interface hardware design and instrumentation layout are discussed. Twenty-one applied test load cases were developed using the predicted in-flight loads. Pre-test predictions of strain gage responses were produced using finite element method models of the interface fittings. Predicted and measured test strains are presented. A load testing rig and three hydraulic jacks were used to apply combinations of shear, bending, and axial loads to the interface fittings. Hardware deflections under load were measured using photogrammetry and transducers. Due to deflections in the interface fitting hardware and test rig, finite element model techniques were used to calculate the reaction loads throughout the applied load range, taking into account the elastically-deformed geometry. The primary load equations were selected based on multiple calibration metrics. An independent set of validation cases was used to validate each derived equation. The 2-sigma residual errors for the shear loads were less than eight percent of the full-scale calibration load; the 2-sigma residual errors for the bending moment loads were less than three percent of the full-scale calibration load. The derived load equations for shear, bending, and axial loads are presented, with the calculated errors for both the calibration cases and the independent validation load cases.

Local infiltration of rabies immunoglobulins without systemic intramuscular administration: An alternative cost effective approach for passive immunization against rabies

PubMed Central

Bharti, Omesh Kumar; Madhusudana, Shampur Narayan; Gaunta, Pyare Lal; Belludi, Ashwin Yajaman

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Presently the dose of rabies immunoglobulin (RIG) which is an integral part of rabies post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is calculated based on body weight though the recommendation is to infiltrate the wound(s). This practice demands large quantities of RIG which may be unaffordable to many patients. In this background, we conducted this study to know if the quantity and cost of RIG can be reduced by restricting passive immunization to local infiltration alone and avoiding systemic intramuscular administration based on the available scientific evidence. Two hundred and sixty nine category III patients bitten by suspect or confirmed rabid dogs/animals were infiltrated with equine rabies immunoglobulin (ERIGs) in and around the wound. The quantity of ERIG used was proportionate to the size and number of wounds irrespective of their body weight. They were followed with a regular course of rabies vaccination by intra-dermal route. As against 363 vials of RIGs required for all these cases as per current recommendation based on body weight, they required only 42 vials of 5ml RIG. Minimum dose of RIGs given was 0.25 ml and maximum dose given was 8 ml. On an average 1.26 ml of RIGs was required per patient that costs Rs. 150 ($3). All the patients were followed for 9 months and they were healthy and normal at the end of observation period. With local infiltration, that required small quantities of RIG, the RIGs could be made available to all patients in times of short supply in the market. A total of 30 (11%) serum samples of patients were tested for rabies virus neutralizing antibodies by the rapid fluorescent focus inhibition test (RFFIT) and all showed antibody titers >0.5 IU/mL by day 14. In no case the dose was higher than that required based on body weight and no immunosuppression resulted. To conclude, this pilot study shows that local infiltration of RIG need to be considered in times of non-availability in the market or unaffordability by poor patients. This preliminary study needs to be done on larger scale in other centers with long term follow up to substantiate the results of our study. PMID:26317441

Warm-Ups: The Key to the Beginning of a Great Lesson

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

James, Alisa R.; Collier, Douglas H.

2011-01-01

Historically, traditional pre-lesson warm-ups in physical education have consisted of callisthenic exercises such as jumping jacks, pushups, sit-ups, and running laps, as well as static stretching activities. These warm-ups are used to increase core body temperature and to assist blood flow to the working muscles. Although the traditional warm-up…

Design and development of a high-speed bearing test rig

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cockburn, J. A.

1995-01-01

The development of a high-speed test rig, to be used for compiling an experimental data base of bearing signatures for bearings with known faults, is described. This bearing test rig can be adapted to test oil-film bearings as well as rolling element bearings. This is achieved by mounting the test bearing in one of two special test housings, either of which can be mounted onto a common test shaft which can be driven up to 30,000 rpm. The test bearing housing for rolling element bearings can accommodate proximity displacement transducers, accelerometers, thermocouples, and acoustic emission sensors. The test bearing housing for the fluid-film bearings can accommodate the same instrumentation as well as Bourdon tube-type transducers for measuring oil film pressures around the bearing circumference.

Deep-sea observations at hydrocarbon drilling locations: Contributions from the SERPENT Project after 120 field visits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gates, Andrew R.; Benfield, Mark C.; Booth, David J.; Fowler, Ashley M.; Skropeta, Danielle; Jones, Daniel O. B.

2017-03-01

The SERPENT Project has been running for over ten years. In this time scientists from universities and research institutions have made more than 120 visits to oil rigs, drill ships and survey vessels operated by 16 oil companies, in order to work with the industry's Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV). Visits have taken place in Europe, North and South America, Africa and Australasia at water depths from 100 m to nearly 3000 m. The project has directly produced >40 peer reviewed publications and data from the project's >2600 entry online image and video archive have been used in many others. The aim of this paper is to highlight examples of how valuable data can be obtained through collaboration with hydrocarbon exploration and production companies to use existing industry infrastructure to increase scientific discovery in unexplored areas and augment environmental monitoring of industrial activity. The large number of industry ROVs operating globally increases chance encounters with large, enigmatic marine organisms. SERPENT video observations include the deepest known records of species previously considered epipelagic such as scalloped hammerhead (Sphyrna lewini) and southern sunfish (Mola ramsayi) and the first in situ observations of pelagic species such as oarfish (Regalecus glesne). Such observations enable improvements to distribution records and description of behaviour of poorly understood species. Specimen collection has been used for taxonomic descriptions, functional studies and natural products chemistry research. Anthropogenic effects been assessed at the local scale using in situ observations and sample collection at the time of drilling operations and subsequent visits have enabled study of recovery from drilling. Future challenges to be addressed using the SERPENT approach include ensuring unique faunal observations by industry ROV operators are reported, further study of recovery from deep-water drilling activity and to carry out in situ studies to improve the understanding of potential future decommissioning of obsolete hydrocarbon infrastructure.

In Situ Temperature Measurements at the Svalbard Continental Margin: Implications for Gas Hydrate Dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riedel, M.; Wallmann, K.; Berndt, C.; Pape, T.; Freudenthal, T.; Bergenthal, M.; Bünz, S.; Bohrmann, G.

2018-04-01

During expedition MARIA S. MERIAN MSM57/2 to the Svalbard margin offshore Prins Karls Forland, the seafloor drill rig MARUM-MeBo70 was used to assess the landward termination of the gas hydrate system in water depths between 340 and 446 m. The study region shows abundant seafloor gas vents, clustered at a water depth of ˜400 m. The sedimentary environment within the upper 100 m below seafloor (mbsf) is dominated by ice-berg scours and glacial unconformities. Sediments cored included glacial diamictons and sheet-sands interbedded with mud. Seismic data show a bottom simulating reflector terminating ˜30 km seaward in ˜760 m water depth before it reaches the theoretical limit of the gas hydrate stability zone (GHSZ) at the drilling transect. We present results of the first in situ temperature measurements conducted with MeBo70 down to 28 mbsf. The data yield temperature gradients between ˜38°C km-1 at the deepest site (446 m) and ˜41°C km-1 at a shallower drill site (390 m). These data constrain combined with in situ pore-fluid data, sediment porosities, and thermal conductivities the dynamic evolution of the GHSZ during the past 70 years for which bottom water temperature records exist. Gas hydrate is not stable in the sediments at sites shallower than 390 m water depth at the time of acquisition (August 2016). Only at the drill site in 446 m water depth, favorable gas hydrate stability conditions are met (maximum vertical extent of ˜60 mbsf); however, coring did not encounter any gas hydrates.

Assessment of Methane Emissions – Impact of Using Natural Gas Engines in Unconventional Resource Development

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nix, Andrew; Johnson, Derek; Heltzel, Robert

Researchers at the Center for Alternative Fuels, Engines, and Emissions (CAFEE) completed a multi-year program under DE-FE0013689 entitled, “Assessing Fugitive Methane Emissions Impact Using Natural Gas Engines in Unconventional Resource Development.” When drilling activity was high and industry sought to lower operating costs and reduce emissions they began investing in dual fuel and dedicated natural gas engines to power unconventional well equipment. From a review of literature we determined that the prime-movers (or major fuel consumers) of unconventional well development were the service trucks (trucking), horizontal drilling rig (drilling) engines, and hydraulic stimulation pump (fracturing) engines. Based on early findingsmore » from on-road studies we assessed that conversion of prime movers to operate on natural gas could contribute to methane emissions associated with unconventional wells. As such, we collected significant in-use activity data from service trucks and in-use activity, fuel consumption, and gaseous emissions data from drilling and fracturing engines. Our findings confirmed that conversion of the prime movers to operate as dual fuel or dedicated natural gas – created an additional source of methane emissions. While some gaseous emissions were decreased from implementation of these technologies – methane and CO 2 equivalent emissions tended to increase, especially for non-road engines. The increases were highest for dual fuel engines due to methane slip from the exhaust and engine crankcase. Dedicated natural gas engines tended to have lower exhaust methane emissions but higher CO 2 emissions due to lower efficiency. Therefore, investing in currently available natural gas technologies for prime movers will increase the greenhouse gas footprint of the unconventional well development industry.« less

A method for measuring the inertia properties of rigid bodies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gobbi, M.; Mastinu, G.; Previati, G.

2011-01-01

A method for the measurement of the inertia properties of rigid bodies is presented. Given a rigid body and its mass, the method allows to measure (identify) the centre of gravity location and the inertia tensor during a single test. The proposed technique is based on the analysis of the free motion of a multi-cable pendulum to which the body under consideration is connected. The motion of the pendulum and the forces acting on the system are recorded and the inertia properties are identified by means of a proper mathematical procedure based on a least square estimation. After the body is positioned on the test rig, the full identification procedure takes less than 10 min. The natural frequencies of the pendulum and the accelerations involved are quite low, making this method suitable for many practical applications. In this paper, the proposed method is described and two test rigs are presented: the first is developed for bodies up to 3500 kg and the second for bodies up to 400 kg. A validation of the measurement method is performed with satisfactory results. The test rig holds a third part quality certificate according to an ISO 9001 standard and could be scaled up to measure the inertia properties of huge bodies, such as trucks, airplanes or even ships.

[Occupational morbidity among miners engaged into contemporary method of extracting copper-nickel ores in Kola Transpolar regions].

PubMed

Siurin, S A; Shilov, V V

2014-01-01

The risks for developing occupational pathology and its specific features were studied in 358 Kola Transpolar copper-nickel miners who were diagnosed with 722 cases of occupational diseases (OD) in the years 1990-2013. The highest risk for developing OD, which are dominated by the diseases of the musculoskeletal system, has been found in tunnellers (OR = 12,8) and operators of drilling rigs (OR = 10,4). A significant increase in the risk of OD has been established in miners with length of service at 11-15 years and over 25 years. The conclusion is made about the need to improve the technical, medical and organizational measures targetted at preventing health problems in this group of workers.

Seismic Stability Evaluation of Folsom Dam and Reservoir Project. Report 4. Mormon Island Auxiliary Dam. Phase 1

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-12-01

soundings were made with a Felcon bit which is a 3- web crowd-in bit for 6-5/8-in. casing but has an enlarged diameter near the bit (7-1/4-in. OD) and...Fed Figure 40. Becker Htammer drilling rig Figure 41. Three- web crowd-in Felcon bit for open-bit penetration testing and sampling, and eight-tooth crowd...0 000 l’ U 900 o US U 0 m wIX = r = 0 c 1 ,- 2 cc w > uW~- 0 .4-t)t UO: >. N m Cj U 0 (I uuja:o o o oH 00 U~~ u C1 to F-4 m 0 0 V) V) 0) NN 00_

Application of MRIL-WD (Magnetic Resonance Imaging Logging While Drilling) for irreducible water saturation, total reservoir, free-fluid, bound-fluid porosity measurements and its value for the petrophysical analysis of RT/RM data from the Shah Deniz well

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amirov, Elnur

2016-04-01

Sperry-Sun (Sperry Drilling Services) is the leader in MWD/LWD reliability, has developed the industry's first LWD NMR/MRIL-WD (nuclear magnetic resonance) tool. The MRIL-WD (magnetic resonance imaging logging-while-drilling) service directly measures the T1 component of hydrogen in subsurface rock units while drilling to obtain total reservoir porosity and to dissect the observed total porosity into its respective components of free fluid and bound fluid porosity. These T1 data are used to secure accurate total, free-fluid, capillary-bound water, and clay-bound water porosity of the reservoir sections which can be drilled in the several Runs. Over the last decade, results from Magnetic Resonance Imaging logs (NMR) have added significant value to petrophysical analysis and understanding by providing total, free-fluid and bound-fluid porosities, combined with fluid typing capabilities. With MRIL-WD very valuable Real-Time or Recorded Memory data/information is now available during or shortly after the drilling operation (formation properties measurement can be taken right after a drill bit penetration), while trip in and trip out as well. A key point in utilizing MRIL in an LWD environment is motion-tolerant measurements. Recent MRIL-WD logging runs from the Shah Deniz wells located in the Khazarian-Caspian Sea of the Azerbaijan Republic helped to delineate and assess hydrocarbon bearing zones. Acquired results demonstrate how MRIL data can be acquired while-drilling and provide reliable/high quality measurements. Magnetic Resonance Imaging logs at some developments wells have become a cornerstone in formation evaluation and petrophysical understanding. By providing total, free-fluid, and bound-fluid porosities together with fluid typing, MRIL results have significantly added to the assessment of reservoirs. In order to reduce NPT (Non-Productive Time) and save the rig operations time, there is always the desire to obtain logging results as soon as possible, preferably while the drilling of the brand new wells (logging-while-drilling, LWD). The MRIL-WD Tool can accomplish any tasks reliably and in a timely manner thus saving drilling time and reducing the overall risk for the well. Control of water production and identification of pay zones with high irreducible water saturation are also very important for formation evaluation and petrophysical analysis in oil fields located in the Azerbaijan Republic and also other fields around the world. Sometimes above-mentioned problems can cause delay in completion decisions which will create additional expenses for field management. In many wells, breakthroughs in reservoir characterization have been achieved in directly determining hydrocarbon volumes, net permeability thickness, and hydrocarbon type, thus circumventing the problems associated with obtaining wireline data and the considerable amount of rig time required (so MRIL-WD can considerably reduce the NPT). Some reservoir zones with relatively low water saturation, which calculated from the other conventional logs, can produce with relatively high percentage of water cut, primarily because much of the water is movable. However, other zones with high calculated water saturation produce water free hydrocarbons. The difficulty in predicting water production can be related with the producing from the complex lithology, which can contain low-permeability, medium- to fine-grained shaly sands. Where grains are small, the formations have high surface to volume ratios that result in high irreducible water saturation and due to this we can see low resistivity values. As a result the use of resistivity logs as pay indicator, sometimes can cause low resistivity pay zones might be overlooked and consequently net field pay could be underestimated. In the last few years, nuclear magnetic resonance logs have shown great promise in solving problems of formation evaluation that could not be directly resolved with conventional logs. The capability of MRIL-WD can help many engineers to differentiate between the immovable and movable water in oil reservoirs in many fields. Sometimes MRIL-WD have also been capable of providing better formation permeability than conventional logs, a feature which can save time and expense in well-completion decisions. The RT & RM bound fluid and total porosity measurements can provide a tremendous new insight into the formation evaluation of shaly sands and low resistivity pays. Unlike traditional porosity devices, which are affected by rock matrix changes, the MRIL-WD tool can be used in complex or mixed lithology sequences and provide measurements of porosity that are lithology independent.

Smaller Footprint Drilling System for Deep and Hard Rock Environments; Feasibility of Ultra-High-Speed Diamond Drilling

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Arnis Judzis; Homer Robertson; Alan Black

2006-06-22

The two phase program addresses long-term developments in deep well and hard rock drilling. TerraTek believes that significant improvements in drilling deep hard rock will be obtained by applying ultra-high rotational speeds (greater than 10,000 rpm). The work includes a feasibility of concept research effort aimed at development that will ultimately result in the ability to reliably drill ''faster and deeper'' possibly with smaller, more mobile rigs. The principle focus is on demonstration testing of diamond bits rotating at speeds in excess of 10,000 rpm to achieve high rate of penetration (ROP) rock cutting with substantially lower inputs of energymore » and loads. The significance of the ''ultra-high rotary speed drilling system'' is the ability to drill into rock at very low weights on bit and possibly lower energy levels. The drilling and coring industry today does not practice this technology. The highest rotary speed systems in oil field and mining drilling and coring today run less than 10,000 rpm-usually well below 5,000 rpm. This document details the progress at the end of Phase 1 on the program entitled ''Smaller Footprint Drilling System for Deep and Hard Rock Environments: Feasibility of Ultra-High-Speed Diamond Drilling'' for the period starting 1 March 2006 and concluding 30 June 2006. (Note: Results from 1 September 2005 through 28 February 2006 were included in the previous report (see Judzis, Black, and Robertson)). Summarizing the accomplished during Phase 1: {lg_bullet} TerraTek reviewed applicable literature and documentation and convened a project kickoff meeting with Industry Advisors in attendance (see Black and Judzis). {lg_bullet} TerraTek designed and planned Phase I bench scale experiments (See Black and Judzis). Some difficulties continued in obtaining ultra-high speed motors. Improvements were made to the loading mechanism and the rotational speed monitoring instrumentation. New drill bit designs were developed to provided a more consistent product with consistent performance. A test matrix for the final core bit testing program was completed. {lg_bullet} TerraTek concluded Task 3 ''Small-scale cutting performance tests.'' {sm_bullet} Significant testing was performed on nine different rocks. {sm_bullet} Five rocks were used for the final testing. The final tests were based on statistical design of experiments. {sm_bullet} Two full-faced bits, a small diameter and a large diameter, were run in Berea sandstone. {lg_bullet} Analysis of data was completed and indicates that there is decreased specific energy as the rotational speed increases (Task 4). Data analysis from early trials was used to direct the efforts of the final testing for Phase I (Task 5). {lg_bullet} Technology transfer (Task 6) was accomplished with technical presentations to the industry (see Judzis, Boucher, McCammon, and Black).« less

The Close-Up Imager Onboard the ESA ExoMars Rover: Objectives, Description, Operations, and Science Validation Activities.

PubMed

Josset, Jean-Luc; Westall, Frances; Hofmann, Beda A; Spray, John; Cockell, Charles; Kempe, Stephan; Griffiths, Andrew D; De Sanctis, Maria Cristina; Colangeli, Luigi; Koschny, Detlef; Föllmi, Karl; Verrecchia, Eric; Diamond, Larryn; Josset, Marie; Javaux, Emmanuelle J; Esposito, Francesca; Gunn, Matthew; Souchon-Leitner, Audrey L; Bontognali, Tomaso R R; Korablev, Oleg; Erkman, Suren; Paar, Gerhard; Ulamec, Stephan; Foucher, Frédéric; Martin, Philippe; Verhaeghe, Antoine; Tanevski, Mitko; Vago, Jorge L

The Close-Up Imager (CLUPI) onboard the ESA ExoMars Rover is a powerful high-resolution color camera specifically designed for close-up observations. Its accommodation on the movable drill allows multiple positioning. The science objectives of the instrument are geological characterization of rocks in terms of texture, structure, and color and the search for potential morphological biosignatures. We present the CLUPI science objectives, performance, and technical description, followed by a description of the instrument's planned operations strategy during the mission on Mars. CLUPI will contribute to the rover mission by surveying the geological environment, acquiring close-up images of outcrops, observing the drilling area, inspecting the top portion of the drill borehole (and deposited fines), monitoring drilling operations, and imaging samples collected by the drill. A status of the current development and planned science validation activities is also given. Key Words: Mars-Biosignatures-Planetary Instrumentation. Astrobiology 17, 595-611.

Method for rigless zone abandonment using internally catalyzed resin system

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Martin, R.C.

1980-02-19

A zone of a subterranean formation penetrated by a well bore is permanently plugged by injecting a liquid resin system containing at least one thermosetting resin and at least one curing agent or catalyst therefor into the formation and injecting into the wellbore following the resin system, a second liquid containing at least one chain stopping compound to react with one component in the resin system to prevent any of the resin system remaining in the well bore from crosslinking to a sufficient crosslink density to form a solid in the wellbore. Preferably, the second liquid also contains a fluidmore » loss additive to minimize loss of the second liquid from the wellbore to the formation. The method permits a zone to be plugged off and abandoned without the need to erect a drilling rig to drill out excess plugging material remaining in the wellbore. In a preferred embodiment, the resin system comprises the diglycidyl ether of bisphenol a and polymethylene phenylamine in ethylene glycol ethyl ether, and the preferred second liquid is monoethanolamine in ethylene glycol ethyl ether as a solvent with ethylcellulose and silic flour to control fluid loss.« less

New mud system produces solids-free, reusable water

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1996-02-01

The Corpus Christi, Texas, based Cameron Equipment Co., Inc., has developed a closed-loop mud treating system that removes solids from water-based systems and leaves the separated fluid clean and chemical free enough to be re-used directly on the rig. The system has been successfully applied by a Gulf of Mexico operator in areas where zero discharge is required. The alternative mud conditions program offered by the developers is called the Cameron Fluid Recycling System. Designed for closed-loop water-based fluids, the system is a new method of removing solids from normally discharged fluids such as drilling mud, waste and wash water,more » or any other water-based fluid that contains undesirable solids. The patented method efficiently produces end products that are (1) dry solids; and (2) essentially 100% solids-free fluid that can be re-used in the same mud system. All excess drilling mud, and all wash water that would normally go to the reserve pit or a cuttings barge are collected in a tank. Recycled fluid is compatible with the mud system fluid, no harmful chemicals are used, and pH is not altered.« less

Jack R. Ferrell III | NREL

Science.gov Websites

Jack R. Ferrell III Photo of Jack R. Ferrell III Jack Ferrell Research Engineer Jack.Ferrell @nrel.gov | 303-384-7777 Orcid ID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3041-8742 Research Interests Jack Ferrell works in the Thermochemical Catalysis Research and Development (R&D) group and manages tasks on

Ubiquitin-mediated modulation of the cytoplasmic viral RNA sensor RIG-I.

PubMed

Oshiumi, Hiroyuki; Matsumoto, Misako; Seya, Tsukasa

2012-01-01

RIG-I-like receptors, including RIG-I, MDA5 and LGP2, recognize cytoplasmic viral RNA. The RIG-I protein consists of N-terminal CARDs, central RNA helicase and C-terminal domains. RIG-I activation is regulated by ubiquitination. Three ubiquitin ligases target the RIG-I protein. TRIM25 and Riplet ubiquitin ligases are positive regulators of RIG-I and deliver the K63-linked polyubiquitin moiety to RIG-I CARDs and the C-terminal domain. RNF125, another ubiquitin ligase, is a negative regulator of RIG-I and mediates K48-linked polyubiquitination of RIG-I, leading to the degradation of the RIG-I protein by proteasomes. The K63-linked polyubiquitin chains of RIG-I are removed by a deubiquitin enzyme, CYLD. Thus, CYLD is a negative regulator of RIG-I. Furthermore, TRIM25 itself is regulated by ubiquitination. HOIP and HOIL proteins are ubiquitin ligases and are also known as linear ubiquitin assembly complexes (LUBACs). The TRIM25 protein is ubiquitinated by LUBAC and then degraded by proteasomes. The splice variant of RIG-I encodes a protein that lacks the first CARD of RIG-I, and the variant RIG-I protein is not ubiquitinated by TRIM25. Therefore, ubiquitin is the key regulator of the cytoplasmic viral RNA sensor RIG-I.

Closeup view of the nose and landing gear on the ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Close-up view of the nose and landing gear on the forward section of the Orbiter Discovery in the Orbiter Processing Facility at Kennedy Space Center. The Orbiter is being supported by jack stands in the left and right portion of the view. The jack stands attach to the Orbiter at the four hoist attach points, two located on the forward fuselage and two on the aft fuselage. Note the access platforms that surround and nearly touch the orbiter. - Space Transportation System, Orbiter Discovery (OV-103), Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, 2101 NASA Parkway, Houston, Harris County, TX

Effects of a drill diameter on the temperature rise in a bone during implant site preparation under clinical conditions.

PubMed

Bogovič, Valerija; Svete, Andrej; Bajsić, Ivan

2016-10-01

Heat, generated during the drilling of a dental implant site preparation, leads to a temperature rise and consequently to a thermal injury of the bone tissue surrounding the implant site, which can cause the subsequent implant failure. In this article, we present new findings related to the temperature rise during implant site drilling under real conditions on a bovine rib bone specimen. The experiments were designed with the help of a full-factorial design in randomized complete blocks, where the main effects of the drill diameter in combination with the drilling force and the drilling speed, and their interactions, on the temperature rise were determined. The temperature rise in the bone under real conditions was measured as the implant site was being prepared by a dentist using intermittent, graduated drilling and external irrigation. Results show that the drill diameter has statistically significant effect, independent of the drilling procedure used. Among the examined drilling parameters, the drill diameter has the greatest effect, where an increase in the drill diameter first causes a decrease in the temperature rise and further increase in the drill diameter causes its increase. During the continuous and one-step drilling, the temperatures of the bones were up to 40.5 °C and during the drilling under actual conditions up to 30.11 °C. © IMechE 2016.

NASA DEVELOP Students Rev Up Response to Gulf Oil Spill

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Jason B.; Childs, Lauren M.

2010-01-01

After the April 20th explosion aboard the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico, the world witnessed one of the worst oil spill catastrophes in global history. In an effort to mitigate the disaster, the U.S. government moved quickly to establish a unified command for responding to the spill. Some of the command's most immediate needs were to track the movement of the surface oil slick, establish a baseline measurement of pre-oil coastal ecosystem conditions, and assess potential air quality and water hazards related to the spill. To help address these needs and assist the Federal response to the disaster, NASA deployed several of its airborne and satellite research sensors to collect an unprecedented amount of remotely-sensed data over the Gulf of Mexico region. Although some of these data were shared with the public via the media, much of the NASA data on the disaster was not well known to the Gulf Coast community. The need existed to inform the general public about these datasets and help improve understanding about how NASA's science research was contributing to oil spill response and recovery. With its extensive experience conducting community-oriented remote sensing projects and close ties to organizations around Gulf of Mexico, the NASA DEVELOP National Program stood in a unique position to meet this need.

Ftx non coding RNA-derived miR-545 promotes cell proliferation by targeting RIG-I in hepatocellular carcinoma

PubMed Central

Yao, Bowen; Xu, Meng; Ding, Linglong; Wang, Yufeng; Jia, Yuli; Li, Qing; Zhang, Hongyong; Tu, Kangsheng; Song, Tao; Liu, Qingguang

2016-01-01

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Accumulating studies have demonstrated that aberrant expression of several lncRNAs was found to be involved in the hepatocarcinogenesis. In this study, a lncRNA Ftx was chosen to investigate its effects on HCC cells, and clarify the possible mechanism. We demonstrated that the lncRNA Ftx and Ftx-derived miR-545 were up-regulated in both HCC tissues and cells. MiR-545 was positively correlated with lncRNA Ftx expression. Notably, clinical association analysis revealed that the high expression of lncRNA Ftx and miR-545 was associated with poor prognostic features, and conferred a reduced 5-year overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) of HCC patients. We found that miR-545 was a pivotal mediator in Ftx-induced promotion of HCC cell growth. Subsequently, we identified RIG-I as a direct target of miR-545. The expression of RIG-I was downregulated in HCC tissues and was inversely correlated with miR-545 expression. Our data revealed that ectopic expression of RIG-I abrogated the effects of lncRNA Ftx or miR-545 on HCC cells. LncRNA Ftx/miR-545-mediated downregulation of RIG-I led to increased Akt phosphorylation in vitro and in vivo. Inhibition of Akt phosphorylation abolished the effects of lncRNA Ftx/miR-545 on HCC cells. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that the novel pathway lncRNA Ftx/miR-545/RIG-I promotes HCC development by activating PI3K/Akt signaling, and it may serve as a novel prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for HCC. PMID:26992218

Ftx non coding RNA-derived miR-545 promotes cell proliferation by targeting RIG-I in hepatocellular carcinoma.

PubMed

Liu, Zhikui; Dou, Changwei; Yao, Bowen; Xu, Meng; Ding, Linglong; Wang, Yufeng; Jia, Yuli; Li, Qing; Zhang, Hongyong; Tu, Kangsheng; Song, Tao; Liu, Qingguang

2016-05-03

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Accumulating studies have demonstrated that aberrant expression of several lncRNAs was found to be involved in the hepatocarcinogenesis. In this study, a lncRNA Ftx was chosen to investigate its effects on HCC cells, and clarify the possible mechanism. We demonstrated that the lncRNA Ftx and Ftx-derived miR-545 were up-regulated in both HCC tissues and cells. MiR-545 was positively correlated with lncRNA Ftx expression. Notably, clinical association analysis revealed that the high expression of lncRNA Ftx and miR-545 was associated with poor prognostic features, and conferred a reduced 5-year overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) of HCC patients. We found that miR-545 was a pivotal mediator in Ftx-induced promotion of HCC cell growth. Subsequently, we identified RIG-I as a direct target of miR-545. The expression of RIG-I was downregulated in HCC tissues and was inversely correlated with miR-545 expression. Our data revealed that ectopic expression of RIG-I abrogated the effects of lncRNA Ftx or miR-545 on HCC cells. LncRNA Ftx/miR-545-mediated downregulation of RIG-I led to increased Akt phosphorylation in vitro and in vivo. Inhibition of Akt phosphorylation abolished the effects of lncRNA Ftx/miR-545 on HCC cells. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that the novel pathway lncRNA Ftx/miR-545/RIG-I promotes HCC development by activating PI3K/Akt signaling, and it may serve as a novel prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for HCC.

Influence of Back-Up Bearings and Support Structure Dynamics on the Behavior of Rotors With Active Supports

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Flowers, George T.

1996-01-01

This report presents a synopsis of the research work. Specific accomplishments are itemized below: (1) Experimental facilities have been developed. This includes a magnetic bearing test rig and an auxiliary bearing test rig. In addition, components have been designed, constructed, and tested for use with a rotordynamics test rig located at NASA Lewis Research Center. (2) A study of the rotordynamics of an auxiliary bearing supported T-501 engine model was performed. (3) An experimental/simulation study of auxiliary bearing rotordynamics has been performed. (4) A rotordynamical model for a magnetic bearing supported rotor system, including auxiliary bearing effects has been developed and simulation studies performed.(5) A finite element model for a foil bearing has been developed and studies of a rotor supported by foil bearings have been performed. (6) Two students affiliated with this project have graduated with M.S. degrees.

CoJACK: A High-Level Cognitive Architecture with Demonstrations of Moderators, Variability, and Implications for Situation Awareness

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-01-01

defined, to CoJACK (Ritter, Reifers, Klein, & Schoelles, 2007) based on task appraisal theory (e.g., Cannon, 1932; Lazarus & Folkman , 1984; Selye...Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. Lazarus , R. S., & Folkman , S. (1984). Stress, appraisal and coping. New York: Springer Publishing. Lovett, M. C., Daily, L...promising. 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 Java JACK Default CoJack CoJack Caffeine CoJack Challenged CoJack Threatened Agent Type Ta n k s D es tr o y e d

Geologic map of the Jam Up Cave and Pine Crest quadrangles, Shannon, Texas, and Howell Counties, Missouri

USGS Publications Warehouse

Weary, David J.; Orndorff, Randall C.; Repetski, John E.

2013-01-01

The Jam Up Cave and Pine Crest 7.5-minute quadrangles are located in south-central Missouri within the Salem Plateau region of the Ozark Plateaus physiographic province. About 2,400 to 3,100 feet (ft) of flat-lying to gently dipping Lower Paleozoic sedimentary rocks, mostly dolomite, chert, sandstone, and orthoquartzite, overlie Mesoproterozoic igneous basement rocks. Unconsolidated residuum, colluvium, terrace deposits, and alluvium overlie the sedimentary rocks. Numerous karst features, such as sinkholes, caves, and springs, have formed in the carbonate rocks. Many streams are spring fed. The topography is a dissected karst plain with elevations ranging from about 690 ft where the Jacks Fork River exits the northeastern corner of the Jam Up Cave quadrangle to about 1,350 ft in upland areas along the north-central edge and southwestern corner of the Pine Crest quadrangle. The most prominent physiographic feature is the valley of the Jacks Fork River. This reach of the upper Jacks Fork, with its clean, swiftly-flowing water confined by low cliffs and bluffs, provides one of the most beautiful canoe float trips in the nation. Most of the land in the quadrangles is privately owned and used primarily for grazing cattle and horses and growing timber. A large minority of the land within the quadrangles is publicly owned by the Ozark National Scenic Riverways of the National Park Service. Geologic mapping for this investigation was conducted in 2005 and 2006.

Tree species partition N uptake by soil depth in boreal forests.

PubMed

Houle, D; Moore, J D; Ouimet, R; Marty, C

2014-05-01

It is recognized that the coexistence of herbaceous species in N-depleted habitats can be facilitated by N partitioning; however, the existence of such a phenomenon for trees has not yet been demonstrated. Here, we show from both foliage and soil 15N natural abundance values and from a 12-year in situ 15N addition experiment, that black spruce (Picea mariana) and jack pine (Pinus banksiana), two widespread species of the Canadian boreal forest, take up N at different depths. While black spruce takes up N from the organic soil, jack pine acquires it deeper within the highly N-depleted mineral soil. Systematic difference in foliar 15N natural abundance between the two species across seven sites distributed throughout the eastern Canadian boreal forest shows that N spatial partitioning is a widespread phenomenon. Distinct relationships between delta15N and N concentration in leaves of both species further emphasize their difference in N acquisition strategies. This result suggests that such complementary mechanisms of N acquisition could facilitate tree species coexistence in such N-depleted habitats and could contribute to the positive biodiversity-productivity relationship recently revealed for the eastern Canadian boreal forest, where jack pine is present. It also has implications for forest management and provides new insights to interpret boreal forest regeneration following natural or anthropogenic perturbations.

Dust drift reduction effect of an air conveyor kit (dual-pipe deflector) mounted on different maize pneumatic drills.

PubMed

Manzone, Marco; Balsari, Paolo; Marucco, Paolo; Tamagnone, Mario

2017-03-01

All maize drills produce a fine dust due to the seed coating abrasions that occur inside the seeding element. The air stream generated by the fan of pneumatic drills - necessary to create a depression in the sowing element of the machine and to guarantee correct seed deposition - can blow away the solid particles detached from the seeds. In order to reduce this phenomenon, a coated maize seeds company (Syngenta®) has set up an ad hoc dual-pipe deflector kit that easily fits different pneumatic drills (also old drills). In this study, the efficiency of this kit and the influence of different drill types on the kit's performance in reducing environmental pollution were evaluated using three different pneumatic seed drill models. The research showed that a dual-pipe deflector installed on a drill in standard configuration did not change the seeder performance, and by using this kit on pneumatic drills, irrespective of their design, it is possible to reduce by up to 69% the amount of dust drift in comparison with the conventional machine set-up. The dual-pipe deflector, under the conditions employed in the present experiments, showed good performance with all types of maize pneumatic drill used. Irrespective of the seeder model on which it is mounted, it is able to obtain similar results, indicating its high operational versatility. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Knott, D.

Floating production system (FPS) technology has come of age in the North Sea. That's apparent in plans to use FPSs to tap two of Northwest Europe's largest offshore oil discoveries in the last 10 years. First North Sea oil production with a floater involved a converted semisubmersible drilling rig. Floaters have been in use for small field development projects ever since. Now, industry's rising interest in FPSs reflects two trends: As the North Sea matures, discoveries are likely to be in deeper, more remote locations; and Operators increasingly are under pressure to slash costs. The paper discusses UK trends, Norway'smore » needs, the Norne field, Norne contract, discovery of oil west of the Shetland Islands, Shell-Esso plans, the UK Machar field test, the UK Fife field, and prospects for other potential floater developments.« less

Job stress, mental health, and accidents among offshore workers in the oil and gas extraction industries.

PubMed

Cooper, C L; Sutherland, V J

1987-02-01

Psychosocial and occupational stressors among 194 male employees on drilling rig and production platform installations in the United Kingdom and Dutch sectors of the North Sea were studied. Mental well-being and job satisfaction were also assessed, with attention to the incidence of accidents offshore. This occupational group were found to be much less satisfied with their jobs than their onshore counterparts. Although overall mental well-being compared favorably with that of the general population, levels of anxiety were significantly higher. Multivariate analysis showed "relationships at work and at home" to be a strong predictor of both job dissatisfaction and mental ill-health. Type A coronary-prone behavior was also found to be a significant predictor of reduced mental well-being and increased accident rates offshore.

JACK - ANTHROPOMETRIC MODELING SYSTEM FOR SILICON GRAPHICS WORKSTATIONS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, B.

1994-01-01

JACK is an interactive graphics program developed at the University of Pennsylvania that displays and manipulates articulated geometric figures. JACK is typically used to observe how a human mannequin interacts with its environment and what effects body types will have upon the performance of a task in a simulated environment. Any environment can be created, and any number of mannequins can be placed anywhere in that environment. JACK includes facilities to construct limited geometric objects, position figures, perform a variety of analyses on the figures, describe the motion of the figures and specify lighting and surface property information for rendering high quality images. JACK is supplied with a variety of body types pre-defined and known to the system. There are both male and female bodies, ranging from the 5th to the 95th percentile, based on NASA Standard 3000. Each mannequin is fully articulated and reflects the joint limitations of a normal human. JACK is an editor for manipulating previously defined objects known as "Peabody" objects. Used to describe the figures as well as the internal data structure for representing them, Peabody is a language with a powerful and flexible mechanism for representing connectivity between objects, both the joints between individual segments within a figure and arbitrary connections between different figures. Peabody objects are generally comprised of several individual figures, each one a collection of segments. Each segment has a geometry represented by PSURF files that consist of polygons or curved surface patches. Although JACK does not have the capability to create new objects, objects may be created by other geometric modeling programs and then translated into the PSURF format. Environment files are a collection of figures and attributes that may be dynamically moved under the control of an animation file. The animation facilities allow the user to create a sequence of commands that duplicate the movements of a human figure in an environment. Integrated into JACK is a set of vision tools that allow predictions about visibility and legibility. The program is capable of displaying environment perspectives corresponding to what the mannequin would see while in the environment, indicating potential problems with occlusion and visibility. It is also possible to display view cones emanating from the figure's eyes, indicating field of view. Another feature projects the environment onto retina coordinates which gives clues regarding visual angles, acuity and occlusion by the biological blind spots. A retina editor makes it possible to draw onto the retina and project that into 3-dimensional space. Another facility, Reach, causes the mannequin to move a specific portion of its anatomy to a chosen point in space. The Reach facility helps in analyzing problems associated with operator size and other constraints. The 17-segment torso makes it possible to set a figure into realistic postures, simulating human postures closely. The JACK application software is written in C-language for Silicon Graphics workstations running IRIX versions 4.0.5 or higher and is available only in executable form. Since JACK is a copyrighted program (copyright 1991 University of Pennsylvania), this executable may not be redistributed. The recommended minimum hardware configuration for running the executable includes a floating-point accelerator, an 8-megabyte program memory, a high resolution (1280 x 1024) graphics card, and at least 50Mb of free disk space. JACK's data files take up millions of bytes of storage space, so additional disk space is highly recommended. The standard distribution medium for JACK is a .25 inch streaming magnetic IRIX tape cartridge in UNIX tar format. JACK was originally developed in 1988. Jack v4.8 was released for distribution through COSMIC in 1993.

BOREAS TF-10 NSA-YJP Tower Flux, Meteorological, and Porometry Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McCaughey, J. Harry; Liblik, Laura; Hall, Forrest G. (Editor); Huemmrich, K. (Editor)

2000-01-01

The BOREAS TF-10 team collected tower flux and meteorological data at two sites, a fen and a young jack pine forest, near Thompson, Manitoba, Canada, as part of BOREAS. A preliminary data set was assembled in August 1993 while field testing the instrument packages, and at both sites data were collected from 15-Aug to 31-Aug. The main experimental period was in 1994, when continuous data were collected from the young jack pine site from 23-May to 20-Sep. Upon examination of the 1994 data set, it became clear that the behavior of the heat, water, and carbon dioxide fluxes throughout the whole growing season was an important scientific question, and that the 1994 data record was not sufficiently long to capture the character of the seasonal behavior of the fluxes. Thus, the young jack pine site was operated from 08-May to 07-Nov in 1996 in order to collect data from spring melt to autumn freeze-up. All variables are presented as 30-minute averages. Supporting data were also collected to describe the surface#s state and to provide the information, in association with the flux data, to build SVAT models. For the young jack pine site, these supporting data included stomatal conductance measurements. The data are stored in tabular ASCII files.

Conventional protein kinase C-α (PKC-α) and PKC-β negatively regulate RIG-I antiviral signal transduction.

PubMed

Maharaj, Natalya P; Wies, Effi; Stoll, Andrej; Gack, Michaela U

2012-02-01

Retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) is a key sensor for viral RNA in the cytosol, and it initiates a signaling cascade that leads to the establishment of an interferon (IFN)-mediated antiviral state. Because of its integral role in immune signaling, RIG-I activity must be precisely controlled. Recent studies have shown that RIG-I CARD-dependent signaling function is regulated by the dynamic balance between phosphorylation and TRIM25-induced K₆₃-linked ubiquitination. While ubiquitination of RIG-I is critical for RIG-I's ability to induce an antiviral IFN response, phosphorylation of RIG-I at S₈ or T₁₇₀ suppresses RIG-I signal-transducing activity under normal conditions. Here, we not only further define the roles of S₈ and T₁₇₀ phosphorylation for controlling RIG-I activity but also identify conventional protein kinase C-α (PKC-α) and PKC-β as important negative regulators of the RIG-I signaling pathway. Mutational analysis indicated that while the phosphorylation of S₈ or T₁₇₀ potently inhibits RIG-I downstream signaling, the dephosphorylation of RIG-I at both residues is necessary for optimal TRIM25 binding and ubiquitination-mediated RIG-I activation. Furthermore, exogenous expression, gene silencing, and specific inhibitor treatment demonstrated that PKC-α/β are the primary kinases responsible for RIG-I S₈ and T₁₇₀ phosphorylation. Coimmunoprecipitation showed that PKC-α/β interact with RIG-I under normal conditions, leading to its phosphorylation, which suppresses TRIM25 binding, RIG-I CARD ubiquitination, and thereby RIG-I-mediated IFN induction. PKC-α/β double-knockdown cells exhibited markedly decreased S₈/T₁₇₀ phosphorylation levels of RIG-I and resistance to infection by vesicular stomatitis virus. Thus, these findings demonstrate that PKC-α/β-induced RIG-I phosphorylation is a critical regulatory mechanism for controlling RIG-I antiviral signal transduction under normal conditions.

Conventional Protein Kinase C-α (PKC-α) and PKC-β Negatively Regulate RIG-I Antiviral Signal Transduction

PubMed Central

Maharaj, Natalya P.; Wies, Effi; Stoll, Andrej

2012-01-01

Retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) is a key sensor for viral RNA in the cytosol, and it initiates a signaling cascade that leads to the establishment of an interferon (IFN)-mediated antiviral state. Because of its integral role in immune signaling, RIG-I activity must be precisely controlled. Recent studies have shown that RIG-I CARD-dependent signaling function is regulated by the dynamic balance between phosphorylation and TRIM25-induced K63-linked ubiquitination. While ubiquitination of RIG-I is critical for RIG-I's ability to induce an antiviral IFN response, phosphorylation of RIG-I at S8 or T170 suppresses RIG-I signal-transducing activity under normal conditions. Here, we not only further define the roles of S8 and T170 phosphorylation for controlling RIG-I activity but also identify conventional protein kinase C-α (PKC-α) and PKC-β as important negative regulators of the RIG-I signaling pathway. Mutational analysis indicated that while the phosphorylation of S8 or T170 potently inhibits RIG-I downstream signaling, the dephosphorylation of RIG-I at both residues is necessary for optimal TRIM25 binding and ubiquitination-mediated RIG-I activation. Furthermore, exogenous expression, gene silencing, and specific inhibitor treatment demonstrated that PKC-α/β are the primary kinases responsible for RIG-I S8 and T170 phosphorylation. Coimmunoprecipitation showed that PKC-α/β interact with RIG-I under normal conditions, leading to its phosphorylation, which suppresses TRIM25 binding, RIG-I CARD ubiquitination, and thereby RIG-I-mediated IFN induction. PKC-α/β double-knockdown cells exhibited markedly decreased S8/T170 phosphorylation levels of RIG-I and resistance to infection by vesicular stomatitis virus. Thus, these findings demonstrate that PKC-α/β-induced RIG-I phosphorylation is a critical regulatory mechanism for controlling RIG-I antiviral signal transduction under normal conditions. PMID:22114345

Design and reliability analysis of DP-3 dynamic positioning control architecture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Fang; Wan, Lei; Jiang, Da-Peng; Xu, Yu-Ru

2011-12-01

As the exploration and exploitation of oil and gas proliferate throughout deepwater area, the requirements on the reliability of dynamic positioning system become increasingly stringent. The control objective ensuring safety operation at deep water will not be met by a single controller for dynamic positioning. In order to increase the availability and reliability of dynamic positioning control system, the triple redundancy hardware and software control architectures were designed and developed according to the safe specifications of DP-3 classification notation for dynamically positioned ships and rigs. The hardware redundant configuration takes the form of triple-redundant hot standby configuration including three identical operator stations and three real-time control computers which connect each other through dual networks. The function of motion control and redundancy management of control computers were implemented by software on the real-time operating system VxWorks. The software realization of task loose synchronization, majority voting and fault detection were presented in details. A hierarchical software architecture was planed during the development of software, consisting of application layer, real-time layer and physical layer. The behavior of the DP-3 dynamic positioning control system was modeled by a Markov model to analyze its reliability. The effects of variation in parameters on the reliability measures were investigated. The time domain dynamic simulation was carried out on a deepwater drilling rig to prove the feasibility of the proposed control architecture.

Jacks--A Study of Simple Machines.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parsons, Ralph

This vocational physics individualized student instructional module on jacks (simple machines used to lift heavy objects) contains student prerequisites and objectives, an introduction, and sections on the ratchet bumper jack, the hydraulic jack, the screw jack, and load limitations. Designed with a laboratory orientation, each section consists of…

Astronaut Jack Lousma in Lower Body Negative Pressure Device

NASA Image and Video Library

1973-08-09

S73-34180 (7 Aug. 1973) --- A medium close-up view of astronaut Jack R. Lousma, Skylab 3 pilot, in the Lower Body Negative Pressure Device (LBNPD), as astronaut Alan L. Bean, commander, works around the leg band area. This portion of the LBNPD MO-92 experiment was televised on Aug. 7, 1973. The LBNPD experiment is to provide information concerning the time course of cardiovascular adaptation during flight, and to provide in-flight data for predicting the degree of orthostatic intolerence and impairment of physical capacity to be expected upon returning to Earth environment. The bicycle ergometer is in the background, partially visible behind Bean. Photo credit: NASA

Orthopaedic jack for scoliosis surgery purposes: Concept and design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Supriadi, Sugeng; Radhana, Rakha M.; Hidayanto, Taufik Eko; Whulanza, Yudan; Ali, Notario, Nanda; Rahyussalim

2017-02-01

Scoliosis surgery is one of the most difficult orthopedic surgery that have been committed today as the failure rate of orthopedic surgery for adult patients is 15%. Aside from the long duration of surgery, this surgical failure is caused by failure in biomedical instrumentation. Furthermore, this kind of failure is causing inefficiency of the surgery. With current known orthopedic surgery method, three surgeons are needed in a single orthopedic surgery. In fact, a single surgery can take up to 8 hours to be done, which increases the risk of surgical failure. Based on this problem, authors hope that our orthopedic jacks could solve the problem.

Viral Pseudo Enzymes Activate RIG-I via Deamidation to Evade Cytokine Production

PubMed Central

He, Shanping; Zhao, Jun; Song, Shanshan; He, Xiaojing; Minassian, Arlet; Zhou, Yu; Zhang, Junjie; Brulois, Kevin; Wang, Yuqi; Cabo, Jackson; Zandi, Ebrahim; Liang, Chengyu; Jung, Jae U; Zhang, Xuewu; Feng, Pinghui

2015-01-01

SUMMARY RIG-I is a pattern recognition receptor that senses viral RNA and is crucial for host innate immune defense. Here we describe a mechanism of RIG-I activation through amidotransferase-mediated deamidation. We show that viral homologues of phosphoribosylformyglycinamide synthase (PFAS), although lacking intrinsic enzyme activity, recruit cellular PFAS to deamidate and activate RIG-I. Accordingly, depletion and biochemical inhibition of PFAS impair RIG-I deamidation and concomitant activation. Purified PFAS and viral homologue thereof deamidate RIG-I in vitro. Ultimately, herpesvirus hijacks activated RIG-I to avoid antiviral cytokine production; loss of RIG-I or inhibition of RIG-I deamidation results in elevated cytokine production. Together, these findings demonstrate a surprising mechanism of RIG-I activation that is mediated by an enzyme. PMID:25752576

20. MANUAL JACKING STATION UNIT 23 GORGE POWERHOUSE. JACKING FOR ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

20. MANUAL JACKING STATION UNIT 23 GORGE POWERHOUSE. JACKING FOR UNITS 23, 22, AND 21 HAS BEEN AUTOMATED FOR MANY YEARS BUT THE MANUAL JACKING STATIONS REMAIN IN PLACE AND FUNCTIONAL, 1989. - Skagit Power Development, Gorge Powerhouse, On Skagit River, 0.4 mile upstream from Newhalem, Newhalem, Whatcom County, WA

Deployment and evaluation of a dual-sensor autofocusing method for on-machine measurement of patterns of small holes on freeform surfaces.

PubMed

Chen, Xiaomei; Longstaff, Andrew; Fletcher, Simon; Myers, Alan

2014-04-01

This paper presents and evaluates an active dual-sensor autofocusing system that combines an optical vision sensor and a tactile probe for autofocusing on arrays of small holes on freeform surfaces. The system has been tested on a two-axis test rig and then integrated onto a three-axis computer numerical control (CNC) milling machine, where the aim is to rapidly and controllably measure the hole position errors while the part is still on the machine. The principle of operation is for the tactile probe to locate the nominal positions of holes, and the optical vision sensor follows to focus and capture the images of the holes. The images are then processed to provide hole position measurement. In this paper, the autofocusing deviations are analyzed. First, the deviations caused by the geometric errors of the axes on which the dual-sensor unit is deployed are estimated to be 11 μm when deployed on a test rig and 7 μm on the CNC machine tool. Subsequently, the autofocusing deviations caused by the interaction of the tactile probe, surface, and small hole are mathematically analyzed and evaluated. The deviations are a result of the tactile probe radius, the curvatures at the positions where small holes are drilled on the freeform surface, and the effect of the position error of the hole on focusing. An example case study is provided for the measurement of a pattern of small holes on an elliptical cylinder on the two machines. The absolute sum of the autofocusing deviations is 118 μm on the test rig and 144 μm on the machine tool. This is much less than the 500 μm depth of field of the optical microscope. Therefore, the method is capable of capturing a group of clear images of the small holes on this workpiece for either implementation.

Pilot Overmyer eats on middeck

NASA Image and Video Library

1982-11-16

STS005-15-588 (13 Nov. 1982) --- Astronaut Robert F. Overmyer, STS-5 pilot, enjoys a meal from a jury-rigged set-up in the middeck area of the Earth-orbiting space shuttle Columbia. He wears a T-shirt and the trouser portion of a multi-piece constant wear garment. His feet are positioned in recently-rigged foot restraints to avoid involuntary movement in the micro-gravity environment of space. Behind Overmyer are components of the suit, including helmet, worn during landing and takeoff for shuttle flights. The trousers he is presently wearing are part of that attire. Photo credit: NASA

Potential external contamination of pneumatic seed drills during sowing of dressed maize seeds.

PubMed

Manzone, Marco; Balsari, Paolo; Marucco, Paolo; Tamagnone, Mario

2016-07-01

The use of pneumatic drills in maize cultivation causes dispersion in the atmosphere of some harmful substances normally used for dressing maize seeds. Some of the dust particles may be deposited on the machine's body, becoming dangerous for the environment and for operators. The aim of the present study was to analyse the amount of dust deposited on the frame of drills during maize sowing operations. Tests were performed with different drills and in different operating conditions. Data analysis showed that a significant amount (up to 30%) of the tracer can be deposited on the drill body. When wind was not present, higher quantities of tracer were collected and the forward speed did not influence significantly the tracer deposit on the seed drills. The use of different devices designed to prevent dust dispersion was able to limit up to 95% but was not able to eliminate the external contamination of the drill. The particles present on drills could become a problem for the operator during the filling of the drill. Additionally, the environment can be contaminated if pesticide remains on the drill, generating point-source pollution when the drill is parked outside. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

Height restoration and maintenance after treating unstable osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures by cement augmentation is dependent on the cement volume used.

PubMed

Krüger, Antonio; Baroud, Gamal; Noriega, David; Figiel, Jens; Dorschel, Christine; Ruchholtz, Steffen; Oberkircher, Ludwig

2013-08-01

Two different procedures, used for percutaneous augmentation of vertebral compression fractures were compared, with respect to height restoration and maintenance after cyclic loading. Additionally the impact of the cement volume used was investigated. Wedge compression fractures were created in 36 human cadavaric vertebrae (T10-L3). Twenty-seven vertebrae were treated with the SpineJack® with different cement volumes (maximum, intermediate, and no cement), and 9 vertebrae were treated with Balloon Kyphoplasty. Vertebral heights were measured pre- and postfracture as well as after treatment and loading. Cyclic loading was performed with 10,000cycles (1Hz, 100-600N). The average anterior height after restoration was 85.56% for Kyphoplasty; 96.20% for SpineJack® no cement; 93.44% for SpineJack® maximum and 96% for the SpineJack® intermediate group. The average central height after restoration was 93.89% for Kyphoplasty; 100.20% for SpineJack® no cement; 99.56% for SpineJack® maximum and 101.13% for the SpineJack® intermediate group. The average anterior height after cyclic loading was 85.33 % for Kyphoplasty; 87.30% in the SpineJack® no cement, 92% in the SpineJack® maximum and 87% in the SpineJack® intermediate group. The average central height after cyclic loading was 92% for Kyphoplasty; 93.80% in the SpineJack® no cement; 98.56% in the SpineJack® maximum and 94.25% in the SpineJack® intermediate group. Height restoration was significantly better for the SpineJack® group compared to Kyphoplasty. Height maintenance was dependent on the cement volume used. The group with the SpineJack® without cement nevertheless showed better results in height maintenance, yet the statistical significance could not be demonstrated. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Lithologic and ground-water-quality data collected using Hoverprobe drilling techniques at the West Branch Canal Creek wetland, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, April-May 2000

USGS Publications Warehouse

Phelan, Daniel J.; Senus, Michael P.; Olsen, Lisa D.

2001-01-01

This report presents lithologic and groundwater- quality data collected during April and May 2000 in the remote areas of the tidal wetland of West Branch Canal Creek, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland. Contamination of the Canal Creek aquifer with volatile organic compounds has been documented in previous investigations of the area. This study was conducted to investigate areas that were previously inaccessible because of deep mud and shallow water, and to support ongoing investigations of the fate and transport of volatile organic compounds in the Canal Creek aquifer. A unique vibracore drill rig mounted on a hovercraft was used for drilling and groundwater sampling. Continuous cores of the wetland sediment and of the Canal Creek aquifer were collected at five sites. Attempts to sample ground water were made by use of a continuous profiler at 12 sites, without well installation, at a total of 81 depths within the aquifer. Of those 81 attempts, only 34 sampling depths produced enough water to collect samples. Ground-water samples from two sites had the highest concentrations of volatile organic compounds?with total volatile organic compound concentrations in the upper part of the aquifer ranging from about 15,000 to 50,000 micrograms per liter. Ground-water samples from five sites had much lower total volatile organic compound concentrations (95 to 2,100 micrograms per liter), whereas two sites were essentially not contaminated, with total volatile organic compound concentrations less than or equal to 5 micrograms per liter.

Viral pseudo-enzymes activate RIG-I via deamidation to evade cytokine production.

PubMed

He, Shanping; Zhao, Jun; Song, Shanshan; He, Xiaojing; Minassian, Arlet; Zhou, Yu; Zhang, Junjie; Brulois, Kevin; Wang, Yuqi; Cabo, Jackson; Zandi, Ebrahim; Liang, Chengyu; Jung, Jae U; Zhang, Xuewu; Feng, Pinghui

2015-04-02

RIG-I is a pattern recognition receptor that senses viral RNA and is crucial for host innate immune defense. Here, we describe a mechanism of RIG-I activation through amidotransferase-mediated deamidation. We show that viral homologs of phosphoribosylformylglycinamidine synthetase (PFAS), although lacking intrinsic enzyme activity, recruit cellular PFAS to deamidate and activate RIG-I. Accordingly, depletion and biochemical inhibition of PFAS impair RIG-I deamidation and concomitant activation. Purified PFAS and viral homolog thereof deamidate RIG-I in vitro. Ultimately, herpesvirus hijacks activated RIG-I to avoid antiviral cytokine production; loss of RIG-I or inhibition of RIG-I deamidation results in elevated cytokine production. Together, these findings demonstrate a surprising mechanism of RIG-I activation that is mediated by an enzyme. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

AURORA BOREALIS: a polar-dedicated European Research Platform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wolff-Boenisch, Bonnie; Egerton, Paul; Thiede, Joern; Roberto, Azzolini; Lembke-Jene, Lester

2010-05-01

Polar research and in particular the properties of northern and southern high latitude oceans are currently a subject of intense scientific debate and investigations, because they are subject to rapid and dramatic climatic variations. Polar regions react more rapidly and intensively to global change than other regions of the earth. A shrinking of the Arctic sea-ice cover, potentially leading to an opening of sea passages to the north of North America and Eurasia, on the long to a "blue" Arctic Ocean would additionally have a strong impact on transport, commerce and tourism bearing potential risk for humans and complex ecosystems in the future. In spite of their critical role processes and feedbacks, especially in winter but not exclusively, are virtually unknown: The Arctic Ocean for example, it is the only basin of the world's oceans that has essentially not been sampled by the drill ships of the Deep-Sea Drilling Project (DSDP) or the Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) and its long-term environmental history and tectonic structure is therefore poorly known. Exceptions are the ODP Leg 151 and the more recent very successful ACEX-expedition of the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) in 2004. To help to address the most pressing questions regarding climate change and related processes, a Pan-European initiative in the field of Earth system science has been put in place: AURORA BOREALIS is the largest environmental research infrastructure on the ESFRI roadmap of the European Community. AURORA BOREALIS is a very powerful research icebreaker, which will enable year-round operations in the Arctic and the Antarctic as well as in the adjacent ocean basins. Equipped with its drilling rig, the vessel is also capable to explore the presently completely unknown Arctic deep-sea floor. Last but not least, the ship is a floating observatory and mobile monitoring platform that permits to measure on a long-term basis comprehensive time series in all research fields relevant to global climate change. Chances and challenges rest in securing the construction and operation costs that need a dedicated consortium of interested countries and institutions to help tackling the biggest challenges of the next decades.

HOW to Manage Jack Pine to Reduce Damage from Jack Pine Budworm

Treesearch

Deborah G. McCullough; Steven Katovich; Robert L. Heyd; Shane Weber

1994-01-01

Jack pine budworm, Choristoneura pinus pinus Freeman, is a needle feeding caterpillar that is generally considered the most significant pest of jack pine. Vigorous young jack pine stands are rarely damaged during outbreaks. The most vigorous stands are well stocked, evenly spaced, fairly uniform in height, and less than 45 years old. Stands older than 45 years that are...

Additive and non-additive genetic components of the jack male life history in Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha).

PubMed

Forest, Adriana R; Semeniuk, Christina A D; Heath, Daniel D; Pitcher, Trevor E

2016-08-01

Chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, exhibit alternative reproductive tactics (ARTs) where males exist in two phenotypes: large "hooknose" males and smaller "jacks" that reach sexual maturity after only 1 year in seawater. The mechanisms that determine "jacking rate"-the rate at which males precociously sexually mature-are known to involve both genetics and differential growth rates, where individuals that become jacks exhibit higher growth earlier in life. The additive genetic components have been studied and it is known that jack sires produce significantly more jack offspring than hooknose sires, and vice versa. The current study was the first to investigate both additive and non-additive genetic components underlying jacking through the use of a full-factorial breeding design using all hooknose sires. The effect of dams and sires descendant from a marker-assisted broodstock program that identified "high performance" and "low performance" lines using growth- and survival-related gene markers was also studied. Finally, the relative growth of jack, hooknose, and female offspring was examined. No significant dam, sire, or interaction effects were observed in this study, and the maternal, additive, and non-additive components underlying jacking were small. Differences in jacking rates in this study were determined by dam performance line, where dams that originated from the low performance line produced significantly more jacks. Jack offspring in this study had a significantly larger body size than both hooknose males and females starting 1 year post-fertilization. This study provides novel information regarding the genetic architecture underlying ARTs in Chinook salmon that could have implications for the aquaculture industry, where jacks are not favoured due to their small body size and poor flesh quality.

Hawaii Scientific Drilling Project: Objectives, Successes, Surprises and Frustrations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Depaolo, D. J.; Stolper, E.; Thomas, D. M.

2008-12-01

The Hawaii Scientific Drilling Project (HSDP) is a long-running project undertaken with the objective of studying a mantle plume by drilling an extended sequence of lavas from a single Hawaiian volcano. The project originated with a proposal to NSF in late 1986 with the idea of drilling to the Moho under Hilo; the target depth was estimated at 12km, commensurate with the depth reached by the drilling program then being pursued by the USSR and that proposed in the U.S. for the southern Appalachians, and in line with the aspirations of the nascent DOSECC program. Subsequently, due to limitations in funding and reorganization of the drilling program into what later became the NSF Continental Dynamics Program, HSDP was re-scoped with the objective of drilling deeply enough (ca. 4.5km) to recover most of the eruptive history of a single volcano. The project first went to a pilot stage, which resulted in coring to a depth of 1.1km in late 1993. The pilot stage was relatively inexpensive (1M including science) and productive. Funding was then obtained from NSF and ICDP in 1995 (ca. 12M) with the objective of drilling to 4.5km. Drilling was originally planned for a five-year period, in two campaigns. The first campaign, in 1999, resulted in efficient coring to a depth of 3.1km over a period of 6 months; it used about 40 percent of the funds and was also highly productive. Deepening the hole below 3.1km turned out to be both difficult and expensive, although for interesting reasons. To facilitate deeper drilling the hole needed to be reamed to a larger diameter; but when this was done the well unexpectedly started to flow. We now know that there are several deep pressurized aquifers, with varying salt content, but these hydrological phenomena were totally unanticipated. A key finding, also unanticipated, is that cold seawater circulates through the volcanic pile in volumes sufficient to refrigerate the entire section below 700m depth to temperatures about 25 degrees below a normal geothermal gradient. In early 1999 when the first drilling campaign was organized, the price of oil was 10 USD (rigs and drilling crews were available and reasonably priced); in early 2003 when hole opening was being arranged, the price of oil was 30 USD, and for the coring campaigns in 2005 and 2007 it was 50 to 70 USD. For these reasons, and because trip times were longer and deeply buried pillow basalts more difficult to drill, the remainder of the project funds (and then some) were needed to deepen the hole from 3.1 to 3.5km. Nevertheless, the project obtained a nearly continuous, and virtually unweathered, core consisting of lava flows, hyaloclastite, minor intrusives and sediment from a 3260m section of the Mauna Kea volcano, covering an age range from 200 to over 600 ka. It also recovered a 250m and a 280m section of the Mauna Loa volcano. A wealth of geological, volcanological, petrological, geochemical, geomagnetic, geodynamic, hydrological, and geobiological data have come from the core and the well, and more are coming in. The unprecedented geochemical-petrological data sets are a major success, as is the fact that geochemists can work together, but the hoped-for detailed geochronology for the core has proven difficult to obtain.

Assessment of Soft Vane and Metal Foam Engine Noise Reduction Concepts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Michael G.; Parrott, Tony L.; Sutliff, Daniel L.; Hughes, Chris

2009-01-01

Two innovative fan-noise reduction concepts developed by NASA are presented - soft vanes and over-the-rotor metal foam liners. Design methodologies are described for each concept. Soft vanes are outlet guide vanes with internal, resonant chambers that communicate with the exterior aeroacoustic environment via a porous surface. They provide acoustic absorption via viscous losses generated by interaction of unsteady flows with the internal solid structure. Over-the-rotor metal foam liners installed at or near the fan rotor axial plane provide rotor noise absorption. Both concepts also provide pressure-release surfaces that potentially inhibit noise generation. Several configurations for both concepts are evaluated with a normal incidence tube, and the results are used to guide designs for implementation in two NASA fan rigs. For soft vanes, approximately 1 to 2 dB of broadband inlet and aft-radiated fan noise reduction is achieved. For over-the-rotor metal foam liners, up to 3 dB of fan noise reduction is measured in the low-speed fan rig, but minimal reduction is measured in the high-speed fan rig. These metal foam liner results are compared with a static engine test, in which inlet sound power level reductions up to 5 dB were measured. Brief plans for further development are also provided.

New insights into microbial responses to oil spills from the Deepwater Horizon incident

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mason, O.U.; Hazen, T.C.

2011-06-15

On April 20, 2010, a catastrophic eruption of methane caused the Deepwater Horizon exploratory drill rig drilling the Macondo Well in Mississippi Canyon Block 252 (MC252) to explode. The Deepwater Horizon oil spill was unprecendeted for several reasons: the volume of oil released; the spill duration; the well depth; the distance from the shore-line (77 km or about 50 miles); the type of oil (light crude); and the injection of dispersant directly at the wellhead. This study clearly demonstrated that there was a profound and significant response by certain members of the in situ microbial community in the deep-sea inmore » the Gulf of Mexico. In particular putative hydrocarbon degrading Bacteria appeared to bloom in response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, even though the temperature at these depths is never >5 C. As the plume aged the shifts in the microbial community on a temporal scale suggested that different, yet metabolically important members of the community were able to respond to a myriad of plume constituents, e.g. shifting from propane/ethane to alkanes and finally to methane. Thus, the biodegradation of hydrocarbons in the plume by Bacteria was a highly significant process in the natural attenuation of many compounds released during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.« less

Estimated Emissions from the Prime-Movers of Unconventional Natural Gas Well Development Using Recently Collected In-Use Data in the United States.

PubMed

Johnson, Derek; Heltzel, Robert; Nix, Andrew; Darzi, Mahdi; Oliver, Dakota

2018-05-01

Natural gas from shale plays dominates new production and growth. However, unconventional well development is an energy intensive process. The prime movers, which include over-the-road service trucks, horizontal drilling rigs, and hydraulic fracturing pumps, are predominately powered by diesel engines that impact air quality. Instead of relying on certification data or outdated emission factors, this model uses new in-use emissions and activity data combined with historical literature to develop a national emissions inventory. For the diesel only case, hydraulic fracturing engines produced the most NO x emissions, while drilling engines produced the most CO emissions, and truck engines produced the most THC emissions. By implementing dual-fuel and dedicated natural gas engines, total fuel energy consumed, CO 2 , CO, THC, and CH 4 emissions would increase, while NO x emissions, diesel fuel consumption, and fuel costs would decrease. Dedicated natural gas engines offered significant reductions in NO x emissions. Additional scenarios examined extreme cases of full fleet conversions. While deep market penetrations could reduce fuel costs, both technologies could significantly increase CH 4 emissions. While this model is based on a small sample size of engine configurations, data were collected during real in-use activity and is representative of real world activity.

Loose Rock Leads to Incomplete Drilling

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-09-11

The Bonanza King rock on Mars, pictured here, was tapped by the drill belonging to NASA Mars rover Curiosity. The tapping resulted in sand piling up on the rock after drilling, showing the rock was not firmly in place.

Helicopter support of North Sea oil exploration.

PubMed

Preston, F S

1978-04-01

Exploration for oil beneath the North Sea started in the early 1960's with the discovery of natural gas and oil in the southern part between the coasts of East Anglia and the Netherlands. Since then oil exploration has built up considerably, the main effort moving northwards between the Shetland Islands and the Norwegian coasts. The helicopter offered the most direct and rapid contact with off-shore oil rigs and since these early days and immense helicopter operation has been built up round the borders of the North Sea by all the nations involved. Flying conditions in this area, particularly in winter, are at times difficult if not to say hazardous. Nevertheless, a sophisticated helicopter support service has been built up using modern aircraft and equipment which is unique in aviation history. This paper attempts to trace the history of the service, the operational problems involved and the special needs such as survival equipment and clothing. In addition, a co-ordinated air/sea rescue service largely based on helicopters has been built up and provides not only rescue facilities for possible rig disasters but also for shipping emergencies in the area.

On the possible long-term fate of oil released in the deepwater horizon incident: estimated by ensembles of dye release simulations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Maltrud, Mathew E.; Peacock, Synte L.; Visbeck, Martin

2010-08-01

We have conducted an ensemble of 20 simulations using a high-resolution global ocean model in which dye was continuously injected at the site of the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig for two months. We then extended these simulations for another four months to track the dispersal of the dye in the model. We have also performed five simulations in which dye was continuously injected at the site of the spill for four months and then run out to one year from the initial spill date. The experiments can elucidate the time and space scales of dispersal of polluted waters and alsomore » give a quantitative estimate of dilution rate, ignoring any sink terms such as chemical or biological degradation.« less

Long-term Outcome of Multiple Small-diameter Drilling Decompression Combined with Hip Arthroscopy versus Drilling Alone for Early Avascular Necrosis of the Femoral Head.

PubMed

Li, Ji; Li, Zhong-Li; Zhang, Hao; Su, Xiang-Zheng; Wang, Ke-Tao; Yang, Yi-Meng

2017-06-20

Avascular necrosis of femoral head (AVNFH) typically presents in the young adults and progresses quickly without proper treatments. However, the optimum treatments for early stage of AVNFH are still controversial. This study was conducted to evaluate the therapeutic effects of multiple small-diameter drilling decompression combined with hip arthroscopy for early AVNFH compared to drilling alone. This is a nonrandomized retrospective case series study. Between April 2006 and November 2010, 60 patients (98 hips) with early stage AVNFH participated in this study. The patients underwent multiple small-diameter drilling decompression combined with hip arthroscopy in 26 cases/43 hips (Group A) or drilling decompression alone in 34 cases/55 hips (Group B). Patients were followed up at 6, 12, and 24 weeks, and every 6 months thereafter. Radiographs were taken at every follow-up, Harris scores were recorded at the last follow-up, the paired t-test was used to compare the postoperative Harris scores. Surgery effective rate of the two groups was compared using the Chi-square test. All patients were followed up for an average of 57.6 months (range: 17-108 months). Pain relief and improvement of hip function were assessed in all patients at 6 months after the surgery. At the last follow-up, Group A had better outcome with mean Harris' scores improved from 68.23 ± 11.37 to 82.07 ± 2.92 (t = -7.21, P = 0.001) than Group B with mean Harris' scores improved from 69.46 ± 9.71 to 75.79 ± 4.13 (t = -9.47, P = 0.037) (significantly different: t = -2.54, P = 0.017). The total surgery effective rate was also significantly different between Groups A and B (86.0% vs. 74.5%; χ2 = 3.69, P = 0.02). For early stage of AVNFH, multiple small-diameter drilling decompression combined with hip arthroscopy is more effective than drilling decompression alone.

Structural and biochemical studies of RIG-I antiviral signaling.

PubMed

Feng, Miao; Ding, Zhanyu; Xu, Liang; Kong, Liangliang; Wang, Wenjia; Jiao, Shi; Shi, Zhubing; Greene, Mark I; Cong, Yao; Zhou, Zhaocai

2013-02-01

Retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) is an important pattern recognition receptor that detects viral RNA and triggers the production of type-I interferons through the downstream adaptor MAVS (also called IPS-1, CARDIF, or VISA). A series of structural studies have elaborated some of the mechanisms of dsRNA recognition and activation of RIG-I. Recent studies have proposed that K63-linked ubiquitination of, or unanchored K63-linked polyubiquitin binding to RIG-I positively regulates MAVS-mediated antiviral signaling. Conversely phosphorylation of RIG-I appears to play an inhibitory role in controlling RIG-I antiviral signal transduction. Here we performed a combined structural and biochemical study to further define the regulatory features of RIG-I signaling. ATP and dsRNA binding triggered dimerization of RIG-I with conformational rearrangements of the tandem CARD domains. Full length RIG-I appeared to form a complex with dsRNA in a 2:2 molar ratio. Compared with the previously reported crystal structures of RIG-I in inactive state, our electron microscopic structure of full length RIG-I in complex with blunt-ended dsRNA, for the first time, revealed an exposed active conformation of the CARD domains. Moreover, we found that purified recombinant RIG-I proteins could bind to the CARD domain of MAVS independently of dsRNA, while S8E and T170E phosphorylation-mimicking mutants of RIG-I were defective in binding E3 ligase TRIM25, unanchored K63-linked polyubiquitin, and MAVS regardless of dsRNA. These findings suggested that phosphorylation of RIG inhibited downstream signaling by impairing RIG-I binding with polyubiquitin and its interaction with MAVS.

Negative role of RIG-I serine 8 phosphorylation in the regulation of interferon-beta production.

PubMed

Nistal-Villán, Estanislao; Gack, Michaela U; Martínez-Delgado, Gustavo; Maharaj, Natalya P; Inn, Kyung-Soo; Yang, Heyi; Wang, Rong; Aggarwal, Aneel K; Jung, Jae U; García-Sastre, Adolfo

2010-06-25

RIG-I (retinoic acid-inducible gene I) and TRIM25 (tripartite motif protein 25) have emerged as key regulatory factors to induce interferon (IFN)-mediated innate immune responses to limit viral replication. Upon recognition of viral RNA, TRIM25 E3 ligase binds the first caspase recruitment domain (CARD) of RIG-I and subsequently induces lysine 172 ubiquitination of the second CARD of RIG-I, which is essential for the interaction with downstream MAVS/IPS-1/CARDIF/VISA and, thereby, IFN-beta mRNA production. Although ubiquitination has emerged as a major factor involved in RIG-I activation, the potential contribution of other post-translational modifications, such as phosphorylation, to the regulation of RIG-I activity has not been addressed. Here, we report the identification of serine 8 phosphorylation at the first CARD of RIG-I as a negative regulatory mechanism of RIG-I-mediated IFN-beta production. Immunoblot analysis with a phosphospecific antibody showed that RIG-I serine 8 phosphorylation steady-state levels were decreased upon stimulation of cells with IFN-beta or virus infection. Substitution of serine 8 in the CARD RIG-I functional domain with phosphomimetic aspartate or glutamate results in decreased TRIM25 binding, RIG-I ubiquitination, MAVS binding, and downstream signaling. Finally, sequence comparison reveals that only primate species carry serine 8, whereas other animal species carry an asparagine, indicating that serine 8 phosphorylation may represent a primate-specific regulation of RIG-I activation. Collectively, these data suggest that the phosphorylation of RIG-I serine 8 operates as a negative switch of RIG-I activation by suppressing TRIM25 interaction, further underscoring the importance of RIG-I and TRIM25 connection in type I IFN signal transduction.

A Comparison Study of Magnetic Bearing Controllers for a Fully Suspended Dynamic Spin Rig

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Choi, Benjamin; Johnson, Dexter; Morrison, Carlos; Mehmed, Oral; Huff, Dennis (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) has developed a fully suspended magnetic bearing system for the Dynamic Spin Rig (DSR) that is used to perform vibration tests of turbomachinery blades and components under spinning conditions in a vacuum. Two heteropolar radial magnetic bearings and a thrust bearing and the associated control system were integrated into the DSR to provide noncontact magnetic suspension and mechanical excitation of the 35 lb vertical rotor with blades to induce turbomachinery blade vibration. A simple proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller with a special feature for multidirectional radial excitation worked very well to both support and shake the shaft with blades. However, more advanced controllers were developed and successfully tested to determine the optimal controller in terms of sensor and processing noise reduction, smaller rotor orbits, and energy savings for the system. The test results of a variety of controllers we demonstrated up to the rig's maximum allowable speed of 10,000 rpm are shown.

The discovery and development of the El Dorado (Kansas) oil field

USGS Publications Warehouse

Skelton, L.H.

1997-01-01

Pioneers named El Dorado, Kansas, in 1857 for the beauty of the site and the promise of future riches but not until 58 years later was black rather than mythical yellow gold discovered when the Stapleton No. 1 oil well came in on October 5, 1915. El Dorado's leaders were envious when nearby towns found huge gas fields and thrived. John Donley, an El Dorado barber, had tried to find either gas or oil in 1878 at a nearby site selected by a spiritualist. He staked out a townsite, spudded a well and drilled 200 feet before running out of money. Wells in 1879 and 1882 produced only brine. In June, 1914, chafed over discovery of oil in nearby Augusta, El Dorado city fathers contracted with Erasmus Haworth, soon to retire from his position as State Geologist, to perform a geological study of the area. His field work outlined the El Dorado Anticline, which unsuccessfully was drilled first in August, 1915. On abandonment, the Wichita Natural Gas Company purchased the lease and drilled the Stapleton No. 1 oil well. More success followed and by 1918, the El Dorado produced 29 million barrels, almost 9% of the nation's oil. Entrepreneurs came and prospered: the Cities Service Oil Company, A.L. Derby, Jack Vickers, and Bill Skelly all became familiar names in Midcontinent oil marketing. Earlier giant fields had hurt the price of crude oil but the El Dorado came in as both World War I and the rapid popularization of motor transport made a market for both light and heavy ends of the refinery stream. The giant gas field never materialized as hoped but in late 1995, the El Dorado Field produced its 300 millionth barrel of oil.

A Hierarchical Mechanism of RIG-I Ubiquitination Provides Sensitivity, Robustness and Synergy in Antiviral Immune Responses.

PubMed

Sun, Xiaoqiang; Xian, Huifang; Tian, Shuo; Sun, Tingzhe; Qin, Yunfei; Zhang, Shoutao; Cui, Jun

2016-07-08

RIG-I is an essential receptor in the initiation of the type I interferon (IFN) signaling pathway upon viral infection. Although K63-linked ubiquitination plays an important role in RIG-I activation, the optimal modulation of conjugated and unanchored ubiquitination of RIG-I as well as its functional implications remains unclear. In this study, we determined that, in contrast to the RIG-I CARD domain, full-length RIG-I must undergo K63-linked ubiquitination at multiple sites to reach full activity. A systems biology approach was designed based on experiments using full-length RIG-I. Model selection for 7 candidate mechanisms of RIG-I ubiquitination inferred a hierarchical architecture of the RIG-I ubiquitination mode, which was then experimentally validated. Compared with other mechanisms, the selected hierarchical mechanism exhibited superior sensitivity and robustness in RIG-I-induced type I IFN activation. Furthermore, our model analysis and experimental data revealed that TRIM4 and TRIM25 exhibited dose-dependent synergism. These results demonstrated that the hierarchical mechanism of multi-site/type ubiquitination of RIG-I provides an efficient, robust and optimal synergistic regulatory module in antiviral immune responses.

A Hierarchical Mechanism of RIG-I Ubiquitination Provides Sensitivity, Robustness and Synergy in Antiviral Immune Responses

PubMed Central

Sun, Xiaoqiang; Xian, Huifang; Tian, Shuo; Sun, Tingzhe; Qin, Yunfei; Zhang, Shoutao; Cui, Jun

2016-01-01

RIG-I is an essential receptor in the initiation of the type I interferon (IFN) signaling pathway upon viral infection. Although K63-linked ubiquitination plays an important role in RIG-I activation, the optimal modulation of conjugated and unanchored ubiquitination of RIG-I as well as its functional implications remains unclear. In this study, we determined that, in contrast to the RIG-I CARD domain, full-length RIG-I must undergo K63-linked ubiquitination at multiple sites to reach full activity. A systems biology approach was designed based on experiments using full-length RIG-I. Model selection for 7 candidate mechanisms of RIG-I ubiquitination inferred a hierarchical architecture of the RIG-I ubiquitination mode, which was then experimentally validated. Compared with other mechanisms, the selected hierarchical mechanism exhibited superior sensitivity and robustness in RIG-I-induced type I IFN activation. Furthermore, our model analysis and experimental data revealed that TRIM4 and TRIM25 exhibited dose-dependent synergism. These results demonstrated that the hierarchical mechanism of multi-site/type ubiquitination of RIG-I provides an efficient, robust and optimal synergistic regulatory module in antiviral immune responses. PMID:27387525

A Hierarchical Mechanism of RIG-I Ubiquitination Provides Sensitivity, Robustness and Synergy in Antiviral Immune Responses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Xiaoqiang; Xian, Huifang; Tian, Shuo; Sun, Tingzhe; Qin, Yunfei; Zhang, Shoutao; Cui, Jun

2016-07-01

RIG-I is an essential receptor in the initiation of the type I interferon (IFN) signaling pathway upon viral infection. Although K63-linked ubiquitination plays an important role in RIG-I activation, the optimal modulation of conjugated and unanchored ubiquitination of RIG-I as well as its functional implications remains unclear. In this study, we determined that, in contrast to the RIG-I CARD domain, full-length RIG-I must undergo K63-linked ubiquitination at multiple sites to reach full activity. A systems biology approach was designed based on experiments using full-length RIG-I. Model selection for 7 candidate mechanisms of RIG-I ubiquitination inferred a hierarchical architecture of the RIG-I ubiquitination mode, which was then experimentally validated. Compared with other mechanisms, the selected hierarchical mechanism exhibited superior sensitivity and robustness in RIG-I-induced type I IFN activation. Furthermore, our model analysis and experimental data revealed that TRIM4 and TRIM25 exhibited dose-dependent synergism. These results demonstrated that the hierarchical mechanism of multi-site/type ubiquitination of RIG-I provides an efficient, robust and optimal synergistic regulatory module in antiviral immune responses.

Laguna Potrok Aike, Argentina: the first non-tropical environmental record in South America extending far beyond the Late-Glacial - a progress report

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zolitschka, B.; Anselmetti, F.; Ariztegui, D.; Corbella, H.; Francus, P.; Gebhardt, C.; Lücke, A.; Ohlendorf, C.; Schäbitz, F.; Pasado Science Team

2009-04-01

Within the framework of the ICDP-funded "Potrok Aike maar lake sediment archive drilling project" (PASADO) an international team of scientists carried out interdisciplinary research at the unique mid-Pleistocene (770 ka) maar lake of Laguna Potrok Aike in southern Patagonia (Province of Santa Cruz, Argentina). This lake is very sensitive to variations in southern hemispheric wind and pressure systems and thus holds a unique and continuous lacustrine record of climatic and ecological variability of global significance. Moreover, Southern Patagonia with its many active volcanoes is an ideal location to better understand the regional history of volcanism. These are two challenging geo-scientific themes that need to be tackled, especially as both of them have an increasing socio-economic relevance. Three months of drilling activities that finished last November 2008 were carried out by DOSECC from the drilling platform R/V "Kerry Kelts". More than 500 m of lacustrine sediments were recovered. This sedimentary archive will provide (1) new insights into the processes of regional back arc volcanism within the Pali Aike Volcanic Field itself as well as the more distant explosive volcanism of the Andean mountain chains; and, (2) high-resolution (decadal) quantitative climate and environmental reconstructions supported by multiple dating and stratigraphic correlations. Marine - ice core - terrestrial linkages will be emphasized as well as the incorporation of results from global climate modelling simulations for the last ca. 100 ka. The two drilled sites in the central deep basin of Laguna Potrok Aike have been selected based on four seismic surveys carried out between 2003 and 2005. Sediments were recovered at both drilled sites down to a subbottom depth of slightly more than 100 m using the GLAD800 drill rig with the hydraulic piston corer tool (HPC) at water depths varying between 95 and 100 m. The total core recovery is 94%. On-site core logging with the multi sensor core logger (MSCL) documents an excellent correlation between the four recovered holes drilled at Site 1 as well as with the three holes obtained from Site 2 which is located ca. 700 m south of Site 1. Additionally, a variety of sedimentological, physical and geochemical analyses were carried out on the core catcher samples in the field laboratory. Preliminary interpretation of all data that is available before core opening indicates that the record may go back in time as far as to the ending of oxygen isotope stage 5. Acknowledgements This research is supported by the International Continental Scientific Drilling Program (ICDP) in the framework of the "Potrok Aike Maar Lake Sediment Archive Drilling Project" (PASADO). Funding was provided by the ICDP, the German Science Foundation (DFG), the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), the Swedish Vetenskapsradet (VR) and the University of Bremen.

Riplet/RNF135, a RING finger protein, ubiquitinates RIG-I to promote interferon-beta induction during the early phase of viral infection.

PubMed

Oshiumi, Hiroyuki; Matsumoto, Misako; Hatakeyama, Shigetsugu; Seya, Tsukasa

2009-01-09

RIG-I (retinoic acid-inducible gene-I), a cytoplasmic RNA helicase, interacts with IPS-1/MAVS/Cardif/VISA, a protein on the outer membrane of mitochondria, to signal the presence of virus-derived RNA and induce type I interferon production. Activation of RIG-I requires the ubiquitin ligase, TRIM25, which mediates lysine 63-linked polyubiquitination of the RIG-I N-terminal CARD-like region. However, how this modification proceeds for activation of IPS-1 by RIG-I remains unclear. Here we identify an alternative factor, Riplet/RNF135, that promotes RIG-I activation independent of TRIM25. The Riplet/RNF135 protein consists of an N-terminal RING finger domain, C-terminal SPRY and PRY motifs, and shows sequence similarity to TRIM25. Immunoprecipitation analyses demonstrated that the C-terminal helicase and repressor domains of RIG-I interact with the Riplet/RNF135 C-terminal region, whereas the CARD-like region of RIG-I is dispensable for this interaction. Riplet/RNF135 promotes lysine 63-linked polyubiquitination of the C-terminal region of RIG-I, modification of which differs from the N-terminal ubiquitination by TRIM25. Overexpression and knockdown analyses revealed that Riplet/RNF135 promotes RIG-I-mediated interferon-beta promoter activation and inhibits propagation of the negative-strand RNA virus, vesicular stomatitis virus. Our data suggest that Riplet/RNF135 is a novel factor of the RIG-I pathway that is involved in the evoking of human innate immunity against RNA virus infection, and activates RIG-I through ubiquitination of its C-terminal region. We infer that a variety of RIG-I-ubiquitinating molecular complexes sustain RIG-I activation to modulate RNA virus replication in the cytoplasm.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

E Nistal-Villan; M Gack; G Martinez-Delgado

RIG-I (retinoic acid-inducible gene I) and TRIM25 (tripartite motif protein 25) have emerged as key regulatory factors to induce interferon (IFN)-mediated innate immune responses to limit viral replication. Upon recognition of viral RNA, TRIM25 E3 ligase binds the first caspase recruitment domain (CARD) of RIG-I and subsequently induces lysine 172 ubiquitination of the second CARD of RIG-I, which is essential for the interaction with downstream MAVS/IPS-1/CARDIF/VISA and, thereby, IFN-beta mRNA production. Although ubiquitination has emerged as a major factor involved in RIG-I activation, the potential contribution of other post-translational modifications, such as phosphorylation, to the regulation of RIG-I activity hasmore » not been addressed. Here, we report the identification of serine 8 phosphorylation at the first CARD of RIG-I as a negative regulatory mechanism of RIG-I-mediated IFN-beta production. Immunoblot analysis with a phosphospecific antibody showed that RIG-I serine 8 phosphorylation steady-state levels were decreased upon stimulation of cells with IFN-beta or virus infection. Substitution of serine 8 in the CARD RIG-I functional domain with phosphomimetic aspartate or glutamate results in decreased TRIM25 binding, RIG-I ubiquitination, MAVS binding, and downstream signaling. Finally, sequence comparison reveals that only primate species carry serine 8, whereas other animal species carry an asparagine, indicating that serine 8 phosphorylation may represent a primate-specific regulation of RIG-I activation. Collectively, these data suggest that the phosphorylation of RIG-I serine 8 operates as a negative switch of RIG-I activation by suppressing TRIM25 interaction, further underscoring the importance of RIG-I and TRIM25 connection in type I IFN signal transduction.« less

The mitochondrial targeting chaperone 14-3-3ε regulates a RIG-I translocon that mediates membrane-association and innate antiviral immunity

PubMed Central

Liu, Helene Minyi; Loo, Yueh-Ming; Horner, Stacy M.; Zornetzer, Gregory A.; Katze, Michael G.; Gale, Michael

2012-01-01

Summary RIG-I is a cytosolic pathogen recognition receptor that initiates immune responses against RNA viruses. Upon viral RNA recognition, anti-viral signalling requires RIG-I redistribution from the cytosol to membranes where it binds the adaptor protein, MAVS. Here we identify the mitochondrial targeting chaperone protein, 14-3-3ε, as a RIG-I-binding partner and essential component of a translocation complex or “translocon” containing RIG-I, 14-3-3ε, and the TRIM25 ubiquitin ligase. The RIG-I translocon directs RIG-I redistribution from the cytosol to membranes where it mediates MAVS-dependent innate immune signalling during acute RNA virus infection. 14-3-3ε is essential for the stable interaction of RIG-I with TRIM25, which facilitates RIG-I ubiquitination and initiation of innate immunity against hepatitis C virus and other pathogenic RNA viruses. Our results define 14-3-3ε as a key component of a RIG-I translocon required for innate antiviral immunity. PMID:22607805

The mitochondrial targeting chaperone 14-3-3ε regulates a RIG-I translocon that mediates membrane association and innate antiviral immunity.

PubMed

Liu, Helene Minyi; Loo, Yueh-Ming; Horner, Stacy M; Zornetzer, Gregory A; Katze, Michael G; Gale, Michael

2012-05-17

RIG-I is a cytosolic pathogen recognition receptor that initiates immune responses against RNA viruses. Upon viral RNA recognition, antiviral signaling requires RIG-I redistribution from the cytosol to membranes where it binds the adaptor protein, MAVS. Here we identify the mitochondrial targeting chaperone protein, 14-3-3ε, as a RIG-I-binding partner and essential component of a translocation complex or "translocon" containing RIG-I, 14-3-3ε, and the TRIM25 ubiquitin ligase. The RIG-I translocon directs RIG-I redistribution from the cytosol to membranes where it mediates MAVS-dependent innate immune signaling during acute RNA virus infection. 14-3-3ε is essential for the stable interaction of RIG-I with TRIM25, which facilitates RIG-I ubiquitination and initiation of innate immunity against hepatitis C virus and other pathogenic RNA viruses. Our results define 14-3-3ε as a key component of a RIG-I translocon required for innate antiviral immunity. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Close-Up After Preparatory Test of Drilling on Mars

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-02-07

After an activity called the mini drill test by NASA Mars rover Curiosity, the rover MAHLI camera recorded this view of the results. The test generated a ring of powdered rock for inspection in advance of the rover first full drilling.

Effect of Osteonecrosis Intervention Rod Versus Core Decompression Using Multiple Small Drill Holes on Early Stages of Necrosis of the Femoral Head: A Prospective Study on a Series of 60 Patients with a Minimum 1-Year-Follow-Up.

PubMed

Miao, Haixiong; Ye, Dongping; Liang, Weiguo; Yao, Yicun

2015-01-01

The conventional CD used 10 mm drill holes associated with a lack of structural support. Thus, alternative methods such as a tantalum implant, small drill holes, and biological treatment were developed to prevent deterioration of the joint. The treatment of CD by multiple 3.2 mm drill holes could reduce the femoral neck fracture and partial weight bearing was allowed. This study was aimed to evaluate the effect of osteonecrosis intervention rod versus core decompression using multiple small drill holes on early stages of necrosis of the femoral head. From January 2011 to January 2012, 60 patients undergoing surgery for osteonecrosis with core decompression were randomly assigned into 2 groups based on the type of core decompression used: (1) a total of 30 osteonecrosis patients (with 16 hips on Steinburg stageⅠ,20 hips on Steinburg stageⅡ) were treated with a porous tantalum rod insertion. The diameter of the drill hole for the intervention rod was 10mm.(2) a total of 30 osteonecrosis patients (with 14 hips on Steinburg stageⅠ,20 hips on Steinburg stageⅡ) were treated with core decompression using five drill holes on the lateral femur, the diameter of the hole was 3.2 mm. The average age of the patient was 32.6 years (20-45 years) and the average time of follow-up was 25.6 months (12- 28 months) in the rod implanted group. The average age of the patient was 35.2 years (22- 43 years) and the average time of follow-up was 26.3 months (12-28 months) in the small drill holes group. The average of surgical time was 40 min, and the mean volume of blood loss was 30 ml in both surgical groups. The average of Harris score was improved from 56.2 ± 7.1 preoperative to 80.2 ± 11.4 at the last follow-up in the rod implanted group (p < 0.05). The mean Harris score was improved from 53.8 ± 6.6 preoperative to 79.7 ± 13.2 at the last follow-up in the small drill holes group (p<0. 05). No significant difference was observed in Harris score between the two groups. At the last follow-up, 28 of 36 hips were at the same radiographic stages as pre-operation, and 8 deteriorated in the rod implanted group. 26 of 34 hips were at the same radiographic stage as pre-operation, and 8 deteriorated in the small drill holes group. No significant difference was observed in radiographic stage between the two groups. There was no favourable result on the outcome of a tantalum intervention implant compared to multiple small drill holes. CD via multiple small drill holes would allow similar postoperative load-bearing and seems to result in similar or even better clinical outcome without the prolonged implantation of an expensive tantalum implant. A tantalum rod intervention and core decompression using multiple small drill holes were effective on the stage I hips rather than stage II hips.

A distinct role of Riplet-mediated K63-Linked polyubiquitination of the RIG-I repressor domain in human antiviral innate immune responses.

PubMed

Oshiumi, Hiroyuki; Miyashita, Moeko; Matsumoto, Misako; Seya, Tsukasa

2013-01-01

The innate immune system is essential for controlling viral infections, but several viruses have evolved strategies to escape innate immunity. RIG-I is a cytoplasmic viral RNA sensor that triggers the signal to induce type I interferon production in response to viral infection. RIG-I activation is regulated by the K63-linked polyubiquitin chain mediated by Riplet and TRIM25 ubiquitin ligases. TRIM25 is required for RIG-I oligomerization and interaction with the IPS-1 adaptor molecule. A knockout study revealed that Riplet was essential for RIG-I activation. However the molecular mechanism underlying RIG-I activation by Riplet remains unclear, and the functional differences between Riplet and TRIM25 are also unknown. A genetic study and a pull-down assay indicated that Riplet was dispensable for RIG-I RNA binding activity but required for TRIM25 to activate RIG-I. Mutational analysis demonstrated that Lys-788 within the RIG-I repressor domain was critical for Riplet-mediated K63-linked polyubiquitination and that Riplet was required for the release of RIG-I autorepression of its N-terminal CARDs, which leads to the association of RIG-I with TRIM25 ubiquitin ligase and TBK1 protein kinase. Our data indicate that Riplet is a prerequisite for TRIM25 to activate RIG-I signaling. We investigated the biological importance of this mechanism in human cells and found that hepatitis C virus (HCV) abrogated this mechanism. Interestingly, HCV NS3-4A proteases targeted the Riplet protein and abrogated endogenous RIG-I polyubiquitination and association with TRIM25 and TBK1, emphasizing the biological importance of this mechanism in human antiviral innate immunity. In conclusion, our results establish that Riplet-mediated K63-linked polyubiquitination released RIG-I RD autorepression, which allowed the access of positive factors to the RIG-I protein.

A Distinct Role of Riplet-Mediated K63-Linked Polyubiquitination of the RIG-I Repressor Domain in Human Antiviral Innate Immune Responses

PubMed Central

Oshiumi, Hiroyuki; Miyashita, Moeko; Matsumoto, Misako; Seya, Tsukasa

2013-01-01

The innate immune system is essential for controlling viral infections, but several viruses have evolved strategies to escape innate immunity. RIG-I is a cytoplasmic viral RNA sensor that triggers the signal to induce type I interferon production in response to viral infection. RIG-I activation is regulated by the K63-linked polyubiquitin chain mediated by Riplet and TRIM25 ubiquitin ligases. TRIM25 is required for RIG-I oligomerization and interaction with the IPS-1 adaptor molecule. A knockout study revealed that Riplet was essential for RIG-I activation. However the molecular mechanism underlying RIG-I activation by Riplet remains unclear, and the functional differences between Riplet and TRIM25 are also unknown. A genetic study and a pull-down assay indicated that Riplet was dispensable for RIG-I RNA binding activity but required for TRIM25 to activate RIG-I. Mutational analysis demonstrated that Lys-788 within the RIG-I repressor domain was critical for Riplet-mediated K63-linked polyubiquitination and that Riplet was required for the release of RIG-I autorepression of its N-terminal CARDs, which leads to the association of RIG-I with TRIM25 ubiquitin ligase and TBK1 protein kinase. Our data indicate that Riplet is a prerequisite for TRIM25 to activate RIG-I signaling. We investigated the biological importance of this mechanism in human cells and found that hepatitis C virus (HCV) abrogated this mechanism. Interestingly, HCV NS3-4A proteases targeted the Riplet protein and abrogated endogenous RIG-I polyubiquitination and association with TRIM25 and TBK1, emphasizing the biological importance of this mechanism in human antiviral innate immunity. In conclusion, our results establish that Riplet-mediated K63-linked polyubiquitination released RIG-I RD autorepression, which allowed the access of positive factors to the RIG-I protein. PMID:23950712

21 CFR 133.154 - High-moisture jack cheese.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false High-moisture jack cheese. 133.154 Section 133.154... FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION CHEESES AND RELATED CHEESE PRODUCTS Requirements for Specific Standardized Cheese and Related Products § 133.154 High-moisture jack cheese. High-moisture jack cheese conforms to...

21 CFR 133.154 - High-moisture jack cheese.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 2 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false High-moisture jack cheese. 133.154 Section 133.154... FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION CHEESES AND RELATED CHEESE PRODUCTS Requirements for Specific Standardized Cheese and Related Products § 133.154 High-moisture jack cheese. High-moisture jack cheese conforms to...

An innovative fast-track development for Cote d`Ivoire

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kreider, G.J.; Barnes, J.E.; Smitherman, J.E.

1996-12-31

In May, 1994, approval was received for the development of the Panthere Gas Field and Lion Oil Field by UMC Petroleum Corporation as operator. At that time, UMC had drilled one well from a jackup at Panthere in 270 feet of water and had set a guyed caisson. Following the Panthere gas discovery, the Lion oil discovery well was drilled in 235 feet of water and another guyed caisson was set. Paragon Engineering Services had been hired in late 1993 to develop project scenarios and cost estimates and as the project evolved, detailed engineering, procurement and construction management services. Productionmore » equipment for 30,000 BOPD, 16,000 BWPD and 75 MMSCFD was to be installed on a jackup drilling rig converted to a Mobile Offshore Production Unit (MOPU) located at the Lion A caisson. Production from Panthere would flow through an 8-inch line to the MOPU. The production equipment on the MOPU would (1) separate oil, water and gas, (2) treat the oil for sale and the water for discharge, (3) pump the oil into an 8-inch pipeline to the refinery in Abidjan, (4) compress the oil well and gas well gas as needed, and (5) dehydrate it for sale. A CALM buoy with shuttle tanker was included in the original plan for early production and as a backup to the oil pipeline. It was also unknown at project initiation whether a gas sales contract would be successfully negotiated, and thus the project was to proceed on the basis of flaring produced gas with capability to add equipment at a later date for gas sales. This paper describes how the project was organized and how this organization allowed the project to accommodate changes and construction problems as they developed while completing the project on time.« less

Estimating Western U.S. Oil & Gas Emissions with OMI NO2 Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clifton, O. E.; Holloway, T.; Oberman, J.

2012-12-01

In the last ten years, there has been a steep increase in the number natural gas and oil extraction facilities in the United States due to hydraulic fracturing ("fracking"). Each facility requires a large range of equipment, such as drilling rigs, compressor engines, heaters, and pneumatic devices. These activities can lead to elevated nitrogen dioxide (NO2) emissions in rural areas, often in regions without routine NO2 surface monitoring. Furthermore, permitting rules vary from state to state, and many new extraction facilities are unpermitted and exact emissions unknown. On April 18, 2012, the EPA announced air pollution standards for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emissions from the oil and gas industry. Until 2015, when these standards must be in effect, NOx (NO2 + NO) will continue to react with VOCs to form unhealthy levels of tropospheric ozone in regions with heavy use of hydraulic fracturing. In order to identify areas of elevated NO2 emissions and constrain associated on-road and off-road sources in areas with prominent shale basins and known drilling, we employ remote sensing estimates of column NO2 from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) aboard NASA's Aura satellite. OMI NO2 is sensitive to the planetary boundary layer and to surface air pollution and thus has high temporal and spatial variation. These Level-2 satellite data are processed with the Wisconsin Horizontal Interpolation Program for Satellites (WHIPS), developed at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. We interpolate the data to allow further ease in mapping change in NO2 associated with drilling, and the quantification of pollution trends attributable to hydraulic-fracturing in the Western U.S. from 2004 to the present.

John B. "Jack" Townshend (1927-2012)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Love, Jeffrey J.; Finn, Carol A.

2012-01-01

Jack Townshend, geophysicist and dedicated public servant, died on 13 August 2012 in Fairbanks, Alaska. He was 85. Jack's career with the federal government, most of it with the national magnetic observatory program, spanned more than six solar cycles of time, and he retired only days before his death. The duration of Jack's career encompassed an important period in the history of the advancement of our understanding of the Earth. Jack's career of contributions, his life, and his personality are worthy of retrospective celebration.

Accuracy study of computer-assisted drilling: the effect of bone density, drill bit characteristics, and use of a mechanical guide.

PubMed

Hüfner, T; Geerling, J; Oldag, G; Richter, M; Kfuri, M; Pohlemann, T; Krettek, C

2005-01-01

This study was designed to determine the clinical relevant accuracy of CT-based navigation for drilling. Experimental model. Laboratory. Twelve drills of varying lengths and diameters were tested with 2 different set-ups. Group 1 used free-hand navigated drilling technique with foam blocks equipped with titanium target points. Group 2 (control) used a newly developed 3-dimensional measurement device equipped with titanium target points with a fixed entry for the navigated drill to minimize bending forces. One examiner performed 690 navigated drillings using solely the monitor screen for control in both groups. The difference between the planned and the actual starting and target point (up to 150 mm distance) was measured (mm). Levene test and a nonpaired t test. Significance level was set as P < 0.05. The core accuracy of the navigation system measured with the 3-dimensional device was 0.5 mm. The mean distance from planned to actual entry points in group 1 was 1.3 (range, 0.6-3.4 mm). The mean distance between planned and actual target point was 3.4 (range, 1.7-5.8 mm). Free-hand navigated drilling showed an increased difference with increased length of the drill bits as well as with increased drilling channel for drill bits 2.5 and 3.2 mm and not for 3.5 and 4.5 mm (P < 0.05). The core accuracy of the navigation system is high. Compared with the navigated free-hand technique, the results suggest that drill bit deflection interferes directly with the precision. The precision is decreased when using small diameter and longer drill bits.

Cyclophilin A-regulated ubiquitination is critical for RIG-I-mediated antiviral immune responses.

PubMed

Liu, Wei; Li, Jing; Zheng, Weinan; Shang, Yingli; Zhao, Zhendong; Wang, Shanshan; Bi, Yuhai; Zhang, Shuang; Xu, Chongfeng; Duan, Ziyuan; Zhang, Lianfeng; Wang, Yue L; Jiang, Zhengfan; Liu, Wenjun; Sun, Lei

2017-06-08

RIG-I is a key cytosolic pattern recognition receptor that interacts with MAVS to induce type I interferons (IFNs) against RNA virus infection. In this study, we found that cyclophilin A (CypA), a peptidyl-prolyl cis/trans isomerase, functioned as a critical positive regulator of RIG-I-mediated antiviral immune responses. Deficiency of CypA impaired RIG-I-mediated type I IFN production and promoted viral replication in human cells and mice. Upon Sendai virus infection, CypA increased the interaction between RIG-I and its E3 ubiquitin ligase TRIM25, leading to enhanced TRIM25-mediated K63-linked ubiquitination of RIG-I that facilitated recruitment of RIG-I to MAVS. In addition, CypA and TRIM25 competitively interacted with MAVS, thereby inhibiting TRIM25-induced K48-linked ubiquitination of MAVS. Taken together, our findings reveal an essential role of CypA in boosting RIG-I-mediated antiviral immune responses by controlling the ubiquitination of RIG-I and MAVS.

Design and Analysis of Tooth Impact Test Rig for Spur Gear

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghazali, Wafiuddin Bin Md; Aziz, Ismail Ali Bin Abdul; Daing Idris, Daing Mohamad Nafiz Bin; Ismail, Nurazima Binti; Sofian, Azizul Helmi Bin

2016-02-01

This paper is about the design and analysis of a prototype of tooth impact test rig for spur gear. The test rig was fabricated and analysis was conducted to study its’ limitation and capabilities. The design of the rig is analysed to ensure that there will be no problem occurring during the test and reliable data can be obtained. From the result of the analysis, the maximum amount of load that can be applied, the factor of safety of the machine, the stresses on the test rig parts were determined. This is important in the design consideration of the test rig. The materials used for the fabrication of the test rig were also discussed and analysed. MSC Nastran Patran software was used to analyse the model, which was designed by using SolidWorks 2014 software. Based from the results, there were limitations found from the initial design and the test rig design needs to be improved in order for the test rig to operate properly.

Ubiquitin-like modifier FAT10 attenuates RIG-I mediated antiviral signaling by segregating activated RIG-I from its signaling platform

PubMed Central

Nguyen, Nhung T.H.; Now, Hesung; Kim, Woo-Jong; Kim, Nari; Yoo, Joo-Yeon

2016-01-01

RIG-I is a key cytosolic RNA sensor that mediates innate immune defense against RNA virus. Aberrant RIG-I activity leads to severe pathological states such as autosomal dominant multi-system disorder, inflammatory myophathies and dermatomyositis. Therefore, identification of regulators that ensure efficient defense without harmful immune-pathology is particularly critical to deal with RIG-I-associated diseases. Here, we presented the inflammatory inducible FAT10 as a novel negative regulator of RIG-I-mediated inflammatory response. In various cell lines, FAT10 protein is undetectable unless it is induced by pro-inflammatory cytokines. FAT10 non-covalently associated with the 2CARD domain of RIG-I, and inhibited viral RNA-induced IRF3 and NF-kB activation through modulating the RIG-I protein solubility. We further demonstrated that FAT10 was recruited to RIG-I-TRIM25 to form an inhibitory complex where FAT10 was stabilized by E3 ligase TRIM25. As the result, FAT10 inhibited the antiviral stress granules formation contains RIG-I and sequestered the active RIG-I away from the mitochondria. Our study presented a novel mechanism to dampen RIG-I activity. Highly accumulated FAT10 is observed in various cancers with pro-inflammatory environment, therefore, our finding which uncovered the suppressive effect of the accumulated FAT10 during virus-mediated inflammatory response may also provide molecular clue to understand the carcinogenesis related with infection and inflammation. PMID:26996158

Paramyxovirus V Proteins Interact with the RIG-I/TRIM25 Regulatory Complex and Inhibit RIG-I Signaling.

PubMed

Sánchez-Aparicio, Maria T; Feinman, Leighland J; García-Sastre, Adolfo; Shaw, Megan L

2018-03-15

Paramyxovirus V proteins are known antagonists of the RIG-I-like receptor (RLR)-mediated interferon induction pathway, interacting with and inhibiting the RLR MDA5. We report interactions between the Nipah virus V protein and both RIG-I regulatory protein TRIM25 and RIG-I. We also observed interactions between these host proteins and the V proteins of measles virus, Sendai virus, and parainfluenza virus. These interactions are mediated by the conserved C-terminal domain of the V protein, which binds to the tandem caspase activation and recruitment domains (CARDs) of RIG-I (the region of TRIM25 ubiquitination) and to the SPRY domain of TRIM25, which mediates TRIM25 interaction with the RIG-I CARDs. Furthermore, we show that V interaction with TRIM25 and RIG-I prevents TRIM25-mediated ubiquitination of RIG-I and disrupts downstream RIG-I signaling to the mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein. This is a novel mechanism for innate immune inhibition by paramyxovirus V proteins, distinct from other known V protein functions such as MDA5 and STAT1 antagonism. IMPORTANCE The host RIG-I signaling pathway is a key early obstacle to paramyxovirus infection, as it results in rapid induction of an antiviral response. This study shows that paramyxovirus V proteins interact with and inhibit the activation of RIG-I, thereby interrupting the antiviral signaling pathway and facilitating virus replication. Copyright © 2018 American Society for Microbiology.

Ubiquitin-like modifier FAT10 attenuates RIG-I mediated antiviral signaling by segregating activated RIG-I from its signaling platform.

PubMed

Nguyen, Nhung T H; Now, Hesung; Kim, Woo-Jong; Kim, Nari; Yoo, Joo-Yeon

2016-03-21

RIG-I is a key cytosolic RNA sensor that mediates innate immune defense against RNA virus. Aberrant RIG-I activity leads to severe pathological states such as autosomal dominant multi-system disorder, inflammatory myophathies and dermatomyositis. Therefore, identification of regulators that ensure efficient defense without harmful immune-pathology is particularly critical to deal with RIG-I-associated diseases. Here, we presented the inflammatory inducible FAT10 as a novel negative regulator of RIG-I-mediated inflammatory response. In various cell lines, FAT10 protein is undetectable unless it is induced by pro-inflammatory cytokines. FAT10 non-covalently associated with the 2CARD domain of RIG-I, and inhibited viral RNA-induced IRF3 and NF-kB activation through modulating the RIG-I protein solubility. We further demonstrated that FAT10 was recruited to RIG-I-TRIM25 to form an inhibitory complex where FAT10 was stabilized by E3 ligase TRIM25. As the result, FAT10 inhibited the antiviral stress granules formation contains RIG-I and sequestered the active RIG-I away from the mitochondria. Our study presented a novel mechanism to dampen RIG-I activity. Highly accumulated FAT10 is observed in various cancers with pro-inflammatory environment, therefore, our finding which uncovered the suppressive effect of the accumulated FAT10 during virus-mediated inflammatory response may also provide molecular clue to understand the carcinogenesis related with infection and inflammation.

Lack of training threatening drilling talent supply

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Von Flatern, R.

When oil prices crashed in the mid-1980s, the industry tightened budgets. Among the austerity measures taken to survive the consequences of low product prices was an end to expensive, long-term investment training of drilling engineers. In the absence of traditional sources of trained drilling talent, forward-looking contractors are creating their own training programs. The paper describes the activities of some companies who are setting up their own training programs, and an alliance being set up by Chevron and Amoco for training. The paper also discusses training drilling managers, third-party trainers, and the consequences for the industry that does not renewmore » its inventory of people.« less

The $19.95 Solution to Large Group Telephone Interviews with Special Speakers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robinson, George H.

1998-01-01

Describes an inexpensive solution for holding large-group telephone interviews, listing the equipment needed (record control, telephone, phone line with modular jack, portable amplifier with microphone-level input jack, audio cable with jack and plug compatible with the microphone input jack on the amplifier) and providing directions for setup.…

46 CFR 134.150 - Liftboat-jacking systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Liftboat-jacking systems. 134.150 Section 134.150... FOR LIFTBOATS § 134.150 Liftboat-jacking systems. (a) For this subchapter, liftboat jacking systems are vital systems and must comply with Sections 4/1.13.1 through 4/1.13.3 of the ABS's “Rules for...

46 CFR 134.150 - Liftboat-jacking systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Liftboat-jacking systems. 134.150 Section 134.150... FOR LIFTBOATS § 134.150 Liftboat-jacking systems. (a) For this subchapter, liftboat jacking systems are vital systems and must comply with Sections 4/1.13.1 through 4/1.13.3 of the ABS's “Rules for...

Phosphorylation-mediated negative regulation of RIG-I antiviral activity.

PubMed

Gack, Michaela U; Nistal-Villán, Estanislao; Inn, Kyung-Soo; García-Sastre, Adolfo; Jung, Jae U

2010-04-01

Recognition of invading viruses by the host is elicited by cellular sensors which trigger signaling cascades that lead to type I interferon (IFN) gene expression. Retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) has emerged as a key receptor for the detection of viral RNA in the cytosol, inducing IFN-mediated innate immune responses to limit viral replication through its interaction with MAVS (also called IPS-1, CARDIF, or VISA). Upon the recognition of viral RNA, the Lys-172 residue of RIG-I undergoes ubiquitination induced by tripartite motif protein 25 (TRIM25), an essential protein for antiviral signal transduction. Here we demonstrate that phosphorylation represents another regulatory mechanism for RIG-I-mediated antiviral activity. Using protein purification and mass spectrometry analysis, we identified three phosphorylation sites in the amino-terminal caspase recruitment domains (CARDs) of RIG-I. One of these residues, Thr-170, is located in close proximity to Lys-172, and we speculated that its phosphorylation may affect Lys-172 ubiquitination and functional activation of RIG-I. Indeed, a RIG-I mutant carrying a phosphomimetic Glu residue in place of Thr-170 loses TRIM25 binding, Lys-172 ubiquitination, MAVS binding, and downstream signaling ability. This suggests that phosphorylation of RIG-I at Thr-170 inhibits RIG-I-mediated antiviral signal transduction. Immunoblot analysis with a phospho-specific antibody showed that the phosphorylation of the RIG-I Thr-170 residue is present under normal conditions but rapidly declines upon viral infection. Our results indicate that Thr-170 phosphorylation and TRIM25-mediated Lys-172 ubiquitination of RIG-I functionally antagonize each other. While Thr-170 phosphorylation keeps RIG-I latent, Lys-172 ubiquitination enables RIG-I to form a stable complex with MAVS, thereby inducing IFN signal transduction.

High Pressure Low NOx Emissions Research: Recent Progress at NASA Glenn Research Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chi-Ming, Lee; Tacina, Kathleen M.; Wey, Changlie

2007-01-01

In collaboration with U.S. aircraft engine companies, NASA Glenn Research Center has contributed to the advancement of low emissions combustion systems. For the High Speed Research Program (HSR), a 90% reduction in nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions (relative to the then-current state of the art) has been demonstrated in sector rig testing at General Electric Aircraft Engines (GEAE). For the Advanced Subsonic Technology Program (AST), a 50% reduction in NOx emissions relative to the 1996 International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards has been at demonstrated in sector rigs at both GEAE and Pratt & Whitney (P&W). During the Ultra Efficient Engine Technology Program (UEET), a 70% reduction in NOx emissions, relative to the 1996 ICAO standards, was achieved in sector rig testing at Glenn in the world class Advanced Subsonic Combustion Rig (ASCR) and at contractor facilities. Low NOx combustor development continues under the Fundamental Aeronautics Program. To achieve these reductions, experimental and analytical research has been conducted to advance the understanding of emissions formation in combustion processes. Lean direct injection (LDI) concept development uses advanced laser-based non-intrusive diagnostics and analytical work to complement the emissions measurements and to provide guidance for concept improvement. This paper describes emissions results from flametube tests of a 9- injection-point LDI fuel/air mixer tested at inlet pressures up to 5500 kPa. Sample results from CFD and laser diagnostics are also discussed.

NASA Glenn High Pressure Low NOx Emissions Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tacina, Kathleen M.; Wey, Changlie

2008-01-01

In collaboration with U.S. aircraft engine companies, NASA Glenn Research Center has contributed to the advancement of low emissions combustion systems. For the High Speed Research Program (HSR), a 90% reduction in nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions (relative to the then-current state of the art) has been demonstrated in sector rig testing at General Electric Aircraft Engines (GEAE). For the Advanced Subsonic Technology Program (AST), a 50% reduction in NOx emissions relative to the 1996 International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards has been demonstrated in sector rigs at both GEAE and Pratt & Whitney (P&W). During the Ultra Efficient Engine Technology Program (UEET), a 70% reduction in NOx emissions, relative to the 1996 ICAO standards, was achieved in sector rig testing at Glenn in the world class Advanced Subsonic Combustion Rig (ASCR) and at contractor facilities. Low NOx combustor development continues under the Fundamental Aeronautics Program. To achieve these reductions, experimental and analytical research has been conducted to advance the understanding of emissions formation in combustion processes. Lean direct injection (LDI) concept development uses advanced laser-based non-intrusive diagnostics and analytical work to complement the emissions measurements and to provide guidance for concept improvement. This paper describes emissions results from flametube tests of a 9-injection-point LDI fuel/air mixer tested at inlet pressures up to 5500 kPa. Sample results from CFD and laser diagnostics are also discussed.

Long-term Outcome of Multiple Small-diameter Drilling Decompression Combined with Hip Arthroscopy versus Drilling Alone for Early Avascular Necrosis of the Femoral Head

PubMed Central

Li, Ji; Li, Zhong-Li; Zhang, Hao; Su, Xiang-Zheng; Wang, Ke-Tao; Yang, Yi-Meng

2017-01-01

Background: Avascular necrosis of femoral head (AVNFH) typically presents in the young adults and progresses quickly without proper treatments. However, the optimum treatments for early stage of AVNFH are still controversial. This study was conducted to evaluate the therapeutic effects of multiple small-diameter drilling decompression combined with hip arthroscopy for early AVNFH compared to drilling alone. Methods: This is a nonrandomized retrospective case series study. Between April 2006 and November 2010, 60 patients (98 hips) with early stage AVNFH participated in this study. The patients underwent multiple small-diameter drilling decompression combined with hip arthroscopy in 26 cases/43 hips (Group A) or drilling decompression alone in 34 cases/55 hips (Group B). Patients were followed up at 6, 12, and 24 weeks, and every 6 months thereafter. Radiographs were taken at every follow-up, Harris scores were recorded at the last follow-up, the paired t-test was used to compare the postoperative Harris scores. Surgery effective rate of the two groups was compared using the Chi-square test. Results: All patients were followed up for an average of 57.6 months (range: 17–108 months). Pain relief and improvement of hip function were assessed in all patients at 6 months after the surgery. At the last follow-up, Group A had better outcome with mean Harris’ scores improved from 68.23 ± 11.37 to 82.07 ± 2.92 (t = −7.21, P = 0.001) than Group B with mean Harris’ scores improved from 69.46 ± 9.71 to 75.79 ± 4.13 (t = –9.47, P = 0.037) (significantly different: t = –2.54, P = 0.017). The total surgery effective rate was also significantly different between Groups A and B (86.0% vs. 74.5%; χ2 = 3.69, P = 0.02). Conclusion: For early stage of AVNFH, multiple small-diameter drilling decompression combined with hip arthroscopy is more effective than drilling decompression alone. PMID:28584206

Psychoanalysis of Jack London's "The Call of the Wild" and "White Fang"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yang, Hongyan

2015-01-01

"The Call of the Wild" and "White Fang" both are masterpieces of Jack London. The protagonists Buck and White Fang are the incarnation of Jack himself to some extent for the two novels reveal a great deal of the writer. This essay aims at psychoanalyzing Jack London's creative process, the Oedipus complex and the confliction…

21 CFR 133.154 - High-moisture jack cheese.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 2 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false High-moisture jack cheese. 133.154 Section 133.154... Cheese and Related Products § 133.154 High-moisture jack cheese. High-moisture jack cheese conforms to... ingredients prescribed for monterey cheese by § 133.153, except that its moisture content is more than 44...

21 CFR 133.154 - High-moisture jack cheese.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 2 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false High-moisture jack cheese. 133.154 Section 133.154... Cheese and Related Products § 133.154 High-moisture jack cheese. High-moisture jack cheese conforms to... ingredients prescribed for monterey cheese by § 133.153, except that its moisture content is more than 44...

21 CFR 133.154 - High-moisture jack cheese.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 2 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false High-moisture jack cheese. 133.154 Section 133.154... Cheese and Related Products § 133.154 High-moisture jack cheese. High-moisture jack cheese conforms to... ingredients prescribed for monterey cheese by § 133.153, except that its moisture content is more than 44...

Jack & the Video Camera

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Charlan, Nathan

2010-01-01

This article narrates how the use of video camera has transformed the life of Jack Williams, a 10-year-old boy from Colorado Springs, Colorado, who has autism. The way autism affected Jack was unique. For the first nine years of his life, Jack remained in his world, alone. Functionally non-verbal and with motor skill problems that affected his…

75 FR 32357 - Gallatin National Forest; Montana; Jack Rabbit to Big Sky Meadow Village 161 kV Transmission Line...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-08

... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Forest Service Gallatin National Forest; Montana; Jack Rabbit to Big Sky... electric transmission line. The upgraded 161-kV transmission line would connect the existing Jack Rabbit... with eight regional entities to improve the reliability of the bulk power system. The Jack Rabbit to...

Rolling-element fatigue life with traction fluids and automatic transmission fluid in a high-speed rolling-contact rig

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parker, R. J.; Nahm, A. H.; Loewenthal, S. H.

1982-01-01

Rolling-element fatigue tests were run in standard and high-speed rolling-contact rigs at bar speeds from 5000 to 50,000 rpm to determine the effects of speed and lubricant film parameter on rolling-element fatigue life. AISI 52100 test bars were tested at a maximum Hertz stress of 4.83 GPa (700,000 psi) with three traction fluids and an automatic transmission fluid. Rolling-element fatigue life increased with speed, with the greatest increases occurring from 10,000 to 50,000 rpm. The life data tended to follow published life-versus-lubricant-film-parameter data up to a film parameter of approximately 3.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hepworth, J.C.; Foss, M.M.

The fifth Energy and Minerals Field Institute program for Washington, D.C. Congressional and Executive Aides was held during August 15-21, 1982. The five-and-one-half day program was conducted through Wyoming, Colorado and Utah and consisted of visits to: an R and D tertiary petroleum production facility; an historic oil field entering secondary production; a surface uranium mine; a petroleum exploration drilling rig; a surface coal mine; an air cooled, coal-fired power plant; an oil shale site; a geothermal-electrical generating facility; and open pit copper mine and associated smelter and refinery; a petroleum refinery and an oil shale semi-works retort. During themore » field program, participants had opportunities to view communities affected by these activities, such as Wright City and Gillette, Wyoming, Parachute, Colorado and Milford and Cedar City, Utah. Throughout the program, aides met with local, state and industry officials and citizen leaders during bus rides, meals and site visits.« less

Druzhba feasibility study: Barsukov and Tarasov fields, 1995. Barsukov and Tarasov production histories western equipment. Export trade information

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1996-01-03

The study, conducted by NEFT, was funded by the U.S. Trade and Development Agency. The report shows the results of a feasibility study conducted for the rehabilitation of oil wells in Baruskov and Tarasov fields. The objectives of the study include a plan for improving well and waterflood performance, and to determine materials and equipment needed. The report also covers capital and operating costs, as well as an evaluation of project economics based on Russian law. This is Volume 2 of the study containing Production Histories-Western Equipment. It is divided into the following sections: (1) Job Descriptions; (2) Barsukov Histories/Logs;more » (3) Tarasov Histories/Logs; (4) Taxes Paid by PNG; (5) Vendors Literature; (6) Rigs; (7) Liners; (8) Directional Drilling; (9) Mechanical Perforating; (10) Camps; (11) Pumps; (12) Fishing; (13) Downhole Oil/Water Separator; (14) Plastic.« less

High precision and high aspect ratio laser drilling: challenges and solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uchtmann, Hermann; He, Chao; Gillner, Arnold

2016-03-01

Laser drilling is a very versatile tool to produce high accuracy bores in small and large geometries using different technologies. In large and deep hole drilling laser drilling can be found in drilling cooling holes into turbomachinery components such as turbine blades. In micro drilling, the technology is used for the generation of nozzles and filters. However, especially in macro drilling, the process often causes microstructure changes and induces defects such as recast layers and cracks. The defects are caused by the melt dominated drilling process by using pulse durations in the range of some 100 μm up to a few ms. A solution of this problem is the use of ultrashort pulsed laser radiation with pulse durations in the range of some 100 fs up to a few ps, however with the disadvantage of long drilling times. Thus, the aim of this work is to combine the productive process by using ms pulsed fiber laser radiation with subsequent ablation of existing recast layers at the hole wall by using ultrashort pulsed laser radiation. By using fast scanning techniques the recast layer can be avoided almost completely. With a similar technology also very small hole can be produced. Using a rotating dove prism a circular oscillation of the laser spots is performed and holes are drilled at intervals in 1 mm thick stainless steel (1.4301) by ultra-short laser pulses of 7 ps at 515 nm. The formation of hole and the behavior of energy deposition differ from other drilling strategies due to the helical revolution. The temporal evolution of the hole shape is analyzed by means of SEM techniques from which three drilling phases can be distinguished.

TRIM25 RING-finger E3 ubiquitin ligase is essential for RIG-I-mediated antiviral activity.

PubMed

Gack, Michaela U; Shin, Young C; Joo, Chul-Hyun; Urano, Tomohiko; Liang, Chengyu; Sun, Lijun; Takeuchi, Osamu; Akira, Shizuo; Chen, Zhijian; Inoue, Satoshi; Jung, Jae U

2007-04-19

Retinoic-acid-inducible gene-I (RIG-I; also called DDX58) is a cytosolic viral RNA receptor that interacts with MAVS (also called VISA, IPS-1 or Cardif) to induce type I interferon-mediated host protective innate immunity against viral infection. Furthermore, members of the tripartite motif (TRIM) protein family, which contain a cluster of a RING-finger domain, a B box/coiled-coil domain and a SPRY domain, are involved in various cellular processes, including cell proliferation and antiviral activity. Here we report that the amino-terminal caspase recruitment domains (CARDs) of RIG-I undergo robust ubiquitination induced by TRIM25 in mammalian cells. The carboxy-terminal SPRY domain of TRIM25 interacts with the N-terminal CARDs of RIG-I; this interaction effectively delivers the Lys 63-linked ubiquitin moiety to the N-terminal CARDs of RIG-I, resulting in a marked increase in RIG-I downstream signalling activity. The Lys 172 residue of RIG-I is critical for efficient TRIM25-mediated ubiquitination and for MAVS binding, as well as the ability of RIG-I to induce antiviral signal transduction. Furthermore, gene targeting demonstrates that TRIM25 is essential not only for RIG-I ubiquitination but also for RIG-I-mediated interferon- production and antiviral activity in response to RNA virus infection. Thus, we demonstrate that TRIM25 E3 ubiquitin ligase induces the Lys 63-linked ubiquitination of RIG-I, which is crucial for the cytosolic RIG-I signalling pathway to elicit host antiviral innate immunity.

In-vitro analysis of forces in conventional and ultrasonically assisted drilling of bone.

PubMed

Alam, K; Hassan, Edris; Imran, Syed Husain; Khan, Mushtaq

2016-05-12

Drilling of bone is widely performed in orthopaedics for repair and reconstruction of bone. Current paper is focused on the efforts to minimize force generation during the drilling process. Ultrasonically Assisted Drilling (UAD) is a possible option to replace Conventional Drilling (CD) in bone surgical procedures. The purpose of this study was to investigate and analyze the effect of drilling parameters and ultrasonic parameters on the level of drilling thrust force in the presence of water irrigation. Drilling tests were performed on young bovine femoral bone using different parameters such as spindle speeds, feed rates, coolant flow rates, frequency and amplitudes of vibrations. The drilling force was significantly dropped with increase in drill rotation speed in both types of drilling. Increase in feed rate was more influential in raising the drilling force in CD compared to UAD. The force was significantly dropped when ultrasonic vibrations up to 10 kHz were imposed on the drill. The drill force was found to be unaffected by the range of amplitudes and the amount of water supplied to the drilling region in UAD. Low frequency vibrations with irrigation can be successfully used for safe and efficient drilling in bone.

Cyclophilin A-regulated ubiquitination is critical for RIG-I-mediated antiviral immune responses

PubMed Central

Liu, Wei; Li, Jing; Zheng, Weinan; Shang, Yingli; Zhao, Zhendong; Wang, Shanshan; Bi, Yuhai; Zhang, Shuang; Xu, Chongfeng; Duan, Ziyuan; Zhang, Lianfeng; Wang, Yue L; Jiang, Zhengfan; Liu, Wenjun; Sun, Lei

2017-01-01

RIG-I is a key cytosolic pattern recognition receptor that interacts with MAVS to induce type I interferons (IFNs) against RNA virus infection. In this study, we found that cyclophilin A (CypA), a peptidyl-prolyl cis/trans isomerase, functioned as a critical positive regulator of RIG-I-mediated antiviral immune responses. Deficiency of CypA impaired RIG-I-mediated type I IFN production and promoted viral replication in human cells and mice. Upon Sendai virus infection, CypA increased the interaction between RIG-I and its E3 ubiquitin ligase TRIM25, leading to enhanced TRIM25-mediated K63-linked ubiquitination of RIG-I that facilitated recruitment of RIG-I to MAVS. In addition, CypA and TRIM25 competitively interacted with MAVS, thereby inhibiting TRIM25-induced K48-linked ubiquitination of MAVS. Taken together, our findings reveal an essential role of CypA in boosting RIG-I-mediated antiviral immune responses by controlling the ubiquitination of RIG-I and MAVS. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.24425.001 PMID:28594325

Antiviral activity of human oligoadenylate synthetases-like (OASL) is mediated by enhancing retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) signaling

PubMed Central

Zhu, Jianzhong; Zhang, Yugen; Ghosh, Arundhati; Cuevas, Rolando A.; Forero, Adriana; Dhar, Jayeeta; Ibsen, Mikkel Søes; Schmid-Burgk, Jonathan Leo; Schmidt, Tobias; Ganapathiraju, Madhavi K.; Fujita, Takashi; Hartmann, Rune; Barik, Sailen; Hornung, Veit; Coyne, Carolyn B.; Sarkar, Saumendra N.

2014-01-01

SUMMARY Virus infection is sensed in the cytoplasm by retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I, also known as DDX58), which requires RNA and polyubiquitin binding to induce type I interferon (IFN), and activate cellular innate immunity. We show that the human IFN-inducible oligoadenylate synthetases-like (OASL) protein had antiviral activity and mediated RIG-I activation by mimicking polyubiquitin. Loss of OASL expression reduced RIG-I signaling and enhanced virus replication in human cells. Conversely, OASL expression suppressed replication of a number of viruses in a RIG-I-dependent manner and enhanced RIG-I-mediated IFN induction. OASL interacted and colocalized with RIG-I, and through its C-terminal ubiquitin-like domain specifically enhanced RIG-I signaling. Bone marrow derived macrophages from mice deficient for Oasl2 showed that among the two mouse orthologs of human OASL; Oasl2 is functionally similar to human OASL. Our findings show a mechanism by which human OASL contributes to host antiviral responses by enhancing RIG-I activation. PMID:24931123

Structural features of influenza A virus panhandle RNA enabling the activation of RIG-I independently of 5′-triphosphate

PubMed Central

Lee, Mi-Kyung; Kim, Hee-Eun; Park, Eun-Byeol; Lee, Janghyun; Kim, Ki-Hun; Lim, Kyungeun; Yum, Seoyun; Lee, Young-Hoon; Kang, Suk-Jo; Lee, Joon-Hwa; Choi, Byong-Seok

2016-01-01

Retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) recognizes specific molecular patterns of viral RNAs for inducing type I interferon. The C-terminal domain (CTD) of RIG-I binds to double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) with the 5′-triphosphate (5′-PPP), which induces a conformational change in RIG-I to an active form. It has been suggested that RIG-I detects infection of influenza A virus by recognizing the 5′-triphosphorylated panhandle structure of the viral RNA genome. Influenza panhandle RNA has a unique structure with a sharp helical bending. In spite of extensive studies of how viral RNAs activate RIG-I, whether the structural elements of the influenza panhandle RNA confer the ability to activate RIG-I signaling has been poorly explored. Here, we investigated the dynamics of the influenza panhandle RNA in complex with RIG-I CTD using NMR spectroscopy and showed that the bending structure of the panhandle RNA negates the requirement of a 5′-PPP moiety for RIG-I activation. PMID:27288441

Involvement of zebrafish RIG-I in NF-κB and IFN signaling pathways: insights into functional conservation of RIG-I in antiviral innate immunity.

PubMed

Nie, Li; Zhang, Ying-sheng; Dong, Wei-ren; Xiang, Li-xin; Shao, Jian-zhong

2015-01-01

The retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) is a critical sensor for host recognition of RNA virus infection and initiation of antiviral signaling pathways in mammals. However, data on the occurrence and functions of this molecule in lower vertebrates are limited. In this study, we characterized an RIG-I homolog (DrRIG-I) from zebrafish. Structurally, this DrRIG-I shares a number of conserved functional domains/motifs with its mammalian counterparts, namely, caspase activation and recruitment domain, DExD/H box, a helicase domain, and a C-terminal domain. Functionally, stimulation with DrRIG-I CARD in zebrafish embryos significantly activated the NF-κB and IFN signaling pathways, leading to the expression of TNF-α, IL-8 and IFN-induced Mx, ISG15, and viperin. However, knockdown of TRIM25 (a pivotal activator for RIG-I receptors) significantly suppressed the induced activation of IFN signaling. Results suggested the functional conservation of RIG-I receptors in the NF-κB and IFN signaling pathways between teleosts and mammals, providing a perspective into the evolutionary history of RIG-I-mediated antiviral innate immunity. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Recollections of Jack Michael and the Application of Skinner's Analysis of Verbal Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sundberg, Mark L.

2017-01-01

Jack Michael offered a course on verbal behavior almost every year throughout his teaching career. Jack was also interested in the application of Skinner's work and in 1976 began to offer a graduate course at Western Michigan University titled Verbal Behavior Applications. Jack and his students pursued the application of Skinner's work on verbal…

AmeriFlux CA-SJ3 Saskatchewan - Western Boreal, Jack Pine forest harvested in 1975 (BOREAS Young Jack Pine)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Barr, Alan

This is the AmeriFlux version of the carbon flux data for the site CA-SJ3 Saskatchewan - Western Boreal, Jack Pine forest harvested in 1975 (BOREAS Young Jack Pine). Site Description - 53.87581° N, 104.64529° W, BOREAS 1994, 1996, BERMS climate and flux measurements to begin Spring 2003

Fire effects in northeastern forests: jack pine.

Treesearch

Cary Rouse

1986-01-01

The jack pine ecosystem has evolved through fire. Jack pine, although easily killed by fire, has developed serotinous cones that depend upon high heat to open and release the seeds. Without a fire to enable the cones to open, jack pine would be replaced by another species. Prescribed fire can be an economical management tool for site preparation in either a natural...

Drill pipe threaded nipple connection design development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saruev, A. L.; Saruev, L. A.; Vasenin, S. S.

2015-11-01

The paper presents the analysis of the behavior of the drill pipe nipple connection under the additional load generated by power pulses. The strain wave propagation through the nipple thread connection of drill pipes to the bottomhole is studied in this paper. The improved design of the nipple thread connection is suggested using the obtained experimental and theoretical data. The suggested connection design allows not only the efficient transmission of strain wave energy to a drill bit but also the automation of making-up and breaking-out drill pipes.

Curiosity Successfully Drills "Duluth"

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-05-23

A close-up image of a 2-inch-deep hole produced using a new drilling technique for NASA's Curiosity rover. The hole is about 0.6 inches (1.6 centimeters) in diameter. This image was taken by Curiosity's Mast Camera (Mastcam) on Sol 2057. It has been white balanced and contrast-enhanced. Curiosity drilled this hole in a target called "Duluth" on May 20, 2018. It was the first rock sample captured by the drill since October 2016. A mechanical issue took the drill offline in December 2016. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA22326

Smart laser hole drilling for gas turbine combustors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laraque, Edy

1991-04-01

A smart laser drilling system, which incorporates air flow inspection-in-process of the holes and intelligent real-time process parameter corrections, is described. The system along with good laser parameter developments is proved to be efficient for producing cooling holes which meet the highest aeronautical standards. To date, the system is used for percussion drilling of combustion chamber cooling holes. The system is considered to be very economical due to the drilling-on-the-fly capability that is capable of drilling up to 3 holes of 0.025-in. dia. per second.

Determining the effect of different cooking methods on the nutritional composition of salmon (Salmo salar) and chilean jack mackerel (Trachurus murphyi) fillets.

PubMed

Bastías, José M; Balladares, Pamela; Acuña, Sergio; Quevedo, Roberto; Muñoz, Ociel

2017-01-01

The effect of four cooking methods was evaluated for proximate composition, fatty acid, calcium, iron, and zinc content in salmon and Chilean jack mackerel. The moisture content of steamed salmon decreased (64.94%) compared to the control (68.05%); a significant decrease was observed in Chilean jack mackerel in all the treatments when compared to the control (75.37%). Protein content in both salmon and Chilean jack mackerel significantly increased under the different treatments while the most significant decrease in lipids was found in oven cooking and canning for salmon and microwaving for Chilean jack mackerel. Ash concentration in both salmon and Chilean jack mackerel did not reveal any significant differences. Iron and calcium content only had significant changes in steaming while zinc did not undergo any significant changes in the different treatments. Finally, no drastic changes were observed in the fatty acid profile in both salmon and Chilean jack mackerel.

Determining the effect of different cooking methods on the nutritional composition of salmon (Salmo salar) and chilean jack mackerel (Trachurus murphyi) fillets

PubMed Central

Balladares, Pamela; Acuña, Sergio; Quevedo, Roberto; Muñoz, Ociel

2017-01-01

The effect of four cooking methods was evaluated for proximate composition, fatty acid, calcium, iron, and zinc content in salmon and Chilean jack mackerel. The moisture content of steamed salmon decreased (64.94%) compared to the control (68.05%); a significant decrease was observed in Chilean jack mackerel in all the treatments when compared to the control (75.37%). Protein content in both salmon and Chilean jack mackerel significantly increased under the different treatments while the most significant decrease in lipids was found in oven cooking and canning for salmon and microwaving for Chilean jack mackerel. Ash concentration in both salmon and Chilean jack mackerel did not reveal any significant differences. Iron and calcium content only had significant changes in steaming while zinc did not undergo any significant changes in the different treatments. Finally, no drastic changes were observed in the fatty acid profile in both salmon and Chilean jack mackerel. PMID:28686742

10' x 10' Supersonic Wind Tunnel Flexwall

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-08-10

The flexwall section of NASA Glenn’s 10x10 supersonic wind tunnel is made up of two movable flexible steel sidewalls. These powerful hydraulic jacks move the walls in and out to control supersonic air speeds in the test section between Mach 2.0 and 3.5.

Investigation of Flow Conditioners for Compact Jet Engine Simulator Rig Noise Reduction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Doty, Michael J.; Haskin, Henry H.

2011-01-01

The design requirements for two new Compact Jet Engine Simulator (CJES) units for upcoming wind tunnel testing lead to the distinct possibility of rig noise contamination. The acoustic and aerodynamic properties of several flow conditioner devices are investigated over a range of operating conditions relevant to the CJES units to mitigate the risk of rig noise. An impinging jet broadband noise source is placed in the upstream plenum of the test facility permitting measurements of not only flow conditioner self-noise, but also noise attenuation characteristics. Several perforated plate and honeycomb samples of high porosity show minimal self-noise but also minimal attenuation capability. Conversely, low porosity perforated plate and sintered wire mesh conditioners exhibit noticeable attenuation but also unacceptable self-noise. One fine wire mesh sample (DP450661) shows minimal selfnoise and reasonable attenuation, particularly when combined in series with a 15.6 percent open area (POA) perforated plate upstream. This configuration is the preferred flow conditioner system for the CJES, providing up to 20 dB of broadband attenuation capability with minimal self-noise.

Engineering geology studies in the National Petroleum Reserve, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kachadoorian, Reuben; Crory, F.E.

1984-01-01

Engineering geology studies were conducted in direct support of the exploration program in the National Petroleum Reserve, Alaska. The studies included laboratory and field tests and observations to address design and construction problems of airfields, roads, drill pads and foundations, and to evaluate their actual performance. Permafrost containing large amounts of near surface ground ice as wedges, masses, and intergranular ice, required that all construction activity not disturb the thermal regime of the ground surface, which could lead to thaw of permafrost and ground subsidence. Summer activity, therefore was not allowable, yet the winter climate was so harsh that winter work was slow and inefficient. To allow summer operations at well sites planned for all year activity, it was necessary to adapt existing techniques for arctic construction and to devise new ones. The design and construction of facilities at the deep exploration wells at Inigok, Tunalik, and Lisburne posed the greatest challenge. These sites, requiring a year or more to drill, could only be attempted if continuous access to drilling and logistic supplies could be assured throughout the year, including the possibility of bringing in another drill rig, in the event of a blowout. Thus all-seasons airstrips were required at these wells. Sufficient quantities of local gravel were not readily available at the Inigok and Tunalik sites to construct the airstrips with the required 6 feet or more of gravel to prevent the underlying permafrost from thawing. Therefore, insulation was used to maintain the subbase of local sands in a continuously frozen state, which in turn was overlain by 15 inches of gravel or sandy gravel. Tests at the U.S. Army Waterways Experimental Station defined the minimum thickness of gravel required above the insulation to provide the desired bearing capacity for the C-130 type aircraft without crushing the insulation. Field testing also included the evaluation of another design option, using military landing mat underlain by insulation. Temperature recording devices were installed beneath the landing mat test sections, insulated runways, roads, drill pads, and reserve pits, to monitor the actual conditions and confirm the design assumptions. Investigations of thaw-settlement, erosion, and revegetation of all areas affected by construction were also conducted in anticipation of abandoning the sites, or, upgrading the facilities in the event the design life was extended.

Energy Return on Investment (EROI) for Forty Global Oilfields Using a Detailed Engineering-Based Model of Oil Production.

PubMed

Brandt, Adam R; Sun, Yuchi; Bharadwaj, Sharad; Livingston, David; Tan, Eugene; Gordon, Deborah

2015-01-01

Studies of the energy return on investment (EROI) for oil production generally rely on aggregated statistics for large regions or countries. In order to better understand the drivers of the energy productivity of oil production, we use a novel approach that applies a detailed field-level engineering model of oil and gas production to estimate energy requirements of drilling, producing, processing, and transporting crude oil. We examine 40 global oilfields, utilizing detailed data for each field from hundreds of technical and scientific data sources. Resulting net energy return (NER) ratios for studied oil fields range from ≈2 to ≈100 MJ crude oil produced per MJ of total fuels consumed. External energy return (EER) ratios, which compare energy produced to energy consumed from external sources, exceed 1000:1 for fields that are largely self-sufficient. The lowest energy returns are found to come from thermally-enhanced oil recovery technologies. Results are generally insensitive to reasonable ranges of assumptions explored in sensitivity analysis. Fields with very large associated gas production are sensitive to assumptions about surface fluids processing due to the shifts in energy consumed under different gas treatment configurations. This model does not currently include energy invested in building oilfield capital equipment (e.g., drilling rigs), nor does it include other indirect energy uses such as labor or services.

The AirWaterGas Teacher Professional Development Program: Lessons Learned by Pairing Scientists and Teachers to Develop Curriculum on Global Climate Change and Regional Unconventional Oil and Gas Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gardiner, L. S.; Hatheway, B.; Rogers, J. D.; Casey, J. G.; Lackey, G.; Birdsell, D.; Brown, K.; Polmear, M.; Capps, S.; Rosenblum, J.; Sitterley, K.; Hafich, K. A.; Hannigan, M.; Knight, D.

2015-12-01

The AirWaterGas Teacher Professional Development Program, run by the UCAR Center for Science Education, brought together scientists and secondary science teachers in a yearlong program culminating in the development of curriculum related to the impacts of unconventional oil and gas development. Graduate students and research scientists taught about their research area and its relationship to oil and gas throughout three online courses during the 2015-16 school year, during which teachers and scientists engaged in active online discussions. Topics covered included climate change, oil and gas infrastructure, air quality, water quality, public health, and practices and policies relating to oil and gas development. Building upon their initial online interactions and a face-to-face meeting in March, teachers were paired with appropriate AirWaterGas team members as science advisors during a month-long residency in Boulder, Colorado. During the residency, graduate student scientists provided resources and feedback as teachers developed curriculum projects in collaboration with each other and UCAR science educators. Additionally, teachers and AirWaterGas researchers shared experiences on an oil and gas well site tour, and a short course on drilling methods with a drilling rig simulator. Here, we share lessons learned from both sides of the aisle, including initial results from program assessment conducted with the participating teachers.

Energy Return on Investment (EROI) for Forty Global Oilfields Using a Detailed Engineering-Based Model of Oil Production

PubMed Central

Brandt, Adam R.; Sun, Yuchi; Bharadwaj, Sharad; Livingston, David; Tan, Eugene; Gordon, Deborah

2015-01-01

Studies of the energy return on investment (EROI) for oil production generally rely on aggregated statistics for large regions or countries. In order to better understand the drivers of the energy productivity of oil production, we use a novel approach that applies a detailed field-level engineering model of oil and gas production to estimate energy requirements of drilling, producing, processing, and transporting crude oil. We examine 40 global oilfields, utilizing detailed data for each field from hundreds of technical and scientific data sources. Resulting net energy return (NER) ratios for studied oil fields range from ≈2 to ≈100 MJ crude oil produced per MJ of total fuels consumed. External energy return (EER) ratios, which compare energy produced to energy consumed from external sources, exceed 1000:1 for fields that are largely self-sufficient. The lowest energy returns are found to come from thermally-enhanced oil recovery technologies. Results are generally insensitive to reasonable ranges of assumptions explored in sensitivity analysis. Fields with very large associated gas production are sensitive to assumptions about surface fluids processing due to the shifts in energy consumed under different gas treatment configurations. This model does not currently include energy invested in building oilfield capital equipment (e.g., drilling rigs), nor does it include other indirect energy uses such as labor or services. PMID:26695068

Comparison of peri-implant bone loss between conventional drilling with irrigation versus low-speed drilling without irrigation.

PubMed

Pellicer-Chover, H; Peñarrocha-Oltra, D; Aloy-Prosper, A; Sanchis-Gonzalez, J-C; Peñarrocha-Diago, M-A; Peñarrocha-Diago, M

2017-11-01

To compare the technique of high speed drilling with irrigation and low speed drilling without irrigation in order to evaluate the success rate and peri-implant bone loss at 12 months of follow-up. A randomized, controlled, parallel-group clinical trial was carried out in patients requiring dental implants to rehabilitate their unitary edentulism. Patients were recruited from the Oral Surgery Unit of the University of Valencia (Spain) between September 2014 and August 2015. Patients who met the inclusion criteria were randomized to two groups: group A (high-speed drilling with irrigation) and group B (low-speed drilling without irrigation). The success rate and peri-implant bone loss were recorded at 12 months of follow-up. Twenty-five patients (9 men and 16 women) with 30 implants were enrolled in the study: 15 implants in group A and 15 implants in group B. The mean bone loss of the implants in group A and group B was 0.83 ± 0.73 mm and 0.62 ± 0.70 mm, respectively (p> 0.05). In the maxilla, the bone loss was 1.04 ± 0.63 mm in group A and 0.71 ± 0.36 mm in group B (p> 0.05), while bone loss in the mandible was 0.59 ± 0.80 mm in group A and 0.69 ± 0.77 mm in group B (p> 0.05). The implant success rate at 12 months was 93.3% in group A and 100% in group B. Within the limitations of the study, the low-speed drilling technique presented peri-implant bone loss outcomes similar to those of the conventional drilling technique at 12 months of follow-up.

Mutual Regulation of NOD2 and RIG-I in Zebrafish Provides Insights into the Coordination between Innate Antibacterial and Antiviral Signaling Pathways.

PubMed

Nie, Li; Xu, Xiao-Xiao; Xiang, Li-Xin; Shao, Jian-Zhong; Chen, Jiong

2017-05-27

Nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-containing protein 2 (NOD2) and retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) are two important cytosolic pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) in the recognition of pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs), initiating innate antibacterial and antiviral signaling pathways. However, the relationship between these PRRs, especially in teleost fish models, is rarely reported. In this article, we describe the mutual regulation of zebrafish NOD2 ( Dr NOD2) and RIG-I ( Dr RIG-I) in innate immune responses. Luciferase assays were conducted to determine the activation of NF-κB and interferon signaling. Morpholino-mediated knockdown and mRNA-mediated rescue were performed to further confirm the regulatory roles between Dr NOD2 and Dr RIG-I. Results showed that Dr NOD2 and Dr RIG-I shared conserved structural hallmarks with their mammalian counterparts, and activated Dr RIG-I signaling can induce Dr NOD2 production. Surprisingly, Dr NOD2-initiated signaling can also induce Dr RIG-I expression, indicating that a mutual regulatory mechanism may exist between them. Studies conducted using HEK293T cells and zebrafish embryos showed that Dr RIG-I could negatively regulate Dr NOD2-activated NF-κB signaling, and Dr NOD2 could inhibit Dr RIG-I-induced IFN signaling. Moreover, knocking down Dr RIG-I expression by morpholino could enhance Dr NOD2-initiated NF-κB activation, and vice versa, which could be rescued by their corresponding mRNAs. Results revealed a mutual feedback regulatory mechanism underlying NOD2 and RIG-I signaling pathways in teleosts. This mechanism reflects the coordination between cytosolic antibacterial and antiviral PRRs in the complex network of innate immunity.

RIG-I overexpression decreases mortality of cigarette smoke exposed mice during influenza A virus infection.

PubMed

Wang, Xiaoqiu; Wu, Wenxin; Zhang, Wei; Leland Booth, J; Duggan, Elizabeth S; Tian, Lili; More, Sunil; Zhao, Yan D; Sawh, Ravindranauth N; Liu, Lin; Zou, Ming-Hui; Metcalf, Jordan P

2017-09-02

Retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) is an important regulator of virus-induced antiviral interferons (IFNs) and proinflammatory cytokines which participate in clearing viral infections. Cigarette smoke (CS) exposure increases the frequency and severity of respiratory tract infections. We generated a RIG-I transgenic (TG) mouse strain that expresses the RIG-I gene product under the control of the human lung specific surfactant protein C promoter. We compared the mortality and host immune responses of RIG-I TG mice and their litter-matched wild type (WT) mice following challenge with influenza A virus (IAV). RIG-I overexpression increased survival of IAV-infected mice. CS exposure increased mortality in WT mice infected with IAV. Remarkably, the effect of RIG-I overexpression on survival during IAV infection was enhanced in CS-exposed animals. CS-exposed IAV-infected WT mice had a suppressed innate response profile in the lung compared to sham-exposed IAV-infected WT mice in terms of the protein concentration, total cell count and inflammatory cell composition in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. RIG-I overexpression restored the innate immune response in CS-exposed mice to that seen in sham-exposed WT mice during IAV infection, and is likely responsible for enhanced survival in RIG-I TG mice as restoration preceded death of the animals. Our results demonstrate that RIG-I overexpression in mice is protective for CS enhanced susceptibility of smokers to influenza infection, and that CS mediated RIG-I suppression may be partially responsible for the increased morbidity and mortality of the mice exposed to IAV. Thus, optimizing the RIG-I response may be an important treatment strategy for CS-enhanced lung infections, particularly those due to IAV.

Performance Evaluation of a High Bandwidth Liquid Fuel Modulation Valve for Active Combustion Control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Saus, Joseph R.; DeLaat, John C.; Chang, Clarence T.; Vrnak, Daniel R.

2012-01-01

At the NASA Glenn Research Center, a characterization rig was designed and constructed for the purpose of evaluating high bandwidth liquid fuel modulation devices to determine their suitability for active combustion control research. Incorporated into the rig s design are features that approximate conditions similar to those that would be encountered by a candidate device if it were installed on an actual combustion research rig. The characterized dynamic performance measures obtained through testing in the rig are planned to be accurate indicators of expected performance in an actual combustion testing environment. To evaluate how well the characterization rig predicts fuel modulator dynamic performance, characterization rig data was compared with performance data for a fuel modulator candidate when the candidate was in operation during combustion testing. Specifically, the nominal and off-nominal performance data for a magnetostrictive-actuated proportional fuel modulation valve is described. Valve performance data were collected with the characterization rig configured to emulate two different combustion rig fuel feed systems. Fuel mass flows and pressures, fuel feed line lengths, and fuel injector orifice size was approximated in the characterization rig. Valve performance data were also collected with the valve modulating the fuel into the two combustor rigs. Comparison of the predicted and actual valve performance data show that when the valve is operated near its design condition the characterization rig can appropriately predict the installed performance of the valve. Improvements to the characterization rig and accompanying modeling activities are underway to more accurately predict performance, especially for the devices under development to modulate fuel into the much smaller fuel injectors anticipated in future lean-burning low-emissions aircraft engine combustors.

76 FR 33019 - Notice of Projects Approved for Consumptive Uses of Water

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-07

..., 2011. 10. Aruba Petroleum, Inc., Pad ID: Lundy Well Pad, ABR-201103010, Gamble Township, Lycoming...-- 4H Drilling Pad, ABR-201104012, Gamble Township, Lycoming County, Pa.; Consumptive Use of up to 5.000...-- 4H Drilling Pad, ABR-201104013, Gamble Township, Lycoming County, Pa.; Consumptive Use of up to 5.000...

Drilling Polar Oceans with the European Research Icebreaker AURORA BOREALIS: the IODP Context

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lembke-Jene, Lester; Wolff-Boenisch, Bonnie; Azzolini, Roberto; Thiede, Joern; Biebow, Nicole; Eldholm, Olav; Egerton, Paul

2010-05-01

Polar oceans are characterized by extreme environmental conditions for humans and materials, and have remained the least accessible regions to scientists of the IODP. DSDP and ODP have for long faced specific technical and logistical problems when attempting to drill in ice-covered polar deep-sea basins. The Arctic Ocean and large areas of the high-latitude Southern Ocean remained largely un-sampled by ODP and remain one of the major scientific and technological challenges for IODP. Drilling in these regions has been discussed and anticipated for decades and the scientific rationales are reflected in the science plans of the international Nansen Arctic Drilling Program (NAD) or the Arctic Program Planning Group (APPG) of ODP/IODP, amongst others. More recently, the rationale to investigate the polar oceans in a holistic approach has been outlined by workshops, leading to strategic assessments of the scientific potential and new drilling proposals. The European Polar Board took the initiative to develop a plan for a novel and dedicated research icebreaker with technical capabilities hitherto unrealised. This research icebreaker will enable autonomous operations in the central Arctic Ocean and the Southern Ocean, even during the severest ice conditions in the deep winter, serving all marine disciplines of polar research including scientific drilling: The European Research Icebreaker and Deep-Sea Drilling Vessel AURORA BOREALIS. AURORA BOREALIS is presently planned as a multi-purpose vessel. The ship can be deployed as a research icebreaker in all polar waters during any season of the year, as it shall meet the specifications of the highest ice-class attainable (IACS Polar Code 1) for icebreakers. During the times when it is not employed for drilling, it will operate as the most technically advanced multi-disciplinary research vessel in the Arctic or polar Southern Ocean. AURORA BOREALIS will be a "European scientific flagship facility" (fully open to non-European partners), a multidisciplinary platform for studies ranging from the sub-seafloor into the atmosphere. AURORA BOREALIS was planned for her role in deep-sea drilling in consultation with engineers and technical experts familiar with the program and the operation of these vessels. All techniques currently deployed on IODP expeditions can be implemented onboard the vessel under polar weather and ice conditions, including the full range of re-entry, casing and cementing, and instrumentation options and the entire suite of downhole logging tools. Due to sufficient laboratory space, a full analytical workflow can be easily established comparable to existing permanent platforms, including clean rooms, diverse scanning and logging or incubation facilities. While the vessel is equipped with a dedicated deep-sea drilling rig, other coring and drilling techniques can be employed if needed (e.g. Rockdrill, MEBO, large diameter Kasten cores). AURORA BOREALIS is fitted to operate a CALYPSO Piston Coring System in polar waters. Future mud-return systems under consideration and testing for IODP to provide controlled borehole conditions in difficult facies are compatible with the layout of AURORA BOREALIS. The berthing capacity of 120 personnel total (scientists, technical support and crew) allows to accommodate a sufficient number of science party members offshore. The present scientific implementation documents plan for about one polar scientific drilling expedition per year in a to-be-determined configuration. As the vessel is a multi-dsiciplinary platform, operations for the entire year are not dependant on drilling operations alone. While principal access to the vessel will be based on a competitive proposal review and evaluation system, the allocation of timeslots specifically for drilling would preferably be given over to IODP handling and planning systems in a cooperative mode using the strengths and capacitites of the future program. Depending on interests and needs of the scientific communities a preferential focus in non-drilling expedition planning could be established e.g. for dedicated geophysical pre-site survey works in areas inaccessible by other vessels to secure critical data needed for later drilling expeditions. Based on ongoing expert consultations, it is safe to assume that the average costs for an Arctic or polar drilling expedition will be considerably lower than with an otherwise necessary multi-ship setup based on modelled expedition scenarios and annual operational cost calculations. Still, AURORA BOREALIS shall provide substantially enhanced scientific, operational, personnel and technical capacities offshore.

De Novo Transcriptome Analysis Shows That SAV-3 Infection Upregulates Pattern Recognition Receptors of the Endosomal Toll-Like and RIG-I-Like Receptor Signaling Pathways in Macrophage/Dendritic Like TO-Cells.

PubMed

Xu, Cheng; Evensen, Øystein; Munang'andu, Hetron

2016-04-21

A fundamental step in cellular defense mechanisms is the recognition of "danger signals" made of conserved pathogen associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) expressed by invading pathogens, by host cell germ line coded pattern recognition receptors (PRRs). In this study, we used RNA-seq and the Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) to identify PRRs together with the network pathway of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) that recognize salmonid alphavirus subtype 3 (SAV-3) infection in macrophage/dendritic like TO-cells derived from Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L) headkidney leukocytes. Our findings show that recognition of SAV-3 in TO-cells was restricted to endosomal Toll-like receptors (TLRs) 3 and 8 together with RIG-I-like receptors (RLRs) and not the nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptors NOD-like receptor (NLRs) genes. Among the RLRs, upregulated genes included the retinoic acid inducible gene I (RIG-I), melanoma differentiation association 5 (MDA5) and laboratory of genetics and physiology 2 (LGP2). The study points to possible involvement of the tripartite motif containing 25 (TRIM25) and mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein (MAVS) in modulating RIG-I signaling being the first report that links these genes to the RLR pathway in SAV-3 infection in TO-cells. Downstream signaling suggests that both the TLR and RLR pathways use interferon (IFN) regulatory factors (IRFs) 3 and 7 to produce IFN-a2. The validity of RNA-seq data generated in this study was confirmed by quantitative real time qRT-PCR showing that genes up- or downregulated by RNA-seq were also up- or downregulated by RT-PCR. Overall, this study shows that de novo transcriptome assembly identify key receptors of the TLR and RLR sensors engaged in host pathogen interaction at cellular level. We envisage that data presented here can open a road map for future intervention strategies in SAV infection of salmon.

Maniac Talk - Dr. Jack Kaye

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-07-23

Jack Kaye Maniac Lecture, July 23, 2014 Dr. Jack Kaye, Associate Director for Research at NASA Headquarters presented a Maniac Talk entitled, "An Unlikely but Rewarding Journey--From Quantum Chemistry to Earth Science Research Program Leadership." Jack took stock of his 30+ years at NASA, noting the people, opportunities, lessons learned, and choices that helped him get to where he is today and accomplish what he have.

AmeriFlux US-NMj Northern Michigan Jack Pine Stand

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, Jiquan

This is the AmeriFlux version of the carbon flux data for the site US-NMj Northern Michigan Jack Pine Stand. Site Description - The jack pine site is owned by Michigan Technological University. The stand is managed, and thus thinned and harvested depending on stand age. This jack pine site is naturally regenerating following a clearcut around 1989. Heavy snow in December 2001 c

States Stepping up Mandates for School Safety Drills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shah, Nirvi

2013-01-01

Hundreds of U.S. schools will supplement fire drills and tornado training next fall with simulations of school shootings. In response to the December shootings by an intruder at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, several states have enacted or are considering laws that require more and new types of school safety drills, more…

Fluoroscopy-Guided Percutaneous Vertebral Body Biopsy Using a Novel Drill-Powered Device: Technical Case Series

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wallace, Adam N., E-mail: wallacea@mir.wustl.edu; Pacheco, Rafael A., E-mail: pachecor@mir.wustl.edu; Tomasian, Anderanik, E-mail: tomasiana@mir.wustl.edu

2016-02-15

BackgroundA novel coaxial biopsy system powered by a handheld drill has recently been introduced for percutaneous bone biopsy. This technical note describes our initial experience performing fluoroscopy-guided vertebral body biopsies with this system, compares the yield of drill-assisted biopsy specimens with those obtained using a manual technique, and assesses the histologic adequacy of specimens obtained with drill assistance.MethodsMedical records of all single-level, fluoroscopy-guided vertebral body biopsies were reviewed. Procedural complications were documented according to the Society of Interventional Radiology classification. The total length of bone core obtained from drill-assisted biopsies was compared with that of matched manual biopsies. Pathology reportsmore » were reviewed to determine the histologic adequacy of specimens obtained with drill assistance.ResultsTwenty eight drill-assisted percutaneous vertebral body biopsies met study inclusion criteria. No acute complications were reported. Of the 86 % (24/28) of patients with clinical follow-up, no delayed complications were reported (median follow-up, 28 weeks; range 5–115 weeks). The median total length of bone core obtained from drill-assisted biopsies was 28 mm (range 8–120 mm). This was longer than that obtained from manual biopsies (median, 20 mm; range 5–45 mm; P = 0.03). Crush artifact was present in 11 % (3/28) of drill-assisted biopsy specimens, which in one case (3.6 %; 1/28) precluded definitive diagnosis.ConclusionsA drill-assisted, coaxial biopsy system can be used to safely obtain vertebral body core specimens under fluoroscopic guidance. The higher bone core yield obtained with drill assistance may be offset by the presence of crush artifact.« less

[Innate immune responses against viral infection and its suppression by viral proteins].

PubMed

Oshiumi, Hiroyuki; Matsumoto, Misako; Seya, Tsukasa

2013-01-01

Retinoic acid-inducible gene-I(RIG-I) is a cytoplasmic RNA helicase and a viral RNA sensor. RIG-I recognizes 5' triphosphate double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) and activates the IPS-1 adaptor molecule. The association of IPS-1 with RIG-I causes the formation of the prion-like structure of IPS-1. This structure is essential for activation of the signaling required for the induction of type I interferon (IFN), which possesses strong antiviral activity. Recent studies have revealed the novel factors involved in the RIG-I-dependent pathway. DDX3 and DDX60 RNA helicases associate with RIG-I and promote its binding to viral RNA. Riplet and TRIM25 ubiquitin ligase deliver Lys63-linked polyubiquitin moiety to RIG-I and result in signal activation. Several pathogenic viruses have evolved excellent systems to suppress type I IFN production. For example, NS3-4A of hepatitis C virus (HCV) cleaves IPS-1, which is the adaptor molecule of RIG-I, while the HCV core protein abrogates DDX3 function to suppress RIG-I-dependent IPS-1 activation, and the NS-1 of flu inhibits TRIM25 function to suppress RIG-I activation.

Post-operative ovarian adhesion formation after ovarian drilling: a randomized study comparing conventional laparoscopy and transvaginal hydrolaparoscopy.

PubMed

Giampaolino, Pierluigi; Morra, Ilaria; Tommaselli, Giovanni Antonio; Di Carlo, Costantino; Nappi, Carmine; Bifulco, Giuseppe

2016-10-01

To compare conventional laparoscopic ovarian drilling (LOD) with transvaginal hydrolaparoscopy (THL) ovarian drilling in terms of ovarian adhesion formation, evaluated using office THL during follow-up in CC-resistant anovulatory patients affected by PCOS. Prospective randomized study on 246 CC-resistant women with PCOS. The patients enrolled were divided into two groups, 123 were scheduled to undergo LOD and 123 to undergo THL ovarian drilling. Six months after the procedure all patients were offered office transvaginal hydrolaparoscopy (THL) follow-up, under local anesthesia to evaluate adhesion formation. Duration of the procedure was significantly shorter in the THL group in comparison with LOD group (p < 0.0001). No intra- or post-operative complication was observed in any of the patients in both groups. Post-operative THL follow-up after 6 months showed that 15 (15.5 %) patients in the THL group and 73 (70.2 %) in the LOD group showed the presence of ovarian adhesion. This difference was highly significant with a p value <0.0001 and a relative risk of 0.22 [95 % IC 0.133-0.350]. This study seems to indicate that THL ovarian drilling may reduce the risk of ovarian adhesion formation and could be used as a safe and effective option to reduce ovarian adhesion formation in patients undergoing ovarian drilling.

Comparison of peri-implant bone loss between conventional drilling with irrigation versus low-speed drilling without irrigation

PubMed Central

Pellicer-Chover, Hilario; Peñarrocha-Oltra, David; Aloy-Prosper, Amparo; Sanchis-Gonzalez, José-Carlos; Peñarrocha-Diago, Miguel

2017-01-01

Background To compare the technique of high speed drilling with irrigation and low speed drilling without irrigation in order to evaluate the success rate and peri-implant bone loss at 12 months of follow-up. Material and Methods A randomized, controlled, parallel-group clinical trial was carried out in patients requiring dental implants to rehabilitate their unitary edentulism. Patients were recruited from the Oral Surgery Unit of the University of Valencia (Spain) between September 2014 and August 2015. Patients who met the inclusion criteria were randomized to two groups: group A (high-speed drilling with irrigation) and group B (low-speed drilling without irrigation). The success rate and peri-implant bone loss were recorded at 12 months of follow-up. Results Twenty-five patients (9 men and 16 women) with 30 implants were enrolled in the study: 15 implants in group A and 15 implants in group B. The mean bone loss of the implants in group A and group B was 0.83 ± 0.73 mm and 0.62 ± 0.70 mm, respectively (p > 0.05). In the maxilla, the bone loss was 1.04 ± 0.63 mm in group A and 0.71 ± 0.36 mm in group B (p > 0.05), while bone loss in the mandible was 0.59 ± 0.80 mm in group A and 0.69 ± 0.77 mm in group B (p > 0.05). The implant success rate at 12 months was 93.3% in group A and 100% in group B. Conclusions Within the limitations of the study, the low-speed drilling technique presented peri-implant bone loss outcomes similar to those of the conventional drilling technique at 12 months of follow-up. Key words:Low-speed without irrigation, drilling technique. PMID:29053645

Comparisons of Rig and Engine Dynamic Events in the Compressor of an Axi-Centrifugal Turboshaft Engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Owen, A. Karl; Mattern, Duane L.; Le, Dzu K.

1996-01-01

Steady state and dynamic data were acquired in a T55-L-712 compressor rig. In addition, a T55-L-12 engine was instrumented and similar data were acquired. Rig and engine stall/surge data were analyzed using modal techniques. This paper compares rig and engine preliminary results for the ground idle (approximately 60% of design speed) point. The results of these analyses indicate both rig and engine dynamic event are preceded by indications of traveling wave energy in front of the compressor face. For both rig and engine, the traveling wave energy contains broad band energy with some prominent narrow peaks and, while the events are similar in many ways, some noticeable differences exist between the results of the analyses of rig data and engine data.

From Jack to Double Jack Polynomials via the Supersymmetric Bridge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lapointe, Luc; Mathieu, Pierre

2015-07-01

The Calogero-Sutherland model occurs in a large number of physical contexts, either directly or via its eigenfunctions, the Jack polynomials. The supersymmetric counterpart of this model, although much less ubiquitous, has an equally rich structure. In particular, its eigenfunctions, the Jack superpolynomials, appear to share the very same remarkable combinatorial and structural properties as their non-supersymmetric version. These super-functions are parametrized by superpartitions with fixed bosonic and fermionic degrees. Now, a truly amazing feature pops out when the fermionic degree is sufficiently large: the Jack superpolynomials stabilize and factorize. Their stability is with respect to their expansion in terms of an elementary basis where, in the stable sector, the expansion coefficients become independent of the fermionic degree. Their factorization is seen when the fermionic variables are stripped off in a suitable way which results in a product of two ordinary Jack polynomials (somewhat modified by plethystic transformations), dubbed the double Jack polynomials. Here, in addition to spelling out these results, which were first obtained in the context of Macdonal superpolynomials, we provide a heuristic derivation of the Jack superpolynomial case by performing simple manipulations on the supersymmetric eigen-operators, rendering them independent of the number of particles and of the fermionic degree. In addition, we work out the expression of the Hamiltonian which characterizes the double Jacks. This Hamiltonian, which defines a new integrable system, involves not only the expected Calogero-Sutherland pieces but also combinations of the generators of an underlying affine {widehat{sl}_2} algebra.

EC03-0058-6

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-03-04

Technicians for AeroVironment, Inc., jack up a pressure tank to the wing of the Helios Prototype solar-electric flying wing. The tank carries pressurized hydrogen to fuel an experimental fuel cell system that powered the aircraft at night during an almost two-day long-endurance flight demonstration in the summer of 2003.

Influence of different heating types on the pumping performance of a bubble pump

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bierling, Bernd; Schmid, Fabian; Spindler, Klaus

2017-11-01

This study presents an experimental investigation of the influence of different heating types on the pumping performance of a bubble pump. A test rig was set up at the Institute of Thermodynamics and Thermal Engineering (ITW), University of Stuttgart. The vertical lift tube is made of copper with an inner diameter of 8 mm and a length of 1.91 m. The working fluid is demineralized water. The test rig offers the possibility to vary the supplied heat flow (0 W - 750 W), the resulting supplied heat flux and the location of the heating. Investigations were carried out using spot heating, partial-length heating and full-length heating. A Coriolis mass flowmeter was successfully implemented which measures the vapor mass flow rate continuously. The improvement of the vapor mass flow rate measurement by using the continuous measurement method compared to a discontinuous one is discussed. Furthermore, the influence of an unstable inlet temperature of the working fluid entering the lift tube on the pumping performance is investigated. The focus of this publication lies on the build-up of the test rig with the measurement setup and the analysis of the pumping performance for the three heating types. The measurement results show a big influence of the heating type on the pumping performance. The lower the relative length of the heating, the higher is the pumping ratio which is defined as the lifted liquid mass flow rate in relation to the generated vapor mass flow rate.

Computational Modeling Develops Ultra-Hard Steel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2007-01-01

Glenn Research Center's Mechanical Components Branch developed a spiral bevel or face gear test rig for testing thermal behavior, surface fatigue, strain, vibration, and noise; a full-scale, 500-horsepower helicopter main-rotor transmission testing stand; a gear rig that allows fundamental studies of the dynamic behavior of gear systems and gear noise; and a high-speed helical gear test for analyzing thermal behavior for rotorcraft. The test rig provides accelerated fatigue life testing for standard spur gears at speeds of up to 10,000 rotations per minute. The test rig enables engineers to investigate the effects of materials, heat treat, shot peen, lubricants, and other factors on the gear's performance. QuesTek Innovations LLC, based in Evanston, Illinois, recently developed a carburized, martensitic gear steel with an ultra-hard case using its computational design methodology, but needed to verify surface fatigue, lifecycle performance, and overall reliability. The Battelle Memorial Institute introduced the company to researchers at Glenn's Mechanical Components Branch and facilitated a partnership allowing researchers at the NASA Center to conduct spur gear fatigue testing for the company. Testing revealed that QuesTek's gear steel outperforms the current state-of-the-art alloys used for aviation gears in contact fatigue by almost 300 percent. With the confidence and credibility provided by the NASA testing, QuesTek is commercializing two new steel alloys. Uses for this new class of steel are limitless in areas that demand exceptional strength for high throughput applications.

Summary of regional geology, petroleum potential, resource assessment and environmental considerations for oil and gas lease sale area No. 56

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dillon, William P.; Klitgord, Kim D.; Paull, Charles K.; Grow, John A.; Ball, Mahlon M.; Dolton, Gordon L.; Powers, Richard B.; Khan, Abdul S.; Popenoe, Peter; Robb, James M.; Dillon, William P.

1980-01-01

This report summarizes our general knowledge of the petroleum potential, as well as problems and hazards associated with development of petroleum resources in the area proposed for nominations for lease sale number 56. This area includes the U.S. eastern continental margin from the North Carolina-Virginia border south to approximately Cape Canaveral, Florida and from three miles from shore, seaward to include the upper Continental Slope and inner Blake Plateau. The area for possible sales is shown in figure 1; major physiographic features of the region are shown in figure 2.No wells have been drilled for petroleum within this proposed lease area and no significant commercial production has been obtained onshore in the Southeast Georgia Embayment. The COST GE-1 stratigraphic test well, drilled on the Continental Shelf off Jacksonville, Fla. (fig- 1), reached basement at 3,300 m. The bottom third of the section consists of dominantly continental rocks that are typically poor sources of petroleum (Scholle, 1979) and the rocks that contain organic carbon adequate for generation of petroleum at the well are seen in seismic profiles always at shallow subbottom depths, so they probably have not reached thermal maturity. However, seismic profiles indicate that the sedimentary deposits thicken markedly in a seaward direction where more of the section was deposited under marine conditions; therefore, commercial accumulations of petroleum offshore are more likely.Several potential sources of environmental hazard exist. Among the most important are hurricanes, the Gulf Stream, and earthquakes. The potential danger from high wind, waves, storm surges, and storm-driven currents associated with hurricanes is obvious. Evidence for significant bottom scour by the Gulf Stream is abundant; such scour is a threat to the stability of bottom-mounted structures. The fast-flowing water also will hamper floating drill rigs and control of drill strings. A major earthquake of about magnitude 6.8 struck Charleston in 1886; it may have been associated with a zone of active seismicity that crosses South Carolina. The likelihood of a repetition of the 1886 event is presently not predictable but a seismic hazard must be assumed to exist.

Geologic Carbon Sequestration in a Lightly Explored Basin: the Puget-Willamette Lowland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jackson, J. S.

2007-12-01

The Puget-Willamette Lowland is located between the Cascade Range and Olympic Mountains-Coast Range. Exploration for oil and gas there commenced in 1890. Over 700 wells subsequently drilled yield one commercial gas discovery. Eocene sediments deposited west of an ancestral Cascade Range include a coal-bearing sequence covering much of the Puget-Willamette Lowland. The terrestrial deposits pass into marine deposits to the west. Syn- depositional normal faulting and strike-slip faulting are evident in several sub-basins. In the southern Lowland, normal faults were modified by episodes of late Eocene and Miocene transpression, which resulted in mild inversion of older normal faults Preserved sediments indicate that local subsidence continued into Miocene- Pliocene time, and was followed in the northern Lowland by extensive Pleistocene glaciation. In the northern Lowland, Holocene faulting is recognized in outcrop and is interpreted on seismic data acquired in Puget Sound. Structures formed by early Miocene or earlier events may have trapped migrating hydrocarbons. Structures formed or modified by Holocene faulting very probably post-date hydrocarbon generation and migration. The region appears to host potential geologic sequestration targets, including coals, sandstones, and vesicular basalt flows. The size and location of potential traps is poorly constrained by present data. Experience in better explored fore arc basins suggests 10 to 30 percent of the basin may be deformed into suitable trapping geometries. Modern seismic data is required to identify potential sequestration traps. More than one well will be required to confirm the presence and size of these traps. The present boom in oil and gas drilling has created a robust environment for seismic and drilling companies, who command unprecedented rates for their services. Only one seismic crew is presently active on the West Coast, and only a few exploration drilling rigs are available. If this environment persists, then sequestration efforts will compete directly with the hydrocarbon industry for these services, leading to higher service company prices as well as delayed schedules. Carbon sequestration policy thus entails financial incentives that allow geologic sequestration projects to compete for exploration services.

Offshore Oil Drilling: Buying Energy Independence or Buying Time?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baird, Stephen L.

2008-01-01

This article addresses the issues and concerns about offshore oil drilling in the United States. The demand for energy is going up, not down, and for a long time, even as alternative sources of energy are developed, more oil will be needed. The strongest argument against drilling is that it could distract the country from the pursuit of…

Laser-Mechanical Drilling for Geothermal Energy: Low-Contact Drilling Technology to Enable Economical EGS Wells

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

2010-01-15

Broad Funding Opportunity Announcement Project: Foro Energy is developing a unique capability and hardware system to transmit high power lasers over long distances via fiber optic cables. This laser power is integrated with a mechanical drilling bit to enable rapid and sustained penetration of hard rock formations too costly to drill with mechanical drilling bits alone. The laser energy that is directed at the rock basically softens the rock, allowing the mechanical bit to more easily remove it. Foro Energy’s laser-assisted drill bits have the potential to be up to 10 times more economical than conventional hard-rock drilling technologies, makingmore » them an effective way to access the U.S. energy resources currently locked under hard rock formations.« less

Viral RNA-Unprimed Rig-I Restrains Stat3 Activation in the Modulation of Regulatory T Cell/Th17 Cell Balance.

PubMed

Yang, Hui; Guo, He-Zhou; Li, Xian-Yang; Lin, Jian; Zhang, Wu; Zhao, Jun-Mei; Zhang, Hong-Xin; Chen, Sai-Juan; Chen, Zhu; Zhu, Jiang

2017-07-01

Innate immunity activation by viral RNA-primed retinoid acid inducible gene-I (Rig-I) in CD4 + T cells antagonizes TGFβ signaling to suppress the differentiation of regulatory T cells (Tregs). However, how viral RNA-unliganded Rig-I (apo-Rig-I) modulates Treg generation remains unclear. In this article, we show that, in the absence of viral infection, Treg differentiation of Rig-I -/- CD4 + T cells was compromised, in the presence of increased generation of Th17 cells and overactivation of Stat3, a critical regulator tilting the Treg/Th17 cell balance. Mechanistically, apo-Rig-I physically associates with Stat3, thereby inhibiting Jak1's association with Stat3 while facilitating Shp2's association to inhibit p-Stat3 levels. Interestingly, inhibition of Stat3 ameliorates the Treg/Th17 imbalance and the colitis observed in Rig-I -/- mice. Collectively, these results uncover an independent functional contribution of the apo-Rig-I/Stat3 interaction in the maintenance of Treg/Th17 cell balance. Copyright © 2017 by The American Association of Immunologists, Inc.

Negative regulation of RIG-I-mediated antiviral signaling by TRK-fused gene (TFG) protein.

PubMed

Lee, Na-Rae; Shin, Han-Bo; Kim, Hye-In; Choi, Myung-Soo; Inn, Kyung-Soo

2013-07-19

RIG-I (retinoic acid inducible gene I)-mediated antiviral signaling serves as the first line of defense against viral infection. Upon detection of viral RNA, RIG-I undergoes TRIM25 (tripartite motif protein 25)-mediated K63-linked ubiquitination, leading to type I interferon (IFN) production. In this study, we demonstrate that TRK-fused gene (TFG) protein, previously identified as a TRIM25-interacting protein, binds TRIM25 upon virus infection and negatively regulates RIG-I-mediated type-I IFN signaling. RIG-I-mediated IFN production and nuclear factor (NF)-κB signaling pathways were upregulated by the suppression of TFG expression. Furthermore, vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) replication was significantly inhibited by small inhibitory hairpin RNA (shRNA)-mediated knockdown of TFG, supporting the suppressive role of TFG in RIG-I-mediated antiviral signaling. Interestingly, suppression of TFG expression increased not only RIG-I-mediated signaling but also MAVS (mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein)-induced signaling, suggesting that TFG plays a pivotal role in negative regulation of RNA-sensing, RIG-I-like receptor (RLR) family signaling pathways. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Jack bean (Canavalia ensiformis): nutrition related aspects and needed nutrition research.

PubMed

Akpapunam, M A; Sefa-Dedeh, S

1997-01-01

The nutritional characteristics and food potentials of jack bean (Canavalia ensiformis) have been reviewed. The bean is a good sources of protein, 23% to 34%, and carbohydrate 55%. It is also a good source of Ca, Zn, P, Mg, Cu and Ni. Jack bean protein is adequate in most essential amino acids with the exception of methionine and cystine which may be nutritionally limiting. Antinutritional and toxic factors including trypsin inhibitors, hemagglutinins, cyanogen glucosides, oligosaccharides and others are present in jack bean. Properly processed jack bean could be used to prepare some of the popular dishes made from cowpea, peanut, pigeon pea and soybean. Industrial products such as protein concentrates and isolates, starch, flakes, grits and flours can be produced from the bean. Further research is needed to identify varieties with high protein and nutritional quality. Development of new highly nutritious food products based on whole or processed jack bean should increase production and expand use.

Rig-I regulates NF-κB activity through binding to Nf-κb1 3′-UTR mRNA

PubMed Central

Zhang, Hong-Xin; Liu, Zi-Xing; Sun, Yue-Ping; Lu, Shun-Yuan; Liu, Xue-Song; Huang, Qiu-Hua; Xie, Yin-Yin; Dang, Su-Ying; Zheng, Guang-Yong; Li, Yi-Xue; Kuang, Ying; Fei, Jian; Chen, Zhu; Wang, Zhu-Gang

2013-01-01

Retinoic acid inducible gene I (RIG-I) senses viral RNAs and triggers innate antiviral responses through induction of type I IFNs and inflammatory cytokines. However, whether RIG-I interacts with host cellular RNA remains undetermined. Here we report that Rig-I interacts with multiple cellular mRNAs, especially Nf-κb1. Rig-I is required for NF-κB activity via regulating Nf-κb1 expression at posttranscriptional levels. It interacts with the multiple binding sites within 3′-UTR of Nf-κb1 mRNA. Further analyses reveal that three distinct tandem motifs enriched in the 3′-UTR fragments can be recognized by Rig-I. The 3′-UTR binding with Rig-I plays a critical role in normal translation of Nf-κb1 by recruiting the ribosomal proteins [ribosomal protein L13 (Rpl13) and Rpl8] and rRNAs (18S and 28S). Down-regulation of Rig-I or Rpl13 significantly reduces Nf-κb1 and 3′-UTR–mediated luciferase expression levels. These findings indicate that Rig-I functions as a positive regulator for NF-κB signaling and is involved in multiple biological processes in addition to host antivirus immunity. PMID:23553835

Vega is first offshore development for Montedison

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1985-10-01

Montedison's Vega field, 15 miles off the southern tip of Sicily, has recoverable oil reserves of 400 million bbl. This is Montedison's first offshore development venture, although the operator has considerable onshore experience. It will be followed by a second field, the smaller Mila floating production system, also off Sicily. One platform will be placed on a template installed in 1983 with up to 18 pre-drilled wells in water depths of 480 ft. The field may hold up to 1 billion bbl of 16/sup 0/ crude, but geology is complex and heavily fractured. The template has 30 available drilling slots,more » and water injection is being considered. The Vega discovery well was drilled in 1980, with 5000 b/d tested from 1000-ft oil column in Strep-penosa shales. Subsequently five wells were drilled by the Glomar Biscay I semi. These wells were drilled to a depth of just over 8000 ft with a total deviation of 60/sup 0/. The template is the first in the Mediterranean.« less

Activation of duck RIG-I by TRIM25 is independent of anchored ubiquitin.

PubMed

Miranzo-Navarro, Domingo; Magor, Katharine E

2014-01-01

Retinoic acid inducible gene I (RIG-I) is a viral RNA sensor crucial in defense against several viruses including measles, influenza A and hepatitis C. RIG-I activates type-I interferon signalling through the adaptor for mitochondrial antiviral signaling (MAVS). The E3 ubiquitin ligase, tripartite motif containing protein 25 (TRIM25), activates human RIG-I through generation of anchored K63-linked polyubiquitin chains attached to lysine 172, or alternatively, through the generation of unanchored K63-linked polyubiquitin chains that interact non-covalently with RIG-I CARD domains. Previously, we identified RIG-I of ducks, of interest because ducks are the host and natural reservoir of influenza viruses, and showed it initiates innate immune signaling leading to production of interferon-beta (IFN-β). We noted that K172 is not conserved in RIG-I of ducks and other avian species, or mouse. Because K172 is important for both mechanisms of activation of human RIG-I, we investigated whether duck RIG-I was activated by TRIM25, and if other residues were the sites for attachment of ubiquitin. Here we show duck RIG-I CARD domains are ubiquitinated for activation, and ubiquitination depends on interaction with TRIM25, as a splice variant that cannot interact with TRIM25 is not ubiquitinated, and cannot be activated. We expressed GST-fusion proteins of duck CARD domains and characterized TRIM25 modifications of CARD domains by mass spectrometry. We identified two sites that are ubiquitinated in duck CARD domains, K167 and K193, and detected K63 linked polyubiquitin chains. Site directed mutagenesis of each site alone, does not alter the ubiquitination profile of the duck CARD domains. However, mutation of both sites resulted in loss of all attached ubiquitin and polyubiquitin chains. Remarkably, the double mutant duck RIG-I CARD still interacts with TRIM25, and can still be activated. Our results demonstrate that anchored ubiquitin chains are not necessary for TRIM25 activation of duck RIG-I.

Pigeon RIG-I Function in Innate Immunity against H9N2 IAV and IBDV.

PubMed

Xu, Wenping; Shao, Qiang; Zang, Yunlong; Guo, Qiang; Zhang, Yongchao; Li, Zandong

2015-07-22

Retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I), a cytosolic pattern recognition receptor (PRR), can sense various RNA viruses, including the avian influenza virus (AIV) and infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV), and trigger the innate immune response. Previous studies have shown that mammalian RIG-I (human and mice) and waterfowl RIG-I (ducks and geese) are essential for type I interferon (IFN) synthesis during AIV infection. Like ducks, pigeons are also susceptible to infection but are ineffective propagators and disseminators of AIVs, i.e., "dead end" hosts for AIVs and even highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). Consequently, we sought to identify pigeon RIG-I and investigate its roles in the detection of A/Chicken/Shandong/ZB/2007 (H9N2) (ZB07), Gansu/Tianshui (IBDV TS) and Beijing/CJ/1980 (IBDV CJ-801) strains in chicken DF-1 fibroblasts or human 293T cells. Pigeon mRNA encoding the putative pigeon RIG-I analogs was identified. The exogenous expression of enhanced green fluorescence protein (EGFP)-tagged pigeon RIG-I and caspase activation and recruitment domains (CARDs), strongly induced antiviral gene (IFN-β, Mx, and PKR) mRNA synthesis, decreased viral gene (M gene and VP2) mRNA expression, and reduced the viral titers of ZB07 and IBDV TS/CJ-801 virus strains in chicken DF-1 cells, but not in 293T cells. We also compared the antiviral abilities of RIG-I proteins from waterfowl (duck and goose) and pigeon. Our data indicated that waterfowl RIG-I are more effective in the induction of antiviral genes and the repression of ZB07 and IBDV TS/CJ-801 strain replication than pigeon RIG-I. Furthermore, chicken melanoma differentiation associated gene 5(MDA5)/ mitochondrial antiviral signaling (MAVS) silencing combined with RIG-I transfection suggested that pigeon RIG-I can restore the antiviral response in MDA5-silenced DF-1 cells but not in MAVS-silenced DF-1 cells. In conclusion, these results demonstrated that pigeon RIG-I and CARDs have a strong antiviral ability against AIV H9N2 and IBDV in chicken DF-1 cells but not in human 293T cells.

Creep and Sliding in Clay Slopes: Mutual Effects of Interlayer Swelling and Ice Jacking.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-08-24

project, swelling and freezing, have been treated as well. The extent of swell heave of the montmorillonite clay under investigation depends on the...the amount of clay size particles: up to 70% and the amount of montmorillonite : up to 35%. 1.2. Grain Size Distribution Twelve hydrometer tests were...in physical conditions and exhibit swelling again upon subsequent wetting. Another important swelling parameter is the montmorillonite content, that

Hoisting and Rigging (Formerly Hoisting and Rigging Manual)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1995-06-01

This standard is intended as a reference document to be used by supervisors, line managers, safety personnel, equipment operators, and any other personnel responsible for safety of hoisting and rigging operations at DOE sites. It quotes or paraphrases the US OSHA and ANSI requirements. It also encompasses, under one cover,hoisting and rigging requirements, codes, standards, and regulations, eliminating the need to maintain extensive (and often incomplete) libraries of hoisting and rigging standards throughout DOE. The standard occasionally goes beyond the minimum general industry standards established by OSHA and ANSI, and also delineates the more stringent requirements necessary to accomplish themore » complex, diversified, critical, and often hazardous hoisting and rigging work found with the DOE complex.« less

Offshore drilling effects in Brazilian SE marine sediments: a meta-analytical approach.

PubMed

Dore, Marina Pereira; Farias, Cássia; Hamacher, Cláudia

2017-01-01

The exploration and production of oil and gas reserves often result to drill cutting accumulations on the seafloor adjacent to drill locations. In this study, the detection of drilling influence on marine sediments was performed by meta-analytical comparison between data from pre- and post-drilling surveys undertaken in offshore Campos Basin, southeast of Brazil. Besides this overall appraisal on the geochemical variables, a multivariate assessment, considering only the post-drilling data, was performed. Among the variables, fines content, carbonates, total organic carbon, barium, chromium, copper, iron, manganese, nickel, lead, vanadium, zinc, and total petroleum hydrocarbons, only barium, copper, and hydrocarbons were related to drilling impacts. In relation to the point of discharge, relative elevated levels in the post-drilling campaigns were observed preferentially up to 500 m in the northeast and southwest directions, associated to the Brazil Current-predominant direction. Other distributed concentrations in the surroundings seem to indicate the dilution and dispersion of drilling waste promoted by meteoceanographic factors.

Vapor Deposition Rig

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-01-27

The Plasma Spray-Physical Vapor Deposition (PS-PVD) Rig at NASA Glenn Research Center. The rig helps develop coatings for next-generation aircraft turbine components and create more efficient engines.

Horizontal directional drilling: a green and sustainable technology for site remediation.

PubMed

Lubrecht, Michael D

2012-03-06

Sustainability has become an important factor in the selection of remedies to clean up contaminated sites. Horizontal directional drilling (HDD) is a relatively new drilling technology that has been successfully adapted to site remediation. In addition to the benefits that HDD provides for the logistics of site cleanup, it also delivers sustainability advantages, compared to alternative construction methods.

20. Detail, Furnace A, shows the drill used to tap ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

20. Detail, Furnace A, shows the drill used to tap the furnace (at center left) and the 'mud gun' used to close it up with a clay plug (at lower right). Metal chute at center (next to drill) was used to clean out furnace prior to its abandonment. - Central Furnaces, 2650 Broadway, east bank of Cuyahoga River, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, OH

Neutron Scattering Template

Science.gov Websites

Scattering Banner Acknowledgements The graphics used on the Neutron Scattering Web Pages were designed by reused on these web pages by kind permission of Jack Carpenter, and with the assistance of Mary Koelbl (IPD). Rick Goyette (IPNS) set up and maintains the Linux web server as well as helping to automate the

KSC-07pd0834

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-04-06

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The Pegasus barge arrives at Port Canaveral in Florida with its cargo of the external tank prepared for mission STS-118. The barge will be towed up the Banana River to the turn basin near the Vehicle Assembly Building where the tank will be offloaded and moved to the VAB. Photo credit: Jack Pfaller

The man behind the machine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cerf, Vint

2018-01-01

As a practising computer scientist, I thought I had a fairly good grasp of Alan Turing’s many contributions to the field. But The Turing Guide by Jack Copeland, Jonathan Bowen, Mark Sprevak and Robin Wilson has opened up a universe of Turing's other pursuits I knew nothing about, inflating my admiration for him and his work.

Large-scale deposition of weathered oil in the Gulf of Mexico following a deep-water oil spill.

PubMed

Romero, Isabel C; Toro-Farmer, Gerardo; Diercks, Arne-R; Schwing, Patrick; Muller-Karger, Frank; Murawski, Steven; Hollander, David J

2017-09-01

The blowout of the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) drilling rig in 2010 released an unprecedented amount of oil at depth (1,500 m) into the Gulf of Mexico (GoM). Sedimentary geochemical data from an extensive area (∼194,000 km 2 ) was used to characterize the amount, chemical signature, distribution, and extent of the DWH oil deposited on the seafloor in 2010-2011 from coastal to deep-sea areas in the GoM. The analysis of numerous hydrocarbon compounds (N = 158) and sediment cores (N = 2,613) suggests that, 1.9 ± 0.9 × 10 4 metric tons of hydrocarbons (>C9 saturated and aromatic fractions) were deposited in 56% of the studied area, containing 21± 10% (up to 47%) of the total amount of oil discharged and not recovered from the DWH spill. Examination of the spatial trends and chemical diagnostic ratios indicate large deposition of weathered DWH oil in coastal and deep-sea areas and negligible deposition on the continental shelf (behaving as a transition zone in the northern GoM). The large-scale analysis of deposited hydrocarbons following the DWH spill helps understanding the possible long-term fate of the released oil in 2010, including sedimentary transformation processes, redistribution of deposited hydrocarbons, and persistence in the environment as recycled petrocarbon. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Trophic and reproductive ecology of Red Snapper, Lutjanus campechanus, on natural and artificial reefs in the western Gulf of Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ajemian, M. J.; Wetz, J. J.; Brewton, R. A.; Downey, C. H.; Stunz, G. W.

2016-02-01

Energy exploration in the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) has resulted in the addition of numerous oil and gas production rigs that have added structurally complex habitat to an area otherwise dominated by bare bottom. The impact of these artificial structures on fish populations is largely unknown and there is ongoing debate about their functionality. Red Snapper (Lutjanus campechanus), an ecologically and economically important sportfish to the region, use natural as well as the artificial reefs created by standing and reefed (toppled or cutoff) oil and gas rigs. However, little is known about how trophic and reproductive characteristics of Red Snapper vary over these multiple habitat types. We analyzed stable isotopic composition (δ13C, δ 15N) of epaxial muscle and compared reproductive potential of Red Snapper (155-855 mm TL) from standing rigs, reefed rigs, and natural hard-bottom habitats off Texas. Red Snapper from standing rig sites were isotopically enriched in δ 15N compared to lower relief habitats, suggesting they were feeding at a higher trophic level on standing rigs. While gonadosomatic indices (GSI) and comparative histology implied a similar spawning season among structure types, GSI was highest for both sexes at standing rigs. These initial results suggest that while standing rigs appear to provide more enriched food resources leading to higher Red Snapper reproductive capacity, the productivity of this species is similar between currently permitted rig decommissioning options (i.e., cutoff and toppled rigs) and natural hard-bottom habitats in the Gulf of Mexico.

Negative regulation of RIG-I-mediated antiviral signaling by TRK-fused gene (TFG) protein

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee, Na-Rae; Shin, Han-Bo; Kim, Hye-In

2013-07-19

Highlights: •TRK-fused gene product (TFG) interacts with TRIM25 upon viral infection. •TFG negatively regulates RIG-I mediated antiviral signaling. •TFG depletion leads to enhanced viral replication. •TFG act downstream of MAVS. -- Abstract: RIG-I (retinoic acid inducible gene I)-mediated antiviral signaling serves as the first line of defense against viral infection. Upon detection of viral RNA, RIG-I undergoes TRIM25 (tripartite motif protein 25)-mediated K63-linked ubiquitination, leading to type I interferon (IFN) production. In this study, we demonstrate that TRK-fused gene (TFG) protein, previously identified as a TRIM25-interacting protein, binds TRIM25 upon virus infection and negatively regulates RIG-I-mediated type-I IFN signaling. RIG-I-mediatedmore » IFN production and nuclear factor (NF)-κB signaling pathways were upregulated by the suppression of TFG expression. Furthermore, vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) replication was significantly inhibited by small inhibitory hairpin RNA (shRNA)-mediated knockdown of TFG, supporting the suppressive role of TFG in RIG-I-mediated antiviral signaling. Interestingly, suppression of TFG expression increased not only RIG-I-mediated signaling but also MAVS (mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein)-induced signaling, suggesting that TFG plays a pivotal role in negative regulation of RNA-sensing, RIG-I-like receptor (RLR) family signaling pathways.« less

Using Black Light to Find Jack-Pine Budworm Egg Masses

Treesearch

Daniel T. Jennings

1968-01-01

Jack pine foliage infested with jack-pine budworm egg masses was examined under two kinds of light -- black light and a combination of natural and fluorescent light. Black light significantly increased the accuracy of count but not the efficiency of examination.

Analytical results and sample locality maps of stream-sediment, heavy-mineral-concentrate, and rock samples from the Little Jacks Creek (ID-111-006), Big Jacks Creek (ID-111-007C), Duncan Creek (ID-111-0007B), and Upper Deep Creek (ID-111-044) Wilderness Study Areas, Owyhee County, Idaho

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Erickson, M.S.; Gent, C.A.; Bradley, L.A.

1989-01-01

A U.S. Geological Survey report detailing the analytical results and sample locality maps of stream-sediment, heavy-mineral-concentrate, and rock samples from the Little Jacks Creek, Big Jacks Creek, Duncan Creek, and Upper Deep Creek Wilderness Study Areas, Owyhee County, Idaho

Hepatitis B virus inhibits intrinsic RIG-I and RIG-G immune signaling via inducing miR146a

PubMed Central

Hou, Zhaohua; Zhang, Jian; Han, Qiuju; Su, Chenhe; Qu, Jing; Xu, Dongqing; Zhang, Cai; Tian, Zhigang

2016-01-01

Previous studies showed that hepatitis B virus (HBV), as a latency invader, attenuated host anti-viral immune responses. miRNAs were shown to be involved in HBV infection and HBV-related diseases, however, the precise role of miRNAs in HBV-mediated immunosuppression remains unclear. Here, we observed that down-regulated RIG-I like receptors might be one critical mechanism of HBV-induced suppression of type I IFN transcription in both HBV+ hepatoma cell lines and liver cancer tissues. Then, miR146a was demonstrated to negatively regulate the expression of RIG-I-like receptors by directly targeting both RIG-I and RIG-G. Further investigation showed that antagonizing miR146a by anti-sense inhibitors or sponge approach accelerated HBV clearance and reduced HBV load both in vitro and in a HBV-carrying mouse model. Therefore, our findings indicated that HBV-induced miR146a attenuates cell-intrinsic anti-viral innate immunity through targeting RIG-I and RIG-G, and silencing miR146a might be an effective target to reverse HBV-induced immune suppression. PMID:27210312

A calibration rig for multi-component internal strain gauge balance using the new design-of-experiment (DOE) approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nouri, N. M.; Mostafapour, K.; Kamran, M.

2018-02-01

In a closed water-tunnel circuit, the multi-component strain gauge force and moment sensor (also known as balance) are generally used to measure hydrodynamic forces and moments acting on scaled models. These balances are periodically calibrated by static loading. Their performance and accuracy depend significantly on the rig and the method of calibration. In this research, a new calibration rig was designed and constructed to calibrate multi-component internal strain gauge balances. The calibration rig has six degrees of freedom and six different component-loading structures that can be applied separately and synchronously. The system was designed based on the applicability of formal experimental design techniques, using gravity for balance loading and balance positioning and alignment relative to gravity. To evaluate the calibration rig, a six-component internal balance developed by Iran University of Science and Technology was calibrated using response surface methodology. According to the results, calibration rig met all design criteria. This rig provides the means by which various methods of formal experimental design techniques can be implemented. The simplicity of the rig saves time and money in the design of experiments and in balance calibration while simultaneously increasing the accuracy of these activities.

RIG-I antiviral signaling drives interleukin-23 production and psoriasis-like skin disease.

PubMed

Zhu, Huiyuan; Lou, Fangzhou; Yin, Qianqian; Gao, Yuanyuan; Sun, Yang; Bai, Jing; Xu, Zhenyao; Liu, Zhaoyuan; Cai, Wei; Ke, Fang; Zhang, Lingyun; Zhou, Hong; Wang, Hong; Wang, Gang; Chen, Xiang; Zhang, Hongxin; Wang, Zhugang; Ginhoux, Florent; Lu, Chuanjian; Su, Bing; Wang, Honglin

2017-05-01

Retinoic acid inducible-gene I (RIG-I) functions as one of the major sensors of RNA viruses. DDX58 , which encodes the RIG-I protein, has been newly identified as a susceptibility gene in psoriasis. Here, we show that the activation of RIG-I by 5'ppp-dsRNA, its synthetic ligand, directly causes the production of IL-23 and triggers psoriasis-like skin disease in mice. Repeated injections of IL-23 to the ears failed to induce IL-23 production and a full psoriasis-like skin phenotype, in either germ-free or RIG-I-deficient mice. RIG-I is also critical for a full development of skin inflammation in imiquimod (IMQ)-induced psoriasis-like mouse model. Furthermore, RIG-I-mediated endogenous IL-23 production was mainly confined to the CD11c + dendritic cells (DCs) via nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling, and stimulated RIG-I expression in an auto-regulatory feedback loop. Thus, our data suggest that the dysregulation in the antiviral immune responses of hosts through the innate pattern recognition receptors may trigger the skin inflammatory conditions in the pathophysiology of psoriasis. © 2017 The Authors. Published under the terms of the CC BY 4.0 license.

An experimental system for coiled tubing partial underbalanced drilling (CT-PUBD) technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, H. Z.; Ji, Z. S.; Zhao, H. Q.; Chen, Z. L.; Zhang, H. Z.

2018-05-01

To improve the rate of penetration (ROP) in hard formations, a new high-speed drilling technique called Coiled Tubing Partial Underbalanced Drilling (CT-PUBD) is proposed. This method uses a rotary packer to realize an underbalanced condition near the bit by creating a micro-annulus and an overbalanced condition at the main part of the annulus. A new full-scale laboratory experimental system is designed and set up to study the hydraulic characteristics and drilling performance of this method. The system is composed of a drilling system, circulation system, and monitor system, including three key devices, namely, cuttings discharge device, rotary packer, and backflow device. The experimental results showed that the pressure loss increased linearly with the flow rate of the drilling fluid. The high drilling speed of CT-PUBD proved it a better drilling method than the conventional drilling. The experimental system may provide a fundamental basis for the research of CT-PUBD, and the results proved that this new method is feasible in enhancing ROP and guaranteeing the drilling safety.

Effect of wave action on near-well zone cleaning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pen'kovskii, V. I.; Korsakova, N. K.

2017-10-01

Drilling filtrate invasion into the producing formation and native water accumulating of the near-well zone in well operation reduce the well productivity. As a result of that, depending on characteristic capillary pressure scale and differential pressure drawdown, oil production rate may become lower than expected one. In this paper, it is considered the hysteresis effects of capillary pressure after reversion of displacement. As applied to laboratory experiment conditions, the solution of problem of oil flow in formation model with a pressure drop on the model sides harmonically varied with time is presented. It was estimated a range of fluid vibration effective action on the near-well zone cleaning from capillary locking water. The plant simulating extraction of oil from formation using widely practised sucker-rod pump has been created. Formation model is presented as a slot filled with broken glass between two plates. In the process, natural oil and sodium chloride solution were used as working fluids. The experiments qualitatively confirm a positive effect of jack pumps on the near-well zone cleaning.

An Oil-Free Thrust Foil Bearing Facility Design, Calibration, and Operation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bauman, Steve

2005-01-01

New testing capabilities are needed in order to foster thrust foil air bearing technology development and aid its transition into future Oil-Free gas turbines. This paper describes a new test apparatus capable of testing thrust foil air bearings up to 100 mm in diameter at speeds to 80,000 rpm and temperatures to 650 C (1200 F). Measured parameters include bearing torque, load capacity, and bearing temperatures. This data will be used for design performance evaluations and for validation of foil bearing models. Preliminary test results demonstrate that the rig is capable of testing thrust foil air bearings under a wide range of conditions which are anticipated in future Oil-Free gas turbines. Torque as a function of speed and temperature corroborates results expected from rudimentary performance models. A number of bearings were intentionally failed with no resultant damage whatsoever to the test rig. Several test conditions (specific speeds and loads) revealed undesirable axial shaft vibrations which have been attributed to the magnetic bearing control system and are under study. Based upon these preliminary results, this test rig will be a valuable tool for thrust foil bearing research, parametric studies and technology development.

Cooling Effectiveness Measurements for Air Film Cooling of Thermal Barrier Coated Surfaces in a Burner Rig Environment Using Phosphor Thermometry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eldridge, Jeffrey I.; Shyam, Vikram; Wroblewski, Adam C.; Zhu, Dongming; Cuy, Michael D.; Wolfe, Douglas E.

2016-01-01

While the effects of thermal barrier coating (TBC) thermal protection and air film cooling effectiveness are usually studied separately, their contributions to combined cooling effectiveness are interdependent and are not simply additive. Therefore, combined cooling effectiveness must be measured to achieve an optimum balance between TBC thermal protection and air film cooling. In this investigation, surface temperature mapping was performed using recently developed Cr-doped GdAlO3 phosphor thermometry. Measurements were performed in the NASA GRC Mach 0.3 burner rig on a TBC-coated plate using a scaled up cooling hole geometry where both the mainstream hot gas temperature and the blowing ratio were varied. Procedures for surface temperature and cooling effectiveness mapping of the air film-cooled TBC-coated surface are described. Applications are also shown for an engine component in both the burner rig test environment as well as an engine afterburner environment. The effects of thermal background radiation and flame chemiluminescence on the measurements are investigated, and advantages of this method over infrared thermography as well as the limitations of this method for studying air film cooling are discussed.

Energy 101: Heavy Duty Vehicle Efficiency

ScienceCinema

None

2018-06-06

Although Class 8 Trucks only make up 4% of the vehicles on the road, they use about 20% of the nation's transportation fuel. In this video, learn how new fuel-efficient technologies are making our country's big rigs quieter, less polluting, more energy-efficient, and less expensive to operate over time.

Subcellular Localizations of RIG-I, TRIM25, and MAVS Complexes

PubMed Central

Sánchez-Aparicio, M. T.; Ayllón, J.; Leo-Macias, A.; Wolff, T.

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT The retinoic acid-inducible gene 1 (RIG-I) signaling pathway is essential for the recognition of viruses and the initiation of host interferon (IFN)-mediated antiviral responses. Once activated, RIG-I interacts with polyubiquitin chains generated by TRIM25 and binds mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein (MAVS), leading to the production of type I IFN. We now show specific interactions among these key partners in the RLR pathway through the use of bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) and super-resolution microscopy. Dimers of RIG-I, TRIM25, and MAVS localize into different compartments. Upon activation, we show that TRIM25 is redistributed into cytoplasmic dots associated with stress granules, while RIG-I associates with TRIM25/stress granules and with mitochondrial MAVS. In addition, MAVS competes with TRIM25 for RIG-I binding, and this suggests that upon TRIM25-mediated activation of RIG-I, RIG-I moves away from TRIM25 to interact with MAVS at the mitochondria. For the first time, the distribution of these three proteins was analyzed at the same time in virus-infected cells. We also investigated how specific viral proteins modify some of the protein complexes in the pathway. The protease NS3/4A from hepatitis C virus redistributes the complexes RIG-I/MAVS and MAVS/MAVS but not RIG-I/TRIM25. In contrast, the influenza A virus NS1 protein interacts with RIG-I and TRIM25 in specific areas in the cell cytoplasm and inhibits the formation of TRIM25 homocomplexes but not the formation of RIG-I/TRIM25 heterocomplexes, preventing the formation of RIG-I/MAVS complexes. Thus, we have localized spatially in the cell different complexes formed between RIG-I, TRIM25, and MAVS, in the presence or absence of two viral IFN antagonistic proteins. IMPORTANCE The first line of defense against viral infections is the innate immune response. Viruses are recognized by pathogen recognition receptors, such as the RIG-I like receptor family, that activate a signaling cascade that induces IFN production. In the present study, we visualized, for the first time in cells, both in overexpression and endogenous levels, complexes formed among key proteins involved in this innate immune signaling pathway. Through different techniques we were able to analyze how these proteins are distributed and reorganized spatially within the cell in order to transmit the signal, leading to an efficient antiviral state. In addition, this work presents a new means by how, when, and where viral proteins can target these pathways and act against the host immune system in order to counteract the activation of the immune response. PMID:27807226

Subcellular Localizations of RIG-I, TRIM25, and MAVS Complexes.

PubMed

Sánchez-Aparicio, M T; Ayllón, J; Leo-Macias, A; Wolff, T; García-Sastre, A

2017-01-15

The retinoic acid-inducible gene 1 (RIG-I) signaling pathway is essential for the recognition of viruses and the initiation of host interferon (IFN)-mediated antiviral responses. Once activated, RIG-I interacts with polyubiquitin chains generated by TRIM25 and binds mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein (MAVS), leading to the production of type I IFN. We now show specific interactions among these key partners in the RLR pathway through the use of bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) and super-resolution microscopy. Dimers of RIG-I, TRIM25, and MAVS localize into different compartments. Upon activation, we show that TRIM25 is redistributed into cytoplasmic dots associated with stress granules, while RIG-I associates with TRIM25/stress granules and with mitochondrial MAVS. In addition, MAVS competes with TRIM25 for RIG-I binding, and this suggests that upon TRIM25-mediated activation of RIG-I, RIG-I moves away from TRIM25 to interact with MAVS at the mitochondria. For the first time, the distribution of these three proteins was analyzed at the same time in virus-infected cells. We also investigated how specific viral proteins modify some of the protein complexes in the pathway. The protease NS3/4A from hepatitis C virus redistributes the complexes RIG-I/MAVS and MAVS/MAVS but not RIG-I/TRIM25. In contrast, the influenza A virus NS1 protein interacts with RIG-I and TRIM25 in specific areas in the cell cytoplasm and inhibits the formation of TRIM25 homocomplexes but not the formation of RIG-I/TRIM25 heterocomplexes, preventing the formation of RIG-I/MAVS complexes. Thus, we have localized spatially in the cell different complexes formed between RIG-I, TRIM25, and MAVS, in the presence or absence of two viral IFN antagonistic proteins. The first line of defense against viral infections is the innate immune response. Viruses are recognized by pathogen recognition receptors, such as the RIG-I like receptor family, that activate a signaling cascade that induces IFN production. In the present study, we visualized, for the first time in cells, both in overexpression and endogenous levels, complexes formed among key proteins involved in this innate immune signaling pathway. Through different techniques we were able to analyze how these proteins are distributed and reorganized spatially within the cell in order to transmit the signal, leading to an efficient antiviral state. In addition, this work presents a new means by how, when, and where viral proteins can target these pathways and act against the host immune system in order to counteract the activation of the immune response. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.

Engine-Scale Combustor Rig Designed, Fabricated, and Tested for Combustion Instability Control Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

DeLaat, John C.; Breisacher, Kevin J.

2000-01-01

Low-emission combustor designs are prone to combustor instabilities. Because active control of these instabilities may allow future combustors to meet both stringent emissions and performance requirements, an experimental combustor rig was developed for investigating methods of actively suppressing combustion instabilities. The experimental rig has features similar to a real engine combustor and exhibits instabilities representative of those in aircraft gas turbine engines. Experimental testing in the spring of 1999 demonstrated that the rig can be tuned to closely represent an instability observed in engine tests. Future plans are to develop and demonstrate combustion instability control using this experimental combustor rig. The NASA Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field is leading the Combustion Instability Control program to investigate methods for actively suppressing combustion instabilities. Under this program, a single-nozzle, liquid-fueled research combustor rig was designed, fabricated, and tested. The rig has many of the complexities of a real engine combustor, including an actual fuel nozzle and swirler, dilution cooling, and an effusion-cooled liner. Prior to designing the experimental rig, a survey of aircraft engine combustion instability experience identified an instability observed in a prototype engine as a suitable candidate for replication. The frequency of the instability was 525 Hz, with an amplitude of approximately 1.5-psi peak-to-peak at a burner pressure of 200 psia. The single-nozzle experimental combustor rig was designed to preserve subcomponent lengths, cross sectional area distribution, flow distribution, pressure-drop distribution, temperature distribution, and other factors previously found to be determinants of burner acoustic frequencies, mode shapes, gain, and damping. Analytical models were used to predict the acoustic resonances of both the engine combustor and proposed experiment. The analysis confirmed that the test rig configuration and engine configuration had similar longitudinal acoustic characteristics, increasing the likelihood that the engine instability would be replicated in the rig. Parametric analytical studies were performed to understand the influence of geometry and condition variations and to establish a combustion test plan. Cold-flow experiments verified that the design values of area and flow distributions were obtained. Combustion test results established the existence of a longitudinal combustion instability in the 500-Hz range with a measured amplitude approximating that observed in the engine. Modifications to the rig configuration during testing also showed the potential for injector independence. The research combustor rig was developed in partnership with Pratt & Whitney of West Palm Beach, Florida, and United Technologies Research Center of East Hartford, Connecticut. Experimental testing of the combustor rig took place at United Technologies Research Center.