Risk factors such as blood pressure, serum cholesterol, and cigarette smoking were used in screening for developing coronary heart disease (CHD) events among 1,300 employees at an oilfield services company in Russia. The research focuses on practical use of the Framingham Heart Study results and development of a program that enables determining overall cardiac risk for individual employees. It also considers various categories of company personnel, clearly identifying risk factors critical for the development of CHD events and recommending individual changes in lifestyle or medical treatment for employees with advanced atherosclerosis as well as tracking status changes over time. In accordance with Russian legislation, employees undergo an annual physical examination that looks at various factors, including predictors for future CHD events. Ten-year CHD risk is estimated using Framingham equations. Results of medical examinations of both office and field personnel were processed by a local data application system, creating a cardiac risk profile for each employee. More than 4,700 physical examinations were entered into the system and were analyzed for the past 8 years. Special attention was paid to employees working at rig sites, offshore, and other remote locations. The results of 858 medical examinations over a one-year period have been analyzed. The analysis demonstrated that 40 field employees fall in the high cardiac risk zone. The company's cardiac risk reduction program is meant to cover 8,000 of the company's employees in Russia. This approach both identified employee groups with the highest risk of development of CHD events and implemented an appropriate campaign within the company to reduce risk. This program intends to reduce CHD incidents company-wide as well as improve the success of cardiovascular campaigns.

ABSTRACT To facilitate decision making when stress corrosion cracks are found during excavations or in-line inspections of pipelines, a hierarchy of crack-severity rankings has been developed, based upon predicted failure pressure as calculated from the crack sizes. By assuming a crack growth rate, the type and timing of mitigating actions can be determined, as well as appropriate re-assessment intervals for smaller cracks that may remain after the first assessment. The sensitivity of the analysis to variations in pipe dimensions and properties has been examined. Based upon this work, a set of guidelines has been proposed for inclusion in Appendix A of the ASME B31.8S Integrity Management Standard. INTRODUCTION defining the basis for SCC susceptibility prioritizing segments susceptible to SCC selecting the appropriate assessment method and assessment location for each segment defining mitigation of SCC when found (including assessing the severity of the SCC) determining appropriate re-assessment intervals determining additional preventive and mitigative measures. As pipeline companies in the United States prepare integrity management plans for stress corrosion cracking (SCC), they are faced with the challenge of complying with the regulatory requirements of US Federal Regulations 49 CFR Part 192 1 Subpart O and, at the same time, minimizing the risk of failures due to SCC. In so doing, the companies are faced with a number of questions, some of the most important relating to the assessment of crack severity, the determination of appropriate procedures for mitigation, and the re-test intervals for hydrostatic testing, in-line inspection (ILI), or SCC direct assessment (SCC DA). While it is recognized that each pipeline company must have individual integrity management plans that are tailored to the specific characteristics and history of the pipeline system, a common approach to some of the key issues would be beneficial in providing guidance for developing an effective integrity management plan. Such an approach would draw upon the key processes of integrity management outlined in ASME B31.8S 2 , includingIn response to these issues, a joint industry project (JIP) sponsored by North American natural gas pipeline operators has been undertaken to develop a common approach to managing SCC in natural gas transmission pipelines. The overall aim of the JIP has been to develop a consistent technical rationale to support each of the key processes identified above. Technical consistency does not imply a uniform response, but rather a consistent framework allowing each operator the flexibility to adopt an approach tailored to the attributes and SCC history of each line. The rationale has been based, to the extent possible, on scientific knowledge of SCC, analytical models of the behavior of pipe containing stress corrosion cracks, and field experience from as many companies as possible. This paper addresses one of the key issues listed above, namely how should crack severity be defined, and how should severity determine what kinds of remedial action are appropriate? DEFINING CRACK SEVERITY CATEGORIES In line with other guidance for SCC (e. g., CEPA 3 ), it is appropriate to identify threshold depths and lengths below which cracks are not considered to present any immediate threat to integrity.

ABSTRACT BP has a large number of offshore facilities located worldwide where decommissioning issues will need to be addressed in the not too distant future. Experience in decommissioning offshore facilities resides mainly in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) and, to a lesser extent, on the United Kingdom Continental Shelf (UKCS). Approximately 2,000 small structures have been removed within the GOM region (100 to 150 platforms per year over the last 15 years or so). Within the UKCS, around 20 platforms and subsea installations have been decommissioned. This paper compares the different approaches used in the two regions and discusses some of the ramifications of these differences. INTRODUCTION This paper discusses the North Sea and the Gulf of Mexico decommissioning experience together with the application of Petroleum Act of 1998 to decommissioning in the UKCS and MMS regulations in United States Continental Shelf (USCS), particularly for the GOM. Decommissioning efforts in the Norwegian Sector of the North Sea are not addressed as the number of platforms decommissioned is limited to less than half a dozen (i.e., Odin, Frøy, East Frigg, Lille Frigg and the Frigg Flare) and the decommissioned platforms offshore Southern California are not addressed due to the unique characteristics of the region and the limited number of platforms which have been removed to date, i.e., four small platforms in state waters which are not representative Approximately 2,000 small structures have been removed within the GOM region (100 to 150 platforms per year over the last 15 years or so). A graph showing the history of GOM platforms installed and decommissioned is shown in (Fig. 1). (figure 1 shown in paper) Within the UKCS, around 20 platforms and subsea installations have been decommissioned.

The objective of this work is to develop a methodology to estimate the fraction of Reserves assigned to each Reserves category (1P, 2P, and 3P) of the PRMS resources classification matrix using a cumulative distribution function (CDF). Previous published work has often used Swanson's Mean (SM) as the basis for allocating Reserves to individual categories, but we found that this method, which relates the Reserves categories through a CDF for a normal distribution, is an inaccurate means to determine the relationship of the Reserves categories with asymmetric distributions, and our work identified a better method, Gaussian Quadrature (GQ). Production data are lognormally distributed, regardless of basin type, and thus are not compatible with the SM concept. The GQ algorithm provides a methodology to estimate the fraction of Reserves that lie within the 1P, 2P, and 3P categories — known as their weights . GQ is a numerical integration method that uses discrete random variables and a distribution that matches the original data. For this work, we associate the lognormal CDF with a set of discrete random variables that replace the production data, and determine the associated probabilities. The production data for both conventional and unconventional fields are lognormally distributed, thus we expect that this methodology can be implemented in any field. We selected 38 wells from a Permian Basin dataset available to us, and we performed probabilistic decline curve analysis (DCA) using the Arps Hyperbolic model and Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) to obtain a probability distribution of the 1P, 2P, and 3P volumes. We considered this information to be our "truth case," to which we compared relative weights of different Reserves categories from the GQ and SM methodologies. We also performed probabilistic rate transient analysis (RTA) using the IHS Harmony software to obtain the 1P, 2P, and 3P volumes, and calculated the relative weights of each Reserves category. Once we completed these first two steps, we implemented a 3-point GQ to obtain the weights and percentiles for each well. We analyzed the GQ results by calculating the percentage differences between the probabilistic DCA, RTA, and GQ results. The probabilistic DCA results indicated that the SM method is an inaccurate method for estimating the relative weights of each Reserves category. Our results show that the GQ method was able to capture an accurate representation of the Reserves weights, we note that we assumed an expected lognormal CDF for Reserves. We believe that 1C, 2C, 3C, and 1U, 2U, and 3U Contingent and Prospective Resources are distributed in a similar way ( i.e. , as a lognormal CDF) but have greater variance. Based on our results, we conclude that the GQ method is accurate and can be used to approximate the relationship between the relative weights of resources in PRMS categories. This relationship will aid entities in reporting Reserves of different categories to regulatory agencies because it can be recreated for any field, play, or region. These distributions of Reserves and Resources Other than Reserves (ROTR) are important for planning and for resource inventorying. The GQ method provides a measure of confidence in our prediction of the Reserves weights because of the relatively smaller percentage differences between the probabilistic DCA, RTA, and GQ weights than those implied by the SM method. For reference, our proposed methodology can be implemented in both conventional and unconventional reservoirs.

Introduction It's better to put a fence at the top of a cliff than to park an ambulance at the bottom. Instead of catching the climber after the fall, let's design the product to prevent the fall from occurring. Stop climbing Grandpas ladder and lets improve ladder safety through better design. Even with a renewed emphasis on ladder safety training the numbers of ladder related injuries continues to rise. In 2008, the CPSC estimated that more than 500,000 people were injured while using a ladder or stepstool. In 2010, the estimate rose to 724,000—that's nearly 2,000 people injured every day. Experts estimate that 100 people will suffer a long-term or permanent disability each day. And 1 person will die, every day. As I travel around the country speaking about ladder safety I have the opportunity to meet with groups from different industries and talk about their ladder problems. Some industries face very unique challenges but most are very similar. Ladder accidents occur because of complacency. People have been climbing ladders since they were little children on the playground and they don't consider ladders as safety equipment. Another common complaint is that several ladder related rules are almost impossible to keep and get the work done so it becomes accepted to break the rule. How do you tie off a ladder before you climb it? How to maintain three points of contact while getting the work done? Some of these concerns can be addressed through training but some need innovation and design changes. Training Safety professionals need to know there are great training resources available. The American Ladder Institute (ALI) has developed the best online ladder safety training available at www.laddersafetytraining.org . The free site provides a pre-test, an informative training video, a post-test, and a printed certificate of completion. The site also allows safety managers load groups of employees and tracks the training of their employees. Also, in my role as national safety director at Little Giant Ladder Systems, I travel to organizations and jobsites all over the country performing live ladder safety training events at no charge. The resources are out there; you just have to know where to look.

Abstract The Devil’s Slide Tunnel project, located south of San Francisco along Highway 1, consists of twin bore tunnels approximately 1250 meters long. The tunnels are currently being excavated and supported utilizing the “New Austrian Tunneling Method” (NATM). At Devil’s Slide a daily decision is made on ground support category based on the rock behavior determined by geology, ground water conditions, and over burden. As the excavation progresses, convergence arrays are installed to measure and quantify the ground movement. The convergence readings permit the original support category determination to be validated to calibrate the NATM category support determination process. The convergence readings also allow the stability of the tunnel to be evaluated so that additional measures can be taken if necessary. This paper will present some of the convergence readings to date from the Devil’s Slide Tunnel. This paper will discuss how the convergence readings have been used to calibrate the NATM category support determination process and how they relate to the use of local ground support measures. A brief discussion of lessons learned will also be given. 1. INTRODUCTION The Devil’s Slide Tunnel project consists of twin tunnels along California’s coastal highway, Highway 1. The tunnels will by-pass a difficult stretch of road that has been plagued by numerous landslides and rock falls causing frequent and costly closures over a period of many years. The tunnels will be approximately 1250 meters long with a cross-section of 9 meters wide and 6.8 meters high [1]. Construction of the tunnels is ongoing at this time. The New Austrian Tunneling Method (NATM) is being utilized to excavate and support the two tunnels. The NATM approach has evolved through modern history as many different tunneling technologies have emerged over time, such as the invention of sprayed concrete [2]. The basic philosophy behind NATM is to mobilize the existing grounds capacity to carry load by applying a lining system that will allow controlled deformation [2]. Therefore, the liner is not designed to carry the entire load applied by the overburden, as in other tunneling methods. The NATM method is also, at its core, an observational tunneling method, since it allows for flexibility in the support methods based on observed ground conditions [3]. (Figure in full paper) NATM, as an observational method, allows for optimization of ground support as the construction progresses [4]. To achieve the greatest optimization, the ground support category determination should be calibrated during the tunneling process when the most accurate and most plentiful geological and ground behavior data is available. This data is captured utilizing many different approaches and is fed into the daily ground support decision at Devil’s Slide as shown in Fig. 1. This paper will focus specifically on how convergence data is utilized in the daily ground support decision and calibration of the decision model at Devil’s Slide Tunnel. The regional geology and site specific geology will be described.

ABSTRACT The geostatic behavior of tunnel sections may be significantly different even when the sections are excavated in a medium characterized by identical geotechnical properties. In fact, several other factors have an important impact in the response: sometimes, the in-situ natural stresses of the medium in which the excavation is performed and some other times, the geometric and topographic characteristics of the surface. For intermediate tunnel depths, the geo-mechanic behavior of the tunnel, and as a consequence, the loads imposed on the support and the necessary support can be considered dependent of, mainly, the geo-mechanic characteristics of the excavated medium. Only outside the range of intermediate tunnel depths is that other factors significantly impact the geo-mechanic behavior of the excavation: for deep excavations, the in-situ natural stresses of the medium in which the excavation is performed, and for shallow excavations, the cinematic-rigid equilibrium caused by the section's proximity to the external topographic surface. 1 INTRODUCTION As it is widely known, there exist numerous and complex factors which for a specific tunnel section interact to determine its overall geostatic behavior. One of these factors is the in-situ stresses prior to excavation which, as a first approximation, can be related to the section's cover depth. Nevertheless, for a given tunnel it is possible to define a range of cover depths for which this factor's influence is irrelevant and therefore negligible for practical purposes. This does not represent a new idea. In fact, several methodologies, traditional and more modern ones, are based on the acceptance of this concept. Some times to determine the loads acting on the tunnel support, and in other instances to define the support to be selected: Bierbaumer (1913), Terzaghi (1946), Protodyakonov (1960), Wickham (1972) and Bieniawsky (1973), are some of the most significant examples on the application of the theory and practice in tunneling. Although following different procedures and criteria, all these methods estimate the tunnel loads and support type based on the geomechanic characteristics of the ground in which the excavation is taking place, and on the dimensions of the tunnel section. In spite of their ease of use and therefore, the profound diffusion in practice, these methodologies have often revealed evident and irrefutable limitations. These limitations put in evidence the fact that, although the geomechanic characteristics of the ground are of paramount importance in the tunnel design, they alone are not able to capture all the necessary parameters to satisfactorily define the geostatic tunnel design. In other words, there often exist circumstances in which, although the geotechnical characteristic of the excavated material are essentially the same, the geostatic tunnel conditions are effectively and significantly different. 2 BEHAVIOR CATEGORY The geostatic behavior of an underground excavation, or more schematically, the type of behavior of the excavation, depends on a number of factors. On an extreme simplification, these factors can be identified as the in-situ natural conditions of the medium prior to the excavation, aswell as its geomechanic resistance.