Successful Introduction of a Novel, High Dogleg Rotary Steerable System

Rotary Steerable Systems (RSS's) have proven beneficial over conventional steerable motor systems, which has driven significant market uptake over the last several decades. Consequently, applications for RSS's have expanded and encouraged RSS technology developers to meet these ever-changing market demands. Modifications to the basic proven RSS methods, attempted independent reproductions of those methods, and other novel methods have emerged to fulfill these market demands. The initial RSS method and technique were invented and proven in the late 1990s, and common ways of creating wellbore deflection emerged, allowing the industry to attempt the classification of these methods. These classifications were an attempt to gain a better understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of each and help understand where and what version of technology to apply for an ever-increasing expansion of applications. This paper describes the attempts at classification of RSS's, then addresses the drivers, development, and field trial results of a new method for placing wells using a high dogleg automated rotary steering system (SwR;Steering-while-Rotating). The SwR was targeted to meet market changes identified in 2016 and projected out ten (10) years by the SwR technical team. Simplicity, fostering reliability and value were major design tenets. A high dogleg curve (20°/100') design, enabling "one-run, Vertical, Curve, and Lateral" bottom hole assemblies, two-way (uplink-downlink) downhole communications along with autonomous self-steering capability, also drove the SwR development. The initial SwR prototype system for 8-3/8"-9-7/8" hole sizes was built, and field trials began in Q3 of 2019. The SwR team weathered the global Covid-19 pandemic of 2020-21 with the rest of the world and deployed systems to the Middle East, while also securing and executing trial and commercial runs within North America in 2021 and 2022. Conclusions are based upon, and data is presented from thirty-seven (37) bit runs and the first 50,000 feet drilled with the SwR. The SwR team has delivered a unique steering method to the industry and presents the early run data demonstrating the SwR technology capability to drill challenging well profiles, in challenging environments. The SwR technology was designed for the RSS market of today and for several years to come improving the value proposition for modern RSS well placement technology. Copyright © 2023, Society of Petroleum Engineers.

A Framework for Assessing Higher Education Courses Employability

The 4th Industrial Revolution is causing profound and accelerated changes to work, bringing new opportunities and challenges as new technologies impact practically all occupations. The transformations in the labor market were accelerated even more due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the scenario where old careers cease to exist, and new occupations are being created, Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) need to be prepared to educate professionals capable of getting and keeping qualified jobs. To do so, HEIs need tools to evaluate their undergraduate courses in the face of the changing demands of the labor market. We propose a novel approach to employability from the perspective of HEIs, creating a framework- called Higher Education Courses Employability (HECE). The framework can help HEI decision-makers to make decisions based on employability data. The framework allows for mitigating the reported gap between the theory taught in HEIs and the labor market demands. We evaluated the HECE framework as useful and relevant by HEI decision-makers and Employability experts from Brazil, a continental country with great social differences between and within its regions, and where the unemployment and underemployment rates demonstrate the mismatch between the labor market demands and the undergraduate course's curricula. The applicability of HECE in different Brazillian regions provides evidence that we can apply the framework in most contexts. This study provides tools to facilitate the implementation of the framework by HEIs. The evaluators reported the innovative nature of the approach of this research. © 2013 IEEE.

POTENTIAL SCENARIOS FOR OVERCOMING THE COVID-19 CRISIS IN FOOD SUPPLY CHAINS IN LATVIA

The Covid-19 pandemic has produced another era on the planet while we sort out the outcomes in various parts of our everyday life. The food sector and food supply chain do not incorporate an exception. In Latvia, the agricultural and food sector is important for the national economy;therefore, it is important that production, processing, logistics, supply and trade disruptions are successfully overcome during the pandemic and the food sector develops rapidly after the crisis and is more resilient in the future. Therefore, the aim of the present research is to examine potential scenarios for overcoming the crisis in food supply chains with the aim of promoting sectoral development and resilience after Covid-19 crisis in Latvia. The research identified two key drivers of food supply chains during the crisis and post-crisis period: 1) market demand for a particular product;2) capability to ensure the production process is uninterrupted, with the availability and sufficiency of individuals/employees at all stages of the food supply chain. Any case of Covid-19 in a company could lead to production interruptions, thereby causing losses to the company and affecting the market situation. The research developed four scenarios for food supply chains for the crisis and post-crisis period, gave descriptions of the scenarios for key food sector segments and found that the scenarios and the resilience of the food sector during the post-crisis period were determined by the duration of the crisis. © 2021 International Multidisciplinary Scientific Geoconference. All rights reserved.

China's caprolactam and ADN markets face opposing forces

The outlook for polyamide market demand, the stop-and-start nature of economic recovery during the COVID pan-1 demic, and key feedstock materials - both in abundance and in scarcity - were among the many topics discussed during the China International Polyamide & Intermediates Forum held in Shanghai on March 29-30, 2021. This article gives an overview about market developments for caprolactam and adiponitrile, the key intermediate chemicals for polyamide 6 and polyamide 66, respectively. © 2021 Deutscher Fachverlag GmbH. All rights reserved.