Disassembly, Re-Engineering, Mobilization and Re-Assembly Journey of the First Lift Boat from Gulf of Mexico to the Caspian Sea

The Cheleken field offshore Turkmenistan is going through brown field development and challenges with retaining and enhancing production increase every day. Well Interventions are deemed to be a daily necessity to maintain production. Coiled Tubing, Wireline and other rigless interventions have been used directly on platforms resulting in occupying critical spaces, logistic and marine congestion (one Coiled Tubing Move comprises of over twenty lifts), structure integrity limitations, crane and lifting limitation, and a lot more. The need for a self-elevating platform arose and operator search for a proper one within the Caspian Sea ended with disappointments. This paper details the innovative and out of the box solution that was put in place to mobilize the first Lift Boat to the Caspian Sea. A lift boat was identified in the USA in the Gulf of Mexico which was underutilized after the pandemic and oil recession. The Class 230 specifications met the end user's requirements but the challenge was how to mobilize it to the Caspian. In addition, there were a handful of modifications that were requested for the Caspian operation that were not necessarily required in the Gulf. Mobilization of the lift boat must be carried out through the Volga-Don canal locking system which has a width of 57 feet 9 inch (maximum allowable beam for vessels is 56 feet 5 inches). The beam of the lift boat was 78 feet which is too wide to fit through the Volga-Don shipping canal. Hence, it was necessary to disassemble and transport the lift boat in sections. This paper describes the following: • Disassembly requirements necessary to prepare the lift boat for mobilization • The mobilization of the lift boat • • Installation of well service and intervention equipment • Technology and methodology adopted The reassembly requirements once the lift boat reached the shipyard at Caspian Sea The Lift boat was disassembled into three major sections for transportation: a) the center hull module b) the port wing module, and c) the starboard wing module. The wing modules, miscellaneous equipment and containers were loaded onto a barge and sea-fastened for transportation. The center hull module was wet towed to the shipyard located in the Caspian where the lift boat was reassembled, and the well service equipment was installed. The mobilization and assembly happened during the Covid-19 era, and the vessel was hit by Hurricane Ida which impacted the disassembly schedule. Challenges on mobilizing the personnel, equipment, machinery, port clearance, etc. were all extremely tough due to Covid-19. The paper will also cover technical implications on conducting this task by complying with the classification and flag state requirements as per Turkmenistan authority. The main lesson of the paper is the identification of gaps on mobilization and how the improved techniques can be utilized for executing the task on a fast-track manner. © 2023, Offshore Technology Conference.

Vessel traffic influences distribution of Aotearoa New Zealand's endemic dolphin (Cephalorhynchus hectori)

Cetacean tourism and vessel traffic have grown considerably around the world in recent decades. At Akaroa Harbor, Aotearoa New Zealand, recreational vessel traffic, dolphin tourism, and cruise ship presence increased substantially between 2008 and 2020. We examined the relationship between vessel traffic parameters and the presence of Hector's dolphins (Cephalorhynchus hectori) during the austral summer 2019-2020, using automated vessel tracking and autonomous passive acoustic monitoring. Data were collected between December 2019 and May 2020, including the entirety of the first COVID-19 nationwide lockdown. Generalized additive models revealed that increasing levels of motor vessel traffic, the presence of cruise ships, and high levels of dolphin tour vessel traffic resulted in decreases in acoustic detections of dolphins. Our findings suggest that Hector's dolphins at Akaroa Harbor were displaced from core habitat in response to each of these vessel traffic parameters. We recommend that managers use immediately actionable tools to reduce the impacts of vessels on these dolphins.

Common-Pool Resource Depletion and Dictatorship: North Korean Coastal Fishing in the Age of Marketization

This article seeks to explain the dynamics of resource depletion in North Korea’s fishery. We utilize insights from the common-pool resource (CPR) literature and show how theories from comparative politics that explain why states sometimes do not formalize property rights but prefer their informal exercise can be fruitfully applied to North Korea’s fishery. Utilizing a process tracing methodology, we demonstrate that the North Korean state possesses the necessary capacity to limit resource depletion, but has largely failed to do so. We argue that broad access to the commons maintains relations of enmeshed dependence between the dictator and those utilizing the fishery, balancing regime social control concerns with the party-state’s need for revenue. Further, in recent times, foreign actors have been allowed into the sector, providing a lucrative source of revenue without creating issues for internal control. We consider the alternative explanation that the North Korean state lacks the capacity to prevent CPR depletion, but demonstrate its implausibility given the preponderance of available evidence, not least the response of the regime in Pyongyang to the COVID-19 pandemic, where it has demonstrated considerable capacity to control the country’s fishing fleet.

Extension brief: providing educational support during a public health emergency

This article briefly describes a series of extension materials created by LSU AgCenter and Louisiana Sea Grant to assist different sectors of the community to respond to public health concerns associated with COVID-19. The materials created included a series of fact sheets on a variety of issues, including food delivery and take-out, fishing safety information and seafood processing plants. In addition, a series of six posters was developed to create awareness of social distancing among store employees and customers. Two fact sheets were created for the seafood industry. "Fishing Safety and Information During a Public Health Emergency" highlights the health of people working on the boats, the proper use of disinfectants, and considerations when fishers sell their catch directly to consumers. The other fact sheet is "Public Health Emergency Response for Seafood Processing Plants During COVID-19," which provides guidance on the risks associated for processing plants during the pandemic, how to identify high-risk areas, and how to control and prevent the transmission of the virus among employees and visitors. The goal is to minimize person-to-person contact in the plant and during processing. To help create awareness on the control and prevention of the transmission of COVID-19, graphics and videos are available on the LSU AgCenter website for sharing through social media.

A new total institution sui generis: the quarantine ship

Sixty years ago, E. Goffman published the first version of the book Asylums, where he introduced the concept of total institution. Since then, several total institutions have undergone transformations, but even today such analyses are useful, as the mental health risks associated with life as inmates may still arise. Considering this reference, the article tries to analyse the "quarantine boats", an institution created in 2020 by the Italian government to host migrants arriving in the country, in order to keep the danger of spreading the SARS-CoV-2 virus under control in the Italian territory. The experiment has been subject to even harsh criticism, which involved the Italian Red Cross, to which the health service on board was outsourced;in fact, on the ships a forced coexistence is being temporarily created and it has characteristics similar to those of total institutions analysed in the past. The article therefore proposes the adoption of an analytical attitude that does not stop at the surface but takes into consideration various levels, not least that of the role of the psychologist on such ships.

Same storm, different boats! The impact of COVID-19 on the wellbeing of school communities

Purpose>The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the functioning of education systems in a multitude of ways. In Ireland schools closed on March 12th and remained closed for the remainder of the academic year. During this time educators engaged with students, families and colleagues in new and diverse ways. The purpose of this study was to explore educators' experiences during the closures, particularly regarding the impact of the pandemic on the wellbeing of students, school staff and wider school communities.Design/methodology/approach>A series of one-to-one interviews, lasting approximately one hour, were conducted in July 2020 with 15 education professionals online via Zoom or Microsoft Teams. Participants occupied various roles (classroom teacher, school leader, special educational needs coordinator, etc.) and worked in a diverse range of communities in Ireland. Qualitative data from interviews were transcribed and emergent themes identified through an inductive followed by deductive analytic approach.Findings>The interviews highlighted the central role that schools play in supporting their local communities and the value teachers place on their relationships with students and families. Many teachers and school leaders found themselves grappling with new identities and professional boundaries as they worked to support, care for and connect with the students and families they serve. There was considerable concern expressed regarding the plight of vulnerable or marginalised students for whom the school ordinarily offered a place of safety and security.Originality/value>The findings reveal how COVID-19 has exacerbated pre-existing inequalities and the central role of schools in promoting the health and wellbeing of all its members.

Transitioning an In-person Team Engineering Design Project to a Virtual Setting

This Complete Evidence-based Practice paper describes the transition of an in-person engineering design project to a virtual setting as part of a Summer Bridge program. The project is typically a hands-on, interdisciplinary, team engineering project that students work on each day on campus. The typical goals of the project are to introduce the students to the engineering design process, working as part of an engineering team, and to gain experience with our facilities that allow for construction and fabrication of projects. Due to the closure of the University during the COVID-19 pandemic, the entire program was moved to a virtual format, including the engineering project. To ensure that the students were still able to experience the many benefits of a hands-on, interdisciplinary, team project, the project staff worked in the spring and early summer to develop a new scope, structure and plan. The scope of the new project (an electric boat carrying pennies) was reduced to ensure that students could individually complete the build aspect of their projects in their homes using materials and tools that were shipped to each student. Students were instructed on the details of the traditional engineering design process and the schedule of the project was created to follow this traditional process. The program was extended to six weeks, with each student team meeting via synchronous video conferencing twice per week to work as a team and interact with project advisors. Teams were required to submit updates on their project as well as requests for additional materials. In a new process for the project staff, the student cohort was introduced to computer aided design software and given access to 3D printers on campus to produce specialized parts for their boats. Students were also required to document their project work, beginning with design discussions and drawings, and concluding with a final presentation and a video. As the program proceeded, the primary difficulty was verifying project progress for each team and ensuring teams made adequate progress each week. There were also issues ensuring students received their shipped materials and equipment in a timely fashion. Project mentors (current engineering students and program alumni) were utilized to help assist in observing the students and soliciting feedback on the project experience. The initial project schedule was adjusted to allow more time for early design work and to allow supplies to reach their destinations. While all students were able to successfully complete the project, the performance of the boats varied widely. However, the team's final presentations and videos reflected understanding of the design process and enjoyment of the project. If future programs are virtual for the project portion, additional and more specific communications from the students would allow program staff to evaluate team progress and improve project performance. Additional pre-program assessments would allow program staff to document improvements in student understanding of the engineering design process and overall project opinions. © American Society for Engineering Education, 2021

Extending the DMSP Nighttime Lights Time Series beyond 2013

Data collected by the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program’s Operational Linescan System (DMSP-OLS) sensors have been archived and processed by the Earth Observation Group (EOG) at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to make global maps of nighttime images since 1994. Over the years, the EOG has developed automatic algorithms to make Stable Lights composites from the OLS visible band data by removing the transient lights from fires and fishing boats. The ephemeral lights are removed based on their high brightness and short duration. However, the six original satellites collecting DMSP data gradually shifted from day/night orbit to dawn/dusk orbit, which is to an earlier overpass time. At the beginning of 2014, the F18 satellite was no longer collecting usable nighttime data, and the focus had shifted to processing global nighttime images from Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) Day/Night Band (DNB) data. Nevertheless, it was soon discovered that the F15 and F16 satellites had started collecting pre-dawn nighttime data from 2012 onwards. Therefore, the established algorithms of the previous years were extended to process OLS data from 2013 onwards. Moreover, the existence of nighttime data from three overpass times for the year 2013–DMSP satellites F18 and F15 from early evening and pre-dawn, respectively, and the VIIRS from after midnight, made it possible to intercalibrate the images of three different overpass times and study the diurnal pattern of nighttime lights.