Ford Motor Co. Case Report

r [Type the company name]| Ford Motor Company: Supply Chain Strategy | [Type the document subtitle]| NICOLE | Table of Contents Page 3. Executive Summary Page 4. Identification Issues Page 5. Identification Issues, Environmental and Root Cause Analysis Page 6. Alternatives Page 7. Recommendation, Implementation, Control Page 8. Conclusions, References Executive Summary This case report addresses the challenges to implement virtual integration in Ford Motor Company, one of the largest automobile manufacturing companies in the world. It focuses on the viability of implementing a supply chain strategy following Dell’s â€Å"Direct Business model† Dell’s direct business model used information and technology to revolutionize the PC industry; it focused on developing effective supplier partnerships and JIT manufacturing becoming a highly horizontal or â€Å"virtual integrated† company. Dell skipped the intermediate retailers, selling to customers directly eliminating the reseller’s markup and the cost and risk associated with carrying large inventories. All this combined gave Dell a leading position in a very competitive market in only a 13 year period time. In 1970’s Ford’s main competition was with General Motors and Chrysler. However with the entry of Japanese companies like Honda, Toyota and Nissan the American firm faced a harder competition. In order to maintain its leading position, in 1995 Ford initiated the Ford 2000 plan; aimed to restructure many of their key processes like Order to Delivery (OTD) and Ford Production System (FPS). They wanted to reduce the OTD from 60 or more to 15 or less days. FPS was created to convert the supply chain from a push type to a pull type basing their forecast, production and inventory decisions on real market demands. The decision to radically redesign Ford’s supply chain infrastructure may significantly affect in a positive way the growth and competitiveness of Ford Motor Company in a short, mid and long term period. I strongly support the implementation of virtual integration and a pulled based system in Ford’s supply chain. It has been proven by Dell’s KPI’s that producing based on actual customer requirements using information technologies for the efficient information flow from the consumers all the way down to suppliers will directly improve the supply chain by reducing inventory levels and the related cost, reducing lead times, making your suppliers, the production systems and the overall SC more responsive and efficient. This new strategy will include the creation of an IT platform which its objective is to support an online operation, it will establish procedures to enable customization and ordering by customers via advanced EDI, this platform will be integrated to the physical dealerships as well so they can transmit in real time customer’s requirements. All customer orders would be taken either via Ford's web site or by phone and then produce. A pull system would be implemented completely. This Platform will also virtually integrated Ford’s supply chain where Ford and all its suppliers would share information by an intranet and Internet to coordinate in real time the flow of materials and production. Issues Identification Industries Differences One major issue is the differences between the auto business and the computer business were compared to Dell’s; Ford’s supplier network had many more layers and many more companies making Ford’s supply chain more complex than Dell’s. Change Management (short term issue) For the reasons above some Ford’s SC staff thought that the Dell’s direct business model will not deliver the same results for Ford. Ford’s staff never faced with the challenge of modifying work flow processes and standard operating procedures, this can result in employees being uncomfortable, dissatisfied and challenged by this new system, therefore they may fall back to their original habits. The adaptation of this new initiative at staff level will be a major challenge for Ford. Purchasing (short term issue, potentially long term issue) Different from Dell’s were purchasing activities reported to product development, Ford’s purchasing division is separate from product development, this is another source of disconnect in the supply chain. The efficient roll-out of new products may be impacted negatively due to lack of communication between these two key departments. Also suppliers were picked based on cost, and little regard was given to the overall supply chain cost. At this level of the supply chain restructuring may be difficult due to corporate history and politics. Information Technologies (short term issue, potentially long term issue) An important issue is the lack of technological knowledge and application throughout Ford’s supply chain, were first tier suppliers well developed IT capabilities interacting with Ford via EDI, but they were not able to invest in new technologies at the same rate as Ford did. The understanding of modernity technology rapidly decreased in the lower tiers of the supply chain. This situation was different to Dell’s supply chain, were by using new technologies Dell shared information in a real time fashion with its suppliers, helping them know Dell’s daily production requirements making the supplier more responsive to Dell’s needs. Also Dell only kept suppliers that maintained their leadership in technology and quality making the overall supply chain more competitive. Lead Times/Production Process (short term issue, potentially long term issue) The production at Ford is based on a predetermined schedule making its production system push based, creating high inventory levels with low turnover, in addition to this; bottlenecks were an issue in the material planning and vehicle production processes. So far this production system created a lead time of 65 days from the time a customer placed an order until the product was delivered, making the overall supply chain inefficient. Environmental and Root Cause Analysis Ford, as any other corporation is looking to achieve the ultimate goal; increase profit margins. The OTD and FPS initiatives established an aggressive goal to reduce lead times from over forty five days to fifteen days. To do this, it is necessary to improve the flow of information throughout the supplier network and reduce manufacturing time. The challenges faced include the unavailability of accurate demand information, poor supplier communication at every level, lack of interaction between product development and purchasing, and resistance to change within the organization. Ford’s current OTD time requires production to guess the real demands. Consumer demand is therefore met through a push rather than a pull manufacturing process. To move to a pull system and to improve demand forecasting, Ford must implement a process that will provide earlier demand notification to the supplier network. They must also be able to immediately link the actual orders to the manufacturing schedule at any of their almost two hundred manufacturing locations. Purchasing must also play an integral role in this process to insure the correct suppliers are receiving the information. Another important step for Ford is to coordinate thousands dealerships to transmit data sales efficiently, Dell’s business model involves direct manufacturer contact with the consumer, this greatly reduces order time by removing middle-man interference and inventory requirements. But for the automobile industry without the distribution channels will be impossible for a potential customer to decide to buy a car without testing it, seeing it and feeling it. For this reason the auto industry lacks this ability. Considering all the issues above and their associated challenges, would be fair to say that Ford’s multi-layered supply chain is in great need of a technological solution to its information sharing and communication needs. Alternatives 1. Keep Ford’s existing supply chain and initiatives of improvement without investing in a new IT platform: The existing initiatives such as FPS and OTD and their overall objectives and their supply management goals are a step in the right direction for providing the necessary data sharing with suppliers and therefore achieve the goals of Ford’s initiatives. Ford will have to rely on the actual technology (EDI) such as phone or email in some cases depending if it is a tier 1 suppliers can depend in a more sophisticated tools such as the FRN or the extranet created to connect ford with its suppliers in the B2B initiative. The advantage of this is that there will not be major changes and additional cost involved besides the ones related to the overall SC efficiency, the disadvantages of this is that it has been proven that any enterprise which is not up to date with the newest information technologies will not stay competitive and in a leadership position within mid and long terms, facing the chance of getting behind in a such competitive market. 2. Support Ford’s FPS and OTD initiatives by creating a specialized IT frame that will help to achieve the virtual integration in Ford’s SC. The initiatives above must now incorporate an advanced IT solution to be linked to the outside groups, tier-2 suppliers and upstream to the distribution network. The IT system will focus on developing the open sharing of real time demand information between the distribution network and the supplier pool. Further development of long-term supply contracts with key vendors and a continued focus on the sub-systems supply format will improve confidence while simplifying and speeding the entire process. Building linkages from the dealerships (Also is necessary to invest in the E-business infrastructure) all the way down to the lowest tiers, so the right people get the necessary data in the fashion and time that is needed to improve the SC. The disadvantage of this will be in the short term and probably midterm period, due to all the effort and extraordinary monetary investment that an initiative like this requires. If the system is poorly chosen, the entire initiative will fail. Technology costs, if not monitored and controlled, can escalate uncontrollably. Also while the platform is operational there may be unexpected issues which the staff and suppliers will not be able to solve causing inefficiencies in the supply chain, affecting Ford’s and its suppliers revenue directly. The advantage is that with an infrastructure like this Ford will virtually have automated its supply chain translating in achieving Ford’s initiatives and therefore their ultimate goal â€Å"Be more profitable and a leader automobile manufacturing company† Recommendation I strongly support the implementation of alternative number 2. Dell’s direct business model will be the guideline to follow when applying this model in Ford’s organization. Although there are several major differences between the companies, Dell’s direct business approach can be applied to every facet of Ford’s operation. The decision to support virtual integration will help redefine Ford as a competitive, cost effective and profitable company. Instead of remaining static, Ford must pursue continually evolve along with the new technologies trends, failure to incorporate the latest information technologies will result in continued inefficiencies and eventually Ford will be displaced from the automobile manufacturing leading positions. Implementation Stage 1 Accurate and timely information should be the primary focus of the IT implementation. For this stage, the existing FPS initiative should be combined more extensively with the existing intranet and extranet. Ford should leverage the B2B capabilities to incorporate upstream ordering information from the distribution network. To minimize risk, stage 1 should be applied on a specific product line and only with key suppliers (pilot projects). Initially, the information sharing may be a simple as providing real time demand to suppliers on a secured web site. Stage 2 Once this first stage has achieved quantitative results the IT objective will be to automate the order-to-scheduling process to adapt processes that would notify suppliers of orders and their manufacturing locations based upon every day orders from the dealerships. The objective is to develop information flow upstream from the suppliers. Ford will need to know on an accurate and real time fashion the suppliers individual daily capacities, only then Ford will be able to effectively allocate orders. Control Understanding this challenge, implementation plans will require phasing and adequate training, with follow through at all levels to ensure a predictable and comfortable transition. This stage should be split into manageable groups, action plans should be in place for addressing specific challenge areas, such as technically issues. The control will focus in monitoring the KPI’s within Ford and its suppliers, by this stage the refined IT solution will help to achieve FPS goals such as lower inventories, faster inventory turnovers, leaner manufacturing process, making the overall supply chain more cost effective and responsive, achieving the 15 days lead-time established by ODT. Conclusion Ford is an example of a company who can evolve at any stage of its existence; it is committed to be leader in the automobile market. They decision to implement major changes within the organization shows the determination to do anything to stay competitive, Ford knows that if they don’t keep up with the new trends, they will lose ground easily over the time. Once again I realize how the â€Å"information† plays the most important role within any organization, the effective and efficient manage of it will smooth any operation helping to achieve the expected results. Whether your company is vertical, horizontal or virtual integrated a key issue is to build based on real requirements delivered in real time. If everything starts with the right step, all of the following levels of the SC will enjoy a more organized and efficient process. Supporting these basic ideas with and efficient IT infrastructure will give the ultimate competitive advantage to any company it is applied. In conclusion if the recommended strategy is implemented successfully and in a timely manner, Ford will be positioned to become a dominant player in the automotive market enjoying great growth and larger profit margins. References Ford Motor Company: SC Strategy Case Study Harvard Business School by Robert D. Austin The Power of Virtual Integration: An Interview with Dell Computer’s Michael Dell by Joan Magretta.

I can not help but wonder why they would do this to me. I have been at peace with these humans for many years

For 300 years I have guarded my treasure. My family and I had taken it from a human's town that we once fumed upon. I took my share and placed it on the upland heath concealed in a barrow. No man should have seen it or even caught a reflection of these jewels sparkling in the light of the sun. I was isolated from this world because of what I am, the fire-drake, they call me. When Hygelac was king I did not bother his people often, even when the new ruler came to power for 50 years I did not bother his kingdom. A dirty human then snatched one of my treasure pieces right out of the barrow. The day I came back to my lair I knew something was missing. The precious cup made of gold and jewels had disappeared. Angry and full of rage I set forth to seek out the wretched thief, while returning to my barrow numerous of time to see if my eyes had deceived me. The gold treasure-cup was still no where to be found. I will burn them all to ashes. The fury that I possessed was uncontrollable. I could feel the anger slowly making its why through my body, and until I found the thief I was going to contain it. There were so many of these creatures how was I to know which one had my treasure-cup. They are all alike it does not matter who stole my gold treasure-cup. † Do not think to start anything with these humans Draco,† I turned around to see that it was my father and the leader of my kind, Drace. † You do not understand. I will not let these so called humans take advantage of me.† † It was just one golden treasure-cup that is all!† Why is Drace not agreeing with me? † It is that it was my treasure-cup and they came and bothered me first!† I roared back. † You are on your own then. For if one gold treasure-cup is worth starting a war over then so be it! But let this be known that I will not help you in any way. This is your battle. But let me also warn you of a man called, Beowulf, for he is unlike the rest of their kind.† With that, Drace left, and I was alone once again. The fact that my family was not on my side did not help the fact that I wanted to conceal my anger until the right time. I went out and nearly burned everything to the ground. That was my big mistake for now my barrow was now visible to any eye. I knew that they would soon come after me. I knew that some of these humans were not cowards. I began to prepare myself for the upcoming battle. I did not have much to fear, for my breath could do more harm than all of their swords combined. It still would have felt good to know that I had my family behind me. Shhh.. What was that? I know that they could not be coming for me so soon. Sweat begins to pour from his pores. I must remember that they are only humans. As the barbarians moved up the mound towards me I could see their leader very clearly. For he walked with his head high and look the strongest of all. This must be the man, Beowulf, that my father was talking of. But something about him caught my eye, why he did not look his age, but in his eyes I could tell that he had gone through many winters. Gaining back my confidence I proceeded upon them. Ha! Look at that old fool. Does he really believe that he can defeat me. The leader prepared himself for battle by putting up his shield. Ha! That shield will not protect you old fool. The man Beowulf swung his sword and I roared as it made contact with my body. The strength of this blow was something that I had never felt before. I was sure I had been wounded, but as I look not even a scratch was on me. I'm invincible! The look of shock replaced the courageous expression Beowulf once had. I enveloped him with a huge flame of fire I produced at that exact moment. The other humans with him ran off like cowards towards safety. The leader was left there fighting off the flames. I stopped in rejoiced in my glory, but the second I was going to end his life, the only noble warrior of his pushed him out of my grasp. This man was trying to save his leaders life. He was whispering something to him in a language I could not make out. Roar! I rushed at them and through the flame I could see the man protecting his leader. The leader shaking stood up and swung his great sword-blade and hit my head. Staggering, I saw the sword break. Running towards them I sunk my fangs into the throat of the man, Beowulf. As I turn I felt the blade of another sword. This time there was pain. The other man had drawn his sword upon my body and I was wounded. My vision began to fail and in pain I try to gather my strength back. Beowulf removed an object from his corselet and sharp sensations overwhelmed me.

Fluid, Electrolyte, and Acid-Base Balance: Introduction to Body Fluids Essay

   Fluid Compartments Water occupies two main fluid compartments Intracellular fluid (ICF) – about two thirds by volume, contained in cells Extracellular fluid (ECF) – consists of two major subdivisions Plasma – the fluid portion of the blood Interstitial fluid (IF) – fluid in spaces between cells Other ECF – lymph, cerebrospinal fluid, eye humors, synovial fluid, serous fluid, and gastrointestinal secretions Extracellular and Intracellular Fluids Water is the universal solvent Solutes are broadly classified into: Electrolytes – inorganic salts, all acids and bases, and some proteins Electrolytes determine the chemical and physical reactions of fluids Electrolytes have greater osmotic power than nonelectrolytes Water moves according to osmotic gradients Nonelectrolytes – examples include glucose, lipids, creatinine, and urea Each fluid compartment of the body has a distinctive pattern of electrolytes Extracellular fluids are similar (except for high protein content of plasma) Sodium is the chief cation Chloride is the major anion Intracellular fluids have low sodium and chloride Potassium is the chief cation Phosphate is the chief anion Proteins, phospholipids, cholesterol, and neutral fats account for: 90% of the mass of solutes in plasma 60% of the mass of solutes in interstitial fluid 97% of the mass of solutes in the intracellular compartment Fluid Movement Among Compartments Compartmental exchange is regulated by osmotic and hydrostatic pressures Net leakage of fluid from the blood is picked up by lymphatic vessels and returned to the bloodstream Exchanges between interstitial and intracellular fluids are complex due to the selective permeability of the cellular membranes Two-way water flow is substantial Ion fluxes are restricted and move selectively by active transport Nutrients, respiratory gases, and wastes move unidirectionally Plasma is the only fluid that circulates throughout the body and links external and internal environments Osmolalities of all body fluids are equal; changes in solute concentrations are quickly followed by osmotic changes Water Balance and ECF Osmolality To remain properly hydrated, water intake must equal water output Water intake sources Ingested fluid (60%) and solid food (30%) Metabolic water or water of oxidation (10%) Water output Urine (60%) and feces (4%) Insensible losses (28%), sweat (8%) Increases in plasma osmolality trigger thirst and release of antidiuretic hormone (ADH) Regulation of Water – Homeostaisis Intake – Hypothalmic Thirst Center Thirst is quenched as soon as we begin to drink water Feedback signals that inhibit the thirst centers include: Moistening of the mucosa of the mouth and throat Activation of stomach and intestinal stretch receptors Influence and Regulation of ADH Water reabsorption in collecting ducts is proportional to ADH release Low ADH levels produce dilute urine and reduced volume of body fluids High ADH levels produce concentrated urine Hypothalamic osmoreceptors trigger or inhibit ADH release Factors that specifically trigger ADH release include prolonged fever; excessive sweating, vomiting, or diarrhea; severe blood loss; and traumatic burns Disorders of Water Balance: Dehydration Water loss exceeds water intake and the body is in negative fluid balance Causes include: hemorrhage, severe burns, prolonged vomiting or diarrhea, profuse sweating, water deprivation, and diuretic abuse Signs and symptoms: cottonmouth, thirst, dry flushed skin, and oliguria Prolonged dehydration may lead to weight loss, fever, mental confusion Other consequences include hypovolemic shock and loss of electrolytes Hypotonic Hydration Renal insufficiency or an extraordinary amount of water ingested quickly can lead to cellular overhydration, or water intoxication ECF is diluted – sodium content is normal but excess water is present The resulting hyponatremia promotes net osmosis into tissue cells, causing swelling These events must be quickly reversed to prevent severe metabolic disturbances, particularly in neurons Edema. Atypical accumulation of fluid in the interstitial space, leading to tissue swelling Caused by anything that increases flow of fluids out of the bloodstream or hinders their return. Factors that accelerate fluid loss  include: Increased blood pressure, capillary permeability Incompetent venous valves, localized blood vessel blockage Congestive heart failure, hypertension, high blood volume Hindered fluid return usually reflects an imbalance in colloid osmotic pressures Hypoproteinemia – low levels of plasma proteins Forces fluids out of capillary beds at the arterial ends Fluids fail to return at the venous ends Results from protein malnutrition, liver disease, or glomerulonephritis Blocked (or surgically removed) lymph vessels: Cause leaked proteins to accumulate in interstitial fluid Exert increasing colloid osmotic pressure, which draws fluid from the blood Interstitial fluid accumulation results in low blood pressure and severely impaired circulation Sodium in Fluid and Electrolyte Balance Sodium holds a central position in fluid and electrolyte balance Sodium salts: Account for 90-95% of all solutes in the ECF Contribute 280 mOsm of the total 300 mOsm ECF solute concentration Sodium is the single most abundant cation in the ECF Sodium is the only cation exerting significant osmotic pressure The role of sodium in controlling ECF volume and water distribution in the body is a result of: Sodium being the only cation to exert significant osmotic pressure Sodium ions leaking into cells and being pumped out against their electrochemical gradient Sodium concentration in the ECF normally remains stable Changes in plasma sodium levels affect: Plasma volume, blood pressure ICF and interstitial fluid volumes Renal acid-base control mechanisms are coupled to sodium ion transport Regulation of Sodium Balance: Aldosterone The renin-angiotensin mechanism triggers the release of aldosterone This is mediated by juxtaglomerular apparatus, which releases renin in response to: Sympathetic nervous system stimulation Decreased filtrate osmolality Decreased stretch due to decreased blood pressure Renin catalyzes the production of angiotensin II, which prompts aldosterone release Adrenal cortical cells are directly stimulated to release aldosterone by elevated K+ levels in the ECF Aldosterone brings about its effects (diminished urine output and increased blood volume) slowly Cardiovascular System Baroreceptors Baroreceptors alert the brain of increases in blood volume (hence increased blood pressure) Sympathetic nervous system impulses to the kidneys decline Afferent arterioles dilate Glomerular filtration rate rises Sodium and water output increase This phenomenon, called pressure diuresis, decreases blood pressure Drops in systemic blood pressure lead to opposite actions and systemic blood pressure increases Since sodium ion concentration determines fluid volume, baroreceptors can be viewed as â€Å"sodium receptors† Atrial Natriuretic Peptide (ANP) Reduces blood pressure and blood volume by inhibiting: Events that promote vasoconstriction Na+ and water retention Is released in the heart atria as a response to stretch (elevated blood pressure) Has potent diuretic and natriuretic effects Promotes excretion of sodium and water Inhibits angiotensin II production Influence of Other Hormones on Sodium Balance Estrogens: Enhance NaCl reabsorption by renal tubules May cause water retention during menstrual cycles Are responsible for edema during pregnancy Progesterone: Decreases sodium reabsorption Acts as a diuretic, promoting sodium and water loss Glucocorticoids – enhance reabsorption of sodium and promote edema Regulation of Potassium Balance Relative ICF-ECF potassium ion concentration affects a cell’s resting membrane potential Excessive ECF potassium decreases membrane potential Too little K+ causes hyperpolarization and nonresponsiveness Hyperkalemia and hypokalemia can: Disrupt electrical conduction in the heart Lead to sudden death Hydrogen ions shift in and out of cells Leads to corresponding shifts in potassium in the opposite direction Interferes with activity of excitable cells Influence of Aldosterone Aldosterone stimulates potassium ion secretion by principal cells In cortical collecting ducts, for each Na+ reabsorbed, a K+ is secreted Increased K+ in the ECF around the adrenal cortex causes: Release of aldosterone –>Potassium secretion Potassium controls its own ECF concentration via feedback regulation of aldosterone release Regulation of Calcium Ionic calcium in ECF is important for: Blood clotting Cell membrane permeability Secretory behavior Hypocalcemia: Increases excitability, causes muscle tetany Hypercalcemia: inhibits neurons and muscle cells; cause heart arrhythmias Calcium balance is controlled by parathyroid hormone and calcitonin PTH promotes increase in calcium levels by targeting: Bones – PTH activates osteoclasts to break down bone matrix Small intestine – PTH enhances intestinal absorption of calcium Kidneys – PTH enhances calcium reabsorption and decreases phosphate reabsorption Calcium reabsorption and phosphate excretion go hand in hand Influence of Calcitonin Released in response to rising blood calcium levels Calcitonin is a PTH antagonist, but its contribution to calcium and phosphate homeostasis is minor to negligible Acid Base Balance Introduction to Acids and Bases Strong acids – all their H+ is dissociated completely in water Weak acids – dissociate partially in water and are efficient at preventing pH changes Strong bases – dissociate easily in water and quickly tie up H+ Weak bases – accept H+ more slowly (e.g., HCO3 ¯ and NH3) Normal pH of body fluids Arterial blood is 7.4 Venous blood and interstitial fluid is 7.35 Intracellular fluid is 7.0 Alkalosis or alkalemia – arterial blood pH rises above 7.45 Acidosis or acidemia – arterial pH drops below 7.35 (physiological acidosis) Sources of Hydrogen Ions – Most hydrogen ions originate from cellular metabolism Breakdown of phosphorus-containing proteins releases phosphoric acid into the ECF Anaerobic respiration of glucose produces lactic acid Fat metabolism yields organic acids and ketone bodies Transporting carbon dioxide as bicarbonate releases hydrogen ions Hydrogen Ion Regulation Concentration of hydrogen ions is regulated sequentially by: Chemical buffer systems – act within seconds Physiological buffer systems The respiratory center in the brain stem – acts within 1-3 minutes Renal mechanisms – require hours to days to effect pH changes Chemical Buffer Systems Bicarbonate Buffer System A mixture of carbonic acid (H2CO3) and its salt, sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) (potassium or magnesium bicarbonates work as well) If strong acid is added: Hydrogen ions released combine with the bicarbonate ions and form carbonic acid (a weak acid) The pH of the solution decreases only slightly If strong base is added: It reacts with the carbonic acid to form sodium bicarbonate (a weak base) The pH of the solution rises only slightly This system is the only important ECF buffer Phosphate Buffer System Nearly identical to the bicarbonate system Its components are: Sodium salts of dihydrogen phosphate (H2PO4 ¯), a weak acid Monohydrogen phosphate (HPO42 ¯), a weak base This system is an effective buffer in urine and intracellular fluid Protein Buffer System Plasma and intracellular proteins are the body’s most plentiful and powerful buffers Some amino acids of proteins have: Free organic acid groups (weak acids) Groups that act as weak bases (e.g., amino groups) Amphoteric molecules are protein molecules that can function as both a weak acid and a weak base Physiological Buffer Systems Respiratory Buffer System The respiratory system regulation of acid-base balance is a physiological buffering system There is a reversible equilibrium between: Dissolved carbon dioxide and water Carbonic acid and the hydrogen and bicarbonate ions CO2 + H2O –> H2CO3 –> H+ + HCO3 ¯ During carbon dioxide unloading, hydrogen ions are incorporated into water When hypercapnia or rising plasma H+ occurs: Deeper and more rapid breathing expels more carbon dioxide Hydrogen ion concentration is reduced Alkalosis causes slower, more shallow breathing, causing H+ to increase Respiratory system impairment causes acid-base imbalance (respiratory acidosis or respiratory alkalosis) Renal Mechanisms of Acid-Base Balance Introduction Chemical buffers can tie up excess acids or bases, but they cannot eliminate them from the body The lungs can eliminate carbonic acid by eliminating carbon dioxide Only the kidneys can rid the body of metabolic acids (phosphoric, uric, and lactic acids and ketones) and prevent metabolic acidosis The ultimate acid-base regulatory organs are the kidneys The most important renal mechanisms for regulating acid-base balance are: Conserving (reabsorbing) or generating new bicarbonate ions Excreting bicarbonate ions Losing a bicarbonate ion is the same as gaining a hydrogen ion; reabsorbing a bicarbonate ion is the same as losing a hydrogen ion Hydrogen ion secretion occurs in the PCT Hydrogen ions come from the dissociation of carbonic acid Reabsorption of Bicarbonate CO2 combines with water in tubule cells, forming H2CO3 H2CO3 splits into H+ and HCO3- For each H+ secreted, a Na+ and a HCO3- are reabsorbed by the PCT cells Secreted H+ form H2CO3; thus, HCO3- disappears from filtrate at the same rate that it enters the peritubular capillary blood H2CO3 formed in filtrate dissociates to release CO2 + H2 CO2 then diffuses into tubule cells, where it acts to trigger further H+ secretion Hydrogen Ion Excretion Dietary H+ must be counteracted by generating new HCO3- The excreted H+ must bind to buffers in the urine (phosphate buffer system) Intercalated cells actively secrete H+ into urine, which is buffered and excreted HCO3- generated is: Moved into the interstitial space via a cotransport system Passively moved into the peritubular capillary blood In response to acidosis: Kidneys generate HCO3-and add them to the blood An equal amount of H+ are added to the urine Ammonium Ion (NH4+) Excretion This method uses NH4+ produced by the metabolism of glutamine in PCT cells Each glutamine metabolized produces two ammonium ions and two bicarbonate ions HCO3- moves to the blood and ammonium ions are excreted in urine Respiratory Acidosis and Alkalosis Result from failure of the respiratory system to balance pH PCO2 is the single most important indicator of respiratory inadequacy PCO2 levels – normal PCO2 fluctuates between 35 and 45 mm Hg Values above 45 mm Hg signal respiratory acidosis Values below 35 mm Hg indicate respiratory alkalosis Respiratory acidosis is the most common cause of acid-base imbalance Occurs when a person breathes shallowly, or gas exchange is hampered by diseases such as pneumonia, cystic fibrosis, or emphysema Respiratory alkalosis is a common result of hyperventilation Metabolic Acidosis All pH imbalances except those caused by abnormal blood carbon dioxide levels Metabolic acid-base imbalance – bicarbonate ion levels above or below normal (22-26 mEq/L) Metabolic acidosis is second most common cause of acid-base imbalance Typical causes are ingestion of too much alcohol and excessive loss of bicarbonate ions Other causes include accumulation of lactic acid, shock, ketosis in diabetic crisis, starvation, and kidney failure Metabolic Alkalosis Rising blood pH and bicarbonate levels indicate metabolic alkalosis Typical causes are: Vomiting of the acid contents of the stomach Intake of excess base (e.g., from antacids) Constipation, in which excessive bicarbonate is reabsorbed Respiratory and Renal Compensations Acid-base imbalance due to inadequacy of a physiological buffer system is compensated for by the other system The respiratory system will attempt to correct metabolic acid-base imbalances The kidneys will work to correct imbalances caused by respiratory disease Respiratory Compenstaion In metabolic acidosis: The rate and depth of breathing are elevated Blood pH is below 7.35 and bicarbonate level is low As carbon dioxide is eliminated by the respiratory system, PCO2 falls below normal In metabolic alkalosis: Compensation exhibits slow, shallow breathing, allowing carbon dioxide to accumulate in the blood Correction is revealed by: High pH (over 7.45) and elevated bicarbonate ion levels RisingPCO2 Renal Compensation To correct respiratory acid-base imbalance, renal mechanisms are stepped up Acidosis has high PCO2 and high bicarbonate levels The high PCO2 s the cause of acidosis The high bicarbonate levels indicate the kidneys are retaining bicarbonate to offset the acidosis Alkalosis has Low PCO2 and high pH The kidneys eliminate bicarbonate from the body by failing to reclaim it or by actively secreting it

Environmental Influences on Tumor Development and Spread Essay

Environmental Influences on Tumor Development and Spread - Essay Example Basic characteristic of malignant tumors is the abnormality in the cells, which is expressed through a decreased control of growth and functions, causing fatal diseases in the patients with invasive growth and metastasis. The division of tumors is based on the following criteria: histogenesis of the tumors, histologic image, biological activities of the tumor, eponyms and anatomy of the tumors (Abeloff et al.). According to their histogenesis, tumors are classified as epithelial and mesenhimal. However, such classification is incomplete, as certain tumors' origins is hard to indentify, such as melanomas and ovarian tumors, or cells which usually are not fond in the adult organism, such as embryonic tumors. The histologic image divides the tumors into a strong, middle or weak differentiation, depending on the maturity of the cells. If there is a complete loss of identity of the tumor in relation to the tissue that the tumor is generated from, we call that undifferentiated and anaplastic. The most important and familiar division of tumors is according to their biological activities. They are divided into benign and malignant; benign tumor cells are very similar to the cells of the tissue they originate from and they are very well differentiated. They grow slowly with expansion and the tumor is usually encapsulated. Malignant tumors have non-differentiated cells and are characterized with progressive growth and infiltration in surrounding tissue. In time, malignant cells enter into the blood and lymph vessels and through them they arrive to other parts of the organism where they cause metastasis or secondary growth.(Jovanovski et al.) There are tumors with semi-malignant behavior, which are usually represent locally malignant. In this group of tumors a localized growth is emphasized, while foreign metastasis appear extremely rare. Some tumors are named according to the authors that described them, for example Wilmsov, Hodgkin lymphoma, Brenner and other. Other tumors are named according to the organ, and not according to the tissue from which the originate, for example, hepatoma. The development of malignancy Malignant tumors can develop from any other tissue or organ, at any age. Before analysis of the growth and spread of the malignant tumors, a review of cell kinetics is necessary, in particular, division of the cells. All human cells which are capable to divide (bone marrow, gastrointestinal tract) enter in a cell cycle, which consists of 4 phases: G0 or resting phase, when the cells do not proliferate; G1 or intermittent before the DNA synthetic phase (last from 12 hours to several days); S phase or synthesis of DNA which lasts from 2 to 4 hours; G2 phase or phase after DNA synthesis, which lasts 2 to 4 days, and the cells have a tetraploid amount of DNA; and M1 phase or mitosis, which lasts from 1 to 2 hours (Abeloff et al). The new daughter-cells either enter in a G0 phase or begin a new cell cycle. Primary malignant tumors will arise with malignant change of one or more cells during suitable conditions. Cells that enter into a continuous division will create several cells that gather and create a primary tumor mass. Malignant cells usually have a cycle that last for several days. Generational time is the time necessary for a malignant cell to enter into a cell cycle and to create two

With reference to the UK, examine and discuss the methods open to a Essay - 1

With reference to the UK, examine and discuss the methods open to a government to control the rate of inflation within an economy - Essay Example According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) inflation in the UK rose to 2.2 per cent in January 2008, 0.2 per cent above the governments two per cent target. Retail price index (RPI) inflation rose to 4.1 per cent in January, up from four per cent in December. Although rising utilities bills and an increase in producer price index (PPI) inflation will keep upward pressure on inflation, the drop in demand for consumer products - such as clothing, footwear and electricals - seen in January could offset the higher food and fuel prices, analysts believe (Office of National Statistics 2008). Balancing the state budget is viewed by the economists as the way to help ease inflation. More efficient way is to keep the state budget ath the surplus and to hold expenditures at a low level. Budget can also be balanced by cutting taxes, and then trimming expenditures enough to make outgo match income. Tight money is probably the anti-inflationary weapon that is most widely used by capitalist economies today all around the world. By tight money it is meant holding down the ability of banks to make additional loans, so that household or businesses borrowers find it much more difficult--and much, much more expensive--to take out a loan. Tight money certainly slows down the pace of economic buying and producing. To a lesser extent it also slows down inflation, although there is no iron law that says prices must fall just because less is being produced or bought. Mainly the result of tight money is to intensify competition in a sluggish business setting, and that may bring prices down or stop them from going up: the bargains in air fares may be an example of this. The difficulties with tight money are is that the impact of credit stringency is very uneven--dealing serious blows, even death blows, to small business; leaving big business, with its powerful credit sources, relatively unscathed. Another problem is

Situational Analysis Report about Toyota in Australia Essay

Situational Analysis Report about Toyota in Australia - Essay Example This paper will focus on present information about the market situation, Toyota share in Australia market, target market, trends that bear on the company’s product line in future, and identify the (SWOT) strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats facing the company. Introduction In Australia, the head office for Toyota Motors Corporation is located in Melbourne where all the manufacturing activities are conducted. However, the marketing and sales are done in Sydney. The Australian branch deals with manufacture of vehicles such as Camry and Aurion. However, Toyota Australia is also concerned with importing other models, which include Corolla, Toraga, Kluger, HiAce, HiLux, LandCruser, Yaris, Torago, RAV4, and Prius. Additionally, Toyota Australia is concerned with selling of other brands such as Lexus. Toyota Australia is performing considerably well. It was the best vehicle exporter in 2008 when it exported 101,668 cars. Toyota Australia markets its vehicle to more than 20 countries located in different parts of the world. Market Situation Toyota Australia leads the automobile industry in Australia in manufacture of environmentally friendly vehicles. One of the greatest successes was success of hybrid technology, which was used in Prius. Currently, Toyota Prius, the most advanced hybrid system in the world is the most selling product for Toyota Australia. After the 2008 economic crisis, has been experiencing decreased sales in vehicle sales resulting in reduction in profits. However, Toyota Australia remains the best performing Automobile manufacturer in Australia. It has a market share of about 23.7%. However, the sales are expected to grow as the global economy recovers from the recession. After the recession, the Australian dollar weakened resulting in increased prices for all imported cars (Deloitte, 2012). Toyota Australia is the largest automobile exporter in Australia and mainly exports its vehicles to Middle East, Pacific Islands, and New Z ealand. However, Toyota Australia is facing grave competition in Middle East due to entry of automobile companies from China into this region. Although the market condition continues to become tougher, Toyota Australia is performing considerably well. The best performing car model include Corolla, Yaris, Corolla, and HiLux (IBM, 2011). Increase in the demand for car over the recent past has resulted in growth in market for Toyota Australia. Target market is the people working in the cities. The Toyota automobiles are affordable to people in middle and lower classes. However, Prius is quite expensive but being efficient in fuel use makes it favorable for different groups (IBM, 2011; Deloitte, 2012). Macro Environmental Situation Macro environment is the economic external market environment and the broad trends that may bear on product line (Woof, 2011). Increase in completion has obligated Toyota Australia to create more fuel-efficient cars, which emit fewer wastes hence environmenta lly friendly. This led to manufacture of Toyota Prius, which is considered the greenest car since it has reduced pollution and greenhouse effect. However, this model is facing competition from Honda Civic Hybrid and Ford Fusion Hybrid Car. The major competitors of Toyota Australia include Ford, GM, Mercedes, Volkswagen, BMW, and Honda (Mullins, Walker, & Harper, 2009; Silva, 2006), Politically, Australia is a democratic country. Australia is

Western Civ Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Western Civ - Essay Example Fascism forms of governments are characterized with dictatorships, suppressions to opposition as well as criticism alongside oppression of the citizens. However, it is of crucial importance to note that the economic as well as political situation in Germany from 1918 to the early 1930s contributed to the rise of German Fascism in several ways. The war led to deaths of several populations in Germany (Eley, 2013). The loss of such a massive population was welcomed with long lasting grief amongst the whole population of Germany. The effects of such losses were mostly felt in the domestic sectors, industrial sectors as well as political sectors. This led to the drop in economy of Germany to a significantly dismal level. This followed the drastic drop in number of people who could provide labor to revamp such industries. Therefore, the loss of individuals affected the sector negatively. In addition, the loss was a disgrace to the family members within the German empire. Several families were aggrieved and faced loneliness, sorrow as well as sadness that had long lasting effects. This made the German society become very vulnerable to any proposition that would assure averting their state following the results of the World War I (Eley, 2013). Following the desperation faced by the people of Germany after the World War One, there was relative ease to accept any proposal from the government. Again, the Germans became vulnerable to accept any political suggestion from any key politician that was perceived beneficial to the entire country following the results of the war. As such, the then leader, Adolf Hitler capitalized on this vulnerability for his own personal interests. He then moved forward and came up with several good propositions to the Germans hat lured them to accepting easily to such proposals. This later led to the emergence of fascism in Germany. The level of vulnerability of the citizens made Hitler capitalize on his

Bioswale final deliverable Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Bioswale final deliverable - Essay Example This issue combined with the excessive rain washes contaminants from cars that drive through these areas polluting the water that remains stuck for long periods of time in these ditches.Onesolution for this problem is the construction of a Bioswale as seen in Figure 1, which is designed to remove silt and pollution from surface and runoff water by acting as a natural bio-filter. The construction of a Bioswale would also help prevent mosquito nesting and would reduce the types of fumigation toxics which are sprayed in these areas to keep the mosquito population down. We will work closely with our community partner, ERAUFacility Management, in the designing and implementation of the Bioswale. Stormwater, parking lot, rooftop and residential water runoff can cause significant pollution in various cities and residential areas. Undeveloped areas provide a means of controlling surface runoff, but when rain falls on developed areas, infiltration and absorption of water is diminished. In most developed urban areas, the stormwater carries a lot of trash, heavy metals, bacteria and other pollutants generated in urban centers, hence degrading the quality of water in the receiving water bodies. Harmel et al 8 (715) â€Å"Water is drained through the collection systems that convey the surface run off to water bodies like the rivers and lakes† . Additionally, high flows are dangerous to buildings, animals, and human beings. It can cause erosion and floods that damage properties, infrastructure, and habitats. Green infrastructure such as bioswales, permeable pavements, it has been emphasized in Booth et al 3(p 315), that planter boxes and rain gardens can be used to manage storm water and create healthier environments in urban centers† Booth et al 3 (315). â€Å"Bioswales are vegetated, mulched linear ditches designed to control stormwater through infiltration, conveyance, and filtration† (Jurries 8). They are intended to enhance the function of conveying systems by

Drama as Learning Medium in Young Children Essay

Drama as Learning Medium in Young Children - Essay Example Since there is active participation of children in drama, learning takes place spontaneously, which leads to later learning of higher order. The theories of educationists like Jean Piaget and Jerome Bruner contribute to the use of drama as a learning medium. According to Jean Piaget, the child goes through several stages of development, one of which is the Preoperational stage from ages 2 to 7. At this stage, the child is acquiring motor skills. Magical thinking is foremost at this stage. He appreciates drama and relates to it. A child at this stage learns quickly from the dramatized version of ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ or â€Å"The Lion King†, elements of vocabulary, arithmetic and a little geography. Since at this stage of the child’s development his egocentricism has begun, he can relate to the central character of the drama. But, according to Piaget, he cannot conserve or use logical thinking yet, which he starts using in the next stage of his development. The next stage of development in children is the ‘concrete operational stage’ which spans the ages from 7 to 11. At this stage of their development, children have started thinking logically, and concretely, but they need aids for conserving and thinking logically. Higher order thinking is beginning and they are helped by drama at this stage of learning. After the age of 11, children start to think and conserve abstractly. Here, they appreciate and learn from drama based on detective stories such as Sherlock Holmes. Piaget explains that the child ‘s perceptions of notions of ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ , and ‘valid’ , ‘proper’, and ‘necessary’ develop during these stages.

You Choose Topic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

You Choose Topic - Essay Example pending on the situation of the company, some issues may carry a sense of urgency while others could be put on the back burner but it must be kept in mind that all ethical issues will need to be tackled sooner or later. An ethical issue which comes up as soon as a company decides to hire or to recruit an individual is the personality of that individual. Since management begins with recruitment and hiring, the two central ethical issues for a company undergoing the recruitment process can be understood as the need to follow anti-discrimination rules and to observe equal opportunity laws (Lockwood, 2005). Simply put, all candidates must be viewed and hired based on their strengths and weaknesses as applicants without any undue weight to their race, age, physical abilities or gender except in situations where such requirements become a part of the job (Alleyne, 2005). As reported by Clarke (2005), even though a lot remains to be done in this particular field there are laws to protect companies as well as individuals from discrimination based on these particular issues. Personality testing on the other hand, is one issue which is not clearly defined by the law and is very easy to circumnavigate during the interview process. In terms of psychology, it is understood that certain personality types are better at certain jobs than others and even though personality itself is complex to define, the generally accepted notion of personality has been the collection of behavioral properties as well as the thoughts and ideas of a person. The earlier work in this field was done by Jung which was later expanded by others. While we may say that person X has a cheerful personality, scientists prefer to classify personality in three models including Factorial models, typologies and circumplexes which are connected with how they perform at work (Clarke & Robertson, 2005). This process can be used to profile candidates but modern discussions of ethics in HR also question if such a

The Old Testament Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Old Testament - Essay Example However, the weakness of Principlism is revealed by oversimplifying complex issues. This is viable by those who study theology to higher levels and getting the deeper insight into the relationship of the laws in the Old and New Testament. This may reveal a contradiction in Christ statement in Mathew 5: 17 and Paul’s statement in Romans 7:6 concerning the law. The Old Testament law is known to be eternal because God constituted it to his people through Moses. Mathew 5: 17 states that â€Å"Do not think I came to abolish the law or the prophets. I didn’t come to destroy them, but to fulfill.† This text reveals that Christ came to affirm the importance of the law by giving an example in abiding by them yet he instituted it. In Romans 7: 1-6 reveals the impact of the law in man’s life without Christ. However, living in Christ makes the adherence of the laws simply because the architect of the law is the one controlling one’s life, therefore, fulfilling it in line with the requirements. In Deuteronomy 18: 9 -13 states â€Å"when you enter the land that God is about to give you, don’t learn the detestable practices†¦you must be completely faithful to the lord your God.† In this text, God reveals to me that being his then we are bound to adhere to his instruction and not be lured to those of the nations. The scripture reveals the need obedient and faithful. These are fundamental to principlism because faith in revealed through obedience.

Examining what makes a British Soap Opera Essay Example for Free

Examining what makes a British Soap Opera Essay In a general sense, Soaps are continuous, serialised dramas broadcast up to three or four times a week, usually with an omnibus at the weekends. They are filmed in the same settings from episode to episode and follow very contemporary themes (this is what makes them so appealing). A gender spilt between the audience reveals that around 70% are women, so the major Soaps have a clear target audience. The majority of new soaps seek not to disturb ongoing ratings battles, but break new ground and aim their productions at different age groups. For example, Hollyoaks is relatively new and aimed at teens. Soaps consistently win the biggest share of television ratings and capture the biggest share because their content appeals to their target audience. This content, on the surface may seem simply crafted, but after close examination reveals the numerous techniques, performances and styles that are harmonised in order to make the soap successful. As an art from, Soaps emerge as a highly complex form of drama. There are many features that have to be planned using very formulaic methods so that the final product will conform to expectations. The writers must produce content that is engaging, yet open further leads on to other potential storylines. However, they also stretch the storylines as long as possible in order to allow time to pass in which they can invent new stories and close others. A common tact is to obviously allow a storyline to occupy a majority of the 30-minute slot, but spilt it with intervening storylines (which delay it from completing its course). This achieves two main objectives- the delay creates time for further writing and expansion of the main story, whilst the short storylines in between can be refreshed

Royal Dutch Shell

Royal Dutch Shell Royal Dutch Shell is a global, publically traded Public Limited Company, whose main focus is on the energy and petrochemicals business. Royal Dutch/Shell officially formed in 1907, with the merger of a London based Transportation Company called Samuel Shell transport and trading company ltd., and a recently formed oil company from the Netherlands, the Royal Dutch Petroleum Company. This merger facilitated the transportation of oil throughout the world, giving Royal Dutch Shell a global presence in the then emerging market of oil. Until 2005, Royal Dutch and Shell were two entities, with a 60/40 profit sharing mix, Royal Dutch and Shell respectively. The two companies officially merged into one entity, eliminating the slash after Royal Dutch. They have a principal listing in the London Stock exchange and their official headquarters are located in The Hague in The Netherlands. Shell as it is notably abbreviated as, began with the vision of its first operating manager Henry Deterding. H enry Deterding, provided the growing company with a strong backbone, taking Shell from a small player in the oil exporting business to a major competitor. Royal Dutch Shell, took control of Mexican Eagle Petroleum Company in 1919, and in 1932 formed an alliance with British Petroleum, and was Shell-Mex and B.P. Ltd until 1975. Its last major acquisition was in 2007 of the Ukrainian oil company Regal Petroleum. Today, Shell is based in over 140 countries, and is engaged in oil and gas exploration and production, transportation and marketing of natural gas and electricity, and marketing and shipping of oil products and chemicals. They also have interests in renewable energy, like wind, solar and hydrogen based energy. Royal Dutch Shell has come a long way since its inception and has become a world leader in the oil and gas market. This is in large part due to the companys leadership, since the formation of the company strong leadership has brought Shell into a well-built company. Roya l Dutch Shell through their strong leadership, ethics and corporate social responsibility; and their business environment have become according to fortune 500, the largest Corporation in the world. Leadership and Managemen The Management of Royal Dutch Shell, like other major oil companies BP, Amoco, Exxon and Mobil is highly complex. Controlling and efficiently profitably running an organization that is active in over 140 countries is not an easy job. Each country and region has its own difficulties and limitations that put the managements strategy in challenge and force it to change regarding the political, economical and social situations. This is the challenge that Shell accepts and moulds itself according to the situation. Strengths Shell is one of the largest oil companies in the world and has a strong market position. Its operations include upstream and downstream operations in over 100 countries. The company has interests in oil production operations in 37 countries and majority interest in 40 refineries worldwide. Shell operates the worlds largest single-brand retail network, with more than 45,000 service stations. The cornerstone of the company is its leadership position in various fields such as oil products, deep-water production, Natural gas, and polyolefin. The company has established a strong brand image operating for over 100 years worldwide. Shell is ranked second in 2009 Forbes Global 2000, up from sixth in 2008. It was ranked eighth in 2007. The company is ranked First in 2009 Fortune Global 500 ranking. The companys strong market position gives it significant bargaining power in the global oil industry. Shells business operations are vertically integrated with presence in both upstream and downstream businesses. In upstream, the company is engaged in the exploration and production of oil and gas. In 2008, the companys total hydrocarbon production totaled 3,170 thousand barrels of oil per day. During 2008, the company participated in 224 successful exploratory wells. The company is also involved in the natural gas supply, storage, transport, distribution activities, and marketing of natural gas and electri>city. The companys gas and power business operates in 35 countries around the world. In downstream, the company produces and markets refined petroleum products. Its refining and marketing division operates 40 refineries with an installed capacity of 4 million barrels per day. The company conducts its operations through an extensive distribution network comprising 9,000 miles of pipeline in about 70 countries, over 300 distribution facilities, and 3,000 storage tanks. Shell is one of the largest single branded retailers with more than 45,000 service stations spanning 90 countries. The companys vertically integrated operations give it significant competitive advantage in the global market in terms of economies of scale, synergies, and cross-marketing opportunities. Weaknesses The company has been witnessing a consistent decline in its hydrocarbon production in the recent past. The hydrocarbon production totaled 3,170 thousand barrels per day in 2008. This was 2% lower than the production in 2007 and 7% lower than in 2006. The decline in production is attributed to field declines, lower volumes, price impacts of production-sharing contracts, the effects of the hurricanes in the US Gulf of Mexico, and the planned maintenance turnarounds in the UK related to the shutdown gas processing facilities. The field declines affected oil production in the Australia, Brunei, Denmark, Nigeria, Norway, the UK, and the US during 2008. In addition, natural gas production was affected by declining fields in Brunei, Germany, Malaysia, the US, and the UK. Declining production would adversely affect the companys revenue growth. Shell faced an administrative action in 2008. Shell was fined $109,600 by Washingtons Department of Labor and Industries, in June 2008. The company was fined for multiple safety violations in its Anacortes refinery. The refinery is the second largest of the four major facilities supplying gasoline and other petroleum products to the Puget Sound region. The department cited 23 violations ranging from inadequately instructing operators on how to deal with emergencies to faulty inspections. Shell paid $120 million in June 2008, to settle a class action lawsuit led by the Pennsylvania State Employees Retirement Board and the Public School Employees Retirement Board. There was an allegation against Shell of overstating oil and natural gas reserves and artificially inflating stock prices over a five-year period from April 1999 to March 2004. In 2004, Shell admitted to have overstated its oil reserves by about 20%, 3.9 billion barrels. Many of the companys executives lost their jobs, including chief financial officer Judy Boynton. In April 2007, Shell agreed to pay $352.6 million, plus administrative costs, to settle a lawsuit with investors outside the US who purchased the companys shares. In May of 2009 Shell settled a $15 million dollar civil rights lawsuit in Nigeria. They were accused of paying soldiers to abuse locals in predominantly oil rich regions in Nigeria. Such huge penalties can have negative effects on the companys profitability as well as Shells overall rep utation. Opportunities Shell announced a proposal by Shell Canada for the acquisition of all of the outstanding shares of Duvernay Oil Corp, in July 2008. The acquisition was completed in August 2008. Duvernay, based in Alberta, is engaged in the exploration and development of natural gas and crude oil in the deeper, western portion of the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin in Alberta and Northeastern British Columbia. The company owns about 450,000 acres in two large gas project areas. Duvernay owns and controls the natural gas processing and delivery infrastructure in both the project areas. The company produces over 25,000 barrels oil equivalent per day predominantly in natural gas. The company plans to increase production to about 70,000 barrels per day by 2012. Shell has a strong presence in North America tight gas activities. With the acquisition of Duvernay, Shell could strengthen its portfolio through enhanced technology and scale. Duvernays acreage together with Shells operating expertise and fina ncing capabilities provide a strong platform for future growth. Increasing demand for liquefied natural gas, the demand for liquid fuels is expected to increase to 108 million barrels per day by 2030, an increase of 30% from 2005. The demand for global liquefied natural gas is expected to more than triple in volume from 2005 to 2030, driven by the demand in North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific markets. Currently, Shell is participating in the Liquefied Natural Gas projects in major projects, Pearl GTL and Qatar gas 4 LNG in Qatar. The company is also participating in LNG projects in Australia. The companys focus on LNG projects implies it is well positioned to venture into opportunities in the growing market worldwide. Threats Shells business is subject to numerous laws and regulations relating to the protection of the environment. With rising awareness of the damage to the environment caused by industry, especially regarding global warming, regulatory standards have been continuously tightened in recent years. One of the most important developments in this area has been the introduction of the Kyoto Protocol for the reduction of greenhouse gases. The protocol calls on industrialized countries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions level by 5.2% on an average annual basis during the 2008-2012 periods. The company has a significant presence across the US and the European markets. A weak economic outlook for these regions could depress industrial development and impact the demand for the companys products. Related threats to Shell include its major competitors, domestically and worldwide. These major competitors include and are not limited to: Exxon Mobil, British Petroleum, Conoco Phillips, PETRONAS, Total, Chevron and CITGO. These companies are vital threats to Royal Dutch Shells bottom line because they, for the most part, offer the same types of products and services sometimes at a substantial price discount. There are some main problems and issues inside Royal Dutch Shell that are evidently highlighted and should be resolved so the company can keep their competitive advantage when analyzed and compared to other corporations. The predominant problem is the higher than normal employee turnover rate which can be contributed by the employees to the company. In recent years namely there was a large increase of employees that were leaving Shell, in exchange for other employment positions in oil and petroleum companies that are direct competitors of Shell. Although this phenomenon did and does not impact all global operations, there is still a negative impact on the performance of this business organization since these events happens in customer rich areas such as Asia, India and the Middle East. Another major problem that is being faced by the company is its eroding supply base in the Middle East and other oil producing regions due to the ongoing friction between the United Kingdom and oil producing countries in the Middle East such as Iran with regards to topics such as the war on terror, the occupation of Iraq and the ongoing negotiations on the nuclear ambitions of Iran. Since Shell Company is partly British owned, these contemporary issues and news can directly affect the supply and logistical train of the company. Due to the support given by the British government to the United States with regards to the occupation of Iraq and the war on terror, the company has been losing the influence and prestige when it is viewed by Arabian and Middle East producing companies. This animosity against the corporation stem from the fact that it is a British company in the Middle East. This company has also supplied fuel, oil and other petroleum based products to the occupying forces in Iraq and Afghanistan which are wholly composed of the British and American Armed forces. To remedy these pressing problems, certain issues and concerns must be addressed. To combat the negative publicity that is being shed against Shell in the Middle East countries and the loss of the preferential treatment previously offered by Middle East countries to the company, an appropriate campaign must be launched to erase this negative perception about the company. This publicity campaign will not only be geared towards oil producing countries but will also focus on other Middle East countries. Reconciliatory talks and discussions must be established with the members of the OPEC in relation to the current prices of oil and petroleum based products. To further reinforce these steps, the company must assign area/regional managers in these countries who have a significant understanding and immersion in the local culture and thinking to reduce the probability of misunderstanding and miscommun ication that would add another injury to the present situation. The CEO must also have leadership qualities and characteristics to inspire his/her subordinates to respect Arabic customs and traditions. He must exude motivation, self confidence and necessary skills that are suitable for the job at hand. Lastly, the company must set up two programs so that it can remedy the last problem mentioned in this paper. First, to capture the new market, it must redefine its products to comply with strict government and environmental standards. The process of using, mining and manufacturing its products must be free from any pollution and contamination. These vital steps will not only please a government and a lobby group but would also earn the sympathy and recognition by the public. The company must also take steps in reengineering its internal structure to accommodate renewable sources of energy. It must train personnel and employees so that they would be ready to research, experiment and to test various sources of energy that is being developed by the oil industry. Similar to most global companies, Royal Dutch Shell has many strengths and weaknesses that affect the overall performance of the company. However, Royal Dutch Shell, through the companys commitment to strive for excellence combined with their upstream and downstream revenue streams, their leadership structure and corporate and social values have become the largest corporation in terms of revenue in 2009.

Tubing design

Tubing design Tubing design In the previous chapter, selection procedure of tubing diameter was based on well performance analysis. In this section, the procedure for selecting tubing material properties is presented. Selection of material is carried out by considering different forces that act on the tubing during production and workover operations and then a graphical method is used to present the tubing load against material properties. 1.1 Forces on tubing During the life of the well, tubing is subjected to various forces from production and workover operations which include: * production of hydrocarbon, * killing of the well, * squeeze cementing, * hydraulic fracturing etc. The activities result in change in temperature and pressure inside the tubing and casing-tubing annulus, which can cause a change in tubing length (shortening or lengthening). The change in length often leads to increase in compression or tension in tubing and in extreme situation unseating of packer or failure of tubing (Hammerlindl, 1977 and Lubinski et.al, 1962). According to the authors the change in pressure inside and outside of tuning and temperature can have various effects on tubing: * piston effect(According to Hookes Law), * helical buckling, * ballooning and * thermal effect. HOOKES LAW EFFECTS Changes in pressure inside and outside the tubing can cause tubing movement due to piston effect. According to Hookes law, change in length of tubing caused by this effect can be calculated using the Equation 4.1. Where is the change in forces due to the change in pressures inside ( ) and outside () tubing and can be expressed as: Where, (see Fig. 4.2) DL1= change in length due to Hookes Law effect, inch, L = length of tubing, inch, F = force acting on bottom of tubing, lb., E= modulus of elasticity, As = cross-sectional area of tubing, inch2, Ai = area based on inside diameter of tubing, inch2 and Ao = area based on outside diameter of tubing, inch2, Ap= area based on diameter of packer seal, inch2, = change in pressure inside annulus at packer (Final Initial), psi and = change in pressure inside tubing at packer (Final Initial), psi. Notes: DL, DF, DPi or DPo indicates change from initial packer setting conditions. It is assumed Pi = Po when packer is initially set. HELICAL BUCKLING The difference in pressure inside tubing and casing-tubing annulus acts on the cross sectional area of packer bore at tubing seal and leads to a decrease in the length of tubing due to buckling. This effect is known as helical buckling. When the tubing is restricted from movement, a tensile load is developed. This effect is increased with increase in inside tubing pressure. The change in length caused by helical buckling can be calculated by the Equation 4.3. where Force causing buckling: Ff = Ap (Pi Po) If Ff (a fictitious force) is zero or negative, there is no buckling. Length of tubing buckled: n = Ff / w Where, DL2= change in length due to buckling, inch, r= radial clearance between tubing and casing, inch, w = ws + wi wo, ws = weight of tubing, lb/incn, wi =weight of fluid contained inside tubing, lb/in. (density multiplied by area based on ID of tubing), wo= weight of annulus fluid displaced by bulk volume of tubing, lb/in. (density multiplied by area based on OD of tubing), =tubing outside diameter, inch and =tubing inside diameter, inch. Buckling can be avoided by applying surface annular pressure. BALLOONING EFFECTS The radial pressure inside the tubing causes tubing to increase or decrease in length. When the pressure inside the tubing is greater compared to the pressure inside the casing-tubing annulus, it tends to inflate the tubing, thus shortening the tubing. If the pressure inside the casing-tubing annulus is greater compared to pressure inside the tubing, then the tubing length is increased. This effect is known as ballooning and the change in length caused due to this effect is given by Equation 4.4. Where, DL3=change in length due to ballooning, in. m= Poissons ratio (0.3 for steel) R= tubing OD/tubing ID Dri=change in density of fluid inside tubing, lb/in3 Dro=change in density of fluid outside tubing, lb/ in3 Dpi=change in surface pressure inside tubing, psi Dpo=change in surface pressure outside tubing, psi d=pressure drop in tubing due to flow, psi/in. (usually considered as d= 0) THERMAL EFFECTS Due to the earths geothermal gradient, the temperature of the produced fluids can be high enough to change the tubing length. The effect is opposite (decrease in length) when a cold fluid is injected inside the tubing. It is ideal to take the change in average string temperature. The change in length due to temperature can be calculated using the Equation 4.5. Where, DL4=change in length, in. L=length of tubing string, in. C=coefficient of expansion of steel per oF DT=temperature change, oF PACKER SETTING FORCE The setting of packer requires forces which may lead to change in length of tubing. This change in length can be calculated using the Equation 4.6., which is derived based on Equations 4.1 and 4.3. The force on packer should not exceed critical values whereby it can cause permanent damage to the tubing. The initial weight on packer may cause slack off and to check if this situation might exist, one could use Equation 4.7. Where, F = set-down force. The tubing can suffer permanent damage if the stress in the tubing exceeds the yield strength of the tubing material. It is therefore advised to determine the safe tubing stresses for a given production or workover operation. The safe tubing stress can be calculated by using the following Equations (Allen and Roberts, 1989): The critical values can be calculated using Equations 4.8 and 4.9. Where, Si=stress at inner wall of the tubing So=stress at outer wall of the tubing For free-motion packer: When the packer exerts some force on the tubing, an additional term Ff should be added to Fa and the sign in Equations 4.8 and 4.9 varies in way to maximize the stresses. Example 4.1: An example of Tubing Movement calculation: The following operations are to be performed on a well completed with 9,000 ft of 2-7/8 OD (2.441 ID), 6.5 lb/ft tubing. The tubing is sealed with a packer which permits free motion. The packer bore is 3.25. The casing is 32 lb/ft, 7 OD (6.049 ID). Calculate the total movement of the tubing (note: notation is used for inch). Conditions Production Frac Cement Initial Fluid 12 lb/gal mud 13 lb/gal saltwater 8.5 lb/gal oil Final Fluid Tubing 10 lb/gal oil 11 lb/gal frac fluid 15 lb/gal cement Annulus 12 lb/gal mud 13 lb/gal saltwater 8.5 lb/gal oil Final Pressure Tubing 1500 psi 3500 psi 5000 psi Annulus 0 1000 psi 1000 psi Temp Change +25oF -55oF -25oF SOLUTION Production: Hookes Law Effect At bottom hole conditions DPi = Final pressure inside tubing Initial pressure inside tubing DPo = Final pressure inside annulus initial pressure inside annulus Using Eq. (4.2) Using Eq. (4.1) Helical Buckling Effect Using Eq. (4.3) Ballooning Effect Using Eq. (4.4) Temperature Effect Using Eq. (4.5) Total Tubing Movement (Tubing lengthens) Fracturing: Hookes Law Effect At bottom hole conditions DPi = Final pressure inside tubing Initial pressure inside tubing DPo = Final pressure inside annulus initial pressure inside annulus Using Eq. (4.2) Using Eq. (4.1) Helical Buckling Effect Using Eq. (4.3) Ballooning Effect Using Eq. (4.4) Temperature Effect Using Eq. (4.5) Total Tubing Movement (Tubing shortens) Cement: Hookes Law Effect At bottom hole conditions DPi = Final pressure inside tubing Initial pressure inside tubing DPo = Final pressure inside annulus initial pressure inside annulus Using Eq. (4.2) Using Eq. (4.1) Helical Buckling Effect Using Eq. (4.3) Ballooning Effect Using Eq. (4.4) Temperature Effect Using Eq. (4.5) Total Tubing Movement (Tubing shortens) 1.2 Selection of Tubing Material Tubing selection should be based on whether or not the tubing can withstand various forces which are caused due to the variations in temperature and pressure. The API has specified tubing based on the steel grade. Most common grades are: H40, J55, K55, C75, L80, N80, C95, P105 and P110. The number following the letter indicates the maximum yield strength of the material in thousands of psi. The failure of the tubing can be attributed to the loading conditions. There are three modes of tubing failure which include: * burst (pressure due to fluid inside tubing), * collapse (pressure due to fluid outside tubing) and * tension (due to weight of tubing and tension if restricted from movement). The graphical design of the tubing can be achieved by creating a plot of depth vs pressure. This design is carried out by calculating pressures inside the tubing and casing-tubing annulus at the bottom hole and tubing head. The maximum differential pressures at surface and bottom hole are examined using the plot. This maximum condition usually occurs during stimulation. When the maximum allowable annular pressure is maintained during stimulation, a considerable amount of reduction in the tubing load can be achieved. The burst pressure load (difference between the pressure inside the tubing and annulus) is mostly experienced in greater magnitude close to the surface but may not necessarily be always true. The burst load lines are plotted followed by plotting collapse load lines. The collapse loads are calculated with an assumption that a slow leak at the bottom hole has depressurized the tubing. This scenario is sometimes expereinced after the fracturing treatment when operators commence kickoff before bleeding off the annular pressure. If the data for pressure testing conditions (usually most critical load) is available, it should be included in the plot. Along with the collapse and burst loads, the burst and collapse resistance for different tubing grades (available) are plotted. By observing the plot we can determine which tubing grade to be selected that can withstand the calculated loads. An example of selecting tubing based on graphical design is presented below. Example 4.2: Graphical tubing design Based on the data given below, select a tubing string that will satisfy burst, collapse and tension with safety factors of 1.1, 1.0 and 1.8 respectively. Planning Data: D =9000 ft true depth, f = 2.875 inches, tubing OD, CIBHP = 6280psi, closed-in bottom hole pressure, FBP = 12550psi, formation breakdown pressure, FPP = 9100psi, fracture propagation pressure, Gpf = 0.4 psi / ft packer fluid gradient, Gf = .48 psi /ft fracturing fluid gradient, g = 0.75 gas gravity at reservoir, Pann = 1000 psi, maximum allowable annulus pressure, SFB =1.1, safety Factor, Burst Condition, SFC =1.0, safety Factor, Collapse Condition, SFT =1.8, safety Factor, Tensile Load, Burst and Collapse rating of available tubings: B_L80 =9395 psi, C_L80 =9920 psi, B_J55 =6453 psi, C_J55 =6826 psi, B_H40 =4693 psi and C_H40 =4960psi. Solution: Step 1: Calculate the ratio of bottomhole pressure to surface pressure. Referring table 4.1 in the manual, determine the ratio of surface and BHP at the given reservoir gas gravity, At a gas gravity = 0.8 and Depth 9000 ft, the ratio is 0.779 At a gas gravity = 0.7 and Depth 9000 ft, the ratio is 0.804 At gas gravity 0.75 the ratio of surface pressure to BHP is Table 4.1 Ratio of surface pressure and BHP in gas wells for a range of gas gravities. Depth of Hole Gas Gravity (ft) (m) 0.60 0.65 0.70 0.80 1000 305 0.979 0.978 0.976 0.973 2000 610 0.959 0.956 0.953 0.946 3000 915 0.939 0.935 0.93 0.92 4000 1219 0.92 0.914 0.907 0.895 5000 1524 0.901 0.893 0.885 0.87 6000 1830 0.883 0.873 0.854 0.847 7000 2133 0.864 0.854 0.844 0.823 8000 2438 0.847 0.835 0.823 0.801 9000 2743 0.829 0.816 0.804 0.779 10000 3048 0.812 0.798 0.764 0.758 11000 3353 0.795 0.78 0.766 0.737 12000 3660 0.779 0.763 0.747 0.717 13000 3962 0.763 0.746 0.729 0.697 14000 4267 0.747 0.729 0.712 0.678 15000 4572 0.732 0.713 0.695 0.659 16000 4876 0.717 0.697 0.67 0.641 17000 5181 0.702 0.682 0.652 0.624 18000 5486 0.687 0.656 0.645 0.607 19000 5791 0.673 0.652 0.631 0.59 20000 6097 0.659 0.637 0.615 0.574 Step 2: Calculate the pertinent pressures for different operating conditions. a) Pressures inside casing-tubing annulus Assuming during the production and killing of well, packer fluid is present inside the casing tubing annulus. For producing situation: Pressure inside annulus at surface = packer fluid gradient * Depth Pkill_prod_surface= = 0.4* 0 = 0 psi Pressure inside annulus at bottom hole = packer fluid gradient * Depth Pkill_prod = Gpf *D = 0.4* 9000 = 3600 psi For Stimulation: Pressure inside annulus at surface= Pstim_surf = 1000 psi Pressure inside annulus at bottomhole = packer fluid gradient * Depth + (Max Allowable pressure inside annulus) Pstim_bh= Gpf *D + Pann = 0.4*9000 + 1000 = 4600 psi b) Pressures inside tubing At bottom hole, pressure = CIBHP At surface, pressure = CITHP (closed in tubing head pressure) CITHP = ratio * CIBHP CITHP = 0.792 * 6280 = 4973 psi KILL SITUATION: When a well is killed, the bottom hole pressure is given as sum of CIBHP and maximum allowable annulus pressure. At bottom hole, pressure inside tubing during kill situation (BHIP) = CIBHP+Pann BHIP =6280 +1000 = 7280psi Tubing head pressure during kill situation is calculated by multiplying BHIP with gas gravity. At tubing head kill pressure (THIP) = ratio * BHIP = 0.792*7280 = 5765 psi FORMATION BREAKDOWN SITUATION: During stimulation the bottomhole pressure is the formation break down pressure and can be calculated by the density of the fracture fluid .In this problem the break down pressure is specified. At bottomhole, pressure inside tubing during formation breakdown (BHFBP) = FBP BHFBP = 12550 psi The tubing head pressure can be calculated by subtracting the hydrostatic head generated by the fracturing fluid from the bottomhole pressure. At tubing head, pressure (THFBP) = FBP -Gf* D =12550- 0.48* 9000 = 8230psi FRACTURE PROPAGATION During stimulation (propagation), we experience some pressure drop due to friction. Based on the pumping rates and properties of proppants we can determine the drop in pressure. Assuming a pressure drop of 0.35 psi / ft (usually calculated through properties of fracturing fluid and pumping rate), the bottomhole pressure at fracture propagation (BHFP) can be calculated as: DPfr = 0.35 psi/ ft At bottomhole, BHFP = FPP BHFP =9100 psi At tubing head, the pressure inside tubing can be calculated as: Tubing head fracture propagation pressure (THFP) = BHFP + DPfr* D Gf*D = 9100 + 0.35*9000 -0.48*9000 =7930 psi Step 3: Calculate the burst load for different operating conditions: Defining the burst loads: Burst Load pressure = pressure inside tubing pressure in the casing- tubing annulus Burst Load at tubing head for producing conditions: BL _surface_prod = CITHP Pkill_prod_surface = 4973 0 = 4973 psi Burst Load at bottomhole for producing conditions: BL _bh_prod = CIBHP Pkill_prod = 6280-3600 = 2680 psi Burst Load at tubing head for killing operation: BL _surface_kill = THIP Pkill_prod_surface = 5765 -0 = 5765 psi Burst Load at bottomhole for killing operation: BL _bh_kill = BHIP Pkill_prod = 7280-3600 = 3680 psi Burst Load at tubing head for formation breakdown: BL _surface_fbp = THFBP Pstim_surf = 8230 -1000 = 7230 psi Burst Load at bottomhole for formation breakdown: BL _bh_fbp = BHFBP Pstim_bh = 12550 -4600 = 7950 psi Burst Load at tubing head for fracture propagation: BL _surface_fbp = THFP Pstim_surf = 7930 -1000 = 6930 psi Burst Load at bottomhole for fracture propagation: BL _bh_fbp = BHFP Pstim_bh = 9100 -4600 = 4500 psi Step 4: Calculation of collapse Load Defining the collapse loads: Collapse load pressure = pressure in casing-tubing annulus- pressure inside tubing In order to plot critical collapse load conditions (CLL) normally, we assume that a slow leak in tubing has changed the pressure inside casing-tubing annulus to CITHP and that tubing is empty and depressurized. Step 5: Plot the Load lines. Plot the burst load and collapse load lines for various completion operations, burst and collapse resistance lines for the available tubing grades. The obtained plot is illustrated in Fig. 4.4. It can be observed from plot that formation breakdown situation has the maximum burst pressures. The maximum burst pressure line and collapse line are plotted with the available ratings of tubing. The resulting plot will look like Fig. 4.5. Then by inspecting the graph we can come to a conclusion that L-80 grade is the best grade available that can withstand the collapse and burst pressures during various operations. But in other situations we have an option to select multiple grades on tubing which are guided by the estimated loading conditions. Estimation of Tensile Load: Most of the tubing failures are caused due to coupling leakage and failure. The failure of coupling can be attributed to inadequate design for tension of the tubing. This load being one of the significant and causes most failures compared to failures due to burst and collapse pressures. A higher safety factor is used while designing tubing. The design can be initiated by considering only the weight of tubing on packer. Some companies even ignore buoyancy effects while calculating weight to have a better design. So ideally a tubing design for tension is carried out by calculating the weight of the tubing in air. Then the buoyant weight of the tubing is calculated using the densities of steel and mud. Selecting a grade of casing which can handle the tensile load generated due to the weight of the tubing. An example below illustrates the design of tubing for tension. Example 4.3 Tension Design Tubing weight: 7.2 lb/ft Tubing length: 12,500 ft Packer fluid: 0.38 psi/ft = 54.72 lb/ft3 Density of steel: 490 lb/ft3 Win_air = 7.2 x 12,500 = 90,000 lb Wbuoyant = = 0.89 x 73,600 = 80,100 lb Joint Specifications J55 L80 EUE HYD CS EUE HYD A95 API joint strength (Klb) Design factor Design capacity (Klb) 99.7 1.8 55.4 100 1.8 55.6 135.9 1.8 75.5 150 1.8 83.3 Tubing Tension Design Considerations 1. Requires L80 tubing at surface 2. Requires joint strength capability of HYD A95 or equivalent Review questions 1. When would buckling of tubing above a packer likely to occur? 2. A 10,000-ft, high-rate oil well is completed with 5ÂÂ ½ 15.5 lb/ft tubing (wall thickness 0.275). Under producing conditions the flowing temperature gradient is 0.40F/100 ft, and under static conditions the geothermal gradient is 1.8oF/100ft from a mean surface temperature of 40oF. When the well is killed with a large volume of 40oF seawater, the bottom-hole temperature drops to 70oF. If free to move, what tubing movement can be expected from the landing condition to the hot producing and to the cold injection conditions? If a hydraulic packer were to be used and set in 30,000 lb tension, what would be the tension loading on the packer after killing the well? (Ignore piston, ballooning and buckling effects). 3. A 7000-ft well that is to be produced with a target of 15,000 STB/D using 5ÂÂ ½ tubing encounters 170 ft of oil-bearing formation with a pressure of 3000 psi. What rating of wellhead should be used? If a single grade and weight tubing is to be used, what is the cheapest string that can probably be run, assuming that Grade Weight (lb/ft) Collapse Strength (psi) Burst Strength (psi) Tensional Strength (1000 lb) Cost Comparison J-55 C-75 N-80 15.5 17.0 17.0 17.0 20.0 4040 4910 6070 6280 8830 4810 5320 7250 7740 8990 300 329 423 446 524 Cheapest Most expensive Moderately expensive REFERENCES 1. Allen, TO and Roberts, AP, Well Completion Design- Production Operations-1, 3rd edition, 1989, pp 182-187. 1. Hammerlindl, DT, Movement, Forces and Stress Associated with Combination Tubing Strings Sealed with Packers, JPT, February 1977. 2. Lubinski, A, Althouse, WS, Logan, TL, Helical Buckling of Tubing Sealed in Packers, JPT, June 1962. 3. Well completion design and practices PE 301-IHRDC EP Manual Series, Boston, MA 02116, USA.

Fishing Disaster :: Environment Ecosystem Environmental Essays

Fishing Disaster Background: The ocean around the rocky shores of Newfoundland were once so full of cod that explorer John Cabot marveled in 1497 that they virtually blocked his ship. In the centuries to follow, fish became the one of the only reasons anyone ever came to Newfoundland, or stayed. Cod was the center of life in the Canadian Maritimes from the beginning. Starting in the 1950's, Huge European trawlers began to travel across the Atlantic to fish the waters off Newfoundland. Some refered to these super-ships as "Fish Factories". With the increased effort by these distant-water fleets, catches of northern cod increased in the late 1950s and early 1960s and peaked at just over 800,000 tons by 1968. However, by 1975 the Candian Government realized the devastating effect this was having on its fish populations and closed its waters to foriegn fishing boats. Although this temporarily staved off the growing crisis, European intervention had changed the nature of Canadian fishing, leading to the development of Canadian owned super-trawlers. Disaster Strikes: Throughout the 1980s, the annual catch of Canada's northern cod fishing fleet hovered around the 250,000 tonnes mark, as the Canadian government kept promoting more investment. Newfoundland's small-scale, inshore cod fishermen, however, were voicing concerns long before anyone else that the abundance of the northern cod population was not as healthy as scientists were reporting. Contradictory to scientific data, traditional inshore fishermen in Newfoundland began to notice declining catches before the mid-1980s. By 1986 the scientists also realized that the stock was declining, and by 1988 had recommended the total allowable catch be cut in half. Instead of acting immediately, in a precautionary manner to protect dwindling fish stocks by substantially reducing catch quotas at the first signs of overfishing, the federal government delayed conservation action, choosing instead quite moderate reductions of the total allowable catch beginning in 1989. It wasn't until 1990, following several years of analysis and re-analysis of data from stock surveys (without simultaneously reducing catch quotas) that the Independent Review of the state of the Northern Cod stock concluded that the population, the biomass, the spawning population, and the spawning biomass of the Northern Cod were all in decline and that fishing-related mortality was at dangerously high levels. By 1992, the biomass estimate for northern cod was the lowest ever measured. The Canadian Minister of Fisheries and Oceans had no choice but to declare a ban on fishing northern cod.

Role of US Military Action in President Bushs War Essay -- September

Role of US Military Action in President Bush's War      Ã‚  Ã‚   An observant 12 year old told the New York Times Magazine not long ago that, "War is not like one attack; it's a big deal." On September 11, 2001, America was the target of an attack that left over five thousand people dead and many more wounded. President Bush has since declared a war on terrorism, but unlike conventional wars, this one has no discrete enemy and must be fought on a number of different "fronts." Fighting a war on terrorism cannot be fought in the traditional sense, by the very definition of terrorism. Various fronts are necessary in America's fight against terrorism, taking the form of economic, political, and military actions. Worldwide cooperation against terrorism has proven to be unreliable, and it will be shown here, that America's insistence on military action, in light of faltering international cooperation, makes the use of force the most important front in President Bush's war on terrorism.    (2) President George W. Bush has said that the "war" against global terrorism is a matter of "good and evil." Evil is presumably to be characterized by "those who conduct terrorist acts against the United States, those who sponsor them, those who harbor them, and those who challenge freedom wherever it may exist." Terrorism however, is not war. War is a confrontation on clear lines between identified parties, where there is sustained and concerted military action by military personnel who use the material, weaponry and military tactics of war. According to President Bush's executive order, number 13224, the term terrorism is defined as:    (3) An activity that involves a violent act or an act dangerous to human life, property, or infrastru... ...k Times Magazines." New York Times 23 Sept. 2001: 77. 2. US Embassy Website. http://www.usembassy.bg/asset.html 3. Yahoo News. http://us.news2.yimg.com/f/42/31/7m/dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20010912/wl/attack_usa_pakistan_dc_4.html 4. Israeli Government Site. http://www.mfa.gov.il/mfa/go.asp?MFAH0k4q0 5. Terrorism. Executive Order 13224 Blocking Property and Prohibiting Transactions with Persons who Commit, Threaten to Commit, or support Terrorism 23. Sept. 2001: 2. 6. Terrorism Website. http://www.terrorism.com/terrorism/sloan.shtml 7. White House Website. http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/09/20010920-8.html 8. Lexis Nexis. "Zambia; Abdullah Justifies India's Support of US Action against Afghanistan." Africa News Service, Inc. October 25, 2001. 9. Yahoo News (2). http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/ap/20011029/wl/attacks_saudi_1.html

Homeless Assistance :: essays research papers fc

a. Issue: Should the homeless assistance program in Sacramento be reformed to give more money to the homeless while allowing them to apply to the program more than once? b. Facts: Currently in Sacramento, the homeless can apply for homeless assistance only once in their lifetime except for certain extenuating situations. The current program is a success. The amount of people in the program living below the poverty line has fallen 21% in the last seven years. Since 2000, the amount of families applying for the program has dropped 69%. Experts claim the fall in numbers comes from the fact that people can't apply more than once. In 1996, the homeless were allowed to apply for assistance more than once in their lifetime, but this was changed as the experts thought there were too many abuses. Now the only time one can get assistance more than once is if the family finds itself homeless again because of domestic violence, the sudden inhabitability of their home, or certain physical or mental illnesses. While these exceptions are good and cover a good deal, they don't get most of the homeless. The program also comes with certain snags. One of these is that the rent o f the housing the assistance goes to must be less than 80% of the maximum amount CalWORKS gives for a family of the same size. The amount of money families have to pay after the assistance to keep the housing usually comes out to about 2/3 of the salary. With the rising housing prices, analysts predict that it is going to be increasingly harder for the homeless to get housing, first time or not. c. Arguments: This issue pretty much breaks down into two sides. Those who wish to change the system (the homeless and their advocates) versus those who defend the status quo (the government). The government's side is simple. This program is a success right now and many people are getting out of poverty. The state also recognizes that California is in a massive debt. Funding for the program, while possible, is not fiscally responsible. As for not allowing the homeless to apply for assistance multiple times, the government holds that there were too many abuses. I could not find any numbers as to how many abuses there have been. Apparently the number was rather high. In the government's eyes, this program is a success and doesn't need to be tampered with.