The work of an engineer is closely intertwined with safety. An engineer’s perception of the “safety” task is traditionally inherent in his or her design. However, in the technical world most machines and systems designed by engineers contain a human element, which engineers have to consider in their work. In the oil and gas upstream industry – especially drilling, production and workover operations – petroleum engineers (including drilling and production engineers) are responsible not only for design but also for operational and organizational aspects. The human factor becomes more important in complex offshore operations. Incorporating safety into a sys-tem design requires identifying, analyzing and evaluating risks and ensuring that any not accounted for are taken into consideration. This process requires communication among everyone involved in the process. Analysis of accidents in the oil and gas industry shows that often a lack of that communication led to incident triggering events. In this thesis, the author proposes a novel communication model that improves this exchange of information and supposedly makes the process of risk assessment more effective. In addition, the new model also incorporates factors such as emotions, feelings, needs and imagination into the risk assessment process. This broadens the information base for the risk identification and analysis and creates an atmosphere of psychological ownership for the stakeholders in the process, which leads to a perceived safety climate in the organization where the new model is applied. The innovative communication or consultation model, as it is also referred to in risk assessments, is based on a structured process used in conflict resolution called mediation. Mediation is an alternative conflict resolution process that is centered on mutual under-standing and listening to each other’s needs. The process is composed of elements that characterize it. These elements of mediation are used to assess other communication processes and to develop new communication models. The application of the elements of mediation and the safety-mediation consultation into the risk assessment process enables this process to be enhanced with human factors such as emotions, feelings, intuition and imagination. The inclusion of all stakeholders creates psychological ownership, improves communication, enables organizational learning and expands the knowledge base for risk analysis. The applicability of the safety-mediation consultation process for a human factor-based risk assessment is presented and tested using illustrative examples and field cases from the international oil and gas industry. Possible concerns and limitations are also discussed. This thesis shows that mediation and elements of the mediation process can be applied to improve communication in the international oil and gas industry. This is facilitated by educated safety mediators, who help the petroleum engineer and operational crew on a drilling rig to achieve a better understanding by ensuring that they hear and fully register each other’s needs.

Tesis por compendio / [ES] El sector agroalimentario constituye una de las industrias con mayor relevancia. Durante la producción de aceite de oliva, se generan grandes volúmenes de subproductos, destacando el alperujo, que contiene todos los restos de la aceituna que permanecen una vez que se ha extraído el aceite. Se trata de un subproducto con una elevada carga orgánica, lo que puede suponer un riesgo ambiental si no se gestiona adecuadamente. Por otro lado, el alperujo es rico en compuestos fenólicos, los cuales tienen un elevado interés industrial, debido a sus propiedades antioxidantes. Esto representa una oportunidad excelente para valorizar el alperujo, recuperando compuestos de interés y reduciendo la carga contaminante del residuo. En esta Tesis Doctoral, se ha abordado este reto, en el marco de la Tecnología de Membranas. En primer lugar, se llevó a cabo la optimización de un proceso de extracción sólido-líquido asistida por ultrasonidos, para extraer los compuestos fenólicos presentes en el alperujo. Se obtuvieron resultados satisfactorios tanto con mezclas de etanol/agua como con agua pura. Además, se llevó a cabo una caracterización detallada de los metabolitos presentes en los extractos derivados del alperujo, de forma que se determinaron más de 50 compuestos. En las siguientes etapas, se emplearon tanto los extractos obtenidos con etanol/agua 50:50 (v/v) como los acuosos. En cuanto a estos últimos, se trataron mediante ultrafiltración, seleccionando las membranas UP005 y UH030, debido a su adecuada productividad y eficacia en términos de rechazo a la demanda química de oxígeno. Los compuestos fenólicos fueron recuperados con mayor pureza en el permeado de este proceso. A continuación, esta corriente de permeado fue sometida a un proceso de nanofiltración, empleando la membrana NF270 (DuPont), para llevar a cabo la concentración de los compuestos fenólicos previamente purificados. Además, se demostró la viabilidad de esta membrana, NF270, para separar compuestos fenólicos de bajo peso molecular y azúcares, empleando disoluciones modelo con una composición basada en las aguas residuales de la industria oleícola. Los extractos hidroalcohólicos de alperujo también fueron tratados mediante procesos de membrana. Previamente, se llevó a cabo una revisión exhaustiva de la literatura científica relacionada con la ultrafiltración en medio orgánico. A continuación, se evaluó un proceso de ultrafiltración para purificar los extractos de alperujo preparados con etanol/agua 50:50 (v/v), obteniendo resultados satisfactorios en cuanto a la estabilidad de las membranas (empleando las membranas UF010104 y UF010801v3, de la casa comercial SolSep BV, y UP005, de Microdyn Nadir) y la recuperación de compuestos fenólicos en el permeado. Para aumentar la pureza de estos compuestos fenólicos y abordar su fraccionamiento, se estudió un proceso de nanofiltración con disolventes orgánicos, empleando una disolución simulada, cuyo disolvente fue etanol/agua 50:50 (v/v), y con una composición basada en el permeado del proceso de ultrafiltración (con la membrana UP005) en medio orgánico. La membrana NF270 fue la más destacada, debido a su notable densidad de flujo de permeado. Además, esta membrana rechazó adecuadamente los compuestos no deseados, como azúcares y ácidos, lo que facilitó la recuperación satisfactoria de los compuestos fenólicos en el permeado. Considerando los resultados obtenidos, se propuso un proceso integrado basado en la extracción de estos compuestos con etanol/agua 50:50 (v/v), la ultrafiltración de este extracto, con la membrana UP005, para llevar a cabo su purificación, la nanofiltración, con la membrana NF270, de la corriente de permeado obtenida previamente, para aumentar la pureza y fraccionar los compuestos fenólicos y, finalmente, la concentración de la corriente de permeado obtenida durante la nanofiltración, mediante un proceso de ósmosis reversa, empleando la membrana NF90 (DuPont) que rechazó apropiadamente los compuestos fenólicos. / [CA] El sector agroalimentari constitueix una de les indústries amb major rellevància. Durant la producció d'oli d'oliva, es generen grans volums de subproductes, entre els quals destaca l'alperujo, que conté totes les restes de l'oliva que romanen una vegada que s'ha extret l'oli. Es tracta d'un subproducte amb una elevada càrrega orgànica, la qual cosa pot suposar un gran risc ambiental. D'altra banda, l'alperujo és ric en compostos fenòlics, els quals tenen un elevat interés industrial, degut a les seues propietats antioxidants. Aquest contingut en compostos bioactius representa una oportunitat excel·lent per a valorar l'alperujo, recuperant compostos d'interés i reduint la càrrega contaminant del residu. En aquesta Tesi Doctoral, s'ha abordat aquest repte, en el marc de la Tecnologia de Membranes. En primer lloc, es va dur a terme l'optimització d'un procés d'extracció sòlid-líquid assistida per ultrasons, per a extraure els compostos fenòlics presents a l'alperujo. Es van obtindre resultats satisfactoris tant amb mescles d'etanol/aigua com amb aigua pura. A més, es va dur a terme una caracterització detallada dels metabòlits presents en els extractes derivats de l'alperujo, de manera que es van determinar més de 50 compostos. En les següents etapes del procés, es van emprar tant els extractes obtinguts amb etanol/aigua 50:50 (v/v) com els extractes aquosos. Quant a aquests últims, es van tractar mitjançant ultrafiltració, estudiant les membranes, seleccionant les membranes UP005 i UH030, a causa de la seua adequada productivitat i eficàcia en termes de rebuig a la demanda química d'oxigen. Els compostos fenòlics van ser recuperats amb major puresa al permeat d'aquest procés. A continuació, el corrent de permeat obtinguda durant l'etapa d'ultrafiltració va ser sotmesa a un procés de nanofiltració, emprant la membrana NF270 (DuPont), per a dur a terme la concentració dels compostos fenòlics prèviament purificats. A més, es va demostrar la viabilitat d'aquesta membrana, NF270, per a separar compostos fenòlics de baix pes molecular i sucres, emprant dissolucions model. Els extractes hidroalcohòlics d'alperujo també van ser tractats mitjançant processos de membrana. Prèviament, es va dur a terme una revisió exhaustiva de la literatura científica relacionada amb la ultrafiltració al mig orgànic. A continuació, es va avaluar un procés d'ultrafiltració per a purificar els extractes d'alperujo preparats amb etanol/aigua 50:50 (v/v), obtenint resultats satisfactoris quant a l'estabilitat de les membranes (emprant les membranes UF010104 i UF010801v3, de la casa comercial SolSep BV, i UP005, de Microdyn Nadir) i la recuperació de compostos fenòlics, els quals es van obtindre en el corrent de permeat. Per augmentar la puresa d'aquests compostos fenòlics i abordar el seu fraccionament, es va estudiar un procés de nanofiltració amb dissolvents orgànics, utilitzant una dissolució simulada, que el seu dissolvent va ser etanol/aigua 50:50 (v/v), i amb una composició basada en el permeat del procés d'ultrafiltració al mig orgànic. D'entre totes les membranes, la membrana NF270 va ser la més destacada, a causa de la seua notable densitat de flux de permeat. A més, aquesta membrana va rebutjar adequadament els compostos no desitjats, com a sucres i àcids, la qual va facilitar la recuperació satisfactòria dels compostos fenòlics en el permeat. Considerant els resultats obtinguts, es va proposar un procés integrat basat en l'extracció d'aquests compostos amb etanol/aigua 50:50 (v/v), la ultrafiltració d'aquest extracte, amb la membrana UP005, per a dur a terme la seua purificació, la nanofiltració, amb la membrana NF270, del corrent de permeat obtinguda prèviament, per augmentar la puresa i fraccionar els compostos fenòlics i, finalment, la concentració del corrent de permeat obtinguda durant la nanofiltració, mitjançant un procés d'osmosi reversa, emprant la membrana NF90 (DuPont) que va rebutjar apropiadament els compostos fenòlics. / [EN] The agri-food sector is one of the industries with higher international relevance. During olive oil production, large volumes of by-products are generated. Among them, the wet olive pomace stands out. It contains all the olive components remaining after the olive oil extraction. This by-product has a high organic load, which may represent an environmental risk if it is not properly disposed. On the other side, the wet olive pomace is rich in phenolic compounds, which have high industrial interest due to their antioxidant properties. This content in bioactive compounds represents an excellent opportunity to valorize the wet olive pomace, recovering compounds of interest and reducing the contaminant load of the residue. In this Doctoral Thesis, this challenge has been addressed, in the framework of Membrane Technology. First, an ultrasound-assisted solid-liquid extraction was optimized to extract the phenolic compounds from wet olive pomace. Satisfactory results were obtained, both with mixtures of ethanol/water and with pure water. Furthermore, a detailed characterization of the metabolites present in the extracts derived from wet olive pomace was conducted. More than 50 compounds were determined. During the following stages, both the extracts obtained with ethanol/water 50:50 (v/v) and the aqueous extracts were considered. The aqueous extracts were treated by ultrafiltration, selecting the UP005 and UH030 membranes, due to their suitable productivity and efficacy, in terms of the rejection of the chemical oxygen demand. The phenolic compounds were recovered at a higher purity in the permeate. Afterwards, the ultrafiltration permeate was treated by nanofiltration, employing the NF270 membrane (DuPont), in order to concentrate the previously purified phenolic compounds. Moreover, the feasibility of the NF270 membrane to separate low-molecular-weight phenolic compounds from sugars was demonstrated. To that end, simulated solutions, with a composition based on olive mill wastewaters, were employed. The hydroalcoholic extracts of wet olive pomace were also treated by membrane processes. Previously, an exhaustive review of the scientific literature related to organic-solvent ultrafiltration was addressed. Later, it was evaluated an ultrafiltration process to purify the wet olive pomace extracts prepared with ethanol/water 50:50 (v/v). Satisfactory results were obtained, regarding the membranes stability (UF010104 and UF010801v3, from the manufacturer SolSep BV, and UP005, from Microdyn Nadir) and the recovery of phenolic compounds. These molecules were obtained in the permeate stream. To increase the purity of the phenolic compounds and address their fractionation, an organic-solvent nanofiltration process was studied. A simulated solution, whose solvent was ethanol/water 50:50 (v/v), was employed. The composition of this solution was based on the UP005 permeate obtained in organic media. Among all the evaluated membranes, the NF270 membrane stood out due to the high permeate flux. Furthermore, this membrane properly rejected the unwanted compounds, such as sugars and acids. This allowed the satisfactory recovery of phenolic compounds in the permeate stream, after their purification and fractionation. Considering these results, an integrated process was proposed. It was based on the extraction of the compounds of interest with ethanol/water 50:50 (v/v), and a further ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, and reverse osmosis process. The ultrafiltration of the extract was performed with the UP005 membrane to conduct its purification. Then, the UP005 permeate was nanofiltered, employing the NF270 membrane to enhance the purity of the phenolic compounds and fractionate them. Finally, the NF270 permeate was concentrated by means of a reverse osmosis process, employing the NF90 membrane (DuPont), which suitably rejected the phenolic compounds. / Sánchez Arévalo, CM. (2023). Implementación de tecnología de membranas para la valorización de los compuestos fenólicos presentes en las aguas residuales de la industria de producción de aceite de oliva [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/198859 / Compendio

Tout comme les crises, la responsabilité sociale des entreprises (RSE) implique des domaines complexes, tels que la protection de l’environnement, la gestion des ressources humaines, la sécurité au travail et les rapports avec les communautés locales. Lors d’une crise, des éléments critiques et d’ordre éthique placent souvent l’entreprise au rôle de « coupable » et les parties prenantes de l’entreprise, dans celui de victime. Cette approche peut être dépassée car au moment où cette dernière entreprend des actions pour gérer la crise, ses décisions peuvent refléter son engagement social et avoir une influence directe sur la situation critique. Face à ces enjeux, ce travail de recherche s’intéresse à la crise organisationnelle comme facteur de motivation pour le développement de la RSE au sein des organisations. L’objectif est d’observer la manière dont la RSE est utilisée en temps de crise compte tenu de la pression issue des parties prenantes. Pour cela, deux entreprises du secteur pétrolier sont analysées : le groupe français Total et le groupe brésilien Petrobras. A travers une approche qualitative, et utilisant essentiellement des données de la presse, une base de données a été construite. Cette dernière, alliée au cadre conceptuel mobilisé pour ce travail, a permis l’analyse des choix stratégiques en termes de RSE avec lesquels Total et Petrobras ont répondu à certaines crises, en considérant le rôle des parties prenantes vis-à-vis de telles actions et en les replaçant dans leurs contextes temporel, culturel et politique. Le résultat de cette recherche est l’identification de cinq mécanismes élaborés par les entreprises pour répondre à la crise et aux exigences des parties prenantes. / As well as crises, corporate social responsibility (CSR) concerns complex fields, such as environmental protection, human resources management, safety at work and the relationship with local communities. At a moment of crisis, ethical and critical elements often place the enterprise as guilty and its stakeholders as victims. Such an approach may be exceeded, since when the enterprise begins its actions to manage the crisis, the decisions taken could show its commitment to social concerns, having an important impact on the critical situation. Considering these challenges, this study aims to explore organizational crisis as a motivation for the development of CSR within enterprises. The purpose of this research is to observe how CSR practices can be employed during critical times, taking into account the pressure stakeholders exert on the enterprise. In order to reach this goal, two oil companies are analyzed: Total and Petrobras; the former being a French group and the later a Brazilian company. Through a qualitative approach, a database was built using information from the press. This database, allied with a conceptual framework, allowed to analyze the tactical choices used by Total and Petrobras to react to certain crises in what concerns their CSR practices. Such decisions were examined through a political, cultural and temporal context bearing in mind the role of stakeholders. The result of this research is the identification of, five mechanisms elaborated by the enterprises to act in response to stakeholders’ pressure in times of crisis.

L'injection de tensioactifs est une méthode très appliquée dans le domaine de la récupération améliorée des hydrocarbures. Cependant, son efficacité repose sur la capacité de ces agents chimiques à mobiliser l'huile résiduelle en diminuant la tension interfaciale entre l'huile et l'eau. Des modèles à l'échelle du réservoir calculent l'efficacité de la récupération d'huile résiduelle par injection de solutions contenant des tensioactifs. Les mécanismes physiques pris en compte dans les modélisations font intervenir la physico-chimie du système roche-fluide et une courbe globale donnant la saturation résiduelle en huile en fonction du nombre capillaire (courbe de désaturation capillaire). Cette donnée est majeure dans le calcul de l'efficacité de récupération d'huile par injection de solutions de tensioactifs. En effet la mobilisation de l'huile résiduelle laissée en place après injection d'eau n'est possible qu'en augmentant considérablement le nombre capillaire. La prédiction de l'efficacité d'un procédé chimique de récupération passe par la compréhension, à l'échelle du pore, du processus de mobilisation des ganglions d'huile suivant la structure poreuse et le nombre capillaire. L'objet de cette thèse est de caractériser la récupération d'huile tertiaire en fonction du nombre capillaire dans diverses roches mouillables à l'eau. Ces courbes permettront de quantifier l'effet de la microstructure, les hétérogénéités du milieu poreux et diverses propriétés pétrophysiques sur la récupération d'huile. Cette thèse permettra aussi de caractériser les différents mécanismes d'action de tensioactifs sur la mobilisation d'huile résiduelle dans le milieu poreux. L'expérimentation par tomographie RX est utilisée. La tomographie RX permettra de caractériser les courbes de désaturation capillaire à l'échelle de Darcy et visualiser localement le déplacement d'huile résiduelle à travers les milieux poreux. Des essais d'écoulement diphasique sous micro-CT permettront d'observer in-situ et d'étudier les interfaces eau/huile et leurs évolutions en 3D au sein du milieu poreux en fonction du nombre capillaire. / Oil recovery by surfactant injection is related to oil-water interfacial tension and rock properties through the capillary number. In the modeling of oil recovery by surfactant injection, fluid flow physical mechanisms are represented through the capillary desaturation curve (CDC). This curve is central in the evaluation of oil recovery efficiency. In order to mobilize residual oil trapped after waterflooding by capillary forces, chemical EOR rely on increasing capillary number to extremely high values. The mechanisms governing oil release can be described at the pore scale where the balance of capillary and viscous forces is achieved. This description will help to predict the efficiency of surfactant based EOR processes by taking into account the porous geometry and topology, the physico-chemical properties of the fluids and the different phase interaction. The objective of this work is to characterize capillary desaturation curves for various strongly water-wet sandstones. These curves will be used to study the relationship between tertiary oil recovery and the pore structure, porous media heterogeneity and petrophysicals properties. The other aim of this work is to map the different mechanisms of oil recovery by surfactant injection. Experiments under X-Ray tomography are proposed. X-Ray tomography will be applied to characterize capillary desaturation curve at Darcy scale and to visualise the two phase flow saturation after injection. Pore scale experiments based on X-Ray micro-tomography imaging are performed to describe the different mechanisms of oil mobilization.

Allocating production volumes across a portfolio of producing assets is a complex optimization problem. Each producing asset possesses different technical attributes (e.g. crude type), facility constraints, and costs. In addition, there are corporate objectives and constraints (e.g. contract delivery requirements). While complex, such a problem can be specified and solved using conventional deterministic optimization methods. However, there is often uncertainty in many of the inputs, and in these cases the appropriate approach is neither obvious nor straightforward. One of the major uncertainties in the oil and gas industry is the commodity price assumption(s). This paper investigates this problem in three major sections: (1) We specify an integrated stochastic optimization model that solves for the optimal production allocation for a portfolio of producing assets when there is uncertainty in commodity prices, (2) We then compare the solutions that result when different price models are used, and (3) We perform a value of information analysis to estimate the value of more accurate price models. The results show that the optimum production allocation is a function of the price model assumptions. However, the differences between models are minor, and thus the value of choosing the “correct” price model, or similarly of estimating a more accurate model, is small. This work falls in the emerging research area of decision-oriented assessments of information value. / text

Made available in DSpace on 2011-05-04T12:42:06Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2010 / Este trabalho foi concebido a partir da reflexão e discussão sobre as principais oportunidades para a abordagem integrada de Saúde Pública e Meio Ambiente, considerando o atual cenário energético mundial, a introdução de novas tecnologias de produção e a necessidade de construção de uma referência conceitual e prática que considere a interação entre Saúde, Meio Ambiente, Responsabilidade Social das Empresas e Desenvolvimento Sustentável. Considerando os inúmeros desafios para o controle dos impactos ambientais e de saúde, através da gestão efetiva de responsabilidade social de empresas potencialmente poluidores, particularmente da indústria de petróleo e energia, essa tese tem como principal objetivo discutir como os aspectos de saúde podem ser incorporados ao licenciamento ambiental do setor petróleo. Para isso foi utilizada uma abordagem metodológica exploratória, por meio de exaustivo levantamento bibliográfico na literatura científica e institucional deáreas empresariais e governamentais responsáveis pela obtenção e concessão de licenças ambientais. A partir da seleção e análise de documentação oficial, particularmente dos estudos e relatórios de impacto ambiental (EIA/RIMA) de empreendimentos nacionais de exploração, produção e refino do petróleo, avaliousea existência de evidências e oportunidades para a inserção de questões de saúde nos respectivos projetos de investimento desse setor. Como ferramenta de avaliação dessas questões nos EIA/RIMA dos empreendimentos selecionados, foi utilizada uma adaptação de uma matriz de análise validada para o setor hidrelétrico, cujas categorias analíticas foram baseadas nos parâmetros estabelecidos para os estudos de avaliação de impacto ambiental pela Resolução CONAMA 1/86 e nos principais aspectos da metodologia de Avaliação de Impactos à Saúde (AIS). Como resultado, a matriz empregada mostrou-se um instrumento metodológico com grande potencial para orientar a incorporação dos aspectos desaúde no processo de licenciamento ambiental, instrumentalizando a Avaliação de Impacto Ambiental (AIA) e subsidiando a tomada de decisão, contribuindo, portanto, para uma gestão socioambiental mais proativa do setor petróleo. / This work was conceived from the discussion about the main opportunities for the integrated approach of Public Health and Environment, considering the current world energy scenario, the introduction of new production technologies and the need for a more comprehensive conceptual reference among Health, Environment, Social Responsibility and Sustainable Development. Considering the several challenges for effective management of the environmental and health impacts, particularly caused by oil industry, strategic for the development and economical growth of our country, the main objective of this thesis is discuss how the health aspects could be incorporated to the environmental licensing of this sector. An exploratory methodological approach was used, starting from an exhausting bibliographical research in scientific and institutional literature, produced by companies and government areas related with the environmental licenses. The health evidences and opportunities in the main official documents, particularly studies and reports of the environmental impacts (EIA/RIMA, in portuguese) of national enterprises of oil exploration, production and refining, was evaluated. An adapted matrix, validated for the hydroelectric sector, was used like a tool for assessment of health subjects in the selected RIMA. The analytical categories of this matrix were based on the established parameters for the studies of environmental impact assessment of CONAMA Resolution 1/86, and on the main aspects of Health Impact Assessment (HIA) methodology. As result, this matrix was considered like an important instrument with great potential to guide the incorporation of the health aspects in the environmental licensing, supporting the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and decision makers, contributing to a proactive social and environmental management of the petroleum industry.