The International market of crude oil and natural gas is well established and very competitive. Knowledge about costs is important in helping to understand the current position of producers within the industry. In the eyes of the producers, the lower the costs the more profitable they will become given the price of crude. This thesis focuses on an economic analysis of crude oil exploration in Saskatchewan and Alberta. In a competitive market, the producers require estimates of finding costs in both regions. The public policies that are designed to encourage crude exploration also rely heavily on reliable estimates of these costs. The results show that Saskatchewans per-unit finding cost is significantly lower than Albertas in spite of the geological differences between the two provinces. The finding costs are estimated by using a methodology (Uhler 1979) that has been widely accepted within economic literature of non-renewable resources. The results support the hypothesis that finding costs in both regions are increasing and the argument that these costs will converge in the long-run, except for the last six years of the analysis.

The International market of crude oil and natural gas is well established and very competitive. Knowledge about costs is important in helping to understand the current position of producers within the industry. In the eyes of the producers, the lower the costs the more profitable they will become given the price of crude. This thesis focuses on an economic analysis of crude oil exploration in Saskatchewan and Alberta. In a competitive market, the producers require estimates of finding costs in both regions. The public policies that are designed to encourage crude exploration also rely heavily on reliable estimates of these costs. The results show that Saskatchewans per-unit finding cost is significantly lower than Albertas in spite of the geological differences between the two provinces. The finding costs are estimated by using a methodology (Uhler 1979) that has been widely accepted within economic literature of non-renewable resources. The results support the hypothesis that finding costs in both regions are increasing and the argument that these costs will converge in the long-run, except for the last six years of the analysis.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-27T16:57:05Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Antonio Fernando Silveira Alves.pdf: 493544 bytes, checksum: fb40742524c7dd003d66a2130298b4b2 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-05-12 / Secretaria da Educação do Estado de São Paulo / This study had as objective to verify if the activities proposed for the subject Differential and Integral Calculus of a Bachelor Mathematics Degree in a Distance Education Course render the use of different learning strategies, such as investigation, problems solving and exercises. We also aimed at verifying which are the questions and doubts sent by the students to the teachers, as well as the reference these teachers give to these questions. To do so, we analyzed the activities proposed to the future teachers during Differential and Integral Calculus subject. We also used as analysis documents the virtual interactions originated from the use of Discussion Forum tool. To handle the analysis, we used Ponte (2003) theoretical model, which defines 4 kinds of tasks: i) exercises; ii) problems; iii) exploration; iv) investigations. We used qualitative research as methodology, carried out through the case study of a São Paulo s private Superior Education Institution. Data analyses revealed the prevalence of exercises activities in relation to solving problems and exploration activities. Investigative activities were not found. We concluded that virtual interactions were focused in doubts which were categorized as technical doubts . Among the mathematical doubts we noticed that they were concentrated in polynomial, modular, rational and greatest integer functions and the study of trigonometric functions, especially on sine and cosine values for angles higher than 90º. In relation to the doubts sent to the professors, we found that there was a balance between the direct answers sent to the students doubts and the ones which led to an investigative process. At the end of the performed study it was possible to create a "guide" containing examples of Differential and Integral Calculus activities exploring the exercises situations, problems, exploration and investigations / Este trabalho teve como objetivo de pesquisa verificar se as atividades propostas na disciplina de Cálculo Diferencial e Integral de um curso de Licenciatura em Matemática na modalidade EaD propiciam a utilização de diferentes estratégias de ensino, tais como: investigação, resolução de problemas e exercícios; e verificar quais são os questionamentos, dúvidas propostas pelos alunos e qual o encaminhamento dado a esses questionamentos pelo professor da disciplina. Para a realização deste estudo, analisamos as atividades propostas aos futuros professores, durante o desenvolvimento da disciplina Cálculo Diferencial e Integral. Também utilizamos como documentos para análise, as interações virtuais originadas a partir da utilização da ferramenta Fórum de Discussões . Para realizar as análises, utilizamos o quadro teórico proposto por Ponte (2003) que define quatro tipos de tarefas: i) exercícios; ii) problemas; iii) exploração; iv) investigação. Utilizamos como metodologia a pesquisa qualitativa realizada por meio de estudo de caso de uma Instituição de Ensino Superior da rede privada da cidade de São Paulo. A análise dos dados revelou uma predominância das atividades do tipo exercícios em relação às atividades de resolução de problemas e explorações. Não foram verificadas atividades de caráter investigativo. As interações virtuais concentraram-se em dúvidas que foram categorizadas como dúvidas tecnológicas. As dúvidas matemáticas concentraram-se em temas relacionados ao estudo das funções polinomiais, modulares, racionais e maior inteiro e ao estudo das funções trigonométricas, principalmente na determinação de valores do seno e cosseno de ângulos superiores a 90º. Quanto aos encaminhamentos dado às dúvidas pelo professor, verificamos que ocorreu um equilíbrio entre encaminhamentos com respostas diretas e encaminhamentos com respostas que levam ao processo investigativo. Ao final da pesquisa realizada, foi possível elaborar um "guia" com exemplos de atividades de Cálculo Diferencial e Integral explorando as situações de exercícios, problemas, exploração e investigações