Increasing worldwide demand for petroleum motivates greater efficiency, safety, and environmental responsibility in upstream oil and gas processes. The objective of this research is to improve these areas with advanced control methods. This work develops the integration of optimal control methods including model predictive control, moving horizon estimation, high fidelity simulators, and switched control techniques applied to subsea riser slugging and managed pressure drilling. A subsea riser slugging model predictive controller eliminates persistent offset and decreases settling time by 5% compared to a traditional PID controller. A sensitivity analysis shows the effect of riser base pressure sensor location on controller response. A review of current crude oil pipeline wax deposition prevention, monitoring, and remediation techniques is given. Also, industrially relevant control model parameter estimation techniques are reviewed and heuristics are developed for gain and time constant estimates for single input/single output systems. The analysis indicates that overestimated controller gain and underestimated controller time constant leads to better controller performance under model parameter uncertainty. An online method for giving statistical significance to control model parameter estimates is presented. Additionally, basic and advanced switched model predictive control schemes are presented. Both algorithms use control models of varying fidelity: a high fidelity process model, a reduced order nonlinear model, and a linear empirical model. The basic switched structure introduces a method for bumpless switching between control models in a predetermined switching order. The advanced switched controller builds on the basic controller; however, instead of a predetermined switching sequence, the advanced algorithm uses the linear empirical controller when possible. When controller performance becomes unacceptable, the algorithm implements the low order model to control the process while the high fidelity model generates simulated data which is used to estimate the empirical model parameters. Once this online model identification process is complete, the controller reinstates the empirical model to control the process. This control framework allows the more accurate, yet computationally expensive, predictive capabilities of the high fidelity simulator to be incorporated into the locally accurate linear empirical model while still maintaining convergence guarantees.

Le récent développement des nanotechnologies induit des expositions potentielles aux nanoparticules dans une diversité de milieux professionnels. Une meilleure appréhension des risques et des expositions professionnelles aux nanoparticules représente alors un enjeu essentiel pour les acteurs de la prévention, ce qui nécessite d’enrichir, voire de rompre, avec les approches classiques de métrologie et de prévention. Dans ce contexte, notre thèse se centre sur le développement d’une méthodologie transdisciplinaire intégrant l’analyse de l’activité à la mesure afin de produire des connaissances sur l’exposition aux nanoparticules et sa maîtrise. A partir de la construction et de la validation d’une méthodologie par des spécialistes de la mesure des nanoparticules, de l’épidémiologie et de l’ergonomie, nos résultats s’orientent autour de trois axes. 1) La revue systématique de la littérature des préconisations actuelles pour évaluer les expositions professionnelles aux nanoparticules met en avant l’existence de 23 documents centrés sur la mesure des nanoparticules manufacturées seulement sans s’intéresser aux nanoparticules émises non intentionnellement par certains procédés industriels. Par ailleurs, ces recommandations à destination des préventeurs doivent évoluer pour une meilleure prise en compte de l’activité de travail et devenir opérationnelles. 2) La méthode d’évaluation de l’exposition produite tenant compte de ces limites, est passée par une mobilisation des acteurs de l’entreprise pour collecter des informations sur les situations potentielles d’exposition. Ensuite, des mesurages en temps réel et intégrés des aérosols, accompagnés d’enregistrements de la fréquence cardiaque et respiratoire sont synchronisés à des vidéos de situations de travail. Un découpage à différentes échelles temporelles en phase de l’activité ou en action détaillée de l’opérateur, conduit à révéler des situations d’exposition réelles aux nanoparticules, et évaluer leurs niveaux d’exposition intégrant l’intensité physique. 3) Nous montrons que les échanges avec les opérateurs lors d’entretiens de confrontation aux vidéos et mesures synchronisées, permettent de rendre visibles ces situations d’exposition et leurs déterminants, sous forme de situations d’exposition caractéristiques. Cette présentation des résultats de l’analyse de l’activité, contribue à comprendre et mettre en perspective les pratiques de sécurité formelles pour les faire évoluer. C’est par ces échanges collectifs que les déterminants de l’exposition sont découverts, ce qui permet aux différents acteurs de renforcer la maîtrise de l’exposition. L’usage des situations d’exposition est aussi un moyen d’agir sur les projets de conception en transférant des repères pour la conception et la prévention. Il devient alors possible d’enrichir les évaluations de l’exposition aux nanoparticules et contribuer à la construction collective de la sécurité dans l’innovation. / The recent development of nanotechnologies has led to potential exposures to nanoparticles in a variety of workplaces. A better understanding of occupational exposures to nanoparticles represents a major stake for prevention stakeholders. These exposures require an overhaul of, and perhaps a break from traditional metrology and prevention approaches, as they are challenged by the particular characteristics of nanoparticles. In this context, this thesis focuses on the development of a transdisciplinary methodology integrating work activity analysis with measurement in order to produce knowledges on exposure to nanoparticles and its control.From the construction and the validation of a methodology between specialists in nanoparticle measurement, epidemiology and ergonomics, our results follow three axes. 1) The systematic review of the literature on current recommendations for assessing occupational exposures to nanoparticles highlights the existence of 23 documents focusing on the measurement of manufactured nanoparticles only, excluding nanoparticles emitted unintentionally by some industrial processes. In addition, these recommendations for preventionists must evolve to take better account of work activity and become operational. 2) The exposure assessment method developed in this thesis work is based on the mobilization of the company's stakeholders to gather information on potential exposure situations. Then, real-time as well as time averaged aerosol measurements, accompanied by heart rate recording, were synchronized with videos of work situations. A breakdown at different time scales, at the work activity stage or in more detailed action carried out by the operator, revealed real exposure situations to nanoparticles, and characterized the associated exposure levels, taking into account the physical intensity of the work. 3) We show that discussions with operators during confrontation interviews involving real-time measurement synchronized to videos of the work activity, made it possible to make these exposure situations and their determinants visible, in the form of “typical exposure situations”. Presenting the results in association with the work activity analysis in the companies contributes to understanding and questioning the regulated safety practices to make them change. It is through these collective exchanges that the determinants of exposure are discovered, allowing to the company’s stakeholders to improve exposure control. The use of exposure situations is also a means of influencing design projects by transferring requirements for conception or prevention. It therefore becomes possible to expand exposure assessment to nanoparticles and contribute to collectively build safety within innovation.

Student writing skills are a growing concern in secondary schools given the current focus on common core standards and college readiness. This qualitative case study addressed the growing problem of high school students being unprepared for the rigor of college level-writing. The study used a series of 10 interviews with writing center directors and teachers in 2 secondary schools with writing centers. This research adds to the literature on peer-managed writing centers and contributes to the body of knowledge of writing centers as a specific conceptual framework of response to intervention (RtI). The broad research questions were focused on 3 topics: student's writing abilities, the effectiveness of the intervention of the writing center, and possible improvements to the writing center. Three directors and 7 teachers were selected for interviews through purposeful sampling. Inductive analysis was used to identify emergent themes: establishing a peer-managed writing center, function of the center, student writing, effectiveness of the writing center, and suggested improvements. The culminating project for this research was the establishment of a professional development program designed to provide a foundation for schools that are creating a peer-managed writing center at the secondary level. This study promotes the development of these centers across the school district of the study and provides evidence for RtI as a method to address the problem of secondary students being unprepared for writing at the post-secondary level. Positive social change can be achieved for the local school district by expanding the use of peer-managed writing centers with a focus on using RtI to address the problem of students being unprepared for the rigors of college writing.

Subsea development and production of hydrocarbons is challenging due to remote andharsh conditions. Recent technology development with high speed communication to subsea anddownhole equipment has created a new opportunity to both monitor and control abnormal or undesirableevents with a proactive and preventative approach rather than a reactive approach. Twospecific technology developments are high speed, long-distance fiber optic sensing for productionand completion systems and wired pipe for drilling communications. Both of these communicationsystems offer unprecedented high speed and accurate sensing of equipment and processes that aresusceptible to uncontrolled well situations, leaks, issues with flow assurance, structural integrity,and platform stability, as well as other critical monitoring and control issues. The scope of thisdissertation is to design monitoring and control systems with new theoretical developments andpractical applications. For estimators, a novel `1-norm method is proposed that is less sensitiveto data with outliers, noise, and drift in recovering the true value of unmeasured parameters. Forcontrollers, a similar `1-norm strategy is used to design optimal control strategies that utilize a comprehensivedesign with multivariate control and nonlinear dynamic optimization. A framework forsolving large scale dynamic optimization problems with differential and algebraic equations is detailedfor estimation and control. A first area of application is in fiber optic sensing and automationfor subsea equipment. A post-installable fiber optic clamp is used to transmit structural informationfor a tension leg platform. A proposed controller automatically performs ballast operationsthat both stabilize the floating structure and minimize fatigue damage to the tendons that hold thestructure in place. A second area of application is with managed pressure drilling with movinghorizon estimation and nonlinear model predictive control. The purpose of this application is tomaximize rate of drilling penetration, maintain pressure in the borehole, respond to unexpected gasinflux, detect cuttings loading and pack-off, and better manage abnormal events with the drillingprocess through automation. The benefit of high speed data accessibility is quantified as well asthe potential benefit from a combined control strategy versus separate controllers.

Bank-managed equity funds are not inferior to their non-bank counterparts. Previous research reporting relative underperformance of bank-managed funds ignored their differing fiduciary standards. To evaluate bank and non-bank funds facing similar fiduciary responsibilities, domestic retail funds approved for Singapore’s Central Provident Fund Investment Scheme were examined, as they meet the same standard for managing social security savings. Returns from these funds correlate highly with market performance. Even though these fund returns exceeded guaranteed interest rates, they did not outperform their market index.With financial market deregulation in Southeast Asia, local banks in small economies withstand erosion of business by foreign competitors. Banks, in order to increase profits, compete with local as well as foreign insurance and investment companies by offering mutual fund products. To remain competitive, banks need to shed their reputation for not being able to generate impressive fund returns, as their funds are not inferior to those from insurance and investment companies in terms of assets under management, expenditures, returns and risk. To gain competitive advantage, banks can differentiate their fund characteristics and reduce portfolio management costs.Mutual fund characteristics can affect expected returns or transaction costs. Factors affecting expected returns include asset allocation and systematic risk, while transaction costs include explicit and implicit ones, which can be measured by expense ratios and size of funds respectively. Insignificance of transaction cost determinants in affecting actual returns can be attributable to dominance of factors affecting expected returns.

Includes bibliographical references. Electronic publication: Full text available in PDF format; abstract in HTML format. Private practice as a career option for nurses has been slowly increasing since the 1980's. However, the reasons for this development have not been fully investigated so that it can be understood and placed within the changing contexts of health care and health services. The expansion and extension of nurses' roles is a contemporary topic in health care reform and therefore one that deserves investigation. The aims of this study were to develop a theory on private practice nursing and to describe the characteristics and work of the self-employed nurse in Australia. Electronic reproduction.[Australia] :Australian Digital Theses Program,2001.xvii, 350 leaves : ill. (some col.) ; 30 cm.

"March 2003." Includes bibliographical references (leaves 340-350). Aims to develop a theory on private practice nursing and to describe the characteristics and work of the self-employed nurse in Australia. Enables nurses to provide direct information on being self-employed and enhances the profession's ability to articulate about this area of nursing. Results suggest that private practice nursing can contribute effectively to broadening the range of primary health services available to the population and to addressing the issues of retention and recruitment of nurses. Self-employed nurse entrepreneurs push the boundaries of the profession and expand the realm of nursing practice.

The thesis describes and analyses a long-term transformative change program conducted at ICI (Australia) Botany Site between the years 1987 - 1997. The change program is unusual in that, after a massive and destructive confrontation between management and the unions, a new collaborative approach to change was developed which led to significant organisational renewal. Change interventions developed in the program have diffused through Australian industry over the decade. The program is analysed within the framework of a theoretical model which describes a path taken towards achieving a capable organisation which can sustain productive performance. The thesis uses evidence from the case to investigate issues of management style, governance, flexibility, 'bundled interventions', productivity, work organisation, downsizing, reward systems, skills acquisition and self-managed teams. A theoretical model of organisational change is developed which suggests how the treatment of these contingencies can lead to organisational capability.

Private practice as a career option for nurses has been slowly increasing since the 1980's. However, the reasons for this development have not been fully investigated so that it can be understood and placed within the changing contexts of health care and health services. The expansion and extension of nurses' roles is a contemporary topic in health care reform and therefore one that deserves investigation. The aims of this study were to develop a theory on private practice nursing and to describe the characteristics and work of the self-employed nurse in Australia. Nurses working in a variety of settings have been able to provide information on being self-employed. In doing so, this study was able to describe the persona of the nurse entrepreneur, explore the reasons why nurses and midwives in Australia establish private fee-for-service practices, identify the factors which have influenced this action and describe the scope of practice of nurses and midwives in private practice. This combined Delphi technique and Grounded Theory study is the first in-depth study of Australian nurses and midwives in private practice. The study enables nurses to provide direct information on being self-employed and enhances the profession's ability to articulate about this area of nursing. The significance of the research is in increasing the understanding of this area of practice development and affords greater insight into its efforts to improve and maintain quality nursing services within the Australian health care system. One hundred and six nurses and midwives were invited to participate in the study, in which participants completed two rounds of semi-structured postal questionnaires. Delphi technique was applied to rate responses on Likert scales to ascertain respondents' consensus on certain topics. Participants were also provided the opportunity to make additional comments. Results indicated that nurses in private practice are well experienced with an average of 21 years nursing experience and hold several qualifications. Job satisfaction, being able to be more involved in achieving quality health outcomes and maximising skills and abilities are significant influences for private practice. These results suggest that private practice nursing can contribute effectively to broadening the range of primary health services available to the population and to addressing the issues of retention and recruitment of nurses. Self-employed nurse entrepreneurs push the boundaries of the profession and expand the realm of nursing practice. Entrepreneurship is a path for the future of nursing as it offers expanded career opportunities for nurses and opportunities for increased ambulatory health services. In addition, the broad, expert knowledge nurses hold on many aspects of health can be disseminated throughout the health sector to the advantage of corporate health partners. There is further development required in this innovative and expanding area of the nursing profession. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Department of Clinical Nursing, 2003.

<p>Bakgrund: Historiskt har företag haft stora lager för att kunna möta kundernas efterfrågan. I takt med att kundanpassning och flexibilitet har ökat har det blivit allt dyrare och näst intill omöjligt att hålla lager som kan tillgodose kundernas behov. Att styra sitt lager så att det motsvarar efterfrågan har nästan varit en omöjlighet. En lösning på lagerstyrningsproblematiken är Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) som innebär ett tätare samarbete mellan kund och leverantör. Kunden tillhandahåller information om lager och efterfrågan och leverantören tar över ansvaret för att varorna i kundens lager inte ska ta slut. Litteraturen kring VMI tar upp många positiva effekter som kommer att inträffa vid ett VMI-samarbete. Dock är det skralt med empiriska undersökningar beträffande effekterna av införandet av ett VMI-samarbete.</p><p> Syfte: Syftet med uppsatsen är att undersöka ett VMI-samarbete mellan en leverantör och en kund för att se om det finns empiriskt stöd för de kostnads- och leveransserviceeffekter som teorierna kring VMI tar upp. </p><p>Genomförande: Vi har undersökt samarbetet mellan Abba Seafood och ICA Handlarna. Vi intervjuade personer på båda företagen. Respondenterna hade antingen ett övergripande ansvar för VMI-samarbetet eller kom i kontakt med VMI i det dagliga arbetet. </p><p>Resultat: Efter att ha analyserat samarbetet mellan Abba och ICA så kan vi konstatera att många av de positiva effekter som kan förväntas av ett VMI- koncept har infriats och några inte. Vad vi inte kan fastställa i alla lägen, är om det är just VMI som är bakgrunden till förbättringarna, eller om det helt enkelt är den förbättrade informationsspridningen. En stor fråga har varit om det verkligen är nödvändigt för leverantören att ta över styrningen av kundens lager för att förbättringarna ska vara tydliga.</p>