Offshore petroleum exploration and production (E&P) activities are faced with both technical and environmental challenges. In spite of these challenges, offshore petroleum E&P are on the increase globally. These operations have not been accident free even with improved technology. Recent incidents like Montara blowout and Deepwater Horizon fire have more than ever before raised serious concerns about the safety of offshore oil and gas E&P. Key issues are the prevention of major hazards, emergency response and civil liability, and payment of compensation. These issues have greater implication when the impact is transboundary. There is a general consensus on the need to ensure safety of these operations globally. However, the international legal framework needed to achieve the objective is unresolved. Looking at the extant international instruments relating to marine pollution from offshore oil and gas activities, there is a clear absence of global treaty on safety of offshore operations, civil liability and compensation. While there is general consensus on the need for safety of offshore oil and gas operations globally, opinions are divided on the necessity for global treaties. This thesis looks at the extant international legal framework at both global and regional levels with a view to identifying gaps in provisions on safety, civil liability and compensation. The thesis finds that even in the post-Macondo era, there are no global treaties in relation to safety of offshore petroleum E&P to prevent accidental pollution, and to deal with issues of civil liability and compensation. Furthermore, most regional regimes have no specific provisions on accidental pollution from offshore operations and liability issues arising therefrom. The absence of provisions for civil liability, especially in cases of transboundary harm from offshore accidental pollution has created difficulty for affected nations and nationals. This thesis proffers suggestion for international regulation of offshore petroleum operations to prevent accidental pollution, improve emergency response and guarantee prompt settlement of liabilities and payment of compensation. Accordingly, an international legal framework involving three levels of legal regimes is recommended as an effective way of preventing accidental pollution from offshore petroleum operations to protect marine environment and also ensuring that liabilities that may arise in the event of a major hazard are adequately addressed.

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This paper determines the relationship between the crude oil price and the financial performance of International Oil Companies (IOCs) of the Eurozone during the last decade (from 2004 to 2013). This study is conducted around a multiple regression model with panel data with the financial performance ratios (ROA, ROE, Profit Margin) as dependent variables and the crude oil price as independent variables. A knowledge gap is visible since the crude oil price was never used as an independent variable in relation to the financial performance ratios of IOCs. In addition, the IOCs in the Eurozone have not been studied since most studies focuses on the United States and Asia. Moreover these studies focus on stock returns rather than financial performance. The research follows a quantitative approach by assessing the relationship of the crude oil price with financial performance of IOCS during the 10-year period (from 2004 to 2013) for 11 companies from 10 countries. The purpose of the study is to determine the effect of the crude oil prices on the financial performance of oil producer companies on a 10-year period using a multiple regression model with panel data. The research question therefore is:What is the relationship between the crude oil price and the International Oil Companies’ financial performance in the Eurozone during the last ten years (2004-2013)?The empirical results show that the crude oil price has a negative relationship with the financial ratios and that the crisis had an impact during that time period on the financial performance of the IOCs. It is also noted that the debt level and the size of IOCs have a strong relationship with their financial performance. The findings on the relationship between the crude oil price and the financial performance of IOCs are opposed to the results of Dayanandan & Donker study (2011). The findings of this research paper are relevant for investors and researchers looking to assess the performance of the Oil & Gas Industry so as its determinants.

Accurate knowledge of the physical properties of complex chemical systems is of extreme importance for the design and optimization of industrial processes. The unprecedented increase of computing power in the last couple of decades, the development of efficient algorithms and methods, and advances in molecular force fields have made molecular simulation a powerful tool in predicting such properties very accurately, and often with very limited experimental information involved. Related to this, molecular simulation can be used for the design of new materials with improved, often tailor-made, properties compared to existing materials. In this lecture, a few representative examples from recent work related to the oil & gas industry will be discussed.

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro / Manguezais são ecossistemas marinhos costeiros que ocorrem nas regiões tropicais e subtropicais do globo. A associação desses ambientes a formações recifais é restrita, particularmente no Brasil, onde se destaca a ilha de Tinharé, na costa sul do estado da Bahia, não só pela ocorrência desse sistema manguezal-recifes, mas também pelo desenvolvimento estrutural da floresta e pela atividade produtiva de mariscagem exercida pela população do povoado de Garapuá. Apesar da proximidade de Morro de São Paulo, atrator turístico internacional, este povoado experimentava certo isolamento socioeconômico até a chegada da indústria do petróleo que, em função de suas potencialidades e riscos, tensionou a vida da comunidade local. Este estudo tem por objetivo analisar a vulnerabilidade socioambiental dos manguezais adjacentes à Garapuá, Cairu-BA, frente a inserção da indústria petrolífera na região, a partir da caracterização estrutural das florestas de mangue e da caracterização social do povoado de Garapuá e, particularmente, das marisqueiras usuárias deste ecossistema. As abordagens metodológicas utilizadas podem ser classificadas como pesquisas quantitativas, empregadas no levantamento fitossociológico, e qualitativas, utilizadas a partir de observações de campo e entrevistas, além de levantamentos bibliográficos, para elaboração das análises sociais. Os resultados indicam florestas de mangue de porte variável, em bom estado de conservação, com altura média das dez árvores mais altas entre 2,40,2 metros (estação 7) e 22,71,1 metros (estação 29), geralmente dominadas por Rhizophora mangle (38 das 52 estações de amostragem). A partir da caracterização estrutural foi realizado teste estatístico de agrupamento que, aliado a aspectos da arquitetura das árvores, permitiu a classificação das florestas em 12 Tipos Estruturais. As análises relativas à vulnerabilidade ambiental fundamentaram-se nos aspectos de sensibilidade e na posição fisiográfica ocupada por cada Tipo de floresta e identificaram níveis distintos de vulnerabilidade a derramamentos de óleo. Com relação aos aspectos sociais, as informações sobre os sistemas socioeconômicos e culturais relacionados à saúde, à educação, às práticas produtivas e à geração de renda, ao transporte, à religião e à organização social, como um todo, evidenciaram vulnerabilidades frente à inserção da indústria do petróleo, apontando as marisqueiras como o segmento mais suscetível a vivenciar os riscos e os impactos desse empreendimento no local. A inserção da indústria do petróleo neste contexto socioambiental representa aumento de riscos e, consequentemente, de vulnerabilidade socioambiental, na medida em que o diálogo estabelecido entre empreendedor e população se apresenta de forma assimétrica, dificultando a participação da população local, sobretudo dos mais excluídos que, nesse caso, são representados pelos usuários dos manguezais. / Mangroves are coastal marine ecosystems occurring in tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world. These environments associated with coral reefs are uncommon systems, particularly in Brazil, where Tinharé island, south coast of Bahia State, is highlighted because of the high mangrove structural development and the shellfish activities by local people. Garapuá village experienced some socioeconomic isolation, despite the proximity of Morro de São Paulo, international tourist point, until the arrival of the oil industry that, in its aspects of risks and potential, strained the village way of life. This study aims to examine the socio-environmental vulnerability of Garapuá/Bahia mangroves, facing the insertion of the oil industry in the region, by analyzing the structural characterization of mangrove forests and the social characteristics of Garapuá village, particularly, shellfish users of this ecosystem. The methodological approaches are inserted in quantitative research, used in the phytosociological studies, and qualitative, through field observations and interviews. The results indicate mangrove forests of variable size, with a height of ten biggest trees between 2.4 0.2 meters (station 7) and 22.7 1.1 meters (station 29), usually dominated by Rhizophora mangle (38 of 52 sampling stations). From the structural characterization was performed statistical analysis which, combined with aspects of the architecture of the trees, allowed the classification of forests into 12 Structural Types. Environmental vulnerability analyses were based on aspects of sensitivity and physiographic position of each Type of forest that identified different levels of vulnerability to oil spills. Regarding social aspects, the information analyzed together with field data revealed socioeconomic and cultural aspects related to health, education, income, transportation, religion, celebrations, social organization, pointing to a situation of evident social vulnerability, with the people who traditionally uses the mangrove products in the most vulnerable class. In this context, petroleum industry activities represents an increase of socio-environmental risk and, consequently, socio-environmental vulnerability, because of the dialogue asymmetry between the actors, which hindering the participation of local people, especially the most excluded, in this case focused on mangrove users.

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro / Manguezais são ecossistemas marinhos costeiros que ocorrem nas regiões tropicais e subtropicais do globo. A associação desses ambientes a formações recifais é restrita, particularmente no Brasil, onde se destaca a ilha de Tinharé, na costa sul do estado da Bahia, não só pela ocorrência desse sistema manguezal-recifes, mas também pelo desenvolvimento estrutural da floresta e pela atividade produtiva de mariscagem exercida pela população do povoado de Garapuá. Apesar da proximidade de Morro de São Paulo, atrator turístico internacional, este povoado experimentava certo isolamento socioeconômico até a chegada da indústria do petróleo que, em função de suas potencialidades e riscos, tensionou a vida da comunidade local. Este estudo tem por objetivo analisar a vulnerabilidade socioambiental dos manguezais adjacentes à Garapuá, Cairu-BA, frente a inserção da indústria petrolífera na região, a partir da caracterização estrutural das florestas de mangue e da caracterização social do povoado de Garapuá e, particularmente, das marisqueiras usuárias deste ecossistema. As abordagens metodológicas utilizadas podem ser classificadas como pesquisas quantitativas, empregadas no levantamento fitossociológico, e qualitativas, utilizadas a partir de observações de campo e entrevistas, além de levantamentos bibliográficos, para elaboração das análises sociais. Os resultados indicam florestas de mangue de porte variável, em bom estado de conservação, com altura média das dez árvores mais altas entre 2,40,2 metros (estação 7) e 22,71,1 metros (estação 29), geralmente dominadas por Rhizophora mangle (38 das 52 estações de amostragem). A partir da caracterização estrutural foi realizado teste estatístico de agrupamento que, aliado a aspectos da arquitetura das árvores, permitiu a classificação das florestas em 12 Tipos Estruturais. As análises relativas à vulnerabilidade ambiental fundamentaram-se nos aspectos de sensibilidade e na posição fisiográfica ocupada por cada Tipo de floresta e identificaram níveis distintos de vulnerabilidade a derramamentos de óleo. Com relação aos aspectos sociais, as informações sobre os sistemas socioeconômicos e culturais relacionados à saúde, à educação, às práticas produtivas e à geração de renda, ao transporte, à religião e à organização social, como um todo, evidenciaram vulnerabilidades frente à inserção da indústria do petróleo, apontando as marisqueiras como o segmento mais suscetível a vivenciar os riscos e os impactos desse empreendimento no local. A inserção da indústria do petróleo neste contexto socioambiental representa aumento de riscos e, consequentemente, de vulnerabilidade socioambiental, na medida em que o diálogo estabelecido entre empreendedor e população se apresenta de forma assimétrica, dificultando a participação da população local, sobretudo dos mais excluídos que, nesse caso, são representados pelos usuários dos manguezais. / Mangroves are coastal marine ecosystems occurring in tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world. These environments associated with coral reefs are uncommon systems, particularly in Brazil, where Tinharé island, south coast of Bahia State, is highlighted because of the high mangrove structural development and the shellfish activities by local people. Garapuá village experienced some socioeconomic isolation, despite the proximity of Morro de São Paulo, international tourist point, until the arrival of the oil industry that, in its aspects of risks and potential, strained the village way of life. This study aims to examine the socio-environmental vulnerability of Garapuá/Bahia mangroves, facing the insertion of the oil industry in the region, by analyzing the structural characterization of mangrove forests and the social characteristics of Garapuá village, particularly, shellfish users of this ecosystem. The methodological approaches are inserted in quantitative research, used in the phytosociological studies, and qualitative, through field observations and interviews. The results indicate mangrove forests of variable size, with a height of ten biggest trees between 2.4 0.2 meters (station 7) and 22.7 1.1 meters (station 29), usually dominated by Rhizophora mangle (38 of 52 sampling stations). From the structural characterization was performed statistical analysis which, combined with aspects of the architecture of the trees, allowed the classification of forests into 12 Structural Types. Environmental vulnerability analyses were based on aspects of sensitivity and physiographic position of each Type of forest that identified different levels of vulnerability to oil spills. Regarding social aspects, the information analyzed together with field data revealed socioeconomic and cultural aspects related to health, education, income, transportation, religion, celebrations, social organization, pointing to a situation of evident social vulnerability, with the people who traditionally uses the mangrove products in the most vulnerable class. In this context, petroleum industry activities represents an increase of socio-environmental risk and, consequently, socio-environmental vulnerability, because of the dialogue asymmetry between the actors, which hindering the participation of local people, especially the most excluded, in this case focused on mangrove users.

Submitted by Thassia da Silva (tdasilva22@gmail.com) on 2018-01-18T18:07:34Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Thassia da Silva--Key Success Factor Ranking for Intrafirm Knowledge Sharing A Delphi Method Approach in the Oil and Gas Industry.pdf: 2005716 bytes, checksum: 3357ec23f1c093750910850a6e7e9434 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by ÁUREA CORRÊA DA FONSECA CORRÊA DA FONSECA (aurea.fonseca@fgv.br) on 2018-03-02T19:31:43Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Thassia da Silva--Key Success Factor Ranking for Intrafirm Knowledge Sharing A Delphi Method Approach in the Oil and Gas Industry.pdf: 2005716 bytes, checksum: 3357ec23f1c093750910850a6e7e9434 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-03-12T18:57:52Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Thassia da Silva--Key Success Factor Ranking for Intrafirm Knowledge Sharing A Delphi Method Approach in the Oil and Gas Industry.pdf: 2005716 bytes, checksum: 3357ec23f1c093750910850a6e7e9434 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-12-18 / Knowledge and its propagation are unquestionably at the center of most, if not all, discussions on innovation, performance, as well as other elements related to firm success. Although the literature has proposed several key success factors for knowledge sharing, it has yet to explore how these factors rank in terms of importance from a firm nationality perspective. Through a Delphi Method approach, upstream professionals from four major multinational Oil & Gas firms (Brazilian, North American, Norwegian and French), with at least seven years of experience, ranked specific literature-based proposed factors for successful intrafirm knowledge sharing. There was a total of three rounds, where the first round had 41 participants, and the remaining two rounds (second and third) had 39 participants. On average, open door policy was the most relevant factors that lead to knowledge sharing among the four firms. In terms of the least relevant ones, acknowledgement and status were seen, on average, as factors less likely to lead to intrafirm knowledge sharing.