A truss spar, named as Horn Mountain, was deployed in the Gulf of Mexico in 1,650 m of water, approximately 150 km southeast of New Orleans in June 2002. Horn Mountain is operated by British Petroleum (B.P.). Extensive field measurements were made using an integrated marine monitoring system attached to the truss spar. In this study, dynamic analysis of the truss spar interacting with its mooring and riser system was performed using a time-domain numerical code, known as ‘COUPLE’. The simulated results were then compared with the corresponding field measurements made during Hurricane Isidore. During the numerical study, various hydrodynamic parameters which were crucial to the accuracy of predicting the global motions of the truss spar and tensions in mooring lines and risers were scrutinized, such as the drag and added-mass coefficients of heave plates, hard tank and truss beams. Satisfactory agreement between the simulation and corresponding measurements was reached, indicating that the numerical code, COUPLE, can be used to conduct the time-domain analysis of a truss spar interacting with its mooring and riser system under severe storm impact. A comparative study was also conducted to analyze the significance of interaction of risers with the hull structure. Three different cases of coupled analysis are simulated, namely (i) coupled analysis of truss spar interacting with mooring lines, (ii) coupled analysis of truss spar interacting with the mooring lines and the steel catenary risers, (iii) coupled analysis of truss spar interacting with the mooring lines, the steel catenary risers and top tension risers. Major statistical parameters of the global motions of the truss spar and the mooring line tensions for the three cases are compared with the field measurements.

A truss spar, named as Horn Mountain, was deployed in the Gulf of Mexico in 1,650 m of water, approximately 150 km southeast of New Orleans in June 2002. Horn Mountain is operated by British Petroleum (B.P.). Extensive field measurements were made using an integrated marine monitoring system attached to the truss spar. In this study, dynamic analysis of the truss spar interacting with its mooring and riser system was performed using a time-domain numerical code, known as ‘COUPLE’. The simulated results were then compared with the corresponding field measurements made during Hurricane Isidore. During the numerical study, various hydrodynamic parameters which were crucial to the accuracy of predicting the global motions of the truss spar and tensions in mooring lines and risers were scrutinized, such as the drag and added-mass coefficients of heave plates, hard tank and truss beams. Satisfactory agreement between the simulation and corresponding measurements was reached, indicating that the numerical code, COUPLE, can be used to conduct the time-domain analysis of a truss spar interacting with its mooring and riser system under severe storm impact. A comparative study was also conducted to analyze the significance of interaction of risers with the hull structure. Three different cases of coupled analysis are simulated, namely (i) coupled analysis of truss spar interacting with mooring lines, (ii) coupled analysis of truss spar interacting with the mooring lines and the steel catenary risers, (iii) coupled analysis of truss spar interacting with the mooring lines, the steel catenary risers and top tension risers. Major statistical parameters of the global motions of the truss spar and the mooring line tensions for the three cases are compared with the field measurements.

The Constitution Truss Spar, operated by Anadarko Petroleum Corporation (APC), is located in Green Canyon Block 679 and 680 in a water depth of 1,500 m. It was installed in October of 2006 and has since weathered multiple hurricanes and other storms. The platform is equipped with an Environmental Platform Response Monitoring System (EPRMS) which records real-time motions, environmental parameters and loads. These measurements were used to hind-cast the platform mooring tensions and estimate fatigue damage index accrued over the short life (install to start of study, July 2010) of the platform. The study found that extreme events such as Hurricane Ike (~100 yr storm) accounted for considerably higher fatigue damage index than the total caused by other small storms likely to occur in the 20 year service life of the vessel. It is therefore a recommendation of this study that a design criterion for fatigue damage accrued during extreme events such as 100 yr hurricanes be considered in the design of station keeping systems in a similar manner to the guidelines found in API RP 2T (2010) for design of tension leg platforms.

The topic of my diploma thesis is Bioproducts and their position in the present retailing. The thesis is divided in two parts, a theoretical one and a practical one. The theoretical part deals with the theory of bioproducts and their market position. It analyses ecology-agriculture tasks in Czech Republic as well as the legislation in the Czech Republic. The practical part describes bioproducts in Interspar and its own brand SPAR Natur*pur. In Interspar I did my research using questionnaires that were filled in by costumers of Interspar. These costumers answered questions about bioproducts and their market position in the Czech Republic. The results are presented in graphs and with a comment.

To reduce large motion responses of moored platforms in a harsh environment in deep waters, a thruster-assisted position mooring system can be applied. By applying the system, global dynamic responses can be improved in terms of the mooring line/riser top tensions, operational radii, and the top and bottom angle of the production risers. Kalman filtering as an optimum observer and estimator for stochastic disturbances is implemented in the developed control algorithm to filter out wave frequency responses. Investigation of the performance of thruster-assisted moored offshore platforms was conducted in terms of six-degree-of-freedom motions and mooring line/riser top tensions by means of a fully coupled hull/mooring/riser dynamic analysis program in the time domain and a spectral analysis. The two cases, motion analyses of a platform with thrusters and without thrusters, are extensively compared. The numerical examples illustrate that for deepwater position-keeping of platforms a thruster-assisted moored platform can be an effective solution compared to a conventionally moored platform.

To reduce large motion responses of moored platforms in a harsh environment in deep waters, a thruster-assisted position mooring system can be applied. By applying the system, global dynamic responses can be improved in terms of the mooring line/riser top tensions, operational radii, and the top and bottom angle of the production risers. Kalman filtering as an optimum observer and estimator for stochastic disturbances is implemented in the developed control algorithm to filter out wave frequency responses. Investigation of the performance of thruster-assisted moored offshore platforms was conducted in terms of six-degree-of-freedom motions and mooring line/riser top tensions by means of a fully coupled hull/mooring/riser dynamic analysis program in the time domain and a spectral analysis. The two cases, motion analyses of a platform with thrusters and without thrusters, are extensively compared. The numerical examples illustrate that for deepwater position-keeping of platforms a thruster-assisted moored platform can be an effective solution compared to a conventionally moored platform.

St. Gallen, Universiẗat, Diss., 1996. / Als Buchhandelsausg. ersch. u.d.T.: Scherler, Patrik: Management der Krisenkommunikation mit ISBN 3-7190-1535-1.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: As Spar began to grow, its stores became increasingly proactive resulting in the better SPAR stores wanting to compete and to expand but being frustrated by their many conservative SPAR retail colleagues. In order to increase effectiveness and competitive advantage, SPAR had to consider a new approach. This came in the form of Category Management and the extent to which it would be understood, evaluated and implemented. SPAR was being forced to do things in different ways. Many consumer packaged goods companies believe that Category Management is the "new way". These companies are expanding great amounts of energy and cash to be the player in the category management arena. Category Management is regarded as a process that involves managing product categories as business units and customizing them on a store-by-store basis to satisfy customer needs. The ideal in this process is to identify the optimal mix and stock each store with specific products customers wish to purchase. In simple terms, Category Management can be identified as the process of bringing the right product to the consumer at the right time and price. As a discipline, this process is in its infancy within the boarders of South Africa. The scope of the study is to introduce the Spar model for implementing Category Management into the voluntary trading environment. The biggest challenge identified is that if a robust analysis process is not undertaken by SPAR, the actions of going forward would be insufficient to develop clear Category Management strategies which could be included in the overall business strategy. Without successful analysis, SPAR will not be able to transform itself successfully. Organizationally, culturally, and technically, Category Management is fundamentally different to what has gone before. Many facets of the SPAR business have to change in a relatively short space of time for Category Management to work. Category Management helps establish new strategic intents and plans. It is a go-to market strategy that, when adopted within an organization, sets the tone and direction for all strategic and tactical decisions. The Category Management process is consumer focused and is the most effective and efficient means whereby the retailer and its suppliers can together generate value for their end customer. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Namate SPAR begin groei het, het sy winkels toenemend proaktief begin word, wat daartoe gelei het dat die beste SPAR-winkels wou meeding en uitbrei, maar deur hul talle konserwatiewe SPAR-kleinhandelskollegas gedwarsboom is. Ten einde doeltreffendheid en mededingende voordeel te verhoog, moes SPAR 'n nuwe benadering oorweeg. Dit het die vorm van Kategoriebestuur en die mate waarin dit verstaan, geëvalueer en geïmplementeer sou word, aangeneem. SPAR is genoodsaak om dinge anders te doen. Baie maatskappye wat verpakte verbruikersgoedere verkoop, is van mening dat Kategoriebestuur die "nuwe rigting" is. Hierdie maatskappye bestee groot hoeveelhede energie en kontant om dié speler in die kategoriebestuursarena te wees. Kategoriebestuur word beskou as 'n proses wat behels dat produkkategorieë as sake-eenhede bestuur word wat op 'n winkelgrondslag pasgemaak word ten einde in kliëntebehoeftes te voorsien. Die doelwit van hierdie proses is om die optimale mengsel te identifiseer en elke winkel te bevoorraad met bepaalde produkte wat kliënte wil koop. In eenvoudige terme kan Kategoriebestuur omskryf word as die proses om die regte produk op die regte tyd en teen die regte prys aan die verbruiker te bied. As 'n dissipline staan hierdie proses in sy kinderskoene binne die grense van Suid-Afrika. Die omvang van die studie is om die SPAR-model bekend te stel vir die implementering van Kategoriebestuur in die vrywillige handelsomgewing. Die grootste uitdaging is dan indien SPAR nie 'n deeglike ontledingsproses onderneem nie, die aksies vorentoe nie voldoende sal wees om duidelike Kategoriebestuurstrategieë te formuleer wat in die algehele sakestrategie ingesluit kan word nie. Sonder 'n suksesvolle ontleding sal SPAR homself nie suksesvol kan transformeer nie. Organisatories, kultureel en tegnies verskil Kategoriebestuur fundamenteel van dit wat voorheen gegeld het. Vir Kategoriebestuur om te werk, sal talle fasette van die SPAR-onderneming in 'n betreklik kort tydjie moet verander. Kategoriebestuur dra by tot die formulering van nuwe strategiese doelwitte en planne. Dit is 'n bemarkingstrategie wat, indien dit binne 'n organisasie gevolg word, die toon en rigting vir alle strategiese en taktiese besluite aangee. Die Kategoriebestuursproses is verbruikersgerig en is die doeltreffendste wyse waarop die kleinhandelaar en sy produkverskaffers tesame waarde vir hul eindkliënt kan genereer.

Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010.

Tie-down systems are used to fasten drilling rigs to the deck of offshore structures during harsh environmental conditions such as hurricanes. During Hurricane Ivan (2004) and Katrina (2005), a number of offshore structures were moved and several tie-down systems were damaged. In the present study, the reaction force and connection capacity of tie-down systems for a TLP and SPAR are investigated. The environmental conditions are taken from the API Bulletin 2INT-MET which has been updated after several major storms during 2004-2005. The hydrodynamic coefficients of the TLP and SPAR are obtained using a 3D diffraction/radiation panel method. The motions of the TLP and SPAR are then simulated in the time domain by using the hull-mooring-riser coupled dynamic analysis tool CHARM3D. Based on the simulated motion and acceleration time series, the inertial and gravity loads on derrick and skid base footing are calculated. In addition to the inertial-gravity loads, wind forces exerted on the derrick are also calculated. All the external forces and resultant hull motions are simulated for 100-year, 200-year and 1000-year storms to observe the derrick structural integrity with increasing environmental intensity. Various environmental headings are also considered to find the maximum reaction forces. In the present method, the phase differences between gravity-inertia forces and wind forces are taken into consideration to obtain more realistic loads on derrick and skid base footings. This research shows that the maximum and minimum load values are appreciably higher for the SPAR. In addition, the direction of external forces is also important to determine maximum reaction forces on footings. The capacities of the clamps in slip, bolt tension, and bolt shear can be also analyzed using the resultant data to provide guidance on appropriate design values.