Fracture conductivity and the effects of treatment variables can be studied in the laboratory. We conducted experiments based on scaling down the field conditions to laboratory scale by matching Reynold’s and Peclet numbers. Experiments conducted were comprised of three stages: dynamic etching, surface characterization of etched cores, and conductivity measurement. The effect of initial condition of fracture surfaces on the etching pattern and conductivity were investigated in this study. Another area of interest is the variation of conductivity along the fracture due to acid spending. We also investigated the contact time, acid system type, and treatment temperature effects on conductivity using San Andres dolomite cores. The results from these studies showed that rough-surface fractures generate higher conductivity by an order of magnitude compared with a smooth-surface fracture at low-closure stress. Also, conductivity generated on rough-surface fractures by smoothing peaks and deepening valleys which widen the gap between the fracture surfaces after closure and acid creates conductivity on smooth-surface fractures by differential etching that creates asperities. The results suggest that an increase in acid spending does not automatically result in lower conductivity; and etched volume alone is not adequate to predicate the conductivity. Conductivity results from a combination of etching pattern, etched volume, and rock compressive strength after etching. In-situ crosslinked acid was found to be more effective in etching rock and controlling acid leakoff compared with linear-gelled acid. Also, crosslinked acid reduces the number of pits and the pit diameters. Based on conductivity tests, linear-gelled acid is more favorable at higher temperatures while in-situ crosslinked acid showed higher conductivity at lower temperatures. For a rough-surface fracture, shorter contact time created high conductivity compared to longer contact while injecting the same volume of acid, suggesting the existence of an optimum contact time.

No description available.

Essentially, there are two competing propositions on tax base choices. The optimal tax theory on taxation asserts that the broader the tax base the better the tax. On the other hand, some public choice proponents have argued that, at the constitutional level, we should choose to restrict the power to tax and thus limit the available base. These theories assert fundamentally different views on the state and its citizens. Within the traditional optimal tax framework, governments maximize residents utility and tax base broadening lowers the tax rate, thus there is a revenue neutral response. When, however, governments do not choose to maximize residents utility, then increases in the tax base can have an impact on governments revenues and spending. In order to determine if tax bases influence government spending data on forty-eight states were compiled for the years 1977 through 1992. A state finance system of equations was developed. Using three-stage least squares estimation in a fixed effects econometric model, the relationship between the broadness of a tax base and state government spending was estimated. The state sales tax base was the tax base used to study this relationship. The results of this estimation found that states with broader sales tax bases had higher spending, all else equal. This result suggest that governments do not act as if they maximize resident utility when making tax base and rate decisions, otherwise base broadness would have no impact on spending. An additional result from this empirical analysis, is that tax base and rates are inversely related, but the relationship does not lead to revenue-neutral adjustments.

Hitherto the diffusion of Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) has been limited due to high implementation and operational costs. On the other hand, the Extensible Markup Language (XML) has quickly become a generally accepted standard for integrating processing of formatted data - the literature is virtually unanimous that an integration of EDI into XML would make EDI more accessible and implementation faster and cheaper. The process of standardization of various EDI standard formats over XML is still underway and the question arises whether an early adoption of the technology would pay off. This thesis investigates the issue using real-options methodology. Starting from the well-known Black-Scholes model the parameters of the model are operationalized to decide about the best adoption timing: (i) project costs of implementation, (ii) value of savings of the project (substitutional, complementary, and strategic benefits), and (iii) project risk, expressed as the variance used in Black-Scholes. The latter considers both the external autonomy of the player in implementing new technology and internal properties in technology adoption. Discussing the technological properties of XML/EDI above parameters are operationalized step by step and integrated into a decision model to help each individual firm put the XML/EDI investment decision into real numbers. In order to better visualize the parameters of this decision framework, four company profiles, based on the theory of technology diffusion, will be introduced and mapped against the parameters of the Black-Scholes formula. (author's abstract)

Governments play many roles in a society, some political, some social, and some economic (Tanzi, 1997). These roles are guided by a notion of common good and constrained by availability of finances. This interaction between ideology and economics lies at the heart of public finance. The central question examined in this dissertation is if, how, and to what extent the goals, norms and values implied in the Holy Qur'an and sunnah result in a mode of government fiscal organisation similar to or different from the received from the received Western model. / The methodological framework employed uses the tenets of Islamic socio-economic justice as the theory-choice criteria to analyse and choose among multiple Western social-scientific theories on a selected topic and then build further upon them. Thus the Islamic call for financing redistribution through zakah translates into a levy on net worth (beyond a stipulated minimum) and a charge on earned income. For general taxation, however, any economically feasible tax is admitted as long as the aggregate burden of general taxation is not regressive. On financing public expenditure in excess of taxation, the Islamic prohibition of fixed interest and appreciation of profit and loss sharing arrangements is found to impose commercial discipline on state activities thereby ameliorating public choice concerns on government failure. Alternatives such as in-kind finance, public-private partnerships, and ijtihadi instruments are proposed. / Combining these findings into one theory produces an Islamic parallel to the Keynesian solution for demand management that depends on charge in the mix of taxation and the mode of (commercial and) deficit finance to motivate efficient utilisation of wealth and its circulation through participatory finance. / Moving from the normative to the positive analysis, it is observed that the principles of fairness in fiscal management are compromised by a wide margin in many jurisdictions. This recognition provides a link with the pivotal role that governance plays in social and economic development. To this end, it is noted that Islam emphasises on cultivating internal restraint against corruption through developing a clear higher-order preference for a catalogue of values and virtues so as to arbitrate among competing first-order desires. In comparison, the Western strategy focuses on appropriate institutions that harness incentives toward minimising opportunities and enticement for corruption. The conclusion reached is that both ingredients are essential for good governance and by implication, for the success of the taxation and deficit finance schema developed in this thesis. / Drawing together the analyses presented on taxation, deficit finance and governance produces an Islamic agenda that calls Muslin nations to put their own houses in order. This means an urgency to work on multiple fronts: rethinking governance, re-establishing supremacy of law, reforming taxation in line with domestic income and wealth profile and economic priorities, facilitating appropriate investment profile and climate, and reconsidering expenditure priorities. To the end we have highlighted some constraints and made detailed proposals. / Thesis (PhD)--University of South Australia, 2003.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Columbia University, 1996. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 446-475).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2006. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 65-69).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 1987. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 132-145). Available online via OhioLINK's ETD Center.

No description available.

This thesis investigates the relationship between oil revenue and macroeconomic policies and performance in Oman. The thesis contains five empirical chapters along with introduction, literature review and conclusion. The first empirical chapter looks into the dynamic relationship between oil revenue, government spending and economic activities. The results indicate oil revenue has immediate and significant impact on both the country s GDP and the government expenditure. The government expenditure also has significant impact on the GDP. The second empirical chapter examines the validity of the Wagner s Law and the Keynesian hypothesis in regards to the relationship between the government spending and economic performance. The chapter uses both aggregated and disaggregated government expenditure where the data are divided into recurrent and capital investment. The findings show that there is a long run-relationship between the government spending and the GDP for the period covered. The causality analysis suggests that public investment causes economic growth, but the recurrent expenditure is insignificant. The third empirical chapter investigates the impact of government spending on economic performance where the government spending was decomposed into health, education and militaryexpenditure. The results of these components of the government expenditure and along with an index of openness have long-run relationship with GDP. The short-run coefficient on military spending is insignificant and that of health is negative and significant. However, the long-run coefficients are all positive and significant, except that of military. The fourth empirical chapter analyses the relationship between government expenditure and oil revenue in Oman. The disaggregated government expenditure of health, education and military are used for the analysis in order to see the response of each component to oil revenue changes. The results show that, although all the components responded positively to a positive oils revenue shock, it is the military component that has recorded highest response with more persistence. The fifth chapter investigates the relationship between the current account and the fiscal deficits in Oman. The chapter uses a threshold cointegration technique that is capable of capturing non-linearity and asymmetric adjustment between the series. The estimated results show that there is a long-run relationship between the current account and fiscal deficits in Oman and that adjustment between the series is asymmetric. It is found that upward adjustment is much faster than downward adjustment.