We Ask Ourselves Every Time We See Heavy Traffic, Is There No Variance

We ask ourselves each time we see substantial traffic, is there no change any longer among vehicle models? In the past times, indeed as it were five mineral ten years prior each and every vehicle brand appeared to have it's own character, today they look increasingly like a bunch of copycats. What went wrong? One explanation is that the car business has certain patterns it needs to follow, much the same as style creators and melodic writers. In the midst of downturn and diminishing deals there is less space to take risks and makers are inclined to follow the normal example as a more secure wager as opposed to discharging a dubious item that may or may not sell well indeed. This makes for various models to accommodate extensively under the standards and guidelines for the plan of a vehicle of this decade. Another explanation is that numerous producers really coordinate and by contracts duplicate every others shows. The Mitsubishi 3000 GT for instance is for all intents and purposes a similar vehicle as the Dodge Stealth, just the Mitsubishi is made in Japan at the first production line and the Stealth is made in the US at the Dodge production line. Aside from the two seals separately, not many subtleties contrast the two vehicles. Honda who have been needing a game utility vehicle so as to snatch a lot of that piece of the market, which has developed significantly the most recent decade have taken practically frantic measures. They have essentially purchased the rights to re-identification the Isuzu Rodeo as the Honda Passport and showcased it as an all new model. The last and possibly the most consistent explanation is that all producers are endeavoring towards 'the ideal vehicle'. All vehicles should offer a limit of execution, traveler room and freight space, and at least fuel utilization and cost to fabricate and keep up. There are just so numerous approaches to actually accomplish these objectives. Vehicles will in general get more adjusted edges so as to be progressively streamlined. The storage compartment cover is high in request to offer more prominent payload space without forcing on the travelers. The plan of the storage compartment cover is additionally drawing closer the 'ideal' shape for simple stacking and access. Windows are enormous and columns are flimsy for better view. The lights, both back and front, are homing in on the structure for most extreme perceivability. The wheel base is settled on premise of great turning capacity both on account of stopping and at high speeds. Everybody is essentially attempting to structure 'the ideal vehicle' so it is regular that they are completely headed the equivalent logical way. Considering the realities that all vehicle makers appear to have the equivalent points with their models, that they collaborate and utilize same parts, arrangement of parts and even similar models under various names it appears to be very normal that advanced vehicles will in general look increasingly similar.

Language education Essay

It's anything but a mystery that instructing has an extraordinary job in our life. In our continually changing world we need to get information from everything: from individuals and things encompassing us, from various innovations, from our experience. In any case, nothing of these can replace an instructor, who assumes an incredible job in life of each individual. During rather extensive stretch of time an educator was an indispensable piece of children’s life. He doesn't just bestow the information on the world, gets ready youngsters for regular day to day existence yet in addition impacts their spirits, instructs them frankly, to show restraint, to help one another, toâ respect one another. Yet, who is an instructor? We for the most part imagine that an educator particularly in the event that we talk about a female is an anxious tenacious animal. What's more, in the event that we talk about a male, we are certain he is odd, distracted and regularly not emphatically assembled and solid. Be that as it may, in the broadest sense, an educator can be characterized as somebody who instructs or confers information, yet in addition somebody liable for forming the psyches and hearts of every one of those whom they instruct. Unknown dialect educators have a ton of normal characteristics with the instructors of different subjects. Also such â€Å"ideal† educator would gangs individual characteristics, specialized capacities and expert comprehension. One must concede that the eventual fate of any understudy relies upon the characteristics and devotion of an instructor of unknown dialect or some other subject. That is the reason it is important to be a decent educator who will make an enthusiasm for understudies to accomplish the points they set for themselves. Be that as it may, what characteristics, highlights do make an instructor a decent educator? Talking about it above all else we should contact teacher’s individual and expert characteristics. The most significant component for both unknown dialect educator and instructor of different subjects is to make the most of his calling and love youngsters. In the event that an instructor adores his calling and his understudies he is prepared to commit themselves to such a difficult work just like an educator. An instructor who is brimming with affection for his work is roused, invigorated, and inventive; he comes to work environment cheerful, he is open and can impart his positive feelings to the understudies. The following most significant concern is teacher’s interminable tolerance. An unknown dialect educator must show restraint. He should never be irritated with understudies since they don’t get something. Not all youngsters learn at a similar pace and definitely some will require exceptional consideration. In any case, abandoning these kids is a misstep as they can generally prevail with support and difficult work. A decent instructor must have administration characteristics. He should have incredible certainty and solid self discipline to acquire the best outcomes from his understudies. A decent comical inclination is another incredible device that causes an educator to streamline his assignment. Iâ think that a decent comical inclination can make a charming environment where everybody realizes they can pose inquiries, commit errors or evaluate new thoughts. One additional characteristics of a decent educator which is important to specify is regard. It is essential to regard the understudies, their assessments, thoughts, style of living, and demeanor towards something. Having that regard for others gets you the regard again from others. Continuance, resistance, positive thinking, excitement, objectiveness, friendly aura are additionally in the primary positions of characteristics of a decent educator. I believe that every one of these attributes are a test for an individual since it isn't so natural to consolidate every one of them. Be that as it may, as the future educators we should bend over backward so as to create them since we are the future models for more youthful age. Furthermore, a great unknown dialect educator ought to have certain expert information. As a matter of first importance he should know brain science of his youngsters. It will assist an instructor with having a specific path with the understudies, to include them, to make the exercises additionally intriguing and powerful. Most assuredly a decent unknown dialect instructor must be proficient in his subject, since he is a model for the students. He should know all the quirks of the language, its sentence structure, lexical structure consummately well. The way to express a decent unknown dialect instructor should likewise be on a significant level. As such he should be an expert, an ace of his abilities. Moreover, a great instructor likewise should be able to break down his work so as to see his mix-ups, to discover progressively powerful and profitable method of educating. Be that as it may, then again, their social situation of formally regarded yet gravely paid masters doesn’t permit them to involve the attractive advance on the social stepping stool. Lamentably frequently educators don’t have a simple access to important logical writing to improve their expert abilities. One increasingly negative part of this calling is that they nearly have no ends of the week, as their Monday is bound to start on Sunday, since some significant arrangements ought to be finished. Furthermore, youthful educators are regularly not prepared for the enthusiastic effect and the measure of workâ coming down on the instructor. To make the inference, one can say that future educators must recollect that being an instructor is an incredible duty, since educators are accused of children’s youthful spirits. They should develop themselves so as to turn out to be acceptable instructors, to gain the characteristics which will assist with opening children’s hearts, to become companions for them, to become models for them to follow, to remain in their brains and hearts until the end of time. One can't deny that the experience the instructors get at school make an extraordinary impact on their mentalities to life and individuals.

The Search Continues

The Search Continues So I will elaborate on this entry later this evening, but for now, Ill describe to you my morning. I woke up this morning at 8.50 AM to a phone call from Procter and Gamble alerting me to the fact that I had an interview at 3.45 PM. Now do keep in mind that I went to sleep at about 4 am because I decided to stay up late and continue working on my critical review of The compressive properties and function-composition relationships of developing bovine articular cartilage. So needless to say hopping out of bed at 10 am and figuring out what tie to wear this morning was a bit of an adventure, but then again, its college, am I supposed to expect anything else? EDIT: As promised. So currently, Im trying to figure out what Im going to do with my summer. Last year, I started off my search a little late, but still managed to find a pretty good internship. But this year, Im starting early so I can have time to make my decision and figure out a number of logistical issues like housing, etc. So how do I go about finding a summer internship? So one of the services MIT provides is the Career Office. They help to you write a resume, practice mock interviews, etc. They even help with study abroad options. In addition, theres also MonsterTrak, which is a version of Monster where companies will post their openings for full time and internship positions. After applying online, companies will review your resume and after they review your resume, they may pre-select you for an interview which are typically held in the Career Office. In addition to the Career Office, theres also UPOP, a program for engineering sophomores. UPOP takes place over IAP where you have workshops that help you practice your interview skills, skills for the workplace, etc. I have a few friends who participated in UPOP. Some ended up working at Boeing, Broadcom, and other pretty big name companies. So far Ive had three interviews this semester, some have gone better than others, but I do have a couple offers already so thats exciting. Itll be pretty tough deciding which one Id like. The allure of one offer is that their offices are within walking distance of this monument. There are a lot of other ways to find pretty cool internships as well. Departments oftentimes email out to their students about opportunities. Alumni are also great resources as well. Theres also the IAP Externship program where students are hosted by companies during IAP. PS. For all of you who emailed me with questions, Ill be responding to those questions via an entry tomorrow. For those of you with questions who havent asked me yet, post a comment or email me at [emailprotected].

Poverty in South Africa Essay - 475 Words

Poverty is one of the greatest problems facing South Africa. South African families live in very unsatisfactory conditions. The South African government works hard to bring down the rate of poverty but it also seems to increase as they try. The majority of the South African people are unemployed or else the breadwinner of the family looses the job or dies. In that situation the family has nobody to provide them with the basic needs of life. The children have no money to go to school and that alone increases the rate of poverty as it is known to everybody that if u is uneducated, you have no good chances of getting a well paying job that will sustain you for the rest of your life. In those situations people turn to crime. They believe†¦show more content†¦Their clients refuse to use condoms and they feel that they have no option but to proceed with everything because they are in desperate need of money. They also fear that they will be attacked if they do not agree with their clients. Some women tend to get multiple sexual partners because they are in desperate need of money. Those partners refuse to use condoms and the woman feels that she has no choice in the matter because she is dependent on her partners for a living. Even if the woman has only one sexual partner, if she is dependent on him for a living and if he refuses to use a condom she will not have anything to do or say as he has power over her. If most people have sex without using a condom there will be a multiple number of unplanned pregnancies. Those children will have to suffer the consequences of being born in a society that is stricken by poverty. This also increases the rate of people who are living with HIV and AIDS. The statistics shows that the higher percentage of people living with aids is women, I fell that this is because of poverty. If a woman dies of AIDS and she had had children those children will have no one to take care of them and they will also be affected by poverty. They can not go to school and obviously they will be uneducated. The lack of education can also be a strong influence of poverty. People have noShow MoreRelatedThe Poverty Of South Africa1509 Words   |  7 Pagessuffer without a chance to truly achieve their potential. In South Africa it became extreme to the point where certain races could only live in certain areas; clearly it lasted much too long.The main reasons why it lasted so long was because of the segregational laws, failed rallies; and lack of a leader. First we need a basic understanding of the apartheid system in South Africa. Apartheid was the structure of government in South Africa from 1948 to 1994. It was Established by the National PartyRead MoreRacism And Poverty : South Africa1640 Words   |  7 PagesSince it’s foundation, South Africa has faced significant issues with racism and poverty. From the times of colonialism, to the era of apartheid, South Africans have been segregated in discriminatory contexts that have left a large proportion of the population living in desperate conditions. This segregation by race and socioeconomic status still exists today and is extremely prevalent in modern South African society. Townships that are prone to violence and extreme poverty surround every major cityRead MoreExtremes of Riches and Poverty in Cape Town, South Africa1129 Words   |  4 PagesBig cities of the rich American world comprise great extremes of wealth and poverty. The same is true of the cities of the poor world, if not more true. South Africa’s Cape Town could easily be said to straddle both the rich and the poor worlds in one city. Specifically, Cape Town experienced racial segregation during and after apartheid, which contributed to the making of rigid class systems. Also, globalization and economic aspects forced segregation of this urban space. With all of these factorsRead MoreThe Gretest Poverty of All: Bieng Unwanted, Unloved and Uncared For 1042 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"We think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty.† (Mother Teresa) South Africa’s poverty affects the country in numerous ways; however and the most vulnerable margin in the country is the most effected. Children are the most vulnerable aspect in any country, as they are still developing, and don’t have the resources to be independent; they are also only able to take what the y are given withoutRead MoreGender Roles And Gender Inequality1576 Words   |  7 Pagesgender roles and gender inequality that persists in South Africa help not only to explain their unbelievably difficult daily burdens but it also aids in the understanding of the lack of economic and political representation of women in the region (Bentley, 2004). Within South Africa there is a significant gap in the lack of opportunity and representation of women within the economic and political sphere, which directly correlates to their poverty. Often times the universal equality and importanceRead MoreThe Multifaceted State Of South Africa Underwent Vast Reconstruction1518 Words   |  7 PagesThe multifaceted state of South Africa underwent vast reconstruction after the end of the apartheid in 1994 and experienced transformative changes in the racial, economic and societal relations of the region. Aside from the divisions and devastations the country faced as a result of apartheid the country also opened its economy to international business, deregulating major sectors of its economy and engaging in trade liberalization policies in an attempt to spur economic growth and internationalRead MoreCase Study : South Africa Essay1498 Words   |  6 PagesCase study: South Africa South Africa is an upper-middle income country with a population of 52 million people and a GDP of 312.80 billion US dollars (â€Å"Statistics South Africa | The South Africa I Know, The Home I Understand†, n.d.). The country has the second largest economy in Africa; it plays a prominent role in sub-Saharan Africa and in the continent as a whole. South Africa was hugely shaped by the apartheid legacy, a system of racial segregation that began during the colonial rule and was officiallyRead MoreThe Effects of Globalization1678 Words   |  7 Pageswhich is commonly referred to as a global village (Egnatz, 2011). South Africa is integrated highly into the world economy. South Africa is the strongest African economy and has attained positions like being a member of G8 .All these are as a result of globalization. Globalization has had an impact on the economy, the government and social nature resulting to some effects. The paper will look at how globalization has affected South Africa under several categories. It will also give an explanation onRead MoreFreedom Of Choice : South Africa1241 Words   |  5 PagesLibertaria seeks to create absolute freedom for its people. In South Africa, people are free in numerous ways for instance South Africans are free to express themselves, go wherever they want, and follow any religion. Furthermore, Libertarians believe in freedom of choice which is the same belief occurring in South Africa. Freedom plays a major role in South Africa’s Bill of Rights, and is a reoccuring theme throughout South African laws and politics. The economic issue in Libetaria is that theRead MoreTo what extent is reducing the number of people living in absolute poverty sufficient to achieve economic growth and development?1222 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿To what extent is reducing the number of people living in absolute poverty sufficient to achieve economic growth and development? Absolute poverty measures the number of people living below a certain income threshold or the number of households unable to afford certain basic goods and services. Much of the poverty in developing countries, such as South Africa, tends to be absolute poverty. Economic growth can be defined as steady growth in the productive capacity of the economy. Short term growth

Nike Cost of Captial - 777 Words

Nike Cost of Capital I. Single of Multiple Costs of Capital Since Nike has multiple business segments it is appropriate to question whether to use single or multiple costs of capital for the analysis. Kimi’s assistant Joanna went ahead and chose to use one cost of capital for Nike. We agree with her decision because Nike’s different segments are all generally sports related and are susceptible to the same market risks. For example, Nike’s footwear and apparel lines, which make up a combined 92% of their revenue, are segments that complement each other and are sold through the same marketing and distribution channels. Non-Nike products made up only 4.5% of Nike’s revenue including the Cole Haan brand, a company that sells casual dress and†¦show more content†¦Instead of deriving the amount of equity from book values, we calculated Nike’s current market capitalization by multiplying the stock price by the number of shares outstanding and arrived at $11,427,435,000. According to our new calculations, d ebt is now 10.1% and equity is now 89.9% of Nike’s total capital. III. Cost of Debt By using the yield to maturity approach, we were able to calculate the cost of debt of Nike. Examining the information provided through exhibit 4, a 20 year bond was issued with an interest payment of 6.75% semi-annually. With this semi-annual status, I=3.375% and N would be equal to 40. Lastly, the current price of the bond (P1) is $95.60 and the par value (P0) is $100. Taking in to consideration the corporate tax rate of 38% and using the redeemable bond formula, we found the cost of debt to be equal to 4.5%. IV. Cost of Equity We estimated the cost of equity using both the capital-asset-pricing model (CAPM) and the dividend growth model (DGM). Two separate WACCs were calculated on separate sheets simply for comparison reasons. We choose to take the WACC using the cost of equity derived from the CAPM method however, since it is known to be the superior method. Our estimate of Nike’s cost of equity using the DGM method is 6.64%. This was achieved by taking the .48 dividend payment, dividing it by the current share price of $42.09 and adding it to the dividend growth rate of 5.0%. Our estimate of Nike’sShow MoreRelatedNike vs. Under Armour Essay2943 Words   |  12 Pagesindustry are the companies in? Nike; one of the most well known companies across the globe today is most known for being the world’s #1 shoemaker. They design and sell shoes for a variety of sports including baseball, golf, tennis and football. Nike also sells dress and casual shoes as well as athletic apparel and equipment for almost every sport imaginable. In addition Nike also operates NIKETOWN shoe and sportswear stores, factory outlets along with Nike women shops. One of Nike’s biggest competitorsRead MoreContemporary Issues in Management Accounting211377 Words   |  846 Pagesanalysis, contingency frameworks, performance measurement systems, and strategic cost management, which are considered from the perspective of changing concerns facing modern organizations and present-day management thought as well as in the light of some of their historical dimensions. Other chapters deal with newly emerging concerns in management accounting, including network relations, digitization, integrated cost m anagement systems, knowledge management pursuits, and environmental managementRead MoreFundamentals of Hrm263904 Words   |  1056 Pages134 Factors That Affect Recruiting Efforts 134 DID YOU KNOW?: Something for Everyone 135 Constraints on Recruiting Efforts 135 Organizational Image 135 Job Attractiveness 136 Internal Organizational Policies 136 Government Influence 136 Recruiting Costs 136 Chapter 7 Foundations of Selection 154 Learning Outcomes 154 Introduction 156 The Selection Process 156 Initial Screening 156 Completing the Application Form 157 DIVERSITY ISSUES IN HRM: Interview Questions 158 Key Issues 159 Weighted Application

Manipulatives Material and Students Free Essays

7 Musts for Using Manipulatives By Marilyn Burns 1. I talk with students about why manipulatives help them learn math. These discussions are essential for first-time users and useful refreshers to refocus from time to time. We will write a custom essay sample on Manipulatives: Material and Students or any similar topic only for you Order Now I precede discussions by giving children time to explore a manipulative. Then we talk about what students noticed and I introduce the concepts they’ll learn with the material. 2 . From day one, I set ground rules for using materials. We talk about the similarities and differences between using manipulatives in class and playing with toys or games. With toys or games, children can make up their own rules. With manipulatives, they are given specific problems and activities. I do make clear, however, that they’re free to make discoveries and explore new ideas. It’s also important for students not to interfere with one another. I step in when I hear a howl of protest as a student who needs one more yellow tile takes it from another group’s table. Sometimes I open up the discussion to the entire class. These impromptu reminders help keep students on track. 3. I set up a system for storing materials and familiarize students with it. It’s important for students to know where and how to store materials. A clear system makes the materials more accessible. Some teachers designate and label space on bookshelves. Others use zip-top plastic bags and portion materials into quantities useful for pairs or groups. Still others place a supply of each material at students’ tables so they’re always within reach. 4. Time for free exploration is worth the investment. Whenever I introduce a new material, I allot at least one math period for this. Teacher demonstrations alone are like eating a papaya in front of the class and expecting children to know how it tastes. Free exploration time also allows students to satisfy their curiosity so they don’t become distracted from the assigned tasks. Expect children to see if tiles can fall like dominoes; build tall towers with rods; or construct rockets out of cubes. After children have explored a material, I ask what they’ve discovered and record their observations on a chart so their classmates can get insights from their ideas. Then I assign a specific task. 5. For easy reference, I post class charts about manipulative materials. Charts not only send students the message that I value manipulatives, but also help students learn materials’ names and how to spell them. In September I post a chart that lists all the materials we’ll use during the year. For some materials, I post separate charts to list their shapes and colors. And I leave posted charts of students’ discoveries about materials. 6. Manipulatives are a natural for writing assignments; having students write in math class has many benefits. Manipulatives provide concrete objects for children to describe. 7. I let parents get their hands on manipulatives, too. It’s important for parents to understand why their children are using materials. Follow up by having children take home materials and activities to do with their families. (Hint: I wait until students have had some experience. )3 Marilyn Burns Answers Your Questions Marilyn Burns Answers Your Questions About Manipulatives Q. Manipulatives help my learners who struggle, but do my better Math students need them? A. Absolutely. The challenge of teaching any subject is to find activities that are accessible to all learners and have the richness to challenge more interested or capable students. Manipulatives are a wonderful resource for this. For example, I introduced fourth graders to Build the Yellow Hexagon. All students found different ways to build the hexagon and recorded their constructions with correct fractional notation. I asked the students who finished quickly: â€Å"How much larger is the red trapezoid than the blue parallelogram? † This challenged them to figure out how much more 1/2 is than 1/3. Q. How often should I use manipulatives in my teaching? A. Ideally, the materials are available for students to use at any time to help them think, reason, and solve problems. When a manipulative material is key to a lesson, I initiate its use. Q. What about students who work well with manipulatives but have trouble with textbooks? A. Showing the bridge from concrete experiences to symbolism is essential. While it may be obvious to adults, it can be a stretch for students to see how a 3-by-4 rectangle built with tiles relates to the textbook explanation that 3 x 4 means three groups of four. I help children make connections by demonstrating how a rectangle can be separated into three rows with four tiles. Q. How many kinds of manipulatives do I need? A. It makes sense to introduce one material and provide time for in-depth exploration. But one advantage of using a variety is that children can think about ideas in different ways. For example, we wouldn’t want children to think of fractions as related only to round pies. Q. Can’t I make cheaper manipulatives? A. For years I’ve had children cut paper cookies to explore fractions, fold shapes for geometry, and use strips for measurement. Students also cut paper squares into the seven tangram puzzle pieces to see that the pieces make a square. However, to create other shapes, compare areas and perimeters, or make observations over time, paper pieces aren’t durable or exact. Manipulatives stand the test of time and are precise. They also allow students to discover the mathematical relationships inherent in them. 4 Q. Where do I fit manipulatives in when there’s so much to do? A. I use manipulatives as a support for teaching the math topics that are in the curriculum. I don’t reserve materials for special days or assignments, but make them a regular and integral part of my general teaching. Q. I worry that children will see the same materials year after year and lose interest. Do they? A. School-wide planning to discuss which manipulatives you’ll use and how to use them can be valuable. However, be careful not to designate certain materials or activities for only one grade. Most are appropriate for different levels, and repeat experiences help students stretch their thinking. For example, asking primary children to find different ways to make trains of six interlocking cubes using just two colors helps them explore different addends of 6. Older students can be challenged to figure out how many arrangements there are, not only for trains of 6, but also for trains of other lengths. Q. I don’t have enough of any one kind of manipulative to use with my whole class. What can I do? A. Some teachers I know organize learning centers and have small groups work at them. Others introduce a few activities to be done over several days, and students make choices based on which materials are available. Still others pool materials for a week with other teachers to create class sets. In all cases, having students work cooperatively not only cuts down on the amount of material you need, but also encourages communication — which in turn promotes learning. Q. How do I know when it’s time for students to put away the materials? A. I let students be my guide. Observing them gives me valuable information. Sometimes I’ve assigned students the problem of finding all of the rectangular arrays using 6, 12, and 24 tiles. While some need to build all of the rectangles with tiles and then record them, other students stop using the tiles and are comfortable drawing the rectangles. Q. I worry older students will complain that manipulatives are babyish. Any advice? A. I rarely get this reaction. Most are delighted to get their hands on concrete materials. If you anticipate naysayers, talk about how, for example, architects often build models of buildings and engineers construct prototypes. Tell students that they’ll use materials to model a problem or situation. Then be sure they first experience something that offers a challenge and that you provide free exploration time. How to cite Manipulatives: Material and Students, Essay examples

Introduction Essays (2296 words) - Guggenheim Fellows, McCarthyism

Introduction Of his time, Talcott Parsons (1902-1979) was considered the most admired American sociologist. Parsons was bread into a well-to-do family and was given a strong educational foundation as a child. Starting as a biologist, Parsons felt out of place and transferred to economics and sociology. As he excelled in these fields, Parsons began studies in Europe, giving him a wide view on different societies. He began teaching at Harvard, and there he exposed his sociological thoughts. Although very controversial, Parsons' works had influences on all aspects of Sociology. He generally focused on social action and systems and believed that morality in social action is the main element to help preserve social order. In The Structure of Social Action (1937), Parsons developed earlier sociologists' views into a theory of social action, or the action theory. These ideas look into today's society and it's institutional structures, which work to clarify action and to gain from it. His second book, The Social System (1951), extends and further explains his prior theories, including a structural-functional strategy. Talcott Parsons' functionalistic ways, influenced by Bronislaw Malinowski, became the center of debate. His beliefs were questioned and challenged by rival sociologists. His studies became even greater and his theories more significant. Until the time of his death, his principal aim focused on the systematic study of social action and it's components. He looked at the surrounding factors and if and why they influenced the social system. As an award before his death, Parsons received high honors for his accomplishments in sociology. Many people considered him the most intelligent sociologist of his era. Methods for Securing Information To gather material on this subject, I used a few research tools. First, I utilized the internet as a source of information. Starting off, I figured I would use search engines, or special programs that find websites concerning your topic, to begin. I listed as many keywords as I could, including Talcott Parsons, Parsons, sociology, sociologists, dead sociologists, and structural-functional paradigm. I then used these keywords in my searches on the yahoo!, excite, starting point, and webcrawler search engines. I passed trough websites, selecting valuable information and printing out what was needed. I looked over the various internet articles, and I highlighted and took notes on some important details. I kept the web pages nearby for quick reference. Next, I visited the Boca Raton Public Library to collect more substantial data. I began by using the library's computers to search for information on Talcott Parsons and sociology. I was lead to the International Encyclopedia of Social Sciences, in which I found biographical supplements. I copied specific pages concerning Talcott Parsons, and as I read the text, I choose certain information for reviewing. This information was observantly copied to note cards. I located two other encyclopedias, The New Encyclopedia Britannica and Encyclopedia Americana, and repeated the steps as before, using note cards to take notes. During my search, I found a paperback book on sociology. I studied the section pertaining to Talcott Parsons, and I took careful notes on his works. Afterwards, I researched the historical events happening while Parsons grew up. Initially, I found these events on the Society in History: Time Lines in my sociology text book. I noted the events and relied on the internet. I used the same method as before, search engines and websites. I listed the keywords on the subjects and found many different articles. I printed the useful documents and reviewed them for significant points. Last, I highlighted the main topics and noted the major facts. Biographical Information Talcott Parsons was born on December 13, 1902 in Colorado Springs. His family consisted of five siblings and his mother and father, Mary Ingersol Parsons and Edward Parson. According to the Inter. Encyclopedia of Social Sciences, "His mother...was a suffragist...and his father was a 'social gospel' Protestant of broad academic interests" (610). Parsons was academically pushed by his father, who was the first in the family to attend college. Although of Christian faith, his family was still interested in the sciences of Darwinism, which gave Parsons an early view of science. He attended high school at Horace Mann High School in New York City. After graduation, he started his studies at Amherst College. Parsons majored in biology, but

Solar Photovoltaic (PV)

Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Solar photovoltaic (PV) uses solar cells to capture energy from sunlight and converts it to electricity by photovoltaic effect through assembling solar cells. Transmitted through solar modules and solar panels, sunlight is easily converted to solar power that can be supplied to off-grid areas as alternative to power solutions in remote and dispersed communities.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Solar Photovoltaic (PV) specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Solar photovoltaic (PV) project is a predominant technology that consists of 10-100 Wp of solar PV panel that attract solar radiations through daylight and stores the energy in the automobile battery which is then transmitted through cabling and low-wattage Dc lamps (Energy and Mining Sector Board, 2007). Practical application of photovoltaic cells producing electricity from sunlight is applied by connecting a series of modules, interconnected in p arallels or series creating an array of an additive voltage. Photons in sunlight hit solar panels and absorbed by silicon (semiconducting materials) (Shive, 1959). Electrons being charged are knocked loose from their atoms, allowing them to flow through the silicon in a single direction to produce electricity (silicon) (Lorenzo et al, 1994, p.78; Smee, 1849). Arrays of solar cells are convert the solar energy into usable amount of direct current (DC) electricity which could be applied to development activities such as water pumping, small cottage industry, poultry rearing, fish farming among others (Lorenzo et al, 1994, p.78; Anderson 2001). Introduction Science and technology has defined desired service outcome for end users. Use of solar photovoltaic technology has amplified and transformed the rural poor population who can not afford electricity (Wolf, 1976). It requires active participation of community members, who are the end users beneficiaries and the government, should acti vely participate to foresee the project completion. This essay demonstrates how technology sector, for this instance, Solar photovoltaic (PV), a solar energy that is currently processed by World Bank in Bangladesh has incredibly transformed the living standards of the rural poor population.Advertising Looking for essay on other technology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Data obtained for this analysis is culmination research efforts gathered between World Bank projects and extensive assessment performed by a group of industry practitioners in Bangladesh in pursue of project management and Information technology programs. Developing countries have over the years been striving to provide energy solutions to the poor marginalized areas. Despite many projects that have been implemented for years, more than 1.5 billion people in developing countries mostly in the Sub- Saharan African region and South Asia remain without access to electricity services today. In this regard, World Bank continue to implement projects to meet Bangladesh lightening and other basic energy needs since majority of the households in the rural areas depend on expensive fuel based energy power such as kerosene, which are indeed inefficient and polluting. World Bank’s project uses renewable energy-based technologies ranging from solar photovoltaic (PV) systems to micro hydropower to off-grid areas as alternative to power solutions in remote and dispersed communities (Lorenzo, 1994). This projected has also been accelerated due to the recent increment of fuel prices. Among the financiers, World Bank is the leading sponsor of the off-grid electrification benefiting more than 1 million households including both small and medium size enterprises. Solar Thermal Power Plant in Bangladesh enabled sustainment of community development activities such as water pumping, small cottage industry, poultry rearing, fish farming among o thers. The study starts by mentioning impacts of solar photovoltaic (PV) on Bangladesh society, problems inherent within the project application of solar photovoltaic (PV) in Bangladesh rural development, national subsidiaries and the government working to meet the basic energy needs. The analysis did however conclude that PV improved living standards and the livelihood of the rural poor population.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Solar Photovoltaic (PV) specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This therefore brings us to the conclusion that technology is indeed a practice that requires testing regimes to arrive at best practices. In this regard, understanding both internal and external processes rather than relying on the prescribed best practices within information technology industry is very important. Overview of Bangladesh Community Many rural communities in Bangladesh require energy solutions to sustain their economic activities. Many of their projects are usually constrained by lack of modern supply of energy and jeopardized their ability to live above poverty levels. Economic activities related to water pumping, small cottage industry, poultry rearing, fish farming among others are very important in sustaining community development. Many of these projects require small amount of power as low as 100w to 3kW, which could be provided by PV. In this case, the government should initiate and enhance productive activities for long-term project sustainability. This brought us to the conclusion that the major ingredients to providing off-grid require technical assistance and adequate financing from the government, private subsidiaries and international donors. Therefore the costs of PV built to serve the off-grid community need to be justified in its productive loads especially in daytime when the sunshine is out enough to supply nighttime household loads, otherwise the wall project would not be cost e ffective (Cabraal et al, 2008, p.15). Bangladeshi government should ensure that regulatory requirements designed for off-grid markets are appropriate, devise reporting and service quality standards in rural areas and set lower costs that can be redistributed over an extended period (Reiche et al, 2006). For PV services for instance, Reiche et al (2006) argues that the only regulatory body that would foresee the completion of the project would be the government that provides subsidies for system purchase and installation.Advertising Looking for essay on other technology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Reiche and his colleagues (2006) add that regulatory actions involve accreditation of participating companies, settings and enforcing standards (preferably adopting internationally accepted standards), verification of installation, and random monitoring of system performance-actions that World Bank-supported projects usually require of counterpart government agencies (p.7). Impacts of solar photovoltaic (PV) on Bangladesh society Solar photovoltaic (PV) and SHS technical options enhance affordability and provide smaller, lower-power solar systems that offer lower quantity of service without compromising its quality (Cabraal et al, 1996). For example, Cabraal and his colleagues (1996) analysis demonstrate that a solar panel costing $ 50 to $75 would provide 3-4hours of lighting on a daily basis. Also, the SHS costing $ 600 can operate up to 3-4 hours of lighting and radio daily. LED technology advances are also cost efficient and can also be adopted into the most marginalized and ret ail infrastructure. Overall, adequate attention to SHS products and services are needed lead to reduced costs and replacements less expensive (Cabraal et al, 2008, p.19). World Bank investment projects have over the years made impressive gains in improving electricity access specifically in developing countries. It’s estimated that majority of Bangladesh population both in rural and marginalized areas has no access to electricity. Poor household here are defined as people living in off-grid areas with low-income levels. Government programs in Bangladesh should in this case prioritize allocation of scarce resources. This is because unprivileged populations are found to be concentrated in the rural communities. However, the costs required to electrify this places vary significantly. Marginal areas have been without electricity for sometime since private organizations are unwilling to connect customers because if the inherent high costs installation and with lower tariffs. In re ality, private sectors prefer to concentrate on grid intensification due to lower cost per connection and easier to implement. Government projects are rarely off-grid decisions and its time they supported energy initiatives that would stimulate the growth of micro-enterprises that would benefit the economy. For these reasons, some off-grid projects have been neglected hence the need for World Bank sponsorship. The spatial-analysis of power line being plotted in Bangladesh is one of such example (Cabraal et al, 2008, p.4). Rural renewable electrification programs such as solar photovoltaic (PV) are increasingly becoming popular in developing countries as a means of providing alternative energy sources to rural poor population. PV technology varies significantly in design and implementation as well as its degree of success. Lorenzo and his colleagues (1994) argue that sustainability of this programs are widely successful with collective participation from the local government, donor f unding and the community. Solar photovoltaic tends to be a technical demonstration project and relies totally on funding from donor organizations and local governments. In this regard, World Bank projects aimed at mainstreaming sustainable development principles into development aspects, is projected as a primary donor for community sustainment. It mobilizes efforts from community, the government and private-sectors to improve coordination among environmental institutions both internationally and locally. World Bank projects have over the years been accredited with increasing the capacity of environmental issues and awareness of community on environmental issues by encouraging their active participation to monitor environmental quality. According to Yongxoue et al (2003), World Bank’s main objective is to â€Å"integrate the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programs and reverse the loss of environmental resources† (p.10). It’s quit e clear that access to energy solutions would incredibly improve Bangladesh’s welfare. According to Cabraal et al (2008) research, there are about 260 million rural household without access to electricity. It is evidenced that majority of these households reside in either dispersed or small villages far form the city centers. World Bank is therefore trying to bridge this gap by implementing projects that provide electricity to such neglected areas using technology options approaches such as solar photovoltaic that have attained commercial maturity over the past 15-20 years. Based on practical knowledge gathered from various literatures and international experience accumulated through the past and on going World Bank operations, World Bank’s unique projects offer basic design principles of project management and sound practices and prescribe solutions for success (Cabraal et al, 2008). Solar photovoltaic projects aimed at improving lives and livelihood opportunities hav e helped those who can not afford personal house connections. From the perspective of data gathered from various literatures, such technological applications increase the economic attractiveness of the community. Issues surrounding solar photovoltaic (PV) It’s evidenced that a station with 2kw capacity charged battery can serve up to 50 households. The only disadvantage is that the solar powered batteries can only serve people living near the station since the battery must be transported to and from the charging station once a week. On the other hand however, Barkat (2003) argues that â€Å"in some projects, quality systems were installed without providing for longer-term maintenance, which harmed the reputation of the project and technology† (p.6). Also,lack of donor funding and the inability to reach the off-grid areas due to poor infrastructure has always been a major obstacle in realizing rural solar electrification objective. Bangladesh management team on the othe r hand lacked awareness in decision making level. The country had not prioritized solar development plan and poor coordination among line agencies at local levels to foresee the project completion were evident. There were so many undergoing projects, but locals lacked understanding of the project activities and how it would benefit them. Locals assumed that the project only targeted long term impacts which made them less motivated and more concerned about short term direct impacts. This brought us to the conclusion that complex issues in developing countries require more practical solutions to solve the problem in the community in a short-term basis. Even though, solar energy projects have been stated as one of the Bangladesh’s national development plan priority, in fact, it’s shocking to realize that the country has given the project less priority since its implementation (Yongxoue et al, 2003, p.3). Sibanda and Mahbub (2003) states that World Bank acted as an adminis trator for the Global Partnership on Output-Based Aid (GPOBA) with grants of a total of $8.3 million to sponsor part of the costs for installation of Solar Home Systems (PV) and renewable energy mini-grids for poor households located in Bangladesh rural areas (p.2). The projects benefited more than 14,000 households and over 5000 small to medium enterprises. Some of the projects included irrigation pumps, poultry farms and as well as timber mills in the rural areas. The ongoing project is expected to enable majority of poor rural population and dispersed areas have access to affordable energy through the PV and mini-grid projects. Zafrul Islam as quoted in Sibanda and Mahbub (2003) states that the GPOBA projects will support the Government of Bangladesh’s goal to ensure that the entire country has access to electricity by 2021. 80% of Bangladesh’s population live in rural areas and are also the group most affected by a lack of sufficient electricity generation. These p rojects will help 140,000 more households gain access to affordable electricity (p.1). Sibanda and Mahbub (2003) continue that the proposed PV project will reduce PV installation costs benefiting off-grid areas. Mr. Islam Sharrif as quoted in Sibanda and Mahbub (2003) adds that our mission at IDCOL is to encourage private sector investment in energy and infrastructure projects,† said Mr. Islam Sharif, CEO of IDCOL. The output-based aid approach has an impressive track record to date because it helps low income households gain access to electricity and makes it attractive for the private sector to offer services to the poor (p.2). In his statement Mr. Islam Sharrif concluded that the amount paid by GPOBA was seen as an incentive for business in the country to offer services to the poor people and the World Bank out-put based approach will ensure that payments made go directly to the qualifying household access to PV installation (Sibanda and Mahbub, 2003, p.2). Since its establ ishment in 2003, GPOBA has sponsored various projects including education, infrastructure and health designed to create incentives for efficiency and long-term development projects. Bangladeshi government should play an active role by funding and inviting proposals from private sectors, rural energy fund and support such investments on qualifying bidders. In either case, the governments sound practice to subsidize a portion of the capital costs while the community and private sectors balances the investment costs and full cost of the operation and maintenance. The third approach calls for active participation of government-contracted projects or public utilities operating in marginalized areas. Here, the government takes full charge by regulating tariffs which is an equivalent to the lifeline tariff of rural grid customers. In other words, utility operator is provided a subsidy from a public source as part of capital operations and maintenance costs. This model is also evident in th e Philippines where the government funds its micro-operation projects. For Bangladesh case, World Bank project centered on off-grid SHS has enabled rural electrification. With regard to World Bank projects, the dealer aspect often incorporates micro-finance assistance, which deals with the initial high upfront costs (Cabraal et al, 2008, p.20). In this case, mobilization of both government and sponsoring agencies is required since off-grid electrification is difficult to implement. Persistence and efforts from the government in support of World Bank projects are very important in ensuring completion of the projects. Government commitment to revive subsidiary slack when external financing ends to ensure the completion of the project is also required. Alternative Views After extensive research, I realized that long-term sustainability of the project will depend on many factors either than just technology. First of all, Cabraal and his colleagues (2008) argue that Bangladesh will requi re effective prioritization and adequate planning to ensure implementation of technological solutions, infrastructure and financial are provided for long-term purposes. Drawing on World Bank’s experience in design and implementing off-grid electrification projects, rural electrification solar projects guidance and insights into fundamental design principles for sustainability and sound practices for effective decision-making in Bangladesh will an effective solution (Cabraal et al, 2008). Secondly, active participation of government-contracted projects or public utilities operating in marginalized areas. World Bank projects should incorporate micro-finance assistance to deal with the initial high upfront costs. It has often been argued that reduced capital costs subsequently improve affordability of capital-intensive off-grid technologies. Some countries oppose the off-grid technologies, encouraging further consumption of high fuel. The implementation of solar PV have simplifi ed energy solutions and enabled Bangladesh to build long-term relationship with its donors and subsidiaries hence reducing the share of costs attributed to management and overhead costs (Cabraal et al, 2008, p.20). To ensure the likelihood of sustainability of the projects, Cabraal and his colleagues (2008) argue that Bangladesh government should play a role of off-grid options by simplifying regulations, appointing competent and dedicated project management staff to foresee the completion of the project. Since the project is technology driven, the project should include cost effective analysis to determine the least-cost solutions and our technology choice will be based practical considerations. Deliverance mechanisms and consumer service for off-grid projects specifically rely on private sector participation in line with local realities which enable access to quality and affordable products and services in the long-term. In order to increase affordability, Sibanda and Mahbub (2003 ) argue that off-grid electrification project in the rural Bangladesh must include subsidiaries, low-cost energy options like PV for this instance, consumer financing and finally polices and business practice. Role of subsidiaries in this case would be to foresee the completion of grid-based rural electrification to off-grid areas that have poor and dispersed population. It has also been argued that technologies for decentralized service have the ability to configure individual units that have higher investment costs to low fuel and operating costs compared to fuel-based supply systems. In some cases, the resulting energy costs may be higher that what a potential customer is willing to pay and subsidiaries in this case help off-grid consumers afford the upfront costs of access (Sibanda and Mahbub, 2003, p.17). Subsidiaries provided by PV in World Bank projects in Bangladesh reflects wide variations of systems costs, government attitudes towards subsidiary support and willingness to pay levels. For example, the PV subsidiary projects known as the RERED include PV system size of 20-70 WP with approximately 12 % cost in subsidiary range. Subsidiary financing can be gained from micro-financial institutions, banks and leasing companies. Such arrangements can increase affordability by spreading first costs over several years. Therefore strong partnership between microfinance institutions and energy companies would facilitate fast off-grid lending programs (Cabraal et al, 2008, p.19). Implications on Education The main objective of PV electrification is to ensure potential productive applications are likely to be fruitful once the PV is built. For effective implementation, early identification of local participant for the PV project, assisting individuals in developing business plan and identifying financial modalities. Sometimes over optimisms evaluation of potential productive application may be impractical to implement since they do not indicate significant potent ial for utilization. Institutional and community application are also important to ensuring off-grid electrification come to its full potential. For example, community centers around at the projects areas such as hospitals and schools can voluntary give assistance by financing the projects. In a business model perspective, World Bank or donor-funded institutions that have offered critical mass of assistance for PV market packages are offered bidding where the highest bidder is given the right to sell the PV to local households at subsidized rates and even a contract to install the PV systems to selected institutions. An important feature of this model is that the project enables long term maintenance and services that meet specific service standards (Cabraal et al, 2008, p.16). Bangladesh government should be actively involved in decision making, planning and implementation of the program and in selection of the program objectives. Raising community awareness by offering education o n reasons to which the programs are being implemented, the actual benefits of the program and causes of any factors that contribute to their apparent success or lack of success should be highly prioritized. Comprehensive set of success criteria and a road map followed by program planners and implementers should be provided to ensure success of the PV program. Since off-grid projects that rely on private sector participation, Bangladeshi government should employ simplest technological solutions that commensurate with local realities and support donor initiatives to foresee the project success. Lack of education threatens the progress achieved by any development and jeopardizes the main objective of community development. Community members who are not acculturated to technology use must be provided with adequate training and encouraged to participate in development initiatives with the aim of increasing awareness. Community involvement in development initiatives should be incorporated right from the planning phase of development projects, to ensure that their positive impacts can be sustained in the long term. With this regard, Information on ongoing operations, maintenance and replacement costs, alongside national recycling programs must be made and education arrangements made to ensure safe disposal of hazardous waste. Subsidiaries for off-grid populations are often justified on social equity grounds, what Barnes and Halpern (2000) defines as their ability to help rural dwellers to attain a level of parity by extending infrastructure costs and lifelines tariffs. In market imperfection aspect, Barnes and Halpern (2000) states that â€Å"lack of adequate information regarding specific opportunities, true cost of service and unavailable long-term financing often slow down the already economic off-grid projects or those that are close to completion† (p.5). Therefore appropriate designed subsidiaries for off-grid electrification enables the completion of phy sical interventions to occur by providing the otherwise uninterested investors with financial incentives and support. Barnes and Halpern (2000) add that project management mechanisms that mostly target the economic projects of the needy societies are usually effective if they incorporate implementation program that work. For example, it’s considered more effective to subsidize the upfront costs to consumers or business costs in dispersed areas than operating costs (Cabraal et al, 2008, p.18). Conclusion Off-grid projects that rely on private sector participation should employ simplest delivery mechanisms that commensurate with local realities. Here, Bangladeshi government should seek assistance from service providers, assess risks involved, provide technical assistance and provide technical assistance where appropriate. Before project implementation, choice of technologies must be tested for practical considerations like availability of adequate resources, ease of operations and maintenance and access to spare parts. Also, data should be collected across various sectors that would be willing to use the services which would be factored into technology selection process. For PV for example, the govenement should cooperate with World Bank in providing data on energy consumption and income levels’ while the choice on appropriate technologies should be left to service provider with investment parameters to consider. The conception and implementation of the PV project must always be consistence with the overall rural lighting plan for Bangladeshi. In this regard, the project should steer clear of ad-hoc factors that may kill the come to completion. Within early its early assessment phase, the Bangladeshi government should pay highest priority to raising community awareness, involve and support donor initiatives to foresee the project success. Promotion programs and community meeting alongside national recycling programs must be made and education arran gements to ensure safe disposal of hazardous waste. References Anderson, D. (2001). Clean electricity from photovoltaic’s. London: Imperial College Press. Barkat, A. (2003). Rural Electrification and Poverty Reduction: Case of Bangladesh. Paper presented at Sustainable Rural Electrification in Developing Countries: Is It Possible?, International conference of NRECA International, 6, 1-3 Barnes, D. F., and Halpern, J. (2000).Subsidies and Sustainable Rural Energy  Services: Can We Create Incentives Without Distorting Markets? Washington, DC: World Bank Cabraal, A., Cosgrove, M., Schaeffer, L. (1996). Best Practices for Photovoltaic Household Electrification Programs. Asia Technical Department Series, 324, 1 Cabraal, A., Terrado, E., Mukherjee, I. (2008). Designing Sustainable Off-Grid Rural Electrification Projects: Principles and Practice. The Energy and Mining Sector Board, 2, 1-34 Energy and Mining Sector Board. (2007). Catalyzing Private Investment for a Low  Ã‚  Carb on Economy: WorldBank Group Progress on Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency in Fiscal 2007. Washington, DC: World Bank. Lorenzo, E., Araujo, G., Zilles, R. (1994). Solar electricity: engineering of  photovoltaic systems. Spain: Barnes Noble. Lorenzo, E. (1994). Solar electricity: Engineering of photovoltaic systems. Prongesa. Reiche, K., Tenenbaum, B., Torres, C. (2006). Electrification and Regulation:  Principles and a Model Law. Energy and Mining Sector Board DiscussionPaper No. 18. Washington, DC: World Bank. Shive, J. N. (1959). Semiconductor devices. Van Nostrand Sibanda, J., Mahbub, M. (2003). World Bank-administered GPOBA and IDCOL help low-income households in Bangladesh access electricity. News Release, 10, 1-2 Smee, A. (1849). Electro-Biology: The Voltaic mechanism of man. London: Longman Press Wolf, M. (1976). Historical development of solar cells :25th power sources  symposium. C.E Backuss: IEEE Press Yongxue, C., Sunny, G., Giannelia, M., Hughes, A., Johnso n, A., Khoo, T. (2003). Identifying Best Practices in Information Technology Project Management. Organizational Development, 30, 1-22.

John Jacob Astor - Biography of Richest American

John Jacob Astor - Biography of Richest American John Jacob Astor was the wealthiest man in America in the early 19th century, and when he died in 1848 his fortune was estimated to be at least $20 million, an astounding sum for the time. Astor had arrived in America as a poor German immigrant, and his determination and business sense led him to eventually create a monopoly in the fur trade. He diversified into real estate in New York City, and his fortune increased as the city grew. Early Life John Jacob Astor was born on July 17, 1763 in the village of Waldorf, in Germany. His father was a butcher, and as a boy John Jacob would accompany him to jobs butchering cattle. While a teenager, Astor earned enough money at various jobs in Germany to enable him to relocate to London, where an older brother was living. He spent three years in England, learning the language and picking up any information he could about his ultimate destination, the North American colonies which were rebelling against Britain. In 1783, after the Treaty of Paris formally ended the Revolutionary War, Astor decided to sail to the young nation of the United States. Astor left England in November 1783, having bought musical instruments, seven flutes, which he intended to sell in America. His ship reached the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay in January 1784, but the ship became stuck in ice and it would be two months before it was safe for the passengers to land. Chance Encounter Led to Learning About the Fur Trade While languishing aboard ship, Astor met a fellow passenger who had traded for furs with the Indians in North America. Legend has it that Astor quizzed the man extensively on the details of fur trading, and by the time he set foot on American soil Astor had resolved to enter the fur business. John Jacob Astor eventually reached New York City, where another brother was living, in March 1784. By some accounts, he did enter the fur trade almost immediately and soon returned to London to sell a shipment of furs. By 1786 Astor had opened a small shop on Water Street in lower Manhattan, and throughout the 1790s he kept expanding his fur business. He was soon exporting furs to London and to China, which was emerging as a huge market for the pelts of American beavers. By 1800 it was estimated that Astor had amassed nearly a quarter of a million dollars, a considerable fortune for the time. Astors Business Continued to Grow After the Lewis and Clark Expedition returned from the Northwest in 1806 Astor realized he could expand into the vast territories of the Louisiana Purchase. And, it should be noted, the official reason for Lewis and Clarks voyage was to help the American fur trade expand. In 1808 Astor combined a number of his business interests into the American Fur Company. Astors company, with trading posts throughout the Midwest and Northwest, would monopolize the fur business for decades, at a time when beaver hats were considered the height of fashion in America and Europe. In 1811 Astor financed an expedition to the coast of Oregon, where his employees founded Fort Astoria, an outpost at the mouth of the Columbia River. It was the first permanent American settlement on the Pacific Coast, but it was destined to fail due to various hardships and the War of 1812. Fort Astoria eventually passed into British hands. While the war doomed Fort Astoria, Astor made money in the final year of the war by helping the United States government finance its operations. Later critics, including the legendary editor Horace Greeley, accused him of having profiteered in war bonds. Astor Accumulated Vast Real Estate Holdings In the first decade of the 19th century Astor had realized that New York City would continue to grow, and he began buying up real estate in Manhattan. He amassed vast property holdings in New York and the surrounding area. Astor would eventually be called the citys landlord. Having grown tired of the fur trade, and realizing it was too vulnerable to changes in fashion, Astor sold all his interests in the fur business in June 1834. He then concentrated on real estate, while also dabbling in philanthropy. Legacy of John Jacob Astor John Jacob Astor died, at the age of 84, in his house in New York City on March 29, 1848. He was by far the richest man in America. It was estimated that Astor had a fortune of at least $20 million, and he is generally considered the first American multimillionaire. Most of his fortune was left to his son William Backhouse Astor, who continued to administer the family business and philanthropic endeavors. John Jacob Astors will also included a bequest for a public library. The Astor Library was for many years an institution in New York City, and its collection became the foundation for the New York Public Library. A number of American towns were named for John Jacob Astor, including Astoria, Oregon, the site of Fort Astoria. New Yorkers know the Astor Place subway stop in lower Manhattan, and there is a neighborhood in the borough of Queens called Astoria. Perhaps the most famous instance of the Astor name is the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. John Jacob Astors grandsons, who were feuding in the 1890s, opened two lavish hotels in New York City, the Astoria, named for the family, and the Waldorf, named for John Jacob Astors native village in Germany. The hotels, which were located at the present site of the Empire State Building, were later combined into the Waldorf-Astoria. The name lives on with the current Waldorf-Astoria on Park Avenue in New York City. Gratitude is expressed to the New York Public Library Digital Collections for the illustration of John Jacob Astor.

Combating Employee Turnover Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Combating Employee Turnover - Essay Example This has been explained in the form of a model in the diagram below: Figure 1: Employee’s Turnover Model Source: (Allen, Bryant & Vardaman 2011) If an organization sees that employees are unhappy with the work environment and there are some factors that may start the cycle of Employee’s Turnover Model, then the organization should try to remove them from the environment. They may develop strategies that will improve the work environment, improve employee’s relationship with others in the organization and try to focus on individual characteristics of workers to make them happy. These strategies will ensure that the employee does not leave the organization. Another idea suggested by Allen et al. study is that the organization should conduct employee’s surveys at regular intervals and should develop evidence-based strategies based on the problems identified in these surveys to make sure that employee’s turnover is reduced and this can be an effective w ay to combat the problem of high turnover in the large corporations and organizations. (Allen, Bryant & Vardaman 2011) Another study done on 76 organizations concludes that employment benefits and effective retirement policies reduce the problem of employee turnover by almost 34%. The study’s rationale was that employee’s benefits and retirement programs are given to employees after their retirement. Since gratuity fund grows exponentially, so employees think that longer they will stay with the organization, the bigger gratuity or pension they will get. Hence, this motivates them not to quit the job. Therefore, organizations with effective employee’s benefits and retirements plan tend to retain workers for longer periods than organizations that do not focus on these programs. Another important finding of the research was that it takes almost $3000 to replace a work in mid-management position. Hence, if these $3000/worker are used in creating effective retirement and pension plans, then an organization is likely to retain its workers for longer periods (Sutton 2001). In a model developed (Darmna 2000), it was found that replacing the employees that are leaving the organization is quite expensive. Hence, organizations could use half the costs that are spent on recruiting new staff to appease or solving the problems of the leaving staff. They can use the same money to increase their wages or to reduce the de-motivation factors from the organization. This would improve the problem of high employee turnover because factors that were perturbing the employees are being removed from the environment and hygienic factors such as increased pay are being given to them. Hence, there is no reason for them to leave the organization. (Darmna 2000) Participative management is another technique to reduce the problem of high turnover. Participative management believes in the autocratic leadership. It is an approach that calls for management by objective. Her e the responsibility is delegated to workers who are then free to decide how they will go about doing their work. This kind of approach has been highly successful in staff retention and large MNCs are making use of this approach. The illustrious lists of organizations that use this approach are Unilever, Proctor and Gamble, Reckitt-Beckniser and Siemens. It was found that these organizations retain employees twice longer than any other company. One reason for this high retention rate is responsibility management and participative

English Contemporary Historical Fictions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

English Contemporary Historical Fictions - Essay Example terary genre, Romance depicts a style of narrative verse or heroic prose that was very much used in Europe during the Middle Ages right up to the time of Renaissance. This literary genre includes passionate love stories which can be fiction or reality or it could be highly adventurous tales about heroic deeds and secret love by knights and passionate ladies. Good examples of Romances are – Shakespeare’s â€Å"Romeo and Juliet† and â€Å"The Tempest†. There are yet others who are of the opinion that it is a name that is given to the various languages and people associated with the Latin language. It is also described as –â€Å"A type of narrative fiction characterized by the fanciful, often idealistic, treatment of subject matter; love and adventure are often its principal themes. [. . .]à ® (Guerin et al. 326). The romantic period spans over the time during which Wordsworth and Coledridge (1798) lived to create wonderful Lyrical Ballads of love and adventure and goes right up to the time Charles Dickens career to 1832. (Holman 405) According to Guerin, Realism is the opposite of Romance, he says –â€Å"A manner of presentation in literature that stresses an accurate, perhaps even factual, treatment of subject matter. à  The emphasis is on the rational and probable, as opposed, for example, to the romantic† (Guerin et al. 326). Therefore we find that Romance is more fictional than realistic and depends largely on imaginary, fictitious and mysterious characters and settings. Romances as opposed to Realistic stories use passionate love and adventure as a base in writing novels and poetry. Sarah Dunant was born in 1950 and completed her education at Godolphin and Latymer School in Hammersmith, London. Her novel of â€Å"The Birth of Venus† (2003) is an inspiring tale of art, politics, danger and passion. She worked as an actress for some time and then became a novelist, critic and a broadcaster on BBC radio in 1974. She had won many awards for her writing which

Abandoned Oil Wells End of Field Life

Abandoned Oil Wells End of Field Life ABSTRACT As petroleum, production continues to decline in many parts of the globe, more operators are seeing well abandonment as a reality. Drilled wells are plugged and abandoned for different reasons of which the typical and operational reason is that the well has reached its economic limit or when drilled it was found to be a dry hole. (refer). According to Ide, T., et al 2006, well bore is taken to be high fluid transmittal pathway. Even with the current procedure of sealing and abandonment, individual wells have the tendency to loose their integrity due to various factors, which include but not limited to poor cementation, poor or ineffective plugging, and increase in formation pressure after abandonment, corrosion of casing (refer). Safe and economical well abandonment are important to the industry from environmental and financial standpoints. Improper abandonment can require re-abandonment procedures to mitigate environmental contamination or to comply with updated regulations, causing an increased financial burden on the operator. 1. Introduction 1.1 BACKGROUND All wells drilled have a distinct life cycle with respect to its cost, duration, recovery, and value. Although these characteristics and attributes are specific to an individual drilled well, all producing wells pass through the same initial and final state, beginning with completion and ending with abandonment. After the drilling stage of a well and the target depth is reached, a decision to complete the well is made based on the reservoir attributes: is the well dry or is the hydrocarbon in place of economic value. Ultimately, every well becomes dormant because of reduced economic returns or technical problem. When a well stops producing, it either may be shut-in (SI), temporary abandoned (TA) or permanently abandoned (pa). With ageing fields fast approaching their economic limit, abandonment is becoming increasingly frequent and many operators have to modify their abandonment procedure to fit the Wellbore condition and make certain that abandoned wells remain permanently sealed and prevent commingling while balancing the environmental objectives of abandonment and cost of actual abandonment. Wells, which are not abandoned appropriately, can become a major hazard to the underground source of drinking water and possibly the aquatic environment [8] Shut in status (SI) When a well is shut-in it is still flowing but its Christmas tree, SV, wing valves are all closed. Usually a well is shut-in if there is a technical or operational problem, which is believed to be temporary. There is no maximum time for a well to remain in shut-in status as long as it is regularly maintained according to regulatory requirement and procedures. Temporary abandonment status (TA) A well is said to be temporarily abandoned when the wellhead is removed and the producing interval is isolated with a plug and the casing is plugged below the mud line. REASONS FOR ABANDONMENT There are various reasons why a well is abandoned, these are: END OF FIELD LIFE ABANDONMENT Drilled wells must at one point in time be abandoned. Before a well reaches the point at which it has to be abandoned it passes through various stages in its life cycle; it begins with the survey and exploitation of an area for signs on hydrocarbon [1]. This leads to a rewarding and exciting discovery of an accumulation of hydrocarbon deposit. This is followed by the acquired Data Processing stage and finally the drilling process. During drilling, the well is created by the use of drill bit and cased off at specific as drilling progresses. Another fulfilling target is reached when the first hydrocarbon is produced a process which unfortunately eventually proceeds the declining period where the rate of hydrocarbon production decreases. However, successful enhanced oil recovery techniques often than not make this stage rewarding financially as it extends the life of the well [1]. When all enhanced oil recovery technique has been employed, and the cost of producing the well is no longer economically viable, the next process is abandonment; a stage not so welcomed by most operators as it means the cessation of production. Dry hole Abandonment A drilled well is also abandoned when after drilling, the hole was found to be a dry hole. Though abandonment is meant to be a permanent termination, the effect is felt for many years more than that of the short producing life of the well. The main goal of any plugging and abandonment is to provide a permanent and effective isolation of fluids all along the subsurface formation in the different layers where they were enclosed prior to plugging, thereby preventing fluid migration and reduce environmental risks of contamination and prevent costly remedial jobs [1]. To achieve this several significant intervals of the well must be filled and tightly closed with a sealant material from bottom hole to the surface with special attention paid to the production interval [4] and zones of high differential pressure and temperature. The material used for plugging differ depending on what type of well is being abandoned, for oil and gas well the material used is normally cement based materials, for water well, cement based as well as bentonite can be used to isolate the different intervals[4][ PUT UNDER CEMENT PLUG CHARACTERISTICS UNDERE INTEGRITY OF ABANDONED WELLS. The integrity of the abandoned well can fail for very many reaso ns such as plug failure, poor slurry design etc. A cement plug can fail to set at the desired location as cement slurry often has the tendency to fall through the lighter drilling fluid below it [9]. Failure can also be as a result of downhole changes which may occur after the well has been abandoned [8]. Over the years, techniques for drilling and completion of hydrocarbon wells have continued to evolve. This drive for new technology for hydrocarbon recovery is due to the need to maximize hydrocarbon recovery while protecting the environment [4]. The evolution of well abandonment techniques has been much slower than that of drilling and completion. This is because abandonment is considered a sunk cost [4]. Project Objective The objectives of this thesis is to review the factors which contribute to the overall integrity of abandoned wells. These include, well parameters, cement placement techniques, casing integrity. These play an important role in the design, construction and actual execution of the abandonment project. In the abandonment of wells, the factors that contribute to the integrity differ depending on the wells. This is because each well is a unique entity and hence has to have independent well abandonment design. PROJECT METHODOLOGY In this work I intend to talk about For instance, in a well where a fish is lost in hole the abandonment design has to taken into consideration remedial action or ways to set the cement plug as there may be no access to the bottom hole to set a bottom plug in the sump. Abandoned wells can be a cause of concern due to their potential to act as path for flow between formations, which under normal circumstance are isolated including underground sources of drinking water, of great concern are those abandonments with faulty plugs, compromised casing and those having cracks in the cement [7]. This work is aimed at highlighting the different factors which contribute to the integrity of an abandoned well. ( reorder and rewrite) Chapter 2 Literature review Well abandonment has come a long way since the first discovery of oil and gas, with the increasing awareness of the importance of environmental protection, the need to improve the processes of abandonment has now become a major concern for many operators, as abandoned wells are considered a possible conduit for fluid flow between different formations. According to C. H. Kelm et al, the objective of abandonment of a well must taken into consideration the need to do so in a best practices manner by examining the following fundamental aim of any abandonment process; The need to protect any hydrocarbon left in the pay zone of the formation drilled. The need to preserve and prevent contamination of freshwater zones (for onshore rigs) penetrated during the course of drilling the well. Avert of any contamination of the surface environment. For instance, in the case of vegetation, air pollution and marine environment. The need to abide by all regulatory requirements stated in during the abandonment. In the past years many papers has been published on areas ranging from alternative plugging technique, self healing and expandable cement, improved cement slurry design, placement technique with the aim to reduce the cost of abandonment and improve the abandonment. Abandoned well in an oil field are sealed using a plugging material according to regulatory requirements. A perfect example of a plugging material in the ideal sense according to D.G Calvert et al 1994 is one, which can be pumped down the drilled hole, has the ability to harden in a reasonable time, and bond with the walls of the drilled formation and casing in order to prevent fluid flow from one formation to another. While regulations vary from place to place, the general practice involves plugging the Wellbore with a Portland cement material specifically designed for the isolation purpose. In his review of plugging and abandonment techniques, D. G. Calvert et al, stated that the cement mixture used in oil and gas vary d epending on the type of hole is to be isolated. Very few papers has been published that focuses on the integrity of the actual well after abandonment. Liversidge, D. et al. in his work on permanent plug and abandonment solution for the Northsea he presented case histories of the Brent South field abandonment project done using both class G cement with an expandable agent system and flexible cement according to the current stringent regulation. Cement integrity preservation during well completion, production phases as well as during abandonment is of critical importance for long-term protection. In the past years numerous papers and texts in the area of cement sheath failure, improved flexible and expanding cement and related topics have been published, indicating the increasing need to improve well abandonment and reduce cost. Examples of works published include but not limited to (Bosma et al 2000), (Ravi et al. 2002), (Glessner et al., 2005), (Mainguy et al., 2007), (D. G calvert et al., 1994), (Locolier et al., 2006),( Liversidge et al., 2006). Although many papers have been written, very little work has been done to investigate the cement plug integrity after abandonment. The ascribed cause to this may be that permanent abandonment is considered a non-profit venture. Mainguy M. et al., 2007 carried out an analysis of the probability of failure of cement plugs when subjected to varying compressive and tensile load using an ideal reservoir model designed to suit changes in the downhole condition. In his study he identified that there is a greater tendency for the material used to seal zones for abandonment to fail in wells situated where there is instability in the pressure, temperature and stress state due to changes that occur downhole. He concluded that when the plug is subjected to maximum tensile stress it failed due to the low tensile strength of the conventional class G cement. Though he suggested the use of pre-stressed cement as they adapt more to changes downhole, his work did not cover the problem of rock-cement de-bonding which is a problem that greatly reduces the sealing capacity of cement. In the study done by R.C. Smith et al., 1984, on the successful method of setting cement plug, he investigated the ongoing failures of cement plug s due to the instability caused by the difference between the density of the cement and the drilling mud. In his work, he suggested the use of mud thickened with bentonite before spotting the cement so as to allow a greater density difference. With respect to the problem of controlling the direction of flow of the cement slurry a diverter placed at the end of the tubing to help divert the direction of flow and improve stability. Drilling fluid can also be used as a plugging material by adding a cementitous additive. The additive can either be fly ash of blast furnace slag which have the characteristics of a cement as they harden when the mixed with water. Cement is not naturally occurring but manmade and like any other manmade material, it is expected to age, wear-off, and, degrade overtime under different subsurface condition, which may differ from the time it was initially set [W. Zhou et. al 2005]. Plugging oil well is a common operation, which is increasing as mature field reach the end of their producing life. In general, plugging and abandonment of a well involves filling a certain length of casing or open hole with a volume of cement mixture designed for it in order to provide adequate sealing against upward migration of formation fluid. After the cement plug is place in the desired location it is left to harden over time. The placement of the cement plug is a major part of abandonment, as failure of this will cause commingling of fluids from different formation. The setting and spotting of cement plugs can be done in various ways depending on the wellbore condition and regulatory requirement. A review of the worldwide acceptable plugging procedure shows the a minimum of three cement plugs is required of which two are, the first plug is put in place by squeezing the cement plug through the perforation into the former producing zone in order to seal off any further influx of reservoir fluid into the Wellbore[2]. The second plug is usually set towards the middle of the Wellbore or near a protective casing shoe. Finally the third plug is set about200- 300ft below the mud line. In general, the length of a plug ranges from 100to 200ft depending on the regulatory requirements. Any additional plug set is dependent on the well bore condition. Although observations and studies show that cement plugs have the ability to perform as expected for up to several decades, uncertainty exists that the material can maintain its isolation integrity for several thousands of years. Recent study shows that abandoned wells in which CO2 was used in the enhanced oil recovery technique prior to abandonment have the potential to leak and allow CO2 migration notwithstanding the fact that the well has been properly abandoned [Scherer, G.W et al, 2005]. This is mainly due to corrosion and degradation of the casing and cement. This degradation and corrosion occurs when carbonic acid formed from the dissolution of CO2 in brine attacks the cement and casing [Scherer, G.W et al, 2005] a process, which is dependent on the temperature of the formation, cement composition, brine and the rock mechanics and composition. Potential leakage of reservoir fluids through degraded cement plugs is hence of primary concern. Various work on inter-formational flow shows that there is still the possibility of flow between formations even with a successful plugging of different interval. This case can arise when the abandoned well is near an active well. Javandel et al developed the first analytical model; their model showed the possible of flow to an upper formation in response to a lower injection pressure build up in a lower formation. Striz and wiggings carried out further work by developing a coupled model to predict flow using a steady state approach to create a transient flow. This model can be used to developed abandoned fluid flow using available field data. In recent studies, statistics show that in the US one in every three well drilled for hydrocarbon is dry and have to be plugged and abandoned[D.G Calvert, et al 1994]. Wells are drilled for various reasons ranging from industrial, oil and gas, to municipal uses, but in the end these well have to be abandoned [D.G Calvert, et al 1994]. Some wells were abandoned before any regulation and guidelines were defined, these wells may have either been plugged improperly or not plugged at all and these now poses a threat to the quality of the groundwater. For the aim of regulating bodies to be achieved i.e. achieving underground water protect and hence environmental protect, the operating companies must understand that following the different regulatory requirement alone is not sufficient to guarantee a lasting protection of the environment [4]. It is sometimes difficult for operators to abide by the regulatory requirements as well as developing a plan which would both serve to seal off the reservoir and provide long-term protection of the environment while justifying the overall cost in general [4]. Currently there is a high rise in abandonment of ageing and mature field which either have reached their economic limit or are no longer producing (refer). Methods of ABANDONMENT The initial stage of a decommissioning process is the plugging and abandonment of the wells, during this stage, the tubing, casing strings, and, conductors are cut below the mud line and removed, zones are sealed with cement plug to isolate the flow path between the reservoir fluids and other zones as well as the surface. Zones not sealed with cement plug are filled with mud with fluid having the proper weight and consistency to prevent movement of other fluids into the wellbore. Most abandonments follow a general methodology that is adjusted to meet individual well requirements. As procedures can and do change significantly for each well, cement plug design should frequently be attuned to reach minimum wait-on-cement (WOC) times with varying downhole conditions. Near-wellbore geology should be assessed, and the wellbore and annuli properly cleaned to avoid microannuli and poor cement bonding. Traditional techniques include cement squeezes, gel squeezes, and mechanical plugs such as bridge plugs and packers. Cement and gel technologies are mainly used for behind casing repair, and mechanical options are usually confined to plugging the casing. In the general process of abandonment there as basic steps which are followed to ensure successful plug and abandonment program. This includes the planning process, wellbore equipment testing, designing, well geometry assessment. PA PLANNING The most essential decision after when to abandon a well [11] is how. Preparation is a key ingredient in plug and abandonment of a well. In order to abandon a well successfully careful planning and effective plugging and abandonment procedure is crucial to prevent gas or fluids from moving to the surface or to other subsurface formations. In addition to the environmental risks that come with poor seals, corrective plugging may be necessary, increasing the cost and difficulty of abandoning a well. However, operators and service companies have several options for obtaining complete, permanent abandonment. For every well, there is a variation as each well PA is unique and different. The techniques used to achieve this process are generally based on industry practice, research, and conformance with the relevant regulatory compliance requirement. The synthesis of practical knowledge, current technology and regulatory requirements results in the most effective wellbore plugging and abandonment possible. Wellbore equipment testing. A preliminary inspection and survey of the wellhead and wellbore condition is carried out to determine if the valves on the wellhead are in operable condition, if it is found not to be in operable condition they are hot-tapped. The wellbore is surveyed using a slickline unit to check for any obstructions in the well, to confirm measured depth and also to gauge the internal diameter of the tubing. After the survey and removal of the slickline, the annuli and tubing is filled with fluid using a well pump is installed at the wellhead to ascertain an injection rate into the perforations. The tubing and casing are also pressured up to check for integrity. Casing annuli are also pressure tested to check for communication problems between casing strings and to record the test pressure over a period of time. The integrity and reliability of the primary cement is assessed in order to ensure that the cement sheath is still providing isolation across the reservoir and the cap rock. A well control plan is designed to establish reservoir condition and subsequently the contingency responses to any event which may occur during the abandonment process. DESIGN OF A WELL ABANDONMENT PROGRAM Prior to plugging and abandoning a well, a review of the existing well design, record of past work, previous well performance and geologic and reservoir condition is carried out by the operator. The investigation of everything that may relate to the health and safety issues as well as regulatory requirements is also performed, after which the design of the abandonment program begins. The design is done based the existing wellbore and reservoir conditions depending on the findings from the review and investigation. This allows the operator to plan an abandonment program that will satisfy the goal of making the well safe from future resources. PA design needs to be integrated in the planning of the well, and should be considered in a single budget. There are many factors which must be put into consideration in order to design an effective abandonment program , such as, the reservoir status, the integrity of the primary cement, hole cleaning and cement placement technique, the temperatu re and pressure of the well, the type of fluid in the well, the age of the well, the status of the cap rock. Fluid Type Drilled wells produce fluids in liquid and gaseous form, wells which contain sour fluids i.e. sulphur rich would be expected to have accelerated corrosion rates and stress cracking depending on the age and wellbore construction, may impair the capacity to perform plug and abandonment, to mitigate this components which are corrosion resistant can be used. Reservoir status In the design of PA, it is necessary to consider the reservoir status concerning its stability, the current pressure and temperature, the pressure at the initial stages of well development and the permeability of the reservoir both horizontal and vertical. With the information, plug and abandonment is then designed to withstand the pressure of the well after finally reach equilibrium. Cap rock Status It is also necessary to take into consideration the cap rock status i.e. is it still impermeable, has production activities induced fracture or has weathering taken effect. Placing the Plugs After the design and planning of the abandonment program, calculations must be made to determine the amount of cement required and the number of wiper plugs needed to separate the cement plugs from the rest of the fluids. The use of wiper plugs enables the formation of a stable platform on which the cement can be set. A wiper plug is placed in the wellbore, and then a predetermined quantity of cement slurry is pumped on top of it. Because of its weight, the slurry becomes a driving force. The slurry falls to the bottom of the hole, pushing the wiper plug ahead of it and forcing existing air and produced fluids back into the formation. Another plug and perhaps a bit more cement finish the job. In most wells, where there is one permaeble zone, one plug and one volume of cement and the surface plug are all that is needed. In other wells, additional wiper plugs, additional cement slurry, and probably spacers of water or drilling fluid are used consecutively until all of the air and fluid is forced out into the formation, there is zilch pressure on the pipe, and it is apparent from the returns that the whole wellbore is appropriately sealed. The quantity and kind of spacer fluid that can be used is dependent on individual state regulations. The remaining casing at the top of the well is cut off 3 ft below ground level. Along with this general methodology, each region stipulates its own abandonment methods based on field conditions and local regulations as can be seen in the following examples. PA steps in Los Angeles Basin in as follows [12]: The abandonment program is prepared with the support of a qualified engineer. A schematic showing the current mechanical condition of the well is prepared. The geologic condition of the well, including the structure, faulting, and producing zones is assessed. The depth and position of cement plug that will cover the producing zones and any potable water zones if applicable is measured and verified. Choice of whether to use perforating or cavity shots is made. The casing is pressure tested after setting cement retainers. The different equipment required for the job is determined and assembled. Estimate of abandonment/re-abandonment costs is made. In contrast, the steps followed for the Hutton tension-leg platform (TLP) in the East Shetland Basin of the North Sea involved three phases [13]: Perform standalone wireline intervention. Perform drilling unit intervention to set the cement plugs after the first wireline plug has been set. Cut casing 10 ft below the seabed and recover casing stumps. Another abandonment performed in the North Sea followed a different procedure [14]: A permanent cement primary barrier placed immediately above the reservoir. A secondary barrier placed as a back-up to the first barrier. A third barrier then placed near the surface to isolate shallow water-bearing sands. Severed completion tubing and recover wellhead. In Western Canada, the traditional abandonment procedure of wells with casing vent flows included the following: The source of the casing vent flow is estimated or determined. If the source zone is shallower than the producing zone, the producing zone is abandoned. The source zone is perforated. Depending on the feed rate obtained at the estimated source depth, either a bradenhead or a retainer squeeze is performed. Retrievable tools are used as required. Typically, Class G cement with Calcium Chloride and some fluid-loss control is utilized. The slurry is placed and a static squeeze pressure of 7 MPa is attempted. As needed, cement is drilled out and perforations are tested for seal. Often, several attempts are made in order to obtain a static squeeze pressure of 7 Mpa on surface or mitigate the casing vent flow. Techniques for Abandonment The techniques used for plugging and abandonment of drilled well worldwide are generally based on industry practise. These techniques include; Rig Coil tubing unit Rigless abandonment COIL TUBING UNIT The flexibility of coiled tubing has recently been tailored to develop rigless abandonment [15,16]. This method, focuses on harmonizing all well services to accomplish utmost efficiency. Coiled-tubing unit [fig.] abandonment, like any other method, is more effective when appropriate cementing procedure is used from the kick-off of the well, from original zonal isolation with the primary cement sheath to plugging and abandonment. Early prevention of microannulus can help operators obtain a complete final seal. Five main criteria are recommended for optimal abandonment performance with coiled tubing: Mobility; All equipment should be mounted on wheels for increased mobility. Self-sufficiency; the service company provides nearly all activities. Dry location; Fluids are not drained on or near the wellsite. Single operation; the job is completed in one visit to the wellsite. Low mileage; Move time is reduced and transport optimized for maximum efficiency in unit and camp moves. In this abandonment technique geological consideration like the type and condition of the reservoir and caprock formations are take into account. Permanent seals typically must be made between producing zones and at impermeable caprock formations. The condition and configuration of cement, perforations, tubulars, and downhole equipment are also considered. In addition to providing complete, permanent seals, the use of coiled-tubing can help increase abandonment efficiency. This method can provide the following advantages: Increased tripping speeds Increased rig-move efficiency Precise placement of cement plugs; exact spotting of plugs at the interval of interest even in deep well as coil tubing can be reciprocated while pumping. Suitable for use on live wells; it is possible to run CTU for remedial cement squeeze in live well as the wellbore can be controlled using the BOP and stripper assembly. No need to pull production tubing; existing tubing and wellheads do not have to be removed to access the producing interval. Success using the coil tubing method has been recorded in Oman. REGULATORY REQUIREMENT FOR ABANDONMENT IN THE NORTHSEA AND USA In the early years on the oil and gas industry, many wells were drilled and some were found to be dry and subsequently were abandoned without much consideration given to the manner in which the wells were abandoned. Sometimes tree stumps were thrown in the well as a means to plug it [3], during this era the preservation of the groundwater, in general, the environment was not a major issue, and there was no defined regulation by the oil states or agencies. During the tail end of the 1930s different states and agencies in the US started establishing regulations, this defined requirement to ensure better well abandonment [D.G Calvert, et al 1994]. The number of regulation guiding well abandonment has risen along with the rising need to protect the environment in countries around the world. Today most countries have some form of regulation that addresses well abandonment requirement; though these regulations are not uniform and differ from country to country and body to body, they provide a minimum standard for operating companies. For instance for the state of California in the United States of America, the different governing bodies have their own regulations which are as follows; Minerals Management Services (MMS): The basic plugging requirements are found in 30 CFR 250.110 Subpart G. Department of Conservation, Division of Oil: Gas, and Geothermal Resources (DOC) The California Code of Regulations Title 14 Division 2, Chapter 4 beginning with Section 1745 focuses on the fundamental plugging requirements. California State Lands Commission (CSLC): The fundamental plugging requirements in the California Code of Regulations Title 2 Section 2128(q). Abandonment in the North Sea In the North Sea as in US, the regulations differ. The different countries that make up the North Sea have their different governing bodies and subsequently different regulation. The law in the UK, Norway, Denmark and Holland holds the last operator of a well accountable and responsible to pay for all the cost incurred in permanently abandoning the well. It also holds them accountable for any leakage and any clean up that may be required in the event of a leak. Abandonment programs in the Northsea are designed to meet the guidelines for abandonment issued by the operation association or government. For the UK sector of the north sea, abandonment guidelines is issued by the UKOOA, similarly for the Norwegian sector the guidelines are contained in the NORSOK/PTIL D-010 standard and for the Netherlands it is contained in the Dutch Mining Abandoned Oil Wells End of Field Life Abandoned Oil Wells End of Field Life ABSTRACT As petroleum, production continues to decline in many parts of the globe, more operators are seeing well abandonment as a reality. Drilled wells are plugged and abandoned for different reasons of which the typical and operational reason is that the well has reached its economic limit or when drilled it was found to be a dry hole. (refer). According to Ide, T., et al 2006, well bore is taken to be high fluid transmittal pathway. Even with the current procedure of sealing and abandonment, individual wells have the tendency to loose their integrity due to various factors, which include but not limited to poor cementation, poor or ineffective plugging, and increase in formation pressure after abandonment, corrosion of casing (refer). Safe and economical well abandonment are important to the industry from environmental and financial standpoints. Improper abandonment can require re-abandonment procedures to mitigate environmental contamination or to comply with updated regulations, causing an increased financial burden on the operator. 1. Introduction 1.1 BACKGROUND All wells drilled have a distinct life cycle with respect to its cost, duration, recovery, and value. Although these characteristics and attributes are specific to an individual drilled well, all producing wells pass through the same initial and final state, beginning with completion and ending with abandonment. After the drilling stage of a well and the target depth is reached, a decision to complete the well is made based on the reservoir attributes: is the well dry or is the hydrocarbon in place of economic value. Ultimately, every well becomes dormant because of reduced economic returns or technical problem. When a well stops producing, it either may be shut-in (SI), temporary abandoned (TA) or permanently abandoned (pa). With ageing fields fast approaching their economic limit, abandonment is becoming increasingly frequent and many operators have to modify their abandonment procedure to fit the Wellbore condition and make certain that abandoned wells remain permanently sealed and prevent commingling while balancing the environmental objectives of abandonment and cost of actual abandonment. Wells, which are not abandoned appropriately, can become a major hazard to the underground source of drinking water and possibly the aquatic environment [8] Shut in status (SI) When a well is shut-in it is still flowing but its Christmas tree, SV, wing valves are all closed. Usually a well is shut-in if there is a technical or operational problem, which is believed to be temporary. There is no maximum time for a well to remain in shut-in status as long as it is regularly maintained according to regulatory requirement and procedures. Temporary abandonment status (TA) A well is said to be temporarily abandoned when the wellhead is removed and the producing interval is isolated with a plug and the casing is plugged below the mud line. REASONS FOR ABANDONMENT There are various reasons why a well is abandoned, these are: END OF FIELD LIFE ABANDONMENT Drilled wells must at one point in time be abandoned. Before a well reaches the point at which it has to be abandoned it passes through various stages in its life cycle; it begins with the survey and exploitation of an area for signs on hydrocarbon [1]. This leads to a rewarding and exciting discovery of an accumulation of hydrocarbon deposit. This is followed by the acquired Data Processing stage and finally the drilling process. During drilling, the well is created by the use of drill bit and cased off at specific as drilling progresses. Another fulfilling target is reached when the first hydrocarbon is produced a process which unfortunately eventually proceeds the declining period where the rate of hydrocarbon production decreases. However, successful enhanced oil recovery techniques often than not make this stage rewarding financially as it extends the life of the well [1]. When all enhanced oil recovery technique has been employed, and the cost of producing the well is no longer economically viable, the next process is abandonment; a stage not so welcomed by most operators as it means the cessation of production. Dry hole Abandonment A drilled well is also abandoned when after drilling, the hole was found to be a dry hole. Though abandonment is meant to be a permanent termination, the effect is felt for many years more than that of the short producing life of the well. The main goal of any plugging and abandonment is to provide a permanent and effective isolation of fluids all along the subsurface formation in the different layers where they were enclosed prior to plugging, thereby preventing fluid migration and reduce environmental risks of contamination and prevent costly remedial jobs [1]. To achieve this several significant intervals of the well must be filled and tightly closed with a sealant material from bottom hole to the surface with special attention paid to the production interval [4] and zones of high differential pressure and temperature. The material used for plugging differ depending on what type of well is being abandoned, for oil and gas well the material used is normally cement based materials, for water well, cement based as well as bentonite can be used to isolate the different intervals[4][ PUT UNDER CEMENT PLUG CHARACTERISTICS UNDERE INTEGRITY OF ABANDONED WELLS. The integrity of the abandoned well can fail for very many reaso ns such as plug failure, poor slurry design etc. A cement plug can fail to set at the desired location as cement slurry often has the tendency to fall through the lighter drilling fluid below it [9]. Failure can also be as a result of downhole changes which may occur after the well has been abandoned [8]. Over the years, techniques for drilling and completion of hydrocarbon wells have continued to evolve. This drive for new technology for hydrocarbon recovery is due to the need to maximize hydrocarbon recovery while protecting the environment [4]. The evolution of well abandonment techniques has been much slower than that of drilling and completion. This is because abandonment is considered a sunk cost [4]. Project Objective The objectives of this thesis is to review the factors which contribute to the overall integrity of abandoned wells. These include, well parameters, cement placement techniques, casing integrity. These play an important role in the design, construction and actual execution of the abandonment project. In the abandonment of wells, the factors that contribute to the integrity differ depending on the wells. This is because each well is a unique entity and hence has to have independent well abandonment design. PROJECT METHODOLOGY In this work I intend to talk about For instance, in a well where a fish is lost in hole the abandonment design has to taken into consideration remedial action or ways to set the cement plug as there may be no access to the bottom hole to set a bottom plug in the sump. Abandoned wells can be a cause of concern due to their potential to act as path for flow between formations, which under normal circumstance are isolated including underground sources of drinking water, of great concern are those abandonments with faulty plugs, compromised casing and those having cracks in the cement [7]. This work is aimed at highlighting the different factors which contribute to the integrity of an abandoned well. ( reorder and rewrite) Chapter 2 Literature review Well abandonment has come a long way since the first discovery of oil and gas, with the increasing awareness of the importance of environmental protection, the need to improve the processes of abandonment has now become a major concern for many operators, as abandoned wells are considered a possible conduit for fluid flow between different formations. According to C. H. Kelm et al, the objective of abandonment of a well must taken into consideration the need to do so in a best practices manner by examining the following fundamental aim of any abandonment process; The need to protect any hydrocarbon left in the pay zone of the formation drilled. The need to preserve and prevent contamination of freshwater zones (for onshore rigs) penetrated during the course of drilling the well. Avert of any contamination of the surface environment. For instance, in the case of vegetation, air pollution and marine environment. The need to abide by all regulatory requirements stated in during the abandonment. In the past years many papers has been published on areas ranging from alternative plugging technique, self healing and expandable cement, improved cement slurry design, placement technique with the aim to reduce the cost of abandonment and improve the abandonment. Abandoned well in an oil field are sealed using a plugging material according to regulatory requirements. A perfect example of a plugging material in the ideal sense according to D.G Calvert et al 1994 is one, which can be pumped down the drilled hole, has the ability to harden in a reasonable time, and bond with the walls of the drilled formation and casing in order to prevent fluid flow from one formation to another. While regulations vary from place to place, the general practice involves plugging the Wellbore with a Portland cement material specifically designed for the isolation purpose. In his review of plugging and abandonment techniques, D. G. Calvert et al, stated that the cement mixture used in oil and gas vary d epending on the type of hole is to be isolated. Very few papers has been published that focuses on the integrity of the actual well after abandonment. Liversidge, D. et al. in his work on permanent plug and abandonment solution for the Northsea he presented case histories of the Brent South field abandonment project done using both class G cement with an expandable agent system and flexible cement according to the current stringent regulation. Cement integrity preservation during well completion, production phases as well as during abandonment is of critical importance for long-term protection. In the past years numerous papers and texts in the area of cement sheath failure, improved flexible and expanding cement and related topics have been published, indicating the increasing need to improve well abandonment and reduce cost. Examples of works published include but not limited to (Bosma et al 2000), (Ravi et al. 2002), (Glessner et al., 2005), (Mainguy et al., 2007), (D. G calvert et al., 1994), (Locolier et al., 2006),( Liversidge et al., 2006). Although many papers have been written, very little work has been done to investigate the cement plug integrity after abandonment. The ascribed cause to this may be that permanent abandonment is considered a non-profit venture. Mainguy M. et al., 2007 carried out an analysis of the probability of failure of cement plugs when subjected to varying compressive and tensile load using an ideal reservoir model designed to suit changes in the downhole condition. In his study he identified that there is a greater tendency for the material used to seal zones for abandonment to fail in wells situated where there is instability in the pressure, temperature and stress state due to changes that occur downhole. He concluded that when the plug is subjected to maximum tensile stress it failed due to the low tensile strength of the conventional class G cement. Though he suggested the use of pre-stressed cement as they adapt more to changes downhole, his work did not cover the problem of rock-cement de-bonding which is a problem that greatly reduces the sealing capacity of cement. In the study done by R.C. Smith et al., 1984, on the successful method of setting cement plug, he investigated the ongoing failures of cement plug s due to the instability caused by the difference between the density of the cement and the drilling mud. In his work, he suggested the use of mud thickened with bentonite before spotting the cement so as to allow a greater density difference. With respect to the problem of controlling the direction of flow of the cement slurry a diverter placed at the end of the tubing to help divert the direction of flow and improve stability. Drilling fluid can also be used as a plugging material by adding a cementitous additive. The additive can either be fly ash of blast furnace slag which have the characteristics of a cement as they harden when the mixed with water. Cement is not naturally occurring but manmade and like any other manmade material, it is expected to age, wear-off, and, degrade overtime under different subsurface condition, which may differ from the time it was initially set [W. Zhou et. al 2005]. Plugging oil well is a common operation, which is increasing as mature field reach the end of their producing life. In general, plugging and abandonment of a well involves filling a certain length of casing or open hole with a volume of cement mixture designed for it in order to provide adequate sealing against upward migration of formation fluid. After the cement plug is place in the desired location it is left to harden over time. The placement of the cement plug is a major part of abandonment, as failure of this will cause commingling of fluids from different formation. The setting and spotting of cement plugs can be done in various ways depending on the wellbore condition and regulatory requirement. A review of the worldwide acceptable plugging procedure shows the a minimum of three cement plugs is required of which two are, the first plug is put in place by squeezing the cement plug through the perforation into the former producing zone in order to seal off any further influx of reservoir fluid into the Wellbore[2]. The second plug is usually set towards the middle of the Wellbore or near a protective casing shoe. Finally the third plug is set about200- 300ft below the mud line. In general, the length of a plug ranges from 100to 200ft depending on the regulatory requirements. Any additional plug set is dependent on the well bore condition. Although observations and studies show that cement plugs have the ability to perform as expected for up to several decades, uncertainty exists that the material can maintain its isolation integrity for several thousands of years. Recent study shows that abandoned wells in which CO2 was used in the enhanced oil recovery technique prior to abandonment have the potential to leak and allow CO2 migration notwithstanding the fact that the well has been properly abandoned [Scherer, G.W et al, 2005]. This is mainly due to corrosion and degradation of the casing and cement. This degradation and corrosion occurs when carbonic acid formed from the dissolution of CO2 in brine attacks the cement and casing [Scherer, G.W et al, 2005] a process, which is dependent on the temperature of the formation, cement composition, brine and the rock mechanics and composition. Potential leakage of reservoir fluids through degraded cement plugs is hence of primary concern. Various work on inter-formational flow shows that there is still the possibility of flow between formations even with a successful plugging of different interval. This case can arise when the abandoned well is near an active well. Javandel et al developed the first analytical model; their model showed the possible of flow to an upper formation in response to a lower injection pressure build up in a lower formation. Striz and wiggings carried out further work by developing a coupled model to predict flow using a steady state approach to create a transient flow. This model can be used to developed abandoned fluid flow using available field data. In recent studies, statistics show that in the US one in every three well drilled for hydrocarbon is dry and have to be plugged and abandoned[D.G Calvert, et al 1994]. Wells are drilled for various reasons ranging from industrial, oil and gas, to municipal uses, but in the end these well have to be abandoned [D.G Calvert, et al 1994]. Some wells were abandoned before any regulation and guidelines were defined, these wells may have either been plugged improperly or not plugged at all and these now poses a threat to the quality of the groundwater. For the aim of regulating bodies to be achieved i.e. achieving underground water protect and hence environmental protect, the operating companies must understand that following the different regulatory requirement alone is not sufficient to guarantee a lasting protection of the environment [4]. It is sometimes difficult for operators to abide by the regulatory requirements as well as developing a plan which would both serve to seal off the reservoir and provide long-term protection of the environment while justifying the overall cost in general [4]. Currently there is a high rise in abandonment of ageing and mature field which either have reached their economic limit or are no longer producing (refer). Methods of ABANDONMENT The initial stage of a decommissioning process is the plugging and abandonment of the wells, during this stage, the tubing, casing strings, and, conductors are cut below the mud line and removed, zones are sealed with cement plug to isolate the flow path between the reservoir fluids and other zones as well as the surface. Zones not sealed with cement plug are filled with mud with fluid having the proper weight and consistency to prevent movement of other fluids into the wellbore. Most abandonments follow a general methodology that is adjusted to meet individual well requirements. As procedures can and do change significantly for each well, cement plug design should frequently be attuned to reach minimum wait-on-cement (WOC) times with varying downhole conditions. Near-wellbore geology should be assessed, and the wellbore and annuli properly cleaned to avoid microannuli and poor cement bonding. Traditional techniques include cement squeezes, gel squeezes, and mechanical plugs such as bridge plugs and packers. Cement and gel technologies are mainly used for behind casing repair, and mechanical options are usually confined to plugging the casing. In the general process of abandonment there as basic steps which are followed to ensure successful plug and abandonment program. This includes the planning process, wellbore equipment testing, designing, well geometry assessment. PA PLANNING The most essential decision after when to abandon a well [11] is how. Preparation is a key ingredient in plug and abandonment of a well. In order to abandon a well successfully careful planning and effective plugging and abandonment procedure is crucial to prevent gas or fluids from moving to the surface or to other subsurface formations. In addition to the environmental risks that come with poor seals, corrective plugging may be necessary, increasing the cost and difficulty of abandoning a well. However, operators and service companies have several options for obtaining complete, permanent abandonment. For every well, there is a variation as each well PA is unique and different. The techniques used to achieve this process are generally based on industry practice, research, and conformance with the relevant regulatory compliance requirement. The synthesis of practical knowledge, current technology and regulatory requirements results in the most effective wellbore plugging and abandonment possible. Wellbore equipment testing. A preliminary inspection and survey of the wellhead and wellbore condition is carried out to determine if the valves on the wellhead are in operable condition, if it is found not to be in operable condition they are hot-tapped. The wellbore is surveyed using a slickline unit to check for any obstructions in the well, to confirm measured depth and also to gauge the internal diameter of the tubing. After the survey and removal of the slickline, the annuli and tubing is filled with fluid using a well pump is installed at the wellhead to ascertain an injection rate into the perforations. The tubing and casing are also pressured up to check for integrity. Casing annuli are also pressure tested to check for communication problems between casing strings and to record the test pressure over a period of time. The integrity and reliability of the primary cement is assessed in order to ensure that the cement sheath is still providing isolation across the reservoir and the cap rock. A well control plan is designed to establish reservoir condition and subsequently the contingency responses to any event which may occur during the abandonment process. DESIGN OF A WELL ABANDONMENT PROGRAM Prior to plugging and abandoning a well, a review of the existing well design, record of past work, previous well performance and geologic and reservoir condition is carried out by the operator. The investigation of everything that may relate to the health and safety issues as well as regulatory requirements is also performed, after which the design of the abandonment program begins. The design is done based the existing wellbore and reservoir conditions depending on the findings from the review and investigation. This allows the operator to plan an abandonment program that will satisfy the goal of making the well safe from future resources. PA design needs to be integrated in the planning of the well, and should be considered in a single budget. There are many factors which must be put into consideration in order to design an effective abandonment program , such as, the reservoir status, the integrity of the primary cement, hole cleaning and cement placement technique, the temperatu re and pressure of the well, the type of fluid in the well, the age of the well, the status of the cap rock. Fluid Type Drilled wells produce fluids in liquid and gaseous form, wells which contain sour fluids i.e. sulphur rich would be expected to have accelerated corrosion rates and stress cracking depending on the age and wellbore construction, may impair the capacity to perform plug and abandonment, to mitigate this components which are corrosion resistant can be used. Reservoir status In the design of PA, it is necessary to consider the reservoir status concerning its stability, the current pressure and temperature, the pressure at the initial stages of well development and the permeability of the reservoir both horizontal and vertical. With the information, plug and abandonment is then designed to withstand the pressure of the well after finally reach equilibrium. Cap rock Status It is also necessary to take into consideration the cap rock status i.e. is it still impermeable, has production activities induced fracture or has weathering taken effect. Placing the Plugs After the design and planning of the abandonment program, calculations must be made to determine the amount of cement required and the number of wiper plugs needed to separate the cement plugs from the rest of the fluids. The use of wiper plugs enables the formation of a stable platform on which the cement can be set. A wiper plug is placed in the wellbore, and then a predetermined quantity of cement slurry is pumped on top of it. Because of its weight, the slurry becomes a driving force. The slurry falls to the bottom of the hole, pushing the wiper plug ahead of it and forcing existing air and produced fluids back into the formation. Another plug and perhaps a bit more cement finish the job. In most wells, where there is one permaeble zone, one plug and one volume of cement and the surface plug are all that is needed. In other wells, additional wiper plugs, additional cement slurry, and probably spacers of water or drilling fluid are used consecutively until all of the air and fluid is forced out into the formation, there is zilch pressure on the pipe, and it is apparent from the returns that the whole wellbore is appropriately sealed. The quantity and kind of spacer fluid that can be used is dependent on individual state regulations. The remaining casing at the top of the well is cut off 3 ft below ground level. Along with this general methodology, each region stipulates its own abandonment methods based on field conditions and local regulations as can be seen in the following examples. PA steps in Los Angeles Basin in as follows [12]: The abandonment program is prepared with the support of a qualified engineer. A schematic showing the current mechanical condition of the well is prepared. The geologic condition of the well, including the structure, faulting, and producing zones is assessed. The depth and position of cement plug that will cover the producing zones and any potable water zones if applicable is measured and verified. Choice of whether to use perforating or cavity shots is made. The casing is pressure tested after setting cement retainers. The different equipment required for the job is determined and assembled. Estimate of abandonment/re-abandonment costs is made. In contrast, the steps followed for the Hutton tension-leg platform (TLP) in the East Shetland Basin of the North Sea involved three phases [13]: Perform standalone wireline intervention. Perform drilling unit intervention to set the cement plugs after the first wireline plug has been set. Cut casing 10 ft below the seabed and recover casing stumps. Another abandonment performed in the North Sea followed a different procedure [14]: A permanent cement primary barrier placed immediately above the reservoir. A secondary barrier placed as a back-up to the first barrier. A third barrier then placed near the surface to isolate shallow water-bearing sands. Severed completion tubing and recover wellhead. In Western Canada, the traditional abandonment procedure of wells with casing vent flows included the following: The source of the casing vent flow is estimated or determined. If the source zone is shallower than the producing zone, the producing zone is abandoned. The source zone is perforated. Depending on the feed rate obtained at the estimated source depth, either a bradenhead or a retainer squeeze is performed. Retrievable tools are used as required. Typically, Class G cement with Calcium Chloride and some fluid-loss control is utilized. The slurry is placed and a static squeeze pressure of 7 MPa is attempted. As needed, cement is drilled out and perforations are tested for seal. Often, several attempts are made in order to obtain a static squeeze pressure of 7 Mpa on surface or mitigate the casing vent flow. Techniques for Abandonment The techniques used for plugging and abandonment of drilled well worldwide are generally based on industry practise. These techniques include; Rig Coil tubing unit Rigless abandonment COIL TUBING UNIT The flexibility of coiled tubing has recently been tailored to develop rigless abandonment [15,16]. This method, focuses on harmonizing all well services to accomplish utmost efficiency. Coiled-tubing unit [fig.] abandonment, like any other method, is more effective when appropriate cementing procedure is used from the kick-off of the well, from original zonal isolation with the primary cement sheath to plugging and abandonment. Early prevention of microannulus can help operators obtain a complete final seal. Five main criteria are recommended for optimal abandonment performance with coiled tubing: Mobility; All equipment should be mounted on wheels for increased mobility. Self-sufficiency; the service company provides nearly all activities. Dry location; Fluids are not drained on or near the wellsite. Single operation; the job is completed in one visit to the wellsite. Low mileage; Move time is reduced and transport optimized for maximum efficiency in unit and camp moves. In this abandonment technique geological consideration like the type and condition of the reservoir and caprock formations are take into account. Permanent seals typically must be made between producing zones and at impermeable caprock formations. The condition and configuration of cement, perforations, tubulars, and downhole equipment are also considered. In addition to providing complete, permanent seals, the use of coiled-tubing can help increase abandonment efficiency. This method can provide the following advantages: Increased tripping speeds Increased rig-move efficiency Precise placement of cement plugs; exact spotting of plugs at the interval of interest even in deep well as coil tubing can be reciprocated while pumping. Suitable for use on live wells; it is possible to run CTU for remedial cement squeeze in live well as the wellbore can be controlled using the BOP and stripper assembly. No need to pull production tubing; existing tubing and wellheads do not have to be removed to access the producing interval. Success using the coil tubing method has been recorded in Oman. REGULATORY REQUIREMENT FOR ABANDONMENT IN THE NORTHSEA AND USA In the early years on the oil and gas industry, many wells were drilled and some were found to be dry and subsequently were abandoned without much consideration given to the manner in which the wells were abandoned. Sometimes tree stumps were thrown in the well as a means to plug it [3], during this era the preservation of the groundwater, in general, the environment was not a major issue, and there was no defined regulation by the oil states or agencies. During the tail end of the 1930s different states and agencies in the US started establishing regulations, this defined requirement to ensure better well abandonment [D.G Calvert, et al 1994]. The number of regulation guiding well abandonment has risen along with the rising need to protect the environment in countries around the world. Today most countries have some form of regulation that addresses well abandonment requirement; though these regulations are not uniform and differ from country to country and body to body, they provide a minimum standard for operating companies. For instance for the state of California in the United States of America, the different governing bodies have their own regulations which are as follows; Minerals Management Services (MMS): The basic plugging requirements are found in 30 CFR 250.110 Subpart G. Department of Conservation, Division of Oil: Gas, and Geothermal Resources (DOC) The California Code of Regulations Title 14 Division 2, Chapter 4 beginning with Section 1745 focuses on the fundamental plugging requirements. California State Lands Commission (CSLC): The fundamental plugging requirements in the California Code of Regulations Title 2 Section 2128(q). Abandonment in the North Sea In the North Sea as in US, the regulations differ. The different countries that make up the North Sea have their different governing bodies and subsequently different regulation. The law in the UK, Norway, Denmark and Holland holds the last operator of a well accountable and responsible to pay for all the cost incurred in permanently abandoning the well. It also holds them accountable for any leakage and any clean up that may be required in the event of a leak. Abandonment programs in the Northsea are designed to meet the guidelines for abandonment issued by the operation association or government. For the UK sector of the north sea, abandonment guidelines is issued by the UKOOA, similarly for the Norwegian sector the guidelines are contained in the NORSOK/PTIL D-010 standard and for the Netherlands it is contained in the Dutch Mining