A Review of Ice Protection Techniques for Structures in the Arctic and Offshore Harsh Environments

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-27
Author(s):  
Kewei Shi ◽  
Xili Duan
Keyword(s):  
Hybrid Approach ◽  
Offshore Structures ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Marine Environments ◽  
External Energy ◽  
Additional Energy ◽  
Technical Limitation ◽  
Ice Accumulation ◽  
Wide Range

Abstract Icing can jeopardize local infrastructure, hinder field operation, destroy vessel superstructures, and threaten the safety of life and property in the Arctic and other cold offshore and marine environments. Research on ice protection (both anti-icing and de-icing) technologies is critical to equipment, structures and personnel in these environments. This review systematically evaluates a wide range of ice protection techniques divided into three main categories, i.e., active, passive, and hybrid ice protection techniques. Active anti/de-icing technologies include mechanical, thermal, or chemical methods, requiring an additional energy source to prevent ice formation or remove accumulated ice from the target surfaces. Passive anti/de-icing techniques can prevent ice accumulation or reduce ice adhesion without external energy sources; they create and maintain the icephobic properties of the target surfaces. Excessive energy consumption is a major technical limitation of the active ice protection technologies. On the other hand, it is challenging for any passive technology to meet the long-term ice protection requirements in the Arctic or different cold offshore/marine environments. A combination of two or more active and passive ice protection methods, i.e., a hybrid approach, seems promising and can be applied in various situations according to the specific requirements of different vessels, offshore structures, and equipment.

scholarly journals Energy Sustainability Analysis (ESA) of Energy-Producing Processes: A Case Study on Distributed H2 Production

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (18) ◽  
pp. 4911 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos E. Gómez-Camacho ◽  
Bernardo Ruggeri
Keyword(s):  
H2 Production ◽  
Energy Sources ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Energy Sustainability ◽  
External Energy ◽  
Additional Energy ◽  
Sustainability Analysis ◽  
Wide Range

In the sustainability context, the performance of energy-producing technologies, using different energy sources, needs to be scored and compared. The selective criterion of a higher level of useful energy to feed an ever-increasing demand of energy to satisfy a wide range of endo- and exosomatic human needs seems adequate. In fact, surplus energy is able to cover energy services only after compensating for the energy expenses incurred to build and to run the technology itself. This paper proposes an energy sustainability analysis (ESA) methodology based on the internal and external energy use of a given technology, considering the entire energy trajectory from energy sources to useful energy. ESA analysis is conducted at two levels: (i) short-term, by the use of the energy sustainability index (ESI), which is the first step to establish whether the energy produced is able to cover the direct energy expenses needed to run the technology and (ii) long-term, by which all the indirect energy-quotas are considered, i.e., all the additional energy requirements of the technology, including the energy amortization quota necessary for the replacement of the technology at the end of its operative life. The long-term level of analysis is conducted by the evaluation of two indicators: the energy return per unit of energy invested (EROI) over the operative life and the energy payback-time (EPT), as the minimum lapse at which all energy expenditures for the production of materials and their construction can be repaid to society. The ESA methodology has been applied to the case study of H2 production at small-scale (10–15 kWH2) comparing three different technologies: (i) steam-methane reforming (SMR), (ii) solar-powered water electrolysis (SPWE), and (iii) two-stage anaerobic digestion (TSAD) in order to score the technologies from an energy sustainability perspective.

scholarly journals Changes to the chemical state of the northern hemisphere atmosphere during the second half of the twentieth century

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mike J. Newland ◽  
Patricia Martinerie ◽  
Emmanuel Witrant ◽  
Detlev Helmig ◽  
David R. Worton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Northern Hemisphere ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Atmospheric Composition ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Major Influence ◽  
Secondary Products ◽  
Alkyl Nitrates ◽  
Mixing Ratios ◽  
Wide Range

Abstract. The NOX (NO and NO2) and HOX (OH and HO2) budgets of the atmosphere exert a major influence on atmospheric composition, controlling removal of primary pollutants and formation of a wide range of secondary products, including ozone, that can influence human health and climate. However, there remain large uncertainties in the changes to these budgets over recent decades. Due to their short atmospheric lifetimes, NOX and HOX are highly variable in space and time, and so the measurements of these species are of very limited value for examining long term, large scale changes to their budgets. Here, we take an alternative approach by examining long-term atmospheric trends of alkyl nitrates, the formation of which is dependent on the atmospheric NO / HO2 ratio. We derive long term trends in the alkyl nitrates from measurements in firn air from the NEEM site, Greenland. Their mixing ratios increased by a factor of 4–5 between the 1970s and 1990s. This was followed by a steep decline to the sampling date of 2008. Moreover, we examine how the trends in the alkyl nitrates compare to similarly derived trends in their parent alkanes (i.e. the alkanes which, when oxidised in the presence of NOX, lead to the formation of the alkyl nitrates). The ratios of the alkyl nitrates to their parent alkanes increase from around 1970 to the late 1990's consistent with large changes to the [NO] / [HO2] ratio in the northern hemisphere atmosphere during this period. These could represent historic changes to NOX sources and sinks. Alternatively, they could represent changes to concentrations of the hydroxyl radical, OH, or to the transport time of the air masses from source regions to the Arctic.

Large Diameter Pipeline PLEM Design for Remote, Arctic Application

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeroen Timmermans ◽  
Ian Luff ◽  
Nicholas Long
Keyword(s):  
North Sea ◽  
Large Diameter ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Cost Driver ◽  
Pile Foundations ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Normal Operation ◽  
Operating Life ◽  
Wide Range

While subsea production template and manifold designs have come to be dominated by standardized solutions tailored for specific hardware, the design of Pipeline End Manifolds (PLEM) remains largely project-specific. Nevertheless, some trends in PLEM design for large-diameter pipelines in moderate water depths have emerged in the past years in the North Sea and elsewhere; namely, large stand-alone structures on suction pile foundations with diverless spoolpiece tie-ins. This arrangement has proven successful on numerous projects; however, the move to remote arctic fields of significant production capacity and long design life introduces new design drivers that warrant a “fresh approach” to PLEM design. The developments currently being considered for the arctic will have to deal with: - Remote location making mobilization of installation assets a significant cost driver such that separate installation of pipeline and PLEM is relatively unattractive - Harsh conditions and short weather windows for installation favoring designs that reduce the number of separate installation steps and vessels - Poorer access for maintenance and repair during the operating life favoring designs that are modular and that allow recovery of critical components using the smallest possible intervention vessels. When combined with envisioned field production lives of 40 to 50 years, this means a very different set of design drivers will apply to the PLEM design. This paper presents an alternative PLEM design developed to overcome these challenges by: - Integrating of the PLEM with the pipeline to work around current industry limitations for large diameter diverless tie-in connector systems and to minimize ROV rotated sealing surfaces subsea in normal operation, - Introducing plug technology to remove the critical dependence on long-term trouble-free performance of large bore valves, - Introducing driven pile foundations to reduce structure size, prevent long-term settlements and eliminate the need for separate pipeline support frames by maintaining the pipe centerline close to the mudline, - Modularizing the system such that key components (all remaining valves) can be retrieved without complete shutdown of flow and such that installation / intervention can be performed using a wide range of vessels, and - Incorporating lessons learned from the successful design of a North Sea vertical diverless pig launcher unit. This paper presents an overview of the alternative PLEM design and discusses the status of the technologies required.

scholarly journals IPY 2007–2008 data legacy – a long story cut short

2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 447-460
Author(s):  
A. Driemel ◽  
H. Grobe ◽  
M. Diepenbroek ◽  
H. Grüttemeier ◽  
S. Schumacher ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Science ◽  
Technical Information ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Polar Regions ◽  
International Polar Year ◽  
Long Term Storage ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Data Products

Abstract. The International Polar Year 2007–2008 was a synchronized effort to simultaneously collect data from polar regions. Being the fourth in a row of IPYs, the demand for interdisciplinarity and new data products was high. However, despite of all the research done on land, people, ocean, ice and atmosphere and the large amount of data collected, no central archive or portal was created for IPY data. In order to address these issues, a concerted effort between PANGAEA – Data Publisher for Earth and Environmental Science, the ICSU World Data System (WDS), and the International Council for Scientific and Technical Information (ICSTI) was undertaken to extract data resulting from IPY publications for long-term preservation. 1380 IPY-related references were collected. Out of these, only 450 contained accessible data. All data was extracted, quality checked, annotated with metadata and uploaded to PANGAEA. The 450 articles dealt with a multitude of IPY topics – plankton biomass, water chemistry, ice thickness, whale sightings, Inuit health, alien species introductions by travelers or tundra biomass change – to mention just a few. Both, the Arctic and the Antarctic were investigated in the articles, and all realms (land, people, ocean, ice and atmosphere) and a wide range of countries were covered. The data compilation can now be found with the identifier doi:10.1594/PANGAEA.150150 and individually searched for using the PANGAEA search engine (www.pangaea.de) and adding "+project:ipy". With this effort, we hope to improve the visibility, accessibility and long-term storage of IPY data for future research and new data products.

scholarly journals Changes to the chemical state of the Northern Hemisphere atmosphere during the second half of the twentieth century

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (13) ◽  
pp. 8269-8283 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mike J. Newland ◽  
Patricia Martinerie ◽  
Emmanuel Witrant ◽  
Detlev Helmig ◽  
David R. Worton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Northern Hemisphere ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Production Efficiency ◽  
Atmospheric Composition ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Major Influence ◽  
Secondary Products ◽  
Alkyl Nitrates ◽  
Wide Range

Abstract. The NOx (NO and NO2) and HOx (OH and HO2) budgets of the atmosphere exert a major influence on atmospheric composition, controlling removal of primary pollutants and formation of a wide range of secondary products, including ozone, that can influence human health and climate. However, there remain large uncertainties in the changes to these budgets over recent decades. Due to their short atmospheric lifetimes, NOx and HOx are highly variable in space and time, and so the measurements of these species are of limited value for examining long-term, large-scale changes to their budgets. Here, we take an alternative approach by examining long-term atmospheric trends of alkyl nitrates, the production efficiency of which is dependent on the atmospheric [NO] ∕ [HO2] ratio. We derive long-term trends in the alkyl nitrates from measurements in firn air from the NEEM site, Greenland. Their mixing ratios increased by a factor of 3–5 between the 1970s and 1990s. This was followed by a steep decline to the sampling date of 2008. Moreover, we examine how the trends in the alkyl nitrates compare to similarly derived trends in their parent alkanes (i.e. the alkanes which, when oxidised in the presence of NOx, lead to the formation of the alkyl nitrates). The ratios of the alkyl nitrates to their parent alkanes increased from around 1970 to the late 1990s. This is consistent with large changes to the [NO] ∕ [HO2] ratio in the Northern Hemisphere atmosphere during this period. Alternatively, they could represent changes to concentrations of the hydroxyl radical, OH, or to the transport time of the air masses from source regions to the Arctic.

scholarly journals Future narratives for key sectors of the economy of the Murmansk region in the context of global changes in the Arctic

2017 ◽  
pp. 19-31
Author(s):  
E.M. Klyuchnikova ◽  
◽  
L.G. Isaeva ◽  
A.V. Masloboev ◽  
T.E. Alieva ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Critical Parameters ◽  
Global Changes ◽  
Global Trends ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Murmansk Region ◽  
Key Sectors ◽  
The Future

This article presents forecast of the future development of the key industries of the Murmansk region under the climate change conditions, and developments that can be used as the background for discussing measures for adaptation to climate changes and producing long-term documents. We have revealed a wide range of scenarios to identify the uncertainties that the region will inevitably face and that should be taken into account when making decisions already now. We have used the forecasting method taking into account the two critical parameters: the climate change on the regional level and the global trends in the socio-economic development. The narratives from the Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs) have been used as boundary conditions for creating scenarios of Murmansk region development. The local experts - representatives of industries, regional and local authorities, non-governmental and scientific organizations were involved in the forecasting process. The foresight research methodology was chosen because it is more than a long-term and strategic planning and forecasting corresponds to the social progress, in particular, the society democratization in its main areas: engaging citizens to managing the state affairs and creating conditions for manifestation of their initiatives. As a result, the issues of forecasting the future trends and challenges in the key sectors of the economy of the Arctic under the changing climate, depending on the forecast global development trends were considered. The necessity of using a structured, coherent to the global trends approach to working out regional and corporate development strategies is substantiated. On the example of the Murmansk region, the possible scenarios of development of the mining industry, and energy and human potentials depending on the global changes, including the climate change are considered.

scholarly journals The IPY 2007–2008 data legacy – creating open data from IPY publications

2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 239-244
Author(s):  
A. Driemel ◽  
H. Grobe ◽  
M. Diepenbroek ◽  
H. Grüttemeier ◽  
S. Schumacher ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Science ◽  
Technical Information ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Polar Regions ◽  
International Polar Year ◽  
International Council ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Data Products

Abstract. The International Polar Year (IPY) 2007–2008 was a synchronized effort to simultaneously collect data from polar regions. Being the fourth in a series of IPYs, the demand for interdisciplinarity and new data products was high. However, despite all the research done on land, people, ocean, ice and atmosphere and the large amount of data collected, no central archive or portal was created for IPY data. In order to improve the availability and visibility of IPY data, a concerted effort between PANGAEA – Data Publisher for Earth and Environmental Science, the International Council for Science (ICSU) World Data System (WDS), and the International Council for Scientific and Technical Information (ICSTI) was undertaken to extract data resulting from IPY publications for long-term preservation. Overall, 1380 IPY-related references were collected. Of these, only 450 contained accessible data. All data were extracted, quality checked, annotated with metadata and uploaded to PANGAEA. The 450 articles dealt with a multitude of IPY topics – plankton biomass, water chemistry, ice thickness, whale sightings, Inuit health, alien species introductions by travellers or tundra biomass change, to mention just a few. Both the Arctic and the Antarctic were investigated in the articles, and all realms (land, people, ocean, ice and atmosphere) and a wide range of countries were covered. The data compilation can now be found with the identifier doi:10.1594/PANGAEA.150150, and individual parts can be searched using the PANGAEA search engine (www.pangaea.de) and adding "+project:ipy". With this effort, we hope to improve the visibility, accessibility and long-term storage of IPY data for future research and new data products.

Diatoms and aquatic palynomorphs in the sediments of the Eurasian Arctic seas and their significance for paleooceanological investigations in the Arctic

2019 ◽  
pp. 246-251
Author(s):  
Yelena I. Polyakova ◽  
Yekaterina I. Novichkova ◽  
Tatiana S. Klyuvitkina ◽  
Elizaveta A. Agafonova ◽  
Irina M. Kryukova
Keyword(s):  
Bering Sea ◽  
Surface Sediments ◽  
Sea Water ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Marginal Filter ◽  
Arctic Seas ◽  
Hydrological Parameters ◽  
The Arctic Ocean ◽  
Long Term Studies

Presented the results of long-term studies of diatoms and aquatic palynomorphs in surface sediments of the Arctic seas and the possibility of their use for the reconstructions of paleocirculation water masses, advection of Atlantic and Bering sea water into the Arctic ocean, changes in the river runoff to the seas, sedimentary processes in the marginal filter of the largest rivers, seasonal sea ice cover and other hydrological parameters.

Russian-Japanese Relations: Long-Term Development Factors

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 68-85
Author(s):  
D. V. Streltsov
Keyword(s):  
Security Policy ◽  
The United States ◽  
Peace Treaty ◽  
Strategic Decisions ◽  
Chinese Market ◽  
External Energy ◽  
Economic Relations ◽  
Bilateral Relations ◽  
Personal Diplomacy

The article analyzes long-term external and internal factors determining the course of development of Russian-Japanese relations in 2019-2020. On the one hand, the anti-Russian component in Tokyo's foreign policy is shaped by its membership in the Security Treaty with the United States and its solidarity with the sanctions policy of the Group of Seven towards Russia. On the other hand, Japan and Russia are both interested interest in political cooperation in creating multilateral dialog mechanisms of international security in East Asia, resolving the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula, and easing tensions around territorial disputes in the East China and South China seas. Among the economic factors, the author focuses on the significant place of Russia in the context of Japan's task of diversifying sources of external energy supplies, as well as on Russia's desire to avoid unilateral dependence on the Chinese market while reorienting the system of foreign economic relations from the West to the East. Personal diplomacy of political leaders plays a significant role in relations between Russia and Japan, and, above all, close personal relationships and frequent meetings between Prime Minister Abe and President Putin, which make it possible to partially compensate the unfavorable image of the partner country in the public opinion of both Russia and Japan. Against the background of a deadlock in the Peace Treaty talks which emerged in 2019, the search for a way out of the diplomatic impasse is on the agenda. In the author's opinion, it would be appropriate at the first stage to proceed to the conclusion of a basic agreement on the basis bilateral relations, which would be "untied" from the Peace Treaty. In addition, Russia could stop criticizing Japan for its security policy and show greater understanding of the Japanese initiative in the field of quality infrastructure. In turn, Japan could take a number of strategic decisions on cooperation with Russia and announce them in the Prime Minister's keynote speech. In addition, Tokyo could stop positioning the issue of the peace Treaty as the main issue in relations with Russia, which would allow our countries to "untie" bilateral relations from the problem of border demarcation and focus on their positive agenda.

A MODELING SYSTEM FOR CLIMATE CHANGE RISK ASSESSMENT, MANAGEMENT AND HEDGING IN COASTAL AREAS

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sergei Soldatenko ◽  
Sergei Soldatenko ◽  
Genrikh Alekseev ◽  
Genrikh Alekseev ◽  
Alexander Danilov ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Risk Assessment ◽  
Coastal Areas ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
System Structure ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Risk Modeling ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Adverse Weather ◽  
The Impact

Every aspect of human operations faces a wide range of risks, some of which can cause serious consequences. By the start of 21st century, mankind has recognized a new class of risks posed by climate change. It is obvious, that the global climate is changing, and will continue to change, in ways that affect the planning and day to day operations of businesses, government agencies and other organizations and institutions. The manifestations of climate change include but not limited to rising sea levels, increasing temperature, flooding, melting polar sea ice, adverse weather events (e.g. heatwaves, drought, and storms) and a rise in related problems (e.g. health and environmental). Assessing and managing climate risks represent one of the most challenging issues of today and for the future. The purpose of the risk modeling system discussed in this paper is to provide a framework and methodology to quantify risks caused by climate change, to facilitate estimates of the impact of climate change on various spheres of human activities and to compare eventual adaptation and risk mitigation strategies. The system integrates both physical climate system and economic models together with knowledge-based subsystem, which can help support proactive risk management. System structure and its main components are considered. Special attention is paid to climate risk assessment, management and hedging in the Arctic coastal areas.

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