scholarly journals Biogas technology diffusion and shortfalls in the central and greater Accra regions of Ghana

2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 932-946 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Osei-Marfo ◽  
E. Awuah ◽  
N. K. de Vries
Keyword(s):  
Technology Diffusion ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Gas Production ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Regulatory Body ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Probabilistic Sampling ◽  
Sampling Procedures ◽  
Biogas Technology

Abstract The current status of biogas technology in Ghana, a developing country, was explored focusing on factors affecting dissemination of the technology and the associated challenges. Data collection was by personal interview and physical observations, and was conducted between July and October 2017. Non-probabilistic sampling procedures were used to select 61 respondents from 162 users, while 54 digesters were selected from 120 digester sites. The findings revealed that: initial installation and maintenance costs appear high; the needs of most biogas users had not been fully met, thus, they were only partially satisfied with the outcome of the technology; and 21% of the biogas service providers were engineers and 79% from other disciplines (plumbers, masons, carpenters, and graduates from arts, social sciences, business, etc.). These factors affect technology diffusion. In addition, bottlenecks for more intense use of biogas technology that need to be addressed include lack of government subsidies or financial support, poor or unstandardized digester design, lack of gas production, lack of follow-up, lack of maintenance, lack of monitoring, and market value for bio-fertiliser (digestate). It is recommended that financial institutions support individuals and institutions with soft loans to acquire biogas digesters/plants, and that a regulatory body be formed for the activities of biogas service providers in developing countries.

scholarly journals Assistive devices: self-reported use by older people in Victoria

2002 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robyn Smith ◽  
Susan Quine ◽  
Julie Anderson ◽  
Kirsten Black
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Assistive Devices ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Payment Policy ◽  
Home Based ◽  
Home Modifications ◽  
Adequate Education ◽  
Almost All

A qualitative study was conducted in Victoria to explore factors affecting the acceptability and use of assistive devices by older people. Four focus groups and fifteen home-based interviews were conducted with older people (mean age 77 years) who had been issued with 2 or more assistive devices. Analysis of the data indicated that almost all participants were content to be advised by professionals on suitable equipment. Most considered the equipment and home modifications safe and easy to use, and appreciated the benefits for mobility, confidence and independence. Reasons for non-use were commonly related to changes in functional ability. Cost was a major deterrent for a small number who opted to 'make do'. Recommendations are made for improvements to the existing system of equipment provision and use, including: review and development of consistency of provision and payment policy among service providers; flexibility of payment options; adequate education and follow-up support for clients.

Oil and Gas Production Pipelines: Current Status of Brazil Safety Regulation

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erica Vanessa Albuquerque de Oliveira ◽  
Priscila Raquel Kazmierczak
Keyword(s):  
Natural Gas ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Human Life ◽  
Gas Production ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Regulatory Body ◽  
Technical Regulation ◽  
National Agency ◽  
Oil And Gas Production ◽  
Offshore Pipelines

The Brazilian National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (Agência Nacional do Petróleo Gás Natural e Biocombustíveis - ANP) is the regulatory body responsible to regulate, contract and supervise the activities that integrates oil, natural gas and biofuels industry in Brazil, including the onshore and offshore pipelines. With this intent, ANP’s Resolution n° 06/2011, Technical Regulation of Onshore Pipelines for the Transport of Petroleum, its Derivatives and Natural Gas (Regulamento Técnico de Dutos Terrestres para Movimentação de Petróleo, Derivados e Gás Natural - RTDT), was published, establishing the essential critical requirements and the minimum safety directives for onshore pipelines, aiming at the protection of human life, facilities, and environment. The Technical Regulation covers onshore pipelines, new and existing ones, acting on the transference of the oil and gas production in the Brazilian jurisdiction and it is also applied on design, construction, assembling, operation, inspection, maintenance, integrity management, emergency response and decommissioning of the pipelines. Currently, ANP is elaborating a normative instrument applied to offshore pipelines, intending to establish the essential critical requirements for its safety management system. This paper presents an evaluation of the RTDT after its publication, including the improvements that will be concern with the review of the Resolution, and also gives an overview of the elaboration of the normative instrument for offshore pipelines.

Leveraging a New Well Delivery Methodology for Stellar Drilling Results Steam Injection Project Case Study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos Alejandro Terrones Brand ◽  
Miguel Alejandro Basso Mora ◽  
Rajeswary Kandasamy ◽  
Sergio Comarin ◽  
Felipe Rene Bustos Guevara ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Performance Monitoring ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Oil Production ◽  
Steam Injection ◽  
Gas Production ◽  
Oil Field ◽  
Superior Performance ◽  
Stringent Performance

Abstract Mexico has set challenging oil and gas production to meet worldwide demand. In order to deliver promised oil production outputs in this challenging environment, the operator came up with efficient partnerships with key service providers to leverage resources and technical know-how whilst encouraging knowledge transfer and drilling project cost reduction. By working with various service companies, the operator creates a competitive environment where each strives to outperform the other. One such success case is in the "S" field, a heavy oil field producing via steam injection in the South of Mexico. Utilizing a creative design and execution methodology, the "S" project team succeeded to deliver improved project performance over the course of drilling the 14 wells in the campaign. The average well operational time was successfully reduced by 10%, hence maximizing the well construction index to 122 m/day and reducing overall well costs. The main strategy to optimize performance is to re-engineer solutions for profitability such as performing a study to replace OBM by WBM, designing a new wellhead system, collaborating with the rig contractor to reduce flat time activities, redesigning cement properties for losses mitigation, improvement of ROP by merging new technologies and local practices, among others. Complementary to this, the strategy is to prioritize realistic areas of improvement by the development and utilization of a new tool called Best of the Best (BoB), a methodology breaking down all well activities in order to measure its fastest time per well and then aiming to achieve that aggressive goal. Detailed follow up in the field allows to reduce operational times by allowing the wellsite team monitor and suggest new and improved ways of doing a routine task all of which result in lower costs per foot. Utilizing this BoB approach and stringent performance monitoring while drilling (pre-actual-post) activity analysis, allowed superior performance to be achieved. The project reached a 60% improvement on well times from the first well drilled to the best performing well. The best well was drilled in 8.68 days versus a field average of 18 days (217 m/day construction index). This generated 369,000 bbls of earlier oil production, 176 days ahead vs client expectations. Furthermore, in coordination with field staff, lessons learned were captured. But this is not enough since fast and effective communication is required, and the BoB methodology provides the solution to share optimization tricks quickly and effectively between crews, to continue well to well improvement and overall project and field level learning. Improved well delivery results is possible only by aligning the detailed planning and execution follow up in both the wellsite and a remote operations centre which monitored drilling activity in real time from town. This synergy and proactive communication system is also a key factor in the project delivery. This paper will present the results from the first application of the ‘Best of Best' (BoB) methodology in Mexico. This successful application enforces the idea that by coupling re-engineering practices to develop a more creative well design along with stringent performance monitoring; any field performance can be improved to deliver stellar results.

Emerging Challenges in Psychosocial Support for Children and their Families in Ethiopia: Implications for Social Work

2016 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 888-913 ◽  
Author(s):  
Terry B. Northcut ◽  
Daniel Hailu
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Psychosocial Support ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Economic Factors ◽  
Children And Families ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Number Of Factors ◽  
Provision Of Services ◽  
Protection Of Human Rights

Ethiopia is in an early phase of development of formal psychosocial support for children and families. Examining the historical, political and economic factors affecting the current landscape of social work services in Ethiopia show that there are a number of factors influencing risks and vulnerabilities of children and families. Each of these vulnerabilities will be discussed briefly as they relate to the methods of service being provided currently. In addition, this paper reviews the current status of service providers, the gaps in the provision of services, and considers recommendations for the profession of social work seeking to meet these needs to ensure the protection of human rights for women and their children.

Psychological Resilience Provides No Independent Protection From Suicidal Risk

Crisis ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 130-139 ◽  
Author(s):  
Danica W. Y. Liu ◽  
A. Kate Fairweather-Schmidt ◽  
Richard Burns ◽  
Rachel M. Roberts ◽  
Kaarin J. Anstey
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Psychological Resilience ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Life Project ◽  
Resilience Factors ◽  
First Time

Abstract. Background: Little is known about the role of resilience in the likelihood of suicidal ideation (SI) over time. Aims: We examined the association between resilience and SI in a young-adult cohort over 4 years. Our objectives were to determine whether resilience was associated with SI at follow-up or, conversely, whether SI was associated with lowered resilience at follow-up. Method: Participants were selected from the Personality and Total Health (PATH) Through Life Project from Canberra and Queanbeyan, Australia, aged 28–32 years at the first time point and 32–36 at the second. Multinomial, linear, and binary regression analyses explored the association between resilience and SI over two time points. Models were adjusted for suicidality risk factors. Results: While unadjusted analyses identified associations between resilience and SI, these effects were fully explained by the inclusion of other suicidality risk factors. Conclusion: Despite strong cross-sectional associations, resilience and SI appear to be unrelated in a longitudinal context, once risk/resilience factors are controlled for. As independent indicators of psychological well-being, suicidality and resilience are essential if current status is to be captured. However, the addition of other factors (e.g., support, mastery) makes this association tenuous. Consequently, resilience per se may not be protective of SI.

Factors Affecting the Use and Consequences of Management Accounting Practices in A Transitional Economy: The Case of Vietnam

2016 ◽  
pp. 54-73 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anh Doan Ngoc Phi
Keyword(s):  
Significant Influence ◽  
Quantitative Data ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Management Accounting ◽  
Transitional Economy ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Enterprise Performance ◽  
Factors Affecting

This study seeks to help fill an important gap in the literature by investigating factors that have facilitated the use of management accounting practices (MAPs) in Vietnam - a transitional economy. Data were collected from 220 medium-to-large enterprises. Follow-up interviews were conducted with 20 accounting heads/vice heads to obtain further information and clarification. The quantitative data collected was analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics (including t-tests and structural equation modeling), while the qualitative data was used to shed further light on the various relationships described by the quantitative analysis. This paper reveals that both decentralization and competition have a positive, significant influence on the use of new MAPs except for the old ones. Consequently, the use of MAPs has a positive, significant influence on enterprise performance.

STRUCTURAL AND DYNAMIC FEATURES OF EAR-LY DISABILITY DUE TO MENTAL DISEASES

2020 ◽  
pp. 62-67
Author(s):  
Shmakova O.P.
Keyword(s):  
People With Disabilities ◽  
Child And Adolescent Psychiatry ◽  
Child Psychiatrist ◽  
Childhood And Adolescence ◽  
Disabled Children ◽  
Dynamic Features ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Number Of Children ◽  
Number Of Patients

Prevention of disability is one of the most significant tasks of child and adolescent psychiatry. Obtaining data on the dynamics of the number of people with disabilities and the factors affecting this indicator seems to be one of the relevant aspects. Aim: to trace the dynamics of the number of children with disabili-ties and to assess the change in the structure of early disability over the past decades. Materials and Meth-ods. A comparative analysis of two cohorts of patients was carried out: 1st - patients born in 1990-1992. (1203 patients (men - 914, 76%; women - 289, 24%)) who applied to the district neuropsychiatric dispensa-ry for outpatient care in childhood and adolescence; II - children and adolescents born in 2005 - 2018 (602 patients (male - 410, 68%; female - 192, 32%), ob-served at the time of the study by a child psychiatrist in the neuropsychiatric dispensary. Research methods: clinical and psychopathological; follow-up; statisti-cal. Results. Comparison of the number and nosologi-cal distribution of disabled children in two cohorts showed that over the 15th year there has been a shift towards an increase in the proportion of disabled children among patients observed by child and ado-lescent psychiatrists. The increase in the number of children with disabilities was due to those suffering from childhood autism and other disorders of general development. There were no statistically significant differences in the number of people with disabilities who received benefits before the age of 7, as well as differences in gender ratios among disabled people in the two cohorts. Conclusion. Early disability is a mul-tifactorial phenomenon, prevalence, dynamics, the structure of which depends not only on clinical, but also on socio-administrative realities. Children with autism require increased attention, since there has been a multiple increase in the number of patients with this diagnosis.

SOME FACTORS AFFECTING THE INVITRO GAS PRODUCTION OF SOME RUMINANTS FEEDSTUFFS

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 45-57
Author(s):  
U. A. Nayel ◽  
F.M. Abodonia ◽  
B.M. Ahmed ◽  
E. Sabra ◽  
M. K. Raslan
Keyword(s):  
Gas Production ◽  
Factors Affecting

scholarly journals Quality Assessment of the Services Delivered by a Court, Based on the Perceptions of Users, Magistrates, and Court Officials

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 504
Author(s):  
Patrícia Moura e Sá ◽  
Maria João Rosa ◽  
Gonçalo Santinha ◽  
Cátia Valente
Keyword(s):  
Service Quality ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Service Performance ◽  
Technological Equipment ◽  
Perceived Service Quality ◽  
Positive View ◽  
Depth Interview

This paper aims to measure the quality of the services delivered by a court by assessing the satisfaction of court users and service providers, i.e., magistrates and court officials. For that purpose, a case study was carried out and data were collected by means of a questionnaire based on the SERVPERF instrument, in which perceived service quality is measured, considering court users, magistrates, and court officials’ perceptions of post-service performance. One hundred and fifty-eight questionnaires were successfully returned. An in-depth interview was later conducted to the court administrator to gain a richer understanding of the results achieved and ask follow-up questions. Overall, findings revealed that court users, magistrates, and court officials clearly have a positive view of the services provided, although improvement is needed, particularly in the court’s facilities and technological equipment. The current research sheds some light on the potentialities and difficulties of assessing service quality in the judiciary and contributes to the validation of the SERVPERF instrument in this context.

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