Reservoir Engineering and Geomechanical Aspects of Well Plugging and Abandonment

With the maturation of many oilfields, further well abandonments will occur in the years to come. There are issues about improper well abandonment that can have far-reaching effects for responsible companies or entities. At this time in the US, where most of the operation is operated by non-government entities, sometimes the sovereign state may end up covering the cost of well abandonment when the operator is not financially capable in managing such costs. That will be a burden to the public taxpayers. In this paper, we review an important aspect of the well abandonment practices and at present, based on a reservoir modeling approach, more clearance on the potential formation of free gas that can be a cause of concern. We also discuss the integrity issues of the sealing process. We point out how the development of cracks caused by many factors, including geomechanical effects or slow deterioration of the cement seal, in the long run, may result in generating escape paths for the evolved hydrocarbon gases.

ENHANCING GOODWILL POTENTIAL WITH BRAND MANAGEMENT TOOLS

The emergence of goodwill in the process of doing business is due to the nature of the interaction of enterprise resources with environmental factors. On the basis of research, it is proved that with a competent correlation of approaches to managing the elements of the macro- and microenvironment of the enterprise, understanding the specific features of creating goodwill taking into account the scope of activity, the enterprise will receive a number of advantages. Firstly, it is the creation of additional value of the company, secondly - the possibility of obtaining excess profits (that is, profits exceeding the industry average) and, thirdly, it is the creation of favorable prospects and prerequisites for business development. The analysis of the most popular formulations of the concept of “goodwill” used in Russian and foreign practice is carried out. According to its results, it is concluded that this term is equated with the concept of "business reputation". The article presents an attempt to streamline the understanding of key aspects of brand management within the framework of the studied models of reputation management. From the review of modern and most relevant models of assessment of the company's reputation, the relationship of the main criteria for assessing the company's reputation with business results is shown. A logical chain of goodwill potential formation has been built, based on the management of emotional involvement of customers. Based on the results of the research, within the framework of the focus groups, a criterion for assessing emotional involvement - “emotional comfort” - was proposed and evaluation coefficients characterizing the level of emotional comfort of customers were developed. The actual metrics of brand management assessment are revealed, allowing to diagnose the influence of the brand on the development of goodwill potential within the framework of the proposed complex model of the influence of brand management tools on the growth of goodwill potential.

Assessing the financial potential of organizations in the context of professional standard ‘Accountant’

Subject. The article addresses the financial potential of the organization, investigates economic relations stemming from financial potential formation and prospects for its growth as a result of actions and initiatives of managerial staff. Objectives. The aim is to disclose the content of the rational approach in financial and analytical studies focused on expressing the analytical value of qualitative and quantitative determination of financial potential in the process of substantiating management decisions on achieving competitiveness and long-term efficiency of economic entity. Methods. The study rests on modern theories of capital structure, methods for developing financial strategy, solving multi-criteria economic problems, including ranking techniques, the graphical and analytical models. Results. We developed methodological recommendations for financial potential assessment, which include the indicators of strategic level of investment capital management based on the systems approach to the use of financial, strategic and investment analysis tools. Their application in practice will increase the informativeness of potential assessment. The findings have an applied focus aimed at professional competencies in the development of organizational and administrative documents that regulate the analysis and assessment of financial potential based on strategic goals. Conclusions. Along with the existing methods, the methodological recommendations form a subsystem of analytical support focused on the organization’s value and finance management. Their use in financial strategy formation enables to identify and study strategic alternatives of development, create financial sections of business plans, justify adjustments to the strategy and tactics of financial management.

Pyridyl Phosphine Complexes in the Design of Hydration Catalysts

<p>Recent advances in homogeneous catalysis have identified the importance of ligands able to participate in the catalytic cycle. Particularly relevant to making chemistry “greener” are those ligands that solubilise the catalyst in aqueous solution, and those that are able to activate water molecules towards reaction with the metal complex or substrate. This thesis describes the synthesis and coordination chemistry of a novel ligand bearing 2-pyridylphosphine substituents attached to a 2,6-pyridyl backbone (²⁻pyrPNP, [(C₅H₄N)₂PCH₂]₂C₅H₃N). These components were selected for their abilities to interact with water through dearomatisation processes, hydrogen bonding, and the basic pyridyl nitrogen atoms. The synthesis of pure ²⁻pyrPNP described here represents a much improved method for the synthesis of pyridylphosphines compared to those published in the literature. This is demonstrated by comparison with the original synthetic route, which produced many intractable impurities, as well as by the ability of the new method to provide PhPNP from an economical and air-stable starting material. Reactions of ²⁻pyrPNP with rhodium precursors show complicated reactivity, including the potential formation of paramagnetic species. Investigation into the reactivity of ²⁻pyrPNP with analogous iridium precursors resulted in the synthesis of [(²⁻pyrPNP)Ir(cod)]Cl. This is the first crystallographically characterised complex containing a facially coordinated PNP ligand. The cod ligand can be removed with ethene and hydrogen to form bis(ethene) and chloroiridium(III) bis(hydride) complexes [(²⁻pyrPNP)Ir(C₂H₄)₂]Cl and [(²⁻pyrPNP)Ir(H)₂Cl], respectively. Both complexes contain meridionally-coordinated ²⁻pyrPNP. Preliminary investigations reveal that the iridium complexes are fairly successful nitrile hydration catalysts under aqueous conditions. In addition, the cod and bis(ethene) complexes bearing ²⁻pyrPNP are more active than the cod complex of the pyridyl-free PhPNP ligand.</p>

Pyridyl Phosphine Complexes in the Design of Hydration Catalysts

<p>Recent advances in homogeneous catalysis have identified the importance of ligands able to participate in the catalytic cycle. Particularly relevant to making chemistry “greener” are those ligands that solubilise the catalyst in aqueous solution, and those that are able to activate water molecules towards reaction with the metal complex or substrate. This thesis describes the synthesis and coordination chemistry of a novel ligand bearing 2-pyridylphosphine substituents attached to a 2,6-pyridyl backbone (²⁻pyrPNP, [(C₅H₄N)₂PCH₂]₂C₅H₃N). These components were selected for their abilities to interact with water through dearomatisation processes, hydrogen bonding, and the basic pyridyl nitrogen atoms. The synthesis of pure ²⁻pyrPNP described here represents a much improved method for the synthesis of pyridylphosphines compared to those published in the literature. This is demonstrated by comparison with the original synthetic route, which produced many intractable impurities, as well as by the ability of the new method to provide PhPNP from an economical and air-stable starting material. Reactions of ²⁻pyrPNP with rhodium precursors show complicated reactivity, including the potential formation of paramagnetic species. Investigation into the reactivity of ²⁻pyrPNP with analogous iridium precursors resulted in the synthesis of [(²⁻pyrPNP)Ir(cod)]Cl. This is the first crystallographically characterised complex containing a facially coordinated PNP ligand. The cod ligand can be removed with ethene and hydrogen to form bis(ethene) and chloroiridium(III) bis(hydride) complexes [(²⁻pyrPNP)Ir(C₂H₄)₂]Cl and [(²⁻pyrPNP)Ir(H)₂Cl], respectively. Both complexes contain meridionally-coordinated ²⁻pyrPNP. Preliminary investigations reveal that the iridium complexes are fairly successful nitrile hydration catalysts under aqueous conditions. In addition, the cod and bis(ethene) complexes bearing ²⁻pyrPNP are more active than the cod complex of the pyridyl-free PhPNP ligand.</p>

Fictional Narratives as a Laboratory for the Social Cognition of Behavioral Change: My Ajussi

Fictional narratives cannot be considered as mere escapist entertainment, and have a significant social cognition potential. Their study is also important in understanding the mechanisms of behavioral change, as many fictions focus on processes of personal transformation of the main characters. Romantic fictions are of special interest in this regard, as the formation of a new couple entails negotiation and mutual adaptation between partners, with possible transformation of personal attitudes, value orientations, and behaviors: ‘marrying’ a new idea or cause is, tellingly, the strongest possible metaphorical statement of adoption. Korean TV series (K-dramas) are a particularly interesting source of case studies in this regard due to the specific characteristics of their production system. We analyze a K-drama, My Ajussi, where the lead characters go through a complex process of personal change, through the lens of the so-called Tie-Up Theory, which has proven useful in the analysis and interpretation of fictional representations of human mating processes, and show how the context provided by the potential formation of the couple between the two main characters provides us with valuable insights about human behavioral change and for policy design strategies to tackle societal challenges.

Cannabinoids—Characteristics and Potential for Use in Food Production

Scientific demonstrations of the beneficial effects of non-psychoactive cannabinoids on the human body have increased the interest in foods containing hemp components. This review systematizes the latest discoveries relating to the characteristics of cannabinoids from Cannabis sativa L. var. sativa, it also presents a characterization of the mentioned plant. In this review, we present data on the opportunities and limitations of cannabinoids in food production. This article systematizes the data on the legal aspects, mainly the limits of Δ9-THC in food, the most popular analytical techniques (LC-MS and GC-MS) applied to assay cannabinoids in finished products, and the available data on the stability of cannabinoids during heating, storage, and access to light and oxygen. This may constitute a major challenge to their common use in food processing, as well as the potential formation of undesirable degradation products. Hemp-containing foods have great potential to become commercially popular among functional foods, provided that our understanding of cannabinoid stability in different food matrices and cannabinoid interactions with particular food ingredients are expanded. There remains a need for more data on the effects of technological processes and storage on cannabinoid degradation.

Intermittent Leucine Deprivation Produces Long-Lasting Improvement in Insulin Sensitivity by Increasing Hepatic Gcn2 Expression

<a>Leucine deprivation improves insulin sensitivity; however, whether and how this effect can be extended is unknown. We hypothesized that intermittent leucine deprivation (ILD) might produce a long-term effect on improved insulin sensitivity via the formation of metabolic memory. Consistently, seven ILD cycles treatment (1-day leucine-deficient diet, 3-day control diet) in mice produced a long-lasting (after resuming a control diet for 49 days) effect on improved whole-body and hepatic insulin sensitivity in mice, indicating the potential formation of metabolic memory. Furthermore, the effects of ILD depended on hepatic general control nondepressible 2 (GCN2) expression as verified by gain-and loss-of-function experiments. Moreover, ILD increased <i>Gcn2 </i>expression by reducing its DNA methylation at two CpG promoter sites controlled by </a><a>demethylase</a> growth arrest and DNA damage inducible b. Finally, ILD also improved insulin sensitivity in insulin-resistant mice. Thus, ILD induces long-lasting improvements in insulin sensitivity by increasing hepatic <i>Gcn2</i> expression via a reduction in its DNA methylation. These results provide novel insights into understanding the link between leucine deprivation and insulin sensitivity, as well as potential nutritional intervention strategies for treating insulin resistance and related diseases. We also provide evidence for liver-specific metabolic memory after ILD and novel epigenetic mechanisms for <i>Gcn2</i> regulation.

Intermittent Leucine Deprivation Produces Long-Lasting Improvement in Insulin Sensitivity by Increasing Hepatic Gcn2 Expression

<a>Leucine deprivation improves insulin sensitivity; however, whether and how this effect can be extended is unknown. We hypothesized that intermittent leucine deprivation (ILD) might produce a long-term effect on improved insulin sensitivity via the formation of metabolic memory. Consistently, seven ILD cycles treatment (1-day leucine-deficient diet, 3-day control diet) in mice produced a long-lasting (after resuming a control diet for 49 days) effect on improved whole-body and hepatic insulin sensitivity in mice, indicating the potential formation of metabolic memory. Furthermore, the effects of ILD depended on hepatic general control nondepressible 2 (GCN2) expression as verified by gain-and loss-of-function experiments. Moreover, ILD increased <i>Gcn2 </i>expression by reducing its DNA methylation at two CpG promoter sites controlled by </a><a>demethylase</a> growth arrest and DNA damage inducible b. Finally, ILD also improved insulin sensitivity in insulin-resistant mice. Thus, ILD induces long-lasting improvements in insulin sensitivity by increasing hepatic <i>Gcn2</i> expression via a reduction in its DNA methylation. These results provide novel insights into understanding the link between leucine deprivation and insulin sensitivity, as well as potential nutritional intervention strategies for treating insulin resistance and related diseases. We also provide evidence for liver-specific metabolic memory after ILD and novel epigenetic mechanisms for <i>Gcn2</i> regulation.