Operations Committee Research Articles

Verification of the OOC Mud and Produced Water Discharge Model using lab-scale plume behaviour experiments

This paper describes comparisons of predictions by the Offshore Operators Committee (OOC) Mud and Produced Water Discharge Model with published data on experimental laboratory-scale observations of plume behavior in flumes, towing tanks, and wind tunnels. The ability of the OOC Model to predict the plume characteristics observed in numerous individual tests of plume behavior covering a wide range of discharge conditions was examined. Data are provided summarizing the predictive ability of the model for all tests. The dimensionless parameters describing the physical characteristics of the plumes were within the range expected for typical Gulf of Mexico produced water and drilling fluid discharges for most of the comparisons. The model was in good to excellent agreement with measurements of plume behavior under most discharge conditions. The model was less accurate for those experimental cases where extreme plume bending occurred. It is believed that turbulence caused by the discharge pipe itself influenced the behavior of these extreme-bending plumes. The predicted density of solids accumulation on the bottom of a towing tank, a lab-scale analogy of the seabed accumulation of drilling solids, was within a factor of two of experimental observations. Excluding the three simulations of extreme bending plumes, the model showed no systematic trend towards either under- or over-estimation of any parameter examined. This suggests that experimental errors or biases may have contributed to observed differences between predictions and observations. The results of the validation testing described in this report increases confidence in the use of OOC Model predictions as an alternative to the difficult and expensive process of performing field measurements for every practical discharge situation.

Field verification of the Offshore Operators Committee (OOC) Mud and Produced Water Discharge Model

This paper describes the use of field data on drilling mud and produced water dispersion to verify the Offshore Operators Committee (OOC) Mud and Produced Water Discharge Model (the “OOC Model”). Field studies for produced water and water-based drilling mud discharges provided data on effluent properties, discharge rates and pipe diameters, ocean currents, water column salinity and temperature, and measured effluent concentration at distances up to 103 m downcurrent from the discharge point. Data on effluent properties and field conditions were used as input data for OOC Model predictions of water column concentrations. This paper compares concentrations predicted by the OOC Model with field observations and describes the field data in sufficient detail to support their use to check the performance of other related models. The measured concentrations exhibited high variability due to turbulence and ambient current variations. The field data nonetheless showed clear trends in dilution with distance from the discharge point and demonstrated that both produced water and drilling mud discharges are rapidly diluted after discharge into the marine environment. There was good agreement between field observations and OOC model predictions. The results of these studies document the ability of the OOC Model to predict concentrations from field discharges of drilling mud and produced water.

Automatic validation of the Offshore Operators Committee Discharge Model and application to predicting drilling solids accumulation on the sea floor

Discharge models must be validated by comparing their predictions with experimental data. Such comparisons improve user confidence in model predictions. The validation process involves significant work for each case tested and requires tedious labor. This paper describes an automated validation system and its use in validating the Offshore Operators Committee (OOC) Mud and Produced Water Discharge Model. Once the validation system is set up, very little additional work is needed for repeated validations to test the model after changes related to maintenance and development. The validation system provides a complete record of all validation methods, data, and results. The principle benefits of the automated validation system are: the combined validation tests are completely documented with an HTML report, the tests are easily repeated, the system quickly reveals flaws arising from model maintenance and development activities, the system can be adapted to other numerical models containing standalone executable modules that read and write text files. The automatic validation system consists of several parts: (1) a hierarchical arrangement of data to segregate individual experiments in separate file system directories; (2) command scripts to run validation tests in each directory (model runs, statistical comparisons of predictions and observations, plots of predictions compared with observations); (3) a top-level script to summarize overall comparison statistics and scatter plots; (4) a report generator to assemble validation results in a linked set of HTML pages with plots; and (5) a tool to compare validations run at different times (e.g., to compare predictions of different versions of the model). Experiments included in the validation system are summarized briefly. One laboratory and one field experiment concerned with particle deposition on the sea floor were added during the development of the validation system. These cases are described in more detail.

Concussion in professional football: reconstruction of game impacts and injuries.

Concussion in professional football was studied with respect to impact types and injury biomechanics. A combination of video surveillance and laboratory reconstruction of game impacts was used to evaluate concussion biomechanics. Between 1996 and 2001, videotapes of concussions and significant head impacts were collected from National Football League games. There were clear views of the direction and location of the helmet impact for 182 cases. In 31 cases, the speed of impact could be determined with analysis of multiple videos. Those cases were reconstructed in laboratory tests using helmeted Hybrid III dummies and the same impact velocity, direction, and head kinematics as in the game. Translational and rotational accelerations were measured, to define concussion biomechanics. Several studies were performed to ensure the accuracy and reproducibility of the video analysis and laboratory methods used. Concussed players experienced head impacts of 9.3 +/- 1.9 m/s (20.8 +/- 4.2 miles/h). There was a rapid change in head velocity of 7.2 +/- 1.8 m/s (16.1 +/- 4.0 miles/h), which was significantly greater than that for uninjured struck players (5.0 +/- 1.1 m/s, 11.2 +/- 2.5 miles/h; t = 2.9, P < 0.005) or striking players (4.0 +/- 1.2 m/s, 8.9 +/- 2.7 miles/h; t = 7.6, P < 0.001). The peak head acceleration in concussion was 98 +/- 28 g with a 15-millisecond half-sine duration, which was statistically greater than the 60 +/- 24 g for uninjured struck players (t = 3.1, P < 0.005). Concussion was primarily related to translational acceleration resulting from impacts on the facemask or side, or falls on the back of the helmet. Concussion could be assessed with the severity index or head injury criterion (the conventional measures of head injury risk). Nominal tolerance levels for concussion were a severity index of 300 and a head injury criterion of 250. Concussion occurs with considerable head impact velocity and velocity changes in professional football. Current National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment standards primarily address impacts to the periphery and crown of the helmet, whereas players are experiencing injuries in impacts to the facemask, side, and back of the helmet. New tests are needed to assess the performance of helmets in reducing concussion risks involving high-velocity and long-duration injury biomechanics.

Rafael Espada

Rafael Espada was born in Guatemala City, Guatemala. He earned his MD degree at the Universidad San Carlos in Guatemala City and trained as a thoracic surgeon at Baylor College of Medicine (Houston, TX, USA), where he is currently a clinical professor of surgery. He is also on the executive committee of Methodist Hospital and its DeBakey Heart Center, and serves as medical director of international programmes and chair of the international operations committee. Espada founded UNICAR, a cardiovascular unit for open-heart surgery in rural Guatemala, in 1996. His honours include the Helping Hands Medical Missions of the United States 2002 humanitarian award and the International Rotary Society's Paul Harris 2002 Award for humanitarian efforts in Guatemala.

Brain injury-related fatalities in American football, 1945-1999.

Brain injuries have been the most common direct cause of death among American football players since the annual recording of football-related deaths began in 1931. This study examines the 55-year experience with brain injury-related fatalities in American football from 1945 to 1999, including not only the incidence but also the cause of death in discrete 5-year spans to focus on the variables that have either increased or decreased fatalities. In addition, we describe the types of injuries that have occurred, the activities in which the players were engaged at the time of injury, the level of play involved, and whether the injuries occurred during games or in practice sessions. Data were collected nationwide regarding football fatalities in all organized football programs in public schools and in college, professional, and youth programs by conducting personal interviews and eliciting responses to questionnaires. The information collected included demographic data about the injured player, equipment data, injury type and body part involved, and pertinent information regarding the exact circumstances of the accident. We found that a total of 497 brain injury-related fatalities occurred among American football players during the period from 1945 through 1999. The causes of death were brain injuries in 69% of the cases, cervical spine injuries in 16%, and other injuries in 15%. Subdural hematoma was the type of injury associated with the majority (429, 86%) of brain injury-related fatalities. A majority (61%) of the brain injury-related fatalities occurred during participation in football games, and 75% of these were high school players. It should be noted that the number of high school football players is far greater (more than 1 million) than the number of either college (approximately 75,000) or professional (approximately 2000) players. The most frequent on-field activity involved when players sustained their fatal injuries was either tackling or being tackled (35%). Brain injury-related fatalities accounted for 69% of all football fatalities from 1945 through 1999. The greatest number and percentage of brain injury-related fatalities occurred during the 5-year span from 1965 through 1969, and the smallest number and percentage occurred during the 2 decades from 1975 through 1994. Most brain injury-related fatalities involved a subdural hematoma sustained by high school football players while either tackling or being tackled in a game. In the 2 decades from 1975 through 1994, there was a dramatic reduction in these fatalities, and the preventive measures that have received most of the credit are 1) the 1976 rule change that prohibits initial contact with the head and face when blocking and tackling and 2) the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment helmet standard, which went into effect in colleges in 1978 and in high schools in 1980.

Citigroup diversity program succeeds through top‐management involvement and focus on results

The European division of Citigroup’s Corporate and Investment Bank (CIB) has gone beyond activities such as conferences, awareness training and network building, to launch an effort focussed directly on tackling the obstacles to enhancing diversity and getting results. In March 2002 the division received a coveted Opportunity Now award for progress made to create an environment in which women can be successful. A CIB women’s conference the year before had highlighted issues critical to the CIB’s success in recruiting, hiring and promoting qualified women. The European operating committee made a commitment to sponsor action on these issues and asked Lynne Fisher, the newly appointed head of diversity, to take the lead.

Citigroup diversity program succeeds through top-management involvement and focus on results: Cross-business teams make measurable progress in 100 days

The European division of Citigroup’s Corporate and Investment Bank (CIB) has gone beyond activities such as conferences, awareness training and network building, to launch an effort focussed directly on tackling the obstacles to enhancing diversity and getting results. In March 2002 the division received a coveted Opportunity Now award for progress made to create an environment in which women can be successful. A CIB women’s conference the year before had highlighted issues critical to the CIB’s success in recruiting, hiring and promoting qualified women. The European operating committee made a commitment to sponsor action on these issues and asked Lynne Fisher, the newly appointed head of diversity, to take the lead.

Automatic Validation of the Offshore Operators Committee Discharge Model and Application to Predicting Drilling Solids Accumulation on the Sea Floor

Discharge models must be validated by comparing their predictions with experimental data. Such comparisons improve user confidence in model predictions. The validation process involves significant work for each case tested and requires tedious labor. This paper describes an automated validation system and its use in validating the offshore operators committee (OOC) Mud and Produced Water Discharge Model. Once the validation system is set up, very little additional work is needed for repeated validations to test the model after changes related to maintenance and development. The validation system provides a complete record of all validation methods, data, and results. The principle benefits of the automated validation system are: the combined validation tests are completely documented with an HTML report, the tests are easily repeated, the system quickly reveals flaws arising from model maintenance and development activities, the system can be adapted to other numerical models containing standalone executable modules that read and write text files. The automatic validation system consists of several parts: (1) a hierarchical arrangement of data to segregate individual experiments in separate file system directories; (2) command scripts to run validation tests in each directory (model runs, statistical comparisons of predictions and observations, plots of predictions compared with observations); (3) a top-level script to summarize overall comparison statistics and scatter plots; (4) a report generator to assemble validation results in a linked set of HTML pages with plots; and (5) a tool to compare validations run at different times (e.g., to compare predictions of different versions of the model). Experiments included in the validation system are summarized briefly. One laboratory and one field experiment concerned with particle deposition on the sea floor were added during the development of the validation system. These cases are described in more detail.

E-serial Titles That Disappear

CONSER (Cooperative Online Serials Program) members are currently dealing with the problem of how to catalog electronic journals that over time do not retain their titles on earlier issues. The dilemma for catalogers is whether to use the successive entry rules of AACR2 (Anglo-American Cataloging Rules) for serials or to apply the latest entry approach used for integrating resources. CONSER members are currently working on a discussion paper that will weigh the pros and cons of successive and latest entry to be presented at the CONSER Operations Committee meeting in May 2002. Discussion of the issues will provide the background for a Library of Congress Rule Interpretation. Serials Review 2002; 28:222–224.

E-serial Titles That Disappear

CONSER (Cooperative Online Serials Program) members are currently dealing with the problem of how to catalog electronic journals that over time do not retain their titles on earlier issues. The dilemma for catalogers is whether to use the successive entry rules of AACR2 (Anglo-American Cataloging Rules) for serials or to apply the latest entry approach used for integrating resources. CONSER members are currently working on a discussion paper that will weigh the pros and cons of successive and latest entry to be presented at the CONSER Operations Committee meeting in May 2002. Discussion of the issues will provide the background for a Library of Congress Rule Interpretation. Serials Review 2002; 28:222–224.

A Brief History of the U.S. Department of Education, 1979–2002

From a small program once shunned by the White House and attacked as an unnecessary intrusion into the workings of the nation's education systems, the Department of has grown into a major policy force in primary, secondary, and higher education. Mr. Stallings traces that evolution. THE RESPONSIBILITY for the education of American children has enjoyed at least a small presence at the federal level since the middle of the 19th century, usually in the form of independent programs housed in separate Cabinet-level departments. Various incarnations of a national education office or bureau -- beginning with the first federal office, established in 1838 for gathering statistics -- took root slowly. Despite concerns about an overt federalization of education, locating all the disparate programs into a single, separate office and giving it departmental status became the rallying cry of a small but growing minority from as early as the Reconstruction period. The idea gained momentum in the 1950s and 1960s as the federal budget for education eclipsed the budgets of other full-fledged departments. By the 1970s, an independent, Cabinet-level department was on the verge of realization. Establishing a Federal Department In the period between 1908 and 1975, more than 130 bills to form a department of education were introduced.1 But it took two events to make the dream a reality: the election to the Senate of Abraham Ribicoff, a former secretary of health, education, and welfare (HEW), and the rapid politicization of the National Association (NEA). Sen. Ribicoff began work in earnest on the formation of a department in the 1960s. In 1972 the NEA formed a political action committee and in 1975 joined forces with other unions to form the Labor Coalition Clearinghouse (LCC) for election campaigning. Along with other members of the LCC, the NEA released Needed: A Cabinet Department of Education in 1975,2 but its most significant step was to endorse Jimmy Carter for President in the election of 1976. The NEA was no small player in the nomination process, and some estimates suggest that the larger LCC influenced the selection of more than 400 of the 3,000 delegates who attended the Democratic National Convention in 1976.3 NEA support helped to put Carter in the White House in 1976, but, once he was there, it was unclear whether his Administration would follow through on promises to consider Cabinet-level status for education. was not a top policy priority for the Carter team, and forming a new department ran counter to his platform of streamlining the federal government. After much deliberation and study, however, Carter finally made good on his campaign promise and endorsed Cabinet- level status for education.4 Sen. Ribicoff was quick to support the President's decision, and in March he co-sponsored yet another bill, the Department of Organization Act. The debates in the Senate Governmental Operations Committee in the winter of 1977-78 were at times acrimonious, but the bill was ultimately released to the floor, where the measure passed.5 The bill did not come up for a vote in the House during the same session, and the proceedings began all over again the following year. At last, the bill passed the House in a close vote. President Carter signed it into law on 17 October 1979, finally ending a struggle of almost 150 years. Building and Preserving the Department The Honorable Shirley Hufstedler, chosen by President Carter to be the first secretary of education, had by law only six months to get the department up and running. She worked quickly to establish the department's agenda, combining her own goals with a panoply of suggestions from critics and supporters alike. One set of goals focused on streamlining and strengthening the political workings of the federal/state relationship; a second set reinforced the notion that the department would not supersede local control by attempting to impose restrictive regulations; a third set focused on issues of educational equity. …

Three-Dimensional Transportation Analysis: Planning and Design

This paper presents a state-of-the-art review of recent developments in three-dimensional (3D) analysis for transportation planning and highway design. As background, the concept of dimension is briefly discussed and examples of transportation-related disciplines are given in zero, one, two, three, and four dimensions. Two types of 3D models are described: visualization models and analytical models. Transportation planning applications include system planning (e.g., data collection modeling), corridor/project planning (e.g., traffic calming), and environmental analysis (e.g., air quality assessment). Highway design applications include route planning (e.g., preliminary route selection), geometric design (e.g., combined alignment), and structural design (e.g., pavement design). This paper is sponsored by the ASCE Urban Transportation Division’s Planning Committee and the Highway Division’s Geometric Design and Operations Committee. By summarizing current and emerging developments of 3D analysis in transportation, the committees hope to raise awareness of this powerful tool and to help stimulate its applications in other transportation areas.

Report: Integrated Management for Telecommunication Solutions—Process, OSS, and Technology: A Report on APNOMS 2002

The 6th Asia-Pacific Network Operations and Management Symposium (APNOMS 2002) was held during September 25–27, 2002 in Jeju Island, Korea. APNOMS 2002, which was organized by IEICE (The Institute of Electronics, Information and Communication Engineers) TM (Telecommunication Management) Committee and KICS (Korea Institute of Communication Society) KNOM (Korean Network Operations and Management Committee) with support from IEEE CNOM (Committee on Network Operations and Management), IEEE APB (Asia Pacific Board), and TMF (TeleManagement Forum), continued to play an important role for exchanging and discussing all aspects of telecommunications management among academic and telecommunication industry at large in the AsiaPacific region. As the previous APNOMSs (1997[1], 1998[2], 1999[3], 2000[4], 2001[5]), APNOMS 2002 was a great success, attracting 268 researchers, practitioners, operators, and vendors from 11 countries. Its program included keynote speeches, tutorials, special sessions, technical sessions, poster sessions, a distinguished experts panel, and vendor exhibitions. The theme of this symposium was “Integrated Management for Telecommunication Solutions—Process, OSS and Technology.” With the rapid progress in the information networking technologies, solutions for network operations and management have surely become very important for our e-world environments. E-business is rapidly transforming our society, our culture and our everyday life in the broadband and mobile Internet era. To provide sophisticated e-Business solutions, new management technologies which integrate business and management processes, and integrate systems and network operations, are required. Taking into

The DOD operational and environmental executive steering committee for munitions—a new paradigm

The DOD operational and environmental executive steering committee for munitions—a new paradigm

An exploratory application of Schein's Career Anchors Inventory to Hotel Executive Operating Committee members

The objective of the current study was to adapt Schein's Career Anchor Inventory to the careers of US Hotel Executive Operating Committee (EOC) members. A total of 447 questionnaires were returned for a response rate of 36%. The scales that are part of the Modified career anchors inventory had reliability coefficients ranging from 0.53 to 0.84. The study findings suggest that marketing executive operating committee members are more focused on being technically competent in their careers than other disciplines, staying within the discipline, rather than moving laterally across positions within the hotel. Furthermore, confirming earlier research, this study presents a case for rooms and food and beverage executive operating committee members making career decisions that will enhance the potential for promotion to general manager.

Spotlight: Finance and Operations Committee

Spotlight: Finance and Operations Committee

A strategy for the detection and evaluation of unprofessional behavior in medical students. University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine Clinical Clerkships Operation Committee.

The authors describe the first four years (1995-1998) in which the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine operated an evaluation system to monitor students' professional behaviors longitudinally through their clinical rotations. The goals of this system are to help "turn around" students found to have behaved unprofessionally, to demonstrate the priority placed by the school on the attainment of professional behavior, and to give the school "muscle" to deal with issues of professionalism. A student whose professional skills are rated less than solid at the end of the clerkship receives a "physicianship report" of unprofessional behavior. If the student receives such a report from two or more clerkships, he or she is placed on academic probation that can lead to dismissal even if passing grades are attained in all rotations. Counseling services and mentoring by faculty are provided to such students to improve their professional behaviors. From 1995 to 1998, 29 reports of unprofessional behavior on the part of 24 students were submitted to the dean's office; five students received two reports. The clerkship that submitted the most reports was obstetrics-gynecology. The most common complaint for the five students who received two reports was a poor relationship with the health care team. Four of these students had their difficulties cited in their dean's letters and went on to residency; the fifth voluntarily withdrew from medical school. The authors describe the students' and faculty members' responses to the system, discus lessons learned, difficulties, and continuing issues, review future plans (e.g., the system will be expanded to the first two years of medical school), and reflect on dealing with issues of professionalism in medical school and the importance of a longitudinal (i.e., not course-by-course) approach to monitoring students' behaviors. The authors plan to compare the long-range performances of students identified by the evaluation system with those of their classmates.

Care and feeding of a staff for filmless radiology.

Texas Children's Hospital, a definitive care pediatric hospital located in the Texas Medical Center, has been constructing a large-scale picture archival and communications system (PACS) including ultrasound (US), computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance (MR), and computed radiography (CR). Developing staffing adequate to meet the demands of filmless radiology operations has been a continuous challenge. Overall guidance for the PACS effort is provided by a hospital-level PACS Committee, a department-level PACS Steering Committee, and an Operations Committee. Operational Subcommittees have been formed to address service-specific implementation, such as the Emergency Center Operations Subcommittee. These committees include membership by those affected by the change, as well as those effecting the change. Initially, personnel resources for PACS were provided through additional duties of existing imaging service personnel. As the PACS effort became more complex, full-time positions were created, including a PACS Coordinator, a PACS Analyst, and a Digital Imaging Assistant. Each position requires a job description, qualifications, and personnel development plans that are difficult to anticipate in an evolving PACS implementation. These positions have been augmented by temporary full-time assignments, position reclassifications, and cross-training of other imaging personnel. Imaging personnel are assisted by other hospital personnel from Biomedical Engineering and Information Services. Ultimately, the PACS staff grows to include all those who must operate the PACS equipment in the normal course of their duties. The effectiveness of the PACS staff is limited by their level of their expertise. This report discusses our methods to obtain training from outside our institution and to develop, conduct, and document standardized in-house training. We describe some of the products of this work, including policies and procedures, clinical competency criteria, PACS inservice topics, and an informal PACS newsletter. As the PACS system software and hardware changes, and as our implementation grows, these products must to be revised and training must be repeated.

The Government Operations Committee and Foreign Policy During the Cold War

Journal Article The Government Operations Committee and Foreign Policy During the Cold War Get access Robert David Johnson Robert David Johnson ROBERT DAVID JOHNSON is assistant professor of history at Williams College. His most recent book is Ernest Gruening and the American Dissenting Tradition. Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Political Science Quarterly, Volume 113, Issue 4, Winter 1998, Pages 645–671, https://doi.org/10.2307/2658248 Published: 15 February 2013