Regulating virtual worlds : considering participant-driven approaches

There are a number of pressing issues facing contemporary online environments that are causing disputes among participants and platform operators and increasing the likelihood of external regulation. A number of solutions have been proposed, including industry self-governance, top-down regulation and emergent self-governance such as EVE Online’s “Council of Stellar Management”. However, none of these solutions seem entirely satisfying; facing challenges from developers who fear regulators will not understand their platforms, or players who feel they are not sufficiently empowered to influence the platform, while many authors have raised concerns over the implementation of top-down regulation, and why the industry may be well-served to pre-empt such action. This paper considers case studies of EVE Online and the offshore gambling industry, and whether a version of self-governance may be suitable for the future of the industry.

Regulating online : participant-driven approaches

This thesis considers and evaluates different approaches to regulating online gaming communities, including traditional top-down regulation, as well as bottom-up and hybrid forms led by participants. I examine the regulatory environment in both the video game and gambling industries through case studies of the science fiction, massively multiplayer game Eve Online and offshore gambling platforms and their community sites. I identify that the participant driven approach to regulation sometimes used in the offshore gambling industry was dependent on a number of factors, notably the strength of the community and the risks to platform operators of negative publicity. By subsequently comparing this to the video gaming industry, I suggest that participant driven processes may be an appropriate way to resolve disputes in the games industry, and show how these are – to a limited extent – already being applied.

三维VSP技术的研究及应用

Today, because of high petroleum consumption of our country, society steady development and difficulty increase in new resources exploration, deep exploitation of the existing oilfield is needed. More delicate reservoir imaging and description, such as thin layer identification, interlayer exploitation monitoring, subtle structure imaging, reservoir anisotropy recognition, can provide more detail evidence for new development adjustment scheme and enhanced oil recovery. Now, the people have already realized the 3D VSP technique more effective than the general methods in solving these aspects. But VSP technique especially 3D VSP develop slowly due to some reasons. Carrying out the research of VSP technique, it will be very useful to the EOR service. 3D VSP techniques include acquisition、data processing and interpretation. In this paper, the author carried out some researches around acquisition and processing. The key point of acquisition is the survey design, it is critical to the quality of the data and it will influence the reservoir recognition as follows. The author did detailed researches on the layout pattern of shot point and geophone. Some attributes relate to survey design such as reflectivity, incidence angle, observation area, reflection points distribution, fold, minimum well source distance, azimuth angle and so on are studied seriously. In this geometry design of 3D-VSP exploration in deviated wells, the main problems to be solved are: determining the center position of shots distribution, the effect of shots missing on coverage areas and coverage times，locating the shots and receivers of multi-wells. Through simulating and analyzing, the above problems are discussed and some beneficial conclusions are drawn. These will provide valuable references to actual survey design. In data processing, researches emphasize on those relatively key techniques such as wavefield separation, VSP-CDP imaging, the author carried out deep researches around these two aspects. As a result, variant apparent slowness wavefield separation method developed in this article suit the underground variant velocity field and make wavefield separation well, it can overcome reflection bending shortage aroused by conventional imaging method. The attenuateion range of underground seismic wave is very important for amplitude compensation and oil/gas identification.In this paper, seismic wave attenuateion mechanism is studied by 3D-VSP simulateion and Q-inversion technique. By testing with seismic data, the method of VSP data attenuateion and relationship of attenuateion attribute variant with depth is researched. Also the software of survey design and data processing is developed, it fill the gap of VSP area in our country. The technique developed applied successfully in SZXX-A Oilfield、QKYY-B Oilfield、A area and B area. The good results show that this research is valuable, and it is meaningful to the VSP technique development and application of offshore oil industry and other areas in our country.

What Have We Learned from the Deepwater Horizon Disaster? An Economist’s Perspective

This paper outlines what we have learned about the impacts of the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil disaster from the economics discipline as well as what effect the DWH disaster has had on the economics discipline. It appears that what we know about the economic impact of the DWH spill today is limited, possibly because such analysis is tied up in the federal Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) process and other state-led efforts. There is evidence, however, that the NRDA process has changed over time to de-emphasize economic valuation of damages. There is also evidence that economists may be producing fewer outputs as a result of the DWH relative to scholars from other disciplines because of an apparent absence of funding for it. Of the research that has taken place, this paper provides a summary and highlights the main directions of future research. It appears that the most pressing topic is addressing the incentives and policies in place to promote a culture of safety in the offshore oil industry. Also, it appears that the most prominent, and challenging, direction of future research resulting from the DWH is the expansion of an ecosystems services approach to damage assessment and marine policy. Lea el abstracto en español 请点击此处阅读中文摘要

Estrés laboral y su relación con los turnos y áreas de trabajo en el personal que labora en campos de perforación de una empresa del sector hidrocarburos en Colombia

El personal que labora en áreas de campo en las empresas de hidrocarburos se enfrenta de manera sistemática a diferentes exposiciones ocupacionales que pueden estar relacionadas con el estrés laboral o tener algún tipo de incidencia en este sentido. Objetivo: establecer la prevalencia de síntomas de estrés percibidos por un grupo de trabajadores que laboran en cuatro campos de perforación de hidrocarburos e identificar su relación con el turno y área de trabajo (administración y producción) en que desempeñan su labor. Metodología: Estudio de corte transversal, en una empresa del sector hidrocarburos que opera en el municipio de Puerto Boyacá, con una muestra de 115 trabajadores, la información se recolectó a través de la aplicación del cuestionario para la evaluación del estrés – Tercera versión del Ministerio de Salud y Protección Social de la República de Colombia y la Pontificia Universidad Javeriana de Bogotá. Resultados: El género de mayor frecuencia fue el masculino con el 86%, el 39% de los trabajadores se encuentra en el grupo etario entre los 47-57 años refirió un nivel de estrés alto. Se observó que la línea operativa y profesional y los analistas, fueron los que reportaron un nivel de estrés alto. Conclusiones: El trabajo que desarrolla el personal que labora por turnos en campos de perforación, es un generador de estrés por lo que debe ser monitoreado de forma periódica, haciendo énfasis en la promoción de estilos laborales saludables y la prevención de diagnósticos que afecten el componente conductual.

Modelo de flexibilidade de manufatura em processos de submontagem

Through observation of production process of a Vale do Paraiba’s automobile industry, one can encounter in need of improvement related to large uncertainties and variations in the production environment, a fact that inspired the search for solutions that can respond quickly to these changes. This way, the paper describes the development of a flexible manufacturing model, which aims to optimize the process in an automotive sub-assembly industry of the Paraíba Valley. The main objective is to propose a method to promote viable alternatives to easing the assembly of parallel sub performed the assembly of cars. For the construction of the model was necessary to explore concepts of flexible manufacturing and making the data presented in literature, which were vital to ensure the development of the method. The concepts discussed are usually presented at an undergraduate degree in Engineering. Data compiled by the model are able to serve as a strategic benchmark for decision making by managers. Featuring alternative response variables and uncertainties of the organizational environment, a fact that facilitates the management of human resources and productive

Caracterización de los sistemas de protección basados en materiales naturales destinados al control de la socavación en obras marítimas presentes en instalaciones eólicas marinas

El fenómeno de la socavación puede poner en peligro la operatividad o la seguridad de estructuras offshore comprometiendo su estabilidad global. Hasta el momento, la gran mayoría de las investigaciones destinadas a estudiar el origen y el desarrollo de este fenómeno han estado centradas en entornos fluviales, bajo condiciones de corriente continua. En la última década, debido al crecimiento del mercado de la eólica marina, han surgido numerosos estudios para la caracterización de este fenómeno en el entorno marino, teniendo en cuenta que estas estructuras se encuentran sometidas de forma simultánea a los efectos de la corriente y el oleaje, y las corrientes provocadas por las mareas. Ante la observada carencia de criterios existentes para el diseño de protecciones frente a la socavación, la presente Tesis Doctoral surge con el objetivo principal de desarrollar una serie de recomendaciones que permitan mejorar y optimizar el diseño de estas estructuras, teniendo en cuenta no sólo los parámetros geométricos de las cimentaciones de los aerogeneradores, o la propia erosión, sino también, variables características del oleaje como la altura de ola, el periodo o la longitud de onda, así como la profundidad o la batimétrica de la cimentación. La caracterización de los sistemas de protección basados en materiales naturales destinados al control de la socavación en obras marítimas presentes en instalaciones eólicas marinas no es el único objetivo alcanzado en la presente Tesis Doctoral. A través de la calibración del parámetro de altura de ola adimensional (H0) en diferentes parques eólicos europeos, y de acuerdo al criterio propuesto por Van der Meer (1988), se propone la clasificación de este tipo de estructuras de protección, basadas en material granular o escollera. La información recopilada sobre la socavación registrada en numerosos parques eólicos con protección también ha permitido estudiar la funcionalidad de este tipo de protecciones instaladas hasta la fecha. Asímismo, gracias al conocimiento adquirido sobre el fenómeno de la socavación, se plantea una propuesta para la mejora de la caracterización de este fenómeno en ambiente marino basada en el estudio de la influencia del campo de aceleraciones. La presente Tesis Doctoral permite mejorar el diseño de las protecciones frente a la socavación que se utilizan en parques eólicos marinos teniendo en cuenta las acciones del clima marítimo, supliendo de este modo las carencias que hasta el momento presentan las formulaciones existentes, las cuales únicamente toman en consideración la geometría de las cimentaciones, el ángulo de rozamiento interno del terreno y la estimación de la máxima socavación que puede llegar a producirse. Scour phenomenon jeopardizes the stability and functionality of offshore structures compromising its overall stability. So far, most studies about the origin and the development of this phenomenon have been focused on river environments (under steady current conditions). In the last decade a lot of research projects about the characterization of this phenomenon have been carried out due to the growth of offshore wind industry. These projects take into account that these structures are subjected simultaneously to current, waves and tidal effects. This PhD Thesis arises due to the current lack of criteria for the design of scour protections. Its main objective is to develop some recommendations to improve and to optimize the design of scour protection structures. For that it is necessary to take into account not only the geometrical parameters of foundations or the erosion forecasted, but also wave variables such as wave height, wave period or wavelength. Characterization of protection systems based on natural materials for the control of the scour in offshore wind farms was not the only goal achieved in this PhD Thesis. Through the calibration of the dimensionless wave height parameter (H0) in different European offshore wind farms, and according to the criteria proposed by Van der Meer (1988), a classification of these protection structures based on natural elements (rocks or riprap) has been proposed. Scour data registered in numerous offshore wind farms with scour protection systems also allowed to study the functionality of this type of protection installed up to now. Thanks to the knowledge acquired about the scour development, a proposal for the improvement of the characterization of this phenomenon in marine environment is proposed. This has been based on the study of the influence of the acceleration parameters. This PhD Thesis improves the design of scour protections used in offshore wind facilities taking into account maritime climate actions. To solve the current formulae deficiencies only considering the foundation geometry, the internal friction angle of the seabed and the maximum scour depth forecasted.

Baseline socioeconomic profiles of coastal counties in the Washington-Oregon planning area (Coastal Washington) : final /

"MMS 88-0084"--Cover.

Environmental studies plan /

Mode of access: Internet.

Outer Continental Shelf oil & gas leasing program : 2007-2012 : draft environmental impact statement.

"OCS EIS/EA MMS 2006-004."

5-year outer continental shelf oil and gas leasing program, mid-1987 to mid-1992 : supplemental environmental impact statement : draft

Mode of access: Internet.

Chukchi Sea oil & gas lease sale 126 : draft environmental impact statement.

"OCS EIS/EA MMS 90-0035."

Outer continental shelf (OCS) oil and gas supply model /

"DOE/EIA-0372/1-3."

Proposed final outer continental shelf oil and gas leasing program, 1997 to 2002 : decision document.

"August 1996."