[en] The investigation of climatic processes and behaviour examines the effects of climatic changes on human beings and the surrounding environment. The authors discuss, in a wide-subject perspective, the regional impacts of the greenhouse effect, increase of the sea level, and changed conditions of both precipitation and wind using the North and Baltic Sea as examples. In this effort, questions dealing with changes of water level, motion and (disturbance) of the sea and morphodynamic in the coastal apron, in reference to requirements on a future protection of the shore, are handled. In addition, not only the aspects of ecosystem-orientated adaption in the strip of land between the continent northern islands 'Wattenmeer' and ground landscape (Bodenlandschaft) are taken into consideration, but also the impact of these on human beings and their interest to use the coastal regions. (orig.). 102 figs., 9 tabs

[en] The US Agency for International Development funded the Caribbean Area Food Irradiation Feasibility Study (CAFI) through the US National Food Processors Association and with the collaboration of the US Department of Energy. This study focused on the economic, technical, financial, political and social feasibility of transferring food irradiation technology to the Caribbean area. The study focuses on three areas including the benefits to small farmers and nations interested in the export of crops, including non-traditional tropical commodities. The Feasibility Study Team conducted field work in Guatemala, Haiti, and Trinidad. The benefits of irradiation technology have been shown to have an impact particularly on the small farmer who is more capable of producing non-traditional crops intended for international export marketing. In Haiti, the anthropologists working on the CAFI study found that 74,000 individuals will be directly affected by the ban on the postharvest fumigant ethylene dibromide. Irradiation technology can not only provide the quarantine security needed to allow crops requiring quarantine treatment to move into international trade, but it can promote international co-operation in technology transfer. Training and safety issues related to the transfer, operation, and disposal of nuclear materials must be considered and point out the need for adequate regional co-operative programmes. Research and training programmes will be needed to augment the implementation of food irradiation processing by the private sector. Irradiation firms planning facilities in developing countries may need to provide crop production information, international marketing intelligence, and other assistance needed to integrate an irradiator into the overall postharvest food system. (author)

[en] This report describes studies performed for UKOOA and HSE regarding loss of containment from offshore pipelines operated in the North Sea and supersedes the last loss of containment study published as PARLOC 92. The two databases compiled during earlier studies have been updated to include information collected up to the end of 1993. These databases are: A pipeline database, which contains details of all the pipelines installed in the North Sea. An incident database, which contains a description of each reported incident and data on the pipeline or lines affected. (author)

[en] The past five years gas and oil production in the North Sea has decreased gradually. A few new platforms will be built. Dutch suppliers therefore only have opportunities in platform maintenance and removal, and in the construction of pipelines from existing platforms to small fields in the near area. For the rest they build their hopes on orders in foreign countries, that develop large oil and gas fields. This implies a shift in their activities to deeper water. Besides that, a new, small market arises in the North Sea, namely for building offshore wind turbines

[en] Maritime Group will give a presentation of present and future trends within the floating production area. Based on the successful operation of Petrojarl 1 (Tentech 885) and now lately the Gryphon A (Tentech 850 C) operated by Kerr McGee a number of floating production systems are now under construction/design for North Sea applications. A status of three developments will be given with emphasize on field development scenarios and market opportunities for the vessels. Based on these on-going projects a discussion of future development trends and possibilities will be presented with special attention to making smaller North-Sea oil fields economically profitable

[en] In order to study the inter-relationships of international crude oil markets, empirical analyses are used to investigate univariate and multivariate relationships between Alaska North Slope and UK Brent oil prices. Using monthly data from the period 1974-1996, the results show that both price series follow a random walk and that these oil markets share a long-run common trend. The empirical results suggest that the two markets are 'unified'. That is, they are competitive, and there is price convergence in the markets. (author)

[en] The North Sea Contracting Industry provides in-depth profiles of major contracting organisations including manpower, facilities, expertise, future directions and financial details. It addresses key issues such as: how will the role of operators and contractors change toward 2000 and beyond?; how will the contractor-operator relationship develop?; will the contractors take a more speculative role in projects such as leasing and contract to produce?; does the future belong to broad skilled providers or small specialised niche players, or both?; and how will rapid technological improvements affect the industry? (author)

[en] There are over 6500 platforms worldwide contributing to the offshore oil and gas production industry. In the North Sea there are around 500 platforms in place. There are many factors to be considered in planning for platform decommissioning and the evaluation of options for removal and disposal. The environmental impact, technical feasibility, safety and cost factors all have to be considered. This presentation considers what information is available about the overall decommissioning costs for the North Sea and the costs of different removal and disposal options for individual platforms. 2 figs., 1 tab

[en] In today's world of high operating costs and low oil prices new methods of construction are needed to ensure economic viability. One such was is to maximize the use of an existing infrastructure. Marathon utilized power generated on Brae A and Brae B to supply the requirements of East Brae using transfer by 33kV sub-sea cable. First oil was produced in December 1993. This resulted in platform weight savings of around 3,000 tonnes, with cost savings in excess of Brit-pounds 60 million

[en] The latest developments in decommissioning redundant oil platforms in the North Sea are reported. Three specific examples are examined and each case the final solution is in keeping with the International Maritime Organisations guidelines for complete platform removal. (UK)