Studies on validation of telerehabilitation as an effective platform to help manage as well as reduce burden of care for Low-Back Pain (LBP) are sparse. This study compared the effects of Telerehabilitation-Based McKenzie Therapy (TBMT) and Clinic-Based McKenzie Therapy (CBMT) among patients with LBP. Forty-seven consenting patients with chronic LBP who demonstrated ‘directional preference’ for McKenzie Extension Protocol (MEP) completed this quasi experimental study. The participants were assigned into either the CBMT or TBMT group using block permuted randomization. Participants in the CBMT and TBMT groups received MEP involving a specific sequence of lumbosacral repeated movements in extension aimed to centralize, decrease, or abolish symptoms, thrice weekly for eight weeks. TBMT is a comparable version of CBMT performed in the home with the assistance of a mobile phone app. Outcomes were assessed at the 4th and 8th weeks of the study in terms of Pain Intensity (PI), Back Extensors Muscles’ Endurance (BEME), Activity Limitation (AL), Participation Restriction (PR), and General Health Status (GHS). Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Alpha level was set at p< 0.05.Within-group comparison across baseline, 4th and 8th weeks indicate that both CBMT and TBMT had significant effects on PI (p=0.001), BEME (p=0.001), AL (p=0.001), PR (p=0.001) and GHS (p=0.001) respectively. However, there were no significant differences (p>0.05) in the treatment effects between TBMT and CBMT, except for ‘vitality’ (p=0.011) scale in the GHS where TBMT led to significantly higher mean score. Mobile-app platform of the McKenzie extension protocol has comparable clinical outcomes with the traditional clinic-based McKenzie Therapy, and thus is an effective supplementary platform for care of patients with low-back pain.
Scaling phenomenon is a major problem that occurs when water is injected for oil displacement and pressure maintenance in oilfields. This phenomenon of precipitation and accumulation of oilfield scale due to incompatibility between formation and injected water is induced around the well bore after water breakthrough at reduced reservoir pressure. The effect results in formation damage which may negatively impact on reservoir performance well bore performance and the success of water flooding project that depends on mobility ratio. This paper presents an analytical model based on existing thermodynamic models for predicting brine mobility, hydrocarbon mobility and mobility ratio of water flooded reservoir with possible incidence of scale precipitation and accumulation. The key operational and reservoir/brine parameters which influence the mobility ratio such as salt concentration in the brine, produced water rate, pressure drawdown, reservoir temperature were identified using this model. Results of the study shows that the mobility ratio of a water flooded reservoir remains constant until water breakthrough and achieves an increasing local maximum at 10% pore volume injected water as the flow rate of produced water increases with a significant jump beyond the critical flow rate observed at mobility ratio of 1. Similar results corroborating above were obtained with variation in skin factor. This model therefore can be used to diagnose, evaluate and simulate mobility ratio and skin factor in a water flood scheme enabling production engineers plan an economically efficient water flood scheme.
Marginal Field Development in the prolific Niger Delta environment has taken on added significance since the Federal Government of Nigeria adopted an aggressive Reserve and Production Capacity development strategy as a launch pad for rapid economic development. The last few years have witnessed a number of developments in this area with the Government approving a new set of fiscal parameters for Marginal field development. Various strategies have been proposed to enhance the economic value from Marginal field Assets ranging from early production systems, to innovative least cost production strategies such as the use of a converted Jack Up Rig with subsea storage, to accelerating production through the use of horizontal wells. These strategies involve significant tradeoffs, sometimes quite sophisticated technologies and cost implications. This paper examines the economics of Marginal Field Development using the latest NNPC fiscal/regulatory terms of December, 2000 with a view to identifying the most significant variables impacting the economics. From knowledge of the economic variables and their impact, insights into potentially proactive strategies to improve Marginal field economics are developed. Preliminary studies inform that a much more aggressive production strategy be considered for marginal field exploitation since time value of money considerations have a disproportionately large impact in such economics and should be exploited. The production variable is treated as one of the main uncertain variables in the probabilistic model - Nigerian Oil Economic models are usually production dominated. The option of the Oil Majors taking equity participation in Marginal Field development and hence making available their technical expertise has very low probability of success. The main reason that these fields don't make it to the development stage in the budget allocation process of most Majors is economic. The current strategy in which the Majors negotiate an Overriding Royalty rate with the Marginal Field operator is likely to be the preferred option because it is less risky, does not involve any risk of their capital or other resources, particularly scarce human resources. Introduction Marginal Field Development in the prolific Niger Delta environment is of strategic importance to the Federal Government of Nigeria's drive towards aggressive Reserve and Production Capacity enhancement. Aside from the anticipated Revenue from an improved production base, the Government is also aiming at building up indigenous participation in the Nigerian Upstream Oil & Gas Industry. As at end of 2005, total production contribution of all the Indigenous E & P Companies was 100,000 bbls, 5% of total Daily Country production of 2 million barrels/day. In a sense, it is not only a drive to broaden the revenue base of the Country but also, a strategic imperative with the long term goal of establishing linkages to the broader Nigerian Economy and local content development.
The possibility of producing heavy oil from the Nigerian tar sand deposit by steam stimulation was investigated in the laboratory using a scaled andfive unscaledphysical models (tar sands packs). The effect of oil saturation and different matrix grain size on oil recovery were also studied.A fabricated 91.44 cm (diameter), 33 cm (high) high pressure cast iron vessel (prototype scaled down by a factor of 104), a 15 c m (diameter), 22.1 c m (high) high pressure stainless steel vessel, and two pressure reducing valves were used for the study. Steam was obtained from a locally fabricated boiler. Heavy oil was obtained from oil seeping from the deposit.The result of the study showed that heavy oil could be produced from the section of the deposit containing mobile heavy oil by steam stimulation. When the same amount of steam was injected into similar sand packs containing different oil saturation, the highest oil recovery was obtained from the sandpack with the lowest oil saturation. This implies that more steam will be required to produce from highly saturated heavy oil deposits. A greater amount of oil was produced from a sand pack with larger matrix grain size than from another sand pack with smaller matrix grain size for the same oil saturation steam quantity, and quality.
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