Adapting to climate change

[1503-44]

[highlight #000000] WARNING!!!! [/highlight]

This journal originates from EU/Germany, thus it is taken for granted that the climate change phenomenon exists. It makes no attempt to justify that premise, so if you are looking for that, its better that you move away now. If one wants to solve a problem, one first must recognize that it exists.

It is written with respect to oil and gas facilities, however most principles are broadly applicable. I found it a great way to organize one's approach to the problem.

https://www.pipeline-journal.net/articles/adapting-oil-gas-infrastructures-climate-change

Reality used to affect the way we thought. Now we somehow believe that what we think affects reality.

 

[JoshPlumSE]

Some quick thoughts on this article:
a) It's not from an academic journal. Academic journals don't tend to have paid advertisements in the middle of an article.
b) The article isn't very well written, or academic. All you have to do is read it to understand that. LOL
c) I very, very much doubt that this article was peer reviewed for publication. I tend to think of this article the way I do about a Modern Steel Construction article. It is meant to introduce a topic of interest to the readers. Maybe the first step the authors have towards a presentation at an industry event or something.

If I approach the article from that perspective, then maybe I've treated it too harshly. Just because it isn't particularly scientific or academic in nature doesn't mean it doesn't have a legitimate perspective.

My guess is the authors are very much involved in pipeline infrastructure and they want to use climate change as a means for advocating for increased expenditures in their field. They are NOT trying to develop a scientific basis for doing so. Rather they want to plant the seed among the stake holders in the pipeline industry that increased expenditures may be required going forward. In fact, the authors would argue that these expenditures should start NOW as a preemptive measure.

That's fine.

 

[1503-44]

Warning was for a reason. Most of the rest of the world has gotten past the point of needing to hash through the scientific basis of climate change and is concentrating on things that can be done about it. Its an article in an Industry specific journal. Obviously nonacademic in nature. The petroleum and chemical processing industry is full of these types of journals. Generally the industry publications are proactive, even if the industry is not so quick to adapt. Maybe not so commonly seen in the structural field.

Reality used to affect the way we thought. Now we somehow believe that what we think affects reality.

 

[SnTMan]

7.0, changed your username recently?

The problem with sloppy work is that the supply FAR EXCEEDS the demand

 

[JoshPlumSE]

Note: I am not questioning the scientific basis of global warming. Not at all.

However, that article goes much beyond the concept of global warming. Instead, it takes for granted that any weather related events that have occurred recently are all related to climate change. Granted, they have a graph or two to justify this.

That's fine for an industry magazine that has no academic nature or peer review. It's one step above a blog. And, as such, that article is fine. Just recognizing that it has little academic merit is and is not relevant beyond a very limited trade group.

However, referring calling itself a journal and calling it a journal article, to me, is what seems weird. That's because I view a "journal" article as being associated with a higher degree of academic integrity. And, as such, is much, much more reliable. Maybe this is different in different regions.

Note: In the US there are a lot of Pseudo-science academic fields that have "journals" that are not very scientific or academically rigorous. So, when I first read through it, that was my impression.

 

[1503-44]

Journal

Since you like them so much ...

Oil & Gas Journal

PJG

https://www.ptdjournal.com

https://www.petroleumjournal.kz/index.php?outlang=3

Reality used to affect the way we thought. Now we somehow believe that what we think affects reality.

 

[Ron247]

If one wants to solve a problem, one first must recognize that it exists.

This sounds like the chicken and egg thing stated in a climate change vernacular. Why would I want to solve some problem that I did not yet know existed?

If you want to solve a problem, the first thing you do is accurately define the problem. If you want to achieve a goal, your first define the goal. As long as there is insistence that you must first agree there is a "problem" with climate change, it will not have enough participation. The effort so far appears to be making people believe it is a problem instead of an effort to improve the environment.

I continue to monitor this discussion of eng-tips but find it hard to believe there is so little advancement.

 

[1503-44]

There won't be any progress until we start discussing the topic, rather than what a journal should or should not be, writing style and the imagined intent of the authors, or tangential analogies of chickens and eggs.

The value of the article in regards to the topic at hand is that it presents an initial, basic, methodical approach to ascertaining the possible effects of climate on typical, petroleum industry projects. The Table 2 result is an initial risk assessment in regards to climate variables that might help identify areas which might require greater study and attention to details that might arise during the risk mitigation process. Actually it is nothing more, or less, than what I've been doing for the last 40 years in regards to designing pipelines to withstand environmental conditions such as, min/max temperatures, stream and river crossing flow levels, hill side erosion control, maximum wave heights, length and severity of hurricane construction and marine terminal operating seasons, beach approach burial depths, flood plain delineation, etc. Except now I am more aware that perhaps I should at least consider reviewing certain design criteria that might have become obsolete over the last decade and consider imposing updated or new design cnditions and specifications that my projects may need to mitigate the potential risks they may experience during the next 50 years.

It would be more interesting to me to see different versions of Table 2 worked up for other industries, rather than a review of the article, or discussions concerning chickens and eggs.



Reality used to affect the way we thought. Now we somehow believe that what we think affects reality.

 

[Ron247]

Besides which came first, the chicken, the egg or the 2-piece snack box at KFC, I did have a little more noted in my post.

As I stated in my post: "As long as there is insistence that you must first agree there is a "problem" with climate change, it will not have enough participation." I still think we can improve the climate without everyone believing it is an Earth-ending problem. Apparently, I am the minority.

So I am guess I am back to watching this discussion but not participating.

 

[rb1957]

no Ron … you've just a "blasphemer" 'cause you challenge the "orthodoxy" of climate change. It is, in my mind, a very sensible engineering question to ask … "are the changes to our use of FFs suggested going to have the desired effect (on either the climate or the CO2 level)?" Sure if we pump out less CO2 you'd expect some reduction in environmental levels but we're only a small input on a very large tide. But will the climate "return" to whatever it should've been without our intervention ? Or is there some other human influence on climate ? 1/2 of what I've read suggests that it's "too late".

It is, in my mind, a completely different discussion "should we keep burning FFs like drunken sailors, or should we be more efficient/careful with a limited resource ?"

another day in paradise, or is paradise one day closer ?

 

[1503-44]

I think that I did not say "agree" that there is a problem. Did I not say "recognize"?

There is no connection to what one believes, or agrees is, or is not the cause, to how we should deal with what is appearing on the short, or long term, "weather radar". It is only a matter of your client telling you to deal with it and how you will do it. When your client asks about what effects "climate change" will have on the project you are bidding on, are you going to have a list of risks and mitigation measures, Table 2 slide in your power point presentation to show him, or will you just have one of those "Any Questions" slides and a red face flashing at him when you've nothing to say?

Reality used to affect the way we thought. Now we somehow believe that what we think affects reality.

 

[JoshPlumSE]

7.0

I fully acknowledge that my impression about this "journal" was incorrect. I thought it was presenting itself as an academic / scientific journal, which it clearly is not. I don't blame the publication for that. It was my own misunderstanding based on the region I live and the fields in which I practice.

That being said, this article is very industry specific and has little academic merit beyond that very narrow field. Though I understand why you think their approach could be a good way to consider the implication for other industries as well.

 

[1503-44]

A lot of Table 2 directly applicable to road, highway design and construction? Electrical power distribution? Water supply? Erosion control, drainage and water treatment? Commercial, large scale residence-subdivision projects, flood control? Dam building and maintenance there of? building projects? Will bridges need to be raised over old flood stage levels? Will airports have to have longer runways so fully loaded planes can take off during the afternoon, or will they have to leave only at night when temperatures are lower and air density is sufficiently high. Will continuously welded railroad tracks buckle, will expansion gaps need to be more frequent? Will additional heating and cooling capacity need be installed, or less of one and more of the other. Compressors of all kinds may run more efficiently in colder temps, but a lot less efficiently in warmer climates. Will the size of compressed gas coolers need to increase.
Will the compressors need more power, or will you live with smaller delivery capacities during hot summer months. Redesign the cooling towers. Some mods to Table 2 could surely be made for specific industry action, but the basics are there. Use it as a template, rather than a global solution.

Reality used to affect the way we thought. Now we somehow believe that what we think affects reality.