Tuesday, February 18, 2020

ExxonMobil and Rosneft Arctic Collaboration Essay

ExxonMobil and Rosneft Arctic Collaboration - Essay Example The entire project is at risk from a large number of factors that span the financial, compliance, strategic and operational domains. The project is set to create an open framework that allows information and expertise sharing along with data availability and accessibility. Another aim is to augment oil reserves and to ensure oil supply as per global demand. Similarly the project looks to develop world class expertise and to come to an agreement that is beneficial and protective throughout the life of the project. Another underlying aim for Exxon is to become a leading oil giant. A large challenge is to achieve cooperation across the table and to deal with a state controlled country. This may give rise to legal issues and the US Congress may be reluctant to support such an initiative. Environmental groups would also oppose efforts for exploration and the icy environment would be a large challenge to work with as well as problems in oil spills, waste disposal and oil transportation. Th e project would proceed as semi-sub drilling with daily costs of $700,000 producing some 160,000 barrels per day. A joint venture framework would be used as the political and economic climate of the US Russia relationship is precarious over the longer run. The largest risk anticipated by the project is price volatility in the international market given that the project stretches some two decades. The collaboration between Exxon Mobil and Rosneft Arctic Corporation is a very positive step in order to promote collaboration between the US and Russia. Moreover such collaboration can provide much required relief to the international energy markets as more oil is discovered and exploited. The Russian side has the territorial space and the jurisdiction while the American side has the capability to provide the technical expertise that is much required to carry out this project. The largest technical challenge will stem from the function of the TLP’s tendons under the

Monday, February 3, 2020

Making Sense of DNA Backlogs. Evidence Backlog Epidemic Research Paper

Making Sense of DNA Backlogs. Evidence Backlog Epidemic - Research Paper Example Apart from the usual fingerprint analysis, the use of DNA evidence is employed in other relatable areas such as footwear evidence, accounting crimes, vein matching, glove-print analysis and body identification, among others. This means that the use of DNA evidence plays a pivotal role in crime scene investigations, analyzing trace evidence and skid marks. Nevertheless, despite the magnanimity that comes with the use of DNA evidence, the backlog epidemic that is constantly accosting it is undermining its usefulness. Several factors underpin the DNA evidence backlog, as shall be seen forthwith. The seriousness of the matter concerning DNA evidence backlog is compounded by the fact that cases are considered backlogged if 90 days elapse without the DNA evidence having been analyzed, or when the DNA evidence has not been subjected to analysis and the final report tabled before the agency that submitted the DNA evidence. Because of this, the DNA backlog can be split into: arrestee; casewor k; and convicted offender DNA backlog. The main cause of the buildup in coursework DNA backlog is the very nature of coursework DNA gathering exercise. Given that forensic evidence is herein gathered from crime scene, suspects and victims of crime before being taken to laboratory, processing this kind of evidence consumes time. This is because the evidence must be screened to establish the presence of biological materials. After the detecting the presence of biological material, the nature of the biological material must then be determined. Subsequently, the DNA testing begins. In the event that further complications are brought about by degrading and fragmenting of the DNA evidence from multiple victims or suspects, then more time will be required to solve the complication, and thereby making the process more protracted (Nelson, 2010). The foregoing is not the case with the arrestee and the convicted offender DNA which is less amenable to backlogs. This is because, in the arrestee and convicted offender DNA, there are identical media such as paper products which help in analyzing samples. At the same time, standardized collection methods are available to facilitate forensic laboratories to subject different samples to automated analysis at one go. Similarly, arrestee and convicted offender DNA evidence can be subjected to robotic platforms to process several score of samples in a 96-sample format. Additionally, unlike the case of casework DNA sample, the laboratory analyst needs not find the DNA sample amidst the evidence obtained. This means that the DNA evidence backlog