How a Single Field Development is Becoming a Hub

The work presented in this paper shows how a single development evolved in a main Production Hub to unlock stranded resources, fast tracking subsequent marginal gas discoveries, by improving the flexibility of the subsea and treatment facilities. The approach was supported by a coherent activity about exploration program in the area, JV partnership and contracting strategy. During the Execution phase of a subsea development, a new discovery was made in deep water, 35 km from the Floating Production Unit (FPU). Following this discovery, given the potential for further developments in the area (stranded gas reservoirs and further new gas discoveries), the decision of considering the FPU as a future Production Hub has been taken and FPU has been converted accordingly. The inlet facilities have been designed to guarantee the possibility of receiving well fluids at different pressure levels (high pressure for the new developments and low pressure for productions in depletion) with high production flexibility. Several verifications have been performed to maximize the production flowrates at different pressure values, according to the envelope of data from exploration activities, via adequate arrangements for future expansion. These verifications considered the FPU as it is and with the implementation of minor and major modifications (including retrofitting offshore of new process modules). Design and timing of new equipment as minor/major brownfield modification have been set-up to cope with the modulate field profiles to keep FPU operating flowrate to its maximum value for longer time. In particular, the choice of new booster gas compressors has been planned, in order to select the best configuration for the most recent Hub development plan and to install them at the right time. Converting a barycentric infrastructure in a Hub ensures a significant reduction of CAPEX for future developments (limited to subsea tie-backs only), allowing to reconsider projects previously evaluated economically unsustainable. Moreover, the Hub shall guarantee a long-term gas production by continuous addition of new discoveries in the area, making it an essential facility for the energy future of the Country.

Epic Games v. Apple: Fortnite battle that can change the industry

When Apple Store was launched, there were 500 applications available for iPhone users. Since then, the number of applications in the App Store skyrocketed and in 2017 reached around 2.2 million. In recent years, the number of apps in the App Store is steadily declining, due to Apple’s decision to remove old apps that do not function or the apps that do not follow current app guidelines. The distribution of the apps is only available through the App Store, where the only available payment processor is controlled by Apple. That places Apple in a unique position.The case Epic Games v. Apple raises a broader discussion, whether Apple as the “gatekeeper” of Apps can restrict distribution and access to the apps in the iOS operational system, and whether that kind of activity can be deemed as a monopolist and restrictive competition in App distribution market. This paper will analyze and critically evaluate the recent lawsuit that was brought up against Apple by Epic Games. The main aspect of this analysis is whether Apple can legally restrict the developer’s ability to distribute the applications through the App Store and if it does not restrict the competition. This article is composed of several chapters. Chapter one will examine the relevant facts of the Epic and Apple lawsuit and will summarize the key arguments of this case. The second chapter will explore the relevant legislation and the relevant market related to previously mention proceedings and will explain how the doctrine of the essential facility might affect the case. Chapter three will delve into similar cases brought up earlier and will cover the distribution of digital goods. Chapter four will provide conclusions and the paths moving forward.The object of the paper is to perform a detailed analysis of the case. The purpose of the paper is an assessment of the relevant facts and legal framework regarding Epic’s claim, as well as analyze the topics of foreclosure and dominance in the market. To write this paper several academic writing methods such as descriptive to provide readers with relevant legislation and inform them about relevant facts of the case, also analytical to form the readers’ opinions regarding the recent events and activities of both sides of the suit, also a comparative to compare different legal frameworks in the United States of America and European Union regarding the regulation of monopoly were used. There is no doubt this topic has enormous relevance because of its’ possible after-effects. Epic’s claim already has an impact not only on Apple but also on the whole app development and distribution industry of digital goods and might create a precedent to the similar cases. Currently, this claim is only discussed in the media, and there is no precedent. This article will not give a clear answer to how this lawsuit will be resolved, because it mainly depends on court interpretation of the relevant market. We would rather give a few alternative solutions to this case.

Traffic flow rate on Kigali roads: a case of national roads (RN1 and RN3)

Traffic flow study plays a key important in various functionalities of cities all over the world. The study of traffic flow is also viewed as an essential facility of the country when it wants to establish traffic operations patterns in the progress of road planning. Blockages are accountable for a sequence of harmful effects such as loss of time, scheduling difficulties, carbon dioxide production, and risks of accidents as well as external expenses. Besides, inadequate transportation facilities and increased traffic volume hamper urban development, especially in developing nations. The objective of the study was to assess the traffic flow state in two selected national roads of Kigali city. The traffic data were collected from 5 am to 8 pm on two National Roads (RN1 and RN3). The relationship between density and flow rate was analyzed using the fundamental diagram of traffic flow. It was found that the peak hours were from 6 am to 8 am and 5 pm to 8 pm. The highest number of vehicles counted were motorcycles due to shortcuts taken to reduce travel time. The results on RN3 revealed a proportion increase of traffic flow and density in the free-flow regime from 0 to maximum flow of 3346.6 veh/h correspondent to a critical density of 114.9 veh/km. However, in the congested zone regime, there was a decrease in traffic flow and an increase in density. It was found that the curve of flow versus density tended to increase on-road RN1. This study proposed the promotion of public transport and e-commerce as strategies to mitigate the congestion. Also, further research may be carried out on all roads of Kigali city, to provide the level of congestion useful for traffic deviation accordingly.

Access to big data as a remedy in big tech

‘Big data’ and ‘big tech’ have become central topics in recent antitrust debate and regulation. For example, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) recently published a report on online platforms, expressing concerns that the major platforms like Google are now protected from competition by such strong incumbency advantages. Underlying the CMA's theory of harm is the essential facility theory of antitrust, under which Google's ability to control access to its click-and-query data is seen as preventing its rivals from competing effectively. EU jurisprudence has identified three criteria to determine whether data are an essential facility and whether access should be mandated. First, the data must be indispensable to compete in the market. Secondly, absent data sharing, technical improvements by competitors must be hampered or precluded. Thirdly, there must be no objective justification to refuse competitors access to the data. It is difficult to reconcile the authorities’ concerns with Google's click-and-query data with these criteria, however. Actual and potential alternatives exist; Google's competitors have been innovating in the search market for more than a decade; and there are objective reasons to limit data access, including threats to innovation and privacy concerns.

Associations between substandard housing and depression: insights from the Korea welfare panel study

Background Housing is an important social determinant of health. Poor housing conditions are associated with a wide range of health conditions, including mental health. The study aimed to investigate the association between substandard housing and depression. Methods We used panel data collected by the Korea Welfare Panel Study and a sample drawn from waves 11 (2016) to 13 (2018). Substandard housing was defined via three criteria: the minimum residential area and number of rooms by application, essential facility standards, and environmental standards. Depression was measured with the CESD-11. A generalized estimating equation model was used to investigate associations between substandard housing and CESD-11 scores. Results Participants living in substandard housing have higher depression scores (male: β = 0.63, female: β = 0.40) than participants who do not live in substandard housing. Participants who do not meet environmental standards have higher depression scores (male: β = 0.85, female: β = 0.66) than participants who do not live in substandard housing; the findings are seen in both men and women. Conclusion This study identified an association between substandard housing and depression by gender, and the results were significant. We found that among the three criteria, environmental standards are most likely to be associated with depression. In practical terms, we should consider improving environmental factors of housing to mitigate mental health issues related to substandard housing.

Super platforms, big data, and competition law: the Japanese approach in contrast with the USA and EU

ABSTRACT This article examines antitrust issues concerning digital platforms equipped with big data. Recent initiatives by the Japanese competition agency are highlighted, comparing them with those by the USA and EU competition authorities. First examined is whether competition among platforms would result in a select few super platforms with market power, concluding that AI with machine learning has augmented the power of super platforms with strong AI-capability, leading to increased importance of merger control over acquisitions by platforms. Next scrutinized is the argument for utility-regulation to be imposed on super platforms, concluding that wide support is limited to data portability, leaving competition law as the key tool for addressing super platforms, its core tool being the provision against exclusionary conduct, enforcement of which, initially, concerns whether to order super platforms to render their data accessible to their rivals. Passive refusal-to-share data needs to be scrutinized under the essential facility doctrine. Beyond passive refusal, platforms’ exclusionary conduct requires competition agencies to weigh the conduct’s exclusionary effects against its efficiency effects. Finally addressed is exploitative abuse, explaining its relation to consumer protection, concluding that competition law enforcement on exploitative abuse should be minimized, since it accompanies risk of over-enforcement.

Associations between substandard housing and depression: Insights from the Korea Welfare Panel Study

Background: Housing is an important social determinant of health. Poor housing conditions are associated with a wide range of health conditions, including mental health. The study aimed to investigate the association between substandard housing and depression. Methods: We used panel data collected by the Korea Welfare Panel Study and a sample drawn from waves 11 (2016) to 13 (2018). Substandard housing was defined via three criteria: the minimum residential area and number of rooms by application, essential facility standards, and environmental standards. Depression was measured with the CESD-11. A generalized estimating equation model was used to investigate associations between substandard housing and CESD-11 scores. Results: Participants living in substandard housing have higher depression scores (male: β=0.63, female: β=0.40) than participants who do not live in substandard housing. Participants who do not meet environmental standards have higher depression scores (male: β=0.85, female: β=0.66) than participants who do not live in substandard housing; the findings are seen in both men and women. Conclusion: This study identified an association between substandard housing and depression by gender, and the results were significant. We found that among the three criteria, environmental standards are most likely to be associated with depression. In practical terms, we should consider improving environmental factors of housing to mitigate mental health issues related to substandard housing.

Damage Probability Assessment of Hospital Buildings in Yogyakarta, Indonesia as Essential Facility due to an Earthquake Scenario

Indonesia is a country located in an earthquake-prone region, and is characterized by significantly increased peak ground acceleration value. The seismic hazard map of Indonesia stated in SNI 1726-2012 and the current statistics published by PUSGEN in 2017 emphasized on the significance of assessing building damage probabilities, especially for essential structures in Yogyakarta. However, immediate action is required to handle response and recovery operations during and after a disaster. The aim of this study, therefore, is to ascertain the vulnerability and damage probability of hospital buildings in Yogyakarta by employing the 2006 earthquake scenario, where reports showed the destruction of over 156,000 houses and other structures. Furthermore, a Hazard-US (HAZUS) method was used for structural analysis, while a ground motion prediction equation was adopted to produce the building response spectra, following the characteristics of the earthquake incidence. The vital step in this assessment involves building type classification and identification of seismic design levels. However, the damage tendency of buildings is determined using the peak building response, which ensures the generation of capacity curves. The most significant findings on building damage probability value were less than 15% in each damage state (slight, moderate, extensive, complete). In addition, the optimum value was achieved at the minimum level of damage (minor), while the least values were recorded at the highest damage level (complete).

Associations between substandard housing and depression: Insights from the Korea Welfare Panel Study

Background Housing is an important social determinant of health. Poor housing conditions are associated with a wide range of health conditions, including mental health. The study aimed to investigate the association between substandard housing and depression. Methods We used panel data collected by the Korea Welfare Panel Study and a sample drawn from waves 11 (2016) to 13 (2018). Substandard housing was defined via three criteria: the minimum residential area and number of rooms by application, essential facility standards, and environmental standards. Depression was measured with the CESD-11. A generalized estimating equation model was used to investigate associations between substandard housing and CESD-11 scores. Results Participants living in substandard housing have higher depression scores (male: β = 0.63, female: β = 0.40) than participants who do not live in substandard housing. Participants who do not meet environmental standards have higher depression scores (male: β = 0.85, female: β = 0.66) than participants who do not live in substandard housing; the findings are seen in both men and women. Conclusion This study identified an association between substandard housing and depression by gender, and the results were significant. We found that among the three criteria, environmental standards are most likely to be associated with depression. In practical terms, we should consider improving environmental factors of housing to mitigate mental health issues related to substandard housing.

Data as infrastructure? A study of data sharing legal regimes

The article discusses the concept of infrastructure in the digital environment, through a study of three data sharing legal regimes: the Public Sector Information Directive (PSI Directive), the discussions on in-vehicle data governance and the freshly adopted data sharing legal regime in the Electricity Directive. While aiming to contribute to the scholarship on data governance, the article deliberately focuses on network industries. Characterised by the existence of physical infrastructure, they have a special relationship to digitisation and ‘platformisation’ and are exposed to specific risks. Adopting an explanatory methodology, the article exposes that these regimes are based on two close but different sources of inspiration, yet intertwined and left unclear. By targeting entities deemed ‘monopolist’ with regard to the data they create and hold, data sharing obligations are inspired from competition law and especially the essential facility doctrine. On the other hand, beneficiaries appear to include both operators in related markets needing data to conduct their business (except for the PSI Directive), and third parties at large to foster innovation. The latter rationale illustrates what is called here a purposive view of data as infrastructure. The underlying understanding of ‘raw’ data (management) as infrastructure for all to use may run counter the ability for the regulated entities to get a fair remuneration for ‘their’ data. Finally, the article pleads for more granularity when mandating data sharing obligations depending upon the purpose. Shifting away from a ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution, the regulation of data could also extend to the ensuing context-specific data governance regime, subject to further research.