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1 – 10 of over 1000
Article
Publication date: 10 September 2020

Abdurafiu Olaiya Noah, Pawan Adhikari, Babafemi O. Ogundele and Hassan Yazdifar

The purpose of this study is to investigate how state regulations become ineffective in holding corporations accountable for environmental degradation in an emerging economy…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate how state regulations become ineffective in holding corporations accountable for environmental degradation in an emerging economy context, with a specific focus on oil and gas and cement industry in Nigeria.

Design/methodology/approach

The study draws on capture theory to bring out the factors that have rendered redundant the state intervention to make corporations accountable for their environmental activities. The research setting is the oil and gas and cement industry in Nigeria. Data for the study are derived from both documentary analysis and semi-structured interviews and analysed using a thematic technique.

Findings

The findings of the paper demonstrate a regulatory failure to hold corporations to account for their environmental activities. A lack of political will, outdated regulations and the manipulation of the regulators, all have played a part in preventing corporations from being accountable for their activities. In addition, the widespread elite corruption in the country has provided corporations with leeway to manipulate their environmental accountability practices. The study emphasises the need for continuous review of the regulations and efforts to reduce corruption in order to promote corporations' environmental accountability in Nigeria.

Research limitations/implications

The research is limited to Nigeria, oil and gas and cement industries. The theoretical lens can be used to address problem of capture of the regulations and institution in the country.

Practical implications

The practical implication is that it would enhance environmental regulations in Nigeria and emerging economies. It will also provide support from researchers emerging markets on the adoption of capture theory in future research.

Social implications

It will promote corporate best environmental practices in the country. It will reduce the issues surrounding environmental accountability practices and create awareness on environmental issues among the populace. It will create the impression that corporations will be held accountable for their environmental activities in the country and the need to have improved environmental regulations in the country.

Originality/value

The study adds to the debate on corporate environmental accountability practices engendering insights from the Nigerian oil and gas and cement industry. The paper demonstrates how companies in emerging economies can capture state regulations and how rendering environmental accountability becomes more of rhetoric than a reality with little impacts on the welfare of people and society.

Details

Journal of Accounting in Emerging Economies, vol. 11 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2042-1168

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 14 March 2016

Nickolaos Chatziaras, Constantinos S. Psomopoulos and Nickolas J. Themelis

Cement production has advanced greatly in the last few decades. The traditional fuels used in traditional kilns include coal, oil, petroleum coke, and natural gas. Energy costs and

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Abstract

Purpose

Cement production has advanced greatly in the last few decades. The traditional fuels used in traditional kilns include coal, oil, petroleum coke, and natural gas. Energy costs and environmental concerns have encouraged cement companies worldwide to evaluate to what extent conventional fuels can be replaced by waste materials, such as waste oils, mixtures of non-recycled plastics and paper, used tires, biomass wastes, and even wastewater sludge. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

The work is based on literature review.

Findings

The clinker firing process is well suited for various alternative fuels (AF); the goal is to optimize process control and alternative fuel consumption while maintaining clinker product quality. The potential is enormous since the global cement industry produces about 3.5 billion tons that consume nearly 350 million tons of coal-equivalent fossil and AF. This study has shown that several cement plants have replaced part of the fossil fuel used by AF, such waste recovered fuels. Many years of industrial experience have shown that the use of wastes as AF by cement plants is both ecologically and economically justified.

Originality/value

The substitution of fossil fuels by AF in the production of cement clinker is of great importance both for cement producers and for society because it conserves fossil fuel reserves and, in the case of biogenic wastes, reduces greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, the use of AF can help to reduce the costs of cement production.

Details

Management of Environmental Quality: An International Journal, vol. 27 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1477-7835

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 January 2011

Johan Rootzén, Jan Kjärstad and Filip Johnsson

The aim of this study is to assess the role of CO2 capture and storage (CCS) technologies in the reduction of CO2 emissions from European industries.

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Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this study is to assess the role of CO2 capture and storage (CCS) technologies in the reduction of CO2 emissions from European industries.

Design/methodology/approach

A database covering all industrial installations included in the EU ETS has been created. Potential capture sources have been identified and the potential for CO2 capture has been estimated based on branch‐ and plant‐specific conditions. Emphasis is placed here on three branches of industry with promising prospects for CCS: mineral oil refineries, iron and steel, and cement manufacturers.

Findings

A relatively small number (∼270) of large installations (>500,000 tCO2/year) dominates emissions from the three branches investigated in this study. Together these installations emit 432 MtCO2/year, 8 percent of EU's total greenhouse gas emissions. If the full potential of emerging CO2 capture technologies was realized, some 270‐330 MtCO2 emissions could be avoided annually. Further, several regions have been singled out as particularly suitable to facilitate integrated CO2 transport networks. The most promising prospects for an early deployment of CCS are found in the regions bordering the North Sea.

Research limitations/implications

Replacement/retrofitting of the existing plant stock will involve large investments and deployment will take time. It is thus important to consider how the current industry structure influences the potential to reduce CO2 in the short‐ medium and long term. It is concluded that the age structure of the existing industry plant stock and its implications for the timing and deployment rate of CO2 capture and other mitigation measures are important and should therefore be further investigated.

Practical implications

CCS has been recognized as a key option for reducing CO2 emissions within the EU. This assessment shows that considerable emission reductions could be achieved by targeting large point sources in some of the most emission‐intensive industries. Yet, a number of challenges need to be resolved in all parts of the CCS chain. Efforts need to be intensified from all stakeholders to gain more experience with the technological, economical and social aspects of CCS.

Originality/value

This study provides a first estimate of the potential role for CO2 capture technologies in lowering CO2 emissions from European heavy industry. By considering wider system aspects as well as plant‐specific conditions the assessment made in this study gives a realistic overview of the prospects and practical limitations of CCS in EU industry.

Details

Management of Environmental Quality: An International Journal, vol. 22 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1477-7835

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 September 2013

Chengqiang Ren, Yi He, Dezhi Zeng and Taihe Shi

The long‐term durability of cement becomes an important challenge in oil and gas wells due to the aggressive acid gas. H2S has been found in more and more wells. The purpose of…

Abstract

Purpose

The long‐term durability of cement becomes an important challenge in oil and gas wells due to the aggressive acid gas. H2S has been found in more and more wells. The purpose of this research was to add polymer latex to the Class G cement in order to promote the H2S corrosion resistance of oilwell cement.

Design/methodology/approach

The water loss and thickening time of cement slurry and compressive strength and gas permeability of bond cement were investigated to determine the cement formulation. The corrosion resistance of the polymer cement was compared to base Class G cement in solution with 1.8 MPa H2S at 120°C.

Findings

The optimum concentration of polystyrene latex was determined as 5 percent. The permeability change, compressive strength loss and corrosion ratio of latex cement were all lower than for the base Class G cement. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy results and microstructure details confirmed that the latex cement had stronger resistance to the aggressive medium. Thus, latex cement had excellent corrosion resistance to H2S.

Originality/value

The findings of this study can further improve the sulfide resistance of Class G cement. Two roles of the polystyrene latex were observed in the cement, including interstitial in‐filling of the pore structure and packing around hydration products, which are proposed to properly explain the results.

Details

Anti-Corrosion Methods and Materials, vol. 60 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0003-5599

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 January 2017

Sanjeev Shrivastava and Shrivastava R.L.

The purpose of this paper is to survey the technical performance of the cement industry including those related to procedures; groundwork of raw materials, fuels and semi-finished…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to survey the technical performance of the cement industry including those related to procedures; groundwork of raw materials, fuels and semi-finished products for processing; accessibility of machinery, plant and equipment for various operations; arrangement and process control management.

Design/methodology/approach

A broad range of survey and research was reviewed, and all revealed the methods to recognize the key influences for development of green technology. The study explores the present scenario of green manufacturing (GM) strategies of Indian cement companies and provides the industrial ecology, ways of reducing energy consumption, environmental impact data collection, design and control of manufacturing systems and integration of product and manufacturing system. It also reveals the problems in decision-making systems owing to the impact of the green product design. Here, in this paper, all information is obtained by the medium of internet, journals, articles, and magazines.

Findings

This paper describes a problem of global warming, gas, water and other wastages emissions at the time of cement manufacturing and put forward a path that enables decision makers to assess the perception of GM in their organization and in prioritizing GM efforts.

Originality/value

This perspective survey is to provide an integrative outlook of performance methods for GM practices in the Indian cement industries. It gives important information, which expectantly will help in cement industry to adopt GM practices. This paper fills the gap in the literature on identification, establishment, and validation of performance measures of GM for Indian cement industries.

Details

International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management, vol. 34 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0265-671X

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 19 October 2016

Michael Watts

Using the case of the Deepwater Horizon blowout in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010, I argue that the catastrophe was less an example of a low probability-high catastrophe event than an…

Abstract

Using the case of the Deepwater Horizon blowout in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010, I argue that the catastrophe was less an example of a low probability-high catastrophe event than an instance of socially produced risks and insecurities associated with deepwater oil and gas production during the neoliberal period after 1980. The disaster exposes the deadly intersection of the aggressive enclosure of a new technologically risky resource frontier (the deepwater continental shelf) with what I call a frontier of neoliberalized risk, a lethal product of cut-throat corporate cost-cutting, the collapse of government oversight and regulatory authority and the deepening financialization and securitization of the oil market. These two local pockets of socially produced risk and wrecklessness have come to exceed the capabilities of what passes as risk management and energy security. In this sense, the Deepwater Horizon disaster was produced by a set of structural conditions, a sort of rogue capitalism, not unlike those which precipitated the financial meltdown of 2008. The forms of accumulation unleashed in the Gulf of Mexico over three decades rendered a high-risk enterprise yet more risky, all the while accumulating insecurities and radical uncertainties which made the likelihood of a Deepwater Horizon type disaster highly overdetermined.

Details

Risking Capitalism
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78635-235-4

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 January 2021

Sa’d Shannak and Artem Malov

This paper aims to discuss opportunities for pairing the carbon dioxide (CO2) points of supply from stationary sources such as power plants, steel and cement production, coal to…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to discuss opportunities for pairing the carbon dioxide (CO2) points of supply from stationary sources such as power plants, steel and cement production, coal to liquid plants and refineries, with potential oil reservoirs in China.

Design/methodology/approach

This study builds a linear optimization model to analyze the tradeoffs in developing CO2-enhance oil recovery (EOR) projects in China for a range of policy options to match points of supply with the points of demand (oil fields). The model works on optimizing CO2 application costs by meeting four principal components; CO2 storage, CO2 capture, transport costs and additional oil recovery.

Findings

This study reveals new opportunities and economic sources to feed CO2-EOR applications and offers reasonable options to supply CO2 for potential points of demand. Furthermore, power plants and coal to liquid industries had the most significant and economic contributions to potential CO2-EOR projects in China. Total annual emission reduction is expected to be 10% (based on 10 Gton annual emissions). The emission reductions and potential CO2 storage from the different industries as follow; 94% from power plants, 4% from biofuel and 2% from coal to liquid plants.

Social implications

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is one practice aiming to reduce the amounts of anthropogenic emissions of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere and reduce the related social costs. However, given the relatively high cost associated with this practice, coupling it with EOR could offer a significant financial incentive to facilitate the development of CCS projects and meet climate change objectives.

Originality/value

The model used in this study can be straightforwardly adapted to any geographic location where industry and policymakers are looking to simultaneously reduce CO2 emissions while increasing hydrocarbon recovery. The model is highly adaptable to local values in the parameters considered and to include additional local considerations such as geographic variation in capture costs, taxes and premiums to be placed on CO2 capture in so-called “non-attainment zones” where pollution capture make could make a project politically and economically viable. Regardless of how and where this model is applied, it is apparent that CO2 from industrial sources has substantial potential value as a coproduct that offsets its sequestration costs using existing, commercially available CO2-EOR technology, once sources and sinks are optimally paired.

Details

Journal of Science and Technology Policy Management, vol. 12 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2053-4620

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 16 August 2013

Shingo Asamoto, Yvi Le Guen, Olivier Poupard and Bruno Capra

In the carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) project, the integrity of CO2 injection wells plays a vital role in the long‐term safety of CO2 storage. The authors aim to…

Abstract

Purpose

In the carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) project, the integrity of CO2 injection wells plays a vital role in the long‐term safety of CO2 storage. The authors aim to practically investigate possible CO2 leakage of a CO2 injection well section during the injection operation and shut‐in by the thermomechanical FEM simulation. The application of numerical simulation to the CO2 injection well deep underground is the first step that will help in the quantitative evaluation of the mechanical risks.

Design/methodology/approach

The injection of CO2 at a temperature different from those of the well and the surrounding geological formation is likely to cause different thermal deformations of constitutive well materials. This could lead to cement cracking and microannuli openings at the interfaces of different materials such as casing/cement and cement/rock. In this paper, the possibility and order of magnitude of cement cracking and microannuli creation in the cross section of the well are assessed from a numerical case study within a classical thermomechanical finite element model framework.

Findings

The possibility of compressive failure and tensile cracking in the cement of the studied wells due to CO2 injection is small unless a large casing eccentricity or an initial defect in the cement is present. Some microannuli openings are generated at interfaces cement/casing and/or cement/rock during the CO2 injection because of different thermal shrinkage of each material. However, the width is not important enough to cause significant CO2 leakage under the studied conditions. The use of “flexible” cement especially developed for oil well applications could mitigate the risk of cement cracking during CO2 injection.

Originality/value

Numerous experimental studies on the chemical deterioration of the cement under severe conditions have been carried out. On the other hand, only a few investigations have focused on the mechanical behavior under thermal/pressure changes related to CO2 injection. In this paper, the quantitative analysis to investigate cement cracking and microannuli formation is achieved to help in the identification of possible mechanical defects to cause CO2 leakage. In addition, the discussion about the risk of the possible casing eccentricity and the application of flexible cement in the oil and gas field to CO2 injection well could be practically useful.

Details

Engineering Computations, vol. 30 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0264-4401

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 12 April 2013

Chukwumerije Okereke and Kristina Küng

The purpose of this paper is to provide a descriptive analysis of the carbon management activities of the cement industry in Europe, based on a study involving the four largest…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide a descriptive analysis of the carbon management activities of the cement industry in Europe, based on a study involving the four largest producers of cement in the world. Based on this analysis, the paper explores the relationship between managerial perception and strategy, with particular focus on the impact of government regulation and competitive dynamics.

Design/methodology/approach

The research is based on extensive documentary analysis and in‐depth interviews with senior managers from the four companies who have been responsible for and/or involved in the development of climate change strategies.

Findings

It was found that whilst the cement industry has embraced climate change and the need for action, there remains much scope for action in their carbon management activities, with current effort concentrating on hedging practices and win‐win efficiency programs. Managers perceive that inadequate and unfavourable regulatory structure is the key barrier against more action to achieve emission reduction within the industry. Interestingly, EU cement companies are also shifting their CO2 emissions to less developed countries of the South.

Originality/value

The paper analyses corporate climate strategy in one of the most carbon intensive and yet least studied industries. With specific focus on the EU, the paper highlights a number of policy approaches for encouraging the cement industry on the path of deeper emission reduction.

Article
Publication date: 9 April 2018

Syahrir Ridha, Afif Izwan Abd Hamid and Che Ku Afiza Hanim Che Ku Mazuan

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the mechanical properties changing of geopolymer cement under different brine salinity.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the mechanical properties changing of geopolymer cement under different brine salinity.

Design/methodology/approach

Geopolymer Cement of Class F Fly Ash and Class G Cement slurries were prepared according to API RP 10B. The optimum alkaline activator/cement and water/cement ratio of 0.44 was used for geopolymer and Class G cement samples, respectively. The alkaline activator was prepared by mixing the proportion of Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) solutions of 8 M and Sodium Silicate (Na2SiO3) using ratio of 1:2.5 by weight. The slurries were cured for 24 hours at 130oC and 3,000 psi in HPHT Curing Chamber followed by coring process. Both cement sample were immersed in brine water salinity up to 28 days with different brine salinity up to 30 per cent of NaCl. The mechanical properties were investigated using OYO Sonic Viewer-SX and Uniaxial Compressive Strength. The surfaces of the cement samples were extracted for Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and EDS tests to evaluate the morphology and chemical compositions of the cured samples.

Findings

The paper shows that geopolymer samples experiences strength reduction in brine water but the reduction rate of geopolymer is about half of the Ordinary Portland cement based oil well cement. The finding was also verified by SEM and EDS result.

Originality/value

This paper investigates the mechanical property changes of emerging geopolymer cement due to different water salinity. The results provide potential application of geopolymer cement for oil well cementing.

Details

International Journal of Structural Integrity, vol. 9 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1757-9864

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