Virtual learning program geared for younger students

by Phyllis Coulter, Pantagraph

The students in Lexington’s virtual summer school aren’t high schoolers getting credits for fall or adults earning college credits to advance careers. They are kindergarten students to second- graders. “I like rhyming,” said Belle Payne, 6, one of 30 students using an online program to help her with language skills. She prefers rhyming words to word endings, but worked carefully on her new lesson Thursday. Her mom would take her swimming as soon as she was done. “Mornings are best,” said Cathy Payne, saying her daughter asks for lessons after breakfast and happily works toward her 60-minute weekly goal.

http://www.pantagraph.com/news/local/education/virtual-learning-program-geared-for-younger-students/article_0c449288-e6ab-11e2-8d9a-0019bb2963f4.html

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A Visual Guide To Online Learning

by Katie Lepi, Edudemic

While online learning is nothing new, traditional education is being disrupted by online education. With so many colleges and universities now say that online courses are a critical part of their long-term strategy, it is clear that this trend is affecting the mainstream population higher education students. New technology is fueling online education adoption and enabling it to be very effective. Check out the handy infographic at the URL below to learn more about some of the current statistics and trends in online learning.

http://www.edudemic.com/2013/07/a-visual-guide-to-online-learning/

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How A New Free Online Computer Science Course Could Bring College Prep To Everyone

by GREGORY FERENSTEIN, Tech Crunch

Now, some diversity may be heading the Valley’s way thanks to Former New York Schools Chancellor and Amplify CEO, Joel Klein, who is giving away a free Massively Open Online Course in Advanced Placement Computer Science. “There’s very few really good computer science teachers in America”, Klein tells me, at the The Atlantic’s Aspen Ideas Festival. “There are lots of kids who are prepared and could do well in these programs.” Starting this Fall, Amplify will provide an interactive online course to students around the country. More than 3,000 schools will offer students 2 semesters worth of credit hours. While details are scant on the curriculum, it will hopefully open up a path to a more colorful technology sector. Hispanics and blacks make up 30 and 13% of the American population, respectively, but they only account for 6.7 and 5% of Computer Science degrees, according to a report by the Anita Borg Institute For Women In Technology.

http://techcrunch.com/2013/07/03/how-a-new-free-online-computer-science-course-could-bring-college-prep-to-everyone/

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ABB secures offshore automation contract in the North Sea

Switzerland-based power and automation technology group ABB has secured a contract from Statoil to upgrade safety and automation systems at the Heimdal platform in the North Sea, off the coast of Norway.
Under the contract signed with Statoil in the second quarter of 2013, ABB will provide a new human-machine interface (HMI) for the control system and control room modifications.

The company will also deliver a simulator, fire and gas detectors, as well as integrating telecommunication in the control room and information management systems (IMS).
Once the upgrade is complete, the Heimdal platform will feature ABB's modern 800xA Extended Automation platform as the main control system.
The system has been adapted to comply with Statoil's guidelines for workstations layout and design of process graphics.
As part of the agreement, ABB will hold the complete engineering, procurement, construction and installation (EPCI) responsibility for the project.
"ABB will provide a new human-machine interface (HMI) for the control system and control room modifications."
ABB Norway Process Automation division manager, Per Erik Holsten, said that the upgrade of the safety and automation system on Heimdal is expected to result in profitable and safe operation of the platform."
"ABB's maintenance and modification service solutions extend the life span of installations that have been in operations for a significant amount of time," Holsten added.
The Heimdal field has currently lowered its own production and is now a hub in the central North Sea for the processing and distribution of gas.
The platform receives gas from the Huldra, Oseberg, Skirne and Vale fields and exports it through Vesterled or Statpipe pipelines for processing.
Heimdal field, at its peak, can process gas up to 15% to 20% of the total Norwegian gas production.
Image: The Heimdal platform will feature ABB's new Human-Machine Interface (HMI) system. Photo: courtesy of ABB.


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Boiler for FPSO Vessel Delivered to Hamburg Shipyard

MV Frauke, a modern heavy-lift vessel in SAL's fleet since 2008, has delivered a boiler to the Blohm+Voss repair shipyard in the port of Hamburg. The boiler was destined for an FPSO Vessel which is being conversed onsite in a 17-month life extension programme. MV Frauke loaded the heavy cargo of 850t (24m by 17m by 26m) from a barge and discharged it onto the terminal. Later, the boiler was lifted aboard the FPSO by floating crane.
SAL provides reliable and cost-effective sea transportation for the offshore industry. SAL vessels offer short transit times and custom-made solutions for oil and gas projects.

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Leif-Andreas Storvik joins TMC

We are pleased to announce that Leif-Andreas Storvik has joined TMC in the role of product manager feed air treatment systems. He is also responsible for the filter and dryer portfolio focusing on suppliers, in-house and external product training and product development. He will also give technical support to customers.
Leif-Andreas has over 10 years' experience in the marine production industry. His previous role was as project manager/product Manager at Hamworthy Moss AS/ Wärtsilä Moss AS with a main focus on nitrogen systems for the marine and offshore market. Prior to that he worked for Inocean AS as senior engineer focusing on the conversion of tankers to FPSOs.

Leif-Andreas is an educated marine chief engineer with additional education as a machine engineer (bachelor) specialising in product design and refrigerant technic.
We believe that Leif-Andreas' experience and expertise is a valuable addition to our team and he will be a crucial factor in building TMC's organisation for the future. We welcome him to TMC and wish him the best of luck in his new role!

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Wison secures contract to build 3,000hp modular drilling rig in Gulf of Mexico

Wison Offshore & Marine, the upstream oil and gas division of the Wison Group, has secured a contract from China Oilfield Services (COSL) to construct a new 3,000hp modular drilling rig.
The rig, which will be installed on the Tsimin-C drilling and production platform in the Mexican Bay of Campeche, will be used on a platform in the Mexican sector of the Gulf of Mexico that is operated by Petróleos Mexicanos (PEMEX).
As part of the contract, Wison will provide project management, procurement, production engineering, fabrication, load out, offshore installation and commissioning support for the installation of the rig.
Wison will fabricate the approximately 2,500t rig at its Nantong facility in China and is expected to deliver it in the second quarter of 2014.
The drilling facility is based on a self-nstalling design that consists of 97 smaller units, which require significant integration work to strict tolerances during module construction.
"Wison will provide project management, procurement, production engineering, fabrication, load out, offshore installation and commissioning support for the installation of the rig."
Wison Offshore & Marine executive vice president, L. Dwayne Breaux, said: "Wison has established a strong track record in delivering drilling modules for COSL and we are extremely pleased to expand this relationship and provide more high-quality facilities for PEMEX."
In 2010, Wison delivered two modular platform rigs to COSL for operation on China National Offshore Oil (CNOOC) facilities offshore China.
In 2007, Wison provided four platform rigs for COSL that are currently operating in offshore Mexico.
Wison executes engineering and design activities out of its headquarters in Shanghai, China, as well as in Houston, Texas, and performs fabrication of facilities from its two Chinese yards in Nantong and Zhoushan.
The company, however, has not disclosed the financial terms of the latest contract.
Image: Offshore oil rig. Photo: Courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net.


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