No topic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

No topic - Essay Example He based moral requirements on categorical imperative. Aristotle thought that the human life has a purpose and proper function to do, which provides happiness to the individual. This he termed as the purpose of human beings. It was achieved by using one’s reason and logic. Kant used the example of the honest shopkeeper. The honest shopkeeper was considered a moral person because he was honest out of inclination. The shopkeeper feels that being a moral and ethical person brings him better reputation more business and profits. John Stuart Mill argued that human beings are capable of experiencing ‘higher pleasures’ as well as ‘lower pleasures’. In order to differentiate he stated that the higher pleasures produce better quality and more quantity of pleasure or happiness. While on the other hand, the lower pleasures tend to be more of selfish in nature. According to Locke the life of an individual is governed by reason and ‘the reason’ happens to be the basic driving force behind the state of nature. Locke came out with the thought that reason teaches us not to harm another in his life, liberty, health or possession. He further added that an transgressions will invite punishments. Hobbes and Locke both happened to be renowned social contract theorists, but their views differ on several aspects. For example, while Locke believed that man is by nature a social animal, Hobbes thought it otherwise and suggested that ‘society could not exist except by the power of the state.’ In my opinion Kant’s Ethical Theory stands out as one of the best. While on the one hand this theory talks about the Good will on the one hand, rationality and morality are also described as integral components of the human behavior. Kant advances the argument that the outcome of our actions cannot be accurately predicted, but the intent

Analys of a needs assessment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Analys of a needs assessment - Essay Example The hospital has a cardiovascular section including the Cardiac Cath Lab, the Electrophysiology lab, Echo lab and Angio Lab. The Cardiac Cath Lab employs registered nurses; however the VA facility employs registered nurses, advanced practice nurses, licensed practical nurses, nursing assistants and nurse anesthetists. This report targets the nurses working in the Richmond VAMC Cardiac cath lab section. As the managing director of the cardiac cath lab of Richmond VAMC, I have observed some additional learning requirements for nurses in this sector. To verify this fact, I assessed a sample of the nurses in the form of questionnaires. This document is an analysis of the results of an assessment conducted to determine the educational needs of the nurses in the cardiac cath lab. The assessment was in the form of a questionnaire conducted on 10 staff members and containing 9 questions (Dept of Veteran Affairs, 2011). Description of a sample of assessed employees Mary A. Allan The above sta ted person has been working in this cardiac cath lab for five years. She previously worked at Utah Valley Regional Centre in its cardiac cath lab as a nurse for 4 years. She trained as a nurse at the Utah Valley University after where she got employed at the Blossoms Children Care. She currently holds a BSN and possesses adequate training in advanced cardiac life support and reading of EKGs. She is efficient, punctual, exceedingly skillful and addresses the patients adequately. Joan O, Kenney The above stated person has been working at the cardiac cath lab for 1 year. Prior to working here, she was a student at the Richmond Medical Training center for 3 years. She has no prior working experience as a cardiac cath lab nurse. She currently holds a BSN and possesses adequate training in advanced cardiac life support and reading of EKGs. Prior to working here, she was a student at the Richmond Medical Training center for 3 years. Catherine G. Williams The above stated person has worked in the cardiac cath lab for three years. Prior to working here, she was a student at the Richmond Medical Training center for 3 years. She possesses no prior experience as a cardiac cath lab nurse. However, she worked as an intern at the Richmond Clinic. She currently holds a BSN and possesses adequate training in advanced cardiac life support and reading of EKGs (Dept of Veteran Affairs, 2011). Analysis of assessment results Working experience In the questionnaire, questions 1 and 2 dealt with the external and internal work experience the nurses possessed in relation to a cardiac cath lab. About 40% of the workers responded to have working experience in this lab for three years and above. Also, 70% of the nurses responded to having worked in other cath labs for more than three years. We consider a nurse who has worked for three years and more in a cardiac cath lab to be adequately experienced in this field thus, more than 70% of them possess the reputation in this one. This data in dicates that about three quarters of the nurses have adequate cath lab experience. Orientation satisfaction This is an analysis of the response by the nurses towards the orientation. Questions 3, 4 and 6 covered issues concerning the orientation. A considerable number (40%) are under-oriented since they received less than four weeks

Market Trends Analysis of Indian Oil and Gas Industry

Market Trends Analysis of Indian Oil and Gas Industry OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY This study provides an insight into the oil and gas industry. Analyze market trends for oil and gas industry in the global arena. To understand financial performance and financial position of oil and natural gas companies like ONGC, Petro china, Chevron and Exxon Mobil. To analyse the financial statements of 2009-2010, so as to understand about the key factors like Profitability and Solvency for decision making and ultimate business solvency. To find out the ratios of the company and carry out a comparative study. To understand the current position of these companies. To analyze the Indian oil market. To see the international scenario. To analyze the oil prices in India and other countries. BROAD APPROACH AND METHODOLOGY Type The study carried out will be more like a Descriptive Research. For analyzing the financial statement, methodology to be used is financial ratio analysis and comparative study. Purpose The study mainly focuses on giving knowledge about the importance of annual reports. Data collection The data collection has been made in two ways: Primary source: Data has been collected with the help of constant interaction with my mentor Ms. Uma Rajamani Manager (FA). Secondary source: Data has been collected with the help of : Annual report of ONGC. ONGC reports. Internet. This source helped me in collecting information about the company as a whole, financial performance. Before making use of secondary data both the data and its source were evaluated. Particular attention was paid to definitions used, measurement error, source bias, reliability and the time span of the secondary data. HIGHLIGHTS OF THE INDIAN OIL AND NATURAL GAS SECTOR HIGHLIGHTS IN THE PETROLEUM NATURAL GAS SECTOR DURING 2009-10 India has total reserves (proved indicated) of 1201 million metric tonnes of crude oiland1437 billion cubic metres of natural gas as on 1.4.2010. The total number of exploratory and development wells and metreage drilled in onshoreand offshore areas during 2009-10 was 428 and 1019 thousand metres respectively. Crude oil production during 2009-10 at 33.69 million metric tonnes is 0.55% higher than33.51 million metric tonnes produced during 2008-09. Gross Production of Natural Gas in the country at 47.51 billion cubic metres during 2009-10 is 44.63% higher than the production of 32.85 billion cubic metres during 2008-09. The production of Natural Gas at 44.94% and 0.08% of the total were highest and lowestin JVC/Private and West Bengal respectively during 2009-10. The flaring of Natural Gas in 2009-10 at 2.09% of gross production is lower than at 3.29% in 2008-09. The refining capacity in the country increased to 184.386 million tonnes per annum(MTPA) as on 1.4.2010 from 177.968 MTPA as on 1.4.2009. The total refinery crude throughput during 2009-10 at 160.03 million metric tonnes is0.46% lower than 160.77 million metric tonnes crude processed in 2008-09 and the prorate capacity utilisation in 2009-10 was 89.92% as compared to 107.43% in 2008-09. The production of petroleum products during 2009-10 was 151.898 million metric tones (including 2.244 million metric tonnes of LPG production from natural gas) registering adecrease of 0.51% over last years production at 152.678 million metric tonnes (including2.162 million metric tonnes of LPG production from natural gas). The country exported 50.974 million metric tonnes of petroleum products against theimports of 23.49 million metric tonnes (including 8.828 million metric tonnes of LNG) during 2009-10. The consumption of petroleum products during 2009-10 were 138.196 million metrictonnes (including sales through private imports) which is 3.60% higher than the sales of133.400 million metric tonnes during 2008-09. The total number of retail outlets of Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies as on1.4.2010 has gone upto 36462 from 34948 on 1.4.2009. The total number of LPG consumers of Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies as on1.4.2010 were 114.952 million against 105.632 million as on 1.4.2009. The number of persons employed (including contract employees) in petroleum industryas on 1.04.2010 and 1.04.2009 are 129988 138973 respectively. OIL INDUSTRY INTRODUCTION TO THE OIL INDUSTRY Energy in all its forms is critical to economic growth, development, and social welfare. The worlds need for reliable and affordable energy supplies is growing. Energy is a critical input for economic growth and its availability determines the quality of both, the national economy and the life of citizens. Sustainable economic progress hinges crucially around the supply of stable and competitively priced energy. Oil is a fungible, international commodity whose ownership and ultimate destination is determined by market forces once it leaves the producing country. No country can effectively isolate itself from changes elsewhere in the market, nor is it likely that any nation can take actions that do not indirectly affect other nations. Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture. OIL industry is considered to be the back bone of an economy because this is the main source of energy till date. Any economy around the world would fail to precede a single step in the absence of petroleum industry. Thus, before using this energy source, the crude petroleum is required to be refined in the petroleum refineries for extracting various fractions for energy generation namely, petrol, natural gas, kerosene, asphalt and many more. The processes that are involved in the petroleum industry are: Drilling at the site of petroleum for making well so that the crude oil could be extracted. Refining of the crude oil Storing of the extracted oil in a secured place. Transportation of the stored crude oil is required to be done to the different refineries. Processing of the crude oil needs to be done in the processing units of refineries for converting it into usable fuel form along with the other important derivative products. Core activities of oil and natural gas sector Exploration and Production India is heavily import dependent for its oil and gas requirements. Our total imports of crude oiland petroleum products in the year 2008-09 amounted to 146.441 million metric tones (MMT), worth about Rs. 4,01,631 crore. The country also exported petroleum products amounting to 36.414 MMT, earning foreign exchange worth nearly Rs. 1,15,987 crore. The gap between demand and availability of crude oil from indigenous sources is likely to increase over the years. In case of gas, this gap is expected to decrease with production of gas from KG basin. The growing gap in demand and supply of oil and the shortfall in supply of gas requires greater emphasis to be placed on exploration and production. Objectives of Exploration and Production activities To undertake a complete appraisal of the Indian Sedimentary basin area for tapping thehydrocarbon potential. To optimize production of crude oil and natural gas in the most efficient manner. To keep pace with the technological advancements and remain at the technological forefront in the global exploration and production industry. To achieve a near zero impact on environment. Refining and Marketing The development of refining and marketing activities is crucial for achieving self sufficiency inpetroleum products and in moving towards a competitive and consumer oriented market. Objective of Refining and Marketing Activities Maintain self-sufficiency in all petroleum products by appropriate enhancement in refiningcapacities by National Oil Companies private players including international oil companies. Develop export capability in petroleum products so that the refining industry becomes globally competitive and oil security is enhanced. To develop corresponding infrastructure including ports, pipelines and depots, etc. for anefficient oil industry. To make available quality fuels at affordable prices while continuing subsidies for sensitivepetroleum products. To improve consumer services through better retailing practices and competition. Tariff and Pricing A rational tariff and pricing policy is vital to ensure healthy growth of the hydrocarbonsector and to protect the consumers as well. Objectives of Tariff and Pricing Policy To provide incentives for cleaner, greener and quality fuels so as to promote an environment friendly hydrocarbon sector. To balance the need to boost Government revenue with the need to align taxes and duties with Asia- Pacific countries and the prices to international levels. To promote new investments, by ensuring adequate protection to domestic producers The industry is usually divided into three major components: upstream, midstream and downstream. The upstream oil sector is known as exploration and production sector. It includes the searching for potential underground or underwater oil and gas fields, drilling of exploratory wells, and subsequently operating the wells that recover and bring the crude oil. The midstream processes, stores, markets and transports the crude oil. The downstream oil sector is used to refer to the refining of crude oil, selling and distribution. Oil companies measure oil production in the unit of barrels (bbl). Oil Natural Gas Commission was established on 14th August, 1956 as a statutory body under Oil Natural Gas Commission Act (The ONGC Act), for the development of petroleum resources and sale of petroleum products. ONGC was converted into a Public Limited Company under the Companies Act, 1956 and named as â€Å"Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited† with effect from 1st February, 1994. The Government disinvested around 10% of the equity shares of ONGC in March 2004 through a public offer in the domestic capital market at Rs. 750 per share. After the above disinvestment, the shareholding of the Government in ONGC came down to around 74.15%. HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE YEAR 2009-10. ONGC has made 15 oil gas discoveries in the areas under its operative control. State-of-the-art technologies inducted in hardware software for seismic data acquisition, processing interpretation, and in well logging. Advanced drilling techniques for sidetracks, multilateral and extended reach wells absorbed and implemented on fast track. Engineering design audit introduced with significant cost savings. ONGC registered its fifth Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) project with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) on September 22, 2009. The project, ‘Energy Efficiency of Amine Circulation Pumps at Hazira involves enhancing energy efficiency achieved in the Amine Circulation Pumps of Hazira Plant. The project will fetch an estimated Certified Emission Reduction (CER) of 4043 per year for a period of 10 years. With this, ONGC achieves a total annual CER of about 1.24 lakh. National Safety Awards in Oil Mines Category: ONGC has bagged four National Safety Awards in Oil Mines Category for year 2007. This is fourth consecutive years that ONGC has bagged these awards, instituted by the Ministry of Labour Employment, Government of India to motivate, appreciate and recognize the extraordinary performance in the area of mines safety. These awards were given by the Honble Vice President of India in New Delhi on October 23, 2009. These awards are based on Longest Accident Free Period (LAFP) and Lowest Injury Frequency Rate (LIFR) and were judged by jury of Director General of Mines Safety, Management Representatives and Trade Union Representatives. PCRA Award for Oil and Gas Conservation: ONGC bagged the Best Overall Performance PCRA Award amongst the Upstream Oil Companies for the Oil and Gas Conservation Programmes during the year 2009. The National Stock Exchange of India Ltd, Mumbai The Company has the following ASSETS /PLANTS/ BASINS/ REGIONS : A. ASSETS/ PLANTS: Mumbai High Asset, Mumbai Neelam Heera Asset, Mumbai Bassein Satellite Asset, Mumbai Uran Plant, Uran Hazira Plant, Hazira Ahmedabad Asset, Ahmedabad Ankleshwar Asset, Mehsana Mehsana Asset, Mehsana Rajamundry Asset, Rajamundry Karaikal Asset, Karaikal Assam Asset, Nazira Tripura Asset, Agartala B. BASINS: Western Offshore Basin, Mumbai Western Onshore Basin Vadodara KG Basin, Rajamundry Cauvery Basin , Chennai Assam Assam-Arakan Basin , Jorhat CBM- BPM Basin , Kolkata Frontier Basin , Dehradun C. REGIONS: Mumbai Region, Mumbai Western Region, Baroda Eastern Region, Nazira Southern Region, Chennai Central Region, Kolkata PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE DURING 2008-09 2009-10 FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE DURING 2008-09 2009-10 PROGRESS OF PROJECTS : MAJOR PROJECTS COMPLETED DURING THE YEAR MAJOR PROJECTS APPROVED DURING THE YEAR MAJOR INITIATIVES Strategic goals set for two decades 2001-2020 Doubling Reserve Accretion to 12 Billion MTO+OEG Improving Recovery Factor to the order of 40% Production of 20 MMTPA O+OEG equity oil and gas from acquisitions abroad. Short-term Strategy Time scheduled exploration activities for prospect recognition and drilling. Prioritisation of exploration activities on fast track basis for enhancing reserves accretion. Pre-drill 3D seismic in deepwater and blanket 3D in key growth areas. Knowledge building in new sectors of producing as well as frontier basins. Medium-long-term Strategy Further intensification of exploration in the producing basins to realise the hydrocarbon resources to in-place volume conversion. Exploration spread in non-producing basins and yet to be explored basins to establish their potential and knowledge building. Major shift to deep offshore as the major thrust and contributing sector. Strategic Initiatives Major development projects including IOR/ EOR schemes with an approved cost of Rs. 30,000 crore are under various stages of implementation to enhance crude oil and natural gas production. A new and dedicated business unit viz. Eastern Offshore Asset has been constituted with an aim to put east coast discoveries on a fast track development through an integrated east coast hub. Substantive decentralization of administrative authorities together with delegation of financial authorities carried out to empower the field executives. Induction of new technologies in core areas of EP activities like: Acquisition, processing and interpretation of seismic data Drilling and production technology IT and communication. Materials Management Inventory Management and codification procedure have been implemented and computerized to track and identify the materials efficiently. NON-CONVENTIONAL SOURCES OF ENERGY (i) Wind Power Project: Wind Farm Project of 50 MW at Motisindoli in Kutch district of Gujarat is an initiative of ONGC towards its commitment for environment-friendly and pollution-free energy production. The power generated from this wind power project is being wheeled to 101 locations of ONGCs oil field installations/ offices/ residential quarters in the state of Gujarat. ONGC shall be saving about Rs. 30 crore per year on electricity charges in Gujarat, considering the present purchase price of electricity. (ii) Installations of Solar thermal plants: Solar thermal plants in ONGC guest house, hospital, academy hostel, officers club, central workshop, Baroda and colony are already installed. Initiatives have been taken to install the solar water heating system at other locations of ONGC also. Solar panels were installed at well heads of (Bokaro) Jharkhand. 9600 lakhs per day (LPD) capacity of solar water heating system is added in this year and total capacity installed is 38100 LPD. HEALTH, SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENT (HSE) Environmental initiatives encompassed solid waste, liquid effluent, air emission monitoring mechanism for proactive planning to manage waste through environment-friendly technologies like bio-remediation, reduction and recycling options and environmental reporting based on global reporting initiative principles. Several initiatives of long-term and continuous nature like bio-remediation of oily sludge, effluent management, ISO certification of installations on international benchmark standards, Mangroove and Hingal plantations etc. are also being carried out in ONGC. CONSERVATION OF ENERGY AND PETROLEUM PRODUCTS ONGC is actively pursuing energy conservation measures. The conservation of petroleum products namely HSD, Lube oil and natural gas are important activities. These measures include: Phasing out of old diesel engines more than 15 years old. Awareness campaign on use of bio-diesel as alternate fuel. Use of small DG sets during lean periods in rigs, proper capacity utilization, rationalization and efficiency improvement of equipments, use of energy efficient devices. Substitution of diesel engines with gas engines at installations where gas is available. Increase in lube oil change period resulting in substantial saving. Natural gas flaring has been reduced and the same is being supplied to consumers. Use of small DG sets and waste heat recovery equipment at offshore platforms, rigs, LPG plants at Hazira and Uran. Use of energy efficient equipment and devices such as top drives, linear motion shale shakers, electronic diesel engines, soft start systems and energy efficient lamps etc. Use of gas engines in place of diesel ones for power generation. Thermal energy cost reduction achieved by maintenance of steam traps at processing plants. Conducting energy audit on regular basis and Petroleum Products Conservation Opportunities (PPCOs) are identified. Harnessing solar energy by using solar water heaters/ photo-voltaic panels at various locations. ONGC VIDESH LIMITED (OVL) ONGC Videsh Limited (OVL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of ONGC, was incorporated as Hydrocarbons India Private Limited on 5th March, 1965 with an initial authorised capital of Rs. 5 lakh, for the business of international exploration and production. Its name was changed to ONGC Videsh Limited on 15th June, 1989. The authorised and paid-up share capital of OVL as on 31st March, 2007 was Rs. 1,000 crore. The primary business of the company is to prospect for oil and gas acreages abroad. These include acquisition of oil and gas fields in foreign countries as well as exploration, production, transportation and sale of oil and gas. OVL currently has participation in 39 projects in 15 countries namely, Vietnam (3 projects), Russia (2 projects), Sudan (3 projects), Iran (1 project), Iraq (1 project), Libya (3 projects), Myanmar (5 projects), Syria (2 projects), Egypt (2 projects), Cuba (2 projects), Nigeria Sao Tome Principe JDZ (1 project), Brazil (5 projects), Nigeria (2 projects), Colombia (6 projects), and Venezuela (1 project). OVLs share of crude oil and natural gas production is currently from 9 projects in seven countries, viz., Russia, Sudan, Vietnam, Syria, Colombia, Venezuela and Brazil. OVLs share of crude oil and natural gas production in 2009-10 is expected to be 8.142 Million. Metric Tonne of oil equivalent (MMTOE) including of 2.017 BCM of natural gas. The other 30 projects being implemented by OVL are at various stages of exploration and appraisal. The gross revenue of Rs.13,444 crore is estimated by OVL during the financial year 2009-10 with net profit of Rs.412 crore. Further, OVL is pursuing acquisition of various oil and gas exploration and production opportunities in Russia, Central Asia, Latin America, Africa, and Middle East, which are at different stages. Established as a joint stock company with limited liabilities on November 5,1999, as part of the restructuring of China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC). It was respectively listed on the NYSE (ADS code: PTR) and the HKSE (stock code: 00857) in April 2000 and on the Shanghai Stock Exchange (stock code:601857) in November 2007. As at end of 2010, CNPC holds 86.292% shares of Petro China. Ranked 7th by Platts in the â€Å"Top 250 Global Energy Companies† published by Platts Energy in 2010, which was the top ranking among enterprises in the Asia Pacific region for eight consecutive years. Included as a constituent stock of the SSE Social Responsibility index and the Hang Seng Corporate Sustainability Index. Adheres to the corporate policy of â€Å"Caring for Energy, Caring for You† and core business management principles of â€Å"Honesty, Innovation, Performance, Harmony and Safety†. Perseveres in carrying out business in a more effective, safe and environmentally friendly manner; pursues the balance among the economy, environment and society; provides sustainable energy for economic and social development; and creates a better life for people. CORE BUSINESSES Engaged in a broad range of businesses related to oil and natural gas, which mainly include the exploration, development and production of crude oil and natural gas, the refining, transportation, storage and marketing of crude oil and refined products, the production and marketing of primary petrochemical products, their derivatives and other chemicals, and the transportation and marketing of natural gas. Chevron is an American multinationalenergycorporation. Headquartered inSan Ramon, California, and active in more than 180 countries. It is engaged in every aspect of theoil,gas, andgeothermalenergy industries, includingexplorationandproduction, refining, marketing and transport; chemicals manufacturing and sales; andpower generation. Chevron is one of the worlds six super major oil companies. For the past five years, Chevron has been continuously ranked as one of Americas 5 largest corporations byFortune 500. Market Trends Analysis of Indian Oil and Gas Industry Market Trends Analysis of Indian Oil and Gas Industry OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY This study provides an insight into the oil and gas industry. Analyze market trends for oil and gas industry in the global arena. To understand financial performance and financial position of oil and natural gas companies like ONGC, Petro china, Chevron and Exxon Mobil. To analyse the financial statements of 2009-2010, so as to understand about the key factors like Profitability and Solvency for decision making and ultimate business solvency. To find out the ratios of the company and carry out a comparative study. To understand the current position of these companies. To analyze the Indian oil market. To see the international scenario. To analyze the oil prices in India and other countries. BROAD APPROACH AND METHODOLOGY Type The study carried out will be more like a Descriptive Research. For analyzing the financial statement, methodology to be used is financial ratio analysis and comparative study. Purpose The study mainly focuses on giving knowledge about the importance of annual reports. Data collection The data collection has been made in two ways: Primary source: Data has been collected with the help of constant interaction with my mentor Ms. Uma Rajamani Manager (FA). Secondary source: Data has been collected with the help of : Annual report of ONGC. ONGC reports. Internet. This source helped me in collecting information about the company as a whole, financial performance. Before making use of secondary data both the data and its source were evaluated. Particular attention was paid to definitions used, measurement error, source bias, reliability and the time span of the secondary data. HIGHLIGHTS OF THE INDIAN OIL AND NATURAL GAS SECTOR HIGHLIGHTS IN THE PETROLEUM NATURAL GAS SECTOR DURING 2009-10 India has total reserves (proved indicated) of 1201 million metric tonnes of crude oiland1437 billion cubic metres of natural gas as on 1.4.2010. The total number of exploratory and development wells and metreage drilled in onshoreand offshore areas during 2009-10 was 428 and 1019 thousand metres respectively. Crude oil production during 2009-10 at 33.69 million metric tonnes is 0.55% higher than33.51 million metric tonnes produced during 2008-09. Gross Production of Natural Gas in the country at 47.51 billion cubic metres during 2009-10 is 44.63% higher than the production of 32.85 billion cubic metres during 2008-09. The production of Natural Gas at 44.94% and 0.08% of the total were highest and lowestin JVC/Private and West Bengal respectively during 2009-10. The flaring of Natural Gas in 2009-10 at 2.09% of gross production is lower than at 3.29% in 2008-09. The refining capacity in the country increased to 184.386 million tonnes per annum(MTPA) as on 1.4.2010 from 177.968 MTPA as on 1.4.2009. The total refinery crude throughput during 2009-10 at 160.03 million metric tonnes is0.46% lower than 160.77 million metric tonnes crude processed in 2008-09 and the prorate capacity utilisation in 2009-10 was 89.92% as compared to 107.43% in 2008-09. The production of petroleum products during 2009-10 was 151.898 million metric tones (including 2.244 million metric tonnes of LPG production from natural gas) registering adecrease of 0.51% over last years production at 152.678 million metric tonnes (including2.162 million metric tonnes of LPG production from natural gas). The country exported 50.974 million metric tonnes of petroleum products against theimports of 23.49 million metric tonnes (including 8.828 million metric tonnes of LNG) during 2009-10. The consumption of petroleum products during 2009-10 were 138.196 million metrictonnes (including sales through private imports) which is 3.60% higher than the sales of133.400 million metric tonnes during 2008-09. The total number of retail outlets of Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies as on1.4.2010 has gone upto 36462 from 34948 on 1.4.2009. The total number of LPG consumers of Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies as on1.4.2010 were 114.952 million against 105.632 million as on 1.4.2009. The number of persons employed (including contract employees) in petroleum industryas on 1.04.2010 and 1.04.2009 are 129988 138973 respectively. OIL INDUSTRY INTRODUCTION TO THE OIL INDUSTRY Energy in all its forms is critical to economic growth, development, and social welfare. The worlds need for reliable and affordable energy supplies is growing. Energy is a critical input for economic growth and its availability determines the quality of both, the national economy and the life of citizens. Sustainable economic progress hinges crucially around the supply of stable and competitively priced energy. Oil is a fungible, international commodity whose ownership and ultimate destination is determined by market forces once it leaves the producing country. No country can effectively isolate itself from changes elsewhere in the market, nor is it likely that any nation can take actions that do not indirectly affect other nations. Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture. OIL industry is considered to be the back bone of an economy because this is the main source of energy till date. Any economy around the world would fail to precede a single step in the absence of petroleum industry. Thus, before using this energy source, the crude petroleum is required to be refined in the petroleum refineries for extracting various fractions for energy generation namely, petrol, natural gas, kerosene, asphalt and many more. The processes that are involved in the petroleum industry are: Drilling at the site of petroleum for making well so that the crude oil could be extracted. Refining of the crude oil Storing of the extracted oil in a secured place. Transportation of the stored crude oil is required to be done to the different refineries. Processing of the crude oil needs to be done in the processing units of refineries for converting it into usable fuel form along with the other important derivative products. Core activities of oil and natural gas sector Exploration and Production India is heavily import dependent for its oil and gas requirements. Our total imports of crude oiland petroleum products in the year 2008-09 amounted to 146.441 million metric tones (MMT), worth about Rs. 4,01,631 crore. The country also exported petroleum products amounting to 36.414 MMT, earning foreign exchange worth nearly Rs. 1,15,987 crore. The gap between demand and availability of crude oil from indigenous sources is likely to increase over the years. In case of gas, this gap is expected to decrease with production of gas from KG basin. The growing gap in demand and supply of oil and the shortfall in supply of gas requires greater emphasis to be placed on exploration and production. Objectives of Exploration and Production activities To undertake a complete appraisal of the Indian Sedimentary basin area for tapping thehydrocarbon potential. To optimize production of crude oil and natural gas in the most efficient manner. To keep pace with the technological advancements and remain at the technological forefront in the global exploration and production industry. To achieve a near zero impact on environment. Refining and Marketing The development of refining and marketing activities is crucial for achieving self sufficiency inpetroleum products and in moving towards a competitive and consumer oriented market. Objective of Refining and Marketing Activities Maintain self-sufficiency in all petroleum products by appropriate enhancement in refiningcapacities by National Oil Companies private players including international oil companies. Develop export capability in petroleum products so that the refining industry becomes globally competitive and oil security is enhanced. To develop corresponding infrastructure including ports, pipelines and depots, etc. for anefficient oil industry. To make available quality fuels at affordable prices while continuing subsidies for sensitivepetroleum products. To improve consumer services through better retailing practices and competition. Tariff and Pricing A rational tariff and pricing policy is vital to ensure healthy growth of the hydrocarbonsector and to protect the consumers as well. Objectives of Tariff and Pricing Policy To provide incentives for cleaner, greener and quality fuels so as to promote an environment friendly hydrocarbon sector. To balance the need to boost Government revenue with the need to align taxes and duties with Asia- Pacific countries and the prices to international levels. To promote new investments, by ensuring adequate protection to domestic producers The industry is usually divided into three major components: upstream, midstream and downstream. The upstream oil sector is known as exploration and production sector. It includes the searching for potential underground or underwater oil and gas fields, drilling of exploratory wells, and subsequently operating the wells that recover and bring the crude oil. The midstream processes, stores, markets and transports the crude oil. The downstream oil sector is used to refer to the refining of crude oil, selling and distribution. Oil companies measure oil production in the unit of barrels (bbl). Oil Natural Gas Commission was established on 14th August, 1956 as a statutory body under Oil Natural Gas Commission Act (The ONGC Act), for the development of petroleum resources and sale of petroleum products. ONGC was converted into a Public Limited Company under the Companies Act, 1956 and named as â€Å"Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited† with effect from 1st February, 1994. The Government disinvested around 10% of the equity shares of ONGC in March 2004 through a public offer in the domestic capital market at Rs. 750 per share. After the above disinvestment, the shareholding of the Government in ONGC came down to around 74.15%. HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE YEAR 2009-10. ONGC has made 15 oil gas discoveries in the areas under its operative control. State-of-the-art technologies inducted in hardware software for seismic data acquisition, processing interpretation, and in well logging. Advanced drilling techniques for sidetracks, multilateral and extended reach wells absorbed and implemented on fast track. Engineering design audit introduced with significant cost savings. ONGC registered its fifth Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) project with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) on September 22, 2009. The project, ‘Energy Efficiency of Amine Circulation Pumps at Hazira involves enhancing energy efficiency achieved in the Amine Circulation Pumps of Hazira Plant. The project will fetch an estimated Certified Emission Reduction (CER) of 4043 per year for a period of 10 years. With this, ONGC achieves a total annual CER of about 1.24 lakh. National Safety Awards in Oil Mines Category: ONGC has bagged four National Safety Awards in Oil Mines Category for year 2007. This is fourth consecutive years that ONGC has bagged these awards, instituted by the Ministry of Labour Employment, Government of India to motivate, appreciate and recognize the extraordinary performance in the area of mines safety. These awards were given by the Honble Vice President of India in New Delhi on October 23, 2009. These awards are based on Longest Accident Free Period (LAFP) and Lowest Injury Frequency Rate (LIFR) and were judged by jury of Director General of Mines Safety, Management Representatives and Trade Union Representatives. PCRA Award for Oil and Gas Conservation: ONGC bagged the Best Overall Performance PCRA Award amongst the Upstream Oil Companies for the Oil and Gas Conservation Programmes during the year 2009. The National Stock Exchange of India Ltd, Mumbai The Company has the following ASSETS /PLANTS/ BASINS/ REGIONS : A. ASSETS/ PLANTS: Mumbai High Asset, Mumbai Neelam Heera Asset, Mumbai Bassein Satellite Asset, Mumbai Uran Plant, Uran Hazira Plant, Hazira Ahmedabad Asset, Ahmedabad Ankleshwar Asset, Mehsana Mehsana Asset, Mehsana Rajamundry Asset, Rajamundry Karaikal Asset, Karaikal Assam Asset, Nazira Tripura Asset, Agartala B. BASINS: Western Offshore Basin, Mumbai Western Onshore Basin Vadodara KG Basin, Rajamundry Cauvery Basin , Chennai Assam Assam-Arakan Basin , Jorhat CBM- BPM Basin , Kolkata Frontier Basin , Dehradun C. REGIONS: Mumbai Region, Mumbai Western Region, Baroda Eastern Region, Nazira Southern Region, Chennai Central Region, Kolkata PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE DURING 2008-09 2009-10 FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE DURING 2008-09 2009-10 PROGRESS OF PROJECTS : MAJOR PROJECTS COMPLETED DURING THE YEAR MAJOR PROJECTS APPROVED DURING THE YEAR MAJOR INITIATIVES Strategic goals set for two decades 2001-2020 Doubling Reserve Accretion to 12 Billion MTO+OEG Improving Recovery Factor to the order of 40% Production of 20 MMTPA O+OEG equity oil and gas from acquisitions abroad. Short-term Strategy Time scheduled exploration activities for prospect recognition and drilling. Prioritisation of exploration activities on fast track basis for enhancing reserves accretion. Pre-drill 3D seismic in deepwater and blanket 3D in key growth areas. Knowledge building in new sectors of producing as well as frontier basins. Medium-long-term Strategy Further intensification of exploration in the producing basins to realise the hydrocarbon resources to in-place volume conversion. Exploration spread in non-producing basins and yet to be explored basins to establish their potential and knowledge building. Major shift to deep offshore as the major thrust and contributing sector. Strategic Initiatives Major development projects including IOR/ EOR schemes with an approved cost of Rs. 30,000 crore are under various stages of implementation to enhance crude oil and natural gas production. A new and dedicated business unit viz. Eastern Offshore Asset has been constituted with an aim to put east coast discoveries on a fast track development through an integrated east coast hub. Substantive decentralization of administrative authorities together with delegation of financial authorities carried out to empower the field executives. Induction of new technologies in core areas of EP activities like: Acquisition, processing and interpretation of seismic data Drilling and production technology IT and communication. Materials Management Inventory Management and codification procedure have been implemented and computerized to track and identify the materials efficiently. NON-CONVENTIONAL SOURCES OF ENERGY (i) Wind Power Project: Wind Farm Project of 50 MW at Motisindoli in Kutch district of Gujarat is an initiative of ONGC towards its commitment for environment-friendly and pollution-free energy production. The power generated from this wind power project is being wheeled to 101 locations of ONGCs oil field installations/ offices/ residential quarters in the state of Gujarat. ONGC shall be saving about Rs. 30 crore per year on electricity charges in Gujarat, considering the present purchase price of electricity. (ii) Installations of Solar thermal plants: Solar thermal plants in ONGC guest house, hospital, academy hostel, officers club, central workshop, Baroda and colony are already installed. Initiatives have been taken to install the solar water heating system at other locations of ONGC also. Solar panels were installed at well heads of (Bokaro) Jharkhand. 9600 lakhs per day (LPD) capacity of solar water heating system is added in this year and total capacity installed is 38100 LPD. HEALTH, SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENT (HSE) Environmental initiatives encompassed solid waste, liquid effluent, air emission monitoring mechanism for proactive planning to manage waste through environment-friendly technologies like bio-remediation, reduction and recycling options and environmental reporting based on global reporting initiative principles. Several initiatives of long-term and continuous nature like bio-remediation of oily sludge, effluent management, ISO certification of installations on international benchmark standards, Mangroove and Hingal plantations etc. are also being carried out in ONGC. CONSERVATION OF ENERGY AND PETROLEUM PRODUCTS ONGC is actively pursuing energy conservation measures. The conservation of petroleum products namely HSD, Lube oil and natural gas are important activities. These measures include: Phasing out of old diesel engines more than 15 years old. Awareness campaign on use of bio-diesel as alternate fuel. Use of small DG sets during lean periods in rigs, proper capacity utilization, rationalization and efficiency improvement of equipments, use of energy efficient devices. Substitution of diesel engines with gas engines at installations where gas is available. Increase in lube oil change period resulting in substantial saving. Natural gas flaring has been reduced and the same is being supplied to consumers. Use of small DG sets and waste heat recovery equipment at offshore platforms, rigs, LPG plants at Hazira and Uran. Use of energy efficient equipment and devices such as top drives, linear motion shale shakers, electronic diesel engines, soft start systems and energy efficient lamps etc. Use of gas engines in place of diesel ones for power generation. Thermal energy cost reduction achieved by maintenance of steam traps at processing plants. Conducting energy audit on regular basis and Petroleum Products Conservation Opportunities (PPCOs) are identified. Harnessing solar energy by using solar water heaters/ photo-voltaic panels at various locations. ONGC VIDESH LIMITED (OVL) ONGC Videsh Limited (OVL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of ONGC, was incorporated as Hydrocarbons India Private Limited on 5th March, 1965 with an initial authorised capital of Rs. 5 lakh, for the business of international exploration and production. Its name was changed to ONGC Videsh Limited on 15th June, 1989. The authorised and paid-up share capital of OVL as on 31st March, 2007 was Rs. 1,000 crore. The primary business of the company is to prospect for oil and gas acreages abroad. These include acquisition of oil and gas fields in foreign countries as well as exploration, production, transportation and sale of oil and gas. OVL currently has participation in 39 projects in 15 countries namely, Vietnam (3 projects), Russia (2 projects), Sudan (3 projects), Iran (1 project), Iraq (1 project), Libya (3 projects), Myanmar (5 projects), Syria (2 projects), Egypt (2 projects), Cuba (2 projects), Nigeria Sao Tome Principe JDZ (1 project), Brazil (5 projects), Nigeria (2 projects), Colombia (6 projects), and Venezuela (1 project). OVLs share of crude oil and natural gas production is currently from 9 projects in seven countries, viz., Russia, Sudan, Vietnam, Syria, Colombia, Venezuela and Brazil. OVLs share of crude oil and natural gas production in 2009-10 is expected to be 8.142 Million. Metric Tonne of oil equivalent (MMTOE) including of 2.017 BCM of natural gas. The other 30 projects being implemented by OVL are at various stages of exploration and appraisal. The gross revenue of Rs.13,444 crore is estimated by OVL during the financial year 2009-10 with net profit of Rs.412 crore. Further, OVL is pursuing acquisition of various oil and gas exploration and production opportunities in Russia, Central Asia, Latin America, Africa, and Middle East, which are at different stages. Established as a joint stock company with limited liabilities on November 5,1999, as part of the restructuring of China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC). It was respectively listed on the NYSE (ADS code: PTR) and the HKSE (stock code: 00857) in April 2000 and on the Shanghai Stock Exchange (stock code:601857) in November 2007. As at end of 2010, CNPC holds 86.292% shares of Petro China. Ranked 7th by Platts in the â€Å"Top 250 Global Energy Companies† published by Platts Energy in 2010, which was the top ranking among enterprises in the Asia Pacific region for eight consecutive years. Included as a constituent stock of the SSE Social Responsibility index and the Hang Seng Corporate Sustainability Index. Adheres to the corporate policy of â€Å"Caring for Energy, Caring for You† and core business management principles of â€Å"Honesty, Innovation, Performance, Harmony and Safety†. Perseveres in carrying out business in a more effective, safe and environmentally friendly manner; pursues the balance among the economy, environment and society; provides sustainable energy for economic and social development; and creates a better life for people. CORE BUSINESSES Engaged in a broad range of businesses related to oil and natural gas, which mainly include the exploration, development and production of crude oil and natural gas, the refining, transportation, storage and marketing of crude oil and refined products, the production and marketing of primary petrochemical products, their derivatives and other chemicals, and the transportation and marketing of natural gas. Chevron is an American multinationalenergycorporation. Headquartered inSan Ramon, California, and active in more than 180 countries. It is engaged in every aspect of theoil,gas, andgeothermalenergy industries, includingexplorationandproduction, refining, marketing and transport; chemicals manufacturing and sales; andpower generation. Chevron is one of the worlds six super major oil companies. For the past five years, Chevron has been continuously ranked as one of Americas 5 largest corporations byFortune 500.

The Limits of Narrative in in Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness Essay

The Limits of Narrative in Heart of Darkness    Early English novelists depicted a very general reality; that is, what many observed to be "real" is what found its way into the narratives. For example, several novels of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries emphasize, or entirely revolve around, the idea of social status. Samuel Richardson's Pamela addresses a servant's dilemma between her morals and low social position; the hero of Henry Fielding's Tom Jones must also confront his "low birth." Jane Austen famously portrayed class struggles in nearly every one of her novels. These texts all represented the world at its face; the actions of the characters spoke for their "reality," and the narrator was simply the descriptor of these events. The novels conformed to a very narrow world-view, limited by popular thought. True, there was much to explore within this confinement, as shown by the range of commentary in the texts. Still, as stories they could only offer what society observed: a kind of reality by consensus. As Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness demonstrates, modernism rejected the aims and methods of realism, and claimed the inner self represented the real more closely than the public world. Furthermore, realism appeared to represent the world wholly and concisely. Conrad's novel rejects this, and instead exposes the failure of language to describe a complete reality. In Heart of Darkness, Marlow himself is incomplete, and so is his narrative. He is forced into imprecise language, resigned to using negative modifiers and repeating inexact words. He struggles to tell his story satisfactorily, and by his own admission, his telling is deficient. The limitation of language, then, becomes the focus of t... ...e rejection of nineteenth century realism. Since Marlow the storyteller is flawed, his story falters as a result. The novel effectively reduces each to their flaws, but does not attempt to hide its limitations behind a manufactured authority. It is this absence, or seeming absence, of controlled writing that brings Heart of Darkness closer to "the real" than any authoritative work of realism.    Works Cited Conrad, Joseph. Heart of Darkness. 1902. New York: Dover, 1990. Erdinast-Vulcan, Daphna. The Strange Short Fiction of Joseph Conrad. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1999. 78-108. Greaney, Michael. Conrad, Language, and Narrative. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002. 57-76. Hawthorn, Jeremy. Studying the Novel. 4th ed. London: Arnold, 2001. 60-61 Leavis, F.R. The Great Tradition. New York: Stewart, 1950. 173-82.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚        

Herbal supplements Essay

A survey conducted in the United States in 2002 revealed that approximately 38 million people were using herbal and dietary supplements, citing them as important for their health, yet only about one third of them had reported the usage of these herbal products to a qualified medical practitioner. Estimates from other reports suggested that approximately 25% of those seeking medical treatment for serious medical conditions were also using ‘unconventional’ treatment which they rarely reported to their doctors. Herbal and dietary supplements have become readily available and can be purchased in almost all retail outlets. This makes it easy for patients to use them without supervision from a qualified medical practitioner (Medscape Today, 2007). Most people tend to think that since herbs have been obtained from nature, they are automatically safe. But is this really the case? True, some of these products may be consumed without occasioning any harm to the body but some may contain contaminants that may lead to medical complications and even death. For this reason, it is important that the US Food and Drug Administration regulate these herbal supplements for safety and efficacy (Finkel & Pray, 2004). Concerns arising from use of Herbal supplements The use of herbal and dietary supplements is not under regulation by the US Food and Drug administration. This is very dangerous since it means that these products have not been tested for purity and potency yet they are being consumed by humans in large quantities every day (Medscape Today, 2007). Many plants are quite toxic depending on the climate as well as the condition of the soil where they were grown. The FDA warns that most of the herbal products which are marketed have not been tested and do not contain any information on their toxic content. Thus, while most users may escape injury, there have been some isolated reports of some people dying or incurring grave injuries as a result of using herbs (Finkel & Pray, 2004). Other than the natural toxicity which may be present in plants, it has also been reported that the preparation of these herbs is questionable. Medscape today reports that some of the prepared herbs have been found to actually contain prescription drugs and worse still, heavy metals. These products are never labeled as part of the ingredients and this poses a risk to those who consume them. The danger here lies not only in the fact that these contaminants may cause toxic poisoning to the patients but also in the fact that some patients are allergic to certain products and may consume them without knowing, thus endangering their lives (Medscape Today, 2007). Currently, the labeling of products from herbs is under the regulation of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act. Manufactures of herbal products are required to make general statements on the safety and efficacy of the product. This includes a compulsory statement that disclaims the product from diagnosis, prevention or cure of any disease. Unfortunately, these labels have been designed to promote the use of the product but do not really give the consumer any concrete information on the nature and content of the product. If the FDA is mandated to regulate these products, they will be able to place more necessary information such as side effects and contraindications so that the users know what to expect. This will also put herbal products in the same category as prescription drugs which might probably make the users more inclined to report the usage of these products to their physicians (Medscape Today, 2007). Another issue that raises concerns on the efficacy and safety of the herbal supplements is the fact that no testing or quality control is performed on them prior to being sold in the market. As such, a consumer cannot really be sure if the supposed ingredients that the manufacturer claims to be the contents are actually there or if the product can actually perform the healing wonders that it is purported to. Other than the obvious rip-off, this issue presents concerns over the overall safety of the product (Finkel & Pray, 2004). In deed, the effects of no FDA regulation on herbal products have been seen in the ban on some of the herbal supplements such as those containing ephedra whose usage had resulted in adverse effects on the cardiovascular system in patients. Another product, Kava, was also prohibited due to worries on hepatotoxicity (Medscape Today, 2007). It is rather unfortunate that the FDA can only act against the use of herbal supplements as they evaluate them case by case. In the event that a product has brought about serious injury, investigations will not occur unless there are many other similar reports. This is rather dangerous because by the time the FDA reacts; many people could have been permanently injured or killed as a result of using the product, a situation which could have been easily avoided if the products had been suggested to quality control and analysis. Prevention is always better than cure and mandating the FDA to regulate herbal products will not only go a long way in improving the quality of these products but is also bound to save many lives (Finkel & Pray, 2004). Evidence supporting lack of Safety and Efficacy in Herbal Products There are very many herbal supplements which are available in the market and which are purported to heal a variety of ailments ranging from the common cold to more serious illnesses such as cancer. Some have been successful in healing these ailments but there are those which have failed in achieving this goal. Other than the above mentioned herbal products, Ephedra and kava whose usage was banned due to the danger posed to the users, there are other products which also exhibit the same concerns. Serious reactions to some herbal supplements purchased over the counter have also been recorded with permanent injuries and even death. A case study by Marks (2007), researches on the effects of Tricana which was sold as a herbal supplement to the user and had been hailed for promoting good effects to one’s metabolism which included, loss of weight and the enhancement of energy. Mark focuses on a patient who developed dilated cardiomyopathy after ingesting this supplement, a potentially fatal condition. In deed, the use of this product did not promote the much hailed beneficial effects but instead caused insomnia, nervous conditions and diarrhea. The FDA withdrew Tricana from the market in the year 2000 as a result of these safety concerns (Marks, 2007). Other products include Chaparral which was purported to be a blood purifier as well as a cure for cancer and has also resulted in adverse reactions. It has caused very many cases of liver and kidney related conditions and actually left one patient in need of a liver transplant. Apparently the research on this product has found that the use of chaparral has no benefit whatsoever on the body and pharmacist were advised to inform consumers against using this product (Finkel & Pray, 2004). These are just a few examples of the dangerous effects that over the counter herbal supplements have posed to their users. Thus, one cannot help but feel that some form of regulation by the FDA will have prevented such occurrences. Granted, some herbal products have a record of success. But it is precisely due to the other dangers posed by the other supplements that the US Food and Drug Administration should regulate the use of these products. Right now, the reaction of the FDA is more reactive than proactive; removing herbal supplements from the market only after they have occasioned some serious harm to the user. America cannot afford to have knee jerk reactions to matters that concern the safety of the public. Conclusion While we advocate for the FDA to regulate the use of these products so as to promote their safety and efficacy, it will also be in order to engage in some form of public awareness so that the consumers can know ways in which to check for the safety of the herbal supplements. If they have to buy these products, they should be encouraged to purchase them from pharmacists who are more inclined to give them correct information on the product efficacy. Other sales agents are more inclined to make misleading statements on the product so as to make a quick sale. Above all, it is essential for consumers to be encouraged to report the usage of any of these herbal supplements to their physicians especially if they are taking other medication to prevent any adverse reactions as some of these drugs may not interact well (Finkel & Pray, 2004). ]

The Caribbean Language Situation

Topic: The Caribbean language situation. The Caribbean language situation is rather multifaceted thus there is a lot of controversy surrounding it. This topic in the course is an interesting one because it has enriched my understanding of what the language situation is in Jamaica and other neighbouring islands as well as its impact on education. According to Kathryn Shields (1989), two ways in which Standard English in Jamaica is defined are through the traditional metropolitan norms and the educated Jamaicans.She identifies that the discrepancies found in defining Standard English in Jamaica often times go undocumented. However, this should not be as teachers would want to use it as they hope to monitor the factors to which their students are exposed by paralleling the discrepancy model with the acceptable model. As a result of this, I do agree with the idea of teachers using Creole to teach students different aspects of the target language. This is because many students in Jamaica enter the classroom speaking Creole or a mixture of Creole and English.Often times this reflects the social background of the students as a result the teacher becomes a facilitator and accommodate these language varieties, thus, introducing Standard English which seems foreign to them may make them feel uncomfortable. Therefore, it would be wise to immerse them into the target language by taking them from the known to the unknown. Shields uses the educated Jamaicans as she identifies features that comprise the de facto model of English for the learner in Jamaica, subsequently presenting evidence of a new form of English in Jamaica.Additionally, she compares the pre-independence and post-independence eras of Jamaican language history. In the pre-independence era she regards the language as ‘mish mash’ and the language was referred to by the blanket term Jamaican English, which hides the difference between standard and non-standard as well as Creole, thus, making the desc ription of the language vague. In the post-independence era the concept of Creole being inferior seeps over although there have been several revisions of attitudes to the language.This is true as years after independence Creole speakers are still looked at and regarded as deep rural residences who have not been exposed to Standard English. In addition, many people including Creole speakers see Creole as a bad language and so should not be used in schools. It is seen as a waste of time to study or understand as it interferes with the learning of the target language. In some Jamaican schools especially city schools, teachers are not allowed to speak Creole and students are forced to speak the target language.I am in disagreement with the negative attitude that still exists against Creole in this day and age as to me Creole has evolved into a unique language that identifies us as Caribbean people as well as our respective territories. Fortunately, not all Caribbean countries are still showing prejudice against Creole as in Haiti; French Creole has been legitimately accepted as an official language. Another salient aspect of the language situation in Jamaica and the Caribbean is the fact that children from varying backgrounds are expected to communicate in a language they cannot write or speak.Therefore, a child from a Jamaican Creole speaking background is expected to write in Standard English and understand the language of educational books written in the target language. According to Shields, the Ministry of Education endorses the notion that adoptive speakers of the target language will have problems speaking the language but by reading, modelling and practice one will be able to write it. However they are not totally trying to eliminate the idea that one should be able to speak the target language as this is also an important factor in communicating globally.This is evident in many schools where some students are able to write to an extent in the target langu age but whenever they are to speak the language they develop severe pronunciation and grammatical problems. The implication this has for myself and other teachers is to approach our class as a teacher of a ‘foreign’ language and use effective strategies and suitable models that will provide students with all the reading, writing and speaking practice necessary to become good users of the target language.