TSS （Tourism Support System） as a New Competitive Tourism Marketing Instrument

The recent trend in tourism marketing is focus on customer relationship management. Tourism industry today is one of the highest revenue generating industry and strategic approach for sustainable development of this industry hosts benefits not only for the tourism related stakeholders but also the community and economy on the whole. Oman is one of the most preferred destinations for the tourists especially after the declaration of Muscat, Arab tourism Capital for 2012. Thus to materialize this honor and position, the scientific study and analysis of tourist behavior will help to predict the future trend of tourism and will give direction for effort investment. This work presents a novel strategy to identify, analyze and highlights the main tourist behavioral factors that could increase tourists＇ loyalty to a specific destination or agency. The analytical TSS （tourism support system） will also classify customers into two categories--first category will be classified as ＂LT （loyal tourists）＂ and second category as ＂NLT （non-loyal tourists）＂. Dataset is collected from a tourism business organization. Twenty-four attributes and 545 instances were collected and were analyzed by algorithms like logistics, forest of random trees, naive Bayes, J48 and Id3. The explanatory variables were defined, and some transformations were done to identify the response variable. Entropy was used and adapted in order to find the response variable from the explanatory variables. The results obtained from this work confirm that the generated rules can be used for future prediction and tourism business can be improved and efforts can be directed in right place for the right consumer resulting in high return on investment.     

Impact of sedimentation on groundwater recharge at Sahalanowt Dam,Salalah, Oman

Recharge dams in Oman detain floods to recharge groundwater. The impact of sedimentation on recharge at Wadi Sahalanowt Recharge Dam, in Salalah, Oman, was evaluated using field data and numerical modelling. Analysis of the thickness of sediments after flood events shows that maximum depositions were at the same locations after each event, coinciding with the lowest positions in the wadi. Numerical modelling suggests that the current practice of periodic removal of sediments will restore the storage capacity of the reservoir, but that ploughing or raking of the underlying native sedimentary rocks could be required to significantly improve infiltration rates.     

The diversity and distribution of freshwater macrophytes in the wedian of the mountainous northern Oman

The paper reports the first study of diversity and distribution of freshwater macrophytes in the wedian (plural of wadi = seasonal river) of the northern Al Hajar Mountain range in Oman. Fifteen lentic habitats in the wedian were surveyed. The number of species, their growth forms and abundance were recorded in the studied habitat of each wadi. In all, 41 species belonging to 14 families and 32 genera were collected. Of these 37 species were emergent and four were submergent. Poaceae was the most diverse emergent family with 17 species. Phragmites australis was the most common emergent followed by Typha domingensis. Among submerged macrophytes, Chara vulgaris had higher frequency of occurrence with low abundance followed by Potamogeton distinctus with relatively high abundance. Floristic diversity was estimated using species richness (Margalef’s D), general diversity (Shannon–Wiener H′), evenness (Pielous’s EH), and dominance (Berger–Parker d) indices for each study habitat. Principal component analysis was used to evaluate the variability using four indices. PC1 and PC2 explained 98.18% of the variability. Some habitats in different watersheds exhibited similar species diversity, but some in the same watershed were different. Baseline data on the freshwater macrophytes in northern Oman are provided here.     

Demand function estimate for residential water in Oman

Current subsidies to residential water users in Oman are estimated at USD 314 million/y. This study estimates the demand function for residential water in Muscat, Oman, for households living in villas. A two-stage least squares econometric model with lagged average water price was used with socio-economic variables. Price elasticity for residential water in Muscat was estimated as –2.10. This high price elasticity is explained by the large proportion of water used for outdoor purposes. This study indicates that it may be possible to manage water demand in Muscat through modifying the price of water and reforming subsidies for residential water.     

Solar Water Heating

This paper summarises one of the four final report titles published under CEC contract NO ES-A-P-009-UK(N), “Performance Monitoring of Solar Heating Systems in Dwellings (Part II)”.

The report described here contains measured monthly performance data from monitored solar water heating projects located in member countries of the European Community. Reported performance figures range from 400 to 1,200 MJm^? 2 p.a. (100 to 300 kWh/m² p.a.), which represents 10 to 30% of global radiation incident on the collectors. It is suggested that an annual performance of 1,000 to 1,400 MJm^? 2 p.a. is realistic as a performance target for better optimised systems.     

Seafood safety and quality: An analysis of the supply chain in the Sultanate of Oman

The globalization of trade in fish has created many challenges for the developing world specifically with regard to food safety and quality. International organisations have established a good basis for standards in international trade. Whilst these requirements are frequently embraced by the major importers (such as Japan, the EU and the USA), they often impose additional safety requirements and regularly identify batches which fail to meet their strict standards. Creating an effective national seafood control system which meets both the internal national needs as well the requirements for the export market can be challenging. Many countries adopt a dual system where seafood products for the major export markets are subject to tight control whilst the majority of the products (whether for the local market or for more regional trade) are less tightly controlled. With regional liberalization also occurring, deciding on appropriate controls is complex. In the Sultanate of Oman, fisheries production is one of the countries' chief sources of economic revenue after oil production and is a major source of the national food supply. In this paper the structure of the fish supply chain has been analysed and highlighted the different routes operating for the different markets. Although much of the fish are consumed within Oman, there is a major export trade to the local regional markets. Much smaller quantities meet the more stringent standards imposed by the major importing countries and exports to these are limited. The paper has considered the development of the Omani fish control system including the key legislative documents and the administrative structures that have been developed. Establishing modern controls which satisfy the demands of the major importers is possible but places additional costs on businesses. Enhanced controls such as HACCP and other management standards are required but can be difficult to justify when alternative markets do not specify these. These enhanced controls do however provide additional consumer protection and can bring benefits to local consumers. The Omani government is attempting to upgrade the system of controls and has made tremendous progress toward the implementation of HACCP and introducing enhanced management systems into its industrial sector. The existence of strengthened legislative and government support, including subsidies, has encouraged some businesses to implement HACCP. The current control systems have been reviewed and an SWOT analysis approach used to identify key factors for their future development. The study shows that seafood products in the supply chain are often exposed to lengthy handling and distribution process before reaching the consumers, a typical issue faced by many developing countries. As seafood products are often perishable, they safety is compromised if not adequately controlled. The enforcement of current food safety laws in the Sultanate of Oman is shared across various government agencies. Consequently, there is a need to harmonize all regulatory requirements, enhancing the domestic food protection and to continue to work towards a fully risk-based approach in order to compete successfully in the global market.     

Mercury contamination in commercial fresh and salt water fish of the Zabol Chahnimeh reservoirs and the Gulf of Oman (Iran)

In order to investigate bioaccumulation of mercury in Iranian coastal waters fish, tiger tooth croaker (Otolithes ruber) and yellowspotted trevally (Carangoides fulvoguttatus) from the Gulf of Oman and grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) and silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) from Zabol Chahnimeh reservoirs were sampled in May 2012. In these ecosystems, total mercury concentrations were measured in muscle and gill of these four fish species. Both regions did not reveal a significant difference. In H. molitrix and O. ruber, mercury concentrations in gill increased with increasing length (H. molitrix, r = 0.94, p < 0.005; O. ruber, r = 0.94, p > 0.005) and weight (H. molitrix, r = 0.94, p < 0.005; O. ruber, r = 0.82, p > 0.04). Generally, mercury levels in the analysed fish samples were higher than WHO, FDA and US-EPA legal limits.     

REGIONAL 3D MODELLING OF THE PERMO‐CARBONIFEROUS AL KHLATA FORMATION IN THE RIMA AREA,EASTERN FLANK OF THE SOUTH OMAN SALT BASIN

The glaciogenic Al Khlata Formation (Late Carboniferous – Early Permian) contains important reservoir and seal intervals in oil fields in southern Oman. Here we describe a 3D regional geological model of the Al Khlata Formation and the underlying Misfar Group in a 1750 km² area in the Eastern Flank of the South Oman Salt Basin. The Misfar Group (Devonian‐Carboniferous?) was included in the model because it also contains glaciogenic facies in the study area. The 3D model is based on wireline logs from 42 wells, palynological zonation in 31 wells, cores from three wells, and a 2011 3D seismic dataset from which three horizons (top‐Huqf, top‐Rahab Shale and top‐Gharif) were interpreted throughout the study area. The combined Al Khlata and Misfar interval varies in thickness in the area from 20 to 730 m over relatively short distances. These large variations in thickness were due to the creation of accommodation in mini‐basins resulting from the removal of underlying Infracambrian salt at the basin margin. In places, some of the available accommodation was occupied by Cambrian sandstones of the Nimr Group and Haima Supergroup, influencing the location and thickness of the Al Khlata mini‐basins. These local depocentres vary in scale, shape and orientation relative to the present‐day salt edge: some are ovoid in plan‐view, others more linear and parallel to the salt edge, and one takes the form of a narrow graben almost perpendicular to the salt edge. By the Early Permian, towards the end of Al Khlata time, deposits become more blanket‐like and uniform, indicating an external or more regional control on base level. Four key lithofacies have been distinguished from wireline logs and were populated zone‐by‐zone through the geological model: sandstone (reservoir), shale (seal), and sandy and silty diamictite. Sandstones are most common towards the base of the Misfar – Al Khlata interval and shales towards the top. The Rahab Shale (Early Permian) at the top of the Al Khlata Formation forms an important seal for oil fields in South Oman, often in combination with seals in overlying intervals. The Rahab Shale was the first widespread seal to be deposited which may have trapped oil migrating from the South Oman Salt Basin during the Palaeozoic. The most common lithofacies in the Misfar – Al Khlata interval in the modelled area is diamictite (60%), which is normally considered to be a waste‐rock lithology. However thick silty diamictites of sufficient extent can seal hydrocarbon accumulations, and some sandy diamictites have the potential to be unconventional reservoir rocks. Even after 50 years of exploration and production of oil from the Al Khlata Formation, there remains potential for further discoveries and overlooked pay zones due to its heterogeneous character and the occurrence of intra‐formational seals.     

MP PFGun脉冲爆燃压裂技术在阿曼SSM-XX井的应用

简要叙述了MP PFGun技术工作原理、系统结构特点以及PropFrac脉冲压裂模拟器软件基本功能,并对SSM-XX井的模拟计算P-T曲线和井下压力仪实测曲线进行了对比。结果表明:SM-XX井采用MP PFGun电缆输送工艺安全,脉冲压裂持续时间长,且利用PropFrac模拟软件指导施工设计,取得了较好的应用效果。     

A NEW OIL SEEPAGE IN THE OMAN MOUNTAINS AND ITS GEOLOGICAL,GEOCHEMICAL AND PETROLEUM SYSTEMS CONTEXT

A minor natural oil seepage is described from an unlikely setting in the Oman Mountains. The host rocks are fractured pelagic limestones of the lower member of the Triassic – Lower Jurassic Matbat Formation of the Hamrat Duru Group in the lower part of the allochthonous Hawasina Complex. This paper summarises Oman's established oil families and documents previously recorded oil seepages as context for describing the new seepage, its geochemistry, and possible source rock. The seep oil is different to those known from Oman's oil fields and probably derived from a poor quality, Mesozoic clastic source rock containing a mix of terrigenous and marine organic matter. The most likely source appears to be the Toarcian turbiditic upper member of the Matbat Formation, equivalent to the clastic Mafraq Formation of the Arabian Platform. The occurrence of source rocks in the allochthonous sediments of the NeoTethyan Hawasina Basin has been suspected previously, though their commercial significance remains to be established.