Abstract: The present invention provides a method for determining the TBN of a used lubricating oil by measuring with a single device at least one element, such as sulfur, and correlating the measured amount to the oil's TBN. Preferably, a spectroscopic device is used to make the measurement.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a detergent additive for lubricating oil compositions comprising at least two of low, medium, and high TBN detergents. Preferably the detergent is a calcium salicylate. The present invention also concerns lubricating oil compositions comprising such detergents, and at least one of Group II base stock, Group III base stock, or wax isomerate base stock.

Abstract: The present invention provides systems and methods for determining the viscosity of a lubricating fluid in a process on line. The method of the present invention obviates the need to accurately control the temperature of the lubricating fluid in the system when taking fluid viscosity measurements.

Abstract: A lubricant formulation and method of blending a lubricant formulation is disclosed. The lubricant formulation comprises at least two base stocks. The first base stock comprises a viscosity greater than 100 cSt, Kv100° C. The second base stock comprises a viscosity less than 10 cSt, Kv100° C. The lubricant formulation provides excellent micropitting protection for gears including large gears that are used in wind turbines. In addition, the lubricant may also have a viscosity greater than 38 cSt (Kv 100° C.), a viscosity index greater than 161 and micropitting protection level of a FVA 54 micropitting Test Fail Load Stage greater than 10.

Abstract: A method for reducing the viscosity and toluene equivalence of an oil containing asphaltenes comprises the steps of: a) mixing with the oil, a polar solvent, and an asphaltene dispersant additive wherein the weight ratio of oil:polar solvent is in the range of 10:0.1 to 10:5, the asphaltene dispersant additive is at a treat rate in the range of 0.025 to 5 weight percent based on the weight of the oil, and then, b) removing at least 90 wt % of the polar solvent from the mixture of oil, polar solvent and the asphaltene dispersant additive to provide upgraded oil with reduced viscosity and toluene equivalence.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for measuring a lubricant's total basicity by measuring one or more preselected infrared absorption bands of a lubricant and correlating the measured bands to the basicity. Preferably, the measured bands are due to carbonate or sulfate species in the lubricant.

Abstract: A method for determining contamination in marine diesel lubricating oils. The method has been found to have particular utility in estimating asphaltenes contamination in marine diesel lubricating oils.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring electrochemical and viscoelastic properties of a liquid includes two sensing components, an electrochemical impediance spectroscopy component and a quartz crystal microbalance component positioned within a housing for receiving a liquid for monitoring and arranged so that each component shares a common electrode. Means are provided to simultaneously apply a sinusoidal waveform across the electrodes whereby information on the electrochemical and viscoelastic properties of a liquid being monitored is obtained.

Abstract: A fuel composition comprising gasoline having a sulphur content of less than 10 ppm by weight and an aromatic content of less than 25% by volume, characterized in that said composition comprises at least 5% by volume of olefins and is substantially free of any ethers. The fuel composition so formed has reduced emissions and improved fuel economy. The emissions from such compositions can be further reduced by incorporating therein a small amount of ethanol.

Abstract: An improved data telemetry system for multi-conductor wirelines to achieve satisfactory transmission of analog and digital signals with frequency content up to 100 kHz by assigning at least two conductors to a first terminal of a data transmittal means and to a first terminal of a data receiver means and connecting at least one additional conductor to a second terminal of a data transmittal means and to a second terminal of a data receiver means. Pairing conductors reduces attenuation and crosstalk and permits the signal to contain multiple frequency modulated carrier bands with individual channel bandwidths of up to 3 kHz or higher.

Abstract: This invention relates to a fuel composition comprising a base fuel having a final boiling point above 150° C. and an anti-foam, characterised in that the anti-foam comprises di-isobutylene in an amount greater than 2.5% by volume based on the total fuel composition. The addition of this anti-foam reduces the break-up time for any foam formed significantly.

Abstract: The properties of a water-lain sedimentary deposit may be predicted at any location from a contour of constant deposit thickness. One embodiment of the method comprises (a) determining an outline of constant deposit thickness in a measured deposit, (b) determining the fluid flow properties at the inlet of the measured deposit, (c) determining a property of the deposit at any point inside the deposit from modeling the fluid flow. The properties of the deposit at any point may include the thickness of the sediment body, the size of the body, the shape of the body, and the grain size distribution at each point within the body, and any combination thereof.

Abstract: A method for predicting the connectivity of seismic objects identified by seed detection or similar methods.

Abstract: This invention provides a method for improving oil recovery, preferably a high-viscosity oil relying on gravity drainage, by applying vibrational energy. A fracture is created at a wellbore and a fluid displacement device is inserted at or near the fracture opening. The optimum oil mobilization frequency and amplitude is determined. The fluid inside the fracture is oscillated to a prescribed range of frequency and amplitude to improve oil production. Applications for using the fracture as a delivery device for vibrational energy to enhance performance of the steam-assisted gravity drainage process, vapor-extraction gravity drainage, or cyclic steam process are provided. An application to improve recovery of heavy oil by aquifer drive or peripheral waterflood is also provided.

Abstract: A gravel pack is formed using a mixture of a solid deformable material and conventional gravel pack gravel. In the event of reservoir compaction, such a gravel pack will reduce the transmission of forces from the subterranean formation to the wellbore completion hardware, thereby significantly extending the life of a well. Deformable materials selected for mixing with conventional gravel may be elastically flexible, plastically deformable, or crushable solid materials or particles.

Abstract: A process for recovery of hydrocarbons in a production fluid from an underground reservoir of said hydrocarbons, the process comprising of: (a) injecting a viscosity reducing solvent of a fraction of said hydrocarbons into said reservoir at a pressure in the reservoir of above a liquid/vapor phase change pressure of a fraction of said solvent; said pressure in said reservoir also being sufficient to cause geomechanical formation dilation or pore fluid compression, and then, (b) allowing said solvent to mix with said hydrocarbons under pore dilation conditions, and then, (c) reducing the pressure in said reservoir to below said liquid/vapor phase change pressure of at least said fraction of said solvent thereby evincing solvent gas drive of said fraction of said hydrocarbons from said reservoir; and then, (d) repeating steps (a) to (c) as required.

Abstract: This invention is an internal safety cover for use in electrical outlets that provides increased protection against electrical shock. The internal safety cover is designed to be slidably positioned inside the conductive members of an electrical outlet. One embodiment requires uniform force to both openings in the socket for the safety cover to slide and permit the plug to gain contact with the conductive members. Furthermore, the compression device can be adapted to eject partially inserted or withdrawn plugs. A latch mechanism embodiment may lock the safety cover in the closed position preventing access even with uniform force. This invention provides automatic safety protection from both improper foreign objects and partially inserted or withdrawn plugs.

Abstract: This invention is a method and apparatus for production of pressurized liquefied gas. First, a gas stream is cooled and expanded to liquefy the gas stream. The liquefied gas stream is then withdrawn as pressurized gas product and a portion is recycled through the heat exchanger to provide at least part of the cooling and is returned to the stream. Recycling the pressurized liquefied gas product helps keep the cooling and compression of the gas stream in the supercritcal region of the phase diagram. J-T valves in parallel with the expander permits running the system until the stream is in the supercritical region of its phase diagram and the hydraulic expander can operate. This process is suitable for natural gas streams containing methane to form a pressurized liquefied natural gas (PLNG) product.

Abstract: The invention is a method for attenuating noise in seismic data traces, in which at least a portion of the noise is noncoherent in the common-shot domain but coherent in the common-receiver domain, the coherent noise having a move-out velocity different from the move-out velocity of the data signal in the seismic data traces. The method comprises sorting the seismic data traces into common-receiver order and using the difference in move-out velocities to separate the coherent noise from the data seismic signal. This method is useful in suppressing noise in two and four-component ocean bottom cable data.

Abstract: LASER-CSS provides a method to improve cyclic steam-based thermal recovery methods for heavy oils and bitumen. A key improvement over prior art consists of mixing liquid hydrocarbons into the injected steam instead of injecting such hydrocarbon as a separate slug in front of a steam stimulation cycle. The objective of the invention is to enhance field applications of Cyclic Steam Stimulation (CSS) by contacting and mobilizing more of the bitumen with the same amount of steam. This is to help increase the recovery efficiency and ultimate recovery normally achieved with conventional CSS-type process operations. The proposed LASER-CSS method utilizes existing CSS wells at some intermediate stage of reservoir depletion. Liquid hydrocarbons are directly mixed and flashed into the injected steam lines, injected into the CSS wellbores and further transported as vapors to contact heavy oil or bitumen surrounding steamed areas between adjacent wells.