Abstract: Heat exchanger fouling in organic chemical production processes may be reduced using an antifoulant additive. The antifoulant additive may have one component selected from the group consisting of an alkylphosphate ester, and an alpha olefin maleic anhydride copolymer; or it may have two components selected from the group consisting of a metallic overbase, an alkylphosphate ester, and an alpha olefin maleic anhydride copolymer, wherein at least one of the two components in not an overbase. An additive having three components: a metallic overbase, an alkylphosphate ester, and an alpha olefin maleic anhydride copolymer; is also within the scope of the disclosure.

Abstract: Changing concentrations of brine in a gravel pack carrier fluid gelled with a viscoelastic surfactant (VES) increases the fluid efficiency for gravel packing long interval wells, such as wellbore producing interval greater than about 100 feet (about 30 m). VES-gelled fluids used as gravel packing fluids herein also include surfactants, fluid loss control agents, internal breakers and brine in addition to the grave. The viscoelasticity of fluid system can suspend and deliver high concentration of the gravels while reducing carrier fluid volume.

Abstract: Viscoelastic surfactant (VES) gelled aqueous fluids containing water, a VES, an internal breaker, a VES stabilizer, a fluid loss control agent and a viscosity enhancer are useful as treating fluids and particularly as fracturing fluids for subterranean formations. These VES-based fluids have faster and more complete clean-up than polymer-based fracturing fluids. The use of an internal breaker permits ready removal of the unique VES micelle based pseudo-filter cake with several advantages including reducing the typical VES loading and total fluid volume since more VES fluid stays within the fracture, generating a more optimum fracture geometry for enhanced reservoir productivity, and treating reservoirs with permeability above the present VES limit of approximately 400 md to at least 2000 md.

Abstract: Through the combination of at least two polymer families, and the optimization of other components, a rubber compound has been developed for use in downhole applications that will swell in water-based fluids. A cellulose component, such as carboxy methyl cellulose (CMC), is used together with an acrylate copolymer (AC) that can increase the swelling capacity of an acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) in water. The amount of swelling achieved depends on physical boundaries and limitations, the salinity of the water, and the temperature.

Abstract: A mechanical vessel may effectively and simultaneously displace a first undesired gas from within water with a second desired gas, and remove at least one alkaline species and oily matter from the water. The vessel raises the pH of the water and reduces the lime requirement for subsequent lime softening. The vessel receives the water containing the first gas and passes the water through a series of gasification chambers. Each gasification chamber may have a mechanism that ingests and mixes a second gas into the water thereby physically displacing at least a portion of the first gas into a vapor space at the top of each gasification chamber from which it is subsequently removed. There is an absence of communication between the vapor spaces of adjacent chambers. An acid is added to remove the alkaline species, where the first gas is an optional by-product that is also removed.

Abstract: An apparatus, method and computer-readable medium for obtaining a resistivity image of an earth formation. The apparatus includes a downhole assembly configured to be conveyed in a borehole penetrating the earth formation; a plurality of sensor electrodes on the downhole assembly, each of the plurality of sensor electrodes having a different capacitance to a wall of the borehole; and at least one processor configured to: (i) process measurements using each of the sensor electrodes; (ii) process a subset of the measurements substantially unaffected by the different capacitances to produce an image of the borehole wall; and (iii) record the image on a suitable medium.

Abstract: Solid, particulate dicarboxylic acids may be fluid loss control agents and/or viscosifying agents for viscoelastic surfactant (VES) fluids in treatments such as well completion or stimulation in hydrocarbon recovery operations. The fluid loss control agents may include, but not be limited to, dodecanedioic acid, undecanedioic acid, decanedioic acid, azelaic acid, suberic acid, and mixtures thereof having a mesh size of from about 20 mesh to about 400 mesh (about 841 to about 38 microns). A mutual solvent or a blend of at least two alcohols subsequently added to the aqueous viscoelastic surfactant treating fluid will at least partially dissolve the solid, particulate dicarboxylic acid fluid loss control agents, and optionally also “break” or reduce the viscosity of the aqueous viscoelastic surfactant treating fluid.

Abstract: A mechanical flotation system having only one cell may be nearly as efficient as one having two or more cells, yet provide an apparatus with a considerably smaller footprint, significantly reduced capital and operating costs, as well as be resistant to floating oil recovery platform wave effects. The single-cell mechanical flotation system may have one skim collection channel that at least partially surrounds a single gas ingestion and mixing mechanism. At least one baffle may direct suspended matter or floc toward the skim collection which may be circular. The gas layer over the liquid is not vented for the purpose of gasification. The vessel may be a cylindrical pressure vessel oriented vertically, and optionally the inlet may be tangential to the periphery of the vessel to impart liquid rotation inside the vessel when liquid is introduced.

Abstract: Jointly designed channel coding and modulation are used in an uplink telemetry system for transmitting a message signal from a bottomhole location to a surface location. A constant envelope quadrature-quadrature phase-shift keying may be used.

Abstract: A drilling system includes a downhole well control device that can be used to control out-of-norm wellbore conditions. The downhole well control device can control one or more selected fluid parameters. The well control device in cooperation or independent of surface devices exerts control over one or more drilling or formation parameters to manage an out-of-norm wellbore condition. An exemplary well control device hydraulically isolates one or more sections of a wellbore by selectively blocking fluid flow in a pipe bore and an annulus. The control device also selectively flows fluid from the pipe bore to the annulus. A communication device provides on-way or bidirectional signal and/or data transfer between the controller(s), surface personnel and the well control device. Exemplary application of the well control device include controlling a well kick, controlling drilling fluid being lost to the formation and controlling a simultaneous kick and loss.

Abstract: An apparatus for use in dispensing fluid into a wellbore includes a piston element releasably coupled to a housing and a detonator in the housing that applies a force sufficient to release the piston element from the housing when activated. The apparatus also has an intermediate section that mates with the upper section, an elongated member coupled to the piston and that is positioned in a bore of the intermediate section; and a lower section having a housing that mates with the intermediate section. The housing includes at least one opening providing communication between a bore of the housing and an exterior of the housing; and a movable barrier in the lower section. The movable barrier has a first position, wherein the barrier substantially blocks communication between the bore of the intermediate section and the at least one opening, and a second position, wherein the barrier does not substantially block communication between the bore of the intermediate section and the at least one opening.

Abstract: A localized corrosion monitoring (LCM) device is modified to obtain polarization resistance (Rp) from electrical resistance of a probe having a strip of metal under investigation (test electrode), a reference electrode and a temperature sensor (e.g. thermocouple). This configuration allows the probe to be used in areas where only a thin film of conductive fluid is available or required to provide potential monitoring. Thus, the applicability of the LCM technique is broadened. All the above devices are expected to be configured in one item of equipment, except for the probe which may be remotely located from the rest of the equipment.

Abstract: A system for reverse circulation in a wellbore includes equipment for supplying drilling fluid into the wellbore bit via at least an annulus of the wellbore and returning the drilling fluid to a surface location via at least a bore of a wellbore tubular. The system also includes devices for controlling the annulus pressure associated with this reverse circulation. An active pressure differential device may increase the pressure wellbore annulus to at least partially offset a circulating pressure loss. Alternatively, the system may include devices for decreasing the pressure in the annulus of the wellbore.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and system for acquiring seismic data is disclosed that in one aspect receives a seismic signal detected by at least one sensor in response to a seismic energy signal generated by a source at a selected location at a data acquisition unit in data that is in data communication with the sensor, receives at least one parameter of the source and/or receiver at the data acquisition unit; and generates a data block at the data acquisition unit having data representative of the received seismic signal and a header that contains data representative of the at least one parameter of the source and/or receiver. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure.

Abstract: Oxazolidinium compounds are formed by the reaction of a halohydrin or an epoxide with a secondary amine and an aldehyde or a ketone. The oxazolidinium compounds are formed directly and do not require the reaction of a pre-formed oxazolidine with an alkylating agent. The compounds are useful as gas hydrate inhibitors in oil and gas production and transportation.

Abstract: One or more acoustic transducers are used to measure ultrasonic velocities in the mud in the interior channel of a drill collar. Corrections may be applied for temperature and/or fine grain drill cuttings to get the ultrasonic velocity in the annulus between the drill collar and the borehole wall. The latter velocity may be used for caliper measurements and for correcting measurements made by formation evaluation sensors.

Abstract: A method for determining depth in a wellbore uses inertial navigation in conjunction with a database having one or more measured parameters correlated with depth. The measured parameter may be the lengths of stands forming a drill string, prior survey data relating to a naturally occurring feature such as formation lithology, or data relating to a human made feature such as collars in a casing string. The downhole processor may use accelerometer measurements to calculate a measured depth of a BHA and access the database to retrieve a predicted depth that corresponds with one or more sensor measurements (e.g., motion indicating the addition of a stand to a drill string). Thereafter, if the downhole processor determines that the predicted depth is in agreement with the calculated depth, the processor stores the predicted depth and/or associates the predicted depth with directional surveys taken along the wellbore.

Abstract: Cross-component measurements in combination with standard propagation resistivity measurements are processed to estimate the vertical and horizontal resistivities, relative dip and relative azimuth of an anisotropic earth formation.

Abstract: Alkaline earth metal compounds may be fluid loss control (FLC) agents for viscoelastic surfactant (VES) fluids used for fluid loss control pills, lost circulation material pills and kill pills in hydrocarbon recovery operations. The FLC agents may include, but not be limited to oxides and hydroxides of alkaline earth metal, and in one case magnesium oxide where the particle size of the magnesium oxide is between 1 nanometer to 0.4 millimeter. The FLC agent may alternatively be transition metal oxides and/or transition metal hydroxides. The FLC agent appears to associate with the VES micelles and together form a novel pseudo-filter cake quasi-crosslinked viscous fluid layer that limits further VES fluid flow into the porous media. The FLC agent solid particles may be added along with VES fluids. The pills may also contain internal breakers to reduce the viscosity thereof so that the components of the pill may be recovered.

Abstract: Solids deposition in a gas environment, such as a gas transmission line or pipeline are measured using metal-coated quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) in a QCM probe within a high pressure gas chamber in the gas environment. The metal coated on the QCM may be iron, iron alloys and/or iron oxide. The weight measurements are conducted at a constant (?T) or controlled (T=f(t)) temperature between the high pressure gas chamber and the QCM probe. The weight gain during a CE cycle is associated with the solids formation rate.