Abstract: A collapsed composition is described which is substantially composed of microcrystallites collectively of the formula:M.sub.2m.sup.2+ Al.sub.2-p M.sub.p.sup.3+ T.sub.r O.sub.7+r.swhere M.sup.2+ is a divalent metal, M.sup.3+ is a trivalent metal, and T is vanadium, tungsten, or molybdenum.The microcrystallites are so small as to be undetectable through conventional x-ray diffraction techniques, yet high resolution electron microscopy reveals that a substantial portion of the microcrystallites are composed of a solid solution having aluminum oxide molecularly dispersed in a divalent metal monoxide crystal structure. Another portion of the microcrystallites are constituted by a spinel phase. The collapsed composition is suitable as a sulfur oxide absorbent, having comparatively high capacity and comparatively fast absorption and desorption rates. The collapsed composition may be produced by heat treating a layered mixed hydroxide clay having interlayer anions in monometalate form.

Abstract: A rotary drill bit for drilling a curved subterranean borehole. In one embodiment, the drill bit comprises a side portion, a plurality of cutting elements that produce a lateral force on the drill bit in response to the rotation of the drill bit in the borehole, and bearing means. The bearing means is located on the side portion of the drill bit and contacts the borehole wall during drilling to receive a reactive force that is from the borehole, that is in response to the lateral force and that is directed to a location adjacent to the uphole end of the side portion of the drill bit. The reactive force and the lateral force form a downhole-moment that is about the drill bit and that is opposed by an uphole-moment having a force component that is directed at the flexible joint. The uphole end of the bearing means is located relatively close to the cutting elements such that the magnitude of the downhole-moment and the magnitude of the uphole-moment are minimized.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for increasing the methane recovery rate through a wellbore which penetrates a coal seam. The invention utilizes the cavitation of the coal seam surrounding the wellbore after a substantial percentage of the original methane-in-place which is available for recovery from the wellbore has been recovered from the coal seam.

Abstract: A thermal oil recovery process is disclosed for use in an oil reservoir containing a plurality of laterally separated generally vertical wells that have been used for cyclic steam stimulation and that have left in the reservoir at least one of a heated depletion zone and a channel. The process includes the steps of: drilling a well having a horizontal section and an opening therein that is located laterally between at least two of the vertical wells and at a depth within the lower part of the reservoir; injecting a heated fluid through the two vertical wells to establish thermal communication with said horizontal well; and using steam drive and gravity drainage to recover oil from the reservoir through the horizontal well.

Abstract: A method for improving the recovery of methane from a solid carbonaceous subterranean formation penetrated by a wellbore, the method comprising the steps of introducing a first fluid into the formation which sorbs to the formation, allowing at least a portion of the first fluid to sorb to the formation, introducing a chemically different second fluid into the formation at a pressure higher than the parting pressure of the formation, relieving pressure within the formation to produce shear failure within the formation, and repeating the introduction of second fluid and the relieving of pressure until a desired permeability of the formation is obtained.

Abstract: A collective fluid inclusions volatiles sample is released from each of a plurality of sedimentary rock samples and analyzed as it is being released to determine composition thereof. Compositions are used for mapping the earth's subsurface.

Abstract: An anti-whirl underreamer comprising a body configured for connection to a drillstring, at least two arms carried by the body which are extendable between a retracted position and a projected position, a movable piston and biased spring assembly for moving the arms, a plurality of cutting elements carried by one of the arms for cutting an axially extending cylindrical sidewall of the borehole within a subterranean formation and for applying a resultant radial force to the body as it rotates, and a low friction bearing region carried by another arm for transmitting the resultant radial force from the body to the sidewall of the borehole during rotation of the underreamer within the borehole. The cutting elements are positioned so that the resultant radial force developed is of sufficient magnitude and direction to substantially maintain the low friction bearing region in contact with the sidewall of the borehole as the underreamer is rotated within the borehole.

Abstract: A method of recovering methane from a solid carbonaceous subterranean formation having a production well in fluid communication with the formation and an injection well in fluid communication with the formation, comprising the steps of passing a gaseous fluid containing at least 60 volume percent nitrogen and at least 15 volume percent oxygen through a membrane separator to produce an oxygen-depleted effluent, pressurizing the oxygen-depleted effluent to a pressure above a reservoir pressure of the solid carbonaceous subterranean formation, injecting the oxygen-depleted effluent into the formation through the injection well, and recovering a fluid comprising methane through the production well.

Abstract: Processes are disclosed for separating an oxygen-containing gas into oxygen-enriched and oxygen-depleted streams. The oxygen-depleted stream is injected into a methane-containing solid carbonaceous subterranean formation to produce a methane-containing gaseous mixture. The oxygen-enriched stream is reacted with a stream containing an oxidizable material which can be the methane-containing mixture.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for increasing the production of methane from a solid carbonaceous subterranean formation having a standard initial production rate of a methane-containing gas of X standard cubic feet per unit time. The method comprises the steps of injecting an inert methane-desorbing gas into the formation; terminating injection of the methane-desorbing gas; and thereafter recovering greater than X standard cubic feet per unit time of a methane-containing gas from the formation. In some embodiments, a number of well systems exceeding the number of available inert gas production and injection units can be operated in accordance with the present invention to yield greater methane-containing gas production than would be obtained if the available injection systems were dedicated continuously to particular well systems.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for using a pressure swing adsorption separator system to provide an oxygen-depleted gaseous effluent for injecting into a suitable solid carbonaceous subterranean formation, such as a coalbed, to enhance the recovery of methane from the formation.

Abstract: A method for reducing the inert gas fraction volume percent present in a methane-containing mixture produced by injecting an inert gas into a solid carbonaceous subterranean formation is disclosed. The method reduces the inert gas fraction by suspending the injection of the inert gas or by reducing a rate of injection of the inert gas. Additional methods are disclosed in which the inert gas volume percent of a gaseous mixture produced from more than one well can be maintained below the inert gas volume percent present in a gas obtained from at least one of the wells.

Abstract: An open-bottomed cyclone separator with gas inlet tube is disclosed which minimizes the entrainment of separated solids in a process gas entering the separator. In some embodiments, the gas inlet tube directs the process gas into a solids-depleted region within a cyclonic separation chamber. In other embodiments, a gas inlet tube directs the process gas into a stream of solids-depleted gas withdrawn from the chamber. Methods for practicing the invention are also disclosed.

Abstract: A catalyst and method of making a catalyst are provided for the selective hydrotreating of a selective hydrotreating feedstock comprising reacting the feedstock with hydrogen at hydrotreating conditions in the presence of a catalyst comprising a hydrogenation component and a support component. The hydrogenation component comprises a Group VIB metal component and a Group VIII metal component wherein the Group VIB metal component is present in an amount ranging from about 4 wt % to about 20 wt % and the Group VIII metal component is present in an amount ranging from about 0.5 wt % to about 10 wt %, both calculated as oxides and based on the total catalyst weight. The support component comprises from about 0.5 wt % to about 50 wt % of a magnesium component and from about 0.02 wt % to about 10 wt % of an alkali metal component, both calculated as oxides and based on the total catalyst weight.

Abstract: A process and catalyst are provided for the hydrogenation of a hydrocarbon feedstock consisting essentially of hydrocarbon boiling between about 150.degree. F. and 700.degree. F. at atmospheric pressure. The process comprises reacting the feedstock with hydrogen at hydrogenation conditions in the presence of a catalyst comprising hydrogenation metals and a support comprising beta zeolite. The hydrogenation metals comprise from about 0.1 percent by weight to about 2.0 percent by weight each of palladium and platinum measured as a percentage of the catalyst. The beta zeolite comprises from about 1 ppm by weight to about 3.0 percent by weight sodium calculated as a percentage of said beta zeolite.

Abstract: A process and catalyst is provided for the hydrogenation of a hydrocarbon feedstock comprising a substantial portion of a distillate hydrocarbon feedstock, wherein said distillate hydrocarbon feedstock consists essentially of material boiling between about 150.degree. F. and about 700.degree. F. at atmospheric pressure, which comprises reacting the feedstock with hydrogen at hydrogenation conditions in the presence of a catalyst comprising from about 0.1% to about 2.0% by weight of palladium and from about 0.1% to about 2.0% by weight of platinum and a support comprising borosilicate, for producing a hydrogenated product.

Abstract: A method is provided for transferring spectral information, comprising spectral images, from a source spectrometer to a target spectrometer in order that chemometric models can be transferred among spectrometers.

Abstract: A method and system for geophysical exploration including obtaining, processing, displaying and interpreting seismic data. Seismic energy is imparted into the earth'subterranean formation along at least two linear independent lines of action in a seismic survey. At least two linearly independent components of the seismic wave energy imparted along each line of action are detected within the seismic survey. A concord of seismic signals is produced from the seismic wave energy detected for selected combinations of receiver and source locations. An orientation module operates on the concord of the seismic signals so as to generate synthetic concords of seismic signals so as to focus on a particular component of the seismic wave energy in order to infer the geologic characteristics of the earth's subterranean formations.

Abstract: A process is provided for separating alkyl carbonate from a feedstock comprising at least one alkyl carbonate and at least one alkanol comprising extracting the alkyl carbonate from the feedstock in a liquid-liquid extraction step comprising a first extraction solvent comprising hydrocarbon selective for extracting alkyl carbonates relative to alkanol in an amount sufficient to extract a substantial portion of the alkyl carbonate from the feedstock and a second solvent comprising water in an amount sufficient to extract a substantial portion of the alkanol from the feedstock.

Abstract: Conventional drill pipe is rotated at a rate sufficient for distributing deforming forces substantially uniformly around the circumference of the drill pipe at each location along the length of the drill pipe disposed within the curved portion while the pipe is passed through the curved portion of a short-radius wellbore. The drill pipe arrives in the lateral portion in operable condition for drilling to extend the lateral portion and is retrieved from the wellbore in reusable condition.