Abstract: Methods for cleaning sand from a helical spring sand filter, methods for assembling a self-cleaning helical spring sand filter, and a self-cleaning helical spring sand filter for use at the petroliferous unconsolidated sand strata of an oil well are disclosed. The filter comprises a helical spring connected in tension at each end to an elongated perforated sleeve for spacing apart all convolutions by a predetermined distance for forming the filter. One or more washer shaped cleaning rings with square holes therein are mounted between adjacent convolutions at one end of the spring for being rotated by a square ended rod supported by a sucker rod in a well between all of the convolutions to the spring other end for scraping off all foreign material from between the convolutions. The spring sand filter can be cleaned for as many times as there are cleaning rings instead of making trips to the surface for unclogging.

Abstract: A settling tank for resolving a mixture of oil, water, and solids from an oil and solids-in-water influent includes two inclined and parallel baffles about which the influent water successively passes. Each baffle preferably has parallel V-shaped grooves in the under surface thereof for entrapping, guiding, and coalescing the oil droplets into large globs for channeling and passing through the openings between the baffles and the tank wall for rising to the surface for draw off. The clear water outlet is positioned on a horizontal plane intermediate horizontal planes through the low forward end of the upper baffle and the high rear end to ensure delivery of an oil-free and solids-free water. An upper oil outlet ensures delivery of a solids-free and water-free oil from the settling tank. A new method for assembling a settling tank is disclosed.

Abstract: Apparatus for skimming surface fluid off of a main fluid including a floating collection housing adapted to float in such main fluid and a rotating skimming wheel having an annular skimming chamber including a plurality of compartments, each compartment being opened by a gravity actuated valve for skimming surface fluid off of the main fluid when such compartment is rotated into the main fluid so that the surface fluid is skimmed from the main fluid into such compartment, the compartment being subsequently emptied into the floating collection housing after rotation out of the main fluid. The buoyancy of the apparatus is adjustable to control the position of the compartments during skimming operations with respect to the interface between the surface and main fluids.

Abstract: One basic method for forming a bubble cap assembly held together with a hold-down stud for sealing a hole in a tray deck comprises (1) forming an inner tubular sleeve having a lower flanged end telescopic with the inner surface of a tubular riser having a lower flanged end, and (2) sealing the lower flanged ends of both the telescopic tubular riser and the inner tubular sleeve with gasket means to the upper and lower peripheral surfaces around the hole for providing a double seal between the tray deck and the bubble cap assembly, for minimizing leakage, and for assuring proper alignment of the bubble cap assembly relative to the tray deck.

Abstract: A method for measuring fluid advance in underground formations comprises, (1) driving bench marks into the ground over the formation spaced a predetermined distance apart, (2) measuring and recording the precise vertical displacement of each bench mark at the end of each predetermined period of time, and (3) interconnecting bench marks of similar vertical displacements to form lines, each line indicating the position of the passing of a particular amount of fluid in the formation underground at a particular time.

Abstract: For in situ combustion operation to recover petroleum from a well in a subterranean reservoir, an ignition system for an elongated combustion chamber suspended from a hollow electrical cable and which cable supplies both electrical means and fuel gas to the chamber. Air inlet ducts in the walls of the air inlet cylinder receive air from the annular space between the hollow cable and the wellbore tubing. An electrical ignitor is temporarily energized automatically or responsive to a thermocouple detecting no burning in the combustion chamber to ignite the fuel-air mixture in the combustion chamber. The ignitor is responsive to the thermocouple detecting burning in the combustion chamber for extinguishing the ignitor. The thermocouple is thus responsive to a flameout for re-energizing the ignitor either manually or automatically such that burner operation is interrupted only momentarily.

Abstract: A method for initiating an in situ combustion operation for heating a well to recover petroleum from a subterranean reservoir in the well comprises lowering an elongated combustion chamber suspended from a hollow electrical cable with an air supply tube therearound which supplies electricity, fuel gas, and air to the combustion chamber, mixing an air-fuel mixture in the combustion chamber, and igniting the air-fuel mixture with an ignitor responsive to the thermocouple detecting burning in the combustion chamber for providing an automatic, reliable, and flame-out proof method for initiating heat deep in the well.

Abstract: A method and three embodiments for continuously removing a film of pollutant, as oil, from floating on the water solely by gravity forces is disclosed. One apparatus comprises a closed top collecting vessel or tank of water elevated above the oil covered water with a large conduit extending from the bottom of the tank down into the oil, so that as the oil continuously and uninterruptedly floats up internally of the conduit and tank to the top of the tank, the water is simultaneously and continuously displaced and sinks down through the tank and conduit to the water below. With a plurality of tanks filled with water mounted not higher than 33 feet on a barge being pulled behind a barrier for gathering and banking up the oil just ahead of the barge, a floating pollutant or oil removal system is formed by extending conduits from the bottoms of the water tanks sloping downwardly over the barrier into the floating oil.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for insuring oil well treatment as with a corrosion inhibitor, for example, with a precise slug of a chemical on a regular basis comprising, briefly, repeatedly and precisely ejecting precisely spaced apart consecutive predetermined slugs of a chemical to the oil well by operating a first valve responsive to a first timer, and repeatedly and precisely ejecting a predetermined precise slug of a flush liquid behind each chemical slug by operating a second valve responsive to a second timer for insuring oil well chemical treatment on a regular basis as scheduled and for eliminating personnel time required for manually flushing each chemical slug throughout the oil well for an extended period of time.

Abstract: Methods and mechanisms are disclosed comprising means for mixing only water with crude oil at temperatures above 32.degree. F. until the inversion point is crossed where a lower viscosity emulsion consisting of oil-in-water is formed for reducing resistance to flow of crude oil up from deep in a well to the surface, or through a pipeline. This oil-in-water emulsion consists of, by volume, 5 percent to 15 percent oil and 95 percent to 85 percent water.

Abstract: Mechanisms for joining two telescopic cylinders underwater in a temporary and inexpensive manner are disclosed, particularly when used in anchoring piles or in offshore tower legs. A gun fires projectiles radially from internally of the pile formed of telescopic cylinders to form the plurality of outwardly extending anchoring bumps in the walls of the cylinders. The projectiles are fired in a horizontal plane radially outwardly and from within and normal to the two telescopic cylinders underwater, for example, with two bumps being formed by each projectile, which bumps overlie each other tightly prior to their being penetrated by the projectile which holds the two bumps together. A number of radiating guns form a like number of pairs of bumps in a circle around the periphery of the telescopic cylinders to form an efficient, inexpensive, and simple temporary connection holding the two cylinders together.

Abstract: A process and system are disclosed for producing bitumen from a subterranean reservoir of tar sands as unconsolidated oil bearing sands. The process comprises basically (1) washing out a cavity in the formation to the bottom thereof, (2) pouring a graded gravel in the cavity for building a conical shaped gravel pack, (3) running a screen down through the apex of the cone to the cavity bottom to bury the screen, (4) ejecting hot fluids into the cavity for melting bitumen from the tar sands, and (5) flowing the melted bitumen through the gravel pack and screen for filtering out sand and gravel from the melted bitumen for recovering the bitumen at the surface. A system for producing bitumen from tar sands is disclosed, and a method for forming a gravel pack in an unconsolidated oil bearing sand formation is disclosed.

Abstract: A method for resolving a mixture of oil, water and solids including flowing the mixture under and over two forwardly inclined baffles for settling out the solids and for causing oil drops to rise, collect, and flow in V-shaped grooves in the under side of the two baffles for coalescing the drops of oil into larger globs. The final steps of flowing the mixture over the upper forwardly declining baffle left all coalesced oil on the surface for being drawn off as solids-free and water-free oil, and draw off water between the oil outlet and the solids outlet for producing oil-free and solids-free water.

Abstract: A settling tank for resolving a mixture of oil, water, and solids from an oil and solids-in-water influent includes two inclined and parallel baffles about which the influent water successively passes. Each baffle preferably has parallel V-shaped grooves in the under surface thereof for entrapping, guiding, and coalescing the oil droplets into large globs for channeling and passing through the openings between the baffles and the tank wall for rising to the surface for draw off. The clear water outlet is positioned on a horizontal plane intermediate horizontal planes through the low forward end of the upper baffle and the high rear end to ensure delivery of an oil-free and solids-free water. An upper oil outlet ensures delivery of a solids-free and water-free oil from the settling tank. A new method for assembling a settling tank is disclosed.

Abstract: The first step in a method for forming a high heat resistant, non-dissolvent sand control pack, as for resisting the high heat eroding and dissolving effects of steam flooding comprises (1) forming a slurry of gravel of silicon carbide alone, or with garnet or zircon mixed therewith. The high heat resistant unconsolidated, permeable, non-dissoluble, and long-life sand control pack consists of the granular material silicon carbide alone, or with garnet or zircon mixed therewith for resisting dissolving during steam flooding for minimizing migration of sand and other granular materials into the well bore from the production zone of hydrocarbon bearing formation.

Abstract: A system for producing bitumen from unconsolidated tar sands in an open well includes a screen positioned in the well large enough to pass a majority of the formation sand and small enough to retain a gravel packing material, a pair of high pressure fluid lateral nozzles fracturably fastened in the bottom of the screen, a wash pipe extending down into the screen for detachably connecting to the nozzles and for washing out a cavity in the tar sand formation, a ball weight for dropping down the wash pipe for knocking the nozzles out of the bottom of the screen for allowing a consolidated gravel pack material to emerge from the screen bottom and form the gravel pack on the screen, and the wash pipe being replaceable with a production tube packed off at the screen mid point for allowing hot aqueous fluids to flow from a screen annulus formed between the production tube and the screen into the cavity for producing oil.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for producing oil from a subterranean reservoir of tar sands as unconsolidated oil bearing sands. The method comprises basically (1) setting a screen in an open hole, the screen being large enough to pass a majority of the formation sand and small enough to retain a packing material, (2) running a wash pipe through the screen for connecting to a lateral nozzle in a hole in the bottom of the screen for washing out a cavity around the screen, (3) dropping a weight down the wash pipe for breaking off the nozzle for enlarging the screen bottom opening and (4) ejecting a consolidating gravel packing material through the large bottom opening for forming a consolidated gravel pack around the screen for primary production, or (5) agglomerating the gravel pack with chemicals as with resins, plastics, or jelly for secondary recovery production.

Abstract: The method comprises basically (1) fixedly securing, as by welding, an air inlet header between an air ring at a predetermined location point and the bottom of the regenerator for a primary support, (2) connecting other elongated supports under the air ring as secondary supports, (3) pivotally mounting slip rings on parallel pivot pins on opposite ends of each of the secondary supports and inserting them into corresponding pairs of sleeves mounted oppositely on the air ring and regenerator, (4) aligning each support so that its corresponding pivot pin is normal to a line between each pin and the predetermined location point, and (5) welding the slip rings in their respective sleeves with the supports so aligned to provide pivotal movement about the slip ring pins for eliminating any bending stresses due to thermal expansion or contraction when operating in the 1,100.degree. F.-1,400.degree. F. heat range of a regenerator in a fluid catalytic cracking unit.

Abstract: Mechanisms are disclosed comprising means for mixing only water with crude oil at temperatures above 32.degree. F. until the inversion point is crossed where a lower viscosity emulsion consisting of oil-in-water is formed for reducing resistance to flow of crude oil up from deep in a well to the surface, or through a pipeline. This oil-in-water emulsion consists of, by volume, 5 percent to 15 percent oil and 95 percent to 85 percent water, respectively.

Abstract: Two methods and a steam sampler are disclosed for sampling steam, as at any desired depth in a steam injection well for determining the quality of the saturated steam just prior to penetrating the formation. The sampler comprises an elongated cylindrical vessel with a tube having openings extending longitudinally internally of the vessel for forming an annulus between the vessel and the tube for trapping steam water droplets while ejecting the steam vapor. The tube has a suitable number of staggered perforated baffles thereon for closing the top of the annulus for preventing loss of the water droplets due to vapor flashing when pressure is bled off for recovery at the surface. A method for sampling and a method for forming a sampler are disclosed. Thus, a simpler, stronger sampler with no moving parts and new and improved methods are disclosed.