Abstract: Whipstock/packer assembly equipment and procedures to retrieve and reuse a whipstock assembly during drilling operations for horizontal drainhole application. The anchor is seated in a retrievable packer and has a bore communication with the fluid path in the whipstock and ports through the anchor body to the bore. Fluid pumped through the ports after a drilling operation flush cuttings from the annulus between the anchor and the associated packer and carry them to the surface, thereby preventing the cuttings from hampering removal of the anchor. The same fluid path can be used to introduce a gel to the annulus prior to drilling to prevent cuttings from collecting on the packer. Introduction of fluid after the drilling operation may be employed to remove the gel and collected cuttings or the whipstock/packer assembly may be withdrawn without flushing.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system wherein the compensation for temperature effects on a pressure measurement gauge are accomplished by processing the raw pressure measurement signal from the gauge through an equation to produce a thermally compensated measurement. The equation expresses the thermally compensated pressure determination as a relation between a derivative of temperature and temperature. When the gauge is placed in an oil or gas well, the equation is used to obtain the corrected measured pressure from the raw measured pressure received from the gauge and the temperature measured adjacent to the gauge.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system wherein the compensation for temperature effects on a pressure measurement gauge are accomplished by processing the raw pressure measurement signal from the gauge through an equation to produce a thermally compensated measurement. The equation expresses the thermally compensated pressure determination as a relation between a derivative of temperature and temperature. When the gauge is placed in an oil or gas well, the equation is used to obtain a correction for the measured pressure from the temperature measured adjacent to the pressure gauge.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system wherein the compensation for temperature effects on a pressure measurement gauge are accomplished by processing the raw pressure measurement signal from the gauge through a linear differential equation to produce a thermally compensated measurement. The linear differential equation expresses the thermally compensated pressure determination as a relation between a derivative of temperature and a derivative of pressure error. The linear differential equation contains several coefficients having constant values, and these constant values are computed by calibrating the pressure gauge in a pressure tank having a known pressure and temperature. When the gauge is later placed in an oil or gas well, the coefficient values are used to obtain the corrected measured pressure from the raw measured pressure received from the gauge.

Abstract: A process is provided for reducing the inhibiting effect of gas coning on liquid hydrocarbon production into a production wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation having a gas cap overlying a liquid hydrocarbon producing zone in fluid communication with the gas cap. A polymer enhanced foam containing a polymer, an aqueous solvent, a surfactant, and a gas is placed in gas-permeable anomalies or matrix between the production wellbore and gas cap, thereby effectively blocking the downward flow of gas from the gas cap to the production wellbore and enabling desirable liquid hydrocarbons to more readily enter the wellbore for production to the surface.

Abstract: A method of maintaining a constant predetermined hydrostatic pressure in a wellbore being drilled by a rotary drilling process utilizing aerated drilling fluid. The aerating gas, such as compressed air, is maintained at a constant pressure while its flow is changed in response to changes in the flow of the drilling fluid. This maintains a constant ratio of compressed air to drilling fluid, resulting in the hydrostatic pressure remaining constant.

Abstract: A method for rapidly and accurately determining the threshold and critical capillary pressures of a porous rock sample. A fluid saturating the sample, preferably oil, is withdrawn from the downstream end of the sample at an extremely low rate as a result of the introduction of another fluid, preferably gas, at the upstream end. The other fluid displaces the saturating fluid due to a differential pressure between the upstream and downstream ends of the sample. The differential pressure is created by means which does not require use of back pressure valves, thereby avoiding pressure surges and allowing constant slow withdrawal of the saturating fluid. The threshold and critical capillary pressures may be determined from a trace of the differential pressure.

Abstract: A process is provided for recovering liquid hydrocarbons from a subterranean hydrocarbon-bearing formation by sequential injection of a pair of immiscible gases of differing composition which displace the liquid hydrocarbons from the formation. The compositions of the displacement gases are selected such that one gas is characterized as a swelling gas and the other is characterized as a non-swelling gas with respect to the liquid hydrocarbons in place.

Abstract: The invention is an apparatus for mixing and injecting into a well tubular a dry material/liquid slurry. The apparatus is comprised of an entrainment chamber having an inlet and an outlet, a hopper having an inlet, and an outlet detachably connected to the chamber inlet, a jet nozzle vertically positioned adjacent the hopper outlet and a tubing connector attached to the chamber outlet. Pressurized liquid is passed through the jet nozzle creating a partial vacuum, entraining gravity fed material from the hopper to form a slurry. The slurry passes through the tubing connector and is injected into a well tubular which are detachably connected to the tubing connector.

Abstract: A method for determining the volume of gas flow in a conduit. Magnetic heads mounted on arms that oscillate in response to pressure changes record magnetic signals on rotating magnetic discs instead of the usual method of recording ink tracks on paper charts. The magnetic signals are then sensed and integrated to volumetric data by means of a computer program. Both ink and magnetic indicia may be made on the same disc if desired.

Abstract: A method for removing and recovering hydrocarbons contained in hydrocarbon/water mixtures. Hydrocarbons are stripped from nonflowing hydrocarbon/water mixtures in a tank by bubbles of inert gas or air introduced under pressure. The inert gas or air and hydrocarbons are vented from the tank and the water is removed from the tank when satisfactorily purified. The material in the tank preferably is heated. A two-tank process may be used wherein the second tank is filled while the stripping process in the first tank is taking place. The rate of flow of the inert gas or air is maintained at a low enough rate to allow recovery of product.

Abstract: A method for stopping the backspinning of a submersible pump motor prior to restarting the motor. A control circuit is provided which rectifies A.C. control voltage and applies the resulting D.C. voltage to an induction motor. This sets up a stationary magnetic field in the stator of the motor which creates a braking effect on the rotor. By braking the backspinning to a stop or to a speed which will not harm the motor if restarted while still backspinning, the motor can be restarted without having to wait until the downward flow of fluid causing the backspinning stops.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a duckbill conservation vent valve comprising an elastomeric tubular body having an axial fluid passageway with an inlet and an outlet. The tubular body progressively narrows in cross section from inlet to outlet, forming opposed sealing lips at the outlet. The lips define a closed slit therebetween. The slit is opened in response to pressure exerted from the inlet in the direction of the slit. The slit is kept closed by means such as applying either external or internal force on opposing ribs which extend radially from the tubular body or by draping a long lip over a slit and a short lip, or by stretching a short lip to equal the length of a long lip and attaching the short lip to the long lip. The duckbill conservation vent valve is capable of being opened by pressure heads of less than about 2 inches of water.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for converting hydrogen sulfide to sulfur and hydrogen. The hydrogen sulfide gas is contacted with a quinone in an aqueous solvent containing a sulfur complexing agent to yield sulfur and the corresponding hydroquinone. The hydroquinone is converted back to quinone and hydrogen. The quinone is recycled and the hydrogen gas and sulfur is collected. The invention also discloses a range of ratios of complexing agent to quinone which produces an unexpected yield for the disclosed reaction.

Abstract: A process for storing a refined liquid hydrocarbon product in a storage tank having a dead volume. The process comprises filling the dead volume with a rigid crosslinked polymer gel and storing product in the remaining internal volume of the storage tank.

Abstract: A method and means for delivering the liquid generated by a coreflood experiment to test tubes and the gas so generated to a gas outlet. A mixture of gas and liquid is fed through an axially rotating tube extending through the central portion of a sealed chamber in which the test tubes are arranged in a circular path. The tube has a transversely extending delivery portion which deposits liquid into the test tubes, while gas is collected through a conduit leading from the chamber. The tube is incrementally rotated through a mechanism which allows fluid from the core sample to flow into the tube at the same back pressure under which the experiment takes place.

Abstract: An apparatus for containing liquids and pollution within a liquid drainage comprising a first conduit, a second conduit, a liquid barrier, a means for lifting, and a means for sensing pollution. The second conduit is smaller in relative diameter than the first conduit and is positioned so that the second conduit outlet end is located within the first conduit. The second conduit has a flexible portion of its length which permits the outlet end of the second conduit to be lifted while the inlet end of the second conduit remains stationary. The liquid barrier guides fluid flow into the second conduit inlet during normal flow, guides fluid flow into the second conduit and liquid flow over the top of the liquid barrier and into the first conduit during floods and retains liquid during normal flow when the outlet end of the second conduit is lifted. The apparatus further comprises a means for lifting which is electrically connected to a sensing means.

Abstract: A semi-permeable membrane process of separating impurities from a hydrocarbon mixture. A fuel gas sweep gas is used to purge and dilute the permeate. Because this reduces the partial pressure of the impurities, the driving force for permeation is increased even though the permeate mixture pressure is increased to the extent that the system need not employ a compressor or vacuum pump. The mixture of permeate, fuel gas and permeated hydrocarbon product can be delivered at a pressure sufficient to flow directly to the plant fuel system or other system for use therein. Specific membrane units employing hollow fiber membranes or spirally wound stacked membrane layers are disclosed.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for injecting fluid into and producing fluid, including gas, from a subterranean formation via a well in fluid communication with the formation. Fluid is injected into the subterranean formation through a first generally tubular conduit in the well and fluid is produced from formation to the surface through this conduit until fluid flow ceases. Thereafter, fluid is pumped from the formation into the tubular conduit and diverted into the annulus defined between the conduit and the well. The pressure drop created by this diversion causes gas to break out of the produced fluid. The remaining fluid is diverted back into the conduit and pumped to the surface while the gas is produced to the surface via the annulus.

Abstract: A conformance improvement treatment process is provided for reducing the permeability of a higher-permeability zone in a subterranean hydrocarbon-bearing formation which is in fluid communication with a lower-permeability zone of the formation. The process includes preparing a gel precursor solution at the surface, injecting the solution into a wellbore penetrating the formation, placing the solution in the higher-permeability zone and gelling the solution therein. In situ gelation of the solution results in substantial permeability reduction to the higher-permeability zone. A specific gel precursor solution is utilized which contains a gelling agent and a polymer formed from at least two distinct monomers wherein the first monomer has a relatively faster, yet controlled, rate of hydrolysis and the second monomer has a relatively slower rate of hydrolysis. Gelation of the solution is delayed until a substantial number of carboxylate groups are formed in situ on the polymer.