Abstract: A system for direct electric heating of a subsea pipeline is disclosed in the form of a pipe-in-pipe flowline having an electrically conductive outer carrier pipe and an electrically conductive inner pipe or flowline arranged longitudinally, substantially concentrically within the outer pipe. An annulus is defined between the inner and outer pipes and a pipe insulating joint assembly structurally joins, but electrically insulates, the inner and outer pipes at a first end of the subsea pipeline. A power input provided on the surface facilities is electrically connected across the inner and outer pipes at the first end of the pipeline, and an electrical pathway completes the circuit by connecting the inner and outer pipes at the second end of the pipeline.

Abstract: The invention is a method to determine stress within a formation, the method comprising the steps of: providing a closed reference pressure volume within the formation; providing a flexible diaphragm which can be exposed on one side to formation, and on the other side to the closed reference pressure volume; providing a switch wherein the switch generates a signal based on the diaphragm being in a position indicative of the diaphragm being flexed by pressure on one side of the diaphragm being greater than pressure on the other side of the diaphragm; cycling a pressure within the reference pressure volume to between a pressure at which a signal is generated and a pressure at which a signal is not generated; and determining the formation stress as the pressure at which the signal changes. Another aspect of the invention is the apparatus useful in this method. The switch is preferably an electrical contact that is activated by movement of the diaphragm.

Abstract: Stable high internal phase water-in-oil emulsions containing polymerizable vinyl monomers, crosslinking monomers and initiators are obtained, useful in producing low density porous crosslinked polymeric materials by using a surfactant system containing (a) an anionic surfactant, the anionic surfactant having an oil soluble tail and an anionic functional group and (b) one or more quatemary salts having one or more hydrocarbon groups having greater than or equal to 8 carbon atoms. A water-in-oil emulsion can be formed with lower surfactant concentration than sorbitan fatty acid ester alone and improved surfactant performance at elevated temperatures is obtained.

Abstract: The inflation status of a vehicle tire is determined while the tire is installed on the vehicle by recording a first signal representing the weight (Y) on a scale plate with respect to time when the tire is rolling on the scale plate; recording a second signal representing the weight (X) on a deformation bar with respect to time when the tire is rolling over the deformation bar; determining the maximum Y of the first signal and the maximum X of the second signal; calculating a ratio R by dividing the maximum X of the second signal by the maximum Y of the first signal; and comparing the calculated ratio R (=X/Y) with a predetermined value for the ratio R pertaining to the maximum Y of the first signal and giving an underinflation signal if the calculated ratio is below the predetermined value.

Abstract: The invention comprises a tool which can be inserted through the fill nozzle of an underground fuel storage tank to measure the tank wall thickness. The invention, in a preferred embodiment, uses ultrasonic thickness measurement technology, a well known inspection technique. A special type of ultrasonic probe known as a ZIP (Zero Interface Probe) is required to measure the thickness of fiberglass. A thickness measurement is accomplished by pressing the tool transducers firmly against the inside surface of the fiberglass tank after applying a couplant gel to the surface of the transducers. The tool is connected to an ultrasonic flaw detector, which generates a transmitted pulse and displays the transmitted and reflected pulses on a display screen. The thickness is determined by measuring the time-of-flight (on the display screen) between appropriate pulses.

Abstract: The automatic tire inflation status measurement system comprises a scale and a tire-deformation apparatus for automatically determining whether a pneumatic tire installed on a vehicle is underinflated. The scale plate is flush mounted with the road surface and measures the weight on the tire as the tire rolls across the plate. A second weight measurement is made by using a deformation bar which projects slightly above the road surface and causes the tire to deform as it rolls over the bar. Both the scale and deformation bar are connected to load cells, preferably the same load cells. The tire deforms as it rolls across the bar and weight on the bar vs time is measured by the load cells. Data from the load cells is collected by, for example, using a summing amplifier and a computer-operated data acquisition board. The peak reading on the scale and the peak value of the bar reading are used to calculate a ratio. This ratio is then compared to a threshold value to determine whether the tire is underinflated.

Abstract: A process is provided for curing a high internal phase emulsion to form a porous crosslinked polymeric material is provided, comprising the steps of: forming a high internal phase emulsion having at least one curable phase; providing a continuous strip of a polymeric film wherein the polymeric film is incompatible with each of the phases of the emulsion; placing at least a portion of the emulsion continuously on the polymeric film; closing the polymeric film around the film; and curing the emulsion within the polymeric film. Apparatuses to perform this process are also disclosed.

Abstract: A process is provided for the production of a porous crosslinked polymeric foam comprising the steps of: (a) providing a first water-in-oil emulsion comprising (i) a first mixture of polymerizable monomers comprising at least one oil-soluble vinyl monomer and from about 2 to about 70 weight percent, based on the mixture, of a multifunctional unsaturated crosslinking monomer, (ii) at least 70 weight percent, based on the emulsion, of water as the internal phase (iii) an effective amount to produce the water-in-oil emulsion of a first surfactant, and (iv) a first polymerization initiator; (b) providing a second water-in-oil emulsion comprising (i) a mixture of polymerizable monomers comprising at least one oil-soluble vinyl monomer and from about 2 to about 70 weight percent, based on the mixture, of a second multifunctional unsaturated crosslinking monomer, (ii) at least 70 weight percent, based on the emulsion, of water as the internal phase (iii) an effective amount to produce the water-in-oil emulsion of a