Abstract: Metals are removed from metal- and asphaltene-containing petroleum oils by contacting the oil with pellets of sorptive type attapulgus clay which has been extruded and then dried at a temperature between about 100.degree. and 650.degree. C. to a volatile content of less than 20 weight %.

Abstract: A liquid hydrocarbonaceous fuel in liquid phase is passed through the center conduit of an annulus-type burner at a linear velocity of one foot per second and below. Simultaneously, a gaseous mixture of substantially pure oxygen and steam is passed through the annulus passage. Upon impact between the two reactant streams at the tip of the burner, atomization of the liquid fuel takes place in the reaction zone of a free-flow noncatalytic partial oxidation gas generator. Mixtures of H.sub.2 and CO are produced thereby unexpectedly containing 25 percent less entrained particulte carbon than that which is produced under similar conditions but with liquid fuel velocities of about 20 feet per second. The gaseous mixtures produced may be used as synthesis gas, reducing gas, or fuel gas.

Abstract: A process for converting .gamma.-butyrolactone to tetrahydrofuran by treating the lactone with hydrogen in the presence of a cobalt-copper chromite catalyst at elevated pressures and temperatures.

Abstract: Petroleum may be recovered from viscous petroleum-containing formations including tar sand deposits by a process involving injecting into the formation a multiple-component solvent for the petroleum and a thermal fluid. At least one solvent component is gaseous at the temperature and pressure of the petroleum reservoir such as carbon dioxide, methane, ethane, propane, butane or pentane, and at least one component is liquid at the reservoir conditions, such as hexane and higher molecular weight aliphatic hydrocarbons or aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzene. The multiple solvent injection is continued with no production until the pressure is from 50 to 250% above the vapor pressure of the solvent, at which pressure the solvent mixture is substantially all in the liquid phase. Recovery of petroleum and solvent is from a remotely located well by reducing the pressure in the portion of the formation contacted by the solvents to a value from 5 to 100% above the vapor pressure of the gaseous solvent.

Abstract: A system for drilling and for producing subsea wells in relatively deep waters normally subjected to severe wave and current conditions. A floating drilling vessel or production unit is maintained in position over the well site. A riser pipe, maintained under constant tension, depends from the drilling or production vessel downwardly to and operably engages a well head. An elongated caisson depends from the drilling or production vessel to form a protective area about the riser pipe upper end. As a result, stresses induced in the riser pipe upper end by wave and current forces acting on the riser are thereby greatly reduced.

Abstract: A competent permeable communication zone connecting injection and production wells completed in a tar sand which communication zone will be rigid and will not tend to slump or heal may be developed by injecting a fluid in the injection well under such pressure so as to fracture the tar sand formation between the injection well and the production well and circulating a fluid between the injection and production wells which is at a temperature sufficiently low to freeze the water in tar sands. The fluid may contain propping agents to hold the fracture surfaces apart. This procedure will rigidify the hydrocarbon portion of the tar sand formation in the vicinity of the fracture zone as well as freeze the water in the tar sand formation. Once the fracture is established a solvent for the hydrocarbon in the tar sands may be circulated preferably at a temperature below the freezing point of the water in the tar sands to extract the bitumen therefrom.

Abstract: A control system controls the occurrence and the duration of time intervals during which sparks may be provided in the cylinders of an internal combustion engine driving a crank shaft as a function of loading parameters on the engine. In an automotive engine control system, parameters such as the vacuum in the carburetor, the throttle setting and the torque of the crank shaft are sensed, and corresponding signals are provided by the sensor. A distributor provides a pulse signal having a repetition rate corresponding to the rotational speed of the crank shaft. A frequency-to-voltage converter converts the pulse signal to an output voltage. The sensed parameter signals and the voltage from the converter are summed. The sum signal is used to control a one-shot multivibrator which is triggered by each pulse in the pulse signal from the distributor. The sum signal controls the width of the pulse from the one-shot multivibrator so as to control the timing of the various sparks in the engine's cylinders.

Abstract: The effluent streams from utility stack gases containing nitric oxides and sulfur dioxide are entrained with sulfuric acid and carbon monoxide from refinery cracking and other industrial plants and in a sequence of separation and reaction steps nitrogen and carbon dioxide are vented to the atmosphere and regenerated concentrated sulfuric acid and sulfur produced.

Abstract: Supported olefin conversion catalysts are activated by a method which comprises calcining the catalyst, impregnating the calcined catalyst with an alcoholic solution of an alkali metal salt, an alkali metal base or an alkali metal alcoholate and then recalcining the catalyst.

Abstract: The invention discloses as new fungicidal compositions of matter dispersed micelles of overbased copper naphthenates in non-phytotoxic spray oils prepared metathetically. Each micelle contains a combined alkaline earth metal to reduce phytotoxicity of the dispersions. The alkaline earth metal may be present partly as naphthenate in the outer protective layer of the dispersed micelles. The inner core of the micelle is mainly copper hydroxide but some alkaline earth metal hydroxide may also be present. The mole percent of alkaline earth metal to copper ranges from about 1 to about 7 and the preferred metal is calcium. The micelles form clear fungicidal dispersions in spray oils.

Abstract: Telomeric hydrocarbon phosphorus compounds and hydrocarbon compositions containing said compounds are described. The telomeric hydrocarbon phosphorus compounds are represented by the formula: ##STR1## in which R is a hydrocarbon radical having from 1 to 18 carbon atoms and n has a value from 0 to 100.

Abstract: A composition for preventing the growth of micro-organisms in petroleum hydrocarbons in contact with water by incorporating from about 0.05 to 0.1 per cent by volume of a hydrocarbon soluble Schiff base having less than 20 carbon atoms per hetero atom.

Abstract: Amino ester products, useful as additives to lubricating oils, may be prepared by reaction of an alpha-nitroketone and a tertiary aminoalcohol.

Abstract: Diesel fuel composition comprising a mixture of hydrocarbons boiling in a range from about 310.degree. to 475.degree. F. containing an additive mixture composed of (1) dimeric and trimeric acids produced by the condensation of unsaturated aliphatic monocarboxylic acids having between about 16 and about 18 carbon atoms per molecule, and hydroxyaliphatic monocarboxylic acids having between about 16 and about 18 carbon atoms per molecule, (2) a normally liquid completely or partially neutral amine salt of an oxo-alkyl acid ester of orthophosphoric acid in which each esterifying oxo-alkyl group contains 13 to 16 carbon atoms and the amine is an aliphatic hydrocarbon monoamine of 16 to 24 carbon atoms in which each aliphatic hydrocarbon radical is attached to the nitrogen through a saturated carbon atom, (3) an aliphatic demulsifier consisting of fatty acids alkoxylated by a mixture of ethylene and propylene oxides and (4) a saturated hydrocarbon solvent.

Abstract: A system for logging earth formations traversed by a borehole wherein a high energy pulsed neutron source (14 MeV) repetitively irradiates earth formations. Two time gates operated after each neutron pulse are provided for detecting count rates from which the decay time and the macroscopic capture cross-section .SIGMA. can be determined. Background gate means are also provided to eliminate the effects of background and detector radiation. In the detection system, output pulses whose voltage level is proportional to the energy detected are produced. A cut-off voltage level is set at approximately 0.8 MeV, which is above the energy of gamma rays produced following neutron capture by the element Boron and below the energy of most gamma rays produced following capture by all other significant formation elements. By comparison of the count rates (obtained by summing these voltage pulses) in a Boron containing formation with macroscopic capture cross-section .SIGMA.

Abstract: A method of simultaneously preparing a carboxylic acid and a hydroxamic acid which comprises contacting an ammonium, Group IA or Group IIA salt of an alkyl alphanitroketone with an acidic mineral acid salt in a carboxylic acid solvent.

Abstract: n-Paraffins, particularly those having from 5 to 20 carbon atoms, are selectively dehydrogenated to n-olefins by a process employing a catalyst consisting essentially of a noble metal supported on a cation mordenite. Selectivity is achieved by the addition of an organic base, such as quinoline, as catalyst modifier to the n-paraffin stream.

Abstract: Alkylamides are prepared by heating an acylhydroximyl halide in an oxygenated polar organic solvent at a temperature of about 70.degree. to 190.degree. C. The alkylamides herein prepared are useful as fuel and lubricant additives and as intermediates in the preparation of acids, nitriles and amines.

Abstract: The reaction product of a dehydrohalogenated polyalkene and a maleic anhydride prepared by the method comprising halogenating polyalkene, dehydrohalogenating the resultant halogenated polyalkene and reacting the formed dehydrohalogenated polyalkene with maleic anhydride; the derivative of said reaction product and alkylene polyamine having detergent-dispersant properties in oil and hydrocarbon lubricating oil compositions containing said derivative.

Abstract: Production of a gas suitable for use as a fuel or for conversion into a fuel and simultaneous production of a gas saturated with steam suitable for use as feed to a shift conversion zone.