Abstract: An electrical heater is provided, the electrical heater being useful for heating soil around a wellbore, and the heater including: a plurality of electrically conductive heater elements within a wellbore, each element spaced from the other elements and located around the circumference of a wellbore; and an electrically insulating filer surrounding the elements within the wellbore; wherein a metal casing around the heater is not present.

Abstract: A heater is disclosed, the heater including: a porous metal sheet heating element; and an electrical insulating material surrounding the porous metal sheet heating element; wherein there is no casing surrounding the porous metal sheet heating element.

Abstract: A process to produce terephthalic acid is provided, the process including the steps of: providing a feed stream comprising a dialkyl substituted aromatic and in an organic acid solvent: contacting the feed stream with an oxidant, the oxidant containing at least 50% by volume oxygen and at an oxygen partial pressure of at least 1 psia, at a temperature between about 80.degree. C. and about 130.degree. C.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for producing diaminoalkanes which comprises reacting a hydroxyalkanal characterized by two to six carbons, preferably 3-hydroxypropanal, with excess ammonia and sufficient hydrogen to stabilize a nickel or cobalt-containing hydroamination catalyst, at a temperature of at least 50.degree. C. and a pressure of at least 500 psig, until there is substantial formation of the desired diaminoalkane, wherein said catalyst comprises at least one metal selected from the group consisting of nickel and cobalt, or mixtures thereof, optionally in the presence of one or more promoters.

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: A scale inhibitor solution composition comprising water; an organophosphorous scale inhibitor selected from the group consisting of nitrilotri(methylene phosphonic acid), diethylenetriaminepenta-(methylene phosphonic acid) and salts thereof with monovalent cations; and sodium chloride in a concentration of between about 12 and about 14% by weight of the scale inhibitor solution.

Abstract: A method to produce dialcohols is provided, the method comprising the steps of:providing a feed stream comprising an alpha-alcohol-diolefin;reacting the feed stream with hydrogen and carbon monoxide in the presence of a catalyst system comprising a cobalt phosphine ligand complex under conditions effective to hydroformylate at least a portion of the diolefin in the feed stream; andrecovering the dialcohol from the reacted feed stream. This method is a one-step process to hydroformylate alpha-alcohol-diolefins such as 2,7-octadien-1-ol to produce a significant yield of dialcohols such as 1,9-nonanediol.

Abstract: The invention is a method to operate a heat injection well, the method comprising the steps of: providing a heat injection well comprising a metal casing and a controllable source of heat within the casing; determining the maximum temperature of the casing which can be applied to the metal casing as a function of external pressure; providing a formation stress measurement device within the formation in the vicinity of the wellbore; providing a temperature measurement device effective for determining the temperature of the casing; determining the formation stress during operation of the heat injection well; and controlling heat released from the controllable source of heat to maintain the formation stress below a predetermined fraction of the collapse stress of the casing.

Abstract: A method is provided to prepare a filter material, the method comprising the steps of: providing a porous substrate; preparing a high internal phase emulsion wherein the external phase of the emulsion comprises polymerizable monomers, and the internal phase is a non-polymerizable phase; impregnating the high internal phase emulsion into the substrate felt; and polymerizing the polymerizable monomers. A layer of cured foam as is thereby formed on the substrate and within pore volumes of the substrate. The cured foam can have a high porosity, small pore size, and low density, resulting in a filter material having a high efficiency in removal of particles, at a lower pressure drop than alternative high efficiency filter materials.

Abstract: A method is provided to estimate the pore volume of a formation occupied by hydrocarbon phase or phases, the method comprising the steps of: obtaining a first pulsed NMR log of the formation, the pulse sequence of the first NMR log comprising an initial 90.degree. radio frequency pulse, followed by a series of 180.degree. radio frequency pulses starting at a time period t.sub.cp1 after the initial 90.degree. pulse, and the series of pulses comprising magnetic pulses each separated by a time period 2t.sub.cp1 ; obtaining a second pulsed NMR log of the formation, the pulse sequence of the second NMR log comprising an initial 90.degree. radio frequency pulse, followed by a series of 180.degree. pulses starting at a time period t.sub.cp2 after the initial 90.degree. pulse, and the series of 180.degree. pulses comprising radio frequency pulses each separated by a time period 2t.sub.cp2 wherein the time t.sub.cp2 is a time that is different from t.sub.

Abstract: A method to identify the location and orientation of an article is provided, the method comprising the steps of: obtaining an image of the article with the article having a known orientation and location relative to a camera; creating a X and Y template edge matrix from the image of the article; creating a plurality of sets of modified template edge matrices, each of the sets of modified template edge matrices being a X and Y template edge matrix with the article in a different orientation; capturing an digital visual image containing the article, the digital image being a matrix of pixels; creating X and Y article edge matrices from the matrix of pixels; quantifying difference between each of the sets of modified template edge matrices and the X and Y article edge matrices with the modified template edge matrices placed at a plurality of locations within the bounds of the article edge matrices; and identifying the location and orientation of the article as the orientation of the article represented by the se

Abstract: A gantry system is provided, the gantry system having a gantry cross member supported by at least two essentially parallel support beams supporting the cross member, the axis of movement of the cross member being essentially perpendicular to the at least two parallel support beams, at least two of the support beams each having a horizontal surface and a vertical surface, and at one point of along cross member, the cross member is operatively associated with one of the support beams through a fixed bogy and at another point, the cross member is operatively associated with another of the support beams through a spring bogy. The fixed bogy includes a frame supporting load carrying wheels vertically mounted and effective to roll along the horizontal surface of one of the support beams, and horizontal wheels are effective to roll along the vertical surface of one of the support beams.

Abstract: The present invention is a method to produce an unsaturated carboxylic acid which includes the steps of: providing an epoxy compound; contacting the epoxy compound with carbon monoxide in the presence of a catalytically effective amount of a catalyst system comprising tin and cobalt under conditions effective for carbonylation of the epoxy; and recovering a .alpha.-.beta. unsaturated carboxylic acid product. The preferred epoxy is ethylene oxide which is reacted to acrylic acid by the method of the present invention.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for heating of formations using fired heaters.

Abstract: A method is provided for determining, prior to initiating filling of a fuel tank, the volume of the fuel tank that does not contain liquid, the method comprising the steps of: placing a vapor supply conduit in sealing relationship to the fuel tank; injecting a known volume of vapor through the vapor supply conduit into the fuel tank; measuring the amount the known volume of vapor increases the pressure of the fuel tank; and determining the volume of the tank that does not contain liquid from the known volume of vapor, and the measured amount of pressure increase. In preferred embodiments this method also determines if the fuel tank is equipped with a canister for removal of hydrocarbons from vapors displaces by fuel, and if the fuel tank has a leak by analysis of the rate at which pressure decreases after injection of the vapor. The method is also preferably used as a step in a method of automated refuelling of a vehicle.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for controlling parallel heater elements, the method including the steps of: providing a plurality of electrical heater elements; generating a plurality of temperature signals associated with a plurality of the heater elements; generating a control signal based on one or more temperature signals; providing an alternating current power supply connected to the electrical heater elements through a power transmission system; generating a signal when the voltage of the alternating current power supply passes through ground potential; blocking electrical power to a heater element starting when a zero detection signal is detected an ending when another zero detection signal is detected, for a fraction of the alternating current cycles in a time period, the fraction being a function of the control signal; and transmitting temperature control signals through the power transmission system.

Abstract: A heater is disclosed, the heater comprising: a heating element effective to generate radiant energy; a casing surrounding the heating element separated from the heating element; and support material between the casing and the heating element wherein the support material comprises a granular solid material that is translucent to radiant energy in the peak wavelength of energy which is radiated by the heating element at operating temperatures. The translucency of the support material is such that at least 50% of the radiant energy emitted by the heating element is radiated to the casing.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for operating an automated refueling system, the system including: a source of vacuum; a suction cup, the suction cup being capable of mating with a hinged vehicle fuel cap cover and the suction cup having an inside which is in communication with the source of vacuum through a suction system; an extension mechanism effective to laterally extend the suction cup toward a vehicle's hinged fuel cap cover; a vacuum actuated means to swing open the hinged fuel cap cover when a pressure within the suction system approaches the pressure of the source of vacuum; and a vacuum actuated cylinder to extend a filler tube into fuel tank inlet after the hinged fuel cap door is swung open. The system of the present invention minimizes the number of electrical components that are in the vicinity of the refueling nozzle.

Abstract: A method is provided to prepare a cationic transition metal catalyst, the method including the steps of: providing a disubstituted phosphine selected from the group consisting of RPH and R.sub.1 R.sub.2 PH wherein R is a divalent group selected from substituted and nonsubstituted hydrocarbon groups, R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are independently selected from substituted and nonsubstituted hydrocarbon groups; combining the disubstituted phosphine with a salt of the formula R.sub.3 X.sub.n wherein X is a good leaving group and is a weakly coordinating anion and R.sub.3 is a substituted or nonsubstituted aliphatic hydrocarbon and n is 1, 2, or 3 to form a phosphonium salt of a formula selected from R.sub.3 (RP.sup.+ H).sub.n nX.sup.- and R.sub.3 (R.sub.1 R.sub.2 P.sup.+ H).sub.n nX.sup.- ; and combining the phosphonium salt with a transition metal salt of the formula MY.sub.m wherein M is a transition metal, and Y is the anion of a weak acid thereby forming a cationic transition metal catalyst.

Abstract: A polyketone is provided wherein the polyketone is water soluble and curable. A method to make a such a polymer is also disclosed, the method including the steps of: providing a polyketone, the polyketone comprising 1,4-diketone units; contacting the polyketone with a diamine wherein the diamine comprises one nitrogen which is more reactive than another of the nitrogens under conditions effective to incorporate the more reactive nitrogen in the polyketone; contacting the polyketone having the diamine incorporated into the polyketone with maleic anhydride under conditions effective to react the less reactive nitrogen with the maleic anhydride; contacting the polyketone having maleic anhydride incorporated thereto with a strong base; and recovering a functionalized polyketone wherein the functionalized polyketone is water soluble and curable.