Abstract: A double hull vessel is disclosed having a novel type of ballast tank element. That ballast tank element has a half-breadth double-bottom ballast tank and a side ballast tank. The half-breadth double-bottom ballast tank has a tank access trunk that is located within the double-side hull. Preferably, that tank access trunk is at least one frame space wide. The side ballast tank is located within the double-hull, and is adjacent to the tank access trunk. Preferably, the ballast tank elements are used in pairs which are adjacent and opposite from each other. These pairs of ballast tank elements can be used in conjunction with double-hull ballast tank elements having no internal subdivisions.

Abstract: A polysiloxane polymer having pendant aromatic groups that is useful in increasing the viscosity of carbon dioxide. That polymer can be formed by reacting a polysiloxane containing at least one olefinic group with a phenyldialkylsilane. That polymer can be used in a method for recovering oil from an underground oil-bearing earth formation penetrated by an injection well and a producing well, in which method carbon dioxide is injected into the formation to displace oil towards the producing well from which oil is produced to the surface. The viscosity of the carbon dioxide injected into the formatin is increased at least three-fold by the presence of a sufficient amount of the polymer and a sufficient amount of a cosolvent to form a solution of the polymer in the carbon dioxide.

Abstract: A pump shut-down system is disclosed for preventing damage to the pump from bearing failure. That system has a metal bar located within a preset clearance distance from a traveling element of the pump (such as a piston rod), a voltage source in electrical contact with the metal bar, an automatic shut-down relay in electrical contact with the voltage source, and an electrical ground on the pump in electrical contact with the voltage source. The metal bar, voltage source, automatic shut-down relay, and electrical ground all form an electrical circuit. That circuit is open when the metal bar is not in physical contact with the traveling element, and is closed whenever the metal bar is in physical contact with the traveling element. Whenever the circuit is closed, the automatic shut-down relay shuts down the pump.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for using data from a borehole televiewer in an active well to determine fluid properties. That method involves determining the wall effects from the data, and factoring out the wall effects from the data to determine the fluid properties.

Abstract: A sliding plate is located across a pipe body to form a sliding plate valve having two positions: a through position and a flush position. In the through position, material flows through the pipe body. In the flush position, the flow of material is diverted so it goes out a side opening in the pipe body. An opening in the sliding plate permits material to pass through the plate only when the valve is in the through position, not when the valve is in the flush position. A side cut-out section of the body is attached to the sliding plate so that the section blocks the side opening when the valve is in the through position, but not when the valve is in the flush position.

Abstract: A polymer is disclosed that is useful in increasing the viscosity of carbon dioxide. That polymer comprises a polysilylenesiloxane polymer, preferably polydimethylsilylenedimethylsiloxane. That polymer can be used in a method for recovering oil from an underground oil-bearing earth formation penetrated by an injection well and a producing well, in which method carbon dioxide is injected into the formation to displace oil towards the producing well from which oil is produced to the surface. The viscosity of the carbon dioxide injected into the formation is increased at least three-fold by the presence of a sufficient amount of the polysilylenesiloxane polymer and a sufficient amount of a cosolvent to form a solution of the polymer in the carbon dioxide.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for determining the composition of a two-phase fluid, such as saturated steam. In that method, the transit times of sound are measured within the two-phase fluid, the speed of sound of the two-phase fluid is calculated from the measured transit times, and the composition of the two-phase fluid is calculated from the calculated speed of sound. From the calculated linear velocity and the calculated composition, one can calculate at least one fluid property of the two-phase fluid, such as mass flow rate or energy flow rate. All of these calculations can be performed by a microprocessor.

Abstract: A non-magnetic apparatus is disclosed for finding the deflection of the vertical. That apparatus has a device for finding an instrument spatial angle between a reference direction and an instrument characterization direction, and a device for finding a deflection spatial angle between the instrument characterization direction and a direction along a plumb line. Preferably, the device for finding the instrument spatial angle uses a system of gyroscopes. Preferably, the device for finding the deflection spatial angle uses a pendulum.

Abstract: A portion of a formation is heated by introducing heated water into a borehole within the formation and imposing an oscillatory motion onto the heated water. The heated water can be introduced into the borehole by injecting water into the borehole and heating in situ the injected water, or by injecting heated water into the borehole, or by heating in situ water already present within the borehole. In one embodiment, the heated water is maintained as a liquid phase at a temperature of at least 180.degree. F. within the borehole by using electrically driven paddles to impose upon the heated water oscillatory motion having a frequency of from 1 to 100 hertz.

Abstract: Steam is injected in a multi-spot pattern in a dipping reservoir. The injection point of that steam is downdip and is offset from the pattern center by at least one-fifth the distance from the pattern center to the downdip producer row of that pattern. Preferably, the amount of offset is between two-fifths and three-fifths the distance from the pattern center to the downdip producer row.

Abstract: An apparatus provides additional safety during the launching of survival craft from a ship or platform by which it is attached. A safety strop is comprised of a connecting line which is attached at its upper end to a means for lowering a launch pendant and a lifeboat. the lifeboat is equipped with an on load release means for launching it. The lower end of the connecting line is attached to a released means such as a shackle or a pelican hook. The connecting line release means is releaseably connected to a hang off lug assembly, which is attached to the on load release means. The connecting line has a longer length than the launch pendant, so that no load is carried by the connecting line unless the lifeboat is prematurely released from the launch pendant.

Abstract: A method of increasing the viscosity of CO.sub.2 at least three-fold by adding (1) a viscosifying amount of a polymer having a Minimum Solubility Parameter of 6.85 or less and a plurality of electron donor atoms selected from the group consisting of O, N, and S, and (2) a sufficient amount of a cosolvent to form a one-phase solution, said cosolvent being capable of (a) dissolving at least 2% by weight of CO.sub.2 at 25.degree. C. and 900 psig, and (b) forming a one-phase mixture with the polymer when the mixture contains 10 weight percent cosolvent at ambient temperature and a pressure sufficient to maintain the cosolvent in the liquid phase. New compositions containing CO.sub.2, the defined polymer and cosolvent are also claimed as is a method for recovering oil from underground formations using a viscosified CO.sub.2.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for determining a component of the response of a reservoir to tidal forces (such as the amplitude of variation or delay time) in a hydrocarbons reservoir. That method comprises measuring a variable responsive to tidal forces within the reservoir over a measurement time period, determining a theoretical earth-tide for the reservoir over that measurement time period, and determining the component of the response to tidal forces by comparing the variable measurements and the theoretical earth-tide determinations. Examples of variables that are responsive to the tidal forces are fluid level in a borehole, pressure, and borehole stress. The measurement time period should be sufficiently long so that both a maximum and minimum variable measurement is achieved during that time period (e.g., fourteen or twenty-four hours).

Abstract: A method is disclosed for enhancing the uniformity of steam distribution in a multiple steam injection system having a steam generator, a steam header, a primary steam line connecting the generator to the header, and a plurality of secondary steam lines connecting the header to a plurality of steam injection wells. The method comprises injecting a surfactant into the primary steam line, and mixing the surfactant and steam sufficiently so that the surfactant and the steam enter the header as a foam. The concentration of the surfactant in the foam is from 0.1 to 1.0 vol %. Preferably, the surfactant is injected into the primary steam line within seventy-five feet of the steam header. More preferably, the surfactant is injected into the primary steam line within fifty feet of the steam header. Still more preferably, the surfactant is injected into the primary steam line within twenty-five feet of the steam header.

Abstract: A polymer having pendant tertiary alkyl amine groups is disclosed having a minimum solubility parameter of 6.85 (cal/cc).sup.1/2 or less. That minimum solubility parameter is reduced to 6.85 (cal/cc).sup.1/2 or less by control of the number of pendant tertiary alkyl amine groups and by the selection of said tertiary alkyl amine groups. The polymer can be formed by reacting either polyglycol (such as polypropylene glycol) or a polyolefin (such as polybutadiene) with a secondary amine, such as diisobutylamine.

Abstract: The present invention is a phosphate compound for use in a bacterial nutrient medium. The medium is injected downhole in a petroleum formation along with a bacteria (or its spore) and provides the bacteria with growth nutrients. The nutrient solution contains a phosphate compound which: will not precipitate out of solution under ambient conditions; will chelate alkaline earth, rare earth, transition and heavy metal ions; and provide a nutrient source for the bacteria.

Abstract: An optical binary signal geophone is described. The geophone utilizes an optical fiber for the transmission of light to the geophone. The geophone contains a light chopping means which oscillates in response to vibrations imparted into a geologic formation. As the chopping means such as a baffle or a tubular member vibrates, it chops the light signal and creates an on/off light pattern. The light passing through a slit in the baffle or tubular member is returned to the seismic vehicle for further processing. The optical geophone creates a binary signal directly without the use of clipping electronics and magnets or coils used in conventional geophones.

Abstract: A method for controlling pH in the liquid and vapor phases of wet steam having such phases formed in a steam generator system from feedwater having therein at least one carbonate species which in the presence of steam forms a vapor phase component tending to lower the pH of the vapor phase of the steam upon condensation and a liquid phase component tending to raise the pH of the liquid phase of the steam, comprising: (a) converting the feedwater in a steam generation system to steam having a vapor phase and a liquid phase; and (b) adding to the steam generation system, a compound, selected from the group of phosphorus, arsenic, antimony, and bismuth containing compounds which are capable of forming a nonvolatile anionic component and a cationic component that, in the presence of the steam, yields hydrogen ions for reducing the pH of the liquid phase of the steam and an alkaline component for increasing the pH of the vapor phase of said steam upon condensation.

Abstract: A wellbore packer capable of sealing a tubing string within a wellbore casing or wellbore is described.

Abstract: A sample accommodator for the measurement of dielectric properties includes a conductive strip having two planar surfaces, and two ground planes, one parallel to each of the planar surfaces of the conductive strip. At each end, the strip passes through but is electrically isolated from an endplate which is electrically and physically connected to each ground plane and which maintains the relative positions of the ground planes. Dielectric properties are measured by placing a sample between each face of the strip and the ground plane parallel to it.