Abstract: A method for isomerizing at least a portion of a butane stream using a hydrogen stream containing more than 0.1 ppmv of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide or a mixture thereof, the method comprising: charging the hydrogen stream containing at least 0.1 ppmv of at least one carbon oxide to a aromatics saturation zone to produce a reduced carbon oxide content hydrogen stream; recovering the reduced carbon oxide content hydrogen stream; drying at least a portion of the reduced carbon oxide content hydrogen stream to produce a dried reduced carbon oxide content hydrogen stream; charging at least a portion of the dried reduced carbon oxide content hydrogen stream to a butane isomerization zone; charging the butane stream to the butane isomerization zone; and, isomerizing at least a portion of the butane to produce an isobutane stream.

Abstract: A method for reducing the benzene content and isomerizing at least a portion of a C.sub.5 /C.sub.6 paraffinic stream using a hydrogen stream containing more than 0.1 ppmv of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide or a mixture thereof, the method comprising: charging a C.sub.5 /C.sub.6 paraffin stream containing benzene to a benzene saturation zone; charging a hydrogen stream containing at least 0.1 ppmv of at least one carbon oxide to the benzene saturation zone; saturating at least a major portion of the benzene and methanating at least a major portion of the carbon oxide present in the benzene saturation zone to produce a reduced benzene content C.sub.5 and C.sub.6 paraffinic stream and a reduced carbon oxide content hydrogen stream; recovering the reduced benzene content C.sub.5 and C.sub.

Abstract: A method for increasing the production of methane from a subterranean coal formation penetrated by an injection well and a production well by producing methane from the coal formation via the production well; passing a portion of the methane to a synthesis gas generation zone wherein at least a portion of the methane is reacted with an oxygen-containing gas to produce a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen; passing a major portion of the mixture to a hydrocarbon synthesis zone wherein the carbon monoxide and hydrogen are reacted to produce heavier hydrocarbons and a tail gas comprising nitrogen and carbon dioxide; separating a major portion of the tail gas from the hydrocarbons and recovering the hydrocarbons as a product stream; injecting at least a portion of the tail gas into the coal formation through the injection well. The methane may be obtained from a single well or a plurality of wells operated to produce the methane by a huff and puff process.

Abstract: A production logging device, insertable into a cased or uncased wellbore for determining concentration of specified components in flowing production fluid, is provided having a tool body sized smaller in diameter than the wellbore so that flowing fluid production is not blocked. A line is connected to the tool body by which movement of the tool body within the wellbore casing can be selectably controlled from a remote location, and by which information signals can be communication from the tool body to the remote location. An infrared radiation source operatively connected to the tool body. A plurality of infrared transmission sites are circumferentially spaced around the tool body directed so that infrared radiation from the infrared radiation source is transmitted through flowing production fluid in the wellbore.

Abstract: A method for recovering oil from a gravity drainage oil-bearing formation from which at least a major portion of the oil in place has been recovered through at least one production well penetrating the formation from the surface, the method comprising injecting an oil miscible solvent having a density slightly greater than a gas contained in a gas cap above the oil liquid level in the formation through a production well completed to inject the oil miscible solvent into an upper portion of the formation for a period of time equal to at least one week; recompleting the well for the production of oil from a lower portion of the formation; and producing oil through the well from the lower portion of the formation.

Abstract: A system and method for injecting a gaseous contaminant absorbent through at least one spray nozzle into a pipe transporting gas to a contacting vessel wherein the gas is contacted with a liquid absorbent to remove at least one gaseous contaminant from the gas is provided. The injection of the absorbent through the spray nozzles augments the efficiency of the contacting vessel by removal of a quantity of the gaseous contaminant from the gas prior to charging the gas to the contacting vessel. Water vapor is removed using a glycol absorbent and acidic gases are removed using an amine solution as an absorbent. A system and method for the removal of both water vapor and acidic gases is provided.

Abstract: A method for increasing the production of methane from a subterranean coal formation by chemically stimulating the formation of cleats in the coal formation in order to facilitate removal of formation water, and increase the rate of methane production from the coal formation is disclosed. The method comprises injecting an aqueous oxidant solution into the coal formations to stimulate the formation of cleats in the coal formation; and thereafter producing methane from the coal formations at an increased rate. The aqueous oxidant solution comprises hypochlorite, metallic salts of hypochlorous acid, hydrogen peroxide, ozone, oxygen and combinations thereof.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for desanding oil produced from a subterranean oil-bearing formation through a wellbore, the method comprising: flowing oil from the oil-bearing formation upwardly through a first tubing at a velocity sufficient to carry sand entrained in the oil upwardly through the first tubing; flowing the oil from the first tubing upwardly through a larger tubular section at a velocity sufficient to carry sand entrained in the oil upwardly to a perforated section positioned in a second tubing in the larger tubular section, the perforated section being positioned near the upper end of the larger tubular section; passing the oil through the perforated section and through a circumferential path around a dip tube positioned beneath the perforated section to centrifugally separate sand from the oil so that the sand is passed outwardly toward an inner diameter of the second tubing and downwardly to storage in a lower portion of the second tubing; and flowing the oil upwardly through the dip tube to a pump

Abstract: An improved closed loop single mixed refrigerant process and system for cooling a fluid material through a temperature range exceeding 200.degree. F.

Abstract: According to the present invention, the production of petroleum from a petroleum-bearing subterranean formation penetrated by a wellbore is accomplished by (a) fracturing the subterranean formation and injecting a conductive proppant into the fracture, the conductive proppant comprising particles which are at least partially coated with a heat hardenable, conductive resin to create a fluidly and electrically conductive fracture in the formation; (b) passing an electrical current into the formation through the wellbore to heat the formation and harden the conductive resin thereby at least partially aggregating the particles and retaining the particles in the fracture and heating the fracture and the subterranean formation in the vicinity of the fracture.

Abstract: A method for mitigating slugs in pipelines carrying multiphase mixtures of gas and liquid by adding a quantity of a surfactant selected from the group consisting of ethoxylated alcohols, polyglycosides and alpha olefin sulfonates to the multiphase mixture in the pipeline. After addition of a quantity of surfactant, a determination is made as to whether the quantity of surfactant added is sufficient to mitigate the slugs, and thereafter adjusting the quantity of surfactant added to an amount sufficient to mitigate the slugs.

Abstract: A method of locating thin bed hydrocarbon reserves in laminated subterranean formations comprising thin beds. The method comprised of drilling a well penetrating the subterranean formations, measuring the parallel and perpendicular resistivity across multiple thin beds, and locating regions of the thin beds where the perpendicular resistivity is substantially greater than the parallel resistivity.

Abstract: The air reactivity of calcined petroleum coke is reduced by maintaining the amount of sodium in at least a portion of the water streams contacting the petroleum coke at a value below about 100 parts per million.

Abstract: A method for determining the minimum length for a fracture in a fluid-producing formation to control the production of sand therefrom wherein a plurality of critical drawdown pressures are calculated from known formation data which correspond to a plurality of different, estimated respective fracture lengths. Once the critical drawdown pressures for the reservoir are correlated with their corresponding fracture lengths, a critical drawdown curve for that particular reservoir is established. Additional sets of curves are generated from known data which when overlaid with the critical drawdown pressure curve allows a minimum length of fracture to be selected which will produce the formation at a given rate at a prescribed drawdown pressure without producing any substantial amounts of sand from the formation.

Abstract: A method for protecting marine pilings positioned to support a marine structure above the water wherein a plurality of pilings are positioned to support the marine structure. The method consisting essentially of positioning a fender over exposed surfaces of a protective coating on the pilings through the splash zone; and retaining the fender in position.

Abstract: A method for increasing oil recovery from a subterranean formation, the method consisting essentially of injecting a slug of water equal in volume to at least about 20% of the hydrocarbon pore volume of the formation into the formation, thereafter injecting a slug of solvent, the solvent consisting of materials selected from the group consisting of carbon dioxide, nitrogen, methane, hydrocarbons containing from 2 to about 5 carbon atoms and mixtures thereof, into the formation in a volume equal to from about 2% to about 10% of the initial hydrocarbon pore volume of the formation, thereafter injecting a water slug in an volume equal to from about 0.5 to about 3.

Abstract: A lubricating oil for use in methanol fueled internal combustion engines, the lubricating oil having a total base number from 9.0 to about 14.0 and comprising:a) a suitable base oil;b) overbased sodium sulfonate in an amount sufficient to provide a base number from about 1.0 to about 2.0 in said lubricating oil; andc) at least one metal sulfonate selected from the group consisting of overbased calcium sulfonate, overbased magnesium sulfonate and mixtures thereof in an amount sufficient to provide a base number from about 8.0 to about 12.0 in said lubricating oil.

Abstract: A method for improving the long-term color stability of jet fuel and jet fuel blends containing nitrogen compounds, by intimately mixing the jet fuel with a quantity of concentrated sulfuric acid sufficient to remove at least about ninety percent (90%) of said nitrogen compounds during a contact time equal to less than five (5) minutes, separating the jet fuel from the concentrated sulfuric acid, mixing the jet fuel with an aqueous caustic solution to remove residual acid from the jet fuel, separating the jet fuel from the aqueous caustic solution, mixing the jet fuel with water, and separating the jet fuel from the water.

Abstract: A method for extending the life of a curved section in a pipe wherein finely divided particulate solids are transported in fluidized flow by positioning pre-rotation vanes upstream of the curved section, the improvement comprising the use of pre-rotation vanes fabricated of steel and hardened by boron vapor diffusion hardening.

Abstract: Petroleum coke slumping in a petroleum coking drum is reduced by the use of a petroleum coking drum comprising a) a generally cylindrical vessel having a principal diameter portion, an upper reduced diameter portion at an upper end of the vessel, an upper reducing diameter portion extending from a lower end of the upper reduced diameter portion to an upper end of the principal diameter portion, a lower reduced diameter portion at a lower end of the vessel and a lower reducing diameter portion extending from an upper end of the lower reduced diameter portion to a lower end of the principal diameter portion; b) a top head removably positionable to close the upper reduced diameter portion; c) a bottom head removably positionable to close the lower reduced diameter portion; and d) a plurality of restraining bars positioned around an inner circumference of the lower reduced diameter portion.