Abstract: While many materials have been used to inhibit scale formation previously, none have been fully satisfactory to prevent scale formation and precipitation of totally dissolved solids (TDS) in fluids used in well drilling, completion and workovers when the fluids contain divalent metal cations and when the formation contains carbon dioxide. Since many wells are completed into such formations, a continuing search has been directed to an improved method for preventing the formation of such scale. According to the present invention, metal carbonate scale formation and TDS precipitation in a well penetrating a subterranean formation wherein a fluid containing calcium, magnesium, barium or zinc is used in the presence of carbon dioxide is prevented by maintaining the fluid at a pH from about 2 to about 9 and adding from about 1 to about 5000 parts per million of a phosphonomethylated oxyalkyleneamine material having a molecular weight from about 150 to about 3000 to the fluid.

Abstract: A method for producing dried particulate coal fuel and electricity from a low rank particulate coal in a combined process.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for recovering water and light aromatic hydrocarbons from a wet gas stream, by contacting the wet gas stream with an absorbent for the water and light aromatic hydrocarbons in a contactor to absorb the water and light aromatic hydrocarbons and produce a water and light hydrocarbon laden absorbent stream and a dried gas stream. The water and light aromatic hydrocarbon laden absorbent stream is heated in a regenerator to produce a vaporous water and light aromatic hydrocarbon stream and a lean absorbent for recycle to the contactor. The vaporous water and light aromatic hydrocarbon stream is passed to a condenser where liquid water and liquid light aromatic hydrocarbons are recovered and where a light gas stream is recovered for use as a fuel gas for the regenerator.

Abstract: An oil containment boom comprising a plurality of sections of a lighter than water, pliable, closed-cell foam material with each of the sections having a weight positioned along one side so that when the section is placed in the water the section floats with the weighted side beneath the water and the other side of the section above the water and a plurality of couplers for flexibly joining the ends of the sections to encloses an oil containment zone.

Abstract: A process for recovering crude oil from a subterranean formation comprising injecting into the formation a liquid composition consisting essentially of a specific surfactant in an aqueous medium, driving the liquid composition through said formation to displace oil from said formation and recovering said oil in a production well. The surfactant has the general formula ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 =C.sub.1 -C.sub.30 alkyl or alkylaryl, R.sup.2 =C.sub.2 H.sub.4 or C.sub.3 H.sub.6, R.sup.3 =C.sub.2 H.sub.4 or C.sub.3 H.sub.6, R.sup.4 =C.sub.1 to C.sub.12 alkyl or alkylaryl, R.sup.5 =H or C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 alkyl or alkylaryl, x and y are integers from 0 to 100, and z is an integer from 1 to 4.

Abstract: An apparatus for transferring a whole core sample having a first end and an opposing second end from the interior of an inner barrel comprising:a split receiving tube having an interior surface sized and adapted to receive the whole core sample from the inner barrel;a liner made of heat shrink material extending over a substantial portion of the interior surface of the split receiving tube;first and second discs sized and adapted to be placed on the first and second ends, respectively, of the whole core sample; anda force assembly for forcing the whole core sample from the inner barrel into the liner in the split receiving tube.

Abstract: A process for converting a gas oil range petroleum feedstock into lighter petroleum products by:(a) charging the gas oil range petroleum feedstock and hydrogen to a first fixed bed hydrocracking zone containing a hydrocracking catalyst at hydrocracking conditions to produce a first hydrocracking zone product stream;(b) separating the first fixed bed hydrocracking zone product stream in a fractionation zone into a petroleum products stream and a bottoms stream;(c) charging the bottoms stream and hydrogen to a second fixed bed hydrocracking zone containing a hydrocracking catalyst at hydrocracking conditions to produce a second fixed bed hydrocracking zone product stream;(d) cooling the second fixed bed hydrocracking zone product stream to a temperature below about 250.degree. F.;(e) recycling a first portion of the cooled second fixed bed hydrocracking zone product stream to the fractionation zone; removing materials having a boiling range from about 500.degree. to about 650.degree. F.

Abstract: A method and tool for acoustically logging a wellbore where a transmitter simultaneously generates a plurality of separate acoustical signals having different frequencies, each effectively centered about a different resonance frequency, and then transmits the signals as a composite multi-frequency output signal having an effective broad frequency bandwidth that is capable of exciting pressure waves in a variety of different types of earthen formations.

Abstract: A seismic exploration method and apparatus in which non-uniformly distributed noise signals generated by wind, machinery, or surface wave propagation and received by the sensing geophones are cancelled by the utilization of adaptive filter processing. A number of horizontally sensitive geophones are disposed along the surface of the earth to detect surface waves induced in the surface of the earth at a plurality of spaced locations throughout an entire area of investigation. Similarly, a number of wind noise and mechanical noise detectors are utilized to detect airwave and noise signals at a plurality of locations throughout the area of investigation.

Abstract: A method for combusting fuels selected from the group comprising hydrocarbons, alcohols, hydrogen, disassociated methanol and mixtures thereof in an internal combustion engine at an optimum effective compression ratio for each fuel by changing the effective compression ratio in the engine to an optimum value suitable for each fuel by injecting gas at a pressure selected to produce the desired effective compression ratio so that a variety of fuels requiring different compression ratios can be combusted at an optimum compression pressure for each of the fuels.

Abstract: Providing circumferential grooves in bracelet-type anodes on a pipeline provides for preservation of anode effectiveness during bending of the pipeline, such as in reeling operations.

Abstract: Sulfur oxides are removed at least partially from the gaseous regenerator effluent of a fluid catalytic cracking unit operated with feedstock containing sulfur compounds and converted to hydrogen sulfide in the cracking zone by associating sulfur oxides in the gas with at least one rare earth compound, preferably cerium or a rare earth mixture rich in cerium, supported on discrete particles of alumina. The alumina particles may be a component of particles of a composite fluid cracking catalyst or separate fluidizable entities other than cracking catalyst and physically admixed with the catalyst particles.

Abstract: A baseplate assembly for an impulsive, vehicle-transported seismic wave generator for use on rocky, irregular earth surfaces is comprised of a small diameter, earth-contacting, freely movable target member which is laterally confined in the center of a surrounding wide area frame adapted to support vehicle weight directly against the earth. Such a target member may safely be subjected to high dynamic loading per unit area responsive to the impact of a descending mass.

Abstract: An impulsive seismic generator is mounted on a swamp buggy suitable for operations both in a marshy environment and on land. The generator employs a target plate which may be lowered into a body of water or mud beneath the buggy so as to contact subsurfaces of varying degrees of firmness. The submerged components of the generator are surrounded by a water-tight barrier which isolates the space between a descending mass and the receiving target plate from the surrounding fluid.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for testing cold gases for a hazardous gas by flowing the cold gas through a tubing positioined in a garment and then flowing the heated gas from the tubing into a suitable test apparatus.

Abstract: In an improved method for inhibiting the formation of scale in a well penetrating a subterranean formation for the production of fluids from said formation, said method including injecting at least one scale inhibitor into said formation through said well so that said scale inhibitor is thereafter slowly released from said formation to inhibit the formation of scale, the improvement comprising: injecting at least one polymeric material into said well in an amount effective to prolong said scale formation inhibition, said polymeric material having a composition different from said scale inhibitor and being a copolymer derived from at least one first monomer having a maleic moiety and at least one second monomer selected from the group consisting of acrylic acid, methacrylic acid and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: 1. A process for reducing the sulfur content of petroleum asphaltenes containing sulfur comprising:(1) forming a mixture of petroleum asphaltenes containing sulfur and a liquid selected from the group consisting of water, methanol, carbon dioxide and mixtures thereof;(2) raising the temperature and pressure of the mixture to a temperature and pressure above the critical temperature and pressure of the liquid to convert the liquid to a supercritical fluid;(3) maintaining the mixture above the critical temperature and pressure of the liquid for a time sufficient to effect sulfur reduction;(4) reducing the pressure to a second lower pressure; and(5) recovering petroleum asphaltenes reduced in sulfur.

Abstract: A method for recovering hydrocarbons from a subterranean hydrocarbon-containing formation penetrated by at least two wellbores, said method comprising:(a) injecting a gaseous stream into the formation near the bottom of the formation through a first wellbore;(b) injecting an aqueous stream into the formation near the top of the formation through the first wellbore; and(c) recovering hydrocarbons from the formation through a second wellbore.

Abstract: A method for removing small gas bubbles from a liquid stream to produce a liquid stream having a reduced number of gas bubbles by increasing the pressure on the liquid stream.

Abstract: A method for producing a stabilized area by positioning a plurality of heat transfer tubes on or below the surface of the stabilized area and flowing a coolant through the tubes to maintain a stabilized area in a frozen condition. Water may also be frozen over the stabilized area.