Abstract: An improved seal ring comprising a polymeric material ring in combination with a softer polymeric material ring. The seal ring can be used in either male or female fittings and is adapted to seal by mating engagement of the polymeric material with one set of threads and a recess in the other set of threads.

Abstract: An improvement in an offshore well having a main casing penetrating subterranean formations below the bottom of the water and protruding upwardly through the water with a wellhead affixed above the surface of the water and a boat landing connected with the main casing. The improvement comprises a plurality of at least three anchor piles driven into the bottom at respective azimuths and distances about the well with the well anchored thereto via cables, the cables running upwardly through pulleys disposed a predetermined distance, such as 15 feet, below the surface of the water so as to anchor the well against lateral forces, yet satisfy Marine Maritime Service regulations and allow maneuvering of boats about the well. Also disclosed are typical and preferred structures including sizes and the like.

Abstract: A method of seismic prospecting in which there is employed conventional upsweep and downsweep and opposed polarity of signals that are being sent into the earth as seismic signals and in which there is introduced a taper at the common frequency at the common time on the respective upsweep and downsweep signals to reduce the most significant part of the correlation noise, yet provide the advantages of each of the methods of using opposite phase polarity, to cancel and using opposite upsweep and downsweep to achieve reduction in the noise experienced, as well as the reduction of the most significant part of the correlation noise that distorts the desired zero-phase Klauder wavelet.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for measuring formation compressional and shear wave velocities characterized by a downhole tool having an attenuation chamber between a transmitter and a receiver and a plurality of receivers spaced from the transducer so as to discriminate through the amplitude of the reflected compressional wave the critical angles for the respective formation compressional and shear wave velocities, thereby determining the formation compressional and shear wave velocities. Also disclosed are preferred embodiments in which the plurality of connectors connected between the receivers are also connected with a recorder for recording gated time interval signals. A discriminator and gate are provided for discriminating the largest amplitude of received acoustic energy signals received during the gating period.

Abstract: A process for recovering hydrocarbons from a subterranean, hydrocarbon-bearing formation comprising: (a) introducing microbes into the formation, the microbes being effective to render at least a portion of the hydrocarbons in the formation more easily recoverable; (b) passing electrical energy through at least a portion of the formation to increase the mobility of the microbes in the formation; and (c) recovering hydrocarbons from the formation.

Abstract: A means for substantially reducing the bending stresses, both tensional and compressional, in a standard-type length of drill pipe as it passes through a section of a wellbore that is deviated from vertical. The tool joints on the ends of drill pipe have outside diameters greater than that of the pipe body which act as supports for the pipe body against the wall of the wellbore in a deviated section. The bending stresses encountered by the drill pipe increase as the distance between these pipe supports increase. In the present invention, stress sleeves are affixed to the outer surface of the pipe body at equally spaced intervals between the tool joints to act as dummy tool joints thereby providing additional pipe supports which substantially reduce the bending stresses in the drill pipe.

Abstract: The present invention provides a radiometer for simultaneously detecting luminescence and reflectance about a particular Fraunhofer line from a material (i.e. target) which includes an interchangeable optical filter assembly of lightweight construction for each Fraunhofer line of interest which substantially alleviates the adverse polarization effects normally experienced in radiometers of this type and which further provides an improved balance between the two light beams being sensed by the radiometer. The optical filter assembly includes a single beamsplitter which reflects the majority of the light from the target with little adverse polarization effects to a narrow band filter which passes only the light existing at the particular Fraunhofer line (i.e. "c" component of luminescence).

Abstract: A process for producing delayed petroleum coke wherein petroleum sludge is added to liquid hydrocarbon coker feedstock.

Abstract: A squeeze silicate operation carried out through a coiled tubing for sealing upper perforations in a well casing to prevent flow of excess gas. A sodium silicate mixture is used which has a diverter material therein which rapidly builds a filter cake on the formation as the silicate is squeezed through the perforations. This filter cake forms a barrier which, in turn, prevents further flow of silicate into the formation. This effectively limits the depth of penetration of the silicate into the formation while still providing a good seal against flow through the squeezed perforations.

Abstract: A method for circulating and maintaining a drilling mud in a wellbore drilled into a subterranean formation at a desired pressure during drilling operations, said method consisting essentially of;(a) circulating drilling mud through a drill pipe in the wellbore into the wellbore, maintaining a desired pressure in said wellbore and recovering drilling mud from the wellbore at a controlled rate using a mud pump and mud pit arrangement; and,(b) maintaining a second supply of drilling mud in fluid communication with the drill pipe at a suitable pressure so that when the mud pump fails to maintain pressure in the drill pipe, drilling mud is supplied from the second supply of drilling mud to maintain pressure in the wellbore.

Abstract: A method of alleviating problems with high stresses above fatigue failure levels due to vibrations modes caused by vortex shedding during the lowering and jetting-in of a large diameter surface string in deep water having a current characterized by the inclusion of a moment reducing device in the suspension conduit holding the surface string of conduit during lowering and jetting-in. Also disclosed are preferred embodiments where the moment reducing device is either a ball joint or a flex joint.

Abstract: An improvement in a method of recovering oil by injecting a viscous aqueous solution comprising injecting the viscous aqueous solution through a thermally stimulated zone near the injection well so as to obviate loss of production of oil because of decreased injectivity of the high viscosity polymers solution.

Abstract: An improvement in an offshore well having a main casing penetrating subterranean formations below the bottom of the water and protruding upwardly through the water with a wellhead affixed above the surface of the water and a boat landing connected with the main casing. The improvement comprises a plurality of at least three anchor piles driven into the bottom at respective azimuths and distances about the well with the well anchored thereto via cables, the cables running upwardly through pulleys disposed a predetermined distance, such as 15 feet, below the surface of the water so as to anchor the well against lateral forces, yet satisfy Marine Maritime Service regulations and allow maneuvering of boats about the well. Also disclosed are typical and preferred structures including sizes and the like.

Abstract: In a continuous mining machine equipped with a sprayfan ventilation system for methane and dust control, the sprayfan ventilation system including a plurality of sprayfans positioned on the front portion of the mining machine to direct intake air to and across the front of the mining machine to prevent buildup of methane and dust concentrations, the intake air containing methane and dust being thereafter discharged to an exhaust zone, an improvement comprising: at least one reverse sprayfan means mounted on a rear portion of the mining machine on a side of said mining machine nearest the exhaust zone and positioned to direct spray to the rear of the mining machine and to direct said intake air containing methane and dust generally toward the exhaust zone.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for discharging heavy oil-treated particulate coal and controlling emissions from a heavy oil spray contacting vessel.

Abstract: An apparatus for intimately contacting particulate solids with a heavy liquid, said apparatus comprising:(a) a contacting vessel;(b) a particulate solids inlet in communication with an upper end of the contacting vessel;(c) a generally conical deflector positioned in the contacting vessel beneath the particulate solids inlet;(d) an inlet control to control the flow of the particulate solids into the contacting vessel and prevent the discharge of gaseous materials from the contacting vessel;(e) a particulate solids outlet in communication with a lower end of the contacting vessel;(f) an outlet control to control the flow of particulate solids from the contacting vessel so that a bed of particulate solids is maintained in a lower portion of the contacting vessel; and,(g) spray nozzles positioned in the contacting vessel to spray heavy liquid onto the particulate solids as they fall downwardly to the bed of particulate solids.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for removing sulfur-containing impurities from a liquid hydrocarbon stream wherein the optimum performance of a sulfur-removing material is achieved by selecting a material having a porosity which varies with the following formula:(0.23.+-.K)(LHSV).sup.1.7 RF.sup.2whereinK=0.12-1.55R;(LHSV) is liquid hourly space velocity;R is the ratio of volume-to-surface area of the sulfur-removing material; andF is a fraction of impurities removed divided by the total impurities of the inlet stream.

Abstract: A process for separating metal sulfide minerals from an ore containing metal sulfide minerals and silicate clays by subjecting the finely divided ore to anionic flotation using an anionic collector to produce a metal sulfide mineral concentrate containing silicate clay, separating the anionic collector from the concentrate and subjecting the concentrate to cationic flotation to selectively float silicate and produce as a residual product a metal sulfide mineral concentrate containing reduced amounts of silicate clay.

Abstract: A method for positioning a large diameter shaft from the surface into the earth and at least partially through a subterranean oil-bearing formation, said method comprising(a) Positioning a central well near the center of a selected shaft location, said central well extending at least partially through said oil-bearing formation;(b) Positioning a plurality of wells at a selected distance outside the diameter of said shaft and about said shaft, said wells extending at least partially through said oil-bearing formation;(c) Injecting a fluid through at least a portion of said wells into said oil-bearing formation to remove oil from said oil-bearing formation;(d) Producing fluids from said central well;(e) Injecting water into said oil-bearing formation through said portion of said wells after the injection of said fluid through said portion of the said wells;(f) Freezing a zone about said location; and,(g) Excavating said shaft.

Abstract: A process for separating precious metals from a roaster calcine leach residue from a process wherein copper or zinc sulfides are roasted to produce a copper or zinc calcine; the calcine is leached with an aqueous sulfuric acid leaching solution to produce a copper or zinc-containing leaching solution and a roaster calcine leach residue and the copper or zinc-containing leaching solution is separated from the roaster calcine leach residue wherein the process comprises:(a) intimately contacting the roaster calcine leach residue with an aqueous sulfuric acid leach solution containing from about 5 to about 200 grams per liter of sulfuric acid to produce a slurry of leach solution and roaster calcine leach residue and to dissolve precious metal from roaster calcine leach residue;(b) adding copper or zinc sulfide solids to the mixture of leach solution and said roaster calcine each residue;(c) agitating the copper or zinc sulfide solids in intimate contact with the mixture of leach solution and roaster calcine leac