Abstract: This invention is directed to a method for scrubbing hazardous components from waste or flue gas in depleted or swept regions of a reservoir. In the practice of this invention, a waste gas is coinjected into a depleted or swept region along with an aqueous reactant. The swept or depleted regions serve as a reactor. The gas and an aqueous reactant in an amount sufficient to react with said gas is allowed to remain in the depleted or swept region for a time sufficient to react with said gas and remove harmful or hazardous components from the gas. Thus, harmful or hazardous components are scrubbed from the gas. When the scrubbed gas breaks through at another spaced apart site, a gas substantially devoid of harmful or hazardous components is produced to the surface.

Abstract: A system for the prevention of jamming of pumps used with containers having a liner therein. The system includes a container having a disposable liner contained therein, a pump and a housing attached to the lower end of the pump. The housing has at least one downwardly extending leg which serves to hold down the disposable liner thereby preventing the pump from being clogged or damaged by pieces of the flexible liner. The housing also has at least one passage therethrough to allow the flow of the medium being pumped upwardly through the housing central cavity. The invention is particularly adapted to the pumping of grease.

Abstract: A method for increasing the efficiency by which fracture fluids are produced back from a hydrocarbonaceous fluid bearing formation. To remove said fracture fluid, agglomerated particles or granules containing a chemical blowing agent are placed into the formation. After placement of the agglomerated particles and granules containing the blowing agent and fracturing the formation, the blowing agent decomposes thereby providing a driving force for fluid load removal from the formation matrix. Increased porosity enhances communication between the formation and the fracture, thus increasing the efficiency of fracture fluid production. Gas liberation within the matrix establishes communication pathways for subsequently removing hydrocarbonaceous fluids by displacing load fluids into the fracture and the well.

Abstract: Thermal treatment of heavy petroleum resid in the presence of moderate amounts of light aromatics or paraffins produces more liquid product at the expense of gas and coke than when treated alone under identical conditions.

Abstract: Non-carcinogenic asphalts and asphalt blending stocks are produced from reduced hydrocarbon feedstocks. Such non-carcinogenic products are produced by establishing a functional relationship between mutagenicity index and a physical property correlative of hydrocarbon type for the asphalt or asphalt blending stock and determining a critical physical property level which, when achieved, results in a product having a mutagenicity index of less than about 1.0. Process conditions are established so that a product stream achieving the desired physical property level can be produced. Non-carcinogenic asphalts and asphalt blending stocks are then processed utilizing the conditions so established.

Abstract: An opaque, biaxially oriented multi-layer polymeric film structure of reduced surface coefficient of friction.

Abstract: An aqueous polymeric gel-forming composition capable of selectively plugging highly permeable zones in subterranean oil-bearing formations. The composition comprises an aqueous solution of an anionic acrylamide copolymer of high molecular weight, comprising about 5 to 95 weight percent of 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid, about 2 to 95 weight percent of N-vinyl-N-methyl acetamide and about 5 to 93 weight percent of acrylamide, and a crosslinking agent selected from the group consisting of transition metal ions, phenolic resins and amino resins. The compositions of this invention will form stable gels in brines of wide-ranging salinity and are effective at the pH levels encountered in carbon dioxide and water flooding operations. Also provided is a process for selectively plugging regions of higher permeability within an oil-bearing formation to improve sweep efficiency during a fluid flood oil recovery operation.

Abstract: A leveling wafer for a subsea hydrocarbon production platform having two wedge portions which can be rotated in relation to each other to vary the degree of taper. The wafer supports a machinery supporting template having a wedge shaped key projecting downwardly therefrom to engage an opening in the top of the wafer to ensure rotational (azimuth) orientation of the template.

Abstract: A borehole gravimety system employs a pair of pressure transducers for lowering into a borehole along with a borehole gravity meter. The pressure transducers are spaced apart vertically within a pressure sonde for producing a pressure differential measurement of the wellbore fluid. A pressure differential measurement and a gravity reading is taken for each of a plurality of vertical locations within the borehole as the borehole gravimetry system is advanced through the borehole.

Abstract: A method of logging a subsurface formation surrounding a borehole includes the recording of an induced polarization log, the recording of a nuclear log of delayed gamma-rays from the activation of aluminum in the formation, and the recording of a nuclear log of natural gamma-rays from potassium in the formation. The induced polarization log and the nuclear logs are combined to identify the composition of the lithology of the subsurface formation.

Abstract: Maximum likelihood estimation theory is applied to the determination of the ratio of P-wave velocity to S-wave velocity (V.sub.p /V.sub.s) from P-wave and S-wave seismic sections obtained along the same line of exploration. For a certain statistical model, the optimal estimator for V.sub.p /V.sub.s is determined, and shown to be equivalent to maximizing the simple mathematical correlation between P-wave and stretched S-wave seismogram segments. The maximum likelihood method provides a data-dependent formula for the mean square error associated with the V.sub.p /V.sub.s estimate. Alternatively, the latter formula provides a measure of the V.sub.p /V.sub.s information contained in the data. The information measure also provides optimal weighting for computing multitrace V.sub.p /V.sub.s averages, and provides for the determination of the statistical error in such averages.

Abstract: A simple harmonic oscillator for use in measuring dynamic elastic constants of rock material samples includes a pair of masses vertically suspended from a support position by a pair of wires. At least one mass is driven by a permanent magnet with the driving coil positioned in the air gap to the magnet. The rock sample is horizontally positioned between the pair of masses such that the rock sample acts as a spring element connecting the masses, thereby forming the simple harmonic oscillator.

Abstract: A method for borehole gravimetric determination of residual oil saturation of a formation is described. In a preferred embodiment plural measurements of the local gravity are taken at each of spaced locations within a well and those departing more than a statistically determined distance from the mean of the measurements taken at a given location are deemed to be in error and are not used in calculation of the density of the formation at a given point.

Abstract: A subsurface formation surrounding a borehole is flushed with at least one fluid having a density difference from that of the water content of the formation. Borehole gravity logs are recorded. Porosity is also recorded. From the density, gravity and porosity indications, water and oil saturation of the formation is determined.

Abstract: A source of fast neutrons is pulsed to irradiate the formations surrounding a borehole with neutrons to produce inelastic neutron scattering in metallic materials located within the formations. Gamma-rays emitted from the formations in response to the inelastic neutron scattering from the metallic materials is detected as an indication of the presence of such materials within the formations.