Abstract: A method and apparatus for treating steam which is to be injected into a formation through a gravel pack well completion by preventing dissolution and removal of silica from the gravel pack. The steam is flowed through a treatment vessel which is filled with a silica-containing material, e.g. sand, where it dissolves silica from the sand prior to injection through the gravel pack. Since the treated steam is already substantially saturated with silica, it will not dissolve any substantial amounts of silica from the gravel pack. The treatment vessel can also be heated during treatment, if desired.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a method to improve fracture acidizing in a carbonate containing formation. Initially, the formation is hydraulically fractured so as to form a fracture in the formation in a preferred direction. Thereafter, an acid is directed into the fracture so as to etch the fracture's face and create channels therein. Afterwards, a viscous fluid is directed into the fracture which fluid contains a material sufficient to serve as a diverter and prevent growth in the existing fracture. Once the diverting material is in place, hydraulic fracturing is again conducted within the existing fracture whereupon fracturing forces are directed away from the diverter so as to form a branched fracture to contact hydrocarbonaceous vugs in the formation. The steps of fracturing acidizing, and diverting are continued until a vuggy area in the formation has been interconnected with the fracture system.

Abstract: A space time gate is selected surrounding a coherent noise to be removed from an array of seismic traces. Signal-plus-noise within the selected gate is extracted from the array of seismic traces. Coherent noise within the gated signal-plus-noise is estimated and subtracted from such gated signal-plus-noise to provide a signal estimate. This signal estimate is restored into the array of seismic traces.

Abstract: An apparatus for automatically stacking molded articles successively trimmed by a trim press from a web of thermoplastic material, the trim press having a stationary die member which includes a die plate and a die shoe, the apparatus comprising: (a) a frame; (b) a carriage mounted to the frame; (c) at least one stacking mechanism, the stacking mechanism comprising: (i) a plurality of stack rods rotatively mounted to the carriage each of the stack rods having a stack dog located substantially perpendicular to a first end thereof the stack dog positionable within a corresponding aperture of the die shoe of the stationary die member; and (ii) mechanism for rotating the stack rods so that the stack dog engages an endmost article of a completed stack of articles, the stack of articles located at least partially within the die shoe of the stationary die member; and (d) mechanism for transporting the completed stack of articles from within the die shoe of the stationary die member to a position for removal from the

Abstract: This specification relates to the control of earth fines that are produced with hydrocarbons from a hydrocarbon-bearing formation into a well that penetrates the hydrocarbon-bearing formation. More particularly this specification relates the control of fines from a heavy-oil reservoir that is stimulated by thermal techniques and penetrated by and in communication with a well that is highly deviated from the vertical.

Abstract: A protective apparatus for the collection and redirection of a liquid spilled during the transfer thereof between a vessel and a transfer point, the transfer point spaced apart at a distance from the vessel, the distance subject to change due to relative movement therebetween. The apparatus includes a sheet of flexible material having a first end affixable to the vessel and a second end affixable to the transfer point, the flexible sheet being of a length sufficient to traverse the horizontal distance between the vessel and the second point; and a plurality of cable restraining means, the cable restraining means positioned in at least two substantially parallel and horizontally disposed rows along the length of the flexible sheet.

Abstract: A horizontal production well is located in the lower portion of a heavy viscous oil-bearing reservoir. A vertical injection well is located in the upper portion of the reservoir. Oxygen-enriched gas is injected down the injector well and ignited in the upper portion of the reservoir to create a combustion zone that reduces viscosity of oil in the reservoir as the combustion zone advances downwardly toward the horizontal production well, the reduced-viscosity oil draining into the horizontal production well under force of gravity.

Abstract: A process for producing a multi-layer opaque, biaxially oriented polymeric film structure.

Abstract: A porous rock is saturated with a first fluid and electrical resistivity is measured along its length. A second fluid, immiscible with the first fluid, is injected into the porous rock at a first flow rate. This injection continues until displacement of the first fluid from the porous rock ceases and the pressure drop along the porous rock becomes constant, indicating a first residual fluid saturation equilibrium. The foregoing is repeated for a plurality of increasing second fluid injection flow rates to effect electrical resistivity measurements at decreasing residual fluid saturation equilibriums. The method may then be repeated substituting the second fluid for the first and vice versa to perform an imbibition experiment.

Abstract: A process for thermoforming thermo-plastics including a random copolymer of polypropylene and polyethylene. The process including stretching in at least one direction, a film or sheet containing polypropylene and polyethylene random copolymer to partially orient the sheet sufficiently as to reduce sag during thermoforming and thermoforming the stretched sheet.

Abstract: A production well penetrating a subsurface oil-bearing formation utilizes perforations in well casing through which formation fluids enter the well. Production tubing extends from the surface of the earth to a position below such perforations. A pump is positioned at the lower end of the tubing for pumping the formation fluids upwardly through the tubing to the surface of the earth. An agitating unit is positioned below the pump and is rotated in the formation fluid within the well to insure that formation fines entrained in the formation fluids are fluidized for production to the surface of the earth rather than settling out of the formation fluids within the well.

Abstract: A coring tool is lowered to the bottom of a wellbore through a subsurface formation. A coring bit at the lower end of the coring tool draws a core sample of the subsurface formation at the bottom of the wellbore into the coring tool. A coring barrel is positioned along the coring tool above and in juxtaposition with the coring bit. The core sample is drawn into a hollow cylindrical split member within the coring barrel, such member being split into two halves in an axial direction and comprised of a material effectively transparent to nuclear radiation. A wireline raises the split member containing the core sample upward through the coring tool to the surface of the earth. The core sample is tested for a nuclear radiation characteristic through the nuclear radiation transparent material of the split member at the well site. The split member is then reused to obtain a plurality of cores from the subsurface formation.

Abstract: A food storage container for dry or liquid foods and other open air perishable products provides a leak-resistant seal when the lid is in a closed position and easy pouring of contents when in the open position. The container is easy to open, employing rocker points to allow for a rocking acting effective to release the lid from a closed position when a downward force is exerted upon an upper surface of the lid thereby providing an effective opening for pouring. A leak-resistant seal is achieved through the use of a plug section of the lid having a continuous outer peripheral surface which effects a close conforming fit with a similarly positioned surface area on the container body in a continuous and positive manner.

Abstract: An electrode is lowered toward the surface of a liquid column until electrical contact is made between the electrode and a liquid column to establish current flow between the electrode and the liquid column. The electrode is raised from the liquid column. An additional quantity of liquid is added to the liquid column to cause the column to rise. The electrode is lowered toward the surface of the liquid column until electrical contact is again effected. The distance of travel of the electrode is measured as a determination of the rise in height of the liquid column and of the additional volume of liquid added to the column.

Abstract: A borehole cable includes a plurality of geophone-containing modules spaced apart along the cable by a plurality of conduit sections and designed for acoustic, thermal and pressure imaging of the subsurface. Each cable conduit section comprises an inner core of flexible tubing and an outer wall of interlock completely surrounding the core. The inner corrugated core is designed to compress under the external pressure applied by the formation in which it is deployed. The percent of core compression is controlled by adjusting the composition and structure of the inner core and the outer interlock wall. Compression of the inner core beyond a predetermined limit causes the interlock to form a rigid outer wall preventing further compression. The pressure at which the inner core begins to compress and the percent of compression at which the outer wall locks is determined by their material composition, wall thickness and pre-compression during manufacturing.

Abstract: A method for converting a single-hull tanker to a mid-deck configuration is disclosed. The midship cargo section of the tanker is cut longitudinally along a horizontal plane well below the normal laden water line. A spacer member including a new transverse mid-deck is interposed between the lower and upper portions of the midship cargo section. The port and starboard outer sections of the midship cargo section of the vessel are cut longitudinally away from the central portions of the midship sections of the vessel, and new longitudinal bulkheads are added. In this way the vessel is provided with port and starboard wing ballast tanks between the hull plating and the port and starboard wing cargo tanks. The center cargo tank is also divided the upper and lower sections, such that the lower section can be converted to ballast in the event double-hulled tankers become mandatory for oil transport.

Abstract: Method for removing coherent noise from a series of seismic traces. Each seismic trace included in the series is Fast Fourier Transformed into the frequency domain. For each frequency of the resultant f-x representation, a series of N complex numbers, one corresponding to each trace, is selected. The selected series of complex numbers corresponding to each frequency are processed to produce autoregressive model coefficients from which a polynomial rooting provides complex roots related to wavenumbers and decay constants. Amplitudes and phases for complex non-stationary spatial sinusoids associated with the estimated wavenumbers are then determined. For all frequencies f, the collection of determined wavenumbers, decay constants, amplitudes and phases constitute an f-k representation of the seismic traces.

Abstract: A seismic system is placed in a predetermined orientation with respect to a surface of a formation, and a low viscosity substance is introduced between the sensor system and the surface of the formation. The substance has a composition formulated for stiffening in situ by increasing viscosity to provide a mechanical bond and an acoustical signal transmission coupling between the sensor system and the formation. After completion of the seismic operation, the stiffened substance is contacted with a stimulus for breaking the stiffened substance and thereby break the mechanical bond. Thereafter, the sensor system is recovered.

Abstract: Alkaline earth metal scales, especially barium sulfate scale is removed from a well (the wellbore and the adjacent formation) by contacting the scale with a scale-removing solvent and thereafter sparging the solvent with air or insert gas to dissolve the scale. The sparging aids in achieving a flushing action by the solvent relative to the scale thereby enabling the solvent to more effectively dissolve the scale in the well. Temperature and caustic compatible surfactuants (anionic and non-ionic) may be used in the solvent to generate a column of foam which increases the extent of cleaning oil from the scale surfaces, enabling the solvent to more effectively remove the scale.