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 producing a multi-layer opaque, biaxially oriented polymeric film structure.

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.

Abstract: A borehole logging tool having a dipole acoustic energy source and at least one spaced-apart dipole acoustic energy receiver is lowered into a deviated borehole. A motor rotates the source and receiver about the axis of the borehole tool. A first signal is produced representing source and receiver rotational position relative to rotational position of the borehole tool. A second signal is produced representing rotational position of the borehole tool relative to a vertical direction. A comparator produces a third signal of the difference between the first and second signals as a representation of source and receiver rotational position relative to the vertical direction. The motor rotates so as to minimize such third signal, thereby rotating the focus of the source and receiver in a direction perpendicular to the eccentricity of the borehole tool in the deviated borehole.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for gravel packing an interval of a wellbore wherein a permeable screen having a means for restricting fluid flow from the annulus into the upper portions of the screen is positioned adjacent the wellbore interval. The flow-restrictive means may be comprised of any material which remains substantially solid during circulation of the gravel slurry but preferably is a material that can be removed, e.g. by melting or dissolving, after the gravel has been placed. Examples of such material are (1) blends of waxes; (2) eutectic compounds formed by combining organic compounds; (3) salts; and (4) asphaltenes which are soluble in crude oil. The flow-restrictive means also may be formed of a perforated metal sleeve which is dissolvable by acid.

Abstract: X-ray attenuation measurements at two or more energies are carried out on core samples of earth materials for use in determining the relative contributions of Compton scattering and photoelectric absorption to the attenuation of the beams of X-rays by the samples. The measurements are utilized to calculate material bulk density, responsive to the difference in attenuation measured with respect to beams of two different X-ray energies and the attenuation of the beams of one of X-rays.

Abstract: A two-phase fluid, flow having a first fluid and an immiscible second fluid, is passed through a core sample. The core sample is scanned with X-rays to produce a display of fluid distribution within the core sample. Electrical resistivity is measured along the length of the core sample for those intervals having uniform first fluid distribution. The two-phase flow is continued to repetitively decrease the first fluid saturation in a plurality of drainage cycles with electrical resistivity being again measured for each drainage cycle. Thereafter, the two-phase fluid flow is continued to repetitively increase the first fluid saturation in a plurality of imbibition cycles with electrical resistivity being again measured for each imbibition cycle.

Abstract: A method for producing multiple fractures by a single operation from a single wellbore which penetrates a fracture interval which, in turn, includes a plurality of zones which break-down under different fracturing pressures. Fracturing fluid is delivered from a workstring directly to different levels within a section of the wellbore which lies adjacent the fracture interval through a plurality of alternate paths which, in turn, lie substantially adjacent to the zones to be fractured.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for treating multiple strata in a single operation from a single wellbore which penetrates a treatment interval which, in turn, includes a plurality of strata which, in turn, have different permeabilities. A treating fluid (e.g. consolidating agent, acid, etc.) is delivered directly to different levels within a section of the wellbore adjacent the interval to be treated through a plurality of alternate paths which, in turn, lie substantially adjacent to the strata to be treated.

Abstract: A borehole logging tool having a dipole acoustic energy source and at least one spaced-apart dipole acoustic energy receiver is lowered into a deviated borehole. A motor rotates the source and receiver about the axis of the borehole tool. A first signal is produced representing source and receiver rotational position relative to a vertical direction. A second signal is produced representing a fixed reference level. A comparator produces a third signal of the difference between the first and second signals. The motor rotates so as to minimize such third signal, thereby maintaining the focus of the source and receiver in a horizontal direction that is perpendicular to the direction of eccentricity of the borehole tool with respect to the borehole axis.

Abstract: A self-contained, programmable temperature sensor is positioned within a suitable pressure housing affixed to a borehole tool to record and store temperature data at predetermined times during operations of the borehole tool in a borehole penetrating a subsurface formation. The depth of the temperature sensor within the borehole corresponding to each temperature reading is recorded. After the borehole tool is removed from the borehole, the temperature sensor is removed from the pressure housing and the stored temperature data is retrieved for use in producing a record of borehole temperature versus depth within the borehole at the programmed times.