Abstract: A marine compliant riser system is provided for attaching a flexible flowline to a buoyed conduit riser section. The improved system includes a releasable yoke assembly for receiving flexible flowline with a means for holding flexible flowline termination.Quick-disconnect yoke attachment means support and lock the yoke assembly onto horizontal buoy-mounted support means. A fail-safe release means is provided for pulling an unreleased yoke attachment away from the support arm in the event of an opposite end release.The system is particularly adapted for emergency disconnect of a subsea wellhead or production gathering system from a floating vessel.

Abstract: A subsea riser mainfold system is disclosed for handling marine well fluids from multiple subsea wells and transmitting the well fluids through a marine production riser. The system includes a marine floor base template having a support structure and a manifold chamber supported thereon. Pile guides are connected to the template for fixing the template to the marine floor. The sealed manifold chamber hull is mounted on the template between the pile guides, enclosing manifold means for operatively connecting the subsea wells to the production riser. An improved structural spanning support member extends over the manifold chamber hull for receiving and supporting the marine production riser. This spanning member has an upper riser-receiving platform portion and structural spider arms connected between the platform production and the pile guides through the spanning member.

Abstract: The present invention provides a frame like structure easily attachable to a check-out counter in a grocery store environment. Handle arms are hingedly attached to the structure and perpendicularly project therefrom. The arms are further provided with a resilient tubular member which allows the arm when displaced with an applied force, to be returned to the perpendicular relationship. A support post is provided to hold a complement of plastic bags to the frame for ease in dispensing and filling the bags.

Abstract: In seismic exploration windows from a pair of contiguous traces are used in a process which determines the coherent noise on a basis trace and removes this coherent noise from a prediction trace. The operator of a digital filter is determined by autocorrelating the basis trace, cross-correlating the window of the basis trace, with the window of the prediction trace, and selecting the filter operator which produces the least error between the cross-correlation function and the product of the autocorrelation function and the operator.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided to ensure uniform distribution of molten thermoplastic resin around a tubular die annulus upon extrusion of a thermoplastic tube. The apparatus comprises a first toroidal or partly toroidal (C-shaped) chamber surrounding the die into which the molten resin is fed from one side, and a plurality of openings through which the molten plastic flows from the first chamber into a second toroidal chamber, which feeds the die annulus. The cross-sectional area of each of the openings is gradually increased from a point adjacent the entry of the molten resin to a maximum feed opening cross-section at a point farthest removed from the resin entry point. This arrangement ensures a more uniform molten resin distribution around the die annulus during extrusion.

Abstract: Molten thermoplastic, such as polyethylene, and a hot melt adhesive are coextruded through a channel shaped profile die. While still molten, the channel shaped strip, having adhesive between the ribs thereof, is brought into contact with a moving web of a thermoplastic, e.g. polyethylene film, which is backed up by a roll at a controlled temperature. The temperature differential between the roll and the molten thermoplastic is maintained so that the thermoplastic adheres to the moving web upon contact and thereafter cools to set the thermoplastic in the channel shaped profile. The web is under tension so that contraction of the film upon release compensates for the contraction of the channel shaped strip as it cools.

Abstract: Apparatus for determining the location of the liquid level in a well or borehole. A source of acoustic pressure pulses is coupled to the surface casing so that they are transmitted down the well and reflected by the gas-liquid interface. A transducer is also coupled to the well to produce an electrical signal in response to direct and reflected acoustic pulses occurring in the well. Gating circuitry responds to the transducer for starting and stopping the counting of clock pulses by a digital counter. A digital readout device is used to indicate the depth to the liquid level in the well. The acoustic pulse source is automatically actuated at predetermined times, and the depth to the liquid level and the time are automatically recorded. This produces a record of time and liquid depth which can extend over a period of several days.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system for acoustic noise logging in a production well which includes up-hole components and down-hole components including at least two sonic detectors, the up-hole and down-hole components being linked together by a four-wire interconnecting means. In addition, the down-hole components include at least three additional parameter detectors. These additional parameter detectors may include a temperature detector, a conductivity detector and a location detector. The first of these detectors produces a frequency proportional to, for example, temperature. The second detector frequency modulates the temperature signal, for example, in response to location. The third detector amplitude modulates the signal depending on whether or not a conductivity threshold has been exceeded.The foregoing permits simultaneous monitoring of a plurality of down-hole parameters simultaneously without the necessity for multiplexing and yet employs only a four wire interconnecting means.

Abstract: A support arrangement for a platform held in suspension from an offshore frame structure which provides damping between the structures in inverse proportion to the magnitude of a seismic shock. The effects of seismic shocks on the suspended platform are mitigated by providing first and second nonlinear shock absorbers coupled laterally in first and second horizontal directions between the platform and the frame structures. The first and second shock absorbers are designed to be substantially rigid to provide stiff damping for relatively low amplitude seismic forces while providing substantially softer or less rigid damping for relatively high amplitude seismic forces, such that the suspended load is able to move relatively freely in all horizontal directions when it is subjected to relatively severe seismic shocks.

Abstract: A source of acoustic pressure pulses is coupled to the surface casing of a well so that they are transmitted down the well and reflected by the gas-liquid interface. A transducer is also coupled to the well to produce an electrical signal in response to direct and reflected acoustic pulses occurring in the well. Gating circuitry responds to the transducer for starting and stopping the counting of clock pulses by a digital counter. The digital count controls a pump so that the liquid level in the well is precisely controlled between desired levels.

Abstract: This specification discloses a technique of providing a wellbore that is extended along a track from the surface of the earth and penetrates and passes through a subsurface mineral-bearing formation a plurality of times. The wellbore is initially extended from the surface of the earth into the earth's crust in essentially a vertical direction and then is deviated toward the horizontal and extended to pass through the subsurface mineral-bearing formation from top to bottom at an oblique angle. The wellbore is then further deviated and extended along a track in an upwardly direction such that it again penetrates and passes through the subsurface mineral-bearing formation, this time from bottom to top. The wellbore may then again be deviated and extended along a downward track to again penetrate the formation from the top.

Abstract: In the drilling of a well, buckling of a drill string is prevented by determining the buoyed weight, sliding friction, and external forces applied to the segments of a drill string and comparing the resultant axial force on each segment with a buckling threshold to indicate when the resultant axial force exceeds the threshold. The azimuth and inclination of segments of the drill string are measured. The forces on the drill string are resolved into the axial and normal components applied to the next shallower segment. From these, the forces applied to each segment are determined.

Abstract: A method of pushing pipe (e.g., casing) into a highly deviated borehole. The lower end of the pipe is plugged and the lower portion of the pipe string is filled with fluids (e.g., compressed gases, petroleum products, water, etc.) which have a lower density than that of the borehole fluid. This creates a buoyancy effect for the pipe in the deviated portion of the borehole which aids in keeping the pipe from contacting the lower side of the deviated hole. The pipe can be plugged or capped above the lightened section and filled with heavier fluid to aid in forcing the pipe downward into position. The plugs and caps are then removed, e.g., drilled out, when the pipe is ready for use. The fluids are thereby released into the mud slurry.

Abstract: The present invention is an apparatus for biaxial orientation of precrystalline polyacrylonitrile polymer sheet consisting essentially of a machine direction orientor which stretches the sheet in the machine direction a transverse direction orientor which stretches the sheet in the direction 90.degree. to the machine direction, both processes of which may be completed rapidly in a heated essentially aqueous environment.

Abstract: A deviated borehole is drilled with a rotary drilling technique in which the drill string is vibrated at a suitable frequency and amplitude to reduce the friction of the drill string against the lower side of the borehole and to promote the free movement of the drill string therein.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for the uninterrupted winding of continuously-fed malleable sheet material, such as plastic, paper, and textiles, which includes a roll feed mechanism, a first and second winding station, a sheet directing main frame which may be biased in the direction of either winding station so as to press the sheet onto the take up spindle located at the particular station, a sheet transfer means and an external control connected thereto in order to selectively transfer the continuously-feeding sheet from a full spindle to an empty spindle mounted at one of the winding stations.

Abstract: A method of logging a wellbore to identify oil, gas and water zones in a hydrocarbon-bearing formation that is characterized by acoustic velocities which are maximum when saturated with oil, minimum when saturated with water and intermediate when saturated with gas. The formation is logged with a sonic logging system utilizing a frequency within the range of 0.1 to 10 KHz and logged with a lithologic logging system to account for variations in lithology on the sonic log. Thereafter the sonic log is compared with the known acoustic velocity characteristic of the hydrocarbon-bearing formation to identify the oil, gas and water zones therein.

Abstract: Water based coatings have been developed comprising water containing dispersed liquid droplets of water immiscible, hydroxy functional organic material, which are emulsified in the water, the water having dispersed therein an amine salt constituted by a salt of a solubilizing acid with a polyamide having a plurality of terminal primary amine groups. About one of the primary amine groups in the polyamide is unsubstituted, and at least about 70% of the isocyanate-reactive amino hydrogen atoms in the polyamide other than in the unsubstituted primary amine group are reacted with one isocyanate group of an organic polyisocyanate, the remaining isocyanate groups of which are blocked by a volatile blocking agent. The blocked isocyanate groups are nonreactive at room temperature and the unblocked isocyanate groups are reactive with the hydroxy functionality of the organic hydroxy functional material at elevated temperature.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for the extrusion of tubular thermoplastic films, in particular films produced from polymers such as high density polyethylene, polypropylene, and the like. The method comprises coextrusion of the polymer in the form of a tube which has adhered to its surface, another polymer which is characterized by having a significantly higher melting point than the melting point of the first polymer tube. The tubular films produced in this manner exhibit improved physical properties including a reduced tendency for rupturing or splitting in the machine direction when stresses are applied to such films.