Abstract: A transducer for an acoustic logging tool includes a liquid-filled cavity formed by a substantially rigid housing portion of the tool and having a resilient barrier member disposed between liquid in the wellbore and the liquid in the cavity. A magnetic field extends transversely through the cavity and a member, which may comprise a rigid plate, a flexible member or a quantity of electrically conductive liquid trapped between flexible membranes, is disposed in the cavity for movement normal to the magnetic field. A voltage is generated in response to movement of liquid in the cavity which is proportional to the velocity of the plate or member, or the velocity of the conductive liquid, the length of the conductive path and the intensity of the magnetic field in accordance with the principles of the Lorentz force.

Abstract: Gas leakage from oil wells through casing thread connections and other small leakage spaces is reduced or eliminated by injecting into the lift gas flowstream a sealant composition comprising a carrier liquid, such as diesel fuel or water, an ethoxylated phenol surfactant and particulate silica and/or Gilsonite. A liquid sealant composition is injected into oil wells on artificial gas lift comprising arctic diesel fuel, a surfactant and solubilized Gilsonite in a weight ratio of about 10:1 diesel fuel to Gilsonite and diesel fuel to surfactant, respectively. Effective reduction in leakage flow rates is obtained over a relatively short time period (one to ten hours).

Abstract: The lower end of a wellbore tubing string or a change in diameter of a wellbore component may be sensed by an apparatus connectable to the end of an elongated coilable tubing for insertion into the tubing string and responsive to movement of the apparatus into or out of the end of the tubing string to effect a change in flow of fluid being conducted through the coilable tubing. The apparatus includes opposed arms engageable with the bore of the tubing string and engageable with a piston member to effect closure of ports in the apparatus to change the flow of fluid through the tubing in response to movement of the arms into or out of the end of the tubing string. Alternate embodiments include bypass passages for conducting pressure fluid to a packer or wellbore tool.

Abstract: A weld detection system for a pipeline survey pig includes a plurality of weld sensor units mounted spaced apart circumferentially on fore and aft pig support members and arranged in close proximity to the pipe wall. The sensor units comprise permanent magnet members for generating a magnetic flux field around a wire coil which is modified upon passing a girth weld or other magnetic anomaly in the pipe to produce a voltage signal which is conditioned by an amplifier and filter circuit to a signal suitable for input to a digital activation circuit. The digital activation circuit receives conditioned signals from opposed pairs of sensor units on the support members to distinguish transverse girth welds from spiral or longitudinal welds. The digital activation circuit includes circuit elements for timing the sensor output signals of the fore and aft detector arrays for measuring the velocity of the survey pig through the pipe.

Abstract: Drill cuttings are disposed of by injection into a subsurface formation by way of an annular space formed in a wellbore. The cuttings are removed from the drilling fluid, conveyed to a shearing and grinding system that converts the cuttings into a viscous slurry with the addition of water. The system comprises a receiving tank and a centrifugal pump for recirculating the mixture of cuttings and water (sewater) between the pump and the receiving tank. A discharge conduit is connected to the pump for moving the viscous slurry to an injection pump for high pressure injection into the formation.

Abstract: The turbidity of liquids, including oil contaminated water, may be measured by an apparatus having a first elongated shell member defining a turbid liquid measurement chamber and opposed head members forming windows for transmitting a light beam through the measurement chamber between a light source and photosensitive element. A second shell member is disposed around the first shell member and defines with the first shell member and the opposed head members clear liquid supply chambers for supplying a clear liquid to wash over the windows and prevent contact of the turbid liquid with windows during operation of the apparatus. A flow of clear liquid, such as water, may be controlled by a pump and a throttling valve with orifices in each flow line to limit the flow of clear liquid. A mixture of clear liquid and turbid liquid is discharged from the turbidity measurement chamber into a discharge manifold formed between the shell members.

Abstract: A coal crushing facility having a coal crusher with an inlet feed chute and a feeding mechanism interposed between the crusher and a storage hopper wherein a top wall of the feed mechanism discharge chute includes a hinged door which is responsive to backup of coal in the crusher inlet chute to open slightly and effect operation of a proximity switch to shut down the feed motor. The circuit for the feed motor control may have a manual switch interposed therein to effect restarting of the feed motor only at will. The door may be moved to a full open position to provide a large opening to bring into operation a hydraulic breaker for breaking up large chunk coal and unclogging the feed chute. The door may be moved between open and closed positions by a motor operated winch.

Abstract: A seismic array system for receiving seismic signals at spaced-apart points in a wellbore is deployable on coiled tubing from the surface through an isolator apparatus mounted on the wellhead. The array includes spaced-apart geophone sondes which have hydraulic actuators for extension of sonde support pads into engagement with the wellbore wall. Each sonde has a hydraulic control unit for controlling operation of the hydraulic actuator to extend or retract the pads and for preliminary processing of signals received through the geophones of each sonde. Hydraulic fluid and electrical control signals are communicated through the coiled tubing from the surface. A signal processing unit is deployed at the upper end of the array string for final or intermediate processing of the geophoen signals from each sonde.

Abstract: A coriolis type flowmeter has separate sets or bundles of tubes which are interconnected with each other to vibrate laterally with respect to the direction of flow through the tubes by a vibrator mechanism and which vibrations are sensed by spaced apart sensor devices for determining the vibrational characteristics and the related mass flow rate and mass density of fluid flowing through the tube bundles. In one embodiment the flowmeter inlet and outlet manifolds are formed with split conduit portions for directing the flow of fluid to and from the respective tube bundles. In another embodiment, the inlet and outlet manifolds are arranged for parallel lateral flow of fluid to and from the manifolds and the respective sets of flow tubes are spaced apart along the manifolds and arranged in alternating sets interconnected by tie rods at the respective vibrator mechanisms and sensors.

Abstract: A coiled tubing injection unit for injecting a continuous length of coiled steel tubing into a wellbore for performing well operations includes an x-ray inspection apparatus arranged to continuously monitor the wall section of the tubing as it is inserted into or withdrawn from the well to detect structural defects in the tubing. An x-ray source and detector unit are mounted in a housing which is supported for rotation about the longitudinal axis of the tubing for projecting an x-ray image through suitable processing and display apparatus. The x-ray detection unit may be mounted on a level wind mechanism of the coiled tubing storgage spool or at another point between the storage spool and the wellhead into which the tubing is being injected.

Abstract: A hydraulic fracturing method for earth formations which are penetrated by inclined wellbores wherein the near wellbore region which exhibits the maximum tensile stress in response to hydraulic pressure in the wellbore is determined, and cased wellbores are perforated at the point of maximum tensile stress resulting from fracture initiation. The fracture is subsequently propagated and propped open by proppant-laden fluids having progressively increasing proppant concentrations so that the near wellbore region of the fracture is held propped open to maintain sufficient conductivity between the main fracture body and the wellbore.

Abstract: Plastic and similar shreddable materials are reduced to small particles and pneumatically conveyed to the combustion space of a marine boiler for inceneration to dispose of such materials aboard ship. A granulator apparatus reduces the material to particulates having a maximum particle size of about 0.50 inches for conveyance by the pneumatic conveyor through a conduit which has penetrated a boiler wall in the vicinity of the combustion space.

Abstract: An acoustic signal transmitter for well logging tools and the like comprising a housing having a generally rectangular opening formed therein and defining a fluid filled cavity in which a compliant sheet transmitter member is disposed and is provided in a relaxed condition with a curvature. Opposite ends of the transmitter member are connected to piezoelectric actuators which are responsive to an electrical signal to elongate to stretch the sheet into a generally planar state to generate a pressure pulse in the cavity for transmission through a fluid filled borehole to a formation for, preferably, measuring the shear wave velocity in the formation material.

Abstract: A percussion drill rod assembly comprising an elongated inner percussion blow transmitting rod of substantially constant diameter supported in a tubular torque transmitting coupling member by spaced apart sets of resilient isolator members secured to the tubular coupling member. The drill rod assembly is connected to a shank assembly at the drill motor and an adaptor assembly at the bit end, each of which include inner percussion blow transmitting members and outer torque transmitting members. Integral drill rod assemblies having inner percussion rods and outer torque transmitting tubular coupling members are adapted for use with feed leg and sinker drills, for example.

Abstract: Digging teeth and support adapters for excavating buckets and the like are retained connected to the lip portion of the bucket in the event of failure of a tooth, its adapter or any device which normally secures the tooth and the adapter to the bucket lip by an elongated, flexible cable trained through a passage in the bucket lip, a passage in the adapter and secured to the tooth. Retainer fittings on the cable engage cooperating retainer parts on the tooth and the lip portion to prevent loss of the tooth due to such failure.

Abstract: An excavating dipper for use with power shovels, draglines and the like is fabricated from steel plate and is formed to have a separable bottom body member, which may be replaced when worn. The dipper is of lightweight steel plate construction fabricated into substantially all welded top and bottom body members. The plate members forming the side and bottom walls of the bottom body member are reinforced by longitudinal and transverse girth ribs.

Abstract: A displacement amplifier interconnects a piezoelectric actuator with a displacement member and comprises respective bellows members of differential diameter defining first and second expansible chambers which are liquid filled and respond to linear displacement of a stack of piezoelectric disks to provide an amplified linear displacement to the displacement member. The transducer is particularly useful as a signal transmitting or receiving transducer for acoustic wave generation or measurement for wellbore logging tools.

Abstract: Marine tankers and cargo tanks for storing hydrocarbon liquids are provided with treated flue gas which is heated to a temperature at least about equal to or in excess of the liquids to be stored in the tanks to minimize the generation and emission of hydrocarbon vapors during loading, storage and transfer of hydrocarbon liquids with respect to the tanks.

Abstract: Hydraulic fracturing of earth formations from wells for producing gas or hydrocarbon liquids is carried out by extending the fracture to a predetermined length with clean or low proppant concentration fluids, then decreasing the rate of injection with low proppant concentration fluids to equal the fluid leakoff rate until the fracture tip is blocked or screened out. Alternatively, the proppant concentration could be progressively increased until tip screenout occurs. Injection rates are then increased, particularly in high permeability formations, to increase the fracture width.

Abstract: A rock drill feed support beam comprises longitudinal side plates and a base member which are formed of folded metal plate welded together to form a channel-like support beam with a substantially clear unobstructed space between the members for containing a plurality of pressure fluid hoses which are trained over a hose guide supported by the feed beam and also disposed generally between the side members in the space. A feed mechanism comprising an endless chain is disposed in the channel-like space and includes a support member connected to the hose guide and supporting spaced apart sprockets. One run of the chain is connected to the drill motor and the opposite run of the chain is anchored to the feed beam. A motor is drivably connected to the chain through one of the sprockets for advancing the drill motor at twice the rate of the hose guide and the feed support member.