Abstract: Apparatus for jet-cleaning wells having different-diameter casing strings, which apparatus includes an elongated member for running into the well, and a movable member having a jet body for forming a jet connected to the elongated member, which movable member moves out against the casing string responsive to application of jetting liquid between the movable member and the elongated member.

Abstract: A tensiometer apparatus for use in the field, for instance at the site of an oil well, for measuring the interfacial tension between two immiscible fluids, for instance oil and water, wherein a droplet of one fluid is caused to move under the force of gravity through the second fluid and a characteristic of the droplet is determined by measuring the change the droplet causes in capacitance of one or more capacitors as the droplet moves through the second fluid. The determined characteristic is then converted by calibration means to interfacial tension between the fluids.

Abstract: A blowout prevention system for an offshore structure positioned on the underwater bottom in a body of water which contains moving ice masses that could force the structure off location wherein a surface blowout preventer stack for conventional well control is connected to the upper end of a riser with the lower end of the riser being disconnectably connected to a subsurface blowout preventer stack which provides the necessary well control should the structure be forced off location. The subsurface stack is positioned on a wellhead located in a chamber in the subsea bottom and is disconnectably connected to the riser so that the riser may be quickly removed from the subsea bottom should the structure be forced off location.

Abstract: The liquid level within a storage tank network is continuously monitored by a transducer system of the present invention formed essentially of MSI's (Medium Scale Integrated Chips) including a differential pressure (dp) cell in circuit with a digital volt meter (DVM) which, in turn, is connected to a series of look-up ROM's (Read-Only Memories). In operation and as a function of dp cell output level, DVM is continuously applying BCD signals to the ROM's, such signals being proportional to liquid level. The ROM's retain, in memory, the Gray code translations of the BCD input. The ROM's are then periodically accessed via an analog multiplexer controlled by an oscillator/ripple counter to provide corresponding microcircuit level signals at the output of a 7-segment decoder/driver. Thereafter, the microcircuit signals are regenerated--at levels compatible with conventional MARK-SPACE tank gauging systems--using an isolation/driver network in circuit with the 7-segment decoder/driver.

Abstract: A method of in-situ coal recovery in slurry form from a coal deposit by first contacting the coal with a gaseous mixture of an oxygen-containing gas containing vaporized NO.sub.2, then with an aqueous alkaline solution to slurry the coal, and then recovering the slurried coal from the deposit. The particular aqueous alkaline solution disclosed herein contains ethanolamine.

Abstract: A method for removing material from directional wells using centralized tubing to circulate foam in the well at a velocity in excess of 30 feet per minute.

Abstract: Description is hereinafter had to a digital computer-aided graphics system for producing in a plane having two-dimensional coordinate axes a planar representation of a three-dimensional pipeline described in easy-to-understand coded input format as a series of workpoints paired into overlapping sets, each set containing a dominant and subservient point identified by relative three-dimensional coordinates.

Abstract: A "red-alert" end condition digital signal is generated by a transponder system of the present invention formed essentially of MSI's (Medium Scale Integrated Chips) including an oscillator/ripple counter controlling a fixed Gray code logic encoding network in circuit with a driver circuit. The aforementioned system both is initiated by and is in power dependent relationship with a MARK-SPACE interrogation signal and has special utility in digitally monitoring product "overflow" conditions in source/product storage tank networks associated with an oil refinery and/or a chemical complex.

Abstract: A "red-alert" end condition digital signal is generated by a transponder system of the present invention formed essentially of MSI's (Medium Scale Integrated Chips) including an oscillator/ripple counter controlling a fixed Gray code logic encoding network in circuit with a programmed 7-segment decoder/driver. The aforementioned system both is initiated by and is in power dependent relationship with a MARK-SPACE interrogation signal and has special utility in digitally monitoring product "overflow" conditions in source/product storage tank networks associated with an oil refinery and/or chemical complex.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for determining the quality of wet steam flowing in a steam line utilizing the relationship between critical flow pressure (P.sub.c) and upstream pressure (P.sub.u) to develop a critical pressure ratio P.sub.c /P.sub.u to obtain the steam water mixture inlet enthalpy (H) from empirical curves and the steam quality from the equation:Steam Quality=[(H-h.sub.w)/(h.sub.s -h.sub.w)]P.sub.uwhereH.sub.w =specific enthalphy of water, andH.sub.s =specific enthalpy of steam bath both at P.sub.u.

Abstract: The method and apparatus of the present invention are described in which connection (and disconnection) of a plurality of geophones associated with a digital seismic data acquisition system is greatly simplified without sacrificing flexibility as to the number of geophone flyers per station or the interval spacing per station and also without the addition of separate subcabling in the internal linkage of the flyers to the field digitizing equipment. The apparatus includes a multiple-phone flyer-jumper connected to each channel of a remote data acquisition and telemetering circuit (RDATC). Each RDATC acts in combination with a group of geophone flyers, say four, to store, amplify, filter, gain control and digitize analog data from the flyers and then telemeter the data to recording circuitry in the field truck. In accordance with the present invention, each jumper-flyer includes a central multi-conductor cable segment terminating at each of its ends in the central leg of a multi-armed connector.

Abstract: An improvement in a heat-generating pipe made up of a ferromagnetic pipe having an insulated conductor extending through it to a given point so that both the pipe and conductor may be connected in series with a power source of alternating current. The invention is directed to both a method and nonferromagnetic means for reducing the heat output over a desired segment of the pipe by reducing the magnetic field created by the alternating current flowing in the insulated conductor and that segment of the pipe.The nonferromagnetic means comprises a portion of the insulated conductor that is exterior to the ferromagnetic pipe along the segment of reduced heat output so that it is magnetically decoupled from the pipe.

Abstract: The method and apparatus of the present invention are described in which connection (and disconnection) of a plurality of geophones associated with a series of stations of a digital seismic data acquisition system is greatly simplified without sacrificing flexibility as to the number of geophone flyers per station or the interval spacing per station and also without the addition of separate subcabling in the internal linkage of the flyer to the field digitizing equipment. The method utilizes a multiple-phone flyer-jumper connected to one channel of a series of channels of a remote data acquisition and telemetering circuit (RDATC). Each RDATC acts in combination with a group of geophone flyers, say 1, 2, 3, etc., to store, amplify, filter, gain control and digitize analog data from each group of flyers and then telemeter the data to recording circuitry in the field truck.

Abstract: Instead of being butt-spliced, thermoplastic tapes used to form yarn used by carpet manufacturers are sealed along a longer bias of their off-centered, cross alignment, (providing greater strength but without additional bulk) by means of a heating wand and method of the present invention. The wand includes means for first untwisting the tapes over a short segment thereof and then placing them in relative cross-alignment positions relative to a transversely located heating element. The heating element is in intermittent circuit with an energy source.

Abstract: A method of in-situ coal recovery in slurry form from a coal deposit by first contacting the coal with a gaseous mixture of an oxygen-containing gas containing vaporized NO.sub.2, then with an aqueous alkaline solution to slurry the coal, and then recovering the slurried coal from the deposit.

Abstract: An improved baffle for use in an oil-water separation tank including a perpendicular solid portion and an inclined slotted portion extending downwardly and inwardly in the direction of flow from the lower edge of the perpendicular solid portion, the slotted portion having at least three rows of downwardly spaced apart slots extending laterally across the slotted portion, the uppermost of said rows an averge of from 1/2 to 2 slots per lateral meter and each of the lower rows therefrom having at least 25% more slots than said uppermost row.

Abstract: An improvement in a heat-generating pipe made up of a ferromagnetic pipe having an insulated conductor extending through it to a given point so that both the pipe and conductor may be connected in series with a power source of alternating current. The invention is directed to both a method and nonferromagnetic means for reducing the heat output over a desired segment of the pipe by reducing the magnetic field created by the alternating current flowing in the insulated conductor and that segment of the pipe.The nonferromagnetic means comprises an electrically nonconductive, nonferromagnetic section of pipe connected in place of the segment of the ferromagnetic pipe and shunted by a second conductor connected at each end of the nonferromagnetic pipe to the ferromagnetic pipe.

Abstract: A packer cup assembly useful on tubing at high temperatures and includes a special sealing element having a frangible back up portion to provide pack off in a well.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, the remanent magnetization of an earth formation penetrated by a bore hole is accurately indicated even in the presence of high solar and atmospheric disturbance affecting the earth's normal field. A highly sensitive magnetometer is positioned within the bore hole in a direction S at a plurality of logging stations within the bore hole. Although at each station the response measured includes contributions other than that associated with the remanent magnetization of the formation, such other components can be easily isolated and removed from the measured response of each logging station, such removal processes including accounting for changes in the earth's normal field waveform (micropulsation effects) using waveform migration techniques as provided by a properly programmed digital computer.

Abstract: A method for recovering hydrocarbons by injecting a mixture of oxidizing gas and steam into a lateral conduit in a hydrocarbon-containing formation to produce a product gas and, based on values contained in such gas, controlling the reactions between mixtures of oxidizing gas and steam and hydrocarbons in the formation to optimize the Btu value of the product gas.