Abstract: The invention is a method for preventing water from entering a well in communication with a subterranean hydrocarbon reservoir wherein the well is completed in a hydrocarbon reservoir that contains a water column below the hydrocarbon. The well will or will very nearly transverse a portion of the water column. The well is completed in such a way that fluid may be injected into the lower portion of the reservoir through the well without communicating inside the well with fluid being produced through the well from the upper portion of the reservoir. Cold fluid is injected through the well into the lower portion of the reservoir near the water column while production at the same volmetric rate is taken through the well from the upper portion of the reservoir. The production is comprised mainly of the previously injected fluid. This cold fluid removes heat from the water column until the water freezes forming an ice barrier to fluid flow.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for operating an internal combustion engine whereby to obtain maximum efficiency concomitant with minimum pollution of the atmosphere due to the discharge of exhaust gases. The engine is fueled with a stratified charge of a combustion supporting gaseous mixture, followed by the force injection of a fluidized fuel. To assure proper combustion, particularly at low loads, the intake volume of said combustion supporting medium is throttled. The conditions resulting within each combustion chamber are enrichment of the combustible charge and higher temperatures. As progressively greater loads are applied to the engine, the throttling action is progressively reduced to maintain a combustible, yet lean, mixture to midload. Further increase in load is accomplished by enrichment through increased fuel input.

Abstract: An aqueous low solids drilling fluid especially suitable for drilling sloughing, mud yielding shale formations. The drilling fluid has an A.P.I. filtration rate in excess of 100 milliliters, a soluble calcium level in excess of 200 and preferably in excess of 1000 parts per million, a filtrate alkalinity greater than 0.1 milliliters of .02 N sulfuric acid per milliliter of filtrate, at least one pound per barrel excess or undissolved calcium hydroxide, a salinity of at least 50,000 parts per million and a ratio of plastic viscosity to yield point not greater than one.

Abstract: Earth formations in the vicinity of a well borehole are repetitively bombarded with bursts of high energy neutrons. A radiation detector in a sonde in the borehole senses the gamma rays induced by the capture of thermal neutrons and sends signals representative thereof to the surface. At the surface, two single channel energy analyzers, such as from 1.30 to 2.92 Mev and from 3.43 to 10.0 Mev, sense the formation thermal neutron capture gamma ray response after each neutron burst. The counts of thermal neutron capture gamma rays in these analyzers are used to distinguish between the presence of salt water and hydrocarbons, which is logged. By controlling the repetition rate of the neutron source, measured counting rates in formations with relatively large thermal neutron lifetimes are emphasized, compensating for borehole effects which could otherwise give rise to erroneous results in shale formations, which have a high boron content.

Abstract: Composition and method for the treatment of inorganic mineral scale, using a treating composition consisting of a water soluble substituted taurine of prescribed formula in an amount of from 0.0005% to about 0.005%, on a weight basis.

Abstract: Disclosed are cross-linked polymer catalysts containing phosphonic acid groups on aliphatic bonds which are useful for hydrating alkenes under moderate temperature and pressure conditions.

Abstract: A locator for buried metallic pipes which carry AC signals impressed as a result of various industrial activities. It employs a pick-up coil with a ferromagnetic core. The coil is connected to a tuned bandpass amplifier that has its output connected to a head set and a meter for detecting the amplitude of the signals developed.

Abstract: Supported olefin conversion catalysts are activated by a method which comprises calcining the catalyst, impregnating the calcined catalyst with an alcoholic solution of an alkali metal salt, an alkali metal base or an alkali metal alcoholate and then recalcining the catalyst.

Abstract: A grease which has improved stability at high temperature is provided by incorporating in an otherwise conventional grease a lithium soap of a hydroxy-stearic acid and an alkali borate. The grease is made by adding lithium tetraborate directly to a mixture comprising a lithium soap of a hydroxy-fatty acid and lubricating oil wherein the resulting mixture has from about 5 to 20 percent by weight of the lithium soap and from about 0.1 to 3 percent by weight of lithium tetraborate.

Abstract: An oil well type of tool for testing a plurality of formations in a single trip into the hole. It has a full bore test tool which has a retrievable packer for making conventional tests. In addition there are a plurality of bridge plugs releasably connected in series below the test tool for plugging the hole above each formation after it is tested, without any additional trips into the hole.

Abstract: Process for the production of film forming synthetic resins for hair fixative compositions by reacting a methylolated 5,5-dialkylhydantoin containing 1-5 carbon atoms in each alkyl group at an elevated temperature in the presence of a bifunctional acid amide and/or amine. Hair fixative compositions containing 2-10% by weight of the resin product as the major or sole resin compound.

Abstract: A process for increasing the octane number of a paraffinic gasoline blending component comprises a reforming operation in which the component is contacted with hydrogen in the presence of a novel catalyst prepared by depositing a noble metal on silica gel and then dispersing said silica gel in an alumina gel matrix.

Abstract: A strong acid catalyzed alkylation process wherein an isoparaffin is alkylated with an alkylating agent such as olefin hydrocarbon and alkyl sulfates, in the liquid phase, at a superatmospheric pressure and a temperature in the range of from below zero to about 100.degree.F, employing a liquid catalyst consisting essentially of about 98.5 to about 88 weight percent of an acid selected from H.sub. 2 SO.sub.4, HFSO.sub.3, and mixtures thereof, about 0.5 to about 8 weight percent acid oils, about 0 to about 6 weight percent water, and having at least about 0.1 weight percent carbon dioxide dissolved therein.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for recovering from dilute aqueous solutions metals below iron in the electromotive series by percolating the solutions through iron particles having a size such as will pass completely through a 100 mesh sieve, or by intimately mixing the solutions and the iron particles, followed by filtration or centrifuging. The iron particles are "swarf" produced by the grinding of ferrous metals.

Abstract: A tension leg marine structure or working platform is floatably positioned above an offshore working site, being maintained in place by a plurality of tension cables that connect to anchors at the sea floor. A riser which extends between the structure and the sea floor is laterally supported by a hydraulic tensioning system adapted to be adjusted in conformance with the platform's and the riser's movement.

Abstract: This invention relates to the hydroformylation of alkyl olefins to form aldehydes by the addition of hydrogen and carbon monoxide using ligand stabilized platinum(II) dihalide complexes in combination with Group IVB metal halides as catalysts.

Abstract: This invention concerns the reduction of nitroparaffin substrates to the corresponding oxime in a carbon monoxide atmosphere under moderate reaction conditions using silver salt catalysts solubilized in nitrogenous base.

Abstract: Two methods and two steam samplers are disclosed for sampling steam, at any location or depth in a steam injection well for determining the quality of the saturated steam at that location. The samplers each comprise an elongated cylindrical vessel with a tube having openings mounted longitudinally internally of the vessel for forming an annulus between the vessel and the tube for trapping the steam liquid phase and vapor phase, while ejecting the excess liquid phase and steam vapor phase out the bottom of the tube. The tube has a second internally sliding rod for closing the openings and a spring and J-latch with a weight for releasably locking the tubes in closed position at any depth in the well by a sudden downward inertial force for shearing a locking pin and a subsequent upward spring movement to the closed and locked upper position for sealing the steam condensate and vapor in the annulus for recovery at the surface.

Abstract: A process for recovering particulate carbon from the effluent gas stream from a partial oxidation synthesis gas generator by scrubbing the effluent gas with water in a scrubbing zone to form a carbon-water dispersion, by mixing said dispersion in a mixing zone with liquid organic extractant comprising a mixture of the liquid organic by-products from the oxo or oxyl process, optionally in admixture with a light liquid-hydrocarbon fuel fraction, to produce a clarified water layer and a carbon-extractant dispersion, by separating and recycling said clarified water to said scrubbing zone, by separating said carbon-extractant dispersion and introducing same into a fractional-distillation zone in admixture with fresh liquid-hydrocarbon fuel feedstock, by recycling a light fraction from said distillation zone to said mixing zone as said liquid organic extractant, and by introducing a pumpable bottoms carbon slurry from said distillation zone into said synthesis-gas generator as at least a portion of the fuel.

Abstract: A process for recovering particulate carbon from the effluent gas stream from a partial oxidation synthesis gas generator by scrubbing the effluent gas with water in a scrubbing zone to form a carbon-water dispersion, mixing said dispersion in mixing and separating zones with a light liquid hydrocarbon fuel fraction extractant to produce a clarified water layer and a carbon-liquid hydrocarbon fuel dispersion, separating and recycling said clarified water to said scrubbing zone; separating said carbon light liquid hydrocarbon fuel dispersion and introducing same into a centrifugal separation zone; separately withdrawing from said centrifugal separation zone a thick stream of carbon-liquid hydrocarbon fuel dispersion and a separate thin stream of carbon-liquid hydrocarbon fuel dispersion; degasifying said clean centrifugal stream and introducing said thin centrifugal stream into said mixing and separating zone as a portion of said light liquid hydrocarbon fuel extractant, intoducing said thick stream of carbon-