Abstract: A heating and targeting laser beam and microscope apparatus optically senses, heats to generate a effluent fluid and chemically analyzes the thermal extract fluid or fluid pyrolyzates from a microscopic particle within a heterogeneous composite sample. A transparent duct-like chamber having a bottom opening is attached to a microscope. A contact surface of the sample is raised to abut against the bottom opening, which encloses the space around the particle and also brings the particle into the common focal plane of the microscope and the converging laser beam(s). This single step avoids the complex separate focusing and sealing steps required by present day techniques.

Abstract: Geothermal brine is passed through a zone containing a packing metal so as to reduce its tendency to deposit iron/silica scale, reduce corrosivity of the brine, and/or remove and recover metals from the brine. The method polished the geothermal brine by contacting the brine with a packing metal higher in the electromotive series than silver for a time sufficient for a precious metals to precipitate onto the packing at brine temperature and pH conditions which inhibit iron-rich silica scale. Most preferably, the contacting is accomplished near an injection well at the end of a heat extraction process and the packing comprises coiled zinc-galvanized steel chicken wire mesh packed in a sufficient density to also act as a filter for suspended particles. Alternatively, contacting is also accomplished near the production well. Dissolving the packing in a suitable acid leaves a precious metal-rich residue behind for subsequent recovery.

Abstract: A method used for determining true in-situ resistivity of a thin layer within a formation from dual induction log data. The method calculates true resistivity without the existing need: 1) for an accurate estimate of the layer thickness, or 2) to extrapolate correction factors for thin layers. The method first corrects resistivity data read from the dual induction log. A representative shoulder bed resistivity is first determined from average deep resistivity data near the shoulder bed. A paired estimate of layer resistivity and thickness is then computed based upon the determined shoulder bed resistivity, dip angle, and both deep and medium resistivity data related to the thin bed. The method does not require thickness data to be input, and in fact outputs this infomation, if needed.

Abstract: In-stream suspended solids measurement in geothermal brine is accomplished by removal of suspended solids under process conditions followed by cooling using a detachable probe assembly. The cooling inhibits precipitation of added solids. By placing an in-stream filter at the sample entrance to immediately collect and remove suspended solids, pressure drop across the filter can be used to obtain real time suspended solids measurements. The filter may be composed of non-reactive/non-scaling materials and exposed for short durations to avoid additional chemical reaction and precipitation/scale at the filter. The detachable probe is attached to a valved access to the process stream allowing detachment and device weighing (instead of scale removal and weighing) to also provide suspended solids measurements.

Abstract: A separate heat source, such an a skin effect heater, is added to a subterranean heat exchanger and oxygen combustion device for upgrading viscous crude oil feeds. An insulated wire is integrated with combustion oxygen supply piping to form the skin effect heater operating in conjunction with the heat exchanger. The separately controlled heater output allows a reduction of the heat from the combustion device reduced quantities of combustion products. The improvement down-sizes or eliminates excess combustion product removal facilitates and also preheats the oxygen supply. The skin-effect heater and heat exchanger combination adds heat gradually and increases feed residence time at the desired upgrading temperature and pressure conditions. Alternative embodiments can be used to treat heavy crudes within a producing well.

Abstract: A polymer concrete pipe liner is formed from a fluidized, but substantially waterless cement containing mixture applied to the pipe interior. The mixture is composed of inorganic cement particles, a liquid styrene mixture and a minor amount of one or more poly-olefinically unsaturated co-monomers. The mixture substantially excludes acrylonitrile and acrylamide. The co-monomers are preferable selected from a group including trimethylolpropane-trimethacrylate, divinyl benzene, hexadiene, and polyvinylsiloxanes. Mixing the liquid and solid components forms a slurry which is transferred to a pipe interior. Transfer properties can be controlled by particulate gradation, dissolved polymers, and rheology control additives. The pipe is then spun to centrifugally cast the liner. The composition avoids the need for high temperature curing and toxic reactive unsaturates to co-polymerize and cross-link polystyrene.

Abstract: A ported float shoe (5) and a landing collar (16) are attached at a first end of a portion of a casing string (4) and a sliding air trapping insert (20) is attached at the other end. The air trapping insert (20) includes a fluid flow passageway (24) blocked by a plug (22) attached by shear pins to the insert (20) or the air trapping insert is an inflatable insert (55) having a conduit (60) providing a fluid passageway to the first end. The air trapping insert and float shoe form an air cavity (12a or 12b) within the string portion (4). The air cavity provides buoyant forces during running, cementing or other casing operations within a borehole (2), reducing running drag and the related chance of a differentially stuck casing (4). It also allows reciprocation and rotation during cementing and avoids separate removal steps.

Abstract: A method is provided for selectively treating flocculated heavy metal contaminated iron-based sludges from an industrial waste water treatment process. The method removes the heavy metal contaminants with a minimum loss of the iron therein. The method comprises dissolving the sludge in hydrochloric acid to produce a ferric chloride solution. The solution is filtered to remove precipitated heavy metal salts, such as lead chloride. The filtrate containing the remaining heavy metal chlorides and ferric chloride is then cooled or otherwise treated to remove additional heavy metal chlorides. The remaining ferric chloride based solution is then reduced (exposed to iron powder) to a ferrous chloride solution and heavy metals. After filtration of any additional precipitated heavy metals, the ferrous chloride solution is ready for recycling.

Abstract: An oil tool release joint with a top sub that has a pin end which inserts into an opening in a bottom sub provides an alternative remote tool for separating pipe string segments after rotation. The subs are held together by shear pins which are wedged through holes in the bottom sub into recesses in the top sub. The bottom sub has uphole extending splines that engage slots in the top sub when the subs are connected. The splines and slots translate rotational motion from one sub to the other. The joint releases upon the application of a force sufficient to shear the shear pins either by hydraulic pressure in the drill string, an upward pull on the top sub or both. A guide ring encircles the uphole ends of the splines to guide material into the bottom sub when the joint is separated.

Abstract: A hydraulic setting and release tool has a shear out setting assembly attached to a string coupling member. Upon reaching a predetermined hydraulic pressure, a piston of the tool shears restraining shear pins and moves in a body of the tool to release dogs that engage the coupling member. When the dogs release, springs retract the dogs from engagement in sockets of the coupling member and the shear out setting assembly separates from the coupling member. When used in running in a liner, the coupling member is a running head that rotates the liner during running in and cementing. When used as a drill string release tool, the coupling member is a release sub, the tool being placed serially with other string components. If the drill string gets stuck, it is separated by merely increasing the hydraulic pressure sufficiently to shear the pins and allow the piston to move and the dogs to retract to separate the release sub from the shear out assembly.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for polishing geothermal brines containing iron-rich silica scale and silica particles suspended therein while removing and recovering copper, silver and other precious metals dissolved therein. The method comprises passing brine having a pH just below about 5.0 through a conduit packed with a metal higher in the electromotive series than silver for a time to sufficient for substantially all of the silver and other precious metals therein to precipitate onto the packing. Preferably, the packing comprises coiled zinc-galvanized steel chicken wire mesh packed in a sufficient density to act as a filter for said suspended particles. Dissolving the packing in a suitable acid will leave a precious metal-rich residue behind for subsequent recovery. When the brine is treated this process, the useful life of injection wells used to return cooled brine back to the geothrmal field is extended by at least about 3 times as compared to that observed with untreated brine.

Abstract: A seismic ray-tracing model performs economic exploration of subsurface structures, which 1) allows amplitude, frequency, mode, and other "synthetic filtering" of the model's calculations and 2) allows model interpolations, approximations, and other "synthetic sensitivity" terminations of ray-tracing calculations. The model output can be directly matched to the filtration and sensitivity of actual seismic data. The model structure is capable of the extensive calculations similar to current extensive forward models, but ray-tracing calculations are accomplished in discrete pairs (allowing interpolation between divergent ray pairs and partially simulating detector sensitivity) and ray-tracing calculations are terminated if an amplitude under a threshold level signal strength is encountered. The amplitude threshold level can be set to match filtering used on actual seismic data. This sensitivity and filter matching achieves maximum reliability while still avoiding unnecessary calculations, e.g.

Abstract: The deposition of metal-containing scale, such as iron silicate scale, from a hot aqueous geothermal brine, or the like, is controlled by blending into the brine sufficient reducing agent effective for reducing trivalent iron and manganese cations in a high temperature brine solution to divalent ions to cause an overall decrease in scale deposition, especially of iron silicate scale. Preferably, from 2 to 7 times the stoichiometric amount of reducing agent is used to effect a 70 to 90 percent reduction in the formation of iron silicate scale.

Abstract: A log analysis method can be used to determine a relative condition of a lined casing within a geothermal well from logged instrument data. Uncertain conditions, such as an unknown scale layer thickness, may perturb the indicators of a casing condition within the logged signals. The method can be used to detect the perturbed signals, discern a perturbed reference interfacial indicator in the data, searches for an adjacent interfacial indicator within a window, and axially aligns the adjacent indicator by shifting the data signal towards the reference indicator. The baseline indicator may be an arbitrarily selected signal indicator or a prior (non-scaled/non-eroded) condition indicator. A prior condition indicator can also be used to determine a second window for detecting an adjacent surface signal indicators.

Abstract: One or more rigid sealing segments are attached to pipe end sections and the assembly lined to form a fluid-resistant joint. A segment surface forms the primary sealing interface of lined pipe sections without the need for a conventional removable liner edge seal. The lining process and configuration sealably bonds the liner to the fluid-resistant sealing segment and to the non-fluid-resistant pipe. The manner of bonding both avoids (or limits) liner stress and covers the non-fluid-resistant material of the pipe. In an alternative embodiment, the sealing segments are engaged at mating threaded surfaces, the mated threads providing a single primary sealing and engagement interface. Redundant liner end sealing may also be accomplished by a sandwiched deformable material if added reliability of sealing harsh fluids is desired. In another embodiment, portions of the rigid sealing segments are slidably mounted relative to each other and the primary seal interface is temperature actuated.

Abstract: A method for obtaining in-situ stress measurements in a well is accomplished by installing a membrane packer on a drill string. The packer membrane is attached near the drilling tool and is capable of being radially expanded by fluid pressure to abut against the borehole. When a measurement of the in-situ stress is desired, a 3 way valve is actuated to divert drill string fluid into the packer until the membrane contacts the borehole. Further increments of fluid addition at this point are accomplished only by large increases in inflation fluid pressure. Pressure is increased (with little increase in volume) at a ramp rate until it reaches a value equal to the least principal stress, at which point the formation microfractures. The microfracture(s) result in a decreased pressure and/or volume ramp rate, which indicate their presence. Further pressurization would generate similar indications of fractures resulting from intermediate and maximum principle stresses.

Abstract: A steam injection pipe system within a cased wellbore is processed to reduce the emissivity of an outwardly facing surface. The pipe system is combined with: (1) a cleaning device or process for maintaining the low emissivity surface; and (2) a mixed fluid non-condensable gas supply to exclude steam from an annular space. This achieves a low cost and low thermal loss steam injection system. The pipe is composed of stainless steel and is polished to reduce the emissivity. The pipe is assembled and run into a cased wellbore. The polished surface of the pipe sections is solvent washed and surrounded by a non-condensable gas within the casing/pipe annulus. The non-condensable gas is introduced at the periphery of the injection pipe, mixed with the steam, and separated down-hole to fill the annulus. The cleaned low emissivity surface and mixed feed fluid gas supply achieves a significant reduction in heat loss without costly pipe insulation when compared to bare pipe injection.

Abstract: The present invention achieves a more reliable multiple fracturing of a subterranean formation by inserting high pressure tubing and isolating a portion of the wellbore (including the formation of interest and an end portion of the tubing) with packers. Near the end of the tubing is a closable end and a rupturable plenum holding a sufficient volume of pressurized gas to produce a pressure ramp sufficient to cause multiple fractures in the isolated portion when the plenum is ruptured. The closable end is closed after filling the isolated portion with a fracture fluid and proppant. The rupturable means is provided by at least one rupture disc. Multiple discs can provide a step wise pressure rise ramp to tailor the multiple fracture producing pulse. By providing a known volume of pressurized gas and rupture discs, a controlled pulse loading can be achieved.

Abstract: A ported float shoe and a landing collar are attached at one end of a casing string and a sliding air trapping insert attached by shear pins at the other end. The air trapping insert includes a fluid flow passageway blocked by a plug attached by shear pins to the insert. The air trapping insert and float shoe form an air cavity within the string portion. After running the string into a deviated well bore, the shear pin supported plug is pressure actuated open to allow air to be vented and drilling mud to flow into the cavity. A wiper plug followed by pressurized cement slurry shears away the attached insert, opens the float shoe, moves the insert to the bottom of the well, and allows cementing of the casing. Moved apparatus (near well bottom) forms a single drillable unit until drilled out in normal post-cementing operations. The flotation method reduces insertion drag and the related chance of a differentially stuck casing, and avoids the separate removal steps required by current flotation techniques.

Abstract: Low speed shutdown apparatus for a high temperature hammer mill having a relatively high speed drive motor connected to the hammer mill drive shaft includes a low speed, high torque shutdown drive motor and a drive belt for connecting the low speed shutdown motor to the hammer mill shaft in place of the high speed drive motor. Preferably both the high speed drive motor and the low speed shutdown motor are connected to the hammer mill shaft through electrically controlled clutches, an electrical control being provided for disengaging the high speed drive motor in the event of a shutdown situation in which the hammer mill is shutdown while loaded with hot material and for engaging the low speed motor with the shaft to keep the shaft turning so as to prevent or substantially eliminate warping of the shaft due to the high temperature in the mill while the mill cools down.