Abstract: A method and computer system for applying corrections to dual sensor ocean bottom cable marine seismic signals, for purposes of eliminating ghosts and reverberations, are disclosed. According to the disclosed method and system, both phase and amplitude corrections are derived in common receiver gathers, and applied to each geophone trace in the gather; preferably, the derivation of the corrections is performed on a limited offset common receiver gather. The phase correction is determined by minimizing a folded cross-correlation of the hydrophone and geophone signals over varying phase angles, with the appropriate phase correction corresponding to the angle at which the minimum is obtained; preferably, stacked cross-correlations are used in the phase correction determination to reduce the effects of random noise. The phase correction is then applied to the geophone traces in the gather, and an amplitude correction is derived by minimizing a cross-ghosting relationship.

Abstract: A method for isomerizing at least a portion of a butane stream using a hydrogen stream containing more than 0.1 ppmv of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide or a mixture thereof, the method comprising: charging the hydrogen stream containing at least 0.1 ppmv of at least one carbon oxide to a aromatics saturation zone to produce a reduced carbon oxide content hydrogen stream; recovering the reduced carbon oxide content hydrogen stream; drying at least a portion of the reduced carbon oxide content hydrogen stream to produce a dried reduced carbon oxide content hydrogen stream; charging at least a portion of the dried reduced carbon oxide content hydrogen stream to a butane isomerization zone; charging the butane stream to the butane isomerization zone; and, isomerizing at least a portion of the butane to produce an isobutane stream.

Abstract: A method for reducing the benzene content and isomerizing at least a portion of a C.sub.5 /C.sub.6 paraffinic stream using a hydrogen stream containing more than 0.1 ppmv of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide or a mixture thereof, the method comprising: charging a C.sub.5 /C.sub.6 paraffin stream containing benzene to a benzene saturation zone; charging a hydrogen stream containing at least 0.1 ppmv of at least one carbon oxide to the benzene saturation zone; saturating at least a major portion of the benzene and methanating at least a major portion of the carbon oxide present in the benzene saturation zone to produce a reduced benzene content C.sub.5 and C.sub.6 paraffinic stream and a reduced carbon oxide content hydrogen stream; recovering the reduced benzene content C.sub.5 and C.sub.

Abstract: A portable launcher/receiver which allows the high capital costs of pigging facilities to be distributed over a plurality of sites. The launcher is transported to the site on a mobile trailer to a docking station where it is aligned with and is releasably connected to an inlet section of a pipeline. A pig is then launched from said launcher/receiver into the pipeline through the inlet section. After the pig has been launched, the launcher/receiver is drained of fluids and is then disconnected and removed from inlet section and can then be moved to another site to launch or receive another pig.

Abstract: A system and computer program for determining the location of a seismic event in an earth formation zone using seismic traces corresponding to the event collected from one or more sensors in the zone. A graphical data window is displayed of the seismic traces corresponding to the event, the traces representing observed arrival time signals from the sensors plotted with respect to time. A window of a base map of the positions of the sensors within the zone is also displayed. Displayed in the data window is a curve plotting calculated arrival time signals for the traces, the curve being developed from a user-selected one of the observed arrival time signals displayed in the data window and from a user-selected trial location of the event selected in the base map window. The program enables user-repositioning of the trial location in the base map window such that the displayed curve moves in correspondence with the repositioning of the trial location.

Abstract: A computer system and method for correcting seismic data for phase distortion due to the effects of the near-surface layer are disclosed. Phase error corrections are performed on multiple frequency bands, beginning with a primary band and then proceeding with adjacent frequency bands. The primary band phase constant and time lag corrections are derived in a manner in which the phase correction is applied to the correlation function prior to selection of the peak time lag value, improving the accuracy of the time lag decomposition. Corrections for the secondary bands are made in such a way that the phase corrections at a tie frequency within the overlap frequencies between each secondary band and its adjacent bands are forced to be equal. At each step, surface-consistent decomposition of the phase static components and the time lag static components is performed using a weighted least-squares approach.

Abstract: A process for providing oxygen to a feed gas wherein the oxygen is first absorbed from an oxygen-containing gas (e.g. air) and then desorbed into the feed gas (e.g. natural gas). The oxygen is adsorbed from air by passing the air in contact with an oxygen-sorbent material (e.g. a solid-state, lithium cyanocobaltate) until the sorbent-material is substantially saturated after which the feed gas is passed in contact with the sorbent material to desorb the oxygen into the feed gas.

Abstract: A program and method for identifying connectivity of well perforation locations to cells of a reservoir description that meet selected pay criteria. First, a pay indicator is assigned to the cells that satisfy the selected pay criteria. A connectivity indicator is then assigned to the pay indicator-assigned cells that correspond to said well perforation locations. Next, a connectivity indicator is assigned to the pay indicator-assigned cells that are connected, either directly or indirectly through another said pay-indicator-assigned cell, to the well perforation location connectivity indicator-assigned cells. The result is construction of a connectivity index array for the reservoir description that differentiates the connectivity indicator-assigned cells from cells that are not assigned a connectivity indicator. The array may be used to calculate the total volume of the connectivity indicator-assigned cells, thereby estimating the drainage volume, i.e.

Abstract: A method is provided for processing data representing energy passing through a medium and subjected to multiple internal reflections. The method may be applied to reflection data, in which case multiple internal reflections have an odd number of reflections, or to transmission data, in which case multiple internal reflections have an even number of reflections. An inverse scattering series is constructed and represents physical properties of the region. The series is a power series having odd and even terms. Portions of the odd data (for reflection data) or even terms (for transmission data) are selected and linearly combined with the data so as to attenuate the multiple internal reflections.

Abstract: A cementitious composition is provided comprising a hydraulic cementitious material, iron chloride and sufficient water to form a pumpable slurry. The iron chloride predictably enhances the rheology and performance of the composition. Methods of cementing subterranean wells are accomplished by mixing together the hydraulic cementitious material, iron chloride and sufficient water to form a pumpable slurry; pumping the slurry to a selected location within the wellbore; and then allowing the slurry to solidify within the well.

Abstract: A turbine fuel valve packing assembly including two sets of packing rings in which at least one packing ring is a V-shaped packing ring, a compression member, lantern ring, and packing gland with a sealing ring is disclosed which effectively seals turbine fuel valves against leaking. Further disclosed is a valve packing replacement method utilizing a bifurcated valve shaft allowing part of the shaft to be removed, thereby providing enough space for the valve packing assembly to be removed from the fuel valve and replaced without disassembling the entire fuel valve.

Abstract: Fluid transmission pipelines and similar structures which are cathodically protected from electrolytic corrosion and are disposed in urban areas under pavements and other structures which prevent access to the soil for verifying pipe-to-soil potentials are subjected to pipe-to-soil potential measurements using a reference electrode disposed in a container which has a permeable bottom and which is capable of saturating a pavement layer with a brine electrolyte to provide electrical conductivity between the reference electrode and the soil. Validation of electrical conductivity is made by a second reference electrode of a dissimilar metal which is also disposed in a container having a permeable bottom and an electrolyte which permeates the pavement layer and establishes electrical conductivity between the soil and the second reference electrode. Potential measurements between the first and second electrodes validate ion transport between the soil and the first reference electrode.

Abstract: A method and a pumping system for lifting formation fluids from a production zone in a wellbore which allows the pump unit to be retrieved through the production tubing while leaving the tubing, electrical cable, and the remainder of the components of the pumping system in place. A pump unit is retrievably positioned within the production tubing and is releasably connected to a downhole motor whereby the motor will drive the pump when electricity is supplied thereto through the cable secured to the tubing. This allows the pump unit to be both retrieved and installed through the tubing without removing the production tubing string, the motor, or the electrical cable from the wellbore.

Abstract: A method of operating an adaptive, or neural, network is disclosed for performing first break analysis for seismic shot records. The adaptive network is first trained according to the generalized delta rule. The disclosed training method includes selection of the seismic trace with the highest error, where the backpropagation is performed according to the error of this worst trace. The learning and momentum factors in the generalized delta rule are adjusted according to the value of the worst error, so that the learning and momentum factors increase as the error decreases. The training method further includes detection of slow convergence regions, and methods for escaping such regions including restoration of previously trimmed dormant links, renormalization of the weighting factor values, and the addition of new layers to the network. The network, after the addition of a new layer, includes links between nodes which skip the hidden layer.

Abstract: A method and system for interactively applying wavelet transform and filter operations to digital data corresponding to geological measurements is disclosed. The disclosed system and method provides the capability of applying sequences of wavelet transform filter operations to input signal datasets representative of the measurements, where the wavelet transforms can utilize different scale-wavelet function pairs within the sequence. Interactive filtering is available within each wavelet transform-filter operation, allowing either manual filtering of selected level and bands, or automatic filtering through application of a filter function. Multiple wavelet transform-filter operations may be applied to the same filtered datasets, to facilitate comparison of the various analysis techniques.

Abstract: A production logging device, insertable into a cased or uncased wellbore for determining concentration of specified components in flowing production fluid, is provided having a tool body sized smaller in diameter than the wellbore so that flowing fluid production is not blocked. A line is connected to the tool body by which movement of the tool body within the wellbore casing can be selectably controlled from a remote location, and by which information signals can be communication from the tool body to the remote location. An infrared radiation source operatively connected to the tool body. A plurality of infrared transmission sites are circumferentially spaced around the tool body directed so that infrared radiation from the infrared radiation source is transmitted through flowing production fluid in the wellbore.

Abstract: A mill starting device for use in a pipestring in a wellbore which provides an inclined wall for guiding the mill to a shoulder stop so that when the mill is operated it preferentially bites into the shoulder stop and a method for using the device together with coiled tubing for forming a window in a subsurface well conduit.

Abstract: A method of separating the effects of the earth response on vibratory energy from individual ones of multiple vibrators to geophones, in generating a seismic survey, is disclosed. According to the disclosed method, measurements of the actual vibrations generated at the source are made, in addition to the geophone measurements of the refracted and reflected vibrations, both over a number of frequency sweeps. The source and geophone vibrations are first transformed into frequency domain representations, by way of Discrete Fourier Transforms. An inverse matrix of the recorded frequency-domain source vibrations is then generated for each frequency. When the number of sweeps equals the number of vibrators, the inverse matrix is merely the multiplicative inverse of the source measurements; if the number of sweeps exceeds the number of vibrators, the inverse matrix is the generalized inverse of the original matrix.

Abstract: A method for recovering oil from a gravity drainage oil-bearing formation from which at least a major portion of the oil in place has been recovered through at least one production well penetrating the formation from the surface, the method comprising injecting an oil miscible solvent having a density slightly greater than a gas contained in a gas cap above the oil liquid level in the formation through a production well completed to inject the oil miscible solvent into an upper portion of the formation for a period of time equal to at least one week; recompleting the well for the production of oil from a lower portion of the formation; and producing oil through the well from the lower portion of the formation.

Abstract: A method of separating the effects of the earth response on vibratory energy from individual ones of multiple vibrators to geophones, in generating a seismic survey, is disclosed. According to the disclosed method, measurements of the actual vibrations generated at the source are made, in addition to the geophone measurements of the refracted and reflected vibrations, both over a number of frequency sweeps. The source and geophone vibrations are first transformed into frequency domain representations, by way of Discrete Fourier Transforms. An inverse matrix of the recorded frequency-domain source vibrations is then generated for each frequency. When the number of sweeps equals the number of vibrators, the inverse matrix is merely the multiplicative inverse of the source measurements; if the number of sweeps exceeds the number of vibrators, the inverse matrix is the generalized inverse of the original matrix.