Abstract: This invention provides a process for producing hydrocarbons. The process involves contacting a feed stream comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide with a catalyst in a reaction zone maintained at conversion-promoting conditions effective to produce an effluent stream comprising hydrocarbons, and uses a catalyst including (a) at least one catalytic metal for Fischer-Tropsch reactions (e.g., iron, cobalt, nickel and/or ruthenium) and (b) a non-layered mesoporous support which exhibits an X-ray diffraction after calcination that has at least one peak at a d-spacing of greater than 18 Ångstrom units.

Abstract: A method of determination of fluid pressures in a subsurface region of the earth uses seismic velocities and calibrations relating the seismic velocities to the effective stress on the subsurface sediments. The seismic velocities may be keyed to defined seismic horizons and may be obtained from many methods, including velocity spectra, post-stack inversion, pre-stack inversion, VSP or tomography. Overburden stresses may be obtained from density logs, relations between density and velocity, or front inversion of potential fields data. The seismic data may be P-P, P-S, or S-S data. The calibrations may be predetermined or may be derived from well information including well logs and well pressure measurements. The calibrations may also include the effect of unloading. The determined pressures may be used in the analysis of fluid flow in reservoirs, basin and prospect modeling and in fault integrity analysis.

Abstract: Mixed metal carbide catalysts that are active for catalyzing the net partial oxidation of methane to CO and H2 are disclosed, along with their method of making. The preferred catalysts of the invention comprise a mixture of at least two carbided metals that are prepared by the reaction of the metal oxides, alkoxides or nitrates with a hydrocarbon of the formula CnH2n+2 wherein n is an integer from 1 to 4. Optionally, the catalysts include an additional promoter and/or a catalyst support. Preferred catalysts are at least 50 wt % molybdenum, tungsten or chromium, and also contain a second metal selected from the group consisting of molybdenum, tungsten, vanadium, chromium, iron, niobium, tantalum, rhenium, cobalt, copper, tin and bismuth.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided to improve production from a gas-lift well comprising injecting gas into a well to lift multi-phase formation fluid from the well; measuring at least one characteristic of the multi-phase formation fluid with a multi-phase flow meter while the fluid is in multi-phase form determining a value of the at least one characteristic from the measurement and adjusting at least one injection gas characteristic based on the determined value, the adjustment tending to improve well system production.

Abstract: An improved delayed coking unit with at least one coke drum wherein said coke drum comprises a substantially closed interior, a top portion having an aperture, an overhead vapor outlet nozzle removably connected to the aperture, and a deflector for deflecting solids and heavy hydrocarbon liquids from exiting said interior of said coke drum through said aperture.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and system for treating a stream containing H2S are disclosed. A preferred method comprises mixing the stream containing H2S with a light hydrocarbon stream and an oxygen containing stream to form a feed stream, contacting the feed stream with a catalyst for less than about 10000 microseconds while simultaneously raising the temperature of the stream sufficiently to allow oxidation of the H2S and partial oxidation of the light hydrocarbon to produce a product stream containing elemental sulfur, CO and hydrogen, and cooling the product stream sufficiently to condense at least a portion of the elemental sulfur and produce a tail gas.

Abstract: A method for determining formation pore pressure uses seismic data to derive an initial density model. Potential fields data are then used to derive the lower boundary of anomalous density zones (e.g., salt, shale diapirs, igneous or magmatic formations) by an inversion process. The model data are integrated vertically in two or three dimensions to determine an overburden stress for the subsurface that includes a proper treatment of the anomalous density zone. The velocity measurements determined from the seismic data are used to determine the effective stress based on appropriate relationships between effective stress and velocity. The fluid pressure is then obtained as the difference between the overburden stress and the effective stress.

Abstract: Pulsed power sources are installed in one or more wells in the reservoir interval. The pulse sources include (1) an electrohydraulic generator that produces an intense and short lived electromagnetic pulse that travels at the speed of light through the reservoir, and an acoustic pulse from the plasma vaporization of water placed around the source that propagates through the reservoir at the speed of sound in the reservoir and (2) an electromagnetic generator that produces only an intense and short lived electromagnetic pulse that travels at the speed of light through the reservoir. The combination of electrohydraulic and electromagnetic generators in the reservoir causes both the acoustic vibration and electromagnetically-induced high-frequency vibrations occur over an area of the reservoir where stimulation is desired.

Abstract: A method for modeling geological structures beneath anomalous density zones includes receiving seismic data and using this data to derive the top of a geologic model. Non-seismic data, such as gravity or magnetic data are used to derive the lower boundary of the geologic model in an inversion process. In one embodiment, the predicted parameters are combined with seismic data to obtain a depth image and to derive a velocity model in delineating formations of interest. In another embodiment, the processed seismic data is used to further constrain the inversion of the non-seismic data. Another novel aspect of the invention is the filtering of the non-seismic data during the inversion process in a manner that is consistent with Laplace's equation.

Abstract: A process of preparing a product gas mixture comprising CO and H2 from a light hydrocarbon and O2 mixture is disclosed. The process includes contacting a reactant gas mixture comprising a C1-C5 hydrocarbon and a source of molecular oxygen with a catalytically effective amount of a supported catalyst comprising nickel and rhodium. The catalyst and reactant gas mixture is maintained at catalytic partial oxidation promoting conditions of temperature and pressure during the contacting period, which is preferably 10 milliseconds or less. Certain preferred catalysts comprise an alloy of about 10-50 weight percent nickel and about 0.01-10 weight percent rhodium on a porous refractory support structure.

Abstract: A process and catalyst are disclosed for the catalytic partial oxidation of light hydrocarbons to produce synthesis gas. The process involves contacting a feed stream comprising the hydrocarbon feedstock and an oxygen-containing gas with a catalyst in a reaction zone maintained at conversion-promoting conditions effective to produce an effluent stream comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen in a molar ratio of about 2:1 H2:CO. A preferred supported catalyst used in the process includes nickel and magnesium oxide, with a promoter selected from the group including manganese, molybdenum, tungsten, tin, rhenium, bismuth, indium, phosphorus, and combinations thereof.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and system for treating a stream containing H2S are disclosed. A preferred method comprises mixing the stream containing H2S with a light hydrocarbon stream and an oxygen containing stream to form a feed stream; contacting the feed stream with a catalyst while simultaneously raising the temperature of the stream sufficiently to allow partial oxidation of the H2S and partial oxidation of the light hydrocarbon to produce a product stream containing elemental sulfur, H2O, CO and hydrogen, and cooling the product stream sufficiently to condense at least a portion of the elemental sulfur and produce a tail gas containing CO, H2, H2O and any residual elemental sulfur, and any incidental SO2, COS, and CS2 from the hydrocarbon stream or produced in the process. The tail gate is contacted with a hydrogenation catalyst so that CO is then reacted with water to produce CO2 and hydrogen and any elemental sulfur, SO2, COS, and CS2 in the tail gas is preferably converted into H2S.

Abstract: A hydrocarbon-soluble drag-reducing suspension is described, along with a process for manufacturing the drag-reducing suspension. The drag-reducing suspension is easily transportable, non-hazardous, easily handled, and provides a significant increase in drag-reducing capability over existing products. The drag-reducing suspension is manufactured by grinding an ultra-high molecular weight polymer in the presence of a grinding aid and mixing it with a suspending fluid.

Abstract: Aerated bitumen froth obtained from oil sands must be deaerated so that it can be pumped through a pipeline. Mechanical shearing is effective to deaerate bitumen froth to an air content of below 10 volume percent. Mechanical deaeration of bitumen froth can be achieved either by passing the froth through a confining passageway and shearing the froth with an impeller while it is in the passageway or temporarily retaining the aerated froth in a tank and circulating it repeatedly through a pump.

Abstract: A dynamic range relaxation algorithm is applied to simulate borehole failure under a variety of stress conditions. The borehole and its neighborhood are modeled by a number of regions by a plurality of interconnected nodes. The bonds between the nodes may be modeled as springs, rods, or beams. The strength of the bonds has a statistical variation to accurately simulate real world situations. The model may include, in addition to the borehole and the far earth formations, a liner, a casing, and/or a gravel pack. Simulation is carried out for different strength of the bonds.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for producing hydrocarbons. The process involves contacting a feed stream comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide with a catalyst in a reaction zone maintained at conversion-promoting conditions effective to produce an effluent stream comprising hydrocarbons. In accordance with this invention the catalyst used in the process includes at least one catalytic metal selected for Fischer-Tropsch reactions (e.g., iron, cobalt, nickel and/or ruthenium); and a support selected from the group consisting of fluorides and fluorided oxides of at least one element selected from the elements of Groups 2 through 15 of the periodic table of elements and elements with atomic numbers 58 through 71 (e.g., zinc, magnesium, calcium, barium, chromium, yttrium, lanthanum, samarium, europium and/or dysprosium).

Abstract: A computer implemented method for modeling of faulting and fracturing uses “small scale rules” to produce large-scale results. One part of the method is a user interface for inputting deformations, preexisting faults and fractures, and material rock properties. The second part of the software is the code that solves the motion of each point or node in the subsurface volume defined by the user interface. The model may be defined in one of three modes: an aerial mode, in which the model is 2-dimensional with the material and a substrate on a horizontal plane; a cross-sectional mode similar to the aerial mode except that the nodes are in a vertical cross section and gravity is included in the model; and a 3-D model that is an extension into a third dimension of the 2-D model and deformation may be applied to the bottom and four sides of the material region.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for producing hydrocarbons. The process involves contacting a feed stream comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide with a catalyst in a reaction zone maintained at conversion-promoting conditions effective to produce an effluent stream comprising hydrocarbons. In accordance with this invention the catalyst used in the process includes at least one catalytic metal for Fischer-Tropsch reactions (e.g., iron, cobalt, nickel and/or ruthenium); and a support selected from the group consisting of an aluminum fluoride and fluorided aluminas.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for producing hydrocarbons by contacting a feed stream comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide with a catalyst in a reaction zone maintained at conversion-promoting conditions effective to produce an effluent stream comprising hydrocarbons. The process is characterized by using a catalyst prepared by a method involving (1) forming a catalyst gel by destabilizing an aqueous colloid comprising (a) at least one catalytic metal for Fischer-Tropsch reactions (e.g., iron, cobalt, nickel and/or ruthenium), (b) colloidal cerium oxide, zirconium oxide, titanium oxide and/or aluminum oxide, and optionally (c) Al(OR)3, Si(OR)4, Ti(OR)4 and/or Zr(OR)4 where each R is an alkyl group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms; and (2) drying the gel.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for producing hydrocarbons. The process involves contacting a feed stream comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide with a catalyst in a reaction zone maintained at conversion-promoting conditions effective to produce an effluent stream comprising hydrocarbons. In accordance with this invention, the catalyst used in the process includes at least cobalt, rhenium, and a promoter selected from the group including boron, phosphorus, potassium, manganese, and vanadium. The catalyst may also comprise a support material selected from the group including silica, titania, titania/alumina, zirconia, alumina, aluminum fluoride, and fluorided aluminas.