Abstract: A method for making an oil soluble coking process additive, includes the steps of: providing mixture of a metal salt in water wherein the metal salt contains a metal selected from the group consisting of alkali metals, alkaline earth metals and mixtures thereof; providing a heavy hydrocarbon; forming an emulsion of the mixture and the heavy hydrocarbon; heating the emulsion so as to react the metal salt with components of the heavy hydrocarbon so as to provide a treated hydrocarbon containing oil soluble organometallic compound, wherein the organometallic compound includes the metal and is stable at a temperature of at least about 300° C. The oil soluble additive and a process using same are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for optimizing production from a rod-pumping system includes the steps of providing a well having a rod-pumping system for pumping a fluid from a downhole location of the well to a surface location of the well; providing a mathematical model for determining a dynagraph relationship for the well from power consumption of the rod pumping system; measuring power consumption per cycle of the rod pumping system; determining a downhole dynagraph relationship from the power consumption per cycle and the model; measuring real time values of wellhead pressure and preferably wellhead temperature; and determining an optimum operating condition for the rod-pumping system from the downhole dynagraph relationship and the real time values.

Abstract: A composition of matter is provided including an inorganic porous material having wall portions defining mesopore-sized channels having a mean diameter of between about 15 Å and about 100 Å and a narrow diameter distribution of less than or equal to about 30 Å, the material having a void volume from the mesopore-sized channels of at least about 0.1 cc/g and a surface area of at least about 500 m2/g and having a number of hydroxyl groups of at least about 1.5 mmol of hydroxyl groups per gram of material, and exhibiting thermal and hydrothermal stability at temperatures up to about 500° C. Catalytic materials incorporating aluminum and other active metals, as well as a process for preparing the composition, are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for determining corrosiveness of naphthenic acid in a fluid includes the steps of: providing a fluid containing naphthenic acid; providing iron powder having a surface area of at least about 0.01 m2/g; contacting the fluid and the powder for a period of time so as to provide a portion of the iron as dissolved iron dissolved in the fluid; and measuring iron concentration of the fluid containing the dissolved iron, so as to provide a measure of corrosion potential of the naphthenic acid over the period of time.

Abstract: A process for preparing ethers includes the steps of: providing a feedstock containing iso-olefins selected from the group consisting of C5 iso-olefins, C6 iso-olefins and mixtures thereof; mixing the feedstock with alkyl alcohol so as to provide a reaction feedstock, feeding the reaction feedstock to a reactor zone in the presence of a first etherification catalyst whereby the alkyl alcohol reacts with the iso-olefins to form alkyl-tert-alkyl ethers so as to provide an intermediate feedstock containing the ethers and unreacted iso-olefins and alkyl alcohol; feeding the intermediate feedstock to a catalytic distillation column having a second etherification catalyst defining a catalytic zone; mixing additional alkyl alcohol to the intermediate feedstock so as to form azeotropes of the alkyl alcohol with the unreacted iso-olefins without forming azeotropes of the alkyl alcohol with the ethers whereby the catalytic zone is substantially free of the ethers and the unreacted iso-olefins react with said alkyl alc

Abstract: A method for determining real time liquid phase flow rate from a biphase stream includes the steps of: providing a stream of a biphase fluid including a gas phase having a known gas density and a liquid phase having a known liquid density; providing a separator having a known volume gradient corresponding to liquid level in the separator; feeding the stream to the separator so as to provide a separated liquid phase containing a portion or the gas phase as entrapped gas and a separated free gas phase in the separator; measuring density of the separated liquid phase; measuring change in level over time of the separated liquid phase in the separator; and determining a liquid phase flow rate from the change in level over time, the separated liquid phase density, the known gas density and the known liquid density.

Abstract: An apparatus for monitoring hydrogen permeation from a metallic material includes structure for positioning an electrolyte in hydrogen communication with the material; a porous electrode contacting the electrolyte; and a current collector connected to the porous electrode and the material, whereby current between the material and the current collector is indicative of hydrogen permeation from the material. A method is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for making an oil soluble coking process additive, includes the steps of: providing mixture of a metal salt in water wherein the metal salt contains a metal selected from the group consisting of alkali metals, alkaline earth metals and mixtures thereof; providing a heavy hydrocarbon; forming an emulsion of the mixture and the heavy hydrocarbon; heating the emulsion so as to react the metal salt with components of the heavy hydrocarbon so as to provide a treated hydrocarbon containing oil soluble organometallic compound, wherein the organometallic compound includes the metal and is stable at a temperature of at least about 300° C. The oil soluble additive and a process using same are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for optimizing production from a gas lift well includes the steps of: obtaining a statistical model of production behavior of a gas lift well, the production behavior including known patterns of at least one production characteristic and corresponding operating parameters; operating the gas lift well at initial operating parameters; obtaining a real time value of the production characteristic from the gas lift well at the initial operating parameters; comparing the real time value of the production characteristic to the model to determine whether a known pattern is detected; and if a known pattern is detected, adjusting the operating parameters to the corresponding operating parameters. An apparatus is also provided.

Abstract: A process comprises providing a catalyst comprising a support, a microwave absorption material, and a catalytically active phase; heating the catalyst with a source of microwave energy which is absorbed by said microwave absorption material to increase the temperature of the catalyst to a desired temperature; and contacting said heated catalyst with a hydrocarbon feedstock for upgrading same.

Abstract: A method for making an oil soluble coking process additive, includes the steps of: providing mixture of a metal salt in water wherein the metal salt contains a metal selected from the group consisting of alkali metals, alkaline earth metals and mixtures thereof; providing a heavy hydrocarbon; forming an emulsion of the mixture and the heavy hydrocarbon; heating the emulsion so as to react the metal salt with components of the heavy hydrocarbon so as to provide a treated hydrocarbon containing oil soluble organometallic compound, wherein the organometallic compound includes the metal and is stable at a temperature of at least about 300° C. The oil soluble additive and a process using same are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for designing handling systems such as pipeline systems for fluid products such as emulsions and dispersions which deteriorate at elevated temperature and pressure. The method of the present invention comprises the steps of providing a pipeline having a fluid inlet point and a fluid discharge point and at least one pump for transporting the fluid from the fluid inlet point to the fluid discharge point, selecting one of a maximum pressure drop to be encountered by the fluid as it travels from the fluid inlet point to the fluid discharge point and a maximum volume of fluid to be handled by the system, and operating the system in accordance with the following equation: ##EQU1## where B is the maximum allowable shear rate from a first fluid inlet point to a second fluid discharge point, D is the diameter of the pipeline, and Q is the volume of fluid to be transported between the fluid inlet point and the fluid discharge point.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming an oriented plastic pipe from a plastic tubular material includes a first heated liquid bath for heating the plastic material to the glass transition temperature and a cooled liquid bath downstream of the heated liquid bath for cooling the plastic pipe after orientation of same.

Abstract: A composition of matter is provided including an inorganic porous material having wall portions defining mesopore-sized channels having a mean diameter of between about 15 .ANG. and about 100 .ANG. and a narrow diameter distribution of less than or equal to about 30 .ANG., the material having a void volume from the mesopore-sized channels of at least about 0.1 cc/g and a surface area of at least about 500 m.sup.2 /g and having a number of hydroxyl groups of at least about 1.5 mmol of hydroxyl groups per gram of material, and exhibiting thermal and hydrothermal stability at temperatures up to about 500.degree. C. Catalytic materials incorporating aluminum and other active metals, as well as a process for preparing the composition, are also disclosed.

Abstract: A process for preparing a hydrocarbon in water emulsion includes the steps of providing a hydrocarbon phase containing inactive natural surfactant; mixing a solid carbon additive with the hydrocarbon phase, the solid additive being selected from the group consisting of coal, coke and mixtures thereof so as to provide a hydrocarbon suspension including the solid carbon additive; and forming an emulsion from the hydrocarbon suspension and an aqueous phase in the presence of a surfactant activating additive so as to activate the inactive natural surfactant and form a hydrocarbon in water emulsion having the solid carbon additive suspended in the hydrocarbon phase. A hydrocarbon in water emulsion is also provided including a hydrocarbon phase, a water phase, a surfactant, and a solid carbon additive suspended in the hydrocarbon phase, the solid carbon additive being selected from the group consisting of coal, coke and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: A process for scavenging hydrogen sulfide and mercaptan contaminants from a fluid, including the steps of: providing a fluid containing hydrogen sulfide and mercaptan contaminants; mixing the fluid with a benign contaminant scavenger so as to provide a fluid mixture; and subjecting the fluid mixture to scavenging conditions so as to provide a fluid product containing benign contaminant transformants.

Abstract: An apparatus for monitoring hydrogen permeation from a metallic material includes structure for positioning an electrolyte in hydrogen communication with the material; a porous electrode contacting the electrolyte; and a current collector connected to the porous electrode and the material, whereby current between the material and the current collector is indicative of hydrogen permeation from the material. A method is also disclosed.

Abstract: A catalyst for production of alkyl tert alkyl ether from sulfur contaminated feedstock includes an ion exchange resin; a palladium first metal phase supported on the resin; and a sulfur inhibiting second metal phase supported on the resin for inhibiting sulfur deactivation of the first metal phase, wherein the first metal phase is present at an atomic ratio to the second metal phase of between about 1:20 to about 1:0.1. A process for producing alkyl tert alkyl ethers includes the steps of providing a liquid olefinic hydrocarbon feedstock containing sulfur and having a total sulfur content of up to about 300 ppm; providing a catalyst as described above; mixing the feedstock with alcohol and hydrogen to obtain a reaction feedstock; and contacting the reaction feedstock with the catalyst under etherification conditions so as to produce alkyl tert alkyl ether.

Abstract: A method for preparing an oil soluble catalytic precursor includes the steps of: providing a mixture of a catalytic metal salt in water, wherein the catalytic metal salt contains a catalytic metal selected from the group consisting of alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, transition metals, and mixtures thereof; providing a heavy hydrocarbon phase; forming a water in oil emulsion of the mixture in the heavy hydrocarbon phase; and heating the emulsion at a temperature sufficient to dehydrate the emulsion so as to provide a hydrocarbon containing an oil soluble compound containing the catalytic metal.

Abstract: A method for dehydrating a waste hydrocarbon sludge, includes the steps of: (a) providing a waste hydrocarbon sludge in the form of an emulsion of water and oil having a water content greater than or equal to about 10% vol; (b) providing a solution of a clarifying agent in formation water; (c) mixing the waste hydrocarbon sludge with the solution so as to provide a sludge-water mixture having a ratio of water to hydrocarbon of at least about 1:1; (d) adding a demulsifier to the sludge-water mixture to provide a sludge-water-demulsifier mixture; (e) heating the sludge-water-demulsifier mixture to a sufficient temperature and holding for a time sufficient to provide a hydrocarbon phase having a water content of less than or equal to about 1% vol.